Compare Albemarle Corp. (ALB) vs Northrop Grumman Corporation (NOC) Price & Performance
Price performance (Past 24H)
Key statistics
Key statistics
Albemarle Corp. vs Northrop Grumman Corporation — how do they compare? Albemarle Corp. trades at $130.02 (market cap $15.27B), while Northrop Grumman Corporation trades at $572.61 (market cap $81.78B). The key difference: Northrop Grumman Corporation is far larger — about 5.4× Albemarle Corp.'s market cap, and Northrop Grumman Corporation pays the higher dividend (1.63%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| ALB | NOC | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $15.27B | $81.78B |
Sector | Basic Materials | Industrials |
52-Week High | $215.62 | $768.02 |
52-Week Low | $72.58 | $496.02 |
Enterprise Value | $17.75B | $95.77B |
Dividend Yield | 1.27% | 1.63% |
Aura AI Summary
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Aura AI Summary
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Albemarle (ALB) trades at $131.21, up 0.08% on the day, showing a bullish technical trend with strong support at $129 and resistance at $133. The company reported robust Q2 2026 results, beating EPS estimates with $3.75 versus $3.20 expected, driven by improved lithium pricing and specialties growth. However, net income remains negative for 2025 at -$510.63M, and the P/E ratio is elevated at 479.11, indicating high valuation expectations. Analyst sentiment is mixed with a consensus price target of $184.50 but only 42% buy ratings.
Outlook: ALB benefits from strong lithium demand and cost controls, but faces risks from volatile lithium prices and sequential margin pressure in Q3. The stock offers growth potential if execution continues, yet high valuation and earnings inconsistency warrant caution. Near-term price action hinges on Q3 results and lithium market trends.
Northrop Grumman (NOC) trades at $577.89, up 1.1% today, with a bullish technical signal from moving averages and a record $105 billion backlog supporting fundamentals. Recent Q2 2026 earnings beat expectations, with sales growth of 5% and raised full-year guidance (Seeking Alpha, 2026-07-23). Valuation ratios like P/E of 18.3 and ROE of 26.96% reflect strong profitability, though RSI levels indicate overbought conditions.
The outlook is positive due to defense spending tailwinds and strategic contracts, but risks include margin pressure from specific programs and geopolitical volatility. Analysts maintain a buy consensus with a $598.57 price target, suggesting modest upside from current levels.
Returns comparison
Trailing returns across standard periods
Returns comparison
Trailing returns across standard periods
Top news
Latest headlines on both assets
Top news
Latest headlines on both assets
About Albemarle Corp.
Albemarle is the world's largest lithium producer. Our outlook for robust lithium demand is predicated upon increased demand for electric vehicle batteries. Albemarle produces lithium from its salt brine deposits in Chile and the U.S. and its hard rock joint venture mines in Australia. Albemarle is also a global leader in the production of bromine, used in flame retardants. The company is also a major producer of oil refining catalysts.
Read more on ALB →About Northrop Grumman Corporation
Northrop Grumman is a defense contractor that is diversified across short-cycle and long-cycle businesses. The firm's segments include aeronautics, mission systems, defense services, and space systems. The company's aerospace segment creates the fuselage for the massive F-35 program and produces various piloted and autonomous flight systems. Mission systems creates a variety of sensors and processors for defense hardware. The defense systems segment is a long-range missile manufacturer. Finally, the company's space systems segment produces various space structures, sensors, and satellites.
Read more on NOC →
