Wealthfront Advisers LLC Acquires New Position in Northrop Grumman Corporation $NOC

Key Points

• Wealthfront Advisers acquired 15,694 Northrop Grumman shares in the second quarter, valued at approximately $7.99 million. Institutional investors collectively own 83.4% of NOC.
• Northrop Grumman reported quarterly EPS of $7.68, beating estimates of $6.82, while revenue rose 5.1% year over year to $10.88 billion. The company maintained fiscal 2026 EPS guidance of $28.60–$29.10.
• Analysts have a “Moderate Buy” consensus with an average price target of $661.30, while the company declared a $2.47 quarterly dividend ($9.88 annualized, 1.7% yield). Investors remain cautious about higher capital spending and recent insider selling.

Wealthfront Advisers LLC bought a new position in Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC - Free Report) in the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The fund bought 15,694 shares of the aerospace company's stock, valued at approximately $7,993,000.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also bought and sold shares of the business. Torren Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of Northrop Grumman in the 4th quarter worth approximately $26,000. Karpus Management Inc. bought a new position in shares of Northrop Grumman during the 4th quarter valued at $26,000. Kohmann Bosshard Financial Services LLC purchased a new position in Northrop Grumman in the 4th quarter worth $29,000. Perkins Coie Trust Co purchased a new position in Northrop Grumman in the 2nd quarter worth $29,000. Finally, Financial Life Planners bought a new stake in Northrop Grumman in the first quarter worth $30,000. 83.40% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several analysts have issued reports on NOC shares. TD Cowen upped their price target on shares of Northrop Grumman from $550.00 to $590.00 and gave the company a "hold" rating in a research report on Wednesday. Robert W. Baird set a $500.00 price objective on Northrop Grumman in a report on Wednesday, July 22nd. The Goldman Sachs Group lowered their target price on Northrop Grumman from $603.00 to $533.00 and set a "neutral" rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, July 14th. Citigroup increased their target price on Northrop Grumman from $617.00 to $667.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a report on Thursday, August 13th. Finally, BTIG Research restated a "buy" rating and set a $815.00 price target on shares of Northrop Grumman in a research report on Wednesday, April 22nd. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eleven have given a Buy rating and eight have issued a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $661.30.

Northrop Grumman Stock Down 1.0%

Shares of Northrop Grumman stock opened at $583.14 on Thursday. The company has a current ratio of 1.17, a quick ratio of 1.06 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.81. Northrop Grumman Corporation has a 12-month low of $479.02 and a 12-month high of $774.00. The company has a market cap of $82.82 billion, a P/E ratio of 18.52, a PEG ratio of 3.81 and a beta of -0.11. The company's fifty day simple moving average is $541.15 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $611.37.

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

Northrop Grumman Announces Dividend

The business also recently disclosed 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. The ex-dividend date is Monday, August 31st. This represents a $9.88 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.7%. Northrop Grumman's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 31.39%.

Key Northrop Grumman News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Northrop Grumman’s board declared a quarterly dividend of $2.47 per share, payable September 16 to shareholders of record August 31. The payment reinforces the company’s commitment to returning capital while continuing investments in manufacturing capacity and technology. Northrop Grumman Board Declares Quarterly Dividend
• Positive Sentiment: NOC and Kratos secured a U.S. Marine Corps contract to deliver missionized Valkyrie autonomous aircraft, expanding Northrop Grumman’s position in uncrewed and collaborative defense systems. Northrop Grumman Lands Marine Corps Autonomous Aircraft Contract
• Positive Sentiment: TD Cowen raised its NOC price target to $590 from $550, although it maintained a “hold” rating, implying limited near-term upside. TD Cowen Raises Northrop Grumman Price Target
• Neutral Sentiment: Recent operational developments, including design progress on the E-2D Hawkeye upgrade and expansion of military training capabilities, support Northrop Grumman’s long-term defense portfolio but do not appear to represent a major new financial catalyst. Northrop Grumman Clears Design Review for E-2D Hawkeye Upgrade
• Negative Sentiment: Investors remain focused on higher capital spending required to expand production, which could pressure near-term free cash flow and margins despite strong demand. Investors’ Focus on Higher Capital Spending Weighed on Northrop Grumman
• Negative Sentiment: Reported insider activity has consisted entirely of sales in the past six months, while more institutions reduced positions than added them in the latest quarter. These signals may be contributing to investor caution.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other Northrop Grumman news, Director Mark A. Welsh III sold 95 shares of Northrop Grumman stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, August 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $547.53, for a total transaction of $52,015.35. Following 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 position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. 0.21% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

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.

This instant news alert was generated by narrative science technology and financial data from MarketBeat in order to provide readers with the fastest reporting and unbiased coverage. Please send any questions or comments about this story to contact@marketbeat.com.

Continue following MarketBeat

Add MarketBeat as your preferred source on Google to see our latest stories in your feed.

Add As Preferred Source