Huntington Ingalls Industries, (HII) Stock Price & How to Invest
Last updated July 2026
Short answer
You can invest in Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) by buying shares or fractional shares at any major broker, through an ETF that holds it, or as one holding in a thematic basket. HII is a strategically irreplaceable defense pure-play, not a fast grower: its Newport News yard is the only US builder of nuclear aircraft carriers and one of two that build nuclear submarines, while Mission Technologies adds higher-growth unmanned, cyber, and intelligence work. Its main naval peer is General Dynamics (Electric Boat and Bath Iron Works).
HII stock price
As of 2026-07-24, Huntington Ingalls Industries, (HII) last closed at $287.59, up 8.6% over the past year. Over the past 52 weeks it has traded between $258.52 and $453.73.
Prices are daily closing prices from Yahoo Finance and may be delayed. For the live quote, check your broker or Huntington Ingalls Industries, 's investor relations page. Walnut is informational, not investment advice.
What does Huntington Ingalls Industries, (HII) do?
Huntington Ingalls Industries is the largest military shipbuilder in the United States. It designs, builds, and maintains the most complex naval vessels in the US fleet, including nuclear-powered aircraft carriers, nuclear submarines, amphibious assault ships, and surface combatants. The company operates two principal shipyards: Newport News Shipbuilding in Virginia, which is the only US builder of nuclear aircraft carriers and one of two builders of nuclear submarines, and Ingalls Shipbuilding in Mississippi, which builds amphibious and surface ships. A third segment, Mission Technologies, provides defense and federal technology services including unmanned systems, cyber, and intelligence support. HII makes money almost entirely from the US Navy and government through long-cycle contracts that span years or decades, giving it deep visibility into future revenue via a large backlog. Spun off from Northrop Grumman in 2011 and headquartered in Newport News, Virginia, HII occupies a near-monopoly position in critical naval shipbuilding.
What's driving Huntington Ingalls Industries, (HII)?
1. Irreplaceable shipyards.
Newport News is the only US shipyard capable of building nuclear-powered aircraft carriers and is one of just two that build nuclear submarines. These capabilities require decades of accumulated expertise, specialized facilities, and a skilled workforce that cannot be quickly replicated. This effective monopoly on the most strategic naval assets gives HII enduring relevance to national defense and pricing leverage.
2. Long backlog and submarine demand.
HII carries a backlog measured in tens of billions of dollars, providing years of revenue visibility. US Navy plans to expand the submarine fleet, including Virginia-class and Columbia-class programs, plus carrier construction, underpin a long runway of work. Naval shipbuilding is a national priority amid great-power competition, supporting sustained government investment.
3. Mission Technologies growth.
The Mission Technologies segment provides higher-growth, less capital-intensive defense services including unmanned underwater and surface vehicles, cyber, electronic warfare, and intelligence support. This diversifies HII beyond steel-bending shipbuilding toward technology-driven defense work, which can carry better margins and aligns with where modern defense spending is shifting.
What are the risks to Huntington Ingalls Industries, (HII)?
HII depends almost entirely on the US government, so budget delays, continuing resolutions, or shifts in defense priorities directly affect it. Shipbuilding is enormously complex, and the company has faced cost overruns, schedule slips, and inflation in labor and materials that can pressure margins on fixed-price work. Skilled-labor shortages and supply chain constraints in the defense industrial base are persistent challenges. The business is capital intensive with long cash conversion cycles. Concentration in a few massive programs means problems on any one ship can be financially significant, and free cash flow has at times been volatile.
How is Huntington Ingalls Industries, (HII) valued? (approximate, early 2026)
A simple financial snapshot. These are approximations and refresh quarterly; for current figures see Huntington Ingalls Industries, 's investor relations page or your broker.
- Revenue (TTM): ~$12 billion
- Operating margin: ~7%
- Net income (TTM): ~$550 million
- P/E (TTM): ~17x
- Backlog: ~$50 billion, multi-year visibility
- Dividend yield: ~2%
- Free cash flow: variable, sensitive to program timing
HII trades at a moderate valuation relative to broad defense peers, reflecting thinner shipbuilding margins, capital intensity, and a history of program cost pressure, balanced against an essentially irreplaceable strategic position and a large multi-year backlog. The market tends to value the durability and backlog visibility while discounting for execution and margin risk inherent in complex naval construction.
Which ETFs hold Huntington Ingalls Industries, (HII)?
If you want HII exposure as part of a larger bundle rather than directly, these ETFs hold it meaningfully. Weights are approximate and refresh quarterly.
| ETF | Name | % in HII | Expense ratio | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ITA | iShares US Aerospace & Defense ETF | ~2.5% | 0.40% |
Who competes with Huntington Ingalls Industries, (HII)?
Naval shipbuilding
General Dynamics (through its Electric Boat and Bath Iron Works yards) is the primary peer, partnering with HII on submarines and competing on surface ships. The pool of US naval shipbuilders is small and effectively limited to these two on the most strategic programs.
