Northrop Grumman Corporation vs First Trust NASDAQ 100 Technology Index Fund — how do they compare? Northrop Grumman Corporation trades at $516.8 (market cap $73.16B), while First Trust NASDAQ 100 Technology Index Fund trades at $310.91. The key difference: Northrop Grumman Corporation pays a 1.92% dividend while First Trust NASDAQ 100 Technology Index Fund pays none, and First Trust NASDAQ 100 Technology Index Fund is trading nearer its 52-week high, Northrop Grumman Corporation nearer its low. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| NOC | QTEC | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $73.16B | — |
Sector | Industrials | Broad Market / Factor |
52-Week High | $768.02 | $335.74 |
52-Week Low | $496.02 | $207.03 |
Enterprise Value | $87.14B | — |
Dividend Yield | 1.92% | — |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
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.
QTEC trades at $311.57, down 0.22% with neutral technical signals. The ETF shows bearish moving averages but neutral oscillators, with key support at $310 and resistance at $313. Recent coverage highlights its equal-weighted tech exposure and liquidity advantages over peers like RSPT, with software appearing undervalued relative to historical averages according to Seeking Alpha analysis.
The technology sector ETF offers diversified exposure but faces typical sector volatility risks. Current technical positioning suggests limited near-term momentum, while fundamental analysis indicates selective value opportunities within the portfolio components. Market sentiment remains balanced between growth potential and valuation concerns in the tech space.
Trailing returns across standard periods
Latest headlines on both assets
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 →QTEC is an ETF that seeks to track the performance of the NASDAQ-100 Technology Sector Index. The fund provides targeted exposure to companies within the NASDAQ-100 that are classified as technology or telecommunications companies, focusing on firms involved in software, hardware, and related services. QTEC is a tool for investors seeking focused exposure to high-growth, large-cap technology companies listed on the NASDAQ exchange.
Read more on QTEC →