Northrop Grumman Corporation vs First Trust NASDAQ 100 Technology Index Fund — how do they compare? Northrop Grumman Corporation trades at $485.55 (market cap $67.26B), while First Trust NASDAQ 100 Technology Index Fund trades at $329.55 (market cap $4.15B). The key difference: Northrop Grumman Corporation is far larger — about 16.2× First Trust NASDAQ 100 Technology Index Fund's market cap, and Northrop Grumman Corporation pays a 2.09% dividend while First Trust NASDAQ 100 Technology Index Fund pays none. Which is the better fit depends on your goals — on Pluang, investors hold Northrop Grumman Corporation for 81 Days and First Trust NASDAQ 100 Technology Index Fund for 40 Days on average.
| NOC | QTEC | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $67.26B | $4.15B |
Volume | 711,592 | 278,646 |
Sector | Industrials | Broad Market / Factor |
52-Week High | $768.02 | $340.28 |
52-Week Low | $473.46 | $207.03 |
Typical Hold Time | 81 Days | 40 Days |
Enterprise Value | $81.24B | — |
Dividend Yield | 2.09% | — |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Northrop Grumman (NOC) trades at $484.48, up 0.28% with a bearish technical signal despite strong fundamentals. The stock shows consistent earnings beats with Q2 2026 EPS of $7.68 exceeding expectations by 12.6%. Recent news highlights the loss of a $20B Navy fighter contract to Boeing, creating near-term headwinds. Technical indicators show oversold conditions with RSI at 16.17, while the stock trades below key resistance at $484.
NOC presents a compelling value opportunity with a 15.05 P/E ratio and 26.96% ROE, supported by a 54% analyst buy rating and $615.75 price target. Risks include competitive contract losses and defense budget uncertainties, but the company's $104.7B backlog and dividend growth provide stability. The current technical weakness may offer entry points for long-term investors seeking defense exposure.
QTEC trades at $335.82, down 1.31% today, with a bullish technical signal from moving averages but bearish oscillators. The ETF provides equal-weighted exposure to NASDAQ-100 technology stocks, offering diversification across software and hardware sectors. Recent analysis highlights software industry undervaluation relative to historical averages, positioning QTEC as a liquid alternative to similar funds.
The outlook remains cautiously optimistic given technology sector growth potential, though overbought RSI levels suggest near-term consolidation. Key risks include sector volatility and macroeconomic pressures on tech valuations, while institutional interest supports long-term stability.
Trailing returns across standard periods
What Pluang investors did over the last 30 days
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 →