BHP Billiton Limited vs Northrop Grumman Corporation — how do they compare? BHP Billiton Limited trades at $90.44 (market cap $227.94B), while Northrop Grumman Corporation trades at $575 (market cap $82.10B). The key difference: BHP Billiton Limited is far larger — about 2.8× Northrop Grumman Corporation's market cap, and BHP Billiton Limited pays the higher dividend (2.94%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| BHP | NOC | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $227.94B | $82.10B |
Sector | Basic Materials | Industrials |
52-Week High | $93.15 | $768.02 |
52-Week Low | $52.14 | $496.02 |
Enterprise Value | $242.14B | $96.08B |
Dividend Yield | 2.94% | 1.63% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
BHP trades at $90.41, up 2.86% today, with a bullish technical signal from moving averages and strong support at $88-89. The company maintains solid profitability with 18.97% net income margin and 20.13% ROE, though recent earnings showed a Q4 2025 miss. Current labor strikes at Port Hedland operations pose near-term operational risks while copper production declines in Chile.
BHP presents a mixed outlook with strong fundamentals offset by operational challenges. The stock's valuation appears reasonable with P/E of 22.46 and EV/EBITDA of 8.24, but analyst consensus leans cautious with 64.5% hold ratings. Key opportunities include AI-driven copper demand growth, while risks center on labor disputes and production volatility.
Northrop Grumman (NOC) trades at $571.58, up 0.68% on the day, with a bullish technical signal driven by moving averages despite overbought RSI readings. The company reported strong Q2 2026 earnings, beating EPS estimates with $7.68 actual versus $6.82 expected, and raised full-year guidance amid a record $105 billion backlog. Fundamentals show robust profitability with a 10.48% net income margin and 26.96% ROE, while valuation metrics like a P/E of 18.17 appear reasonable relative to growth.
Outlook remains positive given defense spending tailwinds and contract wins like the $7.6 billion Sentinel program, though margin pressures and high debt levels pose risks. Analysts are bullish with a $598.57 consensus target, implying ~5% upside from current levels, supported by 20 buy ratings versus 1 sell.
Trailing returns across standard periods
Latest headlines on both assets
BHP Group Limited operates as a mining company. The Company engages in the exploration, development, production, and processing of iron ore, metallurgical coal, and copper. BHP Group serves customers worldwide.
Read more on BHP →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 →