Northrop Grumman Corporation vs Advanced Drainage Systems Inc — how do they compare? Northrop Grumman Corporation trades at $519.79 (market cap $73.24B), while Advanced Drainage Systems Inc trades at $131.63 (market cap $9.94B). The key difference: Northrop Grumman Corporation is far larger — about 7.4× Advanced Drainage Systems Inc's market cap, and Northrop Grumman Corporation pays the higher dividend (1.92%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| NOC | WMS | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $73.24B | $9.94B |
Sector | Industrials | Industrials |
52-Week High | $768.02 | $175.38 |
52-Week Low | $496.02 | $129.50 |
Enterprise Value | $87.23B | $11.54B |
Dividend Yield | 1.92% | 0.61% |
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.
WMS trades at $133.67, down 1.54% today, with a bearish technical signal from moving averages. The company reported strong Q2 2026 earnings of $2.49 per share, beating estimates, and maintains solid profitability with a 14% net income margin. Recent news highlights institutional buying and positive analyst coverage, though technical indicators show near-term pressure.
The outlook is mixed: analyst consensus targets $191.50, implying upside, but near-term technical weakness and a projected net cash outflow in 2026 pose risks. Investment appeal hinges on execution of growth initiatives and margin stability amid competitive and macroeconomic headwinds.
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 →Advanced Drainage Systems Inc is engaged in designing, manufacturing, and marketing thermoplastic corrugated pipe and related water management products in North and South America, and Europe. The company's operating segment includes Pipe
Read more on WMS →