Shares of security and aerospace company Northrop Grumman (NYSE:NOC) jumped 4.6% in the afternoon session after geopolitical tensions spurred a rally across the defense sector.

The heightened investor interest in defense stocks followed military actions involving the US, Israel, and Iran, which raised fears of a larger regional conflict. In times of geopolitical uncertainty, investors often anticipate increased military spending and stronger demand for defense equipment, components, and related technology. This expectation of heightened demand for military hardware appeared to drive the upward price movement for companies in the sector.

The shares closed the day at $766.81, up 5.9% from previous close.

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Northrop Grumman’s shares are not very volatile and have only had 5 moves greater than 5% over the last year. In that context, today’s move indicates the market considers this news meaningful, although it might not be something that would fundamentally change its perception of the business.

The biggest move we wrote about over the last year was 10 months ago when the stock dropped 14.6% on the news that the company reported weak results for the first quarter of 2025: sales came in lower than expected, and profits fell well short of what Wall Street was hoping for. What stood out was a big hit in its aircraft business: Northrop booked a $477 million loss on its B-21 bomber program, due to rising costs from production changes and higher material prices. As a result, margins took a hard fall. The top line wasn't any better. Total sales dropped 7% from the previous year, mostly because of big declines in its space and aircraft units, as older programs wound down and new ones didn't ramp up fast enough. This led to earnings per share falling significantly, even though parts of the business like Mission and Defense Systems grew. Looking ahead, Northrop stuck to its full-year sales and cash flow outlook, but it cut its profit forecast by more than 10%. It also struck a cautious tone around trade tariffs. Overall, the quarter came up short. Separately, competitor Raytheon reported weak earnings and gave underwhelming guidance, raising concerns about the defense sector's ability to hold up amid escalating trade tensions.

Northrop Grumman is up 31.5% since the beginning of the year, and at $770.10 per share, has set a new 52-week high. Investors who bought $1,000 worth of Northrop Grumman’s shares 5 years ago would now be looking at an investment worth $2,577.

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