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RTX Corp.: Q3 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q3 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 20 October 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 4 raised. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Sales up 11 percent, 12 organically: The company reported third quarter sales of $25.0 billion, up 11 percent from the prior year and up 12 percent organically. Source
  • Adjusted EPS up 33 percent to $2.26: Adjusted diluted EPS was $2.26, up $0.56 or 33 percent on the prior year, with $0.25 of the total from IEEPA cost recovery. Source
  • Collins adjusted profit up 50 percent: Collins adjusted operating profit was $1,788 million, up 50 percent, at a 21.3 percent margin on sales up 10 percent. Growth included about $250 million of IEEPA recovery. Source
  • Pratt adjusted profit up 29 percent: Pratt & Whitney adjusted operating profit was $968 million, up 29 percent, including about $160 million of IEEPA recovery. Reported operating profit fell 19 percent after a $363 million customer bankruptcy charge. Source
  • Backlog reached $340 billion: Company backlog was $340 billion, of which $176 billion was commercial and $164 billion defense. Source
  • Operating cash flow of $2.9 billion: Operating cash flow was $2.9 billion in the quarter, versus $4.6 billion a year earlier, including about $0.3 billion of IEEPA recovery. Source

“Demand for our products remains robust with over $81 billion of new commercial and defense awards, resulting in a record backlog of $340 billion,”

RTX Chairman and CEO Chris Calio

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Adjusted sales Sourcefull year 2026$97.0 - $97.5 billionRaised from $95.0 - $96.0 billion
Organic sales growth Sourcefull year 202610 to 11 percentRaised from 8 to 9 percent
Adjusted EPS Sourcefull year 2026$7.65 - $7.75Raised from $7.10 - $7.25
Free cash flow Sourcefull year 2026$9.0 - $9.2 billionRaised from $8.50 - $8.75 billion

What changed from last quarter

  • Guidance raised: Full-year 2026 guidance raised for adjusted sales, organic sales growth, adjusted EPS and free cash flow. Source
  • New: Multi-year undefinitized production contracts for Tomahawk and AMRAAM were awarded in the third quarter. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • Sales up 11 percent, 12 organically: The company reported third quarter sales of $25.0 billion, up 11 percent from the prior year and up 12 percent organically. Source
  • Adjusted EPS up 33 percent to $2.26: Adjusted diluted EPS was $2.26, up $0.56 or 33 percent on the prior year, with $0.25 of the total from IEEPA cost recovery. Source
  • GAAP EPS of $1.89 after adjustments: GAAP diluted EPS was $1.89. It included $0.26 of acquisition accounting adjustments and $0.11 of restructuring and other net significant or non-recurring items. Source
  • Adjusted net income up 34 percent: Adjusted net income was $3.1 billion, up 34 percent. Management attributes this to $1.1 billion of adjusted segment operating profit growth across all three segments. Source

Segments and regions

  • Collins adjusted profit up 50 percent: Collins adjusted operating profit was $1,788 million, up 50 percent, at a 21.3 percent margin on sales up 10 percent. Growth included about $250 million of IEEPA recovery. Source
  • Pratt adjusted profit up 29 percent: Pratt & Whitney adjusted operating profit was $968 million, up 29 percent, including about $160 million of IEEPA recovery. Reported operating profit fell 19 percent after a $363 million customer bankruptcy charge. Source
  • Raytheon sales up 14 percent: Raytheon sales were $8,031 million, up 14 percent. Adjusted operating profit was $1,134 million, up 32 percent, at a 14.1 percent margin. Source

“We remain focused on increasing output, optimizing our cost structure, and investing in new technologies to support our customers and drive continued growth.”

RTX Chairman and CEO Chris Calio

Products and customers

  • Collins commercial OE up 23 percent: Collins commercial OE sales rose 23 percent on higher narrowbody and widebody volume. Defense sales at Collins rose 7 percent across multiple programs. Source
  • Pratt commercial aftermarket up 21 percent: Pratt & Whitney commercial aftermarket sales rose 21 percent, primarily on GTF volume, while commercial OE fell 5 percent and military rose 2 percent. Source
  • Collins aftermarket growth from modifications: Collins commercial aftermarket sales rose 9 percent, driven by modifications and upgrades, provisioning, and parts and repair. Source

Costs, margins and pricing

  • Pratt mix and SG&A offset growth: Pratt & Whitney adjusted operating margin was 10.5 percent. Large commercial OE mix, commercial aftermarket mix and higher SG&A expense partly offset its profit growth. Source
  • Raytheon productivity included $85 million: Raytheon productivity in the quarter included about $85 million of benefits from an international contract modification and an offset obligation adjustment. Source
  • Higher taxes and lower pension income: Higher taxes and lower pension income partly offset growth. The adjusted effective tax rate was 18.7 percent, against 16.7 percent a year earlier. Source
  • Investment gain excluded from adjusted results: Reported results include a $159 million pre-tax gain on certain investments from a fair-value increase, which management classifies as non-operational. Source

Demand and the order book

  • Backlog reached $340 billion: Company backlog was $340 billion, of which $176 billion was commercial and $164 billion defense. Source
  • Tomahawk and AMRAAM awards won: Multi-year undefinitized production contracts for Tomahawk and AMRAAM were awarded in the third quarter. Source
  • Defense sales rose across programs: Collins defense sales rose 7 percent on higher volume across multiple programs. Raytheon sales rose 14 percent on higher volume. Source

Capital, cash and returns to shareholders

  • Operating cash flow of $2.9 billion: Operating cash flow was $2.9 billion in the quarter, versus $4.6 billion a year earlier, including about $0.3 billion of IEEPA recovery. Source
  • Free cash flow of $2.1 billion: Free cash flow was $2.1 billion after $0.7 billion of capital expenditures, against $4.0 billion a year earlier. Source
  • Dividends paid; no quarterly buybacks: Dividends paid were $984 million in the quarter, against $910 million a year earlier. No common stock was repurchased in the quarter. Source

Coming up, as management said on 20 October 2026

  • Focus on output, cost and technology: Management said it remains focused on increasing output, optimizing its cost structure and investing in new technologies. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Backlog Source$340 billion (commercial $176 billion; defense $164 billion)
Commercial aftermarket sales growth, Pratt & Whitney Source21 percent increase
Commercial aftermarket sales growth, Collins Aerospace Source9 percent increase

Risks management discussed

  • Financial: Pratt & Whitney recorded a $363 million charge in the quarter related to a customer bankruptcy. Source
  • Financial: The bankruptcy charges primarily relate to contract asset exposures with specific customers. Source

Other quarters

Summarised with AI from the documents the company filed with the SEC. Every point is checked against the filing before it is shown: management’s own words word for word, figures against the line or table row they come from. A point that fails the check is left out. Source opens the filing at that line.