
Northrop Grumman [NOC] on Wednesday posted a slight increase in sales and a slight drop in net income due to lower segment margins and pension headwinds but per share earnings rose nicely due to a lower share count stemming from the company’s repurchases of its stock.Net income dipped nearly 3 percent to $517 million, $2.85 earnings per share (EPS), from $531 million ($2.74 EPS) a year ago, topping consensus estimates by 32 cents per share. Operating margins fell a half-percent…