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Stock Comparison · Industry comparison · Aerospace & Defense

Northrop Grumman vs RTX: Which Stock Looks Stronger in 2026?

The structural profiles are close, with Northrop Grumman carrying a narrow edge on valuation. RTX still has the edge on profitability, which keeps the comparison from looking entirely one-sided. Both sides have seen trend damage — neither carries a clear market edge right now. With both trends damaged, the structural comparison carries most of the weight here.

The comparison is based on similar long-term financial trajectories, not sector labels. Both peer scores are relative to the S&P 500 universe, making them directly comparable.

Updated 2026-05-17

The clearest separation starts in valuation, with stability adding a second layer of support.

INDUSTRY COMPARISON

Both operate in: Aerospace & Defense

This comparison is based on industry proximity, not on functional trajectory similarity. NOC and RTX share the same industry classification.

For a similarity-based comparison, see how Northrop Grumman and RTX each position within their functional peer groups in AssetNext.

Peer-Relative Score
NOC
Northrop Grumman Corporation
65
Peer-Score
Signal qualitylow
Peer basis: S&P 500
vs
RTX
RTX Corporation
61
Peer-Score
Signal qualityMedium
Peer basis: S&P 500

Scores reflect position relative to comparable companies with similar long-term financial trajectories.

The largest gaps do not all point in the same direction.

Dimension spread: NOC vs RTX Profitability 39 59 Stability 76 62 Valuation 85 59 Growth 63 68 NOC RTX
Gap Ranking
#1 Valuation +26
#2 Profitability +20
#3 Stability +14
#4 Growth +5
Price Setup

Left means cheaper relative valuation. Higher means stronger structure.

Price setup map for NOC and RTX Stronger + cheaper Stronger + richer Weaker + cheaper Weaker + richer NOCRTX Relative valuation Structural strength

Northrop Grumman Corporation and RTX Corporation look relatively close on structure, but the price setup still leans toward Northrop Grumman Corporation.

Valuation position uses peer-relative PE percentile (idx_pct_pe) where available.

Entry today — historical context

Where NOC and RTX each sit in their own 5-year price and valuation history.

BASED ON 5-YEAR HISTORY NOC Elevated · near norm 0th 50th 100th 6 pct gap RTX Elevated · below norm 0th 50th 100th 84th 90th
NOC (84th percentile) and RTX (90th percentile) both sit in the upper portion of their own 5-year ranges. The historical entry context is broadly similar for both. This reflects entry timing, not which company is structurally stronger.

Describes historical entry positioning only. Descriptive — not investment advice.

Relative Position vs Comparable Companies
Valuation
Both profiles are strong on valuation, but Northrop Grumman Corporation leads clearly.
Profitability
On profitability, RTX Corporation is positioned higher in the group, while Northrop Grumman Corporation is closer to the middle.
Valuation — Dominant Gap
NOC
85
RTX
59
Gap+26in favour of NOC

The multiple-based pricing edge comes from a forward P/E that is 4.7 turns lower.

What keeps the gap from being one-sided

Profitability still tilts materially toward RTX Corporation, which stops the result from looking dominant across the whole profile.

What this means for the comparison

Valuation is the clearest driver of the lead, with profitability adding further support — though profitability still provides a real counterweight.

Explore full peer positioning in AssetNext

Break down the NOC vs RTX comparison across all dimensions with the full interactive tool.

Explore full breakdown →
Other comparisons with conflicting dimension signals

Explore how NOC and RTX each compare against other companies in their peer groups.

Rule-based, descriptive analysis only. Derived from peer percentile dimensions. Not investment advice. Peer groups are determined algorithmically based on structural similarity — not by sector classification alone.

How AssetNext Peer Scores Work

AssetNext scores reflect each company's structural position within its functional peer group — not a ranking against all stocks simultaneously. Peers are identified by similarity across eight financial dimensions, including revenue growth trajectory, margin structure, capital intensity, and earnings stability. A score of 75 means the company ranks in the top quartile within its own peer group, not the entire market.

Four dimension scores drive the overall peer score: Growth (revenue trajectory and expansion dynamics), Quality (margin structure and capital efficiency), Valuation (peer-relative pricing on standard multiples), and Stability (earnings consistency and financial predictability). Each dimension is scored 0–100 relative to the peer group, then combined into an overall peer score using equal weighting.

Because scores are peer-relative, the same company can have slightly different scores in different index universes. On comparison pages, both companies are shown within their shared peer universe wherever possible — so the scores are directly comparable. The peer basis is stated on each score card.

Scores are recalculated periodically as underlying financial data is updated. All analysis is descriptive and rule-based — AssetNext describes structural realities and never issues buy, sell or hold recommendations.