GENERAL DYNAMICS CORP vs Rocket Lab Corp, two Aerospace & Defense stocks. A side-by-side on valuation, growth, margins, returns, and what each price is betting.
General Dynamics is the definition of a boring winner: defense systems plus Gulfstream jets, 16.65% on equity, an 8.07% net margin, and the best cash conversion in this group at a 6.53% free cash flow yield, all on modest debt of 0.31 and a $95.0B cap. Rocket Lab is the opposite temperament. It builds small launch vehicles and space systems, loses money at a -26.87% net margin, and burns a sliver of cash at -0.62% yield, carrying a $51.2B cap on what it might become. General Dynamics sells you cash today. Rocket Lab sells you a claim on a space business that has yet to earn a dollar.
Comparison updated 2026-07-11.
| Metric | GD | RKLB |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $374.35 | $81.08 |
| Market cap | $102.6B | $49.1B |
| Sector | Aerospace & Defense | Aerospace & Defense |
| Stage | Mature | Growth |
| Implied growth (priced in) | +9.5% | — |
| P/B | 3.93 | 21.68 |
| P/S | 1.91 | 72.23 |
| EV/EBITDA | 16.6 | — |
| Revenue growth | +9.4% | +45.8% |
| Gross margin | — | 38.2% |
| Operating margin | 10.5% | -27.9% |
| Net margin | 8.1% | -26.9% |
| Return on equity | 16.6% | -8.1% |
| Return on assets | 7.3% | -6.5% |
| Return on invested capital | 13.3% | -7.8% |
| FCF yield | 6.0% | -0.6% |
| Debt / equity | 0.31 | 0.02 |
| Current ratio | 1.38 | 4.47 |
| Altman Z (solvency) | 8.20 | 6.25 |
| Piotroski F (quality) | 7 / 9 | 2 / 9 |
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The stronger value is highlighted per metric where one is strictly better on that single number; it is not an overall verdict on either company. For informational and research purposes only. Not investment advice. Not a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any security. boothcheck is not a registered investment adviser. Past performance does not guarantee future results.