Canada Post Corp Registered Pension Plan Lowers Holdings in Northrop Grumman Corporation $NOC

Key Points

• Canada Post Corp Registered Pension Plan cut its Northrop Grumman stake by 17.1% in the fourth quarter, selling 2,142 shares and ending with 10,402 shares valued at about $5.93 million.
• Northrop Grumman’s latest earnings beat expectations, with Q1 EPS of $6.14 and revenue of $9.88 billion, both ahead of analyst estimates. The company also reaffirmed FY 2026 EPS guidance of 27.4 to 27.9.
• Wall Street remains generally positive, with a Moderate Buy consensus and an average price target of $710.74, though some recent options-market activity and analyst target cuts point to near-term uncertainty.

Canada Post Corp Registered Pension Plan trimmed its holdings in Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC - Free Report) by 17.1% during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The fund owned 10,402 shares of the aerospace company's stock after selling 2,142 shares during the quarter. Canada Post Corp Registered Pension Plan's holdings in Northrop Grumman were worth $5,931,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Brighton Jones LLC boosted its position in Northrop Grumman by 176.3% in the 4th quarter. Brighton Jones LLC now owns 2,970 shares of the aerospace company's stock worth $1,394,000 after purchasing an additional 1,895 shares in the last quarter. Bison Wealth LLC boosted its position in Northrop Grumman by 5.3% in the 4th quarter. Bison Wealth LLC now owns 641 shares of the aerospace company's stock worth $301,000 after purchasing an additional 32 shares in the last quarter. Woodline Partners LP boosted its position in Northrop Grumman by 367.7% in the 1st quarter. Woodline Partners LP now owns 2,516 shares of the aerospace company's stock worth $1,288,000 after purchasing an additional 1,978 shares in the last quarter. AXA S.A. boosted its position in Northrop Grumman by 1,487.8% in the 2nd quarter. AXA S.A. now owns 16,338 shares of the aerospace company's stock worth $8,169,000 after purchasing an additional 15,309 shares in the last quarter. Finally, NewEdge Advisors LLC boosted its position in Northrop Grumman by 6.7% in the 2nd quarter. NewEdge Advisors LLC now owns 8,865 shares of the aerospace company's stock worth $4,432,000 after purchasing an additional 553 shares in the last quarter. 83.40% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Key Stories Impacting Northrop Grumman

Here are the key news stories impacting Northrop Grumman this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Northrop Grumman’s new LR-450 space navigation system underscores progress in higher-value Space Systems work and could support future growth. Northrop Grumman LR-450 Highlights Push Into Higher Value Space Systems
• Positive Sentiment: The company continues to benefit from strong defense-sector demand, with investors comparing NOC favorably against peers as one of the largest U.S. defense contractors. Defense Stock Face-Off: Northrop Grumman vs. Lockheed Martin -- Which Is the Better Buy Right Now?
• Neutral Sentiment: Northrop Grumman was included in a broader Q1 earnings recap for defense contractors, but the article mainly framed the company in an industry context rather than pointing to a fresh catalyst. Unpacking Q1 Earnings: Northrop Grumman NYSE: NOC In The Context Of Other Defense Contractors Stocks
• Neutral Sentiment: Options-market activity has picked up, with surging implied volatility signaling uncertainty and potentially weighing on the stock in the short term. Implied Volatility Surging for Northrop Grumman Stock Options
• Negative Sentiment: Rising attention to NOC’s options volatility can reflect increased downside hedging or uncertainty ahead of upcoming catalysts, which may pressure shares. Implied Volatility Surging for Northrop Grumman Stock Options

Northrop Grumman Trading Down 1.5%

Shares of NYSE:NOC opened at $540.47 on Friday. Northrop Grumman Corporation has a 1 year low of $466.38 and a 1 year high of $774.00. The firm has a market capitalization of $76.76 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 16.92, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.69 and a beta of -0.11. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.84, a current ratio of 1.15 and a quick ratio of 1.04. The business's 50 day moving average price is $655.52 and its 200-day moving average price is $633.60.

Northrop Grumman (NYSE:NOC - Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Tuesday, April 21st. The aerospace company reported $6.14 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $6.06 by $0.08. Northrop Grumman had a return on equity of 24.72% and a net margin of 10.80%.The firm had revenue of $9.88 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $9.75 billion. During the same quarter last year, the firm posted $6.06 EPS. The business's revenue was up 4.4% on a year-over-year basis. Northrop Grumman has set its FY 2026 guidance at 27.400-27.900 EPS. On average, equities research analysts forecast that Northrop Grumman Corporation will post 27.92 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

NOC has been the topic of several recent research reports. Weiss Ratings restated a "buy (b)" rating on shares of Northrop Grumman in a research report on Monday, March 23rd. Wells Fargo & Company began coverage on shares of Northrop Grumman in a research note on Wednesday, April 1st. They set an "overweight" rating and a $800.00 target price on the stock. Morgan Stanley lowered their target price on shares of Northrop Grumman from $765.00 to $745.00 and set an "overweight" rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, April 22nd. Jefferies Financial Group set a $660.00 target price on shares of Northrop Grumman in a research note on Sunday, April 26th. Finally, Wall Street Zen lowered shares of Northrop Grumman from a "strong-buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note on Saturday, April 25th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, ten have given a Buy rating and eight have issued a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, Northrop Grumman presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $710.74.

Insider Transactions at Northrop Grumman

In related news, VP Benjamin R. Davies sold 2,189 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, February 18th. The shares were sold at an average price of $719.61, for a total value of $1,575,226.29. Following the transaction, the vice president directly owned 151 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $108,661.11. This trade represents a 93.55% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, CAO Michael A. Hardesty sold 147 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction dated Thursday, February 19th. The shares were sold at an average price of $732.98, for a total transaction of $107,748.06. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief accounting officer directly owned 2,525 shares in the company, valued at $1,850,774.50. This represents a 5.50% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Company insiders own 0.21% of the company's stock.

Northrop Grumman Profile

Northrop Grumman Corporation NYSE: NOC is a leading U.S.-based aerospace and defense company that designs, builds and sustains advanced systems, products and technologies for government and commercial customers. Formed through the combination of Northrop and Grumman businesses in the 1990s, the company's portfolio spans manned and unmanned aircraft, space systems, missile defense, radar and sensor systems, and integrated command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (C4ISR) solutions.

The company's work includes airframe and platform manufacturing, space hardware and satellite systems, advanced mission systems and cybersecurity services, as well as logistics, sustainment and modernization programs.

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