RESTON, Va.-General Dynamics (NYSE: GD) today reported first-quarter 2020 net earnings of $706 million on $8.75 billion in revenue. On a per share basis, diluted earnings per share (EPS) were $2.43.
Travel restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic delayed deliveries of business-jet aircraft, which resulted in a $549 million decline in revenue for the Aerospace segment. Nevertheless, the segment's backlog remains strong, up $1.1 billion, or 9.1%, over the year-ago quarter.
The defense businesses on a combined basis posted revenue of $7.1 billion, a slight increase over the year-ago quarter; operating earnings of $705 million, 2.2% above the year-ago quarter; and margin of 10%, an expansion of 20 basis points over the year-ago quarter. The defense businesses' backlog of $72.5 billion was 27% higher than the year-ago quarter.
'Since the onset of the COVID-19 crisis, we have supported our government customers and implemented multiple safety measures to keep our people as safe as possible,' said Phebe N. Novakovic, chairman and chief executive officer. 'We are responding to the COVID travel restrictions' impact on Gulfstream and are managing our costs throughout our business.'
Capital Deployment
The company repurchased 3.4 million of its outstanding shares in the first quarter to cover dilution from the exercise of stock options. In March, the board of directors increased the company's quarterly dividend 8 cents to $1.10 per share, which was the company's 23rd consecutive annual dividend increase.
Backlog
Total backlog at the end of first-quarter 2020 was $85.7 billion, up 23.9% year-over-year. Estimated potential contract value, representing management's estimate of value in unfunded indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contracts and unexercised options, was $38.1 billion. Total estimated contract value, the sum of all backlog components, was $123.9 billion, up 20.1% year-over-year.
Orders
Significant awards in the quarter included an IDIQ contract with a maximum potential value of $885 million to modernize the U.S. Army's training programs, $875 million for the construction of two additional U.S. Navy John Lewis-class (T-AO-205) oilers, an IDIQ contract with a maximum potential value of $505 million to provide supercomputing resources to the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) Weather and Climate Operational Supercomputing System (WCOSS), $300 million from the Army to upgrade Abrams tanks to the M1A2 System Enhancement Package Version 3 (SEPv3) configuration and $225 million for parts and support for Stryker armored fighting vehicles.
About General Dynamics
Headquartered in Reston, Virginia, General Dynamics is a global aerospace and defense company that offers a broad portfolio of products and services in business aviation; combat vehicles, weapons systems and munitions; IT services; C4ISR solutions; and shipbuilding and ship repair. General Dynamics employs more than 100,000 people worldwide and generated $39.4 billion in revenue in 2019. More information is available at www.gd.com.
Certain statements made in this press release, including any statements as to future results of operations and financial projections, may constitute 'forward-looking statements' within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended. Forward-looking statements are based on management's expectations, estimates, projections and assumptions. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks and uncertainties that are difficult to predict. Therefore, actual future results and trends may differ materially from what is forecast in forward-looking statements due to a variety of factors. Additional information regarding these factors is contained in the company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including, without limitation, its Annual Report on Form 10-K, its Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and its Current Reports on Form 8-K. All forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they were made. The company does not undertake any obligation to update or publicly release any revisions to forward-looking statements to reflect events, circumstances or changes in expectations after the date of this press release.
WEBCAST INFORMATION: General Dynamics will webcast its first-quarter 2020 financial results conference call at 9 a.m. EDT on Wednesday, April 29, 2020. The webcast will be a listen-only audio event available at www.gd.com. An on-demand replay of the webcast will be available one hour after the end of the call and end on May 6. To hear a recording of the conference call by telephone, please call 1-877-344-7529 (international: 1-412-317-0088) passcode 10141159. Charts furnished to investors and securities analysts in connection with General Dynamics' announcement of its financial results are available at www.gd.com.
See details at: https://www.gd.com/Articles/2020/04/29/general-dynamics-reports-first-quarter-2020-results
GENERAL DYNAMICS CORPORATION 
