Northrop Grumman Corporation vs SMX Security Matters plc — how do they compare? Northrop Grumman Corporation trades at $574.99 (market cap $81.78B), while SMX Security Matters plc trades at $16.4 (market cap $17.04M). The key difference: Northrop Grumman Corporation is far larger — about 4799.3× SMX Security Matters plc's market cap, and Northrop Grumman Corporation pays a 1.63% dividend while SMX Security Matters plc pays none. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| NOC | SMX | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $81.78B | $17.04M |
Sector | Industrials | Technology |
52-Week High | $768.02 | $103.71K |
52-Week Low | $496.02 | $12.87 |
Enterprise Value | $95.77B | -$14.29M |
Dividend Yield | 1.63% | — |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Northrop Grumman (NOC) trades at $577.89, up 1.1% today, with a bullish technical signal from moving averages and a record $105 billion backlog supporting fundamentals. Recent Q2 2026 earnings beat expectations, with sales growth of 5% and raised full-year guidance (Seeking Alpha, 2026-07-23). Valuation ratios like P/E of 18.3 and ROE of 26.96% reflect strong profitability, though RSI levels indicate overbought conditions.
The outlook is positive due to defense spending tailwinds and strategic contracts, but risks include margin pressure from specific programs and geopolitical volatility. Analysts maintain a buy consensus with a $598.57 price target, suggesting modest upside from current levels.
SMX trades at $15.77, down 0.19% with a bearish technical signal from moving averages. The company reported significant losses with -$169.18M net income for 2025 and negative ROE of -819.22%, though recent news highlights balance sheet strengthening and commercialization progress in recycled plastics traceability. Cash flow remains dependent on financing activities.
Outlook remains challenged by persistent losses and negative profitability metrics, offset by positioning in the growing recycled plastics verification market. Key risks include execution on commercialization and cash burn. Institutional sentiment appears mixed amid fundamental weakness but potential regulatory tailwinds.
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 →SMX Security Matters plc is a digital authentication and tracking technology company that uses a chemical-based, invisible marker system to trace and verify products across global supply chains. Their technology creates a 'digital twin' of physical products, used for quality control, counterfeiting prevention, and ensuring sustainability compliance from raw materials to final sale. The company's solutions are applied across various industries, including precious materials, luxury goods, and fast-moving consumer goods.
Read more on SMX →