NOC vs. WCN: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison
Updated onHere’s a clear look at NOC and WCN, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.
Company Profile
| Symbol | NOC | WCN |
|---|---|---|
| Company Name | Northrop Grumman Corporation | Waste Connections, Inc. |
| Country | United States | Canada |
| GICS Sector | Industrials | Industrials |
| GICS Industry | Aerospace & Defense | Commercial Services & Supplies |
| Market Capitalization | 84.84 billion USD | 47.77 billion USD |
| Exchange | NYSE | NYSE |
| Listing Date | December 31, 1981 | May 22, 1998 |
| Security Type | Common Stock | Common Stock |
Historical Performance
This chart compares the performance of NOC and WCN 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.
Historical Performance at a Glance
| Symbol | NOC | WCN |
|---|---|---|
| 5-Day Price Return | 1.51% | 1.02% |
| 13-Week Price Return | 25.77% | -3.77% |
| 26-Week Price Return | 30.21% | -4.73% |
| 52-Week Price Return | 17.36% | 3.64% |
| Month-to-Date Return | 2.76% | -0.20% |
| Year-to-Date Return | 26.26% | 4.71% |
| 10-Day Avg. Volume | 0.67M | 0.26M |
| 3-Month Avg. Volume | 0.95M | 0.31M |
| 3-Month Volatility | 24.83% | 17.48% |
| Beta | 0.09 | 0.46 |
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.
WCN
7.93%
Commercial Services & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 31.93%
- Q3
- 18.03%
- Median
- 9.43%
- Q1
- 6.44%
- Min
- -9.69%
WCN’s Return on Equity of 7.93% is on par with the norm for the Commercial Services & Supplies industry, indicating its profitability relative to shareholder equity is typical for the sector.
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.
WCN
6.97%
Commercial Services & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 17.53%
- Q3
- 9.01%
- Median
- 5.20%
- Q1
- 2.75%
- Min
- -2.31%
WCN’s Net Profit Margin of 6.97% is aligned with the median group of its peers in the Commercial Services & Supplies industry. This indicates its ability to convert revenue into profit is typical for the sector.
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.
WCN
12.19%
Commercial Services & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 23.43%
- Q3
- 12.19%
- Median
- 8.10%
- Q1
- 3.18%
- Min
- -6.03%
WCN’s Operating Profit Margin of 12.19% is around the midpoint for the Commercial Services & Supplies industry, indicating that its efficiency in managing core business operations is typical for the sector.
Profitability at a Glance
| Symbol | NOC | WCN |
|---|---|---|
| Return on Equity (TTM) | 26.09% | 7.93% |
| Return on Assets (TTM) | 8.07% | 3.19% |
| Net Profit Margin (TTM) | 9.74% | 6.97% |
| Operating Profit Margin (TTM) | 10.39% | 12.19% |
| Gross Profit Margin (TTM) | 19.33% | 42.03% |
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.
WCN
0.67
Commercial Services & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 2.94
- Q3
- 1.89
- Median
- 1.38
- Q1
- 0.87
- Min
- 0.53
WCN’s Current Ratio of 0.67 falls into the lower quartile for the Commercial Services & Supplies industry. This indicates a tighter liquidity situation and a more constrained capacity to handle short-term debt than many of its competitors.
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.
WCN
1.00
Commercial Services & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 1.67
- Q3
- 1.08
- Median
- 0.73
- Q1
- 0.36
- Min
- 0.00
WCN’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 1.00 is typical for the Commercial Services & Supplies industry, indicating its use of leverage is in line with the sector norm. This suggests a balanced approach to its capital structure.
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.
WCN
3.42
Commercial Services & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 24.70
- Q3
- 12.37
- Median
- 7.16
- Q1
- 2.69
- Min
- -10.97
WCN’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 3.42 is positioned comfortably within the norm for the Commercial Services & Supplies industry, indicating a standard and healthy capacity to cover its interest payments.
Financial Strength at a Glance
| Symbol | NOC | WCN |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (MRQ) | 1.04 | 0.67 |
| Quick Ratio (MRQ) | 0.85 | 0.57 |
| Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ) | 1.02 | 1.00 |
| Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) | 9.08 | 3.42 |
Growth
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
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.
WCN
0.66%
Commercial Services & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 3.44%
- Q3
- 2.30%
- Median
- 1.37%
- Q1
- 0.63%
- Min
- 0.00%
WCN’s Dividend Yield of 0.66% is consistent with its peers in the Commercial Services & Supplies industry, providing a dividend return that is standard for its sector.
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.
WCN
28.21%
Commercial Services & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 137.88%
- Q3
- 72.93%
- Median
- 40.45%
- Q1
- 23.31%
- Min
- 0.00%
WCN’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 28.21% is within the typical range for the Commercial Services & Supplies industry, suggesting a balanced approach between shareholder payouts and company reinvestment.
Dividend at a Glance
| Symbol | NOC | WCN |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 1.46% | 0.66% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 31.28% | 28.21% |
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.
WCN
74.37
Commercial Services & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 57.20
- Q3
- 37.10
- Median
- 22.38
- Q1
- 16.35
- Min
- 0.00
At 74.37, WCN’s P/E Ratio is exceptionally high, exceeding the typical maximum for the Commercial Services & Supplies industry. This suggests the stock may be significantly overvalued compared to its peers and implies high market expectations that could be difficult to meet.
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.
WCN
5.19
Commercial Services & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 4.64
- Q3
- 2.28
- Median
- 0.97
- Q1
- 0.64
- Min
- 0.00
With a P/S Ratio of 5.19, WCN trades at a valuation that eclipses even the highest in the Commercial Services & Supplies industry. This implies the market has priced in exceptionally optimistic scenarios for future revenue growth, posing considerable valuation risk.
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.
WCN
5.67
Commercial Services & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 6.71
- Q3
- 4.38
- Median
- 2.39
- Q1
- 1.57
- Min
- 0.43
WCN’s P/B Ratio of 5.67 is in the upper tier for the Commercial Services & Supplies industry. This indicates that investors are paying a premium relative to the company’s net assets, a valuation that hinges on its ability to generate superior profits.
Valuation at a Glance
| Symbol | NOC | WCN |
|---|---|---|
| Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM) | 21.37 | 74.37 |
| Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM) | 2.08 | 5.19 |
| Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ) | 4.65 | 5.67 |
| Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (TTM) | 26.94 | 41.99 |