Northrop Grumman Corporation vs Xylem, Inc. — how do they compare? Northrop Grumman Corporation trades at $521.09 (market cap $73.16B), while Xylem, Inc. trades at $108 (market cap $25.41B). The key difference: Northrop Grumman Corporation is far larger — about 2.9× Xylem, Inc.'s market cap, and Northrop Grumman Corporation pays the higher dividend (1.92%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| NOC | XYL | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $73.16B | $25.41B |
Sector | Industrials | Industrials |
52-Week High | $768.02 | $152.95 |
52-Week Low | $496.02 | $105.69 |
Enterprise Value | $87.14B | $27.18B |
Dividend Yield | 1.92% | 1.58% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Northrop Grumman (NOC) trades at $518.58, up 0.7% with strong earnings beats in recent quarters. Technical indicators show a bearish trend with oversold RSI signals, while fundamentals remain solid with 10.48% net margin and 26.96% ROE. The company maintains a record $105 billion backlog and raised guidance after strong Q2 results, supported by rising defense spending globally.
NOC presents a compelling value with a 16.37 P/E below industry averages and a $618.43 consensus price target implying 19% upside. Risks include execution on massive contracts and defense budget volatility, but analyst sentiment is strongly bullish with 57% buy ratings. The stock offers defensive growth exposure amid geopolitical tensions.
XYL trades at $108.81, up 2.95% today, with a bearish technical signal but strong fundamentals including consistent earnings beats and a 10.59% net margin. Recent news highlights strategic acquisitions, a new CFO appointment, and a dividend declaration, supporting growth in water technology sectors. The stock shows resilience with revenue growth from $5.5B in 2022 to $9.04B in 2025, though it faces near-term resistance.
Outlook is cautiously optimistic with a consensus price target of $152.29 implying 40% upside, driven by margin expansion and AI-driven demand. Risks include execution of acquisitions and market volatility, but analyst sentiment leans buy/hold with low sell ratings. The stock presents a value opportunity for long-term investors focused on sustainable water solutions.
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 →Xylem is a global leader in water technology and offers a wide range of solutions, including the transport, treatment, testing, and efficient use of water for customers in the utility, industrial, commercial, and residential sectors. Xylem was spun off from ITT in 2011. Based in Rye Brook, New York, Xylem has a presence in over 150 countries and employs 16,200. The company generated $6.2 billion in revenue and $611 million in adjusted operating income in 2021.
Read more on XYL →