Man Group plc Acquires 23,133 Shares of Northrop Grumman Corporation $NOC

Key Points

• Man Group nearly doubled its Northrop Grumman stake in the second quarter, acquiring 23,133 additional shares for a total holding of 47,212 shares valued at approximately $24.05 million. Institutional investors and hedge funds collectively own 83.4% of NOC.
• Analysts maintain a generally positive outlook, with a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $661.30, although price targets range widely and one analyst recently downgraded the stock to “hold.”
• Northrop Grumman exceeded quarterly earnings expectations, reporting $7.68 in EPS and $10.88 billion in revenue, while revenue grew 5.1% year over year. The company also maintained its $2.47 quarterly dividend, equivalent to a 1.8% annual yield.

Man Group plc boosted its holdings in shares of Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC - Free Report) by 96.1% during the second quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 47,212 shares of the aerospace company's stock after acquiring an additional 23,133 shares during the quarter. Man Group plc's holdings in Northrop Grumman were worth $24,046,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Brighton Jones LLC increased its holdings in Northrop Grumman by 176.3% in the fourth quarter. Brighton Jones LLC now owns 2,970 shares of the aerospace company's stock valued at $1,394,000 after purchasing an additional 1,895 shares during the period. Bison Wealth LLC raised its position in Northrop Grumman by 5.3% during 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 during the last quarter. Woodline Partners LP lifted its holdings in Northrop Grumman by 367.7% during the 1st quarter. Woodline Partners LP now owns 2,516 shares of the aerospace company's stock worth $1,288,000 after buying an additional 1,978 shares during the period. AXA S.A. lifted its holdings in Northrop Grumman by 1,487.8% during the 2nd quarter. AXA S.A. now owns 16,338 shares of the aerospace company's stock worth $8,169,000 after buying an additional 15,309 shares during the period. Finally, NewEdge Advisors LLC grew its position in shares of Northrop Grumman by 6.7% in the 2nd quarter. NewEdge Advisors LLC now owns 8,865 shares of the aerospace company's stock valued at $4,432,000 after buying an additional 553 shares during the last quarter. 83.40% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Northrop Grumman news, Director Mark A. Welsh III sold 95 shares of Northrop Grumman stock in a transaction 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 directly owned 4,393 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $2,405,299.29. The trade was a 2.12% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Company insiders own 0.21% of the company's stock.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several brokerages have recently weighed in on NOC. UBS Group increased their price target on Northrop Grumman from $666.00 to $685.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research note on Wednesday, July 22nd. Sanford C. Bernstein reiterated a "market perform" rating and issued a $653.00 target price on shares of Northrop Grumman in a report on Wednesday, August 5th. Wells Fargo & Company reissued an "overweight" rating and set a $620.00 target price on shares of Northrop Grumman in a research report on Wednesday, July 8th. Susquehanna lowered their price target on shares of Northrop Grumman from $785.00 to $655.00 and set a "positive" rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, July 22nd. Finally, Weiss Ratings downgraded shares of Northrop Grumman from a "hold (c+)" rating to a "hold (c)" rating in a research report on Wednesday, August 12th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eleven have issued a Buy rating and eight have assigned a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $661.30.

Trending Headlines about Northrop Grumman

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

• Positive Sentiment: Northrop Grumman expects to win a “decent share” of the potentially massive Golden Dome missile-defense program. CEO Kathy Warden’s comments reinforce the company’s positioning in space-based defense, although contracts and award values have not yet been finalized. Northrop Grumman expects decent share of Golden Dome missile defense
• Positive Sentiment: The company is expanding its international defense business as allied nations increase military spending. International sales are rising, and management is targeting approximately $10 billion in annual international revenue by 2031, suggesting a potential long-term growth avenue beyond U.S. government demand. Is Northrop Grumman Expanding Its International Defense Business?
• Positive Sentiment: Management says Northrop is operating on a “wartime footing,” while geopolitical tensions and active conflicts are driving a global defense-spending boom. That backdrop could support demand for the company’s missile, space and other defense platforms. Northrop Grumman Is on a Wartime Footing, CEO Says
• Neutral Sentiment: Northrop Grumman maintained its quarterly dividend at $2.47 per share, payable September 16 to shareholders of record August 31. The steady payout supports income-focused investors, but the absence of a new increase provides little incremental catalyst. NOC Steady at $2.47: A Closer Look at Northrop Grumman Corporation’s Dividend Discipline
• Neutral Sentiment: A $1.55 billion U.S. rare-earth initiative could benefit defense contractors by strengthening strategic-material supply chains, but the direct financial effect on Northrop Grumman remains unclear. Why Trump’s $1.55 billion rare earth move matters for Northrop Grumman

Northrop Grumman Price Performance

Shares of NOC opened at $550.61 on Thursday. The firm has a market cap of $78.20 billion, a PE ratio of 17.49, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.51 and a beta of -0.11. Northrop Grumman Corporation has a 52-week low of $479.02 and a 52-week high of $774.00. The business's 50 day moving average price is $541.40 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $606.36. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.81, a quick ratio of 1.06 and a current ratio of 1.17.

Northrop Grumman (NYSE:NOC - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, July 21st. The aerospace company reported $7.68 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $6.82 by $0.86. Northrop Grumman had a net margin of 10.48% and a return on equity of 24.25%. The company had revenue of $10.88 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $10.80 billion. During the same quarter last year, the firm posted $8.15 EPS. The company's quarterly revenue was up 5.1% on a year-over-year basis. Northrop Grumman has set its FY 2026 guidance at 28.600-29.100 EPS. On average, equities analysts anticipate that Northrop Grumman Corporation will post 28.97 EPS for the current year.

Northrop Grumman Announces Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, September 16th. Shareholders of record on Monday, August 31st will be issued a $2.47 dividend. This represents a $9.88 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.8%. The ex-dividend date is Monday, August 31st. Northrop Grumman's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 31.39%.

Northrop Grumman Company 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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