McKesson Corporation vs Northrop Grumman Corporation — how do they compare? McKesson Corporation trades at $829.95 (market cap $97.35B), while Northrop Grumman Corporation trades at $520 (market cap $74.42B). The key difference: McKesson 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.
| MCK | NOC | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $97.35B | $74.42B |
Sector | Health | Industrials |
52-Week High | $995.69 | $768.02 |
52-Week Low | $659.01 | $496.02 |
Enterprise Value | $101.98B | $88.65B |
Dividend Yield | 0.39% | 1.79% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
McKesson Corporation (MCK) trades at $831.60, down 1.16% on the day, with a bullish technical signal and positive earnings momentum after beating estimates for three consecutive quarters. The stock shows strong analyst support with an 80% buy rating and a consensus price target of $932.83, implying potential upside. Revenue growth is robust, reaching $359.05 billion in 2025, though net margins remain thin at 1.18%. Cash flow from operations improved to $6.09 billion in 2025, supporting financial stability.
The outlook for MCK is positive, driven by earnings beats, analyst optimism, and solid cash generation. Key opportunities include growth in specialty pharma and oncology services. Risks involve policy uncertainties, competitive pressures, and execution challenges. The stock's current price near key support at $829 suggests a critical level for near-term direction.
Northrop Grumman (NOC) trades at $524.14, up 0.49% with a bearish technical signal despite strong fundamentals. The company shows consistent earnings beats, with Q1 2026 EPS of $6.14 exceeding expectations of $6.06. Recent news highlights defense budget optimism and a $312.3M Navy contract for electronic warfare systems. Technical indicators show RSI at oversold levels near support at $518, while moving averages signal bearish momentum.
The investment outlook remains positive with analyst consensus at Buy (57% of 35 analysts) and a $655 price target representing 25% upside. Risks include execution challenges in defense programs and potential margin pressure. Strong cash flow generation and a $96B backlog support long-term growth, though near-term technical weakness may present entry opportunities for patient investors.
Trailing returns across standard periods
Latest headlines on both assets
McKesson is a leading wholesaler of branded, generic, and specialty pharmaceutical products to pharmacies (retail chains, independent, and mail order), hospitals networks, and healthcare providers. Along with AmerisourceBergen and Cardinal Health, the three account for well over 90% of the U.S. pharmaceutical wholesale industry. McKesson is currently divesting from its pharmaceutical wholesale and distribution in Europe and Canada in order to redeploy capital to strategic growth areas in the U.S. (oncology network and ecosystem, and biopharma services). Additionally, the company supplies medical-surgical products and equipment to healthcare facilities and provides a variety of technology solutions for pharmacies.
Read more on MCK →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 →