Jefferies reiterated a Hold rating and a $225.00 price target on RTX Corp. on Wednesday, mirroring the market's broader sentiment toward the aerospace and defense manufacturer. The company currently trades at a price-to-earnings ratio of 39.51 and carries an analyst consensus rating of Hold (2.09). Data from InvestingPro indicate the shares are trading above their Fair Value estimate despite a 54% price appreciation over the past 12 months.
Pratt & Whitney expectations
Jefferies' outlook centers on Pratt & Whitney (P&W), which contributes roughly 36% of RTX's revenue and about 25% of its EBIT. The firm models 5% revenue growth for P&W in 2026. Within P&W, the Commercial Aftermarket - representing 35% of P&W sales - is forecast to expand by 7%, a driver that Jefferies expects will produce approximately 11% segment EBIT growth in fiscal 2026.
Analysts point to operational improvements at Eagle Services Asia (ESA), a joint venture established in 1998 between P&W and SIAEC, as a key element supporting aftermarket performance. ESA functions as P&W’s primary maintenance, repair and operations hub in the Asia-Pacific region and currently ranks as the highest-volume heavy engine MRO in the geared turbofan (GTF) network.
GTF work accounts for about 70% of ESA’s activities. The global GTF fleet is reported at roughly 6,600 engines today and is projected to grow at a 14% compound annual growth rate to exceed 12,600 engines by 2030. Jefferies highlights that ESA has increased MRO output by 40% through capacity additions and the integration of automation and robotics, raising engine inductions from 111 in 2023 to about 200 in 2025 - an 86% increase.
That ramp reflects both network maturity - shortening learning curves across the MRO footprint - and the application of automation aimed at enhancing quality. Jefferies expects GTF MRO margins to improve from around 10% in 2025 to between 11% and 12% in 2026. Additional margin expansion is expected from the rollout of GTF Advantage offerings, hot section upgrades and retrofits beginning in 2026. By 2030, Jefferies estimates 27% of the current GTF fleet will be up for repricing, which could contribute roughly 60 basis points to overall P&W margins.
Contracts and defence-related developments
Beyond aftermarket dynamics, RTX has secured a $230.5 million contract to procure materials for F135 propulsion systems. The deal, structured as a mix of fixed-price-incentive and cost-plus-incentive-fee terms, is intended to support delivery schedules for 138 propulsion systems in Lot 20 and serve U.S. military branches and international partners.
In a separate defense-related engagement, BBN Technologies, an RTX subsidiary, received a contract from the Department of War to develop technology for 5G and defense radar spectrum sharing to address interference issues in spectrum management.
Wolfe Research has maintained an Outperform rating on RTX following the company’s agreement to expand missile production under the Pentagon’s defense industrial capacity enhancement plan. Wolfe notes this production expansion could help shield RTX from inclusion on any "underperforming defense contractor list" anticipated from the Secretary of Defense.
Commercial engine orders and shareholder return
On the commercial front, Vietjet Air selected Pratt & Whitney GTF engines for 44 additional Airbus A320neo family aircraft, with deliveries scheduled to begin in July 2026. This order represents additional fleet support for the GTF network and aligns with the projected fleet growth driving aftermarket demand.
RTX also announced a quarterly cash dividend of $0.68 per share, payable on March 19, 2026, to shareholders of record as of February 20, 2026.
Market context and valuation
Despite the operational and contract developments outlined above, advisory data indicates the stock appears overvalued relative to its Fair Value estimate. Jefferies' reiterated Hold and the broader consensus rating reflect a cautious stance that balances expected aftermarket margin improvement and defense contract awards against current valuation multiples.
Note: Information in this report is drawn from market and company data as stated above and reflects analyst projections and company announcements.