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

Updated on October 7, 2025

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

Company Profile

NOC is a standard domestic listing, while PONY trades as an American Depositary Receipt (ADR), offering U.S. investors access to its foreign-listed shares.

Symbol	NOC	PONY
Company Name	Northrop Grumman Corporation	Pony AI Inc.
Country	United States	China
GICS Sector	Industrials	Information Technology
GICS Industry	Aerospace & Defense	Software
Market Capitalization	87.28 billion USD	8.41 billion USD
Exchange	NYSE	NasdaqGS
Listing Date	December 31, 1981	November 27, 2024
Security Type	Common Stock	ADR

Historical Performance

This chart compares the performance of NOC and PONY 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.

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

Historical Performance at a Glance

Symbol	NOC	PONY
5-Day Price Return	2.62%	4.18%
13-Week Price Return	20.89%	84.06%
26-Week Price Return	19.05%	168.37%
52-Week Price Return	13.11%	--
Month-to-Date Return	0.04%	5.25%
Year-to-Date Return	29.89%	64.95%
10-Day Avg. Volume	0.66M	8.94M
3-Month Avg. Volume	0.77M	9.54M
3-Month Volatility	22.26%	69.66%
Beta	0.05	2.80

Profitability

Return on Equity (TTM)

NOC

26.09%

Aerospace & Defense Industry

Max: 37.11%
Q3: 20.14%
Median: 11.72%
Q1: 6.30%
Min: -6.24%

In the upper quartile for the Aerospace & Defense industry, NOC’s Return on Equity of 26.09% signals a highly effective use of shareholder capital to drive profitability compared to most of its peers.

PONY

-41.07%

Software Industry

Max: 66.28%
Q3: 21.28%
Median: 9.33%
Q1: -8.77%
Min: -48.16%

PONY has a negative Return on Equity of -41.07%. This indicates the company is generating a loss for its shareholders, which can be a result of unprofitability or negative shareholder equity and is often a sign of financial distress.

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

Net Profit Margin (TTM)

NOC

9.74%

Aerospace & Defense Industry

Max: 13.66%
Q3: 8.61%
Median: 6.59%
Q1: 4.92%
Min: 1.01%

A Net Profit Margin of 9.74% places NOC in the upper quartile for the Aerospace & Defense industry, signifying strong profitability and more effective cost management than most of its peers.

PONY

-521.79%

Software Industry

Max: 51.92%
Q3: 19.23%
Median: 6.98%
Q1: -7.14%
Min: -41.00%

PONY has a negative Net Profit Margin of -521.79%, indicating the company is operating at a net loss as its expenses exceeded its revenues.

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

Operating Profit Margin (TTM)

NOC

10.39%

Aerospace & Defense Industry

Max: 22.35%
Q3: 12.83%
Median: 9.29%
Q1: 6.38%
Min: -2.15%

NOC’s Operating Profit Margin of 10.39% is around the midpoint for the Aerospace & Defense industry, indicating that its efficiency in managing core business operations is typical for the sector.

PONY

-567.77%

Software Industry

Max: 60.40%
Q3: 21.25%
Median: 9.90%
Q1: -4.97%
Min: -43.50%

PONY has a negative Operating Profit Margin of -567.77%. This signifies the company is unprofitable at the operational level, as its core business expenses exceed its revenue.

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

Profitability at a Glance

Symbol	NOC	PONY
Return on Equity (TTM)	26.09%	-41.07%
Return on Assets (TTM)	8.07%	-36.85%
Net Profit Margin (TTM)	9.74%	-521.79%
Operating Profit Margin (TTM)	10.39%	-567.77%
Gross Profit Margin (TTM)	19.33%	24.22%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

NOC

1.04

Aerospace & Defense Industry

Max: 3.35
Q3: 2.03
Median: 1.24
Q1: 1.04
Min: 0.77

NOC’s Current Ratio of 1.04 falls into the lower quartile for the Aerospace & Defense industry. This indicates a tighter liquidity situation and a more constrained capacity to handle short-term debt than many of its competitors.

PONY

6.19

Software Industry

Max: 4.29
Q3: 2.37
Median: 1.40
Q1: 1.03
Min: 0.25

PONY’s Current Ratio of 6.19 is exceptionally high, placing it well outside the typical range for the Software industry. This indicates a very strong liquidity position, though such a high ratio may also suggest that the company is not using its assets efficiently to generate profits.

