J B Hunt Transport Services Inc vs Northrop Grumman Corporation — how do they compare? J B Hunt Transport Services Inc trades at $265.38 (market cap $24.98B), while Northrop Grumman Corporation trades at $574.85 (market cap $82.10B). The key difference: Northrop Grumman Corporation is far larger — about 3.3× J B Hunt Transport Services Inc's market cap, and Northrop Grumman Corporation pays the higher dividend (1.63%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| JBHT | NOC | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $24.98B | $82.10B |
Sector | Industrials | Industrials |
52-Week High | $298.41 | $768.02 |
52-Week Low | $130.65 | $496.02 |
Enterprise Value | $26.12B | $96.08B |
Dividend Yield | 0.68% | 1.63% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
JBHT trades at $268.52, up 0.48% today, with a bearish technical signal but strong fundamentals. The stock shows consistent earnings beats, with Q2 2026 EPS of $1.91 exceeding the $1.74 estimate. Revenue trends have stabilized around $12B annually, while net income margin improved to 5.31% in 2025. Analyst consensus is bullish with a $299.82 price target, supported by institutional buying and positive news on intermodal demand growth.
Outlook is positive due to earnings momentum and sector tailwinds, but risks include economic sensitivity and high P/E of 38.18. The stock offers growth potential with manageable volatility, appealing for investors seeking transportation exposure.
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
J.B. Hunt Transport Services ranks among the top surface transportation companies in North America by revenue. Its primary operating segments are intermodal delivery, which uses the Class I rail carriers for the underlying line-haul movement of its owned containers (45% of sales in 2021).
Read more on JBHT →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 →