Nykredit A S purchased a new position in shares of Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC - Free Report) in the second quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor purchased 40,859 shares of the aerospace company's stock, valued at approximately $20,810,000.
Several other large investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. BlackRock Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Northrop Grumman in the second quarter worth about $6,001,616,000. Capital World Investors lifted its position in Northrop Grumman by 39.4% during the 4th 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 in the last quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC lifted its position in Northrop Grumman by 0.6% during the 4th 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 in the last quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. boosted its holdings in Northrop Grumman by 4.3% in the 4th quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. now owns 3,125,139 shares of the aerospace company's stock worth $1,781,986,000 after acquiring an additional 128,855 shares during the period. Finally, Bank of America Corp DE purchased a new position in Northrop Grumman in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $1,298,141,000. 83.40% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.
Northrop Grumman Trading Up 0.5%
Northrop Grumman stock opened at $526.77 on Friday. The firm's 50-day moving average is $542.66 and its 200-day moving average is $585.41. 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 Corporation has a 1 year low of $479.02 and a 1 year high of $774.00. The company has a market cap of $74.82 billion, a P/E ratio of 16.73, a PEG ratio of 3.09 and a beta of -0.11.
Northrop Grumman (NYSE:NOC - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, July 21st. The aerospace company reported $7.68 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $6.82 by $0.86. The business had revenue of $10.88 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $10.80 billion. Northrop Grumman had a net margin of 10.48% and a return on equity of 24.25%. The company's revenue for the quarter was up 5.1% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $8.15 EPS. Northrop Grumman has set its FY 2026 guidance at 28.600-29.100 EPS. On average, equities analysts expect that Northrop Grumman Corporation will post 28.97 earnings per share for the current year.
Northrop Grumman Dividend Announcement
The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, September 16th. Stockholders of record on Monday, August 31st were issued a dividend of $2.47 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, August 31st. This represents a $9.88 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.9%. Northrop Grumman's dividend payout ratio is 31.39%.
Insider Buying and Selling at Northrop Grumman
In related news, Director Mark Welsh, III sold 95 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, August 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $547.53, for a total value of $52,015.35. Following the sale, the director owned 4,393 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $2,405,299.29. This trade represents a 2.12% decrease in their position. The sale 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. Insiders own 0.21% of the company's stock.
Northrop Grumman News Roundup
Here are the key news stories impacting Northrop Grumman this week:
- Positive Sentiment: Guggenheim upgraded NOC to “strong buy,” providing a direct sentiment boost and signaling greater confidence in the company’s valuation and outlook. Guggenheim upgrade report
- Positive Sentiment: Northrop Grumman and True Anomaly are reportedly pursuing GHOST-R prototype satellites intended to lower the cost of the RG-XX program. If successful, the effort could improve program affordability and support future contract opportunities. GHOST-R prototype report
- Positive Sentiment: The company is set to deliver a new space-domain-awareness prototype satellite, reinforcing its position in strategically important space-defense programs and potentially supporting future government work. Space-domain-awareness satellite report
- Positive Sentiment: A new U.S. Joint Air-to-Surface Tactical Missile framework agreement with Lockheed Martin could expand missile-production activity and create a broader favorable environment for defense contractors, including NOC, although Lockheed is the primary party named in the report. JATM agreement report
- Neutral Sentiment: Northrop Grumman will release third-quarter 2026 results before the market opens on October 20. The announcement gives investors a near-term catalyst, but provides no new financial information. Third-quarter earnings date
- Neutral Sentiment: Management’s Morgan Stanley conference presentation may offer additional insight into demand, contracts and execution, but the available report does not identify a material new announcement. Morgan Stanley conference transcript
- Negative Sentiment: The latest 25-basis-point rate hike keeps yields elevated. Higher rates can pressure valuation multiples and increase financing costs, although NOC’s defense cash flows and dividend profile may provide some resilience.
Analyst Ratings Changes
A number of equities analysts have issued reports on NOC shares. Weiss Ratings lowered Northrop Grumman from a "hold (c+)" rating to a "hold (c)" rating in a research report on Thursday, September 10th. TD Cowen raised their price target on shares of Northrop Grumman from $550.00 to $590.00 and gave the stock a "hold" rating in a research report on Wednesday, August 19th. The Goldman Sachs Group dropped their price target on shares of Northrop Grumman from $603.00 to $533.00 and set a "neutral" rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, July 14th. Wells Fargo & Company reiterated an "overweight" rating and set a $620.00 price objective on shares of Northrop Grumman in a research note on Wednesday, July 8th. Finally, Guggenheim initiated coverage on shares of Northrop Grumman in a report on Monday, September 14th. They set a "buy" rating and a $612.00 price objective for the company. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eleven have given a Buy rating and eight have issued a Hold rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $659.86.
Read Our Latest Report on NOC
Northrop Grumman Profile
(
Free Report)
Northrop Grumman Corporation is a global aerospace and defense company that develops and delivers systems, platforms and technologies for government and commercial customers. Its activities include the design and production of military aircraft, autonomous systems, spacecraft, launch vehicles, missile-defense systems, command-and-control networks, cyber solutions, sensors and other mission-critical technologies.
The company serves the U.S. Department of Defense, other U.S. government agencies and international customers.
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