Northrop Grumman (NYSE:NOC) Stock Rating Upgraded by Wells Fargo & Company

Northrop Grumman (NYSE:NOC) was upgraded by stock analysts at Wells Fargo & Company to a “strong-buy” rating in a report issued on Tuesday,Zacks.com reports.

Several other equities research analysts have also recently commented on the company. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft restated a “buy” rating and set a $765.00 price target on shares of Northrop Grumman in a research note on Thursday, January 29th. TD Cowen reissued a “hold” rating on shares of Northrop Grumman in a research note on Wednesday, January 28th. Weiss Ratings restated a “buy (b)” rating on shares of Northrop Grumman in a research report on Monday, March 23rd. BTIG Research raised their target price on shares of Northrop Grumman from $680.00 to $815.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Wednesday, January 28th. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group lifted their target price on shares of Northrop Grumman from $630.00 to $690.00 and gave the company a “hold” rating in a report on Sunday, February 1st. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, ten have given a Buy rating and nine have issued a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $707.35.

Northrop Grumman Stock Performance

NYSE NOC opened at $697.69 on Tuesday. The firm has a market cap of $99.02 billion, a P/E ratio of 23.95, a P/E/G ratio of 5.06 and a beta of 0.05. Northrop Grumman has a 52-week low of $450.13 and a 52-week high of $774.00. The business’s 50-day moving average price is $708.56 and its 200 day moving average price is $630.08. The company has a quick ratio of 1.01, a current ratio of 1.10 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.91.

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

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Northrop Grumman news, Director Mark A. Welsh III sold 95 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on 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 owned 4,203 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $2,877,037.56. This trade represents a 2.21% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, CAO Michael A. Hardesty sold 147 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Thursday, February 19th. The stock was sold at an average price of $732.98, for a total transaction of $107,748.06. Following the sale, the chief accounting officer owned 2,525 shares in the company, valued at $1,850,774.50. The trade was a 5.50% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Over the last three months, insiders have sold 32,431 shares of company stock worth $21,969,404. 0.23% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Institutional Trading of Northrop Grumman

A number of institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in NOC. Parvin Asset Management LLC purchased a new position in Northrop Grumman in the second quarter valued at about $25,000. Torren Management LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Northrop Grumman during the 4th quarter worth approximately $26,000. Karpus Management Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Northrop Grumman during the 4th quarter worth approximately $26,000. Financial Life Planners acquired a new stake in shares of Northrop Grumman in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $27,000. Finally, Physician Wealth Advisors Inc. increased its stake in Northrop Grumman by 200.0% in the 3rd quarter. Physician Wealth Advisors Inc. now owns 48 shares of the aerospace company’s stock valued at $29,000 after purchasing an additional 32 shares in 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

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.