Northrop Grumman (NOC), the defence contractor, reported third quarter sales up 7% to $11.12bn. EPS increased to $7.89 from $7.67, beating expectations of $7.18. Strong demand lifted aeronautics sales by 14% and defence systems sales by 12%, while its order backlog reached approximately $110bn. The company raised its 2026 earnings outlook, supported by sustained defence spending and a record backlog. Shares gained ~5%.