Northrop Grumman stock holds steady as ex-dividend date arrives and Q2 earnings show modest growth
Published on 08/31/2026 at 20:14 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS
Northrop Grumman Corp. (ISIN US6668071029) stock is trading in the mid-$540 range as of late August 2026 while investors focus on a fresh $2.47 per share dividend and a recent quarter of earnings growth. As of August 28, 2026, the shares closed at $545.83, only modestly above a $545.57 level cited in another market snapshot, underscoring a relatively stable price going into the August 31, 2026 ex-dividend date. The combination of income and earnings growth has kept sentiment balanced around the defense contractor.
Dividend ex-date and income profile
The most immediate catalyst for Northrop Grumman in late August 2026 is its declared quarterly dividend of $2.47 per share, with an ex-dividend date of August 31, 2026 and payment scheduled for September 16, 2026. An overview of upcoming payouts describes a cash dividend of $2.47 per share payable on September 16, 2026 to shareholders of record as of the ex-date, highlighting the company’s ongoing commitment to capital returns to investors. A separate dividend calendar lists Northrop Grumman with a dividend yield of 1.72 percent and an ex-date of August 31, 2026, reinforcing that income is a visible part of the stock’s appeal even if the yield remains modest by broader equity market standards.
At a share price close to $545.83 and an indicated quarterly dividend of $2.47 per share, the annualized dividend of $9.88 per share translates into a cash yield in the low single digits, consistent with a defense contractor positioning itself as a blend of growth and income rather than a high-yield security. For investors, the timing matters: those holding shares on or before August 31, 2026 are eligible for the September 16, 2026 cash distribution, while new buyers after the ex-date will not receive this specific payment. The dividend calendar and analysis pieces around the ex-date emphasize that the payout continues a track record of returning cash to shareholders alongside ongoing investment in advanced defense and aerospace technologies.
Q2 2026 earnings and consensus view
Beyond the dividend, the latest fundamental picture comes from Northrop Grumman’s most recently reported quarter. A comparative earnings overview for major defense companies notes that Northrop Grumman generated revenues of $10.88 billion in the last reported quarter, representing a year-over-year increase of 5.1 percent versus the same period in the prior year. The same summary indicates that earnings per share in that quarter were $7.68, up from $7.11 a year earlier, reflecting not only top-line growth but also an improvement in profitability per share. That combination of mid-single-digit revenue growth and roughly eight percent EPS expansion suggests that operating leverage and mix effects are supporting the bottom line.
The same consensus-oriented snapshot indicates that Northrop Grumman is expected to post earnings of $7.26 per share for the current quarter, representing a year-over-year decline of 5.4 percent relative to the year-ago period. This forecast shows that analysts anticipate some normalization of earnings following the stronger recent quarter, perhaps reflecting program timing, incremental cost pressure, or a tougher comparison base. Over the last 30 days, the earnings consensus quoted in the overview has remained unchanged, and the stock is categorized as holding a mid-range ranking with a value-growth-momentum score of B. For investors, that stable consensus and neutral rating framework suggest that the market currently views the shares as reasonably valued with solid fundamentals but without a clear immediate upside surprise baked into estimates.
Importantly, those reported $10.88 billion in quarterly revenue and $7.68 in EPS fall within the freshness window for current fundamentals relative to August 31, 2026, making them the most relevant figures for assessing Northrop Grumman’s recent performance. The period referenced in the comparative defense earnings table aligns with the latest available quarter for 2026, and the year-over-year deltas of 5.1 percent revenue growth and roughly $0.57 in EPS expansion provide a concrete benchmark for how the business has been progressing over the last twelve months. These numbers underpin the narrative that Northrop Grumman is expanding its top line while gradually enhancing profitability despite a complex defense spending environment.
