Northrop Grumman Corporation (NOC)
Northrop Grumman is a major American aerospace and defence giant that builds everything from stealth bombers to space satellites.
Is Northrop Grumman Corporation a good stock for a UK beginner?
The honest version: Northrop Grumman is a major American aerospace and defence giant that builds everything from stealth bombers to space satellites.
Over about 2 years to 2026-07-31. This is the share price only - reinvesting the dividends would add to it. And it's the USD return - as a UK investor your actual £ return also moves with the exchange rate. Past performance is not a guide to the future, and it could just as easily have fallen.
Based on beta - how much the price swings versus the whole market. Bumpier isn't bad; it just means a rougher ride, which matters more the sooner you might need the money.
Prices move on results, news and the mood of the whole market - no single headline explains a day, and a quiet week is usually just noise, not a signal.
Expansion into new space and cyber-security markets
Major shifts in global defence policy or spending priorities
What does Northrop Grumman Corporation do?
Northrop Grumman is a cornerstone of the US defence industry, making high-tech equipment for the military and space agencies. They make their money through long-term government contracts to design, build, and maintain complex hardware like radar systems and missiles. Its order book turns on how global geopolitical tensions influence government spending budgets, which dictate what the company builds.
On our factor screen it looks strongest on income and value, and weakest on growth.
- ✓Pays a dividend - about 1.7% a year
- ✓Growing - revenue up about 5% over the year
- ✓Strong return on shareholder money (ROE 27%)
- Strong position in essential national security programmes
- High return on equity shows efficient management
- Low beta suggests lower sensitivity to general market swings
- Growth screens low (26/100)
- Momentum screens low (27/100)
- Changes in political leadership altering defence priorities
- Supply chain disruptions affecting production timelines
- Regulatory scrutiny over government contract pricing
What do Northrop Grumman Corporation's numbers mean?
How much money does Northrop Grumman Corporation make?
Revenue and profit by quarter, and how much of each sale turns into profit.
Does Northrop Grumman Corporation pay a dividend?
Yes - Northrop Grumman Corporation currently pays a dividend of about 1.7% a year (the yearly payout as a share of the price). A dividend is a slice of profit handed to shareholders; the yield moves as the price moves, and a company can cut or stop it.
When does Northrop Grumman Corporation report earnings, and how did recent quarters go?
Northrop Grumman Corporation is next scheduled to report on about 2026-10-20 - dates can move, and we don't predict results; this just tells you when to look.
Each quarter a company reports its results against what analysts expected. ‘Beating’ or ‘missing’ is about that expectation, not whether the business is doing well in absolute terms.
| Reported | Expected EPS: The earnings per share analysts expected for the quarter - the average of their forecasts. 'Beating' or 'missing' is measured against this number. | Actual EPS | vs expected |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-07-21 | $6.82 | $7.68 | Beat +13% |
| 2026-04-21 | $6.06 | $6.14 | Beat +1% |
| 2026-01-27 | $6.96 | $7.23 | Beat +4% |
| 2025-10-21 | $6.46 | $7.67 | Beat +19% |
| 2025-07-22 | $6.80 | $8.15 | Beat +20% |
| 2025-04-22 | $6.26 | $3.32 | Missed -47% |
Across the last 6 quarters here, Northrop Grumman Corporation came in ahead of what analysts expected 5 times. One quarter is noise, not a trend.
See who else reports over the next two weeks →
Reported vs expected earnings per share (EPS) from published results; the expectation is the analyst consensus, not our view. Report dates are estimates that can move.
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Masco CorporationWhat are the scenarios for Northrop Grumman Corporation?
An illustrative range for the year ahead, with the assumption behind each case — not a prediction or a price target.
What are the pros and cons of Northrop Grumman Corporation?
How many points the write-up makes each way — a balance check, not a score or verdict.
- Strong position in essential national security programmes
- High return on equity shows efficient management
- Low beta suggests lower sensitivity to general market swings
- Heavy reliance on a single customer, the US government
- Fixed-price contracts can lead to losses if costs rise unexpectedly
- High price-to-book ratio compared to some industrial peers
- Changes in political leadership altering defence priorities
- Supply chain disruptions affecting production timelines
- Regulatory scrutiny over government contract pricing
The write-up's own warning lights — if these start happening, the case above changes.
- A significant, sustained reduction in global defence spending
- Loss of a major, multi-year government contract
Built from public filings & market prices, checked for an education-only tone, and never a price target. How we make these →
This plain-English summary was auto-generated on 2026-08-01 from public data and checked for an education-only, no-advice tone (the figures above carry their own, usually fresher, 'as of' date). It's information, never a recommendation.