Compare AstraZeneca plc (AZN) vs Northrop Grumman Corporation (NOC) Price & Performance
Price performance (Past 24H)
Key statistics
Key statistics
AstraZeneca plc vs Northrop Grumman Corporation — how do they compare? AstraZeneca plc trades at $158.67 (market cap $248.14B), while Northrop Grumman Corporation trades at $573.53 (market cap $81.78B). The key difference: AstraZeneca plc is far larger — about 3× Northrop Grumman Corporation's market cap, and AstraZeneca plc pays the higher dividend (2.01%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| AZN | NOC | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $248.14B | $81.78B |
Sector | Health | Industrials |
52-Week High | $209.48 | $768.02 |
52-Week Low | $147.06 | $496.02 |
Enterprise Value | $275.41B | $95.77B |
Dividend Yield | 2.01% | 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
AstraZeneca (AZN) trades at $161.91, up 0.3% on the day, amid mixed technical signals and strong fundamental performance. The stock exhibits a bearish technical trend with key support at $161 and resistance at $163, while recent earnings consistently beat expectations with Q2 2026 EPS of $2.63 versus $2.50 estimated. Revenue growth has been robust, climbing from $44.4B in 2022 to $58.7B in 2025, with a net income margin of 17.4% in 2025. Recent news centers on potential merger discussions with Bristol Myers Squibb, though reports on August 5, 2026, from Reuters indicate no current talks.
The outlook for AZN is cautiously optimistic, driven by solid profitability and analyst support, but tempered by merger-related volatility and a bearish technical setup. Investment opportunities lie in its high gross margin of 81.88% and positive earnings trajectory, while risks include integration challenges from any future acquisitions and market sensitivity to deal speculation. The stock's valuation at a P/E of 23.76 appears reasonable given its growth profile.
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 AstraZeneca plc
A merger between Astra of Sweden and Zeneca Group of the United Kingdom formed AstraZeneca in 1999. The firm sells branded drugs across several major therapeutic classes, including gastrointestinal, diabetes, cardiovascular, respiratory, cancer, and immunology. The majority of sales come from international markets with the United States representing close to one third of its sales.
Read more on AZN →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 →