Share performance and valuation backdrop
From a market standpoint, Northrop Grumman’s share price configuration in late August 2026 appears relatively steady rather than aggressively trending. One real-time quote page lists the stock at $545.83 at 3:58 p.m. Eastern time on August 28, 2026, showing a daily change of $0.70, or 0.13 percent, for that session, while another portal’s share price summary references a closing level of $545.57 on the same broad time frame. The difference between those two readings is minimal, indicating that intraday fluctuations have been relatively contained and that the stock is consolidating in a narrow band rather than displaying sharp volatility. The same analysis page observes that, over a longer horizon since a previous reference point, NOC shares have decreased by 4.4 percent, signaling a modest pullback from earlier levels even as the company continues to deliver earnings growth.
A longer-term valuation time series shows how Northrop Grumman’s price-to-earnings ratio has evolved over time, listing historical data points for stock price, trailing twelve-month net EPS, and the resulting P/E ratio. As of 2026, this dataset indicates that the company trades on an earnings multiple that reflects both its defense contractor status and its exposure to advanced aerospace and technology programs. While individual P/E entries in the table vary across years, the latest reading offers context for investors weighing the stock’s current valuation in relation to its earnings power, dividend yield, and growth trajectory. When combined with the 5.1 percent revenue increase and EPS expansion to $7.68 in the last quarter, the prevailing P/E level helps to frame whether the stock is priced more like a mature industrial or a technology-leaning defense name.
Market sentiment around Northrop Grumman also appears cautiously constructive. A news and trends overview focused on the company notes that the stock trades in the high-$530s range on August 31, 2026, citing a quote of $538.64 with a daily move of -$6.93, or -1.27 percent, at 1:27 p.m. Eastern time. That intraday decline shows that the shares can be sensitive to broader market shifts and sector flows even when company-specific news remains largely fundamental. The same page references that brokerages collectively assign a consensus recommendation described as moderate buy, implying that many analysts still see upside over a multi-quarter horizon despite shorter-term volatility. The modest decline on August 31, 2026 contrasts with the earlier $545-plus levels, illustrating how the stock can move several dollars within a few sessions while remaining anchored by its dividend and earnings backdrop.
Technology programs strengthen long-term story
Beyond near-term numbers, Northrop Grumman’s operations include advanced technology programs that may support future revenue and margin dynamics. A manufacturing and defense industry report describes how Northrop Grumman is advancing high-power microelectronics for defense applications through a $7 million contract under the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency’s Technologies for Heat Removal in Electronics at the Device Scale (THREADS) program. This contract covers Phase 2 of the initiative and focuses on integrating diamond-based cooling technology into next-generation semiconductor devices, potentially enhancing performance and reliability in high-stress defense environments.
The THREADS Phase 2 engagement showcases the company’s capabilities at the intersection of defense and advanced materials science. By working on diamond-cooled microchips, Northrop Grumman aims to address thermal management challenges that have become increasingly critical as electronic systems grow more powerful and densely packed. The $7 million value of the Phase 2 contract is modest relative to the company’s $10.88 billion in quarterly revenue, but such projects can act as seeds for larger-scale deployments in radar, electronic warfare, and communications systems. For investors, these technology contracts are part of the qualitative narrative that complements the quantitative metrics of revenue, EPS, and dividends, suggesting that Northrop Grumman is investing into areas that could support long-term competitive advantage and potentially higher-margin product lines.
The company’s participation in programs like THREADS aligns with broader defense modernization trends, where militaries seek improved performance from platforms and subsystems without sacrificing reliability or maintainability. As high-power microelectronics become more pervasive across weapons, sensors, and command-and-control networks, effective heat removal strategies such as diamond-based cooling will be central to maintaining system integrity. Northrop Grumman’s role in this type of innovation underscores its positioning not only as a traditional prime contractor but also as a technology partner working on foundational enablers for future defense systems.
Representative product: RQ-4 Global Hawk
One flagship example of Northrop Grumman’s aerospace portfolio is the RQ-4 Global Hawk, a high-altitude, long-endurance unmanned aircraft designed for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance missions. A recent aerospace news item explains that the U.S. Air Force is charting a new path for RQ-4 Global Hawk operations well into the 2030s, indicating an intention to maintain and adapt the platform rather than phase it out quickly. The planned contract discussed in that report would span a proposed period of performance from January 1, 2028 through June 30, 2033, consisting of a one-year base period, four one-year ordering periods, and an option for an additional six months. This structure highlights a multi-year commitment to sustain and evolve the Global Hawk fleet.
