Are Wall Street Analysts Predicting Northrop Grumman Stock Will Climb or Sink?

Falls Church-based aerospace and defense technology company Northrop Grumman Corporation (NOC) has not been performing well against the broader market in recent times. While the S&P 500 Index (SPX) surged 20.1% over the past year, NOC stock only rose marginally, trailing behind by a considerable margin. In 2026, the stock has managed a 3.1% rise, underperforming the SPX's 13.1% growth.

Major industry benchmark State Street Industrials Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLI) has outperformed NOC stock, with a 22.3% increase against NOC's 19.1% growth over the same period. Despite surpassing Wall Street's estimates in Q2 2026, with revenue at $10.9 billion and adjusted EPS at $7.68, investors have been more focused on the company's underlying profitability issues.

These issues include an operating margin contraction and a lowered full-year outlook. For the current year, analysts expect NOC's EPS to increase by 10% to $28.97, but the consensus among 22 analysts covering NOC stock is a Moderate Buy, based on 12 Strong Buy ratings and nine Holds. Citi analyst John Godyn maintained a Buy rating for NOC and set a price target of $667, offering an 11.4% upside compared to the current market price.