NOC vs. RBC: Northrop Grumman vs. RBC Bearings Stock Comparison

November 11, 2026

How do Northrop Grumman (NOC) and RBC Bearings (RBC) 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

Northrop Grumman (NOC) and RBC Bearings (RBC) both fall under the Capital Goods industry group, but NOC is classified in Aerospace & Defense while RBC is classified in Machinery.

Company profile comparison for Northrop Grumman (NOC) and RBC Bearings (RBC)
Profile Item	NOC	RBC
Name	Northrop Grumman Corporation	RBC Bearings Incorporated
Country/Region	United States	United States
GICS Sector	Industrials	Industrials
GICS Industry Group	Capital Goods	Capital Goods
GICS Industry	Aerospace & Defense	Machinery
GICS Sub-Industry	Aerospace & Defense	Industrial Machinery & Supplies & Components
Market Capitalization	74.59 billion USD	15.02 billion USD
Currency	USD	USD
Exchange	NYSE	NYSE
Listing Date	December 31, 1981	August 10, 2005
Security Type	Common Stock	Common Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

NOC

RBC

GSPC

Northrop Grumman (NOC) vs. RBC Bearings (RBC), 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 Northrop Grumman (NOC) and RBC Bearings (RBC). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Northrop Grumman (NOC) and RBC Bearings (RBC)
Metric	NOC	RBC
Total Return (1Y)	-3.34%	13.77%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)	7.23%	30.63%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)	9.98%	15.68%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

NOC

RBC

GSPC

Northrop Grumman (NOC) vs. RBC Bearings (RBC), 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 Northrop Grumman (NOC) and RBC Bearings (RBC). 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. RBC Bearings (RBC) has a non-negative beta of 1.34.

Risk profile metrics for Northrop Grumman (NOC) and RBC Bearings (RBC)
Metric	NOC	RBC
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)	28.86%	29.69%
Beta (5Y)	-0.12	1.34
Max Drawdown (5Y)	-37.80%	-34.92%
Avg. Volume (3M)	902.47K	309.06K

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

NOC and RBC 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 Northrop Grumman (NOC) and RBC Bearings (RBC)
Metric	NOC	RBC
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)	-0.26	0.32
Sortino Ratio (1Y)	-0.37	0.45

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Northrop Grumman (NOC) at 26.07% sits in the top ROE quartile, while RBC Bearings (RBC) at 10.51% is closer to the peer norm — stronger capital efficiency for NOC.

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%

RBC

Capital Goods industry group

10.51%

Max: 40.55%
Q3: 19.29%
Median: 12.12%
RBC: 10.51%
Q1: 4.08%
Min: -17.12%

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

Net Margin (TTM)

RBC Bearings (RBC) at 17.51% retains a top-quartile share of revenue as profit, ahead of Northrop Grumman (NOC) at 10.37%, which keeps about the industry-typical share.

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%

RBC

Capital Goods industry group

17.51%

Max: 27.47%
RBC: 17.51%
Q3: 12.10%
Median: 6.30%
Q1: 1.40%
Min: -12.89%

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

Operating Margin (TTM)

RBC Bearings (RBC) at 24.97% operates in the top operating margin quartile, ahead of Northrop Grumman (NOC) at 12.91%, which runs around its industry’s norm.

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%

RBC

Capital Goods industry group

24.97%

Max: 36.60%
RBC: 24.97%
Q3: 18.33%
Median: 11.12%
Q1: 5.14%
Min: -12.63%

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

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Northrop Grumman (NOC) and RBC Bearings (RBC)
Metric	NOC	RBC
ROE (TTM)	26.07%	10.51%
ROA (TTM)	7.11%	6.06%
Net Margin (TTM)	10.37%	17.51%
Operating Margin (TTM)	12.91%	24.97%
Gross Margin (TTM)	20.03%	45.61%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Both Northrop Grumman (NOC) at 2.24% and RBC Bearings (RBC) at 14.34% land near their industries' usual revenue growth ranges, so top-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