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

Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ)

NOC

1.02

Aerospace & Defense Industry

Max: 1.72
Q3: 0.96
Median: 0.63
Q1: 0.37
Min: 0.03

NOC’s leverage is in the upper quartile of the Aerospace & Defense industry, with a Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 1.02. While this approach can boost equity growth, it also exposes the company to greater financial vulnerability.

PONY

0.00

Software Industry

Max: 2.16
Q3: 0.86
Median: 0.31
Q1: 0.00
Min: 0.00

PONY’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.00 is typical for the Software industry, indicating its use of leverage is in line with the sector norm. This suggests a balanced approach to its capital structure.

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

Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM)

NOC

9.08

Aerospace & Defense Industry

Max: 36.57
Q3: 19.08
Median: 7.25
Q1: 2.65
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.

PONY

Software Industry

Max: 89.65
Q3: 32.64
Median: 1.00
Q1: -9.84
Min: -71.23

Interest Coverage Ratio data for PONY is currently unavailable.

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

Financial Strength at a Glance

Symbol	NOC	PONY
Current Ratio (MRQ)	1.04	6.19
Quick Ratio (MRQ)	0.85	5.67
Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ)	1.02	0.00
Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM)	9.08	--

Growth

Revenue Growth

NOC vs. PONY: 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

NOC vs. PONY: 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)

NOC

1.41%

Aerospace & Defense Industry

Max: 2.72%
Q3: 1.45%
Median: 0.48%
Q1: 0.08%
Min: 0.00%

NOC’s Dividend Yield of 1.41% is consistent with its peers in the Aerospace & Defense industry, providing a dividend return that is standard for its sector.

PONY

0.00%

Software Industry

Max: 0.22%
Q3: 0.11%
Median: 0.00%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

PONY currently does not pay a dividend, resulting in a yield of 0%. This is a common strategy for growth-focused companies that prioritize reinvesting earnings, though it may be less typical in mature, income-oriented sectors.

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

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

NOC

31.28%

Aerospace & Defense Industry

Max: 110.40%
Q3: 50.43%
Median: 17.11%
Q1: 0.46%
Min: 0.00%

NOC’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 31.28% is within the typical range for the Aerospace & Defense industry, suggesting a balanced approach between shareholder payouts and company reinvestment.

PONY

0.00%

Software Industry

Max: 3.29%
Q3: 2.41%
Median: 0.00%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

PONY has a Dividend Payout Ratio of 0%, indicating it does not currently pay a dividend. This is a common strategy for growth-oriented companies that reinvest all profits back into the business.

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

Dividend at a Glance

Symbol	NOC	PONY
Dividend Yield (TTM)	1.41%	0.00%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)	31.28%	0.00%

Valuation

Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)

NOC

22.12

Aerospace & Defense Industry

Max: 67.20
Q3: 55.74
Median: 33.28
Q1: 27.49
Min: 15.02

In the lower quartile for the Aerospace & Defense industry, NOC’s P/E Ratio of 22.12 suggests the stock may be undervalued compared to its peers, potentially presenting an attractive entry point for investors.

PONY

Software Industry

Max: 145.74
Q3: 94.88
Median: 45.35
Q1: 26.66
Min: 8.80

P/E Ratio data for PONY is currently unavailable.

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

Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM)

NOC

2.15

Aerospace & Defense Industry

Max: 9.06
Q3: 4.87
Median: 2.47
Q1: 1.61
Min: 0.33

NOC’s P/S Ratio of 2.15 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.

PONY

118.79

Software Industry

Max: 25.67
Q3: 13.68
Median: 8.28
Q1: 4.95
Min: 0.90

With a P/S Ratio of 118.79, PONY trades at a valuation that eclipses even the highest in the Software industry. This implies the market has priced in exceptionally optimistic scenarios for future revenue growth, posing considerable valuation risk.

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

Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ)

NOC

4.65

Aerospace & Defense Industry

Max: 14.90
Q3: 8.93
Median: 4.70
Q1: 3.03
Min: 0.83

NOC’s P/B Ratio of 4.65 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.

PONY

5.50

Software Industry

Max: 30.67
Q3: 14.92
Median: 8.52
Q1: 3.89
Min: 0.38

PONY’s P/B Ratio of 5.50 is within the conventional range for the Software 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 vs. PONY: A comparison of their Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ) against their respective Aerospace & Defense and Software industry benchmarks.

Valuation at a Glance

Symbol	NOC	PONY
Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)	22.12	--
Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM)	2.15	118.79
Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ)	4.65	5.50
Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (TTM)	27.89	--