Elbit Systems Ltd. (ESLT) Stock Price & How to Invest
Short answer
ESLT is Elbit Systems, an Israeli defense-technology company listed on the Nasdaq, and investing in it means buying a pure-play global arms and electronics supplier riding a record order backlog but trading at a premium valuation.
ESLT stock price
As of 2026-07-08, Elbit Systems Ltd. (ESLT) last closed at $780.05, up 71.2% over the past year. Over the past 52 weeks it has traded between $429.99 and $1,014.33.
Prices are daily closing prices from Yahoo Finance and may be delayed. For the live quote, check your broker or Elbit Systems Ltd.'s investor relations page. Walnut is informational, not investment advice.
What does Elbit Systems Ltd. (ESLT) do?
Elbit Systems Ltd (Nasdaq and Tel Aviv: ESLT) is an Israel-based defense technology company that develops, manufactures, integrates and sustains military systems across land, sea, air, cyber and space domains. Its portfolio spans C4ISR (command, control and intelligence systems), electro-optics and thermal imaging, unmanned aerial and ground systems, precision munitions and artillery rockets (including its PULS launcher), helmet-mounted displays for pilots, and electronic warfare. The company employs more than 20,000 people across five continents and generates a large share of sales from export customers, with roughly 72% of its order backlog attributable to orders from outside Israel as of the end of 2025.
The investment picture centers on a multi-year surge in global defense spending, especially in Europe, that has driven Elbit's order backlog to record levels. Revenue reached nearly $8 billion in 2025, up double digits year over year, and the backlog crossed $30 billion for the first time in early 2026, giving multi-year revenue visibility. The counterweight is valuation: after a large stock run, ESLT trades at a premium price-to-earnings multiple well above the broader industrials sector, meaning much of the growth is already priced in. Investors also weigh Israel-specific reputational and export risks alongside the durability of the current arms-buying cycle.
What's driving Elbit Systems Ltd. (ESLT)?
1. Record backlog and revenue visibility
Elbit's order backlog surpassed $30 billion for the first time in Q1 2026, up from $28.1 billion at the end of 2025 and $22.6 billion a year earlier. That backlog represents several years of revenue and provides unusual visibility for an industrial company. It reflects a wave of new contracts, including large European and Israeli defense awards booked through early 2026.
2. European rearmament tailwind
European governments have sharply increased defense budgets, and Elbit has won sizable orders there, including a roughly $1.4 billion European modernization contract and a $750 million PULS artillery deal with Greece. With about 72% of backlog coming from outside Israel, the company is positioned as a supplier to the broader NATO-aligned rearmament cycle rather than a purely domestic contractor.
3. Margin and cash-flow improvement
Non-GAAP operating margins moved past the 10% mark in Q1 2026, and full-year 2025 free cash flow rose about 73% to roughly $553 million. Rising volume, operating leverage and disciplined execution have improved profitability. Stronger cash generation supports the dividend and reinvestment in capacity to fulfill the growing backlog.
4. Diversified defense product breadth
Elbit spans C4ISR, electro-optics, unmanned systems, precision munitions, airborne systems and land platforms, which reduces reliance on any single program. This breadth lets it participate across the land, sea and air modernization budgets of many governments. Its US subsidiary, Elbit Systems of America, also gives it access to the world's largest defense market.
What are the risks to Elbit Systems Ltd. (ESLT)?
The most cited risk is valuation: ESLT trades at a trailing price-to-earnings ratio around the low-to-mid 60s, far above the industrials-sector average, so disappointing execution could compress the multiple sharply. Israel-specific geopolitical and reputational exposure is real, as some European governments have at times restricted or scrutinized arms purchases from Israeli suppliers, and ESG-driven divestment pressure has surfaced. The company also carries currency exposure to the Israeli shekel and depends on sustained elevated global defense spending, which could soften if conflicts de-escalate or budgets are reprioritized. Program delays, supply-chain constraints and heavy reliance on government customers add execution and concentration risk.
How is Elbit Systems Ltd. (ESLT) valued? (approximate, JULY 2026)
A simple financial snapshot. These are approximations and refresh quarterly; for current figures see Elbit Systems Ltd.'s investor relations page or your broker.
- Revenue (FY2025): ~$7.9B
- Revenue growth (YoY): ~16%
- GAAP EPS (FY2025): ~$11.39
- Order backlog (Q1 2026): ~$30.2B
- Market cap: ~$34-38B
- P/E (trailing): ~63x
- Dividend yield: ~0.4%
As of July 2026, ESLT traded around $800 per share with a market cap in the mid-$30 billion range, valuing the company at roughly 63 times trailing earnings, well above the industrials-sector average near 30. The premium reflects a record backlog, double-digit revenue growth and strong free cash flow. The small dividend (about $2.70 per share annually) signals a growth-and-reinvestment profile rather than an income story.