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

EPS Growth

Both Northrop Grumman (NOC) at 2.61% and RBC Bearings (RBC) at 18.05% land near their industries' usual EPS growth ranges, so bottom-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

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

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Northrop Grumman (NOC) and RBC Bearings (RBC)
Metric	NOC	RBC
Revenue Growth (YoY)	2.24%	14.34%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)	4.65%	8.39%
EPS Growth (YoY)	2.61%	18.05%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)	-2.60%	22.54%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

RBC Bearings (RBC) at 3.13 carries current ratio above its industry’s typical mid-range, while Northrop Grumman (NOC) at 1.23 runs in the tighter-liquidity quartile — different working-capital profiles, both worth examining.

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

RBC

Capital Goods industry group

3.13

Max: 5.22
RBC: 3.13
Q3: 2.95
Median: 2.08
Q1: 1.43
Min: 0.36

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

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

RBC Bearings (RBC) at 0.22 keeps leverage in the lower industry quartile, while Northrop Grumman (NOC) at 0.93 runs a more typical debt-to-equity mix.

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

RBC

Capital Goods industry group

0.22

Max: 2.33
Q3: 1.12
Median: 0.60
Q1: 0.29
RBC: 0.22
Min: 0.00

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

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for Northrop Grumman (NOC) and RBC Bearings (RBC)
Metric	NOC	RBC
Current Ratio (MRQ)	1.23	3.13
Debt / Equity (MRQ)	0.93	0.22
Net Debt / EBITDA	1.87	1.09

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

RBC Bearings (RBC) pays no dividend (yield 0.00%) — it may be reinvesting, using buybacks, or simply not returning cash through dividends. Meanwhile Northrop Grumman (NOC) reports a yield of 1.82%, ranking against industry peers normally.

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%

RBC

Capital Goods industry group

0.00%

Max: 2.66%
Q3: 1.14%
Median: 0.24%
RBC: 0.00%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

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

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

RBC Bearings (RBC) pays no dividend (payout 0.00%) — it may be reinvesting, using buybacks, or simply not returning cash through dividends. Meanwhile Northrop Grumman (NOC) reports a payout of 30.18%, ranking against industry peers normally.

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%

RBC

Capital Goods industry group

0.00%

Max: 67.39%
Q3: 28.02%
Median: 6.86%
RBC: 0.00%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

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

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Northrop Grumman (NOC) and RBC Bearings (RBC)
Metric	NOC	RBC
Dividend Yield (TTM)	1.82%	0.00%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)	30.18%	0.00%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Northrop Grumman (NOC) at 16.57 sits in the cheaper P/E ratio quartile, while RBC Bearings (RBC) at 42.44 sits in the richer quartile — a clear split in what investors pay for each dollar of trailing earnings.

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

RBC

Capital Goods industry group

42.44

Max: 59.38
RBC: 42.44
Q3: 35.92
Median: 25.41
Q1: 19.47
Min: 3.03

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

P/S Ratio (TTM)

Northrop Grumman (NOC) at 1.71 is priced about in line with its industry on P/S ratio, while RBC Bearings (RBC) at 7.42 sits in the pricier quartile — RBC costs more per dollar of sales.

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

RBC

Capital Goods industry group

7.42

Max: 7.54
RBC: 7.42
Q3: 3.76
Median: 2.15
Q1: 1.03
Min: 0.03

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

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

On P/B ratio, both Northrop Grumman (NOC) at 3.99 and RBC Bearings (RBC) at 4.21 are valued close to their industries’ norm against book — neither stands out from peers.

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

RBC

Capital Goods industry group

4.21

Max: 9.66
Q3: 5.00
RBC: 4.21
Median: 3.12
Q1: 1.81
Min: -1.08

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

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Northrop Grumman (NOC) and RBC Bearings (RBC)
Metric	NOC	RBC
P/E Ratio (TTM)	16.57	42.44
P/S Ratio (TTM)	1.71	7.42
P/B Ratio (MRQ)	3.99	4.21
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)	4.21%	2.22%