This article looks at the 12 Best Aerospace Stocks to Buy Right Now.
Aerospace stocks gained on Wednesday amid reports of Elon Musk’s SpaceX filing for its initial public offering, lifting hopes that the news could further strengthen investor sentiment toward the sector.
Gabelli Commercial Aerospace & Defense ETF (GCAD) returned 2.06% last week, taking its year-to-date gains to nearly 10%, comfortably outpacing the S&P 500, which is down 4% so far in 2026.
The ongoing geopolitical conflicts have played a vital role in the gains in the aerospace and defense industry as countries ramp up defense spending to bolster their national security. On the other hand, booming commercial aviation demand has also led to growth, even as the war in Iran results in flight disruptions.
While Airbus and Boeing have faced delays, several aftermarket stocks have surged over the past year. On April 1, Investor’s Business Daily quoted Tony Bancroft, Portfolio Manager at Gabelli Funds, as saying the following on the segment’s potential:
“The markets have figured it out, and they realize that this is a good business. You just have to make your decisions based on your long-term view on these companies.”
With that said, let’s now see some of the best aerospace stocks to buy now.
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Methodology
For this article, we used screeners to identify mid-cap or larger aerospace stocks. We then shortlisted the top 12 companies that had the highest number of hedge fund investors having a stake in them, based on Insider Monkey’s database of prominent hedge funds as of Q4 2025. Finally, we ranked them in ascending order based on the number of hedge funds holding positions. Where two or more stocks are tied on hedge fund sentiment, we used market cap as a tiebreaker between them.
Why are we interested in the stocks that hedge funds pile into? The reason is simple: our research has shown that we can outperform the market by imitating the top stock picks of the best hedge funds. Our quarterly newsletter’s strategy selects 14 small-cap and large-cap stocks every quarter and has returned 498.7% since May 2014, beating its benchmark by 303 percentage points (see more details here).
12 Best Aerospace Stocks to Buy Right Now
12. L3Harris Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:LHX)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 48
L3Harris Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:LHX) is among the 12 Best Aerospace Stocks to Buy Right Now. On April 1, the company powered the first crewed journey towards the moon in over five decades by providing propulsion and avionics for the launch of the Artemis II mission.
In a press release on Wednesday, the aerospace and defense contractor said it is aiding the mission through the provision of more than 100 elements, including the RS-25, RL10, and the Orion Main engines for various stages. The company also supplied advanced avionics systems, in-space thrusters, and audio systems for the Artemis II.
L3Harris Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:LHX) congratulated NASA on the liftoff and said that the company will continue to support the mission till its completion.
In other news, UBS analyst Gavin Parsons, on March 25, reiterated the firm’s Neutral rating on the stock, with a price target of $362, according to TipRanks. Overall, LHX sports a Strong Buy rating and has an average upside potential of 12% as of the close on April 2.
L3Harris Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:LHX) provides advanced national security solutions in the air, land, space, sea, and cyber domains. It operates through four segments: Communication Systems, Integrated Mission Systems, Space & Airborne Systems, and Aerojet Rocketdyne.
11. Planet Labs PBC (NYSE:PL)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 50
Planet Labs PBC (NYSE:PL) is among the 12 Best Aerospace Stocks to Buy Right Now. As of the close on April 2, the stock is a Strong Buy with a slight average downside potential of 3%.
On March 27, Deutsche Bank analyst Edison Yu hiked the price target on the stock to $38 from $17, while maintaining a Buy rating. According to a report on TipRanks, the firm told clients in a research note that the company was ‘sitting uniquely at the intersection’ of space and artificial intelligence.
The update followed Morgan Stanley’s adjustment on Planet Labs PBC (NYSE:PL) on March 25 when it lifted the price target to $35 from $26 and reiterated an Equal-Weight rating.
In a research note to investors, the bank noted strong momentum across Defense and Intelligence and Satellite services, coupled with a strong growth in backlog, which reached $900 million at the end of fiscal 2026. However, the firm added that investments were squeezing margins, which would impact profitability in the near term.
Planet Labs PBC (NYSE:PL) provides global, daily satellite imagery and geospatial solutions. The stock has returned nearly 76% year-to-date, as of the close on April 2.
