Northrop Grumman Corporation vs Upstart Holdings Inc — how do they compare? Northrop Grumman Corporation trades at $578.68 (market cap $81.78B), while Upstart Holdings Inc trades at $29.04 (market cap $2.91B). The key difference: Northrop Grumman Corporation is far larger — about 28.1× Upstart Holdings Inc's market cap, and Northrop Grumman Corporation pays a 1.63% dividend while Upstart Holdings Inc pays none. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| NOC | UPST | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $81.78B | $2.91B |
Sector | Industrials | Financials |
52-Week High | $768.02 | $73.76 |
52-Week Low | $496.02 | $24.22 |
Enterprise Value | $95.77B | — |
Dividend Yield | 1.63% | — |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Northrop Grumman (NOC) trades at $577.12, down 0.13% on the day, with a bullish technical signal from moving averages but overbought RSI readings. The company reported strong Q2 2026 earnings, beating estimates with EPS of $7.68, and raised full-year guidance, supported by a record $105 billion backlog. Revenue growth is steady, with 2026 projected at $42.9 billion, and profitability remains solid with a net income margin of 10.48%.
The outlook is positive, driven by strategic contracts like the $7.6 billion Sentinel program and defense spending tailwinds. Risks include margin pressures from specific programs and geopolitical uncertainties. Analysts are bullish with a consensus price target of $598.57, suggesting upside potential from current levels.
UPST trades at $28.97, down 4.1% today, with a bearish technical signal despite recent Q2 2026 earnings beating estimates. The company returned to GAAP profitability with 42% revenue growth and 50% loan origination growth, though it has missed earnings expectations in three consecutive quarters. Analyst consensus is divided with a $47.20 price target suggesting significant upside potential from current levels.
The outlook remains mixed with strong AI-driven lending growth offset by high valuation metrics (P/E 57.5) and negative cash flow from operations. Key risks include interest rate sensitivity and competitive pressures in fintech lending, while institutional sentiment shows cautious optimism with 45% buy ratings.
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 →Upstart Holdings Inc provides credit services. The company provides a proprietary, cloud-based, artificial intelligence lending platform. The platform aggregates consumer demand for loans and connects it to the network of Upstart AI-enabled bank partners. The revenue of the company is primarily comprised of fees paid by banks.
Read more on UPST →