Northrop Grumman Co. (NYSE:NOC) Stock Position Decreased by Mount Yale Investment Advisors LLC

Mount Yale Investment Advisors LLC trimmed its stake in Northrop Grumman Co. (NYSE:NOC) by 8.2% during the second quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 571 shares of the aerospace company’s stock after selling 51 shares during the quarter. Mount Yale Investment Advisors LLC’s holdings in Northrop Grumman were worth $249,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently modified their holdings of the company. Optimum Investment Advisors raised its holdings in Northrop Grumman by 241.2% during the 2nd quarter. Optimum Investment Advisors now owns 58 shares of the aerospace company’s stock worth $25,000 after buying an additional 41 shares during the period. Bank & Trust Co purchased a new position in shares of Northrop Grumman in the second quarter worth approximately $28,000. Meeder Asset Management Inc. raised its holdings in shares of Northrop Grumman by 245.5% during the second quarter. Meeder Asset Management Inc. now owns 76 shares of the aerospace company’s stock valued at $33,000 after acquiring an additional 54 shares during the period. Rise Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Northrop Grumman in the 1st quarter valued at approximately $38,000. Finally, Riverview Trust Co acquired a new position in Northrop Grumman in the 1st quarter worth approximately $47,000. 83.40% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, VP Thomas H. Jones sold 1,390 shares of Northrop Grumman stock in a transaction on Friday, August 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $500.00, for a total value of $695,000.00. Following the transaction, the vice president now owns 4,634 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,317,000. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. In other news, VP Thomas H. Jones sold 1,389 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Friday, July 26th. The shares were sold at an average price of $477.56, for a total value of $663,330.84. Following the sale, the vice president now owns 6,755 shares in the company, valued at $3,225,917.80. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, VP Thomas H. Jones sold 1,390 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Friday, August 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $500.00, for a total transaction of $695,000.00. Following the transaction, the vice president now owns 4,634 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $2,317,000. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last three months, insiders sold 2,846 shares of company stock valued at $1,393,028. Company insiders own 0.22% of the company’s stock.

Northrop Grumman Stock Down 0.6 %

NOC stock opened at $529.80 on Wednesday. The company has a current ratio of 1.11, a quick ratio of 0.99 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.03. The firm has a market cap of $78.41 billion, a PE ratio of 37.05, a PEG ratio of 2.36 and a beta of 0.34. Northrop Grumman Co. has a 1 year low of $414.56 and a 1 year high of $534.61. The company has a fifty day simple moving average of $499.98 and a 200 day simple moving average of $470.88.

Northrop Grumman (NYSE:NOC) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, July 25th. The aerospace company reported $6.36 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $5.93 by $0.43. Northrop Grumman had a return on equity of 25.44% and a net margin of 5.61%. The company had revenue of $10.22 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $10.02 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company posted $5.34 EPS. The firm’s revenue was up 6.7% on a year-over-year basis. Sell-side analysts anticipate that Northrop Grumman Co. will post 25.14 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Northrop Grumman Dividend Announcement

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, September 18th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, September 3rd were paid a $2.06 dividend. This represents a $8.24 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.56%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Tuesday, September 3rd. Northrop Grumman’s payout ratio is 57.62%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several analysts have issued reports on NOC shares. Morgan Stanley boosted their target price on shares of Northrop Grumman from $579.00 to $592.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research note on Friday, August 9th. Royal Bank of Canada increased their price objective on Northrop Grumman from $475.00 to $500.00 and gave the stock a “sector perform” rating in a research note on Friday, July 26th. Sanford C. Bernstein cut Northrop Grumman from an “outperform” rating to a “market perform” rating and set a $477.00 target price on the stock. in a research note on Friday, June 21st. Jefferies Financial Group reduced their price target on shares of Northrop Grumman from $530.00 to $500.00 and set a “hold” rating for the company in a research report on Tuesday, June 18th. Finally, Alembic Global Advisors cut shares of Northrop Grumman from an “overweight” rating to a “neutral” rating and set a $560.00 price target for the company. in a report on Tuesday, August 27th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, nine have issued a hold rating and six have assigned a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, Northrop Grumman presently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $523.20.

Northrop Grumman Profile

Northrop Grumman Corporation operates as an aerospace and defense technology company in the United States, Asia/Pacific, Europe, and internationally. The company’s Aeronautics Systems segment designs, develops, manufactures, integrates, and sustains aircraft systems. This segment also offers unmanned autonomous aircraft systems, including high-altitude long-endurance strategic ISR systems and vertical take-off and landing tactical ISR systems; and strategic long-range strike aircraft, tactical fighter and air dominance aircraft, and airborne battle management and command and control systems.