NOC vs SAIC Stock Comparison
Compare NOC and SAIC across AIQ Score, fundamentals, valuation, momentum, risk, analyst expectations and current market evidence.
What is the main difference between NOC and SAIC?
SAIC leads the current stock comparison as Science Applications International Corporation, with the clearest separation coming from momentum and the broader AIQ evidence mix.
AlgovestIQ AIQ Comparison
Northrop Grumman Corporation vs Science Applications International Corporation
SAIC leads
SAIC leads by 20 AIQ points, primarily on Momentum and Value, having only recently taken the lead back from NOC. Wall Street currently favors NOC on target upside.
Fragile: 4 of 6 evidence groups support SAIC, the lead recently changed hands, and its current signal state is conflicted.
Northrop Grumman Corporation
Science Applications International Corporation
The Algovestiq AIQ Score currently favors SAIC over NOC, 64 versus 44 as of Sep 11, 2026. SAIC's advantage is driven primarily by stronger momentum and value. SAIC also shows the stronger technical structure relative to its 50-day moving average, though analyst target upside currently favors NOC. 4 of 6 covered evidence groups favor SAIC today, and the comparison is rated Fragile on stability: the lead has already changed hands inside the comparison window. SAIC lead: Reversed — NOC led by 2 AIQ points 30 sessions ago; SAIC now leads by 20. SAIC leads on all four AIQ factor dimensions. Value is itself one of those four, so a sweep is not explained by valuation alone — it deserves additional scrutiny for unmodeled catalysts, expectations or event risk.
Compare Northrop Grumman Corporation and Science Applications International Corporation across the Algovestiq AIQ Score, valuation, quality, momentum, risk, technicals and analyst expectations.
Performance over time
Price-return comparison using available daily close history.
Total return comparison
Growth of $10,000
Based on available close-price history. Distribution reinvestment is not added unless already reflected in the source series.
Compare NOC and SAIC against another ticker
Open a multi-ticker workspace without changing this focused pair page.
AIQ Factor Divergence
Where the two separate, on the four dimensions behind the AIQ Score. Bars read outward from a shared zero: further from the centre is a wider gap.
- Momentum10 vs 66SAIC +56
- Value64 vs 73SAIC +9
- Risk Resilience43 vs 52SAIC +9
- Quality52 vs 59SAIC +7
4 of 6 evidence groups favor SAIC. SAIC’s edge is concentrated in momentum and value.
What changed since the last close
Latest scored session 2026-09-10, compared against the prior scored session 2026-09-09.
Largest factor move: Momentum +2
No new signals fired.
Largest factor move: Momentum +12
No new signals fired.
SAIC's lead widened by 2 AIQ points in the latest snapshot.
Deeper signal detail for each name lives on its own signals page — NOC and SAIC both carry a full feed there.
The central trade-off
SAIC (Science Applications International Corporation): the stronger current systematic profile, led by momentum and value.
NOC (Northrop Grumman Corporation): the counter-case, on fundamentals, analyst expectations — but at materially higher volatility, 26.2% against 21%.
The AIQ Score and Wall Street therefore point in different directions on this pair.
Which one fits your objective
The same two names rank differently depending on what you are optimizing for. All six reads are shown at once — none of them is hidden behind a toggle.
Balanced
SAICSAIC on the overall AIQ Score, which weights Quality and Value most heavily.
Growth
SAICSAIC on combined revenue and EPS growth.
Value
SAICSAIC on the peer-relative Value factor, by 9 points.
Momentum
SAICSAIC on the Momentum factor, by 56 points.
Lower downside
SAICSAIC on Risk Resilience, by 9 points.
Analyst upside
NOCNOC on implied upside to the consensus price target.
AIQ vs Wall Street
The model and the Street disagree here: AIQ favors SAIC, analyst targets favor NOC. That disagreement is the most useful thing on this page.
| Measure | NOC | SAIC | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Implied upside to target | +22.6% | -7.1% | NOC has more room |
| Target dispersion | +38.5% | +48.9% | Lower is tighter analyst agreement |
| Consensus | Buy | Hold | Context, not a primary driver |
| Analysts covering | 9 | 4 | Higher coverage generally improves confidence |
The two are measuring different things. The AIQ Score reads current fundamentals, valuation, trend and risk; analyst targets price forward expectations. A divergence of this kind is either a contrarian opportunity or a sign the model is missing something already priced in — it is worth resolving before acting on either.
Analyst targets are expectations, not predictions. Dispersion matters as much as the midpoint.
AIQ Agreement Matrix
4 of 6 covered evidence groups favor SAIC. A wide gap backed by one group is a weaker case than a narrow gap backed by five.
| Evidence group | Favors | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| AIQ Score | SAIC | 44 vs 64 |
| Fundamentals | NOCon balance | revenue growth 10.1% vs 8.9%; EPS growth 25% vs 39.2%; TTM ROE 26.6% vs 25.9%; gross margin 20.1% vs 12.6%; operating margin 10.2% vs 7.8% — NOC takes 4 of 5 decided legs, not all of them |
| Valuation | SAIC | Value 64 vs 73 |
| Technicals | SAIC | Price vs 50-day -4.7% vs 7.3%; vs 200-day -13.8% vs 23.1% |
| Risk Resilience | SAIC | Risk Resilience 43 vs 52 |
| Analyst expectations | NOC | Target upside 22.6% vs -7.1% |
✓ agrees with the overall verdict · ✕ points the other way. Groups marked “not covered” lack data on one or both of NOC and SAIC and are excluded from the count.
