Northrop Grumman (NYSE:NOC) Upgraded by Wells Fargo & Company to “Strong-Buy” Rating

Wells Fargo & Company upgraded shares of Northrop Grumman (NYSE:NOC) to a strong-buy rating in a research note published on Tuesday morning,Zacks.com reports.

Several other research analysts also recently commented on the company. Sanford C. Bernstein restated a “market perform” rating and issued a $727.00 target price on shares of Northrop Grumman in a research note on Monday, January 12th. Royal Bank Of Canada upped their price target on Northrop Grumman from $715.00 to $750.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research report on Wednesday, January 28th. Citigroup increased their price target on shares of Northrop Grumman from $715.00 to $781.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Wednesday, January 28th. BTIG Research raised their price objective on shares of Northrop Grumman from $680.00 to $815.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Wednesday, January 28th. Finally, Truist Financial reaffirmed a “hold” rating and set a $623.00 price objective (down from $688.00) on shares of Northrop Grumman in a research note on Friday, January 9th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, ten have given a Buy rating and nine have given a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $707.35.

Northrop Grumman Stock Performance

Shares of Northrop Grumman stock opened at $697.69 on Tuesday. The business’s fifty day simple moving average is $708.56 and its 200 day simple moving average is $630.08. The company has a current ratio of 1.10, a quick ratio of 1.01 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.91. Northrop Grumman has a 12 month low of $450.13 and a 12 month high of $774.00. The firm has a market capitalization of $99.02 billion, a P/E ratio of 23.95, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 5.06 and a beta of 0.05.

Northrop Grumman (NYSE:NOC) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, January 27th. The aerospace company reported $7.23 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $6.97 by $0.26. The business had revenue of $11.71 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $11.61 billion. Northrop Grumman had a net margin of 9.97% and a return on equity of 25.57%. The company’s revenue for the quarter was up 9.6% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $6.39 earnings per share. Northrop Grumman has set its FY 2026 guidance at 27.400-27.900 EPS. As a group, analysts anticipate that Northrop Grumman will post 28.05 EPS for the current year.

Northrop Grumman Announces Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, March 11th. Investors of record on Monday, February 23rd were paid a $2.31 dividend. This represents a $9.24 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.3%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, February 23rd. Northrop Grumman’s dividend payout ratio is currently 31.72%.

Insider Transactions at Northrop Grumman

In related news, VP Benjamin R. Davies sold 2,189 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Wednesday, February 18th. The shares were sold at an average price of $719.61, for a total transaction of $1,575,226.29. Following the completion of the sale, the vice president directly owned 151 shares in the company, valued at $108,661.11. This represents a 93.55% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. Also, Director Mark A. Welsh III sold 95 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, February 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $684.52, for a total value of $65,029.40. Following the completion of the sale, the director directly owned 4,203 shares in the company, valued at $2,877,037.56. The trade was a 2.21% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. In the last quarter, insiders sold 32,431 shares of company stock valued at $21,969,404. 0.23% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Northrop Grumman

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of NOC. Parvin Asset Management LLC purchased a new position in Northrop Grumman during the second quarter valued at $25,000. Torren Management LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Northrop Grumman in the fourth quarter worth $26,000. Karpus Management Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Northrop Grumman in the fourth quarter worth $26,000. Financial Life Planners bought a new position in shares of Northrop Grumman during the third quarter valued at $27,000. Finally, Physician Wealth Advisors Inc. raised its position in shares of Northrop Grumman by 200.0% in the 3rd quarter. Physician Wealth Advisors Inc. now owns 48 shares of the aerospace company’s stock worth $29,000 after purchasing an additional 32 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 83.40% of the company’s stock.

Key Northrop Grumman News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Wells Fargo initiated coverage with an “Overweight” rating and an $800 price target, signaling institutional support and a notable upside from recent levels. Northrop Grumman (NYSE:NOC) Now Covered by Analysts at Wells Fargo & Company
• Positive Sentiment: Northrop showcased autonomous capabilities in an Army exercise (Lumberjack unmanned aircraft system / autonomy demo), highlighting revenue‑relevant tech that can drive future contracts and justify a premium valuation. Northrop Grumman demonstrates autonomous drone during Army exercise
• Positive Sentiment: Company secured/extended electronic warfare (SEWIP Block 3) work for the U.S. Navy (including first carrier shipset), reinforcing defense backlog and near‑term revenue visibility. Northrop Grumman’s Autonomy And EW Wins Test Justified Premium Valuation
• Positive Sentiment: NASA’s Artemis II spotlight is boosting investor attention on space suppliers; Northrop is named among contractors likely to benefit from renewed lunar program activity and related spending. GE, Boeing, and 3 More Aerospace and Defense Stocks to Buy
• Neutral Sentiment: Sector news: Rocket Lab’s strong backlog and launch cadence highlight growing demand in space infrastructure, but execution risks there are unlikely to directly move Northrop shares — it’s a broader sector read. Rocket Lab’s Backlog Provides a Clear Path to 2026 Revenue Growth
• Neutral Sentiment: Market commentary notes NOC shares rose but still underperformed the broader market recently — a reminder that positive program news can be offset by macro/sector dynamics. Northrop Grumman Corp. stock rises Tuesday, still underperforms market
• Negative Sentiment: Political risk: commentary that the U.S. might pull back from NATO or shift alliance dynamics is being flagged as a potential headwind for major defense contractors, adding policy uncertainty to the sector. Trump Toys With NATO Exit: Defense Stocks In The Crosshairs

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.