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

Updated on August 26, 2025

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

Company Profile

Symbol	NOC	SYM
Company Name	Northrop Grumman Corporation	Symbotic Inc.
Country	United States	United States
GICS Sector	Industrials	Industrials
GICS Industry	Aerospace & Defense	Machinery
Market Capitalization	84.01 billion USD	27.01 billion USD
Exchange	NYSE	NasdaqGM
Listing Date	December 31, 1981	March 9, 2021
Security Type	Common Stock	Common Stock

Historical Performance

This chart compares the performance of NOC and SYM 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. SYM: Growth of a $10,000 investment over the past one year.

Historical Performance at a Glance

Symbol	NOC	SYM
5-Day Price Return	0.09%	-2.27%
13-Week Price Return	24.08%	55.42%
26-Week Price Return	35.37%	70.93%
52-Week Price Return	15.13%	105.39%
Month-to-Date Return	1.76%	-15.22%
Year-to-Date Return	25.03%	92.91%
10-Day Avg. Volume	0.63M	1.89M
3-Month Avg. Volume	0.94M	2.04M
3-Month Volatility	24.92%	90.87%
Beta	0.09	2.06

Profitability

Return on Equity (TTM)

NOC

26.09%

Aerospace & Defense Industry

Max: 43.89%
Q3: 22.42%
Median: 12.50%
Q1: 5.21%
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.

SYM

-7.69%

Machinery Industry

Max: 34.68%
Q3: 19.06%
Median: 13.13%
Q1: 8.53%
Min: -4.87%

SYM has a negative Return on Equity of -7.69%. 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. SYM: A comparison of their Return on Equity (TTM) against their respective Aerospace & Defense and Machinery industry benchmarks.

Net Profit Margin (TTM)

NOC

9.74%

Aerospace & Defense Industry

Max: 14.54%
Q3: 8.08%
Median: 6.17%
Q1: 2.49%
Min: -1.63%

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.

SYM

-0.71%

Machinery Industry

Max: 19.74%
Q3: 11.24%
Median: 8.13%
Q1: 5.38%
Min: -1.11%

SYM has a negative Net Profit Margin of -0.71%, indicating the company is operating at a net loss as its expenses exceeded its revenues.

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

Operating Profit Margin (TTM)

NOC

10.39%

Aerospace & Defense Industry

Max: 16.63%
Q3: 10.38%
Median: 8.29%
Q1: 6.21%
Min: 0.95%

An Operating Profit Margin of 10.39% places NOC in the upper quartile for the Aerospace & Defense industry. This signals a strong ability to translate revenue into operating profit, outperforming most of its competitors in core business efficiency.

SYM

-5.20%

Machinery Industry

Max: 26.63%
Q3: 16.15%
Median: 11.27%
Q1: 7.72%
Min: -4.91%

SYM has a negative Operating Profit Margin of -5.20%. This signifies the company is unprofitable at the operational level, as its core business expenses exceed its revenue.

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

Profitability at a Glance

Symbol	NOC	SYM
Return on Equity (TTM)	26.09%	-7.69%
Return on Assets (TTM)	8.07%	-0.88%
Net Profit Margin (TTM)	9.74%	-0.71%
Operating Profit Margin (TTM)	10.39%	-5.20%
Gross Profit Margin (TTM)	19.33%	16.30%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

NOC

1.04

Aerospace & Defense Industry

Max: 3.09
Q3: 1.98
Median: 1.23
Q1: 1.03
Min: 0.02

NOC’s Current Ratio of 1.04 aligns with the median group of the Aerospace & Defense industry, indicating that its short-term liquidity is in line with its sector peers.

SYM

1.08

Machinery Industry

Max: 3.83
Q3: 2.32
Median: 1.72
Q1: 1.28
Min: 0.78

SYM’s Current Ratio of 1.08 falls into the lower quartile for the Machinery industry. This indicates a tighter liquidity situation and a more constrained capacity to handle short-term debt than many of its competitors.

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

Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ)

NOC

1.02

Aerospace & Defense Industry

Max: 1.70
Q3: 1.04
Median: 0.68
Q1: 0.41
Min: 0.00

NOC’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 1.02 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.

