Legal & General Group Plc Buys 16,195 Shares of Northrop Grumman Corporation $NOC

Legal & General Group Plc increased its stake in Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) by 2.2% in the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 747,121 shares of the aerospace company’s stock after buying an additional 16,195 shares during the quarter. Legal & General Group Plc’s holdings in Northrop Grumman were worth $380,516,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in NOC. BlackRock Inc. bought a new position in Northrop Grumman during the second quarter worth $6,001,616,000. Capital World Investors lifted its stake in shares of Northrop Grumman by 39.4% during the 4th quarter. Capital World Investors now owns 3,434,041 shares of the aerospace company’s stock worth $1,958,151,000 after buying an additional 970,029 shares during the last quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp acquired a new stake in shares of Northrop Grumman during the 2nd quarter worth about $376,135,000. J. Stern & Co. LLP boosted its holdings in shares of Northrop Grumman by 56,920.9% during the 4th quarter. J. Stern & Co. LLP now owns 421,955 shares of the aerospace company’s stock worth $240,603,000 after buying an additional 421,215 shares during the period. Finally, Deutsche Bank AG bought a new stake in shares of Northrop Grumman during the 2nd quarter worth about $194,058,000. 83.40% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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, August 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $547.53, for a total value of $52,015.35. Following the sale, the director 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 document filed 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 owned by insiders.

Northrop Grumman Stock Down 1.2%

Shares of NYSE NOC opened at $542.70 on Wednesday. The stock has a market capitalization of $77.08 billion, a P/E ratio of 17.24, a PEG ratio of 3.56 and a beta of -0.11. The stock’s fifty day moving average is $541.38 and its 200 day moving average is $607.38. Northrop Grumman Corporation has a 52 week low of $479.02 and a 52 week high of $774.00. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.81, a quick ratio of 1.06 and a current ratio of 1.17.

Northrop Grumman (NYSE:NOC) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, July 21st. The aerospace company reported $7.68 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $6.82 by $0.86. Northrop Grumman had a net margin of 10.48% and a return on equity of 24.25%. The firm had revenue of $10.88 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $10.80 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted $8.15 earnings per share. The business’s revenue for the quarter was up 5.1% on a year-over-year basis. Northrop Grumman has set its FY 2026 guidance at 28.600-29.100 EPS. Sell-side analysts forecast that Northrop Grumman Corporation will post 28.97 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Northrop Grumman Announces Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, September 16th. Shareholders of record on Monday, August 31st will be paid a dividend of $2.47 per share. The ex-dividend date is Monday, August 31st. This represents a $9.88 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.8%. Northrop Grumman’s dividend payout ratio is presently 31.39%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

NOC has been the topic of several research analyst reports. TD Cowen increased their price target on shares of Northrop Grumman from $550.00 to $590.00 and gave the company a “hold” rating in a report on Wednesday, August 19th. The Goldman Sachs Group reduced their price objective on Northrop Grumman from $603.00 to $533.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a report on Tuesday, July 14th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. decreased their target price on Northrop Grumman from $635.00 to $600.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, July 23rd. Raymond James Financial reiterated an “outperform” rating on shares of Northrop Grumman in a research note on Monday, June 15th. Finally, Sanford C. Bernstein reissued a “market perform” rating and set a $653.00 price target on shares of Northrop Grumman in a report on Wednesday, August 5th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eleven have assigned a Buy rating and eight have assigned a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Northrop Grumman currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $661.30.

Key Northrop Grumman News

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

• Positive Sentiment: CEO Kathy Warden said Northrop expects to win a “decent share” of the potential $1 trillion Golden Dome space-based missile-defense program. A meaningful award could materially expand the company’s backlog and support long-term growth, although no specific contract has been announced. NOC Stock Inches Ahead — Northrop CEO Reportedly Eyes ‘Decent Share’ In Potential $1 Trillion Golden Dome Defense Contracts
• Positive Sentiment: Warden described Northrop as operating on a “wartime footing” and highlighted rising geopolitical tensions, active conflicts and global defense-spending growth. The comments reinforce expectations for sustained demand across missiles, space systems and other strategic-defense programs. Northrop Grumman Is on a Wartime Footing, CEO Says
• Positive Sentiment: A separate interview emphasized Northrop’s work with the Trump administration on Golden Dome and the broader defense-spending cycle, potentially improving the company’s positioning for future U.S. awards. Northrop CEO on Defense Spending, Golden Dome System
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst commentary characterizes Northrop as a strategic defense holding benefiting from missile demand, space investment and broader defense growth. Northrop Grumman: A Strategic Play On Defense Growth And Missile Demand
• Neutral Sentiment: The administration’s $1.55 billion rare-earth initiative could strengthen the domestic defense supply chain and benefit major contractors such as Northrop, but the direct financial impact on NOC is not yet clear. Why Trump’s $1.55 Billion Rare Earth Move Matters for Lockheed Martin, RTX and Northrop Grumman
• Negative Sentiment: Recent comparisons with Lockheed Martin note that both companies benefit from defense demand but compete with different backlogs, growth rates and international exposure. This may limit NOC’s relative appeal, particularly while Golden Dome opportunities remain uncontracted. LMT vs. NOC: Which Defense Stock Offers Better Growth Prospects?

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.