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December 20 Market Close: GovCon Index Lifts on HII & Aerospace Climbs, Dow Closer to 20K


Executive Mosaic’s GovCon Index rose Tuesday with help from shipbuilder Huntington Ingalls Industries (NYSE: HII) and other large aerospace prime contractors as U.S. stocks also traded higher with financials the top gainers and the Dow Jones Industrial Average in touching distance of 20, 000.

GovCon Index gainers edged decliners by a 2-to-1 ratio as eight of its 11 S&P 500 components advanced with HII the GCI’s overall top net gainer and Northrop Grumman (NYSE: NOC) the leader among stocks listed in both indices.

Shares in Newport News, Virginia-based HII lifted to a 52-week high during the session after the company received a potential $1.46 billion contract modification to build the U.S. Navy‘s 12th San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock.

Huntington Ingalls has built 10 San Antonio-class ships and 11 are fully funded with the USS Portland scheduled for sea trials in mid-2017.

Northrop and fellow co-listed prime Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) finished second and third for GCI net gainers, while health and human services contractor Maximus (NYSE: MMS) closed fourth with Raytheon (NYSE: RTN) fifth.

Navistar International (NYSE: NAV) ended fourth for GCI percentage performers after company executives told investors in the fourth quarter earnings call the armored truck maker expects all regulatory approvals for its alliance with Volkswagen to complete by early 2017.

Navistar reported a fourth quarter loss and lower revenue on global softness in the commercial truck market.

Cubic Corp. (NYSE: CUB) weighed as the GCI’s largest net laggard and co-listed McKesson Corp. (NYSE: MCK) closed second-worst for declines as the S&P healthcare index posted a nominal 0.05-percent loss.

Services contractors Engility Corp. (NYSE: EGL), ICF (Nasdaq: ICFI) and AECOM (NYSE: ACM) rounded out the GCI’s lowest five net performers.

Financial stocks led seven S&P 500 sectors higher with consumer shares the largest decliner among the remaining four.

Market Summary

Index Value Net Change % Change
GovCon Index 88.979 +0.290 +0.327%
S&P 500  2, 270.76 +8.23 +0.36%
Dow Jones Industrial Average 19, 974.62 +91.56 +0.46%
NASDAQ 5, 483.94 +26.50 +0.49%
Advancing GovCon Index Issues 21
Declining GovCon Index Issues 9
Unchanged GovCon Index Issues 0

Top GovCon Index Net Performers

Symbol Company $ Current Price Net Change ▴ % Change
HII Huntington Ingalls Industries 187.96 +3.75 +2.04%
NOC Northrop Grumman * 235.14 +1.60 +0.69%
LMT Lockheed Martin * 253.73 +1.55 +0.61%
MMS Maximus 56.12 +1.12 +2.04%
RTN Raytheon * 143.82 +0.84 +0.59%

Top GovCon Index Percentage Performers

Symbol Company $ Current Price Net Change % Change ▴
VEC Vectrus 25.10 +0.58 +2.37%
HII Huntington Ingalls Industries 187.96 +3.75 +2.04%
MMS Maximus 56.12 +1.12 +2.04%
NAV Navistar International 30.06 +0.37 +1.25%
GIB CGI Group 48.08 +0.46 +0.97%

Lowest GovCon Index Net Performers

Symbol Company $ Current Price Net Change ▾ % Change
CUB Cubic Corp. 48.30 -0.45 -0.92%
MCK McKesson Corp. * 141.13 -0.43 -0.30%
EGL Engility Holdings 34.47 -0.23 -0.66%
ICFI ICF 55.25 -0.15 -0.27%
HRS Harris Corp. * 104.21 -0.14 -0.13%

Lowest GovCon Index Percentage Performers

Symbol Company $ Current Price Net Change % Change ▾
CUB Cubic Corp. 48.30 -0.45 -0.92%
EGL Engility Holdings 34.47 -0.23 -0.66%
MCK McKesson Corp. * 141.13 -0.43 -0.30%
ICFI ICF 55.25 -0.15 -0.27%
CSRA CSRA * 32.27 -0.06 -0.19%

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