For the quarter ended December 2025, Northrop Grumman (NOC) reported revenue of $11.71 billion, up 9.6% over the same period last year. EPS came in at $7.23, compared to $6.39 in the year-ago quarter.
The reported revenue compares to the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $11.62 billion, representing a surprise of +0.83%. The company delivered an EPS surprise of +3.27%, with the consensus EPS estimate being $7.00.
While investors closely watch year-over-year changes in headline numbers -- revenue and earnings -- and how they compare to Wall Street expectations to determine their next course of action, some key metrics always provide a better insight into a company's underlying performance.
As these metrics influence top- and bottom-line performance, comparing them to the year-ago numbers and what analysts estimated helps investors project a stock's price performance more accurately.
Here is how Northrop Grumman performed in the just reported quarter in terms of the metrics most widely monitored and projected by Wall Street analysts:
- Sales- Mission Systems: $3.45 billion versus $3.43 billion estimated by five analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a +9.7% change.
- Sales- Aeronautics Systems: $3.92 billion compared to the $3.83 billion average estimate based on five analysts. The reported number represents a change of +21.8% year over year.
- Sales- Intersegment eliminations: $-665 million versus $-578.91 million estimated by five analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a -7.8% change.
- Sales- Space Systems: $2.86 billion compared to the $3.05 billion average estimate based on five analysts. The reported number represents a change of +5.5% year over year.
- Sales- Defense Systems: $2.15 billion versus $1.91 billion estimated by five analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a -8% change.
- Operating income (loss)- Intersegment eliminations: $-94 million versus $-86.14 million estimated by five analysts on average.
- Operating income (loss)- Defense Systems: $205 million compared to the $190.92 million average estimate based on five analysts.
- Operating income (loss)- Mission Systems: $510 million versus the five-analyst average estimate of $507.95 million.
- Operating income (loss)- Space Systems: $322 million compared to the $304.56 million average estimate based on five analysts.
- Operating income (loss)- Aeronautics Systems: $370 million versus $375.41 million estimated by five analysts on average.
- Segment operating income adjustment- Unallocated corporate expenses: $-107 million versus the four-analyst average estimate of $-156.8 million.
- Segment operating income adjustment- FAS/CAS operating adjustment: $65 million versus the three-analyst average estimate of $53.67 million.
View all Key Company Metrics for Northrop Grumman here>>>
Shares of Northrop Grumman have returned +14.4% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +0.4% change. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold), indicating that it could perform in line with the broader market in the near term.
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Northrop Grumman Corporation (NOC): Free Stock Analysis ReportThis article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).
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