Northrop Grumman (NYSE:NOC – Get Free Report) updated its FY 2026 earnings guidance on Wednesday morning. The company provided earnings per share (EPS) guidance of 29.350-29.750 for the period, compared to the consensus EPS estimate of 28.970. The company issued revenue guidance of $43.8 billion-$44.3 billion, compared to the consensus revenue estimate of $44.0 billion.
Northrop Grumman Price Performance
NOC stock traded up $5.46 during midday trading on Wednesday, reaching $539.46. The stock had a trading volume of 1,186,413 shares, compared to its average volume of 928,363. The company’s fifty day simple moving average is $523.03 and its 200 day simple moving average is $550.14. The company has a current ratio of 1.17, a quick ratio of 1.06 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.81. The company has a market cap of $76.62 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 17.14, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.99 and a beta of -0.11. Northrop Grumman has a 52-week low of $470.06 and a 52-week high of $774.00.
Northrop Grumman (NYSE:NOC – Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Tuesday, October 20th. The aerospace company reported $7.89 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $7.18 by $0.71. The company had revenue of $11.12 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $11.14 billion. Northrop Grumman had a net margin of 10.48% and a return on equity of 24.25%. The firm’s quarterly revenue was up 6.7% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $7.67 EPS. As a group, sell-side analysts predict that Northrop Grumman will post 28.99 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.
Northrop Grumman Announces Dividend
The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, September 16th. Investors of record on Monday, August 31st were given a dividend of $2.47 per share. The ex-dividend date was Monday, August 31st. This represents a $9.88 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.8%. Northrop Grumman’s payout ratio is presently 31.39%.
Analyst Ratings Changes
Several analysts recently issued reports on the stock. Guggenheim upped their price objective on shares of Northrop Grumman from $612.00 to $640.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Wednesday. Jefferies Financial Group decreased their target price on shares of Northrop Grumman from $620.00 to $580.00 and set a “hold” rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, June 26th. Morgan Stanley raised their target price on shares of Northrop Grumman from $745.00 to $765.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research note on Wednesday. UBS Group boosted their target price on Northrop Grumman from $694.00 to $698.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Wednesday. Finally, Royal Bank Of Canada upped their price target on Northrop Grumman from $525.00 to $550.00 and gave the company a “sector perform” rating in a research report on Wednesday. Fifteen equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, nine have issued a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $641.35.
Check Out Our Latest Report on Northrop Grumman
Insiders Place Their Bets
In other news, Director Mark Welsh, III sold 95 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, August 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $547.53, for a total value of $52,015.35. Following the completion of the sale, the director owned 4,393 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $2,405,299.29. This represents a 2.12% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. 0.21% of the stock is owned by insiders.
Key Stories Impacting Northrop Grumman
Here are the key news stories impacting Northrop Grumman this week:
- Positive Sentiment: Q3 earnings beat expectations. Northrop reported adjusted earnings of $7.89 per share, above the approximately $7.18–$7.22 consensus, while revenue rose 6.7% year over year to $11.12 billion and was broadly in line with estimates. Northrop Grumman Q3 earnings report
- Positive Sentiment: Northrop raised its FY 2026 outlook. The company now expects adjusted EPS of $29.35–$29.75, above the roughly $28.97 consensus, while revenue guidance of $43.8 billion–$44.3 billion remains near expectations. Reuters Northrop Grumman outlook article
- Positive Sentiment: Record backlog supports future revenue. Backlog reached approximately $109.6 billion to $110 billion, up about 20% year over year, with third-quarter awards of $16.4 billion. Management also targets 5%–7% sales growth in 2027, supported by B-21 investments and strong defense and space demand. Northrop Grumman backlog and guidance article
- Positive Sentiment: Analysts became more constructive. BNP Paribas Exane raised its price target to $600 and maintained an Outperform rating, while Baird reportedly lifted its target to $675 and upgraded the shares to Outperform. Analyst estimates for Northrop Grumman
- Neutral Sentiment: The stock remains about 17% below its year-to-date starting level, which has prompted investors to consider whether the pullback represents a discounted entry point for dividend and defense exposure. Northrop Grumman dividend valuation article
- Negative Sentiment: Higher capital spending, potential margin pressure and paused buybacks could limit near-term shareholder returns. Investors also face political and budget uncertainty surrounding defense programs, while reported insider activity has consisted of sales rather than purchases.
About Northrop Grumman
Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) is a global aerospace and defense company that develops and produces systems for government and commercial customers, with the U.S. government representing its primary customer base. The company operates across aerospace, defense, space, cybersecurity and advanced technology markets.
Its products and services include military aircraft and autonomous systems, space systems and satellites, missile defense technologies, command-and-control systems, cyber solutions, sensors, communications networks and other mission-critical systems.
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