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Best defence stocks
Defence revenue is contracted by government budget, which makes it uncorrelated with the consumer cycle and correlated with geopolitics.
The screen: 9 US exchange-listed companies across 2 sectors (Technology, Industrials), 4 of which pay a dividend. Size mix: 6 large-cap, 1 small-cap, 2 micro-cap.
What separates the winners from the losers here
- Programme of record versus one-off procurement
- Backlog duration
- Fixed-price contract exposure, which is where the losses come from
The full list
| Ticker | Company | Price | 1D | What it is |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PLTR | Palantir | $194.30 | +0.08% | Government and enterprise data platforms with an AI layer. |
| BA | Boeing | $192.00 | +0.26% | Duopoly aircraft backlog against execution problems. |
| LMT | Lockheed Martin | $549.97 | +0.27% | Programme-of-record defence revenue with a solid payout. |
| RTX | RTX | $193.06 | +0.45% | Engines and missiles with a large aftermarket. |
| NOC | Northrop Grumman | $510.80 | +0.05% | Strategic programmes including the bomber and ICBM lines. |
| GD | General Dynamics | $341.44 | +0.02% | Submarines, combat systems and business jets. |
| RKLB | Rocket Lab | $51.44 | +0.16% | Small-launch provider building a larger rocket. |
| BBAI | BigBear.ai | $2.13 | +0.24% | Government-focused analytics with persistent losses and dilution. |
| LUNR | Intuitive Machines | $10.73 | -0.09% | Lunar lander contractor dependent on NASA award timing. |
Where to buy them
To hold these as real shares you need a stockbroker rather than a CFD provider. If you only want exposure to the price movement, a share CFD does that with leverage — and without ownership.
CFD — no ownershipNon-US residents who want a wide US share-CFD list on MetaTrader 4 or 5
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Frequently asked questions
How many defence stocks are in this list?
9, drawn from our US exchange-listed universe and spread across 2 sectors. 4 of them pay a dividend.
Is this a list of defence stocks to buy?
No. It is a screen — a defined, reproducible filter over a stated universe. A screen tells you which companies share a characteristic; it says nothing about whether the price you would pay today is a sensible one. Nothing here is investment advice.
What is the main risk with defence stocks?
Budget-cycle and political risk, plus fixed-price development contracts that have produced large write-downs.
How do I actually buy these from outside the US?
You need a broker that accepts your country of residence and gives you access to US exchanges. To own the shares outright, that usually means an international stockbroker plus a W-8BEN form to claim your treaty rate on dividend withholding.
Screen definition reviewed October 2026. Universe: US exchange-listed securities tracked by InvestingTrading. This page is information, not investment advice.