Northrop Grumman Corporation vs Vanguard Growth Index Fund ETF — how do they compare? Northrop Grumman Corporation trades at $519.79 (market cap $73.24B), while Vanguard Growth Index Fund ETF trades at $87.59. The key difference: Northrop Grumman Corporation pays a 1.92% dividend while Vanguard Growth Index Fund ETF pays none, and Vanguard Growth Index Fund ETF is trading nearer its 52-week high, Northrop Grumman Corporation nearer its low. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| NOC | VUG | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $73.24B | — |
Sector | Industrials | Sector/Thematic |
52-Week High | $768.02 | $90.29 |
52-Week Low | $496.02 | $70.00 |
Enterprise Value | $87.23B | — |
Dividend Yield | 1.92% | — |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Northrop Grumman (NOC) trades at $518.58, up 0.7% with a bullish technical oscillator signal despite bearish moving averages. The company shows strong fundamentals with consistent earnings beats, 10.48% net margin, and record $105 billion backlog. Recent news highlights defense spending growth and successful technology tests, while institutional ownership increased significantly in Q2 2026.
Outlook remains positive with 57% analyst buy ratings and $618.43 consensus target offering 19% upside. Key risks include defense budget volatility and execution challenges on large contracts. Revenue growth acceleration to 10.48% margin by 2026 supports valuation at reasonable 16.37 P/E multiple.
VUG trades at $88.12, down 0.37% on the day, with a bullish technical signal from moving averages but neutral oscillators. Recent news highlights institutional accumulation, with multiple advisors increasing stakes in Q2 2026. The fund's growth focus contrasts with value counterparts underperforming this year, as noted by financial media.
The outlook remains positive given strong institutional interest and low-fee structure, though risks include market volatility and sector concentration. Growth ETFs face competition, but VUG's large-cap exposure offers stability amid bullish market forecasts.
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 →VUG is an index-based ETF that tracks the CRSP US Large Cap Growth Index, providing concentrated exposure to the largest and fastest-growing companies in the United States. It focuses on stocks with high growth potential across tech, communication, and consumer sectors, serving as a low-cost, high-conviction core holding for long-term capital appreciation.
Read more on VUG →