Curtiss-Wright Corporation research snapshot
CW AI stock analysis as of the August 2, 2026 data cutoff reads Curtiss-Wright as a high-quality engineered aerospace, defense, naval, nuclear, process, and industrial supplier that is executing well, with the stock at $724.00 at the July 31, 2026 close and a market capitalization near $26.75 billion, re-verified during this full refresh as $724.00 times 36.94 million shares with 0.02% deviation across StockAnalysis.com quote and statistics pages. Q1 2026, released May 6, 2026, delivered sales of $914 million up 13%, operating income of $160 million up 23%, diluted EPS of $3.46, adjusted EPS of $3.48 up 23%, new orders of about $1.2 billion up 16% with a 1.3x book-to-bill, and record backlog near $4.3 billion up 5% from year-end. Management raised full-year 2026 guidance to 7% to 8% sales growth, $14.90 to $15.30 diluted EPS up 13% to 16%, and $580 million to $600 million of free cash flow. The trade-off is valuation: the stock trades near 53x trailing EPS and about 46x forward earnings, and it has pulled back below its 20-day and 50-day moving averages while holding above the 200-day average. Analysts rate it Buy with an average target of $822.17. The page presents a scenario framework, not a certain price prediction, and is for information only.
Current price
$724.00
Market cap
$26.75 billion verified market cap
AI score
71 / 100
Rating
High-quality engineered defense, naval, nuclear, and industrial supplier with record backlog, raised 2026 guidance, and valuation risk
Trend status
Price pulled back below the 20-day and 50-day moving averages while holding above the 200-day average
Data cutoff (updated monthly)
August 4, 2026
Informational use only. This page is not investment advice.
| Dimension | Conclusion | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Business quality | Curtiss-Wright sells specialized components, electronics, systems, and services for mission-critical aerospace, defense, naval, nuclear, process, and industrial applications, with about 9,100 employees. | High |
| Moat | Customer qualification, engineering know-how, installed equipment, security and regulatory requirements, long program cycles, and service relationships create meaningful switching costs. | High |
| Management | Chair and CEO Lynn M. Bamford has emphasized Pivot to Growth, margin expansion, record backlog, bolt-on acquisitions, debt discipline, repurchases, and investment in growth markets, and management raised full-year 2026 guidance after Q1. | Medium-high |
| Financial trend | FY2025 sales grew 12.08% to $3.498 billion, net earnings reached $484.23 million, and free cash flow was $553.71 million. Q1 2026 sales grew 13% to $914 million with operating income up 23% and record backlog near $4.3 billion. | High |
| Valuation | At $724.00, verified math shows about 53.04x TTM EPS, 10.16x book value, 45.28x free cash flow per share, about 46.32x forward earnings, and a 0.14% dividend yield. | High |
| Technical trend | The $724.00 close sits below the 20-day moving average near $737.91 and the 50-day moving average near $743.77, just below the 100-day near $725.99, but above the 200-day near $665.37. RSI near 46.97 is neutral and ADX near 13.97 shows a weak trend after the pullback. | Medium |
| Risk level | Risk is moderate to high because aerospace, defense, naval, and nuclear demand is favorable, yet a premium multiple, program execution, budget timing, acquisition integration, supply chains, and nuclear or industrial demand can move results. | Medium-high |
| AI confidence | Reported-data confidence is high. Scenario confidence is medium because AI cannot know contract awards, cost performance, policy, or future market multiples. | High data confidence |
| Investment certainty | Investment certainty is medium at this price. The business quality is clear, but margin of safety depends on earnings and cash flow continuing to compound at a demanding valuation. | Medium |
CW AI stock forecast
The CW AI stock forecast is scenario math, not a precise price prediction. Using the August 2, 2026 research cutoff, a $724.00 price reference, the FY2026 consensus adjusted EPS of about $15.24, and a three-year model, the tested anchors are about $985 in a bull case, $730 in a base case, and $465 in a bear case before dividends.
$940 to $1,020
More likely if 2026 sales grow near the high end of the 7% to 8% guidance range, adjusted EPS reaches the $14.90 to $15.30 guidance range, free cash flow reaches $580 million to $600 million, backlog converts cleanly, and investors retain a premium multiple for defense, naval, and nuclear exposure.
$700 to $760
More likely if earnings compound near the mid-teens, margin expansion holds, backlog supports normal revenue conversion, and the market values CW near a mid-40s forward multiple after growth moderates.
$440 to $500
More likely if defense orders or commercial nuclear demand slow, program or acquisition costs pressure margins, cash conversion misses guidance, or the market applies a lower forward multiple to the stock.
