Canadian Natural Resources Ltd. vs Northrop Grumman Corporation — how do they compare? Canadian Natural Resources Ltd. trades at $42.71 (market cap $88.15B), while Northrop Grumman Corporation trades at $529.53 (market cap $75.09B). The key difference: Canadian Natural Resources Ltd. is the larger of the two by market cap, and Canadian Natural Resources Ltd. pays the higher dividend (4.13%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| CNQ | NOC | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $88.15B | $75.09B |
Sector | Energy | Industrials |
52-Week High | $50.55 | $768.02 |
52-Week Low | $29.31 | $496.02 |
Enterprise Value | $99.38B | $89.31B |
Dividend Yield | 4.13% | 1.78% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
CNQ trades at $43.05, up 2.97% today, with a bullish technical signal supported by moving averages and ADX. The stock shows strong fundamentals with a P/E of 11.8, net income margin of 24.5%, and consistent earnings beats in recent quarters. Recent news highlights its robust asset base and operational efficiency amid volatile oil markets. Cash flow remains positive, with 2025 net cash flow at $542 million.
Outlook is positive with analyst consensus strongly favoring Buy (75%), driven by valuation appeal and shareholder returns via dividends and buybacks. Key risks include oil price volatility and rising debt-to-asset ratio, which increased to 22.04% in 2024. The stock's proximity to its 52-week high suggests cautious optimism, but fundamentals support long-term growth potential.
Northrop Grumman (NOC) trades at $541.82, up 0.41% with neutral technical signals. The company shows strong fundamentals with consistent earnings beats, a 10.8% net income margin, and a $96 billion backlog supporting growth. Recent news highlights expansion in defense and aerospace sectors, driven by increased government spending and new contracts.
Outlook is positive with a consensus price target of $655, indicating 21% upside. Risks include political budget shifts and execution challenges. Analyst sentiment is bullish (57% buy ratings), but investors should monitor Q2 2026 earnings due July 21 for confirmation of growth trends.
Trailing returns across standard periods
Latest headlines on both assets
Canadian Natural Resources is one of the largest oil and natural gas producers in western Canada, supplemented by operations in the North Sea and Offshore Africa. The company's portfolio includes light and medium oil, heavy oil, bitumen, synthetic oil, natural gas liquids, and natural gas. Production averaged 1.16 million barrels of oil equivalent per day in 2020, and the company estimates that it holds over 11.5 billion boe of proven and probable crude oil and natural gas reserves.
Read more on CNQ →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 →