SYM

0.00

Machinery Industry

Max: 1.49
Q3: 0.75
Median: 0.44
Q1: 0.26
Min: 0.00

Falling into the lower quartile for the Machinery industry, SYM’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.00 points to a conservative financing strategy. This results in lower financial risk but potentially limits strategic investments compared to more leveraged competitors.

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

Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM)

NOC

9.08

Aerospace & Defense Industry

Max: 36.57
Q3: 19.90
Median: 7.04
Q1: 2.40
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.

SYM

Machinery Industry

Max: 67.55
Q3: 33.79
Median: 13.87
Q1: 7.97
Min: -1.43

Interest Coverage Ratio data for SYM is currently unavailable.

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

Financial Strength at a Glance

Symbol	NOC	SYM
Current Ratio (MRQ)	1.04	1.08
Quick Ratio (MRQ)	0.85	0.90
Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ)	1.02	0.00
Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM)	9.08	--

Growth

Revenue Growth

NOC vs. SYM: 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. SYM: 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

1.46%

Aerospace & Defense Industry

Max: 2.03%
Q3: 1.22%
Median: 0.43%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

With a Dividend Yield of 1.46%, NOC offers a more attractive income stream than most of its peers in the Aerospace & Defense industry, signaling a strong commitment to shareholder returns.

SYM

0.00%

Machinery Industry

Max: 5.32%
Q3: 2.84%
Median: 1.87%
Q1: 1.09%
Min: 0.00%

SYM 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. SYM: A comparison of their Dividend Yield (TTM) against their respective Aerospace & Defense and Machinery industry benchmarks.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

NOC

31.28%

Aerospace & Defense Industry

Max: 83.87%
Q3: 49.90%
Median: 16.48%
Q1: 0.00%
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.

SYM

0.00%

Machinery Industry

Max: 202.17%
Q3: 98.65%
Median: 55.54%
Q1: 29.03%
Min: 0.00%

SYM 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. SYM: A comparison of their Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) against their respective Aerospace & Defense and Machinery industry benchmarks.

Dividend at a Glance

Symbol	NOC	SYM
Dividend Yield (TTM)	1.46%	0.00%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)	31.28%	0.00%

Valuation

Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)

NOC

21.37

Aerospace & Defense Industry

Max: 65.97
Q3: 54.11
Median: 34.53
Q1: 23.66
Min: 0.00

In the lower quartile for the Aerospace & Defense industry, NOC’s P/E Ratio of 21.37 suggests the stock may be undervalued compared to its peers, potentially presenting an attractive entry point for investors.

SYM

Machinery Industry

Max: 53.66
Q3: 31.29
Median: 22.00
Q1: 16.18
Min: 7.00

P/E Ratio data for SYM is currently unavailable.

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

Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM)

NOC

2.08

Aerospace & Defense Industry

Max: 8.07
Q3: 4.49
Median: 2.42
Q1: 1.39
Min: 0.00

NOC’s P/S Ratio of 2.08 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.

SYM

11.92

Machinery Industry

Max: 5.04
Q3: 2.72
Median: 1.67
Q1: 1.04
Min: 0.24

With a P/S Ratio of 11.92, SYM trades at a valuation that eclipses even the highest in the Machinery industry. This implies the market has priced in exceptionally optimistic scenarios for future revenue growth, posing considerable valuation risk.

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

Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ)

NOC

4.65

Aerospace & Defense Industry

Max: 13.67
Q3: 7.92
Median: 4.65
Q1: 2.68
Min: 0.82

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.

SYM

108.69

Machinery Industry

Max: 7.23
Q3: 3.90
Median: 2.52
Q1: 1.47
Min: 0.49

At 108.69, SYM’s P/B Ratio is at an extreme premium to the Machinery industry. This signifies that the market’s valuation is heavily reliant on future potential rather than its current net asset value, which can be a high-risk proposition.

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

Valuation at a Glance

Symbol	NOC	SYM
Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)	21.37	--
Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM)	2.08	11.92
Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ)	4.65	108.69
Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (TTM)	26.94	54.72