Northrop Grumman Corporation vs Wendys Co — how do they compare? Northrop Grumman Corporation trades at $578.96 (market cap $81.78B), while Wendys Co trades at $8.46 (market cap $1.44B). The key difference: Northrop Grumman Corporation is far larger — about 56.8× Wendys Co's market cap, and Wendys Co pays the higher dividend (3.71%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| NOC | WEN | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $81.78B | $1.44B |
Sector | Industrials | Consumer Cyclical |
52-Week High | $768.02 | $10.68 |
52-Week Low | $496.02 | $6.17 |
Enterprise Value | $95.77B | $5.17B |
Dividend Yield | 1.63% | 3.71% |
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.
WEN trades at $8.595, up 17.74% in 24 hours, with a neutral technical signal. Recent Q2 2026 EPS of $0.18 beat expectations, but revenue trends are flat and net income margin declined to 5.72% in 2025. The company cut its dividend and withdrew 2026 guidance amid a strategic turnaround under new leadership, facing traffic declines and loss of its No. 2 U.S. burger chain position to Burger King.
Outlook is cautious; the dividend cut frees cash for restructuring, but execution risks are high. Valuation appears reasonable with a P/E of 11.44, though high debt and competitive pressures pose significant headwinds. Analyst consensus is mixed, with 62.75% hold ratings reflecting uncertainty around the turnaround plan's success.
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 →The Wendy's Company is the second-largest burger quick-service restaurant, or QSR, chain in the United States by systemwide sales, with $11.1 billion in 2021, narrowly edging Burger King ($10.3 billion) and clocking in well behind wide-moat McDonald's ($45.7 billion). After divestitures of Tim Hortons (2006) and Arby's (2011), the firm manages just the burger banner, generating sales across a footprint that spans almost 7,000 total units in 30 countries. Wendy's generates revenue from the sale of hamburgers, chicken sandwiches, salads, and fries throughout its company-owned footprint, through franchise royalty and marketing fund payments remitted by its franchisees, which account for 94% of stores, and through franchise flipping and advisory fees.
Read more on WEN →