KLA Corp. vs Northrop Grumman Corporation — how do they compare? KLA Corp. trades at $205 (market cap $251.82B), while Northrop Grumman Corporation trades at $574.85 (market cap $82.10B). The key difference: KLA Corp. is far larger — about 3.1× Northrop Grumman Corporation's market cap, and Northrop Grumman Corporation pays the higher dividend (1.63%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| KLAC | NOC | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $251.82B | $82.10B |
Sector | Technology | Industrials |
52-Week High | $301.71 | $768.02 |
52-Week Low | $84.39 | $496.02 |
Enterprise Value | $253.07B | $96.08B |
Dividend Yield | 0.48% | 1.63% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
KLA Corporation (KLAC) trades at $198.11, up 2.53% today, with a neutral technical signal despite bullish moving averages. The stock shows strong fundamentals, including a 35.57% net income margin and consistent earnings beats, with Q3 2026 EPS expected at $1.17. Recent corporate actions include a 1:10 stock split and a $2.30 dividend, while cash flow remains positive at $101.78M in 2025. Analyst sentiment is optimistic, with a $246.93 consensus price target implying significant upside.
The outlook for KLAC is positive, driven by AI-driven semiconductor demand and robust profitability, but risks include high valuation multiples and market volatility. Investment opportunities center on growth in advanced packaging, with Wall Street largely bullish; however, investors should monitor competitive pressures and economic cycles that could impact the chip equipment sector.
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
KLA designs and manufactures yield-management and process-monitoring diagnostic and control systems for the semiconductor manufacturing industry. The systems are used to analyze the manufacturing process at various steps in a semiconductor's development. The firm's laser-scanning products are used for wafer qualification, process monitoring, and equipment monitoring. KLA also provides inspection tools and systems for optical metrology and e-beam metrology.
Read more on KLAC →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 →