Comprehensive Financial Consultants Institutional Inc. Lowers Stock Holdings in Northrop Grumman Co. (NYSE:NOC)

Comprehensive Financial Consultants Institutional Inc. lessened its stake in shares of Northrop Grumman Co. (NYSE:NOC) by 1.8% in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 3,492 shares of the aerospace company’s stock after selling 63 shares during the period. Comprehensive Financial Consultants Institutional Inc.’s holdings in Northrop Grumman were worth $1,844,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other large investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Optimum Investment Advisors increased its holdings in shares of Northrop Grumman by 241.2% during the second quarter. Optimum Investment Advisors now owns 58 shares of the aerospace company’s stock valued at $25,000 after acquiring an additional 41 shares in the last quarter. Bank & Trust Co purchased a new stake in Northrop Grumman during the 2nd quarter valued at about $28,000. Meeder Asset Management Inc. grew its position in Northrop Grumman by 245.5% during the 2nd quarter. Meeder Asset Management Inc. now owns 76 shares of the aerospace company’s stock valued at $33,000 after purchasing an additional 54 shares during the last quarter. Catalyst Capital Advisors LLC bought a new stake in Northrop Grumman during the 3rd quarter valued at about $40,000. Finally, Strategic Financial Concepts LLC purchased a new position in Northrop Grumman in the second quarter worth about $47,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 83.40% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

NOC has been the subject of several analyst reports. Susquehanna raised their price target on shares of Northrop Grumman from $560.00 to $625.00 and gave the company a “positive” rating in a research report on Friday, October 25th. Wells Fargo & Company lifted their target price on Northrop Grumman from $509.00 to $565.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a report on Friday, October 25th. TD Cowen upgraded Northrop Grumman to a “hold” rating in a research note on Tuesday, October 8th. Citigroup increased their price objective on Northrop Grumman from $521.00 to $587.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research report on Thursday, October 10th. Finally, Barclays boosted their target price on Northrop Grumman from $500.00 to $550.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a research report on Tuesday, October 29th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, ten have assigned a hold rating and six have issued a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $550.56.

Northrop Grumman Stock Down 0.5 %

Shares of NOC stock opened at $520.58 on Friday. The company has a current ratio of 1.09, a quick ratio of 0.97 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.00. Northrop Grumman Co. has a 12 month low of $418.60 and a 12 month high of $555.57. The stock has a market cap of $75.85 billion, a P/E ratio of 32.25, a P/E/G ratio of 1.02 and a beta of 0.35. The company has a 50 day simple moving average of $523.63 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $484.30.

Northrop Grumman (NYSE:NOC) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, October 24th. The aerospace company reported $7.00 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $6.07 by $0.93. Northrop Grumman had a return on equity of 26.57% and a net margin of 5.79%. The firm had revenue of $10 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $10.18 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the business posted $6.18 EPS. Northrop Grumman’s revenue was up 2.3% on a year-over-year basis. On average, research analysts expect that Northrop Grumman Co. will post 25.95 earnings per share for the current year.

Northrop Grumman Announces Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, September 18th. Investors of record on Tuesday, September 3rd were paid a dividend of $2.06 per share. The ex-dividend date was Tuesday, September 3rd. This represents a $8.24 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.58%. Northrop Grumman’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 51.05%.

About Northrop Grumman

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.