Curtiss-Wright Stock (NYSE:CW) – Price Target Raised as Aerospace Rally Set To Continue

Curtiss-Wright stock (NYSE:CW) is riding high on analyst optimism, particularly following Morgan Stanley's bullish call, sending ripples of anticipation through the aerospace and defense sector.

Analyst Kristine Liwag raised the firm's price target on Curtiss-Wright to a notable street high of $550, a significant jump from the previous $405, while maintaining an “Overweight” rating on the shares. This projection suggests a potential upside of over 14% from its current trading price of $481.79 as of this morning.

CW's stock price has been on a steady climb, with gains of 37% year-to-date and 70% over the past 12 months. Despite the rally, the street, and Morgan Stanley, continue to see further upside.

Liwag's rationale hinges on the observed resilience of the aerospace sector, characterized by record-high trading multiples. Morgan Stanley believes that this expansion reflects the industry's robust performance and expects current positive dynamics to persist.

The firm's Q2 preview highlights several key factors contributing to this optimistic outlook: a steadily improving aerospace supply chain, accelerating production momentum at Boeing (BA), and consistently strong air traffic demand. This confluence of factors makes aerospace stocks, especially those with a balanced exposure to both original equipment and aftermarket segments, particularly attractive.

Curtiss-Wright, with its diversified portfolio spanning commercial aerospace, defense, and industrial markets, appears well-positioned to capitalize on these trends. The company's recent performance provides further validation of its strong fundamentals. In the fourth quarter of 2024, Curtiss-Wright reported earnings per share (EPS) of $3.27, exceeding analyst expectations of $3.12. Revenue for the quarter reached $824.3 million, also surpassing estimates of $778.2 million.

Looking ahead, the company has provided a full-year 2025 revenue guidance of $3.36 billion, slightly above analyst projections, and an EPS guidance of $12.25, signaling confidence in its future growth trajectory. The next earnings date is fast approaching on August 6, 2025, a key date to watch.

Whilst the stock has outpaced it's average target, upside adjustments could bring this back into line, should the street see reason to shift their outlook further.

For the time being at least, the company appears to be benefiting from a confluence of positive factors, including strong aerospace and defense demand, improving industry supply chain conditions, and persistent air traffic growth. While trading near all-time highs, analysts remain optimistic and anticipate further upside, particularly given the company's broad exposure to both original equipment and aftermarket aerospace activities.