VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

Stock Comparison

The Boeing Company vs Northrop Grumman Corporation

Compare moat strength, market structure, and segment coverage to understand how each company defends its edge.

The Boeing Company

BA · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$182.2B
Gross margin (TTM)4.8%
Operating margin (TTM)-5.9%
Net margin (TTM)2.5%
SectorIndustrials
IndustryAerospace & Defense
CountryUS
Data as of2026-05-29
Moat score
65/ 100

Weighted average of segment moat scores, combining moat strength, durability, confidence, market structure, pricing power, and market share.

Full stock profile

Dive deeper into The Boeing Company's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View BA analysis

Northrop Grumman Corporation

NOC · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$78.5B
Gross margin (TTM)20.5%
Operating margin (TTM)11.1%
Net margin (TTM)10.8%
SectorIndustrials
IndustryAerospace & Defense
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-26
Moat score
72/ 100

Weighted average of segment moat scores, combining moat strength, durability, confidence, market structure, pricing power, and market share.

Full stock profile

Dive deeper into Northrop Grumman Corporation's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View NOC analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Northrop Grumman Corporation leads (72 / 100 vs 65 / 100 for The Boeing Company).
  • Segment focus: The Boeing Company has 3 segments (46.3% in Commercial Airplanes (BCA)); Northrop Grumman Corporation has 4 segments (28.7% in Aeronautics Systems).
  • Primary market structure: Duopoly vs Oligopoly. Pricing power: Weak vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: The Boeing Company has 9 moat types across 3 domains; Northrop Grumman Corporation has 6 across 3.

Primary market context

The Boeing Company

Commercial Airplanes (BCA)

Market

Large commercial jet aircraft (narrow-body and wide-body) manufacturing

Geography

Global

Customer

Commercial airlines and aircraft lessors

Role

OEM airframer

Revenue share

46.3%

Northrop Grumman Corporation

Aeronautics Systems

Market

Military aircraft systems (manned & unmanned) plus sustainment/modernization

Geography

Global (primarily United States and allies)

Customer

U.S. government and allied governments

Role

Prime contractor and major subsystem supplier

Revenue share

28.7%

Side-by-side metrics

The Boeing Company
Northrop Grumman Corporation
Ticker / Exchange
BA - New York Stock Exchange
NOC - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$182.2B
$78.5B
Gross margin (TTM)
4.8%
20.5%
Operating margin (TTM)
-5.9%
11.1%
Net margin (TTM)
2.5%
10.8%
Sector
Industrials
Industrials
Industry
Aerospace & Defense
Aerospace & Defense
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Commercial Airplanes (BCA)
Aeronautics Systems
Market structure
Duopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
42%-44% (implied)
n/a
HHI estimate
5,096
n/a
Pricing power
Weak
Moderate
Moat score
65 / 100
72 / 100
Moat domains
Legal, Supply, Demand
Legal, Demand, Supply
Last update
2026-05-29
2025-12-26

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Capex Knowhow ScaleDesign In QualificationGovernment Contracting RelationshipsCompliance Advantage

The Boeing Company strengths

Regulated Standards PipeLong Term ContractsService Field NetworkInstalled Base ConsumablesData Workflow Lockin

Northrop Grumman Corporation strengths

Capacity MoatSwitching Costs General

Segment mix

The Boeing Company segments

Full profile >

Commercial Airplanes (BCA)

Duopoly

46.3%

Defense, Space & Security (BDS)

Oligopoly

30.4%

Global Services (BGS)

Competitive

23.3%

Northrop Grumman Corporation segments

Full profile >

Aeronautics Systems

Oligopoly

28.7%

Defense Systems

Oligopoly

18.8%

Mission Systems

Oligopoly

24.9%

Space Systems

Oligopoly

27.6%

Want the full wide moat stocks list?

Browse the full ranking of wide moat stocks, updated with moat scores and segment context.

View the moat stocks list

Looking for expansion-stage stocks?

Proven models entering the expansion stage with unit economics that work.

View expansion-stage stocks

Curation & Accuracy

This directory blends AI‑assisted discovery with human curation. Entries are reviewed, edited, and organized with the goal of expanding coverage and sharpening quality over time. Your feedback helps steer improvements (because no single human can capture everything all at once).

Details change. Pricing, features, and availability may be incomplete or out of date. Treat listings as a starting point and verify on the provider’s site before making decisions. If you spot an error or a gap, send a quick note and I’ll adjust.