CSL vs. NOC: Carlisle vs. Northrop Grumman Stock Comparison

November 11, 2026

How do Carlisle (CSL) and Northrop Grumman (NOC) stack up? This page sets them side by side across company profile, performance and risk, profitability, growth, financial strength, dividends, and valuation, with selected fundamentals also measured against each stock's industry-group peers.

Company Profile

Carlisle (CSL) and Northrop Grumman (NOC) both fall under the Capital Goods industry group, but CSL is classified in Building Products while NOC is classified in Aerospace & Defense.

Company profile comparison for Carlisle (CSL) and Northrop Grumman (NOC)
Profile Item	CSL	NOC
Name	Carlisle Companies Incorporated	Northrop Grumman Corporation
Country/Region	United States	United States
GICS Sector	Industrials	Industrials
GICS Industry Group	Capital Goods	Capital Goods
GICS Industry	Building Products	Aerospace & Defense
GICS Sub-Industry	Building Products	Aerospace & Defense
Market Capitalization	14.52 billion USD	74.59 billion USD
Currency	USD	USD
Exchange	NYSE	NYSE
Listing Date	February 21, 1973	December 31, 1981
Security Type	Common Stock	Common Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

CSL

NOC

GSPC

Carlisle (CSL) vs. Northrop Grumman (NOC), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Growth of a $10,000 investment over the past five years. Adjusted for dividends and splits.

Trailing Returns

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Trailing total returns for Carlisle (CSL) and Northrop Grumman (NOC). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for Carlisle (CSL) and Northrop Grumman (NOC). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Carlisle (CSL) and Northrop Grumman (NOC)
Metric	CSL	NOC
Total Return (1Y)	24.99%	-3.34%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)	15.85%	7.23%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)	12.02%	9.98%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

CSL

NOC

GSPC

Carlisle (CSL) vs. Northrop Grumman (NOC), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Drawdown from the running peak over the past five years. Each line shows the decline from its prior peak; 0% marks a new high.

Return Distribution

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Distribution of monthly total returns for Carlisle (CSL) and Northrop Grumman (NOC). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Northrop Grumman (NOC) reports a negative beta of -0.12, suggesting inverse market sensitivity over the measurement window. That is uncommon for ordinary equities and can reflect commodity-linked or hedge-like exposure, but it can also come from statistical noise. Carlisle (CSL) has a non-negative beta of 0.76.

Risk profile metrics for Carlisle (CSL) and Northrop Grumman (NOC)
Metric	CSL	NOC
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)	38.46%	28.86%
Beta (5Y)	0.76	-0.12
Max Drawdown (5Y)	-37.72%	-37.80%
Avg. Volume (3M)	509.16K	902.47K

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

CSL and NOC are plotted by 1-year volatility (risk) and 1-year return. The dashed Capital Allocation Line runs from the risk-free rate through the shared industry median.

Risk-Adjusted Metrics

Risk-adjusted metrics for Carlisle (CSL) and Northrop Grumman (NOC)
Metric	CSL	NOC
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)	0.54	-0.26
Sortino Ratio (1Y)	0.87	-0.37

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Both companies show strong equity returns, but Carlisle (CSL) at 42.34% is the standout with ROE above its industry range; Northrop Grumman (NOC) at 26.07% also sits in the top quartile.

CSL

Capital Goods industry group

42.34%

CSL: 42.34%
Max: 40.55%
Q3: 19.29%
Median: 12.12%
Q1: 4.08%
Min: -17.12%

NOC

Capital Goods industry group

26.07%

Max: 40.55%
NOC: 26.07%
Q3: 19.29%
Median: 12.12%
Q1: 4.08%
Min: -17.12%

Carlisle (CSL) vs. Northrop Grumman (NOC): A comparison of their ROE against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

Carlisle (CSL) at 13.78% retains a top-quartile share of revenue as profit, ahead of Northrop Grumman (NOC) at 10.37%, which keeps about the industry-typical share.

CSL

Capital Goods industry group

13.78%

Max: 27.47%
CSL: 13.78%
Q3: 12.10%
Median: 6.30%
Q1: 1.40%
Min: -12.89%

NOC

Capital Goods industry group

10.37%

Max: 27.47%
Q3: 12.10%
NOC: 10.37%
Median: 6.30%
Q1: 1.40%
Min: -12.89%

Carlisle (CSL) vs. Northrop Grumman (NOC): A comparison of their net margin against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Carlisle (CSL) at 20.21% operates in the top operating margin quartile, ahead of Northrop Grumman (NOC) at 12.91%, which runs around its industry’s norm.

CSL

Capital Goods industry group

20.21%

Max: 36.60%
CSL: 20.21%
Q3: 18.33%
Median: 11.12%
Q1: 5.14%
Min: -12.63%

NOC

Capital Goods industry group

12.91%

Max: 36.60%
Q3: 18.33%
NOC: 12.91%
Median: 11.12%
Q1: 5.14%
Min: -12.63%

Carlisle (CSL) vs. Northrop Grumman (NOC): A comparison of their operating margin against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Carlisle (CSL) and Northrop Grumman (NOC)
Metric	CSL	NOC
ROE (TTM)	42.34%	26.07%
ROA (TTM)	10.20%	7.11%
Net Margin (TTM)	13.78%	10.37%
Operating Margin (TTM)	20.21%	12.91%
Gross Margin (TTM)	34.66%	20.03%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Northrop Grumman (NOC) at 2.24% is around its peer norm for revenue growth, while Carlisle (CSL) at 0.33% drops into the bottom quartile, signaling weaker demand or pricing momentum.

