AME vs. NOC: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison

Updated on November 21, 2025

Here’s a clear look at AME and NOC, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.

Company Profile

Symbol	AME	NOC
Company Name	AMETEK, Inc.	Northrop Grumman Corporation
Country	United States	United States
GICS Sector	Industrials	Industrials
GICS Industry	Electrical Equipment	Aerospace & Defense
Market Capitalization	45.08 billion USD	79.76 billion USD
Exchange	NYSE	NYSE
Listing Date	July 19, 1984	December 31, 1981
Security Type	Common Stock	Common Stock

Historical Performance

This chart compares the performance of AME and NOC by tracking the growth of an initial $10,000 investment in each. Use the tabs to select the desired time period. Data is adjusted for dividends and splits.

AME vs. NOC: Growth of a $10,000 investment over the past one year.

Historical Performance at a Glance

Symbol	AME	NOC
5-Day Price Return	-2.35%	-0.88%
13-Week Price Return	6.62%	-4.45%
26-Week Price Return	7.12%	18.55%
52-Week Price Return	-1.05%	7.22%
Month-to-Date Return	-4.33%	-4.36%
Year-to-Date Return	7.27%	18.90%
10-Day Avg. Volume	1.33M	0.70M
3-Month Avg. Volume	1.30M	0.76M
3-Month Volatility	22.48%	17.09%
Beta	1.06	0.06

Profitability

Return on Equity (TTM)

AME

14.49%

Electrical Equipment Industry

Max: 35.25%
Q3: 23.48%
Median: 11.69%
Q1: 6.40%
Min: -4.39%

AME’s Return on Equity of 14.49% is on par with the norm for the Electrical Equipment industry, indicating its profitability relative to shareholder equity is typical for the sector.

NOC

26.04%

Aerospace & Defense Industry

Max: 43.89%
Q3: 23.64%
Median: 12.98%
Q1: 8.07%
Min: -2.55%

In the upper quartile for the Aerospace & Defense industry, NOC’s Return on Equity of 26.04% signals a highly effective use of shareholder capital to drive profitability compared to most of its peers.

AME vs. NOC: A comparison of their Return on Equity (TTM) against their respective Electrical Equipment and Aerospace & Defense industry benchmarks.

Net Profit Margin (TTM)

AME

20.50%

Electrical Equipment Industry

Max: 20.74%
Q3: 10.52%
Median: 6.30%
Q1: 3.04%
Min: -0.75%

A Net Profit Margin of 20.50% places AME in the upper quartile for the Electrical Equipment industry, signifying strong profitability and more effective cost management than most of its peers.

NOC

9.82%

Aerospace & Defense Industry

Max: 14.96%
Q3: 9.50%
Median: 6.59%
Q1: 4.45%
Min: 1.01%

A Net Profit Margin of 9.82% places NOC in the upper quartile for the Aerospace & Defense industry, signifying strong profitability and more effective cost management than most of its peers.

AME vs. NOC: A comparison of their Net Profit Margin (TTM) against their respective Electrical Equipment and Aerospace & Defense industry benchmarks.

Operating Profit Margin (TTM)

AME

26.16%

Electrical Equipment Industry

Max: 26.16%
Q3: 14.51%
Median: 8.86%
Q1: 4.72%
Min: -5.64%

An Operating Profit Margin of 26.16% places AME in the upper quartile for the Electrical Equipment industry. This signals a strong ability to translate revenue into operating profit, outperforming most of its competitors in core business efficiency.

NOC

10.58%

Aerospace & Defense Industry

Max: 17.97%
Q3: 12.09%
Median: 9.29%
Q1: 6.41%
Min: -1.59%

NOC’s Operating Profit Margin of 10.58% is around the midpoint for the Aerospace & Defense industry, indicating that its efficiency in managing core business operations is typical for the sector.

AME vs. NOC: A comparison of their Operating Profit Margin (TTM) against their respective Electrical Equipment and Aerospace & Defense industry benchmarks.

Profitability at a Glance

Symbol	AME	NOC
Return on Equity (TTM)	14.49%	26.04%
Return on Assets (TTM)	9.64%	8.18%
Net Profit Margin (TTM)	20.50%	9.82%
Operating Profit Margin (TTM)	26.16%	10.58%
Gross Profit Margin (TTM)	36.18%	19.42%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

AME

1.16

Electrical Equipment Industry

Max: 3.09
Q3: 2.05
Median: 1.44
Q1: 1.14
Min: 0.85

AME’s Current Ratio of 1.16 aligns with the median group of the Electrical Equipment industry, indicating that its short-term liquidity is in line with its sector peers.

NOC

1.11

Aerospace & Defense Industry

Max: 3.37
Q3: 2.01
Median: 1.22
Q1: 1.07
Min: 0.68

NOC’s Current Ratio of 1.11 aligns with the median group of the Aerospace & Defense industry, indicating that its short-term liquidity is in line with its sector peers.

AME vs. NOC: A comparison of their Current Ratio (MRQ) against their respective Electrical Equipment and Aerospace & Defense industry benchmarks.

Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ)

AME

0.23

Electrical Equipment Industry

Max: 1.57
Q3: 0.91
Median: 0.55
Q1: 0.32
Min: 0.00

Falling into the lower quartile for the Electrical Equipment industry, AME’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.23 points to a conservative financing strategy. This results in lower financial risk but potentially limits strategic investments compared to more leveraged competitors.

NOC

0.98

Aerospace & Defense Industry

Max: 1.89
Q3: 0.99
Median: 0.63
Q1: 0.39
Min: 0.03

NOC’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.98 is typical for the Aerospace & Defense industry, indicating its use of leverage is in line with the sector norm. This suggests a balanced approach to its capital structure.

