NOC vs. SNA: Northrop Grumman vs. Snap-on Stock Comparison

November 11, 2026

How do Northrop Grumman (NOC) and Snap-on (SNA) 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 Snap-on (SNA) both fall under the Capital Goods industry group, but NOC is classified in Aerospace & Defense while SNA is classified in Machinery.

Company profile comparison for Northrop Grumman (NOC) and Snap-on (SNA)
Profile Item	NOC	SNA
Name	Northrop Grumman Corporation	Snap-on 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	18.94 billion USD
Currency	USD	USD
Exchange	NYSE	NYSE
Listing Date	December 31, 1981	February 21, 1973
Security Type	Common Stock	Common Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

NOC

SNA

GSPC

Northrop Grumman (NOC) vs. Snap-on (SNA), 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 Snap-on (SNA). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Northrop Grumman (NOC) and Snap-on (SNA)
Metric	NOC	SNA
Total Return (1Y)	-3.34%	12.48%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)	7.23%	15.36%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)	9.98%	14.84%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

NOC

SNA

GSPC

Northrop Grumman (NOC) vs. Snap-on (SNA), 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 Snap-on (SNA). 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. Snap-on (SNA) has a non-negative beta of 0.73.

Risk profile metrics for Northrop Grumman (NOC) and Snap-on (SNA)
Metric	NOC	SNA
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)	28.86%	19.41%
Beta (5Y)	-0.12	0.73
Max Drawdown (5Y)	-37.80%	-20.77%
Avg. Volume (3M)	902.47K	333.56K

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

NOC and SNA 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 Snap-on (SNA)
Metric	NOC	SNA
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)	-0.26	0.42
Sortino Ratio (1Y)	-0.37	0.63

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Northrop Grumman (NOC) at 26.07% sits in the top ROE quartile, while Snap-on (SNA) at 17.32% 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%

SNA

Capital Goods industry group

17.32%

Max: 40.55%
Q3: 19.29%
SNA: 17.32%
Median: 12.12%
Q1: 4.08%
Min: -17.12%

Northrop Grumman (NOC) vs. Snap-on (SNA): A comparison of their ROE against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

Snap-on (SNA) at 19.21% 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%

SNA

Capital Goods industry group

19.21%

Max: 27.47%
SNA: 19.21%
Q3: 12.10%
Median: 6.30%
Q1: 1.40%
Min: -12.89%

Northrop Grumman (NOC) vs. Snap-on (SNA): A comparison of their net margin against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Snap-on (SNA) at 24.88% 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%

SNA

Capital Goods industry group

24.88%

Max: 36.60%
SNA: 24.88%
Q3: 18.33%
Median: 11.12%
Q1: 5.14%
Min: -12.63%

Northrop Grumman (NOC) vs. Snap-on (SNA): A comparison of their operating margin against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Northrop Grumman (NOC) and Snap-on (SNA)
Metric	NOC	SNA
ROE (TTM)	26.07%	17.32%
ROA (TTM)	7.11%	9.70%
Net Margin (TTM)	10.37%	19.21%
Operating Margin (TTM)	12.91%	24.88%
Gross Margin (TTM)	20.03%	51.87%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Northrop Grumman (NOC) at 2.24% is around its peer norm for revenue growth, while Snap-on (SNA) at 0.93% drops into the bottom quartile, signaling weaker demand or pricing momentum.

Northrop Grumman (NOC) vs. Snap-on (SNA): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Both Northrop Grumman (NOC) at 2.61% and Snap-on (SNA) at -1.64% 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. Snap-on (SNA): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Northrop Grumman (NOC) and Snap-on (SNA)
Metric	NOC	SNA
Revenue Growth (YoY)	2.24%	0.93%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)	4.65%	2.11%
EPS Growth (YoY)	2.61%	-1.64%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)	-2.60%	4.49%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Snap-on (SNA) at 3.55 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

SNA

Capital Goods industry group

3.55

Max: 5.22
SNA: 3.55
Q3: 2.95
Median: 2.08
Q1: 1.43
Min: 0.36

Northrop Grumman (NOC) vs. Snap-on (SNA): A comparison of their current ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Snap-on (SNA) at 0.21 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

SNA

Capital Goods industry group

0.21

Max: 2.33
Q3: 1.12
Median: 0.60
Q1: 0.29
SNA: 0.21
Min: 0.00

Northrop Grumman (NOC) vs. Snap-on (SNA): 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 Snap-on (SNA)
Metric	NOC	SNA
Current Ratio (MRQ)	1.23	3.55
Debt / Equity (MRQ)	0.93	0.21
Net Debt / EBITDA	1.87	-0.26

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Both Northrop Grumman (NOC) at 1.82% and Snap-on (SNA) at 2.66% offer top-quartile dividend income relative to share price within their industries.

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%

SNA

Capital Goods industry group

2.66%

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

Northrop Grumman (NOC) vs. Snap-on (SNA): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Both Northrop Grumman (NOC) at 30.18% and Snap-on (SNA) at 50.70% pay out an above-typical share of earnings for their industries, leaving thinner cover if profits dip.

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%

SNA

Capital Goods industry group

50.70%

Max: 67.39%
SNA: 50.70%
Q3: 28.02%
Median: 6.86%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

Northrop Grumman (NOC) vs. Snap-on (SNA): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Northrop Grumman (NOC) and Snap-on (SNA)
Metric	NOC	SNA
Dividend Yield (TTM)	1.82%	2.66%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)	30.18%	50.70%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both Northrop Grumman (NOC) at 16.57 and Snap-on (SNA) at 19.08 sit in the cheaper earnings-multiple quartile for P/E ratio, with the market paying less for a dollar of trailing earnings than it pays for typical peers.

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

SNA

Capital Goods industry group

19.08

Max: 59.38
Q3: 35.92
Median: 25.41
Q1: 19.47
SNA: 19.08
Min: 3.03

Northrop Grumman (NOC) vs. Snap-on (SNA): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

On P/S ratio, both Northrop Grumman (NOC) at 1.71 and Snap-on (SNA) at 3.60 are priced roughly in line with their industries — neither looks cheap nor rich on a sales basis.

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

SNA

Capital Goods industry group

3.60

Max: 7.54
Q3: 3.76
SNA: 3.60
Median: 2.15
Q1: 1.03
Min: 0.03

Northrop Grumman (NOC) vs. Snap-on (SNA): 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 Snap-on (SNA) at 3.11 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

SNA

Capital Goods industry group

3.11

Max: 9.66
Q3: 5.00
Median: 3.12
SNA: 3.11
Q1: 1.81
Min: -1.08

Northrop Grumman (NOC) vs. Snap-on (SNA): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Northrop Grumman (NOC) and Snap-on (SNA)
Metric	NOC	SNA
P/E Ratio (TTM)	16.57	19.08
P/S Ratio (TTM)	1.71	3.60
P/B Ratio (MRQ)	3.99	3.11
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)	4.21%	5.77%