Amid war and rising oil prices, RTX delivered the kind of quarters investors craved: A beat-and-raise. That's providing some relief, but the company's customers still need more jet engines.

The aerospace and defense company reported second-quarter earnings per share of $1.89 from sales of $24.7 billion, Thursday morning. Wall Street was looking for $1.66 and $22.9 billion, respectively.

A year ago, RTX reported earnings per share of $1.56 from sales of $21.6 billion. Sales and earnings are growing. Financial guidance was raised, too.

For 2026, RTX now expects sales of about $95.5 billion, up from prior guidance of $93 billion. Wall Street currently projects $94.4 billion. Earnings per share are expected to be about $7.18, up from prior guidance of $6.80. Wall Street currently projects EPS of $6.95.

Company backlog is $289 billion, up from $271 billion at the end of the first quarter.

Things are going well. Shares were up almost 5% in premarket trading at $204.25, while S&P 500 and Dow Jones Industrial Average futures were down about 0.4%.

Coming into Thursday trading, RTX stock was up 6% year to date, but down 4% since fighting started in Iran.

The war hurts RTX shares in two ways. Higher oil prices weigh on commercial aerospace stocks, with investors fearing rising jet fuel prices will crimp demand. For the defense business, investors have worried that defense spending is peaking, with a Democratic-controlled House after midterm elections pressuring the budget.

None of that showed up in current results, which was a relief. RTX has also been trying to raise production of its Pratt & Whitney jet engines. Supply-chain problems have constrained production across the aerospace industry for years.

Sales in that division rose 16% year over year, but the aftermarket drove the growth. Original equipment sales declined 8%. Deliveries of new engines increased, but the mix of engines contributed to the sales decline. Overall, engine production will be a watch item for investors.

Still, the quarter looked solid, and given recent concerns, that was enough for investors.

Write to Al Root at allen.root@dowjones.com

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(END) Dow Jones Newswires

July 23, 2026 08:53 ET (12:53 GMT)

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