Northrop Grumman Corporation vs Vistra Corp — how do they compare? Northrop Grumman Corporation trades at $514.98 (market cap $74.42B), while Vistra Corp trades at $162.33 (market cap $53.27B). The key difference: Northrop Grumman Corporation is the larger of the two by market cap, and Northrop Grumman Corporation pays the higher dividend (1.79%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| NOC | VST | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $74.42B | $53.27B |
Sector | Industrials | Technology |
52-Week High | $768.02 | $217.92 |
52-Week Low | $496.02 | $134.71 |
Enterprise Value | $88.65B | $75.03B |
Dividend Yield | 1.79% | 0.58% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Northrop Grumman (NOC) trades at $512.29, down 1.78% amid a bearish technical signal despite strong Q2 2026 earnings that beat estimates and a record $105 billion backlog. The stock faces margin pressures but maintains solid fundamentals with a P/E of 16.43 and ROE of 28.51%. Recent news highlights raised 2026 guidance driven by robust defense demand, though the stock's decline reflects investor concerns over cost challenges.
The outlook is mixed: bullish fundamentals and analyst consensus ($655 price target) support long-term growth, but near-term risks include execution on margin targets and technical bearishness. Investment appeal hinges on defense budget tailwinds offsetting operational headwinds.
Vistra Corp (VST) trades at $157.99, up 1.64% with strong institutional support and bullish technical signals. The stock shows robust fundamentals with 74.92% ROE and 11.52% net margin, though recent earnings were mixed with Q1 2026 beating expectations but Q3 and Q4 2025 missing. Analyst consensus remains overwhelmingly positive with 91% buy ratings and a $253 price target, representing 60% upside potential. Recent news highlights Vistra's positioning in the AI power infrastructure boom and long-term power purchase agreements with major tech companies.
Vistra presents significant growth potential driven by AI infrastructure demand and nuclear energy expansion, but faces risks from power price volatility and high debt levels. The company's diversified utility operations and strategic PPAs provide revenue stability, while technical indicators suggest continued upward momentum with key resistance at $159-$162. Investors should weigh the strong analyst support against execution risks in capital-intensive energy projects.
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 →Vistra is a leading integrated retail electricity and power generation company that serves as a critical infrastructure provider for the digital economy. It operates a diversified portfolio of zero-carbon nuclear and renewable assets alongside a massive, flexible natural gas fleet, positioning it as an indispensable partner for energy-intensive AI data centers and industrial electrification.
Read more on VST →