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CFO Travis Johnson acknowledged some award timing shifts but pointed to a strong 1.0x year-to-date book-to-bill ratio and a $29 billion pending pipeline as signs of health. CEO John Heller added that the company will continue to evaluate its portfolio annually against strategic priorities, suggesting further optimization is possible.

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CEO Eric DeMarco expects the German Valkyrie sale to have a higher margin profile, similar to international target drone sales. CFO Deanna Lund anticipates the contract mix will remain predominantly fixed-price. Mr. DeMarco explained that the Norden acquisition is part of a strategic, partner-encouraged re-entry into the high-margin U.S. microwave electronics market.

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CEO Eric DeMarco stated the 2025 appropriations bill provides "incredible clarity" and boosts confidence in the forecast. CFO Deanna Lund confirmed the "lion's share" of Q1 unmanned bookings were for target drones. Eric DeMarco reiterated that while tactical drones could be a "step function inflection point," the company is not forecasting it until contracts are in hand. He also noted the commercial space business has "bottomed out" for Kratos.

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CEO Eric DeMarco confirmed Apollo and Athena are under contract and contributing to 2025 revenue growth, and that an international Valkyrie program has been won but is cautiously factored into forecasts pending State Department processes. He stated the Space business mix is roughly 2/3 government and 1/3 commercial, expecting it to shift towards 80/20 as the government segment grows while commercial remains flat awaiting satellite deployments.

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CEO Eric DeMarco acknowledged that hiring skilled labor, especially in turbo machinery, remains a significant and costly challenge. To offset commercial space headwinds, he highlighted the training systems business, where demand is the strongest in a decade. He noted that several large bids are outstanding that could 'literally double' the size of the training business, making it a major future contributor.

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CEO Johann Bordais clarified that Eve's primary focus remains on the Urban Air Mobility (UAM) market. However, he acknowledged that the company is exploring other possibilities, including a hybrid solution for specific markets like defense, and pointed to the existing LOI with BAE Systems as an example of engagement with a partner that has a significant defense presence.

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President, CEO & Director Rex Geveden expressed optimism for microreactors, citing a path for Pele production and continued NASA funding for the DRACO program. He stated there is low interest in taking on non-nuclear work from shipyards. Regarding zirconium, he noted the price has stabilized and reiterated that the risk is passed to the customer, with the previous impact being a timing issue for accounting.

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EVP and CFO Robb LeMasters explained that the zirconium cost issue in the Canadian commercial business is being managed through contractual pass-through mechanisms with customers. CEO Rex Geveden stated that while BWXT anticipates scope on the AUKUS submarines, specific details cannot be disclosed yet but will be shared when possible.

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President & CEO Rex Geveden expressed confidence, stating BWXT's high-value-add work and highly scrutinized contracts make it resilient. EVP & CFO Robb LeMasters added that 80% of government work is already on fixed-price type contracts. Regarding a CR, Geveden noted that BWXT's major programs are programs of record and would continue to receive funding, minimizing the potential disruption.

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CEO Rex Geveden clarified that BWXT did not bid on the large-scale commercial fuel enrichment opportunity, as it is outside their strategic focus, though they do play in niches like deconversion. Regarding international work, Geveden stated they are not pursuing high-risk, fixed-price decommissioning projects abroad, preferring to focus on the DOE space. However, he noted that international commercial nuclear power development, especially related to CANDU technology in countries like Romania, is an intriguing and important growth area.

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President and CEO Tony Thene clarified that any destocking is isolated and not impacting overall record results or guidance. He differentiated Carpenter's high-end, innovation-focused medical business from peers, stating they are not seeing similar headwinds. He also noted that the new LTAs are primarily renewals of existing agreements, so there is no sizable change to the overall LTA mix.

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CEO Tony Thene attributed the medical sales decline to a tough comparison against a near-record prior-year quarter and some possible destocking, which he believes is now largely over. He projected a 'sizable increase' for medical sales in Q4. Regarding raw materials, Thene stated the largest input, nickel, is sourced from tariff-exempt Canada and Norway, and that only a 'very low single digits' percentage of total spend would be impacted by tariffs, which would be passed through to customers. He sees limited downstream demand impact due to the highly specialized and often sole-source nature of Carpenter's products.

