Northrop Grumman Corporation $NOC Shares Sold by Public Employees Retirement System of Ohio

Public Employees Retirement System of Ohio decreased its stake in shares of Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) by 2.4% during the first quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 54,208 shares of the aerospace company’s stock after selling 1,329 shares during the quarter. Public Employees Retirement System of Ohio’s holdings in Northrop Grumman were worth $36,983,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Torren Management LLC purchased a new position in shares of Northrop Grumman during the 4th quarter worth $26,000. Karpus Management Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Northrop Grumman during the 4th quarter valued at about $26,000. Kohmann Bosshard Financial Services LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Northrop Grumman in the fourth quarter valued at about $29,000. Financial Life Planners purchased a new stake in shares of Northrop Grumman in the first quarter valued at about $30,000. Finally, Motiv8 Investments LLC acquired a new stake in Northrop Grumman during the fourth quarter worth about $30,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 83.40% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of equities analysts have commented on NOC shares. TD Cowen reduced their target price on shares of Northrop Grumman from $580.00 to $550.00 and set a “hold” rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday. UBS Group increased their price target on shares of Northrop Grumman from $666.00 to $685.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Wednesday. Susquehanna cut their price target on shares of Northrop Grumman from $785.00 to $655.00 and set a “positive” rating for the company in a report on Wednesday. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft set a $615.00 price target on shares of Northrop Grumman in a research report on Wednesday. Finally, BTIG Research reiterated a “buy” rating and issued a $815.00 price objective on shares of Northrop Grumman in a report on Wednesday, April 22nd. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eleven have issued a Buy rating and nine have assigned a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $655.24.

Northrop Grumman Stock Up 1.6%

Shares of NOC opened at $542.09 on Friday. The company’s 50-day moving average price is $535.81 and its 200 day moving average price is $622.09. Northrop Grumman Corporation has a 12-month low of $479.02 and a 12-month high of $774.00. The company has a current ratio of 1.17, a quick ratio of 1.04 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.81. The firm has a market cap of $76.99 billion, a P/E ratio of 17.22, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.46 and a beta of -0.10.

Northrop Grumman (NYSE:NOC) last announced its earnings results on Tuesday, July 21st. The aerospace company reported $7.68 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $6.82 by $0.86. Northrop Grumman had a net margin of 10.48% and a return on equity of 24.25%. The company had revenue of $10.88 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $10.80 billion. During the same quarter last year, the firm posted $8.15 earnings per share. Northrop Grumman’s revenue was up 5.1% compared to the same quarter last year. Northrop Grumman has set its FY 2026 guidance at 28.600-29.100 EPS. On average, sell-side analysts forecast that Northrop Grumman Corporation will post 28.89 earnings per share for the current year.

Northrop Grumman Increases Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, June 17th. Stockholders of record on Monday, June 1st were issued a $2.47 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Monday, June 1st. This represents a $9.88 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.8%. This is an increase from Northrop Grumman’s previous quarterly dividend of $2.31. Northrop Grumman’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 31.39%.

Key Stories Impacting Northrop Grumman

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

• Positive Sentiment: Northrop Grumman’s Q2 earnings beat expectations, and the company lifted its full-year sales guidance while highlighting strong contract wins and a record backlog, reinforcing the investment case for the stock. Is Northrop Grumman (NOC) Undervalued As Earnings Beat And Guidance Rise?
• Positive Sentiment: Broader defense sector strength is helping sentiment, with defense ETFs benefiting from higher military spending, solid quarterly results across peers, and rising geopolitical tensions that could support future demand. Defense ETFs in Focus Amid Earnings, Conflict and Military Spending
• Positive Sentiment: Several articles and analyst notes say Northrop Grumman may still be undervalued or better positioned than other industrial names, which supports investor interest after the earnings report. How Much Could a $5,000 Investment in SpaceX Be Worth By 2030? Here’s Why This Industrial Stock May Be a Better Buy Today.
• Neutral Sentiment: Analysts remain mixed, with UBS reportedly sticking to a Buy rating while TD Cowen and JPMorgan lowered price targets, suggesting expectations are still being recalibrated after earnings.
• Neutral Sentiment: Northrop Grumman also drew attention for its new robotic satellite servicing vehicle and mission extension pods, which may support long-term space systems growth but are not an immediate earnings driver. Northrop Grumman’s Mission Robotic Vehicle Launched Into Space; Operations Begin In 2027

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.