Geneos Wealth Management Inc. trimmed its position in Northrop Grumman by 61.6% during the third quarter, disposing of 1,511 shares and retaining 943 shares valued at approximately $575,000 at period end. This move contrasts with fresh stakes established by Parvin Asset Management LLC and Twin Peaks Wealth Advisors LLC, each initiating positions worth roughly $25,000 and $31,000 respectively during the second quarter. Meanwhile, NewSquare Capital LLC boosted its holding by 75.0% to 63 shares, AlphaQuest LLC increased its position by 29.2% to 93 shares, and City Holding Co. more than doubled its stake to 100 shares. Overall, institutional investors account for 83.4% of the company’s outstanding shares.

During the past three months, company insiders sold a total of 10,097 shares, generating proceeds exceeding $6.0 million. Director Mark A. Welsh III reduced his stake by 2.22%, selling 97 shares for gross proceeds of $54,715.76, leaving him with 4,281 shares valued at roughly $2.41 million. CEO Kathy J. Warden offloaded 7,000 shares in early January, representing a 3.47% reduction in her holdings and netting about $4.2 million. Post-transaction, she holds 194,602 shares, worth in excess of $116 million. Insiders now collectively own 0.23% of Northrop Grumman stock.

In its third-quarter report, Northrop Grumman delivered earnings per share of $7.67, outperforming consensus estimates by $1.24, while revenue reached $10.42 billion, marking a 4.3% increase year over year but slightly below analyst forecasts by $260 million. The company achieved a net margin of 9.82% and a return on equity of 25.49%. Management set fiscal 2025 EPS guidance in the range of $25.65 to $26.05, against analyst projections centering on $28.05, reflecting confidence in sustained profitability across its defense platforms.

The board declared a quarterly dividend of $2.31 per share, paid in mid-December to shareholders of record as of December 1, translating to an annualized payout of $9.24 and a 33.24% dividend payout ratio. On the research front, two firms rate the stock as a Strong Buy, twelve as Buy and seven as Hold, culminating in a consensus Moderate Buy recommendation. Analysts’ average target implies upside potential based on projected free cash flow growth and sustained contract awards across strategic aerospace and defense programs.