BUZZ - General Dynamics shares rise due to better-than-expected Q3 results; Gulfstream and ship orders drive new order growth

October 30 - ** After defense contractor General Dynamics (GD.N) released its third-quarter earnings report, its share price rose about 4% to $385.01

** According to data compiled by London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG), third-quarter revenue was $14.57 billion, higher than the analyst average forecast of $13.73 billion

** Third-quarter earnings per share (EPS) was $4.49, exceeding the expected $4.13 and up 15.7% year over year

** Driven by large orders for Virginia-class and Columbia-class submarines, the backlog surged from $136.5 billion in the second quarter to $220.3 billion

** The company's overall book-to-bill ratio was 6.8:1

** Revenue in the Marine Systems division rose 21.1%; operating margin for the Aerospace business expanded from 13.3% to 14.5%

** Free cash flow was $1.23 billion, down from $1.90 billion in the same period last year, while capital expenditures more than doubled to $481 million

** As of the close of the previous trading day, the share price had risen 10.15% year to date

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