Northrop Grumman (NYSE:NOC) Announces Earnings Results

Northrop Grumman (NYSE:NOC) issued its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday. The aerospace company reported $7.89 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $7.18 by $0.71, FiscalAI reports. The business had revenue of $11.12 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $11.14 billion. Northrop Grumman had a net margin of 10.48% and a return on equity of 24.25%.

Northrop Grumman Stock Down 1.7%

NOC stock opened at $510.87 on Tuesday. The stock has a market capitalization of $72.56 billion, a P/E ratio of 16.23, a P/E/G ratio of 3.05 and a beta of -0.11. The firm has a 50-day simple moving average of $523.85 and a 200-day simple moving average of $551.28. The company has a quick ratio of 1.06, a current ratio of 1.17 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.81. Northrop Grumman has a 52 week low of $470.06 and a 52 week high of $774.00.

Northrop Grumman Announces Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, September 16th. Stockholders of record on Monday, August 31st were paid a dividend of $2.47 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, August 31st. This represents a $9.88 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.9%. Northrop Grumman’s payout ratio is currently 31.39%.

Trending Headlines about Northrop Grumman

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

• Positive Sentiment: Profit and outlook exceeded expectations. Third-quarter diluted EPS was $7.89, above the approximately $7.18–$7.19 analyst consensus. Northrop also raised its 2026 midpoint guidance for segment operating income by $65 million and adjusted EPS by $0.70, now targeting $29.35–$29.75. The company’s 2027 outlook reportedly calls for additional growth. Northrop Grumman’s 2027 Earnings Outlook Calls for More Growth
• Positive Sentiment: Demand and cash generation remained strong. Third-quarter sales increased 7% year over year to $11.12 billion, net awards totaled $16.4 billion, and backlog reached a record $109.6 billion. Operating cash flow rose 12% to $1.745 billion, supporting the case for durable defense-sector demand. Northrop lifts 2026 profit forecast on strong defense demand, record backlog
• Neutral Sentiment: Investor focus now shifts to management commentary. Northrop scheduled an earnings call to discuss the results, including its updated 2026 guidance and longer-term growth outlook. Northrop Grumman Releases Third Quarter 2026 Financial Results
• Negative Sentiment: Revenue and margins were less impressive than the EPS headline. Sales were slightly below the $11.2 billion consensus, while operating income rose only 2% despite 7% sales growth, implying pressure on operating margins. Reports also note that insiders recorded sales rather than purchases in recent months, which may add to investor caution.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

NOC has been the topic of a number of analyst reports. Jefferies Financial Group dropped their target price 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. Rothschild & Co Redburn began coverage on Northrop Grumman in a report on Tuesday, October 6th. They issued a “buy” rating and a $680.00 price target for the company. Royal Bank Of Canada downgraded Northrop Grumman from an “outperform” rating to a “sector perform” rating and lowered their price target for the stock from $640.00 to $525.00 in a research report on Friday, October 2nd. Weiss Ratings raised Northrop Grumman from a “hold (c)” rating to a “hold (c+)” rating in a report on Thursday, October 8th. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group boosted their price objective on Northrop Grumman from $533.00 to $538.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research report on Monday, July 27th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, fourteen have assigned a Buy rating, nine have assigned a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $641.91.

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 dated Monday, August 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $547.53, for a total value of $52,015.35. Following the transaction, the director directly 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 filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. 0.21% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Northrop Grumman Company Profile

Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) is a global aerospace and defense company that develops and produces systems for government and commercial customers, with the U.S. government representing its primary customer base. The company operates across aerospace, defense, space, cybersecurity and advanced technology markets.

Its products and services include military aircraft and autonomous systems, space systems and satellites, missile defense technologies, command-and-control systems, cyber solutions, sensors, communications networks and other mission-critical systems.