AIQ Decision Stability
The conclusion is sensitive to small changes. Treat the lead as provisional and watch the flip conditions below.
- The AIQ gap is wide at 20 points. (supports the conclusion holding)
- The lead has already changed hands inside the comparison window. (argues the conclusion is provisional)
- The lead has swung materially session to session. (argues the conclusion is provisional)
- The leader is throwing conflicting signals. (argues the conclusion is provisional)
Stability combines the score gap, how broadly the evidence agrees, how steady the lead has been across daily snapshots, the current signal state on both names, and analyst dispersion on SAIC.
How the comparison changed
119 daily snapshots · May 4 – Sep 10SAIC lead: Reversed — NOC led by 2 AIQ points 30 sessions ago; SAIC now leads by 20.
- Today
- SAIC +20
- 44 vs 64
- 7 sessions ago
- SAIC +21
- 43 vs 64
- 30 sessions ago
- NOC +2
- 61 vs 59
- 90 sessions ago
- NOC +6
- 59 vs 53
The lead changed hands 12 times in this window, most recently on Aug 20 when SAIC moved ahead of NOC.
AIQ Signal Divergence
Only the signals that bear on the head-to-head. A conflicted name is carrying bullish and bearish rules at the same time — the technical evidence is not pointing one way.
1 bullish / 4 bearish, conflicted
- Death Cross Active — bearish, trend, long horizon (10.55%)
- Keltner Channel Breakdown — bearish, volatility, short horizon
- RSI Oversold - Potential Bounce — bullish, momentum, short horizon
3 bullish / 1 bearish / 1 neutral, conflicted
- Golden Cross Active — bullish, trend, long horizon (15.76%)
- Bollinger Band Squeeze — neutral, volatility, short horizon
- EMA Ribbon Expansion Bullish — bullish, trend, medium horizon
SAIC leads the comparison while carrying a conflicted signal state, which is one reason the stability rating is not higher.
Price vs model alignment
Whether the latest session's price move confirms what the model did over the same session, or contradicts it.
Neither the price nor the AIQ Score moved enough in the latest session to confirm or contradict the other (price +0%, AIQ +1 points).
Price and the AIQ Score both moved up over the latest session (price +0.89%, AIQ +3 points).
What would flip this result
A state, not a forecast. These are the specific, observable changes that would reverse the verdict — not a price prediction.
- 1NOC closes the Momentum gap — currently 56 points behind, the largest single contributor to SAIC's edge.
- 2NOC's Death Cross Active resolves — a bearish trend rule currently active against it.
- 3SAIC's conflicting signal state resolves bearish — it currently carries 3 bullish and 1 bearish rules at once.
- 4A regime shift changes factor weighting — Quality and Value carry the heaviest weights in the composite, so a rotation toward either would move the result most.
The full evidence
Every number behind the verdict. The leader is called above each group so you are not left to solve it from the table.
Fundamentals
NOC leads on balance| Metric | NOC | SAIC |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue growth (YoY) | 10.1% | 8.9% |
| EPS growth (YoY) | 25% | 39.2% |
| Gross margin | 20.1% | 12.6% |
| Operating margin | 10.2% | 7.8% |
| Return on equity (TTM) | 26.6% | 25.9% |
| Debt to equity | 0.91 | 0.18 |
Performance
SAIC leads 6 of 6 windows| Metric | NOC | SAIC |
|---|---|---|
| 1 week (5 sessions) | -0.9% | 1.2% |
| 1 month (20 sessions) | -10.1% | 1.9% |
| 3 months (63 sessions) | -4.3% | 12.7% |
| 6 months (126 sessions) | -29.2% | 40.6% |
| Year to date | -9% | 27.4% |
| 1 year (252 sessions) | -10.8% | 22.6% |
Technicals
SAIC has the stronger structure| Metric | NOC | SAIC |
|---|---|---|
| RSI (14) | 23.1 | 56.9 |
| ADX (14) | 15.7 | 32.4 |
| Price vs 50-day | -4.7% | 7.3% |
| Price vs 200-day | -13.8% | 23.1% |
| Volatility (1M, annualized) | 26.2% | 21% |
Risk
SAIC is the more resilient| Metric | NOC | SAIC |
|---|---|---|
| Beta | 0.1 | 0.22 |
| Sharpe ratio | -0.36 | 0.67 |
| Sortino ratio | -0.54 | 0.91 |
| Max drawdown | -35.4% | -28.1% |
| Current drawdown | -32.4% | -0.2% |
| Annualized volatility | 27.3% | 39.6% |
| Value at risk (95%) | -2.5% | -3.3% |
Straight answers
Each answer is regenerated from the current snapshot, not written once and left to age.
