NORTHROP GRUMMAN CORP DE

Northrop Grumman Corporation (herein referred to as “Northrop Grumman,” the “company,” “we,” “us,” or “our”) is a leading global aerospace and defense technology company. We deliver a broad range of products, services and solutions to United States (U.S.) and international customers, and principally to the U.S Department of Defense (DoD) and intelligence community. Our broad portfolio is aligned to support national security priorities and our solutions equip our customers with capabilities they need to connect, protect and advance humanity.

The company is a leading provider of space systems, advanced aircraft, missile defense, advanced weapons and long-range fires capabilities, mission systems, networking and communications, strategic deterrence systems, and breakthrough technologies, such as artificial intelligence, advanced computing and cyber. We are focused on competing and winning programs that enable continued growth, performing on our commitments and affordably delivering capability our customers need. With the investments we've made in advanced technologies, combined with our talented workforce and digital transformation capabilities, Northrop Grumman is well positioned to meet our customers' needs today and in the future.

The following discussion should be read along with the financial statements included in this Form 10-Q, as well as “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations,” “Liquidity and Capital Resources,” “Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risks” and “Risk Factors” in our 2023 Annual Report on Form 10-K, which provides additional information on our business, the environment in which we operate and our operating results.

Global Security Environment

The U.S. and its allies continue to face a global security environment of heightened tensions and instability, threats from state and non-state actors, including in particular major global powers, as well as terrorist organizations, increasing nuclear tensions, diverse regional security concerns and political instability. The market for defense products, services and solutions globally is driven by these complex and evolving security challenges, considered in the broader context of political and socioeconomic circumstances and priorities. Our operations and financial performance, as well as demand for our products and services, are impacted by these events, including global unrest. The same is true for our suppliers and other business partners.

The ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and the escalating hostilities in the Middle East and threats elsewhere, particularly in the Pacific region, have increased global tensions and instability and highlighted security requirements globally, including in Europe, the Middle East and the Pacific region, as well as the U.S. These conflicts have resulted in and may continue to result in increased demand for defense products and services from allies and partner nations, particularly in those areas. For example, we have experienced, and, while difficult to predict, may continue to experience, an increase in demand for certain of our products and services directly and indirectly related to the conflict in Ukraine. Sales may occur directly or through the U.S. if it provides increased military assistance and support to Ukraine. We have not experienced, and do not anticipate experiencing, significant adverse financial impacts directly from the ongoing conflicts in Ukraine or the Middle East.

We believe the current global security environment highlights the significant national security threats to the U.S. and its allies, and the need for strong deterrence and robust defense capabilities, and are actively evaluating both opportunities and risks associated with this environment. We believe our capabilities, particularly in space, C4ISR, missile defense, battle management, advanced weapons, strategic deterrence, and survivable aircraft and mission systems should help our customers in the U.S. and globally defend against current and future threats and, as a result, continue to allow for long-term profitable business growth.

Global Economic Environment

Over the past several years, the global economic environment has experienced extraordinary challenges, including inflationary pressures; widespread delays and disruptions in supply chains; business slowdowns or shutdowns; workforce challenges and labor shortfalls; and market volatility. These macroeconomic factors have contributed, and we expect will continue to contribute, to increased costs, delays, disruptions and other performance challenges, as well as increased competing demands for limited resources to address such increased costs and other challenges, for our company, our suppliers and partners, and our customers. We continue to work hard to mitigate challenges caused by the macroeconomic environment on our business. We are seeing positive progress in the supply chain as on-time deliveries and quality have improved. In remaining areas of pressure, we are proactively working with our suppliers to ensure we meet our contract commitments. Although certain pockets of our business were adversely affected by the broader macroeconomic environment during the third quarter of 2024, the overall financial impact on our company has continued to subside.

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In addition, although the federal funds interest rate decreased in the third quarter of 2024, an overall increase in interest rates in recent years has raised the cost of borrowing for governments, and if rates were to increase again, it could further impact government spending priorities (in the U.S. and allied countries, in particular), including their demand for defense products. Economic tensions and changes in international trade policies, including higher tariffs on imported goods and materials and renegotiation of free trade agreements, could also further impact the global market for defense products, services and solutions.

U.S. Political, Budget and Regulatory Environment

The U.S. continues to face an uncertain and evolving political, budget and regulatory environment. In particular, it is difficult to predict the specific course of future defense budgets. Current and future requirements related to the conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East, threats in the Pacific regions and other security priorities, as well as global inflation, the national debt, and other domestic priorities, among other things, in the U.S. and globally, will continue to impact our customers’ budgets, spending and priorities, and our industry. The U.S. political environment, including the U.S. election cycle, may also impact defense budgets and priorities, issues related to the national debt, and government spending more broadly. We anticipate that issues related to budgetary priorities and defense spending levels, the debt ceiling, and the spending caps imposed by the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023 (FRA), particularly with respect to discretionary spending, will continue to be a subject of considerable debate, with a potentially significant impact on our programs and the company.

On March 11, 2024, the Administration released its budget request for FY 2025. The request included $895 billion for national security, $850 billion of which is for the DoD. FY 2025 appropriations have not been enacted and, on September 26, 2024, the President signed into law a continuing resolution (CR) to carry forward FY 2024 funding levels into FY 2025 while negotiations continue regarding full-year appropriations. The CR runs through December 20, 2024. It remains uncertain when the government will approve final FY 2025 appropriations, and the levels of funding that FY 2025 appropriations will provide. Government operations under an extended CR could have potential impacts on our programs and new starts, in particular.

On March 23, 2024, the President signed into law the Further Consolidated Appropriations Act for FY 2024, which provided funding for government agencies, including $825 billion for the DoD, through September 30, 2024. On April 24, 2024, the President signed into law bills providing $95 billion in supplemental funding for Ukraine, Israel and Indo-Pacific, which include $67 billion in DoD funding for the restock of U.S. munitions and additional capacity.

The political environment, federal budget, debt ceiling and regulatory environment, including potential tax reform, are expected to continue to be the subject of considerable debate, especially in light of the ongoing conflicts and heightened global tensions, the macroeconomic environment and political tensions. The results of those debates could have material impacts on defense spending broadly and the company’s programs in particular.