Yield Theory

Industrials stock comparison

NOC vs RTX: which business are you actually underwriting?

Compare Northrop Grumman Corporation with RTX Corporation using their business models, SEC classifications, fiscal calendars, current primary filings, and the research questions that matter. This is a thesis framework—not a price target or automatic winner.
Sector
Industrials
Industry
Different SIC
Shared themes
1
Updated
2026-02-06

NOC vs RTX: quick comparison

Company factNOCRTX
CompanyNorthrop Grumman CorporationRTX Corporation
ExchangeNYSENYSE
Headquarters—Arlington, Virginia
Founded—2020
SEC industrySearch, Detection, Navigation, Guidance, Aeronautical SysAircraft Engines & Engine Parts
Fiscal year-endDecember 31December 31
Latest annual filing10-K · 2026-01-2710-K · 2026-02-06

NOC vs RTX: audited financials

RTX reported about 2.1× the revenue of NOC in the latest audited fiscal year. On profitability, NOC converted a larger share of revenue into net income (10.0% versus 7.6%). Scale and margin are starting facts for the thesis, not the verdict.

MetricNOCRTX
Revenue$42.0B$88.6B
Net income$4.2B$6.7B
Operating cash flow$4.8B$10.6B
Diluted EPS$29.08$4.96
Net margin10.0%7.6%

NOC: FY ending 2025-12-31 · RTX: FY ending 2025-12-31. Figures as tagged in each issuer's SEC XBRL filing; fiscal calendars may not align.

How the businesses differ

Why this pair belongs in the comparison set

NOC and RTX have different SEC industry classifications, but both map to the maintained Wars & geopolitics research theme inside the Industrials sector. A shared classification or theme makes the pair useful for a defined research question; it does not mean the companies have identical products, economics, or risks.

Northrop Grumman Corporation (NOC)

Northrop Grumman is a defense contractor specializing in aircraft, missiles, and space systems.

RTX Corporation (RTX)

RTX is a major aerospace and defense company formed from the merger of Raytheon and United Technologies, producing missiles, radars, and aircraft engines. Rising global defense budgets support demand for its systems.

The useful starting point is not which ticker has performed better. It is whether the two companies convert the same economic forces into revenue and cash flow in the same way. NOC is classified by the SEC as Search, Detection, Navigation, Guidance, Aeronautical Sys, while RTX is classified as Aircraft Engines & Engine Parts. The different industry codes are a warning against treating sector membership as proof of identical economics.

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Which thesis does each company fit?

Use the distinction below to decide which filing deserves deeper work. It is a research routing rule, not a recommendation or prediction.

Study NOC when…

  • Capital-spending and manufacturing PMIs
  • Reshoring and supply-chain reconfiguration
  • Defense budgets and geopolitical conflict
  • Freight rates and logistics demand

Study RTX when…

  • Capital-spending and manufacturing PMIs
  • Reshoring and supply-chain reconfiguration
  • Defense budgets and geopolitical conflict
  • Freight rates and logistics demand

Shared research themes

Wars & geopolitics

SEC filing comparison and disclosure evidence

Start with primary filings because fiscal calendars and accounting presentation can make superficially similar quarters incomparable.NOC's fiscal year ends December 31, while RTX's ends December 31. Normalize the reporting periods before comparing growth, margins, capital intensity, or guidance.

The current verified House and Senate snapshot contains 13matched transaction rows for NOCand 18 for RTX. These delayed, range-based disclosures can identify a filing to inspect; they do not establish motive, conviction, or a real-time trading signal.

What this comparison cannot tell you

This page does not contain licensed live prices, a valuation model, earnings estimates, portfolio constraints, or a forecast of future returns. SEC classifications can be broad, company descriptions can lag strategic change, and the latest annual filing may predate a material acquisition or divestiture. Read subsequent quarterly and current reports before making a decision.

A stronger business is not automatically the better stock. Starting valuation, expectations, capital structure, cyclicality, dilution, and the probability of each thesis determine the investment outcome. Use this comparison to frame the work, then verify the numbers in the linked filings and current company disclosures.

NOC vs RTX FAQs

Are NOC and RTX direct competitors?

Northrop Grumman Corporation and RTX Corporation sit in the same Industrials sector but have different SEC industry classifications. The comparison is most useful for portfolio role and sector exposure, not as a claim that every product competes directly.

Which is better, NOC or RTX?

There is no context-free winner. Compare the operating exposures, filing evidence, valuation, balance sheet, and risks against the specific thesis you are testing. This page deliberately does not turn a static profile into a buy or sell recommendation.

Does this NOC vs RTX comparison include live prices?

No. Yield Theory does not republish unlicensed real-time market data. The financial figures on this page are the audited annual numbers Northrop Grumman Corporation and RTX Corporation tagged in their SEC XBRL filings. Use a regulated broker or licensed quote provider for current prices and valuation multiples.

Where does the company information come from?

Company classifications, fiscal year-ends, and filing links come from the SEC EDGAR submissions API snapshot refreshed 2026-09-25. Business summaries and research themes are maintained by Yield Theory.

Data snapshot: SEC EDGAR submissions API, refreshed 2026-09-25. Independent educational research; not investment advice.

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