General Dynamics Corporation vs Northrop Grumman Corporation — how do they compare? General Dynamics Corporation trades at $368.03 (market cap $98.88B), while Northrop Grumman Corporation trades at $525.19 (market cap $74.60B). The key difference: General Dynamics Corporation is the larger of the two by market cap, and Northrop Grumman Corporation pays the higher dividend (1.79%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| GD | NOC | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $98.88B | $74.60B |
Sector | Industrials | Industrials |
52-Week High | $376.88 | $768.02 |
52-Week Low | $297.05 | $496.02 |
Enterprise Value | $105.06B | $88.82B |
Dividend Yield | 1.74% | 1.79% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
General Dynamics (GD) trades at $369.5, down 0.88% on the day, with a bullish technical signal and strong fundamental performance. The company has beaten earnings estimates for three consecutive quarters, with Q1 2026 EPS of $4.10 surpassing the $3.67 expectation. Revenue growth is robust, reaching $52.55B in 2025, while net income margin improved to 8.07%. The stock is supported by a substantial $130.8 billion backlog and a consistent dividend, with the next payment of $1.59 scheduled for August 7, 2026.
The outlook for GD is positive, driven by strong defense spending tailwinds, naval contract dominance, and consistent earnings beats. Investment opportunities include exposure to growing submarine and C5ISR markets. Key risks involve execution on massive backlogs, potential defense budget volatility, and valuation metrics (P/E of 23.01) that are above some industry peers, requiring sustained growth to justify.
Northrop Grumman (NOC) trades at $528.67, down 2.43% amid broader defense sector weakness. The stock shows strong fundamentals with consistent earnings beats, a 10.8% net margin, and $95.6B backlog supporting revenue visibility. Technical indicators signal bearish momentum with price near support at $523, while RSI at 24 suggests potential oversold conditions. Recent news highlights expansion in missile defense and space systems amid increased NATO spending expectations.
NOC presents a compelling value opportunity with 57% analyst buy ratings and $655 price target implying 24% upside. Key catalysts include Q2 earnings beat potential and defense budget tailwinds, though political uncertainty and execution risks on large contracts remain concerns. The stock's 16.5 P/E ratio appears attractive relative to historical averages given its earnings growth trajectory.
Trailing returns across standard periods
Latest headlines on both assets
General Dynamics is a defense contractor and business jet manufacturer. The firm's segments include aerospace, combat systems, marine, and technologies. The company's aerospace segment creates Gulfstream business jets. Combat system produces land-based combat vehicles, such as the M1 Abrams tank. The marine subsegment creates nuclear-powered submarines, among other things. The technologies segment contains two main units, an IT business that primarily serves the government market and a mission systems business that focuses on products that provide command, control, computers, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance capabilities to the military.
Read more on GD →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 →