McCormick & Company, Incorporated vs Northrop Grumman Corporation — how do they compare? McCormick & Company, Incorporated trades at $52.01 (market cap $14.04B), while Northrop Grumman Corporation trades at $513.84 (market cap $74.42B). The key difference: Northrop Grumman Corporation is far larger — about 5.3× McCormick & Company, Incorporated's market cap, and McCormick & Company, Incorporated pays the higher dividend (3.68%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| MKC | NOC | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $14.04B | $74.42B |
Sector | Consumer Staples | Industrials |
52-Week High | $72.81 | $768.02 |
52-Week Low | $45.60 | $496.02 |
Enterprise Value | $18.65B | $88.65B |
Dividend Yield | 3.68% | 1.79% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
MKC trades at $52.35, up 1.26% today, with a bullish technical signal from moving averages and neutral oscillators. The stock shows strong profitability with a 21.91% net margin and 25.7% ROE, supported by recent Q2 2026 earnings beating estimates. Valuation appears attractive with a P/E of 8.69 and P/S of 1.9. The pending Unilever Foods deal, highlighted in recent news (The Motley Fool, 2026-07-07), could transform the business, though organic growth remains modest.
The outlook is cautiously optimistic with 36.7% of analysts rating it Buy and a consensus price target of $59.67 (13.9% upside). Key risks include soft consumer volumes and execution challenges from the Unilever integration. Positive cash flow projections for 2026 and a sustainable dividend enhance appeal, but investors should monitor volume trends and deal progress closely.
Northrop Grumman (NOC) trades at $512.29, down 1.78% amid a bearish technical signal despite strong Q2 2026 earnings that beat estimates and a record $105 billion backlog. The stock faces margin pressures but maintains solid fundamentals with a P/E of 16.43 and ROE of 28.51%. Recent news highlights raised 2026 guidance driven by robust defense demand, though the stock's decline reflects investor concerns over cost challenges.
The outlook is mixed: bullish fundamentals and analyst consensus ($655 price target) support long-term growth, but near-term risks include execution on margin targets and technical bearishness. Investment appeal hinges on defense budget tailwinds offsetting operational headwinds.
Trailing returns across standard periods
Latest headlines on both assets
In its 130-year history, McCormick has grown to become the leading global manufacturer, marketer, and distributor of spices, herbs, extracts, seasonings, and other flavorings. Beyond end consumers, McCormick's customer base also includes top quick-service restaurants, retail grocery chains, and other packaged food and beverage manufacturers, with about 30% of sales generated beyond its home turf to include 150 other countries and territories. In addition to its namesake brand, the firm's portfolio includes Old Bay, Zatarain's, Thai Kitchen, Frank's RedHot, French's, and the recently acquired Cholula brand.
Read more on MKC →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 →