AME vs. NOC: A comparison of their Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ) against their respective Electrical Equipment and Aerospace & Defense industry benchmarks.

Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM)

AME

15.71

Electrical Equipment Industry

Max: 47.39
Q3: 20.31
Median: 9.84
Q1: 1.16
Min: -10.92

AME’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 15.71 is positioned comfortably within the norm for the Electrical Equipment industry, indicating a standard and healthy capacity to cover its interest payments.

NOC

9.08

Aerospace & Defense Industry

Max: 29.86
Q3: 19.49
Median: 7.09
Q1: 2.62
Min: -7.63

NOC’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 9.08 is positioned comfortably within the norm for the Aerospace & Defense industry, indicating a standard and healthy capacity to cover its interest payments.

AME vs. NOC: A comparison of their Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) against their respective Electrical Equipment and Aerospace & Defense industry benchmarks.

Financial Strength at a Glance

Symbol	AME	NOC
Current Ratio (MRQ)	1.16	1.11
Quick Ratio (MRQ)	0.72	0.88
Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ)	0.23	0.98
Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM)	15.71	9.08

Growth

Revenue Growth

AME vs. NOC: A side-by-side comparison of their Revenue Growth for the MRQ (YoY), TTM (YoY), 3-Year CAGR, and 5-Year CAGR periods.

EPS Growth

AME vs. NOC: A side-by-side comparison of their EPS Growth for the MRQ (YoY), TTM (YoY), 3-Year CAGR, and 5-Year CAGR periods.

Dividend

Dividend Yield (TTM)

AME

0.63%

Electrical Equipment Industry

Max: 2.91%
Q3: 1.66%
Median: 1.09%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

AME’s Dividend Yield of 0.63% is consistent with its peers in the Electrical Equipment industry, providing a dividend return that is standard for its sector.

NOC

1.59%

Aerospace & Defense Industry

Max: 2.87%
Q3: 1.46%
Median: 0.58%
Q1: 0.10%
Min: 0.00%

With a Dividend Yield of 1.59%, NOC offers a more attractive income stream than most of its peers in the Aerospace & Defense industry, signaling a strong commitment to shareholder returns.

AME vs. NOC: A comparison of their Dividend Yield (TTM) against their respective Electrical Equipment and Aerospace & Defense industry benchmarks.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

AME

19.00%

Electrical Equipment Industry

Max: 130.92%
Q3: 64.56%
Median: 37.60%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

AME’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 19.00% is within the typical range for the Electrical Equipment industry, suggesting a balanced approach between shareholder payouts and company reinvestment.

NOC

31.43%

Aerospace & Defense Industry

Max: 110.40%
Q3: 51.46%
Median: 20.20%
Q1: 4.21%
Min: 0.00%

NOC’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 31.43% is within the typical range for the Aerospace & Defense industry, suggesting a balanced approach between shareholder payouts and company reinvestment.

AME vs. NOC: A comparison of their Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) against their respective Electrical Equipment and Aerospace & Defense industry benchmarks.

Dividend at a Glance

Symbol	AME	NOC
Dividend Yield (TTM)	0.63%	1.59%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)	19.00%	31.43%

Valuation

Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)

AME

30.07

Electrical Equipment Industry

Max: 51.71
Q3: 37.50
Median: 23.51
Q1: 19.68
Min: 8.22

AME’s P/E Ratio of 30.07 is within the middle range for the Electrical Equipment industry. This suggests its valuation is in line with the sector average, representing neither a significant premium nor a discount compared to its peers.

NOC

19.82

Aerospace & Defense Industry

Max: 94.22
Q3: 53.31
Median: 32.27
Q1: 24.64
Min: 14.57

In the lower quartile for the Aerospace & Defense industry, NOC’s P/E Ratio of 19.82 suggests the stock may be undervalued compared to its peers, potentially presenting an attractive entry point for investors.

AME vs. NOC: A comparison of their Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM) against their respective Electrical Equipment and Aerospace & Defense industry benchmarks.

Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM)

AME

6.17

Electrical Equipment Industry

Max: 7.22
Q3: 4.00
Median: 1.70
Q1: 1.04
Min: 0.43

AME’s P/S Ratio of 6.17 is in the upper echelon for the Electrical Equipment industry. This means the company is valued richly on its revenue stream compared to its peers, suggesting the stock is priced for a high level of future performance.

NOC

1.95

Aerospace & Defense Industry

Max: 7.20
Q3: 3.95
Median: 2.35
Q1: 1.71
Min: 0.32

NOC’s P/S Ratio of 1.95 aligns with the market consensus for the Aerospace & Defense industry. This suggests its valuation, based on sales, is seen as standard and is on par with its competitors.

AME vs. NOC: A comparison of their Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM) against their respective Electrical Equipment and Aerospace & Defense industry benchmarks.

Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ)

AME

4.12

Electrical Equipment Industry

Max: 10.81
Q3: 5.42
Median: 3.69
Q1: 1.77
Min: 0.78

AME’s P/B Ratio of 4.12 is within the conventional range for the Electrical Equipment industry. This shows a balanced market view, where the stock’s price is neither at a significant premium nor a discount to the book value of its peers.

NOC

5.46

Aerospace & Defense Industry

Max: 18.61
Q3: 9.58
Median: 5.45
Q1: 3.11
Min: 0.94

NOC’s P/B Ratio of 5.46 is within the conventional range for the Aerospace & Defense industry. This shows a balanced market view, where the stock’s price is neither at a significant premium nor a discount to the book value of its peers.

AME vs. NOC: A comparison of their Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ) against their respective Electrical Equipment and Aerospace & Defense industry benchmarks.

Valuation at a Glance

Symbol	AME	NOC
Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)	30.07	19.82
Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM)	6.17	1.95
Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ)	4.12	5.46
Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (TTM)	26.89	21.79