Pacer Advisors Inc. Sells 3,286 Shares of Northrop Grumman Corporation $NOC

Pacer Advisors Inc. reduced its holdings in Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) by 28.7% during the 1st quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The institutional investor owned 8,156 shares of the aerospace company’s stock after selling 3,286 shares during the period. Pacer Advisors Inc.’s holdings in Northrop Grumman were worth $5,564,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

Several other hedge funds also recently modified their holdings of NOC. Torren Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Northrop Grumman in the fourth quarter worth $26,000. Karpus Management Inc. acquired a new position in Northrop Grumman during the 4th quarter valued at $26,000. Kohmann Bosshard Financial Services LLC acquired a new position in Northrop Grumman during the 4th quarter valued at $29,000. Financial Life Planners bought a new stake in Northrop Grumman in the 1st quarter valued at $30,000. Finally, Motiv8 Investments LLC bought a new stake in Northrop Grumman in the 4th quarter valued at $30,000. 83.40% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Northrop Grumman News Roundup

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

• Positive Sentiment: Northrop Grumman secured multi-year framework agreements worth more than $3 billion to accelerate production of components for PAC-3 MSE and THAAD missile-defense systems. The deals improve revenue visibility and position NOC to benefit from rising U.S. and allied demand for interceptor replenishment. Northrop Grumman Lands Over $3 Billion in Missile Defense Deals
• Positive Sentiment: The U.S. Defense Department selected Northrop Grumman and Lockheed Martin to help expand Patriot and THAAD production. The government-backed effort reinforces NOC’s strategic role in missile defense and could generate additional orders as the U.S. rebuilds weapon inventories. Lockheed, Northrop Team Up to Rebuild Weapon Stockpile
• Positive Sentiment: Northrop Grumman is planning lunar infrastructure demonstration missions for NASA’s future moon-base effort. Although the opportunity is longer term, it highlights potential growth in the company’s space and national-security businesses. Northrop Grumman Plans Lunar Infrastructure Demonstration Missions for NASA Moon Base
• Neutral Sentiment: Northrop appointed former Chevron investor-relations executive Randy Sinclair to lead investor relations. The leadership change may improve communication with shareholders, but no immediate financial impact was disclosed. Northrop Names Randy Sinclair to Lead Investor Relations
• Neutral Sentiment: Director Mark Welsh III sold 95 shares for approximately $52,000 under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 plan. The small sale reduces his holdings by 2.12% but is unlikely to materially alter investor sentiment.

Northrop Grumman Trading Up 1.0%

Shares of NOC stock opened at $556.94 on Thursday. Northrop Grumman Corporation has a 52-week low of $479.02 and a 52-week high of $774.00. The stock has a market cap of $79.10 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 17.69, a P/E/G ratio of 3.57 and a beta of -0.11. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.81, a quick ratio of 1.06 and a current ratio of 1.17. The firm has a fifty day moving average of $534.54 and a 200-day moving average of $618.02.

Northrop Grumman (NYSE:NOC) last released its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, July 21st. The aerospace company reported $7.68 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 company had revenue of $10.88 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $10.80 billion. During the same period last year, the firm earned $8.15 EPS. The firm’s revenue for the quarter 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, equities research analysts forecast that Northrop Grumman Corporation will post 28.97 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Northrop Grumman Increases Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, June 17th. Shareholders of record on Monday, June 1st were paid a dividend of $2.47 per share. This is a positive change from Northrop Grumman’s previous quarterly dividend of $2.31. This represents a $9.88 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.8%. The ex-dividend date was Monday, June 1st. Northrop Grumman’s dividend payout ratio is 31.39%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several analysts have issued reports on NOC shares. TD Cowen decreased their price target on shares of Northrop Grumman from $580.00 to $550.00 and set a “hold” rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, July 22nd. Weiss Ratings upgraded shares of Northrop Grumman from a “hold (c)” rating to a “hold (c+)” rating in a research note on Wednesday, July 29th. UBS Group increased their target price on shares of Northrop Grumman from $666.00 to $685.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Wednesday, July 22nd. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft set a $615.00 price target on Northrop Grumman in a research note on Wednesday, July 22nd. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group cut their price target on Northrop Grumman from $620.00 to $580.00 and set a “hold” rating for the company in a report on Friday, June 26th. One investment 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 company. According to MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $655.30.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Northrop Grumman news, Director Mark A. Welsh III sold 95 shares of Northrop Grumman stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, August 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $547.53, for a total transaction of $52,015.35. Following the sale, the director directly owned 4,393 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $2,405,299.29. The trade was a 2.12% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed 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 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.