RTX (RTX) Q3 2026 Earnings: Sales Up 11%, Backlog Reaches $340 Billion, Outlook Raised Again

RTX reported third-quarter 2026 results on October 20. Its release shows sales of $25.0 billion, up 11% from a year earlier and 12% on an organic basis, with growth across both commercial aerospace and defense.

Earnings and cash#

GAAP earnings were $1.89 per share after $0.26 of acquisition accounting adjustments and $0.11 of restructuring and other items. Adjusted EPS was $2.26, up $0.56 or 33%, a figure that includes $0.25 from recovery of tariff costs under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. Operating cash flow was $2.9 billion, including about $0.3 billion of that recovery, and free cash flow was $2.1 billion.

Backlog and awards#

New awards topped $81 billion in the quarter, taking backlog to a record $340 billion, split between $176 billion commercial and $164 billion defense. The company cited multi-year production contracts for Tomahawk and AMRAAM missiles awarded during the quarter.

Outlook raised#

For 2026 RTX now expects adjusted sales of $97.0 billion to $97.5 billion (from $95.0 billion to $96.0 billion), organic growth of 10% to 11% (from 8% to 9%), adjusted EPS of $7.65 to $7.75 (from $7.10 to $7.25), and free cash flow of $9.0 billion to $9.2 billion (from $8.50 billion to $8.75 billion).

What to compare next#

For readers following RTX, the tariff recovery flatters this quarter’s EPS by about $0.25, so the underlying growth rate is lower than the headline 33%. The backlog figure and the pace at which Pratt & Whitney works through its powder-metal engine inspections remain the measures that will decide whether the raised outlook holds.

Published October 21, 2026. Informational reporting, not investment advice. Figures come from the company's own release unless stated; forward-looking guidance is management's current forecast and can change.