Leidos Holdings, Inc. (LDOS)
Leidos is a technology and engineering giant that helps governments and large organisations solve complex problems in defence, intelligence, and healthcare.
Is Leidos Holdings, Inc. a good stock for a UK beginner?
The honest version: Leidos is a technology and engineering giant that helps governments and large organisations solve complex problems in defence, intelligence, and healthcare.
Over about 2 years to 2026-07-31. This is the share price only - reinvesting the dividends would add to it. And it's the USD return - as a UK investor your actual £ return also moves with the exchange rate. Past performance is not a guide to the future, and it could just as easily have fallen.
Based on beta - how much the price swings versus the whole market. Bumpier isn't bad; it just means a rougher ride, which matters more the sooner you might need the money.
Prices move on results, news and the mood of the whole market - no single headline explains a day, and a quiet week is usually just noise, not a signal.
Significant expansion into new digital defence sectors.
Long-term loss of major government partnerships.
What does Leidos Holdings, Inc. do?
Think of Leidos as the 'brains' behind the scenes for major government projects, providing everything from cybersecurity and data analytics to logistics for the military. They make their money through long-term contracts, essentially acting as a massive, outsourced technical department for the public sector. Their fortunes hinge on holding onto existing contracts and winning fresh, high-value government tenders in a competitive market.
On our factor screen it looks strongest on income and value, and weakest on momentum.
- ✓Pays a dividend - about 1.5% a year
- ✓Growing - revenue up about 4% over the year
- ·Low P/E of 10 vs last year's earnings
- ✓Strong return on shareholder money (ROE 31%)
- Value screens high (72/100)
- Income screens high (73/100)
- Strong efficiency in generating profit from shareholder money
- Lower price volatility compared to the broader market
- Reliable revenue stream from long-term government contracts
- Growth screens low (21/100)
- Momentum screens low (17/100)
- Changes in government budget priorities
- Intense competition for large-scale public sector contracts
- Potential for project cost overruns
What do Leidos Holdings, Inc.'s numbers mean?
How much money does Leidos Holdings, Inc. make?
Revenue and profit by quarter, and how much of each sale turns into profit.
Does Leidos Holdings, Inc. pay a dividend?
Yes - Leidos Holdings, Inc. currently pays a dividend of about 1.5% a year (the yearly payout as a share of the price). A dividend is a slice of profit handed to shareholders; the yield moves as the price moves, and a company can cut or stop it.
When does Leidos Holdings, Inc. report earnings, and how did recent quarters go?
Leidos Holdings, Inc. is next scheduled to report on about 2026-08-04 - dates can move, and we don't predict results; this just tells you when to look.
Each quarter a company reports its results against what analysts expected. ‘Beating’ or ‘missing’ is about that expectation, not whether the business is doing well in absolute terms.
| Reported | Expected EPS: The earnings per share analysts expected for the quarter - the average of their forecasts. 'Beating' or 'missing' is measured against this number. | Actual EPS | vs expected |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-05-05 | $2.91 | $3.13 | Beat +8% |
| 2026-02-17 | $2.61 | $2.76 | Beat +6% |
| 2025-11-04 | $2.72 | $3.05 | Beat +12% |
| 2025-08-05 | $2.66 | $3.21 | Beat +21% |
| 2025-05-06 | $2.50 | $2.97 | Beat +19% |
| 2025-02-11 | $2.27 | $2.37 | Beat +4% |
Across the last 6 quarters here, Leidos Holdings, Inc. came in ahead of what analysts expected 6 times. One quarter is noise, not a trend.
See who else reports over the next two weeks →
Reported vs expected earnings per share (EPS) from published results; the expectation is the analyst consensus, not our view. Report dates are estimates that can move.
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Hewlett Packard EnterpriseWhat are the scenarios for Leidos Holdings, Inc.?
An illustrative range for the year ahead, with the assumption behind each case — not a prediction or a price target.
What are the pros and cons of Leidos Holdings, Inc.?
How many points the write-up makes each way — a balance check, not a score or verdict.
- Strong efficiency in generating profit from shareholder money
- Lower price volatility compared to the broader market
- Reliable revenue stream from long-term government contracts
- Recent decline in annual earnings growth
- Modest overall revenue growth
- Heavy reliance on government spending policies
- Changes in government budget priorities
- Intense competition for large-scale public sector contracts
- Potential for project cost overruns
The write-up's own warning lights — if these start happening, the case above changes.
- A major shift in government procurement policy away from private contractors
- A sustained period of significant earnings growth that reverses the current trend
Built from public filings & market prices, checked for an education-only tone, and never a price target. How we make these →
This plain-English summary was auto-generated on 2026-08-01 from public data and checked for an education-only, no-advice tone (the figures above carry their own, usually fresher, 'as of' date). It's information, never a recommendation.