Which is better, NOC or SAIC?
On the Algovestiq AIQ Score, SAIC is the stronger of the two as of Sep 11, 2026, scoring 64 against NOC's 44. The edge comes from momentum and value. This is a systematic score, not a recommendation: it ranks the two on the same evidence, it does not know your holding period or tax position.
Is NOC or SAIC the better buy right now?
SAIC carries the stronger systematic profile as of Sep 11, 2026, and the comparison is rated Fragile — 4 of 6 covered evidence groups agree. A Fragile rating means the conclusion is sensitive: the lead has already changed hands inside the comparison window. Treat the lead as provisional.
Why does the AIQ Score favor SAIC over NOC?
The composite weights Quality, Value, Momentum and Risk Resilience. SAIC leads Momentum by 56 points; SAIC leads Value by 9 points; SAIC leads Risk Resilience by 9 points. SAIC leads on all four AIQ factor dimensions. Value is itself one of those four, so the sweep is not explained by NOC simply being cheaper — it warrants extra scrutiny for unmodeled catalysts, forward expectations or event risk the factors do not capture.
Which has more analyst upside, NOC or SAIC?
Analyst price targets imply +22.6% upside for NOC and -7.1% for SAIC, so the Street currently favors NOC. That points the opposite way to the AIQ Score, which favors SAIC. The two are measuring different things: the model reads current fundamentals, valuation, trend and risk; the Street is pricing forward expectations. A divergence of this kind is either a contrarian opportunity or a sign the model is missing something the analysts have already priced — it is the single most useful row on this page to investigate. Analyst targets are expectations, not predictions, and dispersion matters as much as the midpoint.
Which is better value, NOC or SAIC?
SAIC is the better-valued of the two on the peer-relative Value factor. SAIC on the peer-relative Value factor, by 9 points. The Value factor reads valuation relative to sector peers and to the company's own fundamental quality, so it is not the same as simply having the lower multiple.
Which has stronger growth, NOC or SAIC?
SAIC on combined revenue and EPS growth. Growth here is measured on reported revenue and earnings, not on forward estimates — it describes what the businesses have delivered, not what the Street expects next.
Which has stronger momentum, NOC or SAIC?
SAIC on the Momentum factor, by 56 points. Momentum is one of the four weighted factors in the AIQ composite. It has documented persistence over three- to twelve-month horizons, which makes it a timing input rather than a reason to hold something indefinitely.
Which is riskier, NOC or SAIC?
SAIC is the more resilient of the two, so the other name carries the higher downside risk. SAIC on Risk Resilience, by 9 points. Risk Resilience is a weighted factor in the composite; position sizing usually responds to it more usefully than the buy/avoid decision does.
Is NOC more profitable than SAIC?
NOC leads on the comparable margin measures — gross margin 20.1% vs 12.6%; operating margin 10.2% vs 7.8%; ttm roe 26.6% vs 25.9%.
Is SAIC's lead over NOC getting stronger or weaker?
SAIC lead: Reversed — NOC led by 2 AIQ points 30 sessions ago; SAIC now leads by 20. This is measured from 119 daily comparison snapshots between 2026-05-04 and 2026-09-10. The lead has changed hands 12 times in that window, most recently on 2026-08-20, when SAIC moved ahead of NOC.
What would change the NOC vs SAIC verdict?
The result is a state, not a forecast, so it changes when the underlying evidence changes. Concretely: NOC closes the Momentum gap — currently 56 points behind, the largest single contributor to SAIC's edge; NOC's Death Cross Active resolves — a bearish trend rule currently active against it; SAIC's conflicting signal state resolves bearish — it currently carries 3 bullish and 1 bearish rules at once; a regime shift changes factor weighting — Quality and Value carry the heaviest weights in the composite, so a rotation toward either would move the result most.
What do the current signals say about NOC and SAIC?
NOC: 1 bullish / 4 bearish, conflicted. SAIC: 3 bullish / 1 bearish / 1 neutral, conflicted. A conflicted state means bullish and bearish rules are active on the same name at once — the technical evidence is not pointing one way, and a decision taken on it carries more timing risk. The most decision-relevant rule on NOC is Death Cross Active (bearish, long horizon). On SAIC it is Golden Cross Active (bullish, long horizon).
Compare NOC and SAIC with others
Continue your research
This page answers which of the two. These answer the questions on either side of it.
How this comparison is scored
The Algovestiq AIQ Score composites four factors — Quality, Value, Momentum and Risk, each carrying a fixed weight. Sentiment is reported separately as SentimentPulse and is not folded into the composite. Scores refresh every trading day, and this page regenerates from the latest snapshot rather than being written once.
The verdict names a leader, states how broadly six independent evidence groups agree, and rates how durable that conclusion is given the score gap, its recent trajectory and the current signal state on both names.
How to use side-by-side comparison →This comparison is informational and educational, not investment advice. AIQ scores update daily; re-check after earnings, guidance or macro data that materially changes either name’s factor profile.