NOC vs. AXP
NOC (Northrop Grumman Corporation) and AXP (American Express Company) are both stocks. NOC operates in Aerospace & Defense (Industrials), while AXP operates in Credit Services (Financial Services). Over the past 10 years, NOC returned 11.47%/yr vs 18.88%/yr for AXP. At a 0.29 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.
Performance
NOC vs. AXP - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, NOC achieves a -3.04% return, which is significantly higher than AXP's -13.48% return. Over the past 10 years, NOC has underperformed AXP with an annualized return of 11.47%, while AXP has yielded a comparatively higher 18.88% annualized return.
NOC
- 1D
- 1.45%
- 1M
- 0.28%
- YTD
- -3.04%
- 6M
- 0.40%
- 1Y
- 13.41%
- 3Y*
- 8.28%
- 5Y*
- 9.82%
- 10Y*
- 11.47%
AXP
- 1D
- 1.95%
- 1M
- 0.74%
- YTD
- -13.48%
- 6M
- -12.04%
- 1Y
- 6.68%
- 3Y*
- 24.31%
- 5Y*
- 15.83%
- 10Y*
- 18.88%
NOC vs. AXP - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
NOC Northrop Grumman Corporation | -3.04% | 23.61% | 1.93% | -12.79% | 43.02% | 29.29% | -9.92% | 42.69% | -18.95% | 33.88% |
AXP American Express Company | -13.48% | 25.99% | 60.32% | 28.67% | -8.52% | 36.88% | -1.14% | 32.52% | -2.62% | 36.22% |
Correlation
The correlation between NOC and AXP is 0.07, meaning there is essentially no relationship between their price movements. Each responds to its own set of market drivers, making them strong candidates for combining in a diversified portfolio.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.07 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.07 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.17 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.26 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Dec 31, 1981 | 0.29 |
Over the past year, the correlation between NOC and AXP has dropped to 0.07 - well below their long-term average of 0.29, suggesting their price drivers have been diverging.
Fundamentals
NOC:
$78.19B
AXP:
$218.41B
NOC:
$31.95
AXP:
$16.23
NOC:
17.17
AXP:
19.62
NOC:
2.53
AXP:
1.67
NOC:
1.85
AXP:
2.67
NOC:
4.57
AXP:
6.42
NOC:
$42.37B
AXP:
$82.41B
NOC:
$8.69B
AXP:
$68.81B
NOC:
$7.50B
AXP:
$18.41B
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Return for Risk
NOC vs. AXP — Risk / Return Rank
NOC
AXP
NOC vs. AXP - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Northrop Grumman Corporation (NOC) and American Express Company (AXP). Risk-adjusted metrics are performance indicators that assess an investment's returns in relation to its risk, enabling a more accurate comparison of different investment options.
| NOC | AXP | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +0.25 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +0.40 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.12 | 1.07 | +0.05 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 0.43 | 0.28 | +0.15 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 1.13 | 0.61 | +0.53 |
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month. | |||
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Sharpe Ratios by Period
| NOC | AXP | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.51 | 0.26 | +0.25 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.39 | 0.54 | -0.15 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.45 | 0.60 | -0.14 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.46 | 0.29 | +0.17 |
Drawdowns
NOC vs. AXP - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum NOC drawdown since its inception was -71.12%, smaller than the maximum AXP drawdown of -83.91%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for NOC and AXP.
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Drawdown Indicators
| NOC | AXP | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -71.12% | -83.91% | +12.79% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -31.20% | -23.90% | -7.30% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -31.20% | -28.76% | -2.44% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -31.20% | -31.55% | +0.35% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -36.38% | -49.64% | +13.26% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -28.25% | -16.83% | -11.42% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -18.40% | -22.05% | +3.65% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 11.85% | 11.01% | +0.84% |
Volatility
NOC vs. AXP - Volatility Comparison
Northrop Grumman Corporation (NOC) has a higher volatility of 7.36% compared to American Express Company (AXP) at 6.53%. This indicates that NOC's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than AXP based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| NOC | AXP | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 7.36% | 6.53% | +0.83% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 21.17% | 20.14% | +1.03% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 26.46% | 26.28% | +0.18% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 25.27% | 29.49% | -4.22% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 25.42% | 31.84% | -6.42% |
Dividends
NOC vs. AXP - Dividend Comparison
NOC's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.71%, more than AXP's 1.07% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
AXP American Express Company | 1.07% | 0.85% | 0.91% | 1.24% | 1.35% | 1.05% | 1.42% | 1.29% | 1.51% | 1.32% | 1.61% | 1.58% |
NOC Northrop Grumman Corporation | 1.71% | 1.58% | 1.72% | 1.57% | 1.24% | 1.59% | 1.86% | 1.50% | 1.92% | 1.27% | 1.50% | 1.64% |
Financials
NOC vs. AXP - Financials Comparison
This section allows you to compare key financial metrics between Northrop Grumman Corporation and American Express Company. You can select fields from income statements, balance sheets, and cash flow statements to easily visualize and compare the financial health of both companies.
Total Revenue: Total amount of money received from sales and other business activities
NOC vs. AXP - Profitability Comparison
NOC - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Northrop Grumman Corporation reported a gross profit of 1.96B and revenue of 9.88B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 19.8%.
AXP - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, American Express Company reported a gross profit of 17.66B and revenue of 20.88B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 84.6%.
NOC - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Northrop Grumman Corporation reported an operating income of 989.00M and revenue of 9.88B, resulting in an operating margin of 10.0%.
AXP - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, American Express Company reported an operating income of 6.60B and revenue of 20.88B, resulting in an operating margin of 31.6%.
NOC - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Northrop Grumman Corporation reported a net income of 875.00M and revenue of 9.88B, resulting in a net margin of 8.9%.
AXP - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, American Express Company reported a net income of 2.97B and revenue of 20.88B, resulting in a net margin of 14.2%.
Frequently Asked Questions
NOC and AXP have a correlation of 0.07, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
NOC has higher volatility (7.36%) compared to AXP (6.53%). In terms of maximum drawdown, NOC dropped -71.12% vs AXP's -83.91%.
NOC currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (0.51 vs 0.26), meaning it's delivered slightly more return per unit of risk over the trailing 12 months. However, this ranking shifts over time - use the Risk/Return Score above for a more comprehensive view that combines Sharpe, Sortino, and other measures used by quantitative funds.
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