Microsoft vs Northrop Grumman Corporation — how do they compare? Microsoft trades at $492.44 (market cap $3.67T), while Northrop Grumman Corporation trades at $516.8 (market cap $73.16B). The key difference: Microsoft is far larger — about 50.2× Northrop Grumman Corporation's market cap, and Northrop Grumman Corporation pays the higher dividend (1.92%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| MSFT | NOC | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $3.67T | $73.16B |
Volume | 36,654,621 | — |
Sector | Technology | Industrials |
52-Week High | $542.07 | $768.02 |
52-Week Low | $352.83 | $496.02 |
Enterprise Value | $3.65T | $87.14B |
Dividend Yield | 0.74% | 1.92% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Microsoft (MSFT) trades at $493.95, down 1.15% on the day, with a bullish technical signal and strong fundamentals. The company reported robust earnings beats in recent quarters, with Q2 2026 EPS of $4.74 exceeding expectations of $4.24. Revenue growth is steady, reaching $281.72B in 2025, supported by a net income margin of 40.31% and a high ROE of 34.04%. News highlights AI leadership and Azure momentum, though capital expenditure concerns persist.
Outlook remains positive with an 80.49% analyst buy rating and a consensus price target of $560.43, implying significant upside. Risks include competitive pressures in AI, high valuation multiples like a P/E of 27.52, and macroeconomic volatility. The stock's strength in cloud computing and consistent profitability underpins long-term growth potential.
Northrop Grumman (NOC) trades at $518.58, up 0.7% with strong earnings beats in recent quarters. Technical indicators show a bearish trend with oversold RSI signals, while fundamentals remain solid with 10.48% net margin and 26.96% ROE. The company maintains a record $105 billion backlog and raised guidance after strong Q2 results, supported by rising defense spending globally.
NOC presents a compelling value with a 16.37 P/E below industry averages and a $618.43 consensus price target implying 19% upside. Risks include execution on massive contracts and defense budget volatility, but analyst sentiment is strongly bullish with 57% buy ratings. The stock offers defensive growth exposure amid geopolitical tensions.
Trailing returns across standard periods
Latest headlines on both assets
Microsoft Corporation develops, manufactures, licenses, sells, and supports software products. The Company offers operating system software, server application software, business and consumer applications software, software development tools, and Internet and intranet software. Microsoft also develops video game consoles and digital music entertainment devices.
Read more on MSFT →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 →