Harel Insurance Boosts Northrop Grumman Stake by 4.1%, Dividend Rises to $2.31
Harel Insurance increased its Northrop Grumman stake by 4.1%, acquiring 3,215 shares to hold 81,747 shares valued at $49.81 million. Multiple firms, including Alembic Global Advisors and Morgan Stanley, have upgraded or reaffirmed overweight ratings, and Northrop Grumman recently raised its quarterly dividend to $2.31.
1. Institutional Ownership Changes
Harel Insurance Investments & Financial Services Ltd. increased its stake in Northrop Grumman by 4.1%, purchasing an additional 3,215 shares to bring its total to 81,747 shares, representing approximately 0.06% of the company and valued at $49.81 million at quarter end. Other notable changes include Coign Capital Advisors LLC adding 17 shares to reach 1,294 shares, Howard Financial Services LTD. increasing its position by 17 shares to 1,127 shares, West Wealth Group LLC acquiring 17 additional shares to hold 412 shares, King Luther Capital Management Corp buying 18 shares to total 1,243 shares, and Dakota Community Bank & Trust NA adding 18 shares to reach 278 shares. Institutional investors now hold 83.40% of Northrop Grumman shares.
2. Analyst Upgrades and Ratings
A number of Wall Street firms recently reassessed Northrop Grumman's outlook. Alembic Global Advisors raised its rating from Neutral to Overweight. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a Buy rating. Susquehanna maintained a Positive view. Morgan Stanley reiterated an Overweight stance, and BNP Paribas Exane initiated coverage with an Outperform rating. Overall, among 21 analysts tracked by MarketBeat, two have rated the stock as Strong Buy, twelve as Buy, and seven as Hold, resulting in an average consensus rating of Moderate Buy.
3. Quarterly Results, Guidance and Dividend
In its most recent quarter, Northrop Grumman reported earnings per share of $7.67, surpassing consensus estimates by $1.24. Revenue totaled $10.42 billion, reflecting a 4.3% year-over-year increase but falling slightly short of analyst expectations. The company achieved a 25.49% return on equity and a net margin of 9.82%. For fiscal year 2025, guidance has been set in the range of $25.65 to $26.05 per share, while analysts project full-year earnings of $28.05 per share. The board declared a quarterly dividend of $2.31 per share, equivalent to an annualized payout of $9.24 and a dividend yield of approximately 1.4%, with a payout ratio of 33.24%.
4. Insider Transactions
Director Mark A. Welsh III sold 97 shares, reducing his holdings by 2.22%, and CEO Kathy J. Warden sold 7,000 shares, a 3.47% reduction in her position. Over the past 90 days, insiders have sold a total of 10,097 shares. Following these transactions, insiders collectively own 0.23% of the company’s outstanding shares.