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CEO Tony Thene stated that the company is well-positioned regardless of any new tariff regime, noting that previous tariffs had little impact and any new costs would be passed through to customers. He affirmed that volumes will increase as aerospace build rates ramp up. Regarding lead times, he clarified his earlier comment, specifying that improvements were mainly in engine materials due to production efficiencies, bringing them from 65+ weeks to the low 60s, while acknowledging lead times vary by product.

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Tony Thene, President and CEO, characterized the current aerospace issues as a 'near-term phenomenon' and expressed confidence in long-term demand. He projected that FY26 would be another 'meaningful step up' from FY25, driven by productivity, mix, and pricing, rather than a tough comparison. He also confirmed the minor additive charge was a final inventory write-off related to the previously announced actions.

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President & CEO Kimberly Fields stated the LTA mix is now 60-65% for ATI overall and 70-75% for the HPMC segment. She explained that contracts include volume maximums, allowing ATI to capture market pricing on emergent demand. Regarding the medical market, Fields described it as a 'tough story' due to elevated inventories, destocking, and pricing pressure, noting that the company is shifting fungible assets to serve the stronger jet engine market.

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Kim Fields, President and CEO, responded that while not a near-term factor, the deal is a positive long-term development for diversifying the titanium sponge supply. She noted that Ukraine was a historical partner and that any new supply would first need to undergo extensive qualification for aerospace applications once the region stabilizes.

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President and CEO Kimberly Fields stated that ATI is mitigating zirconium supply risk through diversification to second sources and placing physical hedges. She also noted that recycled material usage is significant and varies by product, ranging from 50-75% for titanium to a high percentage for nickel, with a general range of 30-75% across the portfolio.

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President and CEO Kim Fields confirmed that engine MRO demand is very high but noted that engine business is generally more margin-accretive than airframe. EVP and CFO Don Newman clarified that since jet engine revenue is about twice that of airframe, it provides a significant but not a one-for-one offset. Fields explained that defense shipment delays were due to timing and a supply chain bottleneck at a government testing facility, not internal operational failures.

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Chairman & CEO William Lynn stated that the international market remains a growth engine due to NATO and global conflicts, with demand for 'ReadyNow' capabilities being a key tailwind. He confirmed that DRS has a global M&A focus, including Europe, and is also open to partnerships with other companies to enhance mutual competitiveness, noting that such discussions have occurred.

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CEO William Lynn affirmed that M&A remains the top priority for capital allocation, with a robust pipeline under active diligence. CFO Michael Dippold addressed the supply issue, explaining that the Q1 adjustment reset the backlog for the affected program. To mitigate future risk, he stated DRS is proactively including economic price adjustment clauses in new and existing contracts to handle potential price volatility.

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CEO William Lynn clarified that DDG(X) is a longer-term opportunity for the 2030s and not in the 2025 outlook, though design decisions are expected in the next few years. He stated the KDDX status is unchanged, with no decision yet from the Korean customer. On materials, management confirmed germanium remains the primary focus for which they have safety stock, and the broader supply chain has stabilized with predictable, though still elongated, lead times.

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David Moreno, COO, highlighted the China opportunity, noting that Chinese airlines will operate their current-generation fleets longer, creating more maintenance demand that FTAI can now serve via its licensed Rome facility. Joseph Adams, Chairman, CEO & Director, added that while it's too early to precisely size the market, it is significant. He reiterated that Aerospace Products margins are expected to remain in the 34-38% range for the rest of 2025 before expanding to 40%+ in 2026.

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CEO Joseph Adams reiterated the company's capital allocation priorities: first, growth CapEx; second, debt repayment; and third, shareholder returns. He projected that FTAI would reach its target of approximately 3x debt-to-total EBITDA by the end of the year, at which point the company would be in a position to consider shareholder repayments like dividends or stock buybacks.