CW AI technical analysis
CW AI technical analysis as of the August 2, 2026 cutoff uses the July 31, 2026 close of $724.00. The price has pulled back below the 20-day moving average near $737.91 and the 50-day moving average near $743.77, while holding above the 200-day moving average near $665.37. Barchart reported 14-day RSI near 46.97, 14-day ADX near 13.97, and 14-day historical volatility near 46.90%. Refresh live chart data before acting because these levels can move daily.
| Level | Value | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Current price | $724.00 | StockAnalysis.com real-time quote at the July 31, 2026 close; market cap math uses 36.94 million shares outstanding. |
| Near support | $710 to $715 | The July 31 day range low was $710.97, making this a nearby short-term reference rather than a guaranteed floor. |
| Deeper support | $665 to $680 | The 200-day moving average near $665.37 is the broader trend reference and sits well below the current price. |
| Near resistance | $738 to $744 | The 20-day moving average near $737.91 and the 50-day moving average near $743.77 cap the immediate upside until reclaimed. |
| Next resistance | $780 to $810 | The 52-week high of $808.16 is the major overhead reference after the pullback. |
| 20-day moving average | $737.91 | Barchart snapshot near the cutoff. Price is below this level after the recent pullback. |
| 50-day moving average | $743.77 | Barchart and StockAnalysis.com both reported the 50-day moving average near $743.77 as of July 31, 2026. |
| 100-day moving average | $725.99 | Barchart reported the 100-day moving average near $725.99, just above the current close. |
| 200-day moving average | $665.37 | Barchart and StockAnalysis.com both reported the 200-day trend line near $665.37, below the current price. |
| Momentum | RSI 46.97, ADX 13.97 | RSI is neutral and ADX is low, so the pullback looks more like consolidation than a strong new trend in either direction. |
| Volume | About 214,000 to 215,000 shares, 20-day average | StockAnalysis.com reported 214,193 and Barchart 215,515; the 50-day average was near 278,838. Compare any breakout or breakdown with these levels. |
| Volatility | ATR near $30, beta 0.86 | Barchart reported a 14-day ATR near $30.17 and 14-day historical volatility near 46.90%, so position sizing should allow for larger swings around the August 5 earnings date. |
| Invalidation | Sustained loss of $711, then $665 | A close below the recent $710.97 low weakens the near-term case. A sustained break below the 200-day area near $665 would challenge the broader trend. |
CW AI trading strategy
The CW AI trading strategy is a rules-based research framework, not personalized investment advice. It connects price action to the Q2 2026 earnings report due August 5, 2026, raised 2026 guidance, orders, backlog conversion, segment margins, free cash flow, debt, and live technical data.
Watch whether CW reclaims the $738 to $744 area from the 20-day and 50-day moving averages with volume near the recent average and holds above the 200-day near $665. Confirm that earnings and orders support the raised 2026 outlook.
Treat a sustained close below the $710.97 recent low, a guidance reduction, or a material margin miss as a reason to reassess rather than add automatically.
If CW stabilizes near the $710 to $720 area or the 200-day near $665 without weaker backlog, guidance, or cash-flow evidence, compare the reset valuation with the base scenario and watch for stabilization in price and volume.
Do not assume the 200-day average is a floor. Reduce confidence if a pullback is paired with order weakness, supply-chain pressure, poor acquisition integration, or lower cash conversion.
Track Q2 2026 results due August 5, 2026, Aerospace and Industrial, Defense Electronics, and Naval and Power sales and margins, orders, book-to-bill, backlog, commercial nuclear demand including SMR and AP1000 progress, cash, debt, repurchases, dividends, and capital spending.
Lower the rating if EPS growth slows while valuation remains elevated, or if a backlog increase fails to translate into margin expansion and free cash flow.
Investment research summary
Customers pay Curtiss-Wright for engineered components, electronics, systems, and services that must perform reliably in demanding aerospace, defense, naval, nuclear, process, and industrial environments where failure costs are high.
The moat is built on qualification cycles, engineering depth, proprietary designs, installed base, security requirements, regulated applications, service relationships, and the cost of replacing a proven supplier in a critical program.
The thesis fails if a favorable demand narrative masks weaker conversion: orders can be delayed, programs can carry cost pressure, acquisitions can dilute returns, industrial markets can soften, and a premium multiple can compress even if earnings still grow.
Management has focused on growth investments, margin expansion, acquisitions, debt capacity, and share repurchases. The key test is whether capital allocation remains disciplined while investing for demand in defense and commercial nuclear markets.
CW is exposed to long-duration trends in defense modernization, naval programs, commercial aerospace content, nuclear maintenance and advanced reactors including SMRs and AP1000, automation, and electrification. These themes are favorable but remain dependent on budgets, regulation, and project execution.
The verified trailing valuation of roughly 53x EPS and 45x free cash flow, and about 46x forward earnings, prices in continued execution. Margin of safety improves only if earnings, cash flow, and backlog conversion meet expectations or if price resets toward a lower multiple.
