Northrop Grumman Corporation $NOC Position Trimmed by Arbejdsmarkedets Tillaegspension

Key Points

• Arbejdsmarkedets Tillaegspension reduced its Northrop Grumman stake by 12.1% in the first quarter, selling 5,099 shares and leaving it with 37,142 shares valued at about $25.34 million.
• Institutional ownership remains very high, with 83.4% of shares held by institutional investors, and several large funds recently added to their positions.
• Analyst sentiment is mixed but generally positive: Northrop Grumman has a Moderate Buy consensus rating, though some firms have cut price targets. The company also recently beat earnings expectations and raised its quarterly dividend to $2.47 per share.

Arbejdsmarkedets Tillaegspension trimmed its holdings in shares of Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC - Free Report) by 12.1% during the first quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The firm owned 37,142 shares of the aerospace company's stock after selling 5,099 shares during the period. Arbejdsmarkedets Tillaegspension's holdings in Northrop Grumman were worth $25,340,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other large investors also recently modified their holdings of NOC. Vanguard Group Inc. grew its position in shares of Northrop Grumman by 1.5% during the 4th quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 13,740,721 shares of the aerospace company's stock valued at $7,835,097,000 after buying an additional 209,135 shares during the last quarter. Capital World Investors lifted its holdings in Northrop Grumman by 39.4% in the fourth quarter. Capital World Investors now owns 3,434,041 shares of the aerospace company's stock worth $1,958,151,000 after acquiring an additional 970,029 shares during the last quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC lifted its holdings in Northrop Grumman by 0.6% in the fourth quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 3,149,478 shares of the aerospace company's stock worth $1,793,478,000 after acquiring an additional 17,948 shares during the last quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. boosted its stake in Northrop Grumman by 4.3% in the fourth quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. now owns 3,125,139 shares of the aerospace company's stock valued at $1,781,986,000 after acquiring an additional 128,855 shares during the period. Finally, Invesco Ltd. boosted its stake in Northrop Grumman by 3.9% in the fourth quarter. Invesco Ltd. now owns 1,666,517 shares of the aerospace company's stock valued at $950,265,000 after acquiring an additional 62,817 shares during the period. 83.40% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of analysts have recently weighed in on the company. Jefferies Financial Group dropped their price target on Northrop Grumman from $620.00 to $580.00 and set a "hold" rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, June 26th. Citigroup reduced their price objective on Northrop Grumman from $628.00 to $587.00 and set a "buy" rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, July 1st. Morgan Stanley lowered their price objective on Northrop Grumman from $765.00 to $745.00 and set an "overweight" rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, April 22nd. Raymond James Financial reaffirmed an "outperform" rating on shares of Northrop Grumman in a research report on Monday, June 15th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company reiterated an "overweight" rating and issued a $620.00 target price on shares of Northrop Grumman in a research note on Wednesday. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eleven have given a Buy rating and nine have assigned a Hold rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $688.89.

Northrop Grumman Price Performance

Shares of NYSE NOC opened at $539.49 on Monday. The firm's 50-day simple moving average is $541.29 and its 200 day simple moving average is $625.98. The stock has a market cap of $76.62 billion, a P/E ratio of 16.89, a P/E/G ratio of 3.65 and a beta of -0.10. Northrop Grumman Corporation has a fifty-two week low of $493.84 and a fifty-two week high of $774.00. The company has a quick ratio of 1.04, a current ratio of 1.15 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.84.

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 for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $6.06 by $0.08. Northrop Grumman had a return on equity of 24.72% and a net margin of 10.80%.The business had revenue of $9.88 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $9.75 billion. During the same quarter last year, the business posted $6.06 earnings per share. The company's quarterly 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. Equities analysts expect that Northrop Grumman Corporation will post 27.95 EPS for the current year.

Northrop Grumman Increases Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, June 17th. Shareholders of record on Monday, June 1st were given a $2.47 dividend. This represents a $9.88 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.8%. This is a positive change from Northrop Grumman's previous quarterly dividend of $2.31. The ex-dividend date was Monday, June 1st. Northrop Grumman's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 30.92%.

Northrop Grumman News Roundup

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

• Positive Sentiment: NATO’s plan to acquire up to five Northrop Grumman MQ-4C Triton drones reinforces demand for the company’s surveillance and maritime security platforms, a potential tailwind for future revenue. Northrop Grumman (NOC) Wins NATO Backing For Up To Five Triton Drones
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts continue to view Northrop Grumman as reasonably attractive, with a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy,” which can help support investor confidence ahead of the next earnings report. Northrop Grumman Corporation NYSE: NOC Receives Consensus Rating of "Moderate Buy" from Analysts
• Positive Sentiment: Several articles argue Northrop is positioned to beat earnings estimates again, citing its history of topping expectations and favorable setup for the upcoming quarterly report. Why Northrop Grumman (NOC) is Poised to Beat Earnings Estimates Again
• Neutral Sentiment: Market commentary and valuation-focused pieces suggest the stock may be fairly priced after a strong multi-year run, which could limit upside unless earnings or contract growth surprise to the upside. Northrop Grumman (NOC) Stock Looks Fairly Priced Following A 62% Run
• Negative Sentiment: Some recent commentary highlights cost and capital spending concerns, which could weigh on margins if defense program execution becomes more expensive. Northrop Grumman (NOC) After Talpins Interest And Cost Concerns, Bargain Or Fairly Valued?

About Northrop Grumman

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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