Northrop Grumman (NOC) Stock Price, Fundamentals & Analysis

What NOC does

Northrop Grumman (NOC) is an aerospace and defense technology company that operates in the United States, Asia/Pacific, Europe, and internationally. It works through four segments: Aeronautics Systems, Defense Systems, Mission Systems, and Space Systems. The Aeronautics segment designs, develops, produces, integrates, sustains, and modernizes aircraft systems, including unmanned autonomous aircraft and strategic surveillance and reconnaissance platforms. The Defense Systems segment designs, develops, integrates, and produces strategic deterrent systems, tactical weapons, and missile defense solutions, and also provides sustainment, modernization, and training services for manned and unmanned aircraft and electronics systems.

Key numbers explained

• 514.42 USD is the current share price, the amount you would pay for one share in the market.
• The trailing P/E ratio of 16.4 and the forward P/E ratio of 16.9 show how the market values the company relative to its earnings; a lower P/E ratio can suggest a cheaper valuation relative to earnings, while a higher one can suggest the opposite.
• The dividend yield of 1.94% tells you the annual cash payout as a percentage of the share price; a higher dividend yield generally means more income, but it can also reflect a falling share price.
• 30% of earnings are paid out as dividends, meaning the company returns roughly a third of its profit to shareholders and keeps the rest for reinvestment or debt reduction.
• Return on equity of 27% indicates how efficiently the company generates profit from shareholders' equity; a higher return on equity often signals strong management performance.
• Beta of -0.11 suggests the stock's price movement has a slight negative correlation with the overall market, which is unusual and can mean it behaves differently from most stocks.
• The price-to-book ratio of 4.09 compares the market price to the company's book value; a high price-to-book can mean the market expects strong future growth or intangible value.
• The debt-to-equity ratio of 95.3% shows the company uses nearly as much debt as equity to finance its operations, which is common in capital-intensive industries like aerospace and defense.

Recent news

Recent headlines include questions about whether demand for the APN-241 processor can support Northrop Grumman's growth, and a Bernstein adjustment of the price target to 620 from 653 while maintaining a Market Perform rating. Other stories cover broader industry themes such as Lockheed Martin's potential growth cycle in missile defense, Raytheon surprises for investors, U.S. shortages in key weapons, and general industrials stock considerations.

What to watch

As part of the S&P 500, NOC's performance is often compared with peers like Honeywell Technologies (HON) and other industrials such as Norfolk Southern (NSC) or Deere & Company (DE). Investors typically watch defense budget cycles, government contract awards, and geopolitical tensions that drive demand for aerospace and defense systems. Earnings reports, scheduled for 20 oct. 2026, and the exDividendDate of 31 aug. 2026 are key dates that can influence price and income expectations.