Northrop forecasts 2017 earnings below estimates

REUTERS - U.S. weapons maker Northrop Grumman Corp reported a 14.4 percent rise in quarterly profit on Thursday, but forecast 2017 earnings per share below analysts' estimates. Northrop, which makes the center sections for F-35 fighter jets, forecast 2017 earnings of $11.30-$11.60 per share and sales of about $25 billion. Analysts on average had expected earnings of $12.23 per share and revenue of $25.03 billion, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S. ...