Defense technology services
The Mission Technologies segment competes with defense services and technology firms like Leidos, Booz Allen Hamilton, SAIC, and units of larger primes for unmanned systems, cyber, and intelligence contracts.
How to invest in Huntington Ingalls Industries, (HII)
There are three common ways to get HII exposure. Buy shares (or fractional shares) directly at any major broker. Hold an ETF that includes it (ITA), which spreads the position across many companies. Or build it into a focused thematic basket, so HII sits alongside other stocks that express the same thesis.
Walnut takes the basket route. Describe a thesis where HII 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.
New to this? Start with how to invest in stocks, see how to analyze a stock with AI, or compare the best AI stock analyzers.
The bottom line on Huntington Ingalls Industries, (HII)
Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) holds a near-monopoly on the most complex US Navy vessels, backed by a multi-year backlog measured in tens of billions. In a portfolio it behaves as a moderate-valuation, dividend-paying defense holding whose durability is offset by thin shipbuilding margins, capital intensity, government-budget dependence, and a history of program cost pressure.
More on Huntington Ingalls Industries, (HII)
Whether HII 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 HII a buy?, and where the stock could go from here in the HII stock forecast.
For income investors, whether HII pays a dividend and how the payout looks is covered in does HII pay a dividend?
Build a basket around HII with Walnut
Use Huntington Ingalls Industries, 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 is HII's ticker symbol?
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HII, listed on the New York Stock Exchange. The company is Huntington Ingalls Industries. It is headquartered in Newport News, Virginia, and trades during US market hours at every major US brokerage.
What does Huntington Ingalls do?
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Huntington Ingalls is the largest US military shipbuilder. It designs, builds, and maintains nuclear aircraft carriers, nuclear submarines, amphibious ships, and surface combatants for the US Navy, and provides defense technology services including unmanned systems, cyber, and intelligence support through its Mission Technologies segment.
Who are Huntington Ingalls's main competitors?
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In naval shipbuilding, General Dynamics (Electric Boat and Bath Iron Works) is the main peer and submarine partner. In defense services, the Mission Technologies segment competes with firms like Leidos, Booz Allen Hamilton, and SAIC for unmanned, cyber, and intelligence work.
Does Huntington Ingalls build aircraft carriers?
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Yes. Its Newport News Shipbuilding yard is the only US shipyard that builds nuclear-powered aircraft carriers and is one of two that build nuclear submarines. This makes HII strategically critical to the US Navy and gives it an effective monopoly on the most complex naval vessels.
What is HII's P/E ratio?
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Approximately 17x trailing twelve months as of early 2026, a moderate valuation versus broad defense peers. It reflects thinner shipbuilding margins, capital intensity, and program cost risk, offset by an irreplaceable strategic position and a large multi-year backlog.
How big is Huntington Ingalls's backlog?
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Roughly $50 billion as of early 2026, providing multi-year revenue visibility. The backlog spans carrier, submarine, amphibious, and surface ship programs plus services work, reflecting the long-cycle nature of naval shipbuilding and sustained US Navy fleet investment.
Is HII a defense stock?
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Yes. HII is classified under Industrials, specifically aerospace and defense, and derives essentially all of its revenue from the US Navy and government. It is one of the purest plays on naval shipbuilding and is commonly held in defense-focused strategies.
Which ETFs have the most HII exposure?
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Aerospace and defense ETFs such as ITA and PPA hold HII, and broad funds like VOO, VTI, and SPY include it at smaller weights as an S&P 500 member. Value and dividend ETFs may also carry it given its moderate valuation and dividend. Weights vary by fund and over time.
Is HII in the S&P 500?
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Yes. Huntington Ingalls is a member of the S&P 500 and is held across passive index funds tracking the benchmark, as well as in defense and value-oriented strategies.
Which thematic baskets typically include HII?
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Defense and naval-power baskets and value or dividend industrial baskets on Walnut. HII fits a theme around great-power competition and US Navy fleet expansion, and is often paired with other defense primes as a shipbuilding-specific anchor.
What is HII's market cap?
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Roughly in the low tens of billions of dollars as of early 2026, smaller than the largest diversified defense primes given its narrower shipbuilding focus and capital-intensive, lower-margin business. The market cap reflects backlog durability balanced against execution and margin risk.
Is HII a good stock to buy?
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Descriptive, not a recommendation. HII holds an essentially irreplaceable position in US naval shipbuilding with a large backlog, but it faces thin margins, capital intensity, dependence on government budgets, and a history of program cost pressure. Whether it fits a portfolio depends on your goals, risk tolerance, and views on defense spending. Walnut is informational, not investment advice.
Walnut is informational, not investment advice. Financial figures on this page are approximations; always verify current numbers with Huntington Ingalls Industries, 's investor relations page or your broker before making investment decisions.