The end of the earnings season is always a good time to take a step back and see who shined (and who not so much). Let’s take a look at how aerospace stocks fared in Q1, starting with Woodward (NASDAQ: WWD).

Aerospace companies often possess technical expertise and have made significant capital investments to produce complex products. It is an industry where innovation is important, and lately, emissions and automation are in focus, so companies that boast advances in these areas can take market share. On the other hand, demand for aerospace products can ebb and flow with economic cycles and geopolitical tensions, which can be particularly painful for companies with high fixed costs.

The 14 aerospace stocks we track reported a very strong Q1. As a group, revenues beat analysts’ consensus estimates by 1.3% while next quarter’s revenue guidance was 0.7% below.

Luckily, aerospace stocks have performed well with share prices up 10.9% on average since the latest earnings results.

Woodward (NASDAQ: WWD)

Initially designing controls for water wheels in the early 1900s, Woodward (NASDAQ: WWD) designs, services, and manufactures energy control products and optimization solutions.

Woodward reported revenues of $1.09 billion, up 23.4% year on year. This print exceeded analysts’ expectations by 8.5%. Overall, it was a very strong quarter for the company with a solid beat of analysts’ revenue estimates and full-year EPS guidance exceeding analysts’ expectations.

Woodward scored the biggest analyst estimates beat of the whole group. Investor expectations, however, were likely higher than Wall Street’s published projections, leaving some wishing for even better results (analysts’ consensus estimates are those published by big banks and advisory firms, not the investors who make buy and sell decisions). The stock is down 2.8% since reporting and currently trades at $351.01.

Read why we think that Woodward is one of the best aerospace stocks, our full report is free.

Best Q1: Rocket Lab (NASDAQ: RKLB)

Becoming the first private company in the Southern Hemisphere to reach space, Rocket Lab (NASDAQ: RKLB) offers rockets designed for launching small satellites.

Rocket Lab reported revenues of $200.3 million, up 63.5% year on year, outperforming analysts’ expectations by 4.9%. The business had an incredible quarter with EBITDA guidance for next quarter exceeding analysts’ expectations and a beat of analysts’ EPS estimates.

Rocket Lab scored the fastest revenue growth among its peers. The market seems happy with the results as the stock is up 70.8% since reporting. It currently trades at $134.19.

Is now the time to buy Rocket Lab? Access our full analysis of the earnings results here, it’s free.

Weakest Q1: AerSale (NASDAQ: ASLE)

Providing a one-stop shop that integrates multiple services and product offerings, AerSale (NASDAQ: ASLE) delivers full-service support to mid-life commercial aircraft.

AerSale reported revenues of $70.61 million, up 7.4% year on year, falling short of analysts’ expectations by 18.9%. It was a softer quarter as it posted a significant miss of analysts’ revenue and adjusted operating income estimates.

AerSale delivered the weakest performance against analyst estimates in the group. As expected, the stock is down 14.8% since the results and currently trades at $6.25.

Read our full analysis of AerSale’s results here.

Howmet (NYSE: HWM)

Inventing the first forged aluminum truck wheel, Howmet (NYSE: HWM) specializes in lightweight metals engineering and manufacturing multi-material components used in vehicles.

Howmet reported revenues of $2.31 billion, up 19.1% year on year. This result surpassed analysts’ expectations by 3.2%. Overall, it was an exceptional quarter as it also put up an impressive beat of analysts’ EBITDA estimates.

The stock is flat since reporting and currently trades at $256.84.

Read our full, actionable report on Howmet here, it’s free.

Redwire (NYSE: RDW)

Based in Jacksonville, Florida, Redwire (NYSE: RDW) is a provider of systems and components used in space infrastructure.

Redwire reported revenues of $96.97 million, up 57.9% year on year. This print lagged analysts' expectations by 7.4%. Overall, it was a slower quarter as it also produced a significant miss of analysts’ revenue and EBITDA estimates.

Redwire achieved the highest full-year guidance raise among its peers. The stock is up 82% since reporting and currently trades at $17.54.

Read our full, actionable report on Redwire here, it’s free.

Market Update

Late in 2025 into early 2026, there was hand wringing around artificial intelligence. For software companies, the fear was that AI would erode pricing power and compress margins as new tools made it easier to replicate what once required expensive enterprise platforms. Crypto investors had their own version of the same anxiety: if AI agents could trade, allocate capital, and manage wallets autonomously, what exactly was the long-term value of today’s crypto infrastructure?

These concerns triggered a noticeable rotation away from these sectors and into safer havens. But markets rarely dwell on one narrative for long. Spring 2026 came, and the focus shifted abruptly from technological disruption to geopolitical risk. The US’ conflict with Iran became the dominant driver of market psychology, and when geopolitics takes center stage, the script changes quickly. Investors stop debating growth rates and start worrying about oil supply, inflation, and global stability.

Want to invest in winners with rock-solid fundamentals? Check out our Top 5 Quality Compounder Stocks and add them to your watchlist. These companies are poised for growth regardless of the political or macroeconomic climate.