Carlisle (CSL) vs. Northrop Grumman (NOC): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Northrop Grumman (NOC) at 2.61% is around its peer norm for EPS growth, while Carlisle (CSL) at -38.46% drops into the bottom quartile, signaling weaker earnings momentum.

Carlisle (CSL) vs. Northrop Grumman (NOC): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Carlisle (CSL) and Northrop Grumman (NOC)
Metric	CSL	NOC
Revenue Growth (YoY)	0.33%	2.24%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)	-2.70%	4.65%
EPS Growth (YoY)	-38.46%	2.61%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)	-0.84%	-2.60%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Carlisle (CSL) at 2.41 keeps current ratio within its industry’s typical mid-range, while Northrop Grumman (NOC) at 1.23 runs in the tighter-liquidity quartile — a thinner cushion against current liabilities for NOC.

CSL

Capital Goods industry group

2.41

Max: 5.22
Q3: 2.95
CSL: 2.41
Median: 2.08
Q1: 1.43
Min: 0.36

NOC

Capital Goods industry group

1.23

Max: 5.22
Q3: 2.95
Median: 2.08
Q1: 1.43
NOC: 1.23
Min: 0.36

Carlisle (CSL) vs. Northrop Grumman (NOC): A comparison of their current ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Northrop Grumman (NOC) at 0.93 carries an industry-typical debt-to-equity mix, while Carlisle (CSL) at 2.01 uses more debt funding than most peers.

CSL

Capital Goods industry group

2.01

Max: 2.33
CSL: 2.01
Q3: 1.12
Median: 0.60
Q1: 0.29
Min: 0.00

NOC

Capital Goods industry group

0.93

Max: 2.33
Q3: 1.12
NOC: 0.93
Median: 0.60
Q1: 0.29
Min: 0.00

Carlisle (CSL) vs. Northrop Grumman (NOC): A comparison of their debt-to-equity ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for Carlisle (CSL) and Northrop Grumman (NOC)
Metric	CSL	NOC
Current Ratio (MRQ)	2.41	1.23
Debt / Equity (MRQ)	2.01	0.93
Net Debt / EBITDA	1.93	1.87

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Both Carlisle (CSL) at 1.20% and Northrop Grumman (NOC) at 1.82% offer top-quartile dividend income relative to share price within their industries.

CSL

Capital Goods industry group

1.20%

Max: 2.66%
CSL: 1.20%
Q3: 1.14%
Median: 0.24%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

NOC

Capital Goods industry group

1.82%

Max: 2.66%
NOC: 1.82%
Q3: 1.14%
Median: 0.24%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

Carlisle (CSL) vs. Northrop Grumman (NOC): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Carlisle (CSL) at 25.50% pays out a band-typical share of earnings, while Northrop Grumman (NOC) at 30.18% distributes more than its industry norm — less retained, thinner cover.

CSL

Capital Goods industry group

25.50%

Max: 67.39%
Q3: 28.02%
CSL: 25.50%
Median: 6.86%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

NOC

Capital Goods industry group

30.18%

Max: 67.39%
NOC: 30.18%
Q3: 28.02%
Median: 6.86%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

Carlisle (CSL) vs. Northrop Grumman (NOC): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Carlisle (CSL) and Northrop Grumman (NOC)
Metric	CSL	NOC
Dividend Yield (TTM)	1.20%	1.82%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)	25.50%	30.18%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Northrop Grumman (NOC) at 16.57 sits in the cheaper P/E ratio quartile, while Carlisle (CSL) at 21.06 is closer to its industry’s usual earnings multiple — a discount for NOC, though growth and earnings durability still matter.

CSL

Capital Goods industry group

21.06

Max: 59.38
Q3: 35.92
Median: 25.41
CSL: 21.06
Q1: 19.47
Min: 3.03

NOC

Capital Goods industry group

16.57

Max: 59.38
Q3: 35.92
Median: 25.41
Q1: 19.47
NOC: 16.57
Min: 3.03

Carlisle (CSL) vs. Northrop Grumman (NOC): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

On P/S ratio, both Carlisle (CSL) at 2.79 and Northrop Grumman (NOC) at 1.71 are priced roughly in line with their industries — neither looks cheap nor rich on a sales basis.

CSL

Capital Goods industry group

2.79

Max: 7.54
Q3: 3.76
CSL: 2.79
Median: 2.15
Q1: 1.03
Min: 0.03

NOC

Capital Goods industry group

1.71

Max: 7.54
Q3: 3.76
Median: 2.15
NOC: 1.71
Q1: 1.03
Min: 0.03

Carlisle (CSL) vs. Northrop Grumman (NOC): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Northrop Grumman (NOC) at 3.99 sits near its industry’s typical P/B ratio, while Carlisle (CSL) at 10.11 prices above its benchmark range — CSL looks rich relative to book.

CSL

Capital Goods industry group

10.11

CSL: 10.11
Max: 9.66
Q3: 5.00
Median: 3.12
Q1: 1.81
Min: -1.08

NOC

Capital Goods industry group

3.99

Max: 9.66
Q3: 5.00
NOC: 3.99
Median: 3.12
Q1: 1.81
Min: -1.08

Carlisle (CSL) vs. Northrop Grumman (NOC): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Carlisle (CSL) and Northrop Grumman (NOC)
Metric	CSL	NOC
P/E Ratio (TTM)	21.06	16.57
P/S Ratio (TTM)	2.79	1.71
P/B Ratio (MRQ)	10.11	3.99
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)	4.01%	4.21%