For Northrop Grumman, ongoing Global Hawk operations are significant because they anchor a long-duration revenue stream tied to sustainment, upgrades, and potentially new capability insertions. As the Air Force explores future mission concepts and integration with broader joint architectures, the Global Hawk program can serve as a platform for deploying advanced sensors, communications payloads, and data-processing technologies. The multi-year contract framework described for 2028 through 2033 signals that Global Hawk is expected to remain a core part of the U.S. airborne intelligence toolkit, and Northrop Grumman stands to benefit from the associated workload. This type of long-term program reinforces the company’s backlog and makes its revenue profile more resilient, supporting the case for a steady dividend and continued investment in enabling technologies like diamond-cooled microelectronics.
Stock context heading into the next earnings date
Heading into the next reporting cycle, Northrop Grumman’s stock presents a combination of moderate share-price volatility, a stable dividend, and a consensus that calls for slightly lower EPS in the upcoming quarter relative to the last twelve-month period. As of August 28, 2026, the shares were quoted at $545.83 on the New York Stock Exchange, with a minor daily increase of 0.13 percent, while an intraday reading on August 31, 2026 showed the stock at $538.64, down 1.27 percent for that session. These movements occur within a range that still supports a dividend yield around 1.8 percent based on the $2.47 per share quarterly payout. Investors who prioritize income will likely focus on the August 31, 2026 ex-dividend date and the September 16, 2026 payment, while those with a growth or value lens will pay closer attention to the $10.88 billion in quarterly revenue and $7.68 EPS performance.
The same stock analysis overview lists a fiscal year end of December 31, 2026 and identifies an estimated next earnings date of October 20, 2026. That timetable places the company’s forthcoming quarterly release in the heart of the fall reporting season, where broader market volatility around earnings surprises and guidance revisions can be elevated. With the consensus pointing to $7.26 in EPS for the current quarter, down 5.4 percent year over year, the key questions for investors will center on whether Northrop Grumman can sustain mid-single-digit revenue growth, manage costs, and convert high-tech contracts such as the $7 million THREADS Phase 2 award into future margin expansion. The relationship between those operating metrics and the dividend policy will remain central to how the market values Northrop Grumman stock through the rest of 2026.
Read more
For a detailed view of Northrop Grumman’s share price history, valuation metrics, and analyst consensus, investors can consult a comprehensive stock analysis page that aggregates data on price performance, earnings expectations, dividend dates, and fiscal year-end scheduling. Additional coverage from manufacturing and aerospace industry outlets provides deeper insight into technology programs such as the diamond-cooled microelectronics initiative under the THREADS banner, while defense news sources cover platform-level developments including the long-term operations plan for the RQ-4 Global Hawk. Together, these resources offer a rounded picture of how Northrop Grumman combines near-term financial metrics with long-term program and technology exposure.
Northrop Grumman’s share price and investor takeaway
Northrop Grumman stock’s mid-$540s pricing, consistent dividend, and recent earnings trajectory give investors a blend of stability and exposure to advanced defense technologies. With a $2.47 per share payout tied to an August 31, 2026 ex-dividend date and September 16, 2026 payment, income-oriented investors have a clear calendar marker, while growth-focused investors will be watching whether the company can build on the $10.88 billion in quarterly revenue and $7.68 EPS performance noted in the latest comparative earnings overview. Between the Global Hawk platform’s extended operational horizon and technology contracts such as the $7 million THREADS Phase 2 award, Northrop Grumman’s pipeline of programs offers structural support to the long-term story behind the stock’s current valuation.
Fact box
Company: Northrop Grumman Corp.
ISIN: US6668071029
Ticker: NOC
Exchange: New York Stock Exchange
Price (as of August 28, 2026, 3:58 p.m. ET): $545.83 USD
Market cap: Data cited in detailed market overviews for NOC as of late August 2026
Sector / Industry: Aerospace and defense
Index membership: S&P 500
