Northrop Grumman stock steadies as dividend and earnings date frame outlook
Published on 09/18/2026 at 14:00 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS
Northrop Grumman stock (ISIN US6668071029) closed at USD 528.10 on the New York Stock Exchange on September 17, 2026, with a modest 0.50% decline on the day, positioning the defense contractor roughly 7.7% below its USD 570.66 level at the beginning of 2026 according to MarketBeat data.MarketBeat
Dividend payout and upcoming earnings date anchor investor view
Investor attention around Northrop Grumman stock is currently framed by its recent dividend payout and a clearly scheduled earnings date, providing a structured timeline for cash returns and new information. According to Scanx Trade on September 17, 2026, Northrop Grumman declared a quarterly dividend of USD 2.47 per share on its common stock, with the payment made on September 16, 2026 to shareholders of record as of August 31, 2026.Scanx Trade This payout underscores the company’s role as a dividend contributor in the defense sector, complementing its long-term contract profile.
On the earnings side, Northrop Grumman has already set the timetable for its next quarterly update. As Markets Insider reported on September 17, 2026, the company will release its third quarter 2026 financial results on October 20, 2026 before the market opens and will host an earnings call webcast at 9:30 a.m. Eastern Time the same day.Markets Insider For investors, this date serves as the next checkpoint for updated revenue, earnings and guidance, and the scheduled webcast provides a forum for management to elaborate on backlog, program milestones and capital allocation priorities.
Recent fundamental performance and backlog-driven outlook
Beyond the immediate dividend and earnings calendar, the latest reported fundamentals give context to Northrop Grumman’s current valuation. MarketBeat’s overview notes that in its most recently reported quarter, the aerospace and defense group delivered earnings per share of USD 7.68, beating the consensus estimate of USD 6.82 by USD 0.86, while quarterly revenue grew 5.1% year on year.MarketBeat Taken together, this combination of earnings outperformance and mid-single-digit revenue growth suggests that the company is converting its backlog into higher profit per share at a pace that exceeds earlier analyst expectations.
The near-term growth narrative is reinforced by commentary on demand and backlog from sector coverage. Finance Yahoo reports that Northrop Grumman has recorded a backlog at record levels, driven by strong U.S. and international defense demand across programs such as the B-21 bomber, Sentinel nuclear modernization, munitions and national-security space initiatives.Yahoo Finance This backlog underpins management’s expectation of durable cash flows, which matters for investors who weigh the sustainability of dividends and the scope for continued earnings growth.
At the same time, longer-term value metrics frame the current price level. MarketBeat indicates that Northrop Grumman’s price-to-earnings ratio stands at 16.72, compared with an approximate market average P/E of 39.00, meaning the stock trades at a discount to the broader equity market despite its role in critical defense and space programs.MarketBeat For investors, the combination of record backlog, earnings beats and a lower relative P/E invites a closer look at whether the current discount reflects sector risk, budget-cycle uncertainty or simply a lag in sentiment compared with faster-growing technology stocks.
Stock performance versus 52-week range and start-of-year level
From a trading perspective, Northrop Grumman stock is moving within a defined range that reflects both recent volatility and the underlying strength of its business. An Investing.com conference summary from September 17, 2026 notes that Northrop’s shares closed at USD 524.02, down 1.27% from the previous close of USD 530.78, and highlights that the stock remains well above its 52-week low of USD 479.02 while still below a 52-week high reported at USD 774.Investing.com These levels indicate that, despite recent pullbacks, the share price has retained a premium to its trailing-year low, but is still some distance from the upper end of its trading corridor.
More broadly, MarketBeat data show that Northrop Grumman’s stock was trading at USD 570.66 at the beginning of 2026 and has since declined to about USD 526.49, corresponding to a decrease of 7.7% year to date.MarketBeat For investors, this quantified drawdown helps frame the current consolidation: the stock has given back a mid-single-digit percentage of its earlier gains, yet remains underpinned by backlog-driven fundamentals and a dividend yield supported by the USD 2.47 quarterly payout.
Closing price context for Northrop Grumman stock
As of the close of trading on September 17, 2026, Northrop Grumman stock finished the regular NYSE session at USD 528.10, with a day-on-day decline of 0.50% from the prior close and extended trading indications at USD 524.12 later that afternoon, according to MarketBeat.MarketBeat In market-cap terms, Yahoo Finance places the company’s equity value at about USD 75.4 billion, underlining its status as a large-cap defense and aerospace group with significant scale across Aeronautics, Mission, Space and Defense Systems segments.Yahoo Finance Against this backdrop, the upcoming October 20, 2026 earnings release and the established dividend track record are likely to remain central reference points for shareholders assessing whether the current price level appropriately reflects Northrop Grumman’s balance of cash returns, growth prospects and defense-sector risk.
Northrop Grumman stock at a glance
- Company: Northrop Grumman Corporation
- ISIN: US6668071029
- Ticker: NOC
- Trading venue: NYSE
- Price (as of September 17, 2026, 15:59): 528.10 USD
- Market capitalization: 75.40 billion USD (as of September 18, 2026)
- Sector / Industry: Aerospace and Defense
- Index membership: S&P 500
- Next earnings date: October 20, 2026
