Meeder Advisory Services Inc. Acquires Shares of 3,309 Northrop Grumman Corporation $NOC

Meeder Advisory Services Inc. bought a new position in Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) during the second quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The firm bought 3,309 shares of the aerospace company’s stock, valued at approximately $1,685,000.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in NOC. Torren Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Northrop Grumman in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $26,000. Karpus Management Inc. acquired a new position in Northrop Grumman during the fourth quarter worth $26,000. Kohmann Bosshard Financial Services LLC acquired a new position in Northrop Grumman during the fourth quarter worth $29,000. Perkins Coie Trust Co purchased a new stake in Northrop Grumman in the 2nd quarter valued at $29,000. Finally, Financial Life Planners purchased a new stake in Northrop Grumman in the 1st quarter valued at $30,000. 83.40% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Insider Buying and Selling at Northrop Grumman

In related news, Director Mark A. Welsh III sold 95 shares of Northrop Grumman stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, August 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $547.53, for a total value of $52,015.35. Following the completion of the sale, the director owned 4,393 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,405,299.29. This trade represents a 2.12% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Insiders own 0.21% of the company’s stock.

Northrop Grumman Stock Down 1.0%

Shares of NOC opened at $583.14 on Thursday. The firm has a market cap of $82.82 billion, a P/E ratio of 18.52, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.81 and a beta of -0.11. Northrop Grumman Corporation has a 12-month low of $479.02 and a 12-month high of $774.00. The company’s 50-day moving average price is $541.15 and its 200 day moving average price is $611.37. The company has a current ratio of 1.17, a quick ratio of 1.06 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.81.

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 28.97 earnings per share for the current year.

Northrop Grumman Dividend Announcement

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, September 16th. Investors of record on Monday, August 31st will be given a dividend of $2.47 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, August 31st. This represents a $9.88 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.7%. Northrop Grumman’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 31.39%.

Trending Headlines about Northrop Grumman

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

• Positive Sentiment: Northrop Grumman’s board declared a quarterly dividend of $2.47 per share, payable September 16 to shareholders of record August 31. The payment reinforces the company’s commitment to returning capital while continuing investments in manufacturing capacity and technology. Northrop Grumman Board Declares Quarterly Dividend
• Positive Sentiment: NOC and Kratos secured a U.S. Marine Corps contract to deliver missionized Valkyrie autonomous aircraft, expanding Northrop Grumman’s position in uncrewed and collaborative defense systems. Northrop Grumman Lands Marine Corps Autonomous Aircraft Contract
• Positive Sentiment: TD Cowen raised its NOC price target to $590 from $550, although it maintained a “hold” rating, implying limited near-term upside. TD Cowen Raises Northrop Grumman Price Target
• Neutral Sentiment: Recent operational developments, including design progress on the E-2D Hawkeye upgrade and expansion of military training capabilities, support Northrop Grumman’s long-term defense portfolio but do not appear to represent a major new financial catalyst. Northrop Grumman Clears Design Review for E-2D Hawkeye Upgrade
• Negative Sentiment: Investors remain focused on higher capital spending required to expand production, which could pressure near-term free cash flow and margins despite strong demand. Investors’ Focus on Higher Capital Spending Weighed on Northrop Grumman
• Negative Sentiment: Reported insider activity has consisted entirely of sales in the past six months, while more institutions reduced positions than added them in the latest quarter. These signals may be contributing to investor caution.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several research firms have recently commented on NOC. Weiss Ratings lowered Northrop Grumman from a “hold (c+)” rating to a “hold (c)” rating in a report on Wednesday, August 12th. BTIG Research reissued a “buy” rating and issued a $815.00 price objective on shares of Northrop Grumman in a report on Wednesday, April 22nd. Wells Fargo & Company restated an “overweight” rating and set a $620.00 price objective on shares of Northrop Grumman in a research report on Wednesday, July 8th. Raymond James Financial reaffirmed an “outperform” rating on shares of Northrop Grumman in a research note on Monday, June 15th. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group dropped their price target on shares of Northrop Grumman from $620.00 to $580.00 and set a “hold” rating for the company in a research note on Friday, June 26th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eleven have given a Buy rating and eight have issued a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Northrop Grumman currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $661.30.

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.