Lockheed Martin Corporation vs Northrop Grumman Corporation — how do they compare? Lockheed Martin Corporation trades at $597.34 (market cap $139.20B), while Northrop Grumman Corporation trades at $575.75 (market cap $82.10B). The key difference: Lockheed Martin Corporation is the larger of the two by market cap, and Lockheed Martin Corporation pays the higher dividend (2.29%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| LMT | NOC | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $139.20B | $82.10B |
Sector | Industrials | Industrials |
52-Week High | $676.70 | $768.02 |
52-Week Low | $431.56 | $496.02 |
Enterprise Value | $155.95B | $96.08B |
Dividend Yield | 2.29% | 1.63% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Lockheed Martin (LMT) trades at $587.95, up 0.9% with bullish technical signals and strong institutional support. The company reported mixed Q2 2026 earnings with a beat on EPS ($7.94 vs. $7.22 expected) but maintains a record $230B backlog. Valuation metrics show a P/E of 21.68 and ROE of 89.16%, though recent quarters saw earnings misses. Technical indicators suggest bullish momentum with key resistance at $592.
Outlook remains positive driven by defense contract wins and production expansion, but risks include execution on massive backlog and debt levels. Analyst consensus is bullish with $608 price target representing 3.4% upside. The stock offers stability through dividends ($3.45 quarterly) amid geopolitical demand for defense systems.
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
Lockheed Martin is the largest defense contractor globally and has dominated the Western market for high-end fighter aircraft since the F-35 program was awarded in 2001. Lockheed's largest segment is aeronautics, which is dominated by the massive F-35 program. Lockheed's remaining segments are rotary and mission systems, which is mainly the Sikorsky helicopter business.
Read more on LMT →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 →