Why Did Unusual Machines Stock Pop Today?
Key Points
The U.S. Air Force seeks a 38% increase in its budget for FY 2027 -- to $338.8 billion,
Unusual Machines may or may not win part of this money, but it did just win a $5 million order for sure.
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Unusual Machines (NYSEMKT: UMAC) stock jumped 9.3% through 11:33 a.m. ET this morning, one day after the maker of parts for military drones announced it had picked up a $5 million order for counter-UAS systems (i.e., anti-drone weapons) from privately held Autonomous Power Corporation.
Unusual Machines will supply its customer with "core components used across both counter-UAS interceptor systems and 10-inch class drones," with deliveries expected to begin within the next week.
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Big news and bigger news
$5 million may not sound like much -- but it's nearly half the revenue Unusual Machines booked in the past year! Relatively speaking, this is big news for the tiny $730 million drone stock. But there's even bigger news afoot today.
The U.S. Air Force (USAF) announced yesterday it's requesting $338.8 billion in fiscal 2027 funding, a 37.6% increase over fiscal 2026 levels. $71.1 billion is earmarked for the U.S. Space Force (USSF), but the bulk of the money -- $267.7 billion -- would go to USAF itself.
What does it mean for Unusual Machines stock?
Granted, the bulk of even the USAF funding will go to companies other than Unusual Machines. $3.9 billion will go toward buying KC-46A aerial refueling tankers from Boeing (NYSE: BA), for example, and $7.4 billion will be spent on F-35 stealth fighters from Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT). In the drones field, $2.7 billion will be spent on developing Collaborative Combat Aircraft -- large drones designed to operate in tandem with piloted fighter jets.
Smaller drones -- the ones UMAC supplies parts for -- won't receive as much funding from this request. But as seen in today's $5 million order from Autonomous Power Corporation, a little money can go a long way in moving a small defense stock like Unusual Machines.
Should you buy stock in Unusual Machines right now?
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Rich Smith has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Boeing. The Motley Fool recommends Lockheed Martin. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
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