Who competes with Elbit Systems Ltd. (ESLT)?
US defense primes
Northrop Grumman, L3Harris, RTX and Lockheed Martin compete in C4ISR, electro-optics, munitions and airborne systems; they are much larger and dominate the US procurement market where Elbit competes through its US subsidiary.
European defense contractors
BAE Systems, Thales, Saab and Rheinmetall vie for the same European rearmament budgets in land systems, artillery, sensors and electronics, and are Elbit's primary rivals for the export orders driving its backlog.
Israeli defense peers
Israel Aerospace Industries and Rafael Advanced Defense Systems overlap heavily in missiles, drones, C4ISR and electro-optics, competing both for Israeli Ministry of Defense contracts and international exports.
How to invest in Elbit Systems Ltd. (ESLT)
There are three common ways to get ESLT exposure. Buy shares (or fractional shares) directly at any major broker. Hold an ETF that includes it, which spreads the position across many companies. Or build it into a focused thematic basket, so ESLT sits alongside other stocks that express the same thesis.
Walnut takes the basket route. Describe a thesis where ESLT fits (for example “AI infrastructure” or “dividend-growth large-caps”) and the AI proposes 5 to 6 constituents with target weights. You review the plan and fund it through your own broker when you're ready.
The bottom line on Elbit Systems Ltd. (ESLT)
Elbit is a growing, backlog-rich defense contractor whose fundamentals are strong, though the stock's rich multiple and Israel-specific geopolitical exposure define the debate.
More on Elbit Systems Ltd. (ESLT)
Whether ESLT is worth buying today depends more on your time horizon and what you already hold than on any single call. We walk through valuation, what would have to go right, and the risks in is ESLT a buy?, and where the stock could go from here in the ESLT stock forecast.
For income investors, whether ESLT pays a dividend and how the payout looks is covered in does ESLT pay a dividend?
Build a basket around ESLT with Walnut
Use Elbit Systems Ltd. as one constituent in a thematic basket Walnut's AI helps you assemble. Describe a thesis you believe in, the AI proposes the holdings and weights, and you approve before any broker order.
FAQ
What does Elbit Systems do?
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Elbit is an Israeli defense-technology company that builds military electronics and systems, including C4ISR, electro-optics and thermal imaging, unmanned aircraft and ground vehicles, precision munitions, artillery rockets, helmet-mounted displays and electronic warfare gear, for customers around the world.
Is ESLT a US or foreign stock?
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Elbit is headquartered in Haifa, Israel, and its shares trade on both the Nasdaq (ticker ESLT) and the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange. US investors can buy the Nasdaq-listed shares directly through a standard brokerage account.
How big is Elbit Systems?
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Elbit reported nearly $7.9 billion in revenue for 2025 and employs more than 20,000 people across five continents. As of July 2026 its market capitalization was in the mid-$30 billion range, making it one of the larger pure-play defense companies outside the US primes.
Why has ESLT stock risen so much?
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The stock has climbed alongside a global surge in defense spending, particularly European rearmament, which has driven Elbit's order backlog to a record above $30 billion and pushed revenue and free cash flow higher. Its shares roughly doubled over the trailing year into mid-2026.
Does Elbit Systems pay a dividend?
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Yes, but it is small. Elbit pays an annual dividend of about $2.70 per share, which works out to a yield near 0.4% at mid-2026 prices. The company is oriented toward growth and reinvestment rather than income.
Is ESLT expensive?
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By conventional measures it trades at a premium. Its trailing price-to-earnings ratio sat around the low-to-mid 60s in July 2026, roughly double the industrials-sector average, so a large amount of future growth is already reflected in the price.
What are the main risks with ESLT?
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Key risks include the rich valuation, Israel-specific geopolitical and reputational exposure (including occasional European restrictions on Israeli arms and ESG divestment pressure), Israeli shekel currency swings, dependence on sustained high defense budgets, and reliance on government customers and large programs.
Who competes with Elbit Systems?
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Elbit competes with US defense primes like Northrop Grumman, L3Harris, RTX and Lockheed Martin, European contractors such as BAE Systems, Thales, Saab and Rheinmetall, and Israeli peers Israel Aerospace Industries and Rafael.
Walnut is informational, not investment advice. Financial figures on this page are approximations; always verify current numbers with Elbit Systems Ltd.'s investor relations page or your broker before making investment decisions.