Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc. (HII) Up 5.6% — Should I Go From Curious to Committed?
Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc. (HII) showed strong performance in its latest session, surging 5.63% to close at $355.59 on the NYSE. The stock advanced sharply from the prior close of $336.64, gaining $18.95 in a single day. Trading activity was bullish, with volume reaching 508,879 shares, running ahead of its 90-day average of 450,273 shares. This elevated turnover underscores the strength of the latest move, as more shares changed hands while the price was moving decisively higher.
The latest advance also pushed Huntington Ingalls further into new high ground. The stock ended the session above its recent 52-week peak of $337.44 set on Dec. 19, 2025, marking a clear breakout beyond that prior ceiling. At the current level, shares are trading roughly $18 above that earlier high, highlighting sustained upward momentum rather than a brief intraday spike. Within the broader industrial and aerospace-defense landscape, this kind of price action stands out, with HII gaining ground more aggressively than many well-followed peers such as General Electric Company (GE), Caterpillar Inc. (CAT), RTX Corporation (RTX), GE Vernova Inc. (GEV), and Uber Technologies, Inc. (UBER). Overall, the combination of a solid percentage move, a meaningful dollar gain, higher-than-normal volume, and a fresh move into record territory points to a firmly bullish tone in the latest trading for Huntington Ingalls.
Why Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc. Price is Moving Higher
Momentum in Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc. (HII) has been building as investors respond to a backdrop of steady operational progress and improving growth metrics. The stock’s recent trade in the low-to-mid $330s comes as market participants increasingly reward defense and capital goods names with visible backlogs and long-cycle revenue streams. HII’s revenue growth of 16.11% stands out in this environment, signaling that key shipbuilding and defense programs are ramping effectively. With earnings per share at $14.47, investors see evidence that the company is converting that top-line growth into bottom-line performance, even with a modest profit margin of 4.73% typical for large, project-driven defense contractors.
The move higher is also supported by broader sector tailwinds and rising investor enthusiasm toward industrial and defense-related capital goods. Peers such as General Electric, Caterpillar, RTX, and others have seen renewed interest as markets price in sustained demand for infrastructure, energy transition, aerospace and defense spending. HII fits squarely into this theme, and the stock’s stronger recent trading volume versus its 90-day average points to growing institutional engagement and positive sentiment. As more investors look for companies with durable government contracts, multi-year visibility and expanding revenue bases, HII is increasingly viewed as a beneficiary of that search, helping drive the stock’s recent upside and reinforcing the bullish tone around its shares.
What is the Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc. Rating - Should I Buy?
Weiss Ratings assigns HII a C rating. Current recommendation is Hold. That places Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc. in the middle of the pack from a risk/reward standpoint — neither a standout outperformer nor a major laggard — but with several noteworthy strengths that can appeal to investors seeking stability in the Industrials space.
The most compelling positives come from the Excellent Efficiency Index and Excellent Solvency Index. Together, these indicate that management is using capital effectively and that the balance sheet is in strong shape, an important consideration for a large defense and shipbuilding contractor operating in long-cycle programs. A return on equity of 12.39% supports this view of solid capital deployment. These strengths can provide a cushion during industry or macroeconomic slowdowns, helping justify a Hold rating even when other metrics are more mixed.
On the reward side, Huntington Ingalls shows a Fair Growth Index and Fair Total Return Index. Revenue growth of 16.11% and a profit margin of 4.73% show the business is expanding, but profitability is still relatively modest for the current forward P/E of 23.26. The Fair Volatility Index and Fair Dividend Index indicate that while investors do get some income and price stability, these characteristics are roughly in line with the broader market rather than exceptional.
Within Industrials, HII’s C (Hold) rating trails peers such as General Electric Company (GE, B), Caterpillar Inc. (CAT, B), and RTX Corporation (RTX, B), but is comparable to GE Vernova Inc. (GEV, C). For investors, that means Huntington Ingalls can fit as a core, steady exposure to defense-related shipbuilding, but the overall profile does not yet warrant a Buy rating on a risk-adjusted basis.
About Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc.
Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc. (HII) is a leading U.S. shipbuilding and defense technology company, operating at the core of the Industrials sector’s Capital Goods segment. The company is best known as the largest military shipbuilder in the United States and the primary designer, builder, and refueler of nuclear-powered aircraft carriers for the U.S. Navy. HII also constructs amphibious assault ships, destroyers, and other complex naval platforms, supporting critical maritime defense and security missions. With a heritage that traces back more than a century, the company has developed deep engineering expertise and specialized industrial capabilities that are difficult to replicate, reinforcing its position as a key strategic supplier to the U.S. government.
Beyond shipbuilding, Huntington Ingalls Industries has expanded into advanced defense technologies, including autonomous systems, cyber and electronic warfare solutions, C5ISR (command, control, communications, computers, combat systems, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance), and training and simulation services. This diversified portfolio allows HII to support customers across the full lifecycle of defense and national security programs, from design and construction through modernization, sustainment, and mission support. The company’s scale, long-term customer relationships, and integration of high-end engineering with large-scale manufacturing give it a durable competitive advantage within the Capital Goods industry, particularly in highly specialized, mission-critical defense applications.
Investor Outlook
With Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc. carrying a C (Hold) Weiss Rating, the stock appears positioned for potential continued gains if it can build on operational execution and broader Industrials sector strength. Investors may want to watch how HII trades around recent price inflection areas and whether any improvement in its underlying risk/reward profile can support an eventual rating upgrade. See full rankings of all C-rated Industrials stocks inside the Weiss Stock Screener.
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