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CFO Eun Nam confirmed that the company is actively working to shift its accounting and disclosures toward an industrial model as the business mix evolves. CEO Joe Adams added the goal is a full conversion once the Aerospace Products business constitutes more than half of total EBITDA. Regarding cadence, Adams stated they do not see seasonality in the business, as their just-in-time engine solutions are needed year-round. COO David Moreno noted the primary focus is on ramping production to a target of 100 modules per quarter at the Montreal facility.

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COO David Moreno described field service not as a margin play, but as a distribution channel to increase module velocity, enhancing the customer experience. CEO Joe Adams clarified that the $60-$80 million in maintenance CapEx is spent annually to keep engines in their own leasing portfolio in service. Regarding PMA parts, Moreno declined to provide a specific forecast for approval timing, stating only that they are pleased with the progress.

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CEO Wahid Nawabi described a potential NATO spending increase as a 'seismic shift' in demand, noting AeroVironment is uniquely positioned to capitalize due to its proven, scalable solutions. He estimated the one-way attack drone market is over $1 billion and confirmed the base Red Dragon system is not subject to ITAR restrictions, allowing for easier export and international integration.

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Wahid Nawabi, Chairman, President and CEO, stated that firm orders have been received from approximately six of those nations and are now in the backlog, with an additional 20 countries in active engagement for Switchblade systems. He declined to quantify the wildfire impact but explained it caused extended, forced power outages at multiple facilities and for suppliers late in the quarter, which disrupted manufacturing and logistics with little time for recovery.

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Wahid Nawabi, Chairman, President, and CEO, did not provide a specific sales percentage for Ukraine but stressed that the company has successfully diversified its revenue and that global demand is strong and sustainable beyond any single conflict. Regarding the international pipeline, he noted that three new allies (Lithuania, Romania, Sweden) recently placed initial orders, Taiwan and Greece have active requests, and another half-dozen-plus countries remain in various phases of the acquisition process, signaling a robust and growing international customer base.

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CEO Wahid Nawabi confirmed the pipeline of actively engaged countries is growing from the 'half a dozen plus' figure and that the list of approved countries to engage with is over 50. He also confirmed that the new IDIQ contract is indeed designed to accommodate FMS sales, which could help streamline and speed up the procurement process for international allies.

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CFO Adam Spice reported that the SolAero business has successfully improved its gross margin to the target model, calling it a strategic addition to the portfolio. CEO Peter Beck stated that Mynaric's supply chain issues were partly due to its financial distress, which will be resolved under Rocket Lab's ownership. Beck also explained that the Electron reusability program has been paused to prioritize resources and engineering talent for the higher-impact Neutron program.

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CEO Sir Peter Beck explained that Neutron is the critical enabler for the space applications strategy, making its successful deployment a prerequisite for that segment's growth. Both he and CFO Adam Spice estimated the 'true' government end-user exposure in the backlog is significantly higher than the 50-50 direct split, likely closer to 70-80% or more.

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CFO Adam Spice reported that net spend on Neutron in Q3 was just under $44 million and affirmed the company remains within its original $250-$300 million total program budget. He noted that the components businesses are growing well, with Sinclair showing particular strength, but did not provide a precise breakdown of the internal versus merchant supply mix, stating it varies significantly by product line.

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SVP and CFO Shawn Mural stated that V2X does not disclose book-to-bill by region but expects more fixed-price awards in the second half. Regarding capital allocation, both Mural and President and CEO Jeremy Wensinger emphasized a patient approach focused on shareholder value, consistently evaluating M&A for complementary capabilities in core areas like training and modernization, but without immediate urgency.

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CFO Shawn Mural confirmed that Indo-Pacific results include INDOPACOM and noted that biennial exercises present future opportunities. President and CEO Jeremy Wensinger added that V2X's established footprint is a key advantage. Regarding margins, Mural explained the decline is predominantly due to the conclusion of mature, high-margin programs (KC-10, T-1A), with new contract wins starting at lower margins that are expected to ramp up through the year.

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