Source-backed data
Every metric below includes a source and last verification date.
| Metric | Value | Source | Last verified |
|---|---|---|---|
| CW price and market capitalization | $724.00 at the July 31, 2026 close and $26.75 billion market cap, verified as $724.00 x 36.94 million shares with 0.02% deviation | StockAnalysis.com quote and statistics and Pineify financial_rigor.py | August 2, 2026 |
| Shares outstanding | 36.94 million shares outstanding, down 2.08% year over year and 0.31% quarter over quarter, with 85.89% institutional ownership | StockAnalysis.com share statistics | August 2, 2026 |
| Q1 2026 results | $914 million sales up 13%, operating income of $160 million up 23%, reported operating margin of 17.5%, diluted EPS of $3.46, adjusted EPS of $3.48 up 23%, adjusted operating margin of 17.6% up 100 basis points | Curtiss-Wright Q1 2026 earnings release | August 2, 2026 |
| Q1 2026 segment results | Aerospace and Industrial sales $255M up 12% with adjusted operating margin 15.4%, Defense Electronics sales $256M up 5% with operating margin 28.1%, Naval and Power sales $402M up 21% with adjusted operating margin 14.9% | Curtiss-Wright Q1 2026 earnings release | August 2, 2026 |
| Q1 2026 orders and backlog | New orders of about $1.2 billion up 16% with a 1.3x book-to-bill, and record backlog of about $4.3 billion up 5% from December 31, 2025 | Curtiss-Wright Q1 2026 earnings release and call | August 2, 2026 |
| Raised full-year 2026 guidance | Sales growth of 7% to 8% ($3.740 to $3.795 billion), operating income growth of 9% to 12% ($712 to $729 million), operating margin of 19.0% to 19.2%, diluted EPS of $14.90 to $15.30 up 13% to 16%, and free cash flow of $580 million to $600 million | Curtiss-Wright Q1 2026 earnings release | August 2, 2026 |
| FY2025 revenue and net earnings | $3.498 billion sales up 12.08% and $484.23 million net earnings, cross-checked across StockAnalysis.com and the annual report with 0.01% deviation | StockAnalysis.com financials and Curtiss-Wright 2025 Annual Report | August 2, 2026 |
| FY2025 segments | Aerospace and Industrial $976.76M with operating income $166.17M, Defense Electronics $1.0186B with operating income $278.02M, Naval and Power $1.5026B with operating income $231.28M | StockAnalysis.com metrics | August 2, 2026 |
| TTM financials | Revenue of $3.606 billion up 12.22%, gross profit of $1.341 billion, operating income of $663.83 million, net income of $511.08 million, and diluted EPS of $13.65 | StockAnalysis.com financials | August 2, 2026 |
| TTM cash flow | Operating cash flow of $676.51 million, capital expenditures of $85.75 million, and free cash flow of $590.76 million, or $15.99 per share | StockAnalysis.com cash flow statement | August 2, 2026 |
| Q1 2026 cash and debt | Cash and equivalents of $343.45 million, $200 million current portion of debt, and $757.64 million long-term debt per the Q1 2026 balance sheet; StockAnalysis.com reports total debt of $1.148 billion including operating leases with net debt of about $804.94 million | Curtiss-Wright Q1 2026 earnings release and StockAnalysis.com balance sheet | August 2, 2026 |
| Q1 2026 capital returns | Repurchased 21,865 shares for about $14 million in the quarter and declared a quarterly dividend of $0.24 a share, with the board later raising the quarterly dividend 8% to $0.26 for the 10th consecutive year of increases | Curtiss-Wright Q1 2026 earnings release and May 2026 dividend press release | August 2, 2026 |
| Valuation check | 53.03x trailing EPS, 46.32x forward earnings, 7.42x sales, 10.16x book value, 45.27x free cash flow, PEG 3.23, and a 0.14% dividend yield, re-verified with Pineify financial_rigor.py | StockAnalysis.com statistics and Pineify financial_rigor.py | August 2, 2026 |
| Analyst consensus | Buy with an average price target of $822.17 across 7 analysts, low $768 and high $870, median $821 | StockAnalysis.com forecast | August 2, 2026 |
| Recent analyst target updates | Stifel $724 to $768 (July 20, 2026), Morgan Stanley $760 to $860 (July 15, 2026), Citi $793 (July 1, 2026), Robert W. Baird $720 to $870 (May 8, 2026) | StockAnalysis.com forecast and TheFly | August 2, 2026 |
| Forward estimates | FY2026 revenue estimate of $3.78 billion with adjusted EPS of $15.24, FY2027 revenue estimate of $4.09 billion with adjusted EPS of $17.11, 3-year revenue growth forecast of 8.15% and EPS growth forecast of 13.42% | StockAnalysis.com forecast financial forecast | August 2, 2026 |
| Short interest | 716,282 shares short, 1.94% of shares outstanding, and 2.35 days to cover | StockAnalysis.com statistics short selling | August 2, 2026 |
| Technical snapshot | 20-day moving average $737.91, 50-day moving average $743.77, 100-day moving average $725.99, 200-day moving average $665.37, 14-day RSI 46.97, 14-day ADX 13.97, 14-day historical volatility 46.90%, 52-week range $464.91 to $808.16 | Barchart and StockAnalysis.com technical snapshots | August 2, 2026 |
This page is an informational research tool, not investment advice or a recommendation to buy or sell securities. Forecast ranges are scenario outputs based on available data and assumptions, may be wrong, and should not replace independent research or professional advice.
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