HSBC Holdings plc vs Northrop Grumman Corporation — how do they compare? HSBC Holdings plc trades at $104.18 (market cap $353.82B), while Northrop Grumman Corporation trades at $573.91 (market cap $81.78B). The key difference: HSBC Holdings plc is far larger — about 4.3× Northrop Grumman Corporation's market cap, and HSBC Holdings plc pays the higher dividend (3.63%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| HSBC | NOC | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $353.82B | $81.78B |
Sector | Technology | Industrials |
52-Week High | $107.86 | $768.02 |
52-Week Low | $63.84 | $496.02 |
Dividend Yield | 3.63% | 1.63% |
Enterprise Value | — | $95.77B |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
HSBC's stock trades at $103.88, up 0.54% today, with a bullish technical signal from moving averages and support near $103. Recent Q2 2026 earnings beat expectations with a 7% revenue rise to $19 billion (Defense World, 2026-08-06), and the company announced a $1 billion buyback (WSJ, 2026-08-04). Valuation metrics include a P/E of 14.74 and ROE of 12.44%, reflecting solid profitability.
The outlook is positive due to strong earnings momentum and shareholder returns, but risks include a recent analyst downgrade (Citi to 'neutral' on August 5, 2026) and exposure to Asian market volatility. With 38.1% of analysts rating it a buy, the stock offers growth potential tempered by competitive and regulatory headwinds.
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.
Trailing returns across standard periods
Latest headlines on both assets
HSBC is one of the world's largest banking and financial services organizations. It serves customers worldwide through four global businesses: Retail, Commercial, Global Banking, and Private Banking.
Read more on HSBC →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 →