KALU vs RTX vs LMT vs BA vs NOC

For growth investors, The Boeing Company (BA) is the stronger pick with 34.

5% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 2. 2% for Northrop Grumman Corporation (NOC). Northrop Grumman Corporation (NOC) offers the better valuation at 19. 0x trailing P/E (19. 8x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate RTX Corporation (RTX) a "Buy" — based on 26 analyst ratings — the highest consensus in this comparison. The "better buy" depends entirely on your goals: growth investors should weight revenue trajectory, value investors should weight P/E and PEG, and income investors should weight dividend yield and streak.

On trailing P/E, Northrop Grumman Corporation (NOC) is the cheapest at 19.

0x versus The Boeing Company at 93. 2x. On forward P/E, Lockheed Martin Corporation is actually cheaper at 17. 1x — notably different from the trailing picture, reflecting expected earnings growth. The PEG ratio (P/E divided by earnings growth rate) is the most growth-adjusted single valuation metric: Kaiser Aluminum Corporation wins at 0. 62x versus Northrop Grumman Corporation's 2. 23x — a PEG below 1. 0 traditionally signals the market is underpricing earnings growth.

Over the past 5 years, RTX Corporation (RTX) delivered a total return of +120.

1%, compared to -1. 9% for The Boeing Company (BA). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: RTX returned +234. 7% versus BA's +94. 6%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.

By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Northrop Grumman Corporation (NOC) is the lower-risk stock at 0.

03β versus Kaiser Aluminum Corporation's 1. 71β — meaning KALU is approximately 5882% more volatile than NOC relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, RTX Corporation (RTX) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 59% versus 10% for The Boeing Company — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), The Boeing Company (BA) is pulling ahead at 34.

5% versus 2. 2% for Northrop Grumman Corporation (NOC). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Kaiser Aluminum Corporation grew EPS 135. 9% year-over-year, compared to -3. 7% for Lockheed Martin Corporation. Over a 3-year CAGR, BA leads at 10. 3% annualised revenue growth. Higher growth typically commands a higher valuation multiple — check whether the premium P/E or P/S is justified by the growth rate using the PEG ratio.

Northrop Grumman Corporation (NOC) is the more profitable company, earning 10.

0% net margin versus 2. 5% for The Boeing Company — meaning it keeps 10. 0% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: LMT leads at 10. 3% versus -6. 1% for BA. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — RTX leads at 20. 1%, reflecting greater pricing power or product mix advantage. Stronger margins indicate durable pricing power, lower cost of revenue, or higher mix of software/services. They are one of the clearest signs of business quality.

The PEG ratio (forward P/E divided by expected earnings growth rate) is the most precise measure of undervaluation relative to growth potential.

By this metric, Kaiser Aluminum Corporation (KALU) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 0. 62x versus Northrop Grumman Corporation's 2. 23x. A PEG below 1. 0 is traditionally considered the threshold for growth-adjusted undervaluation. On forward earnings alone, Lockheed Martin Corporation (LMT) trades at 17. 1x forward P/E versus 4979. 1x for The Boeing Company — 4962. 0x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for NOC: 32. 5% to $731. 46.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

Lockheed Martin Corporation (LMT) offers the highest yield at 2. 6%, versus 0. 2% for The Boeing Company (BA).

For long-horizon retirement investors, Northrop Grumman Corporation (NOC) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.

03), 1. 6% yield, +186. 0% 10Y return). Kaiser Aluminum Corporation (KALU) carries a higher beta of 1. 71 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (NOC: +186. 0%, KALU: +135. 1%), confirming both are viable long-term holds — but the lower-volatility option typically results in less emotional selling during corrections. Retirement portfolios generally favour predictability over maximum returns. Consult a financial advisor before making allocation decisions.

These companies operate in different sectors (KALU (Basic Materials) and RTX (Industrials) and LMT (Industrials) and BA (Industrials) and NOC (Industrials)), which means they face different economic cycles, regulatory environments, and macro sensitivities — making direct comparison nuanced.

In terms of investment character: KALU is a small-cap quality compounder stock; RTX is a large-cap quality compounder stock; LMT is a mid-cap quality compounder stock; BA is a mid-cap high-growth stock; NOC is a mid-cap quality compounder stock. KALU, RTX, LMT, NOC pay a dividend while BA does not, making them suitable for different income and tax situations. These fundamental differences mean investors should not choose between them on a single metric — the "better stock" depends entirely on which of these characteristics aligns with your investment strategy.