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When geopolitical tensions flare up, defense stocks tend to gain momentum. That’s precisely what happened in the past week.After the U.S. and Israel launched widespread strikes on Iran, killing Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and triggering Iranian retaliation that killed three U.S. service members, defense stocks surged. Lockheed Martin jumped more than 3%, CNBC reported. Northrop Grumman climbed around 6%. European names like BAE Systems and Hensoldt rose roughly 6% and 5%, respectively.But here’s the thing: Lockheed (LMT) isn’t just a geopolitical trade. It’s a 114-year-old dividend machine with a war chest of contracts and a backlog that would make most companies jealous.Why Lockheed Martin is more than a defense playLockheedtraces its roots to December 1912, when brothers Allan and Malcolm Lockheed founded the Alco Hydro-Aeroplane Company out of a San Francisco garage. The Glenn L. Martin Company, the other half of today’s Lockheed Martin, was incorporated that same year. The two companies merged in 1995 to form one of the most dominant defense contractors in history.Today, the company employs roughly 121,000 people and operates across four business segments: Aeronautics, Missiles and Fire Control (MFC), Rotary and Mission Systems (RMS), and Space.In 2025, Lockheed posted$75 billion in sales, a 6% year-over-year increase, and ended the year with a record backlog of $194 billion. That’s about two-and-a-half times its annual revenue sitting in the pipeline.Lockheed President and CEO James Taiclet said:For 2026, management is guiding for sales of $77.5 billion to $80 billion, implying another 5% in organic growth. Free cash flow is expected to land between $6.5 billion and $6.8 billion.That matters a lot for dividend investors.

Lockheed Martin is poised to grow its dividends in 2026 and beyond.Bloomberg/ Getty Images

Lockheed Martin’s dividend mathLockheed Martin pays an annual dividend of $13.80 per share, with a current yield of around 2.1%. The dividend is paid quarterly, with the most recent quarterly payment of $3.45 per share.With roughly 230 million shares outstanding, that amounts to approximately $3.2 billion in annual dividend payments to shareholders.More Dividend Stocks:This megacap AI stock pays over $12 billion in annual dividends147-year-energy behemoth expected to raise dividends as oil surges past $90156-year-old energy giant to pay $17 billion in dividends as oil spikes to $110That $3.2 billion payout looks very comfortable against $6.5 billion-plus in projected free cash flow. LMT is essentially paying out less than half of the cash it generates. The remainder is allocated to capital expenditures, research and development, share buybacks, and strategic investments.Here’s a quick breakdown of key dividend metrics for LMT stock.Annual dividend per share: $13.80Quarterly dividend per share: $3.45Dividend yield: Around 2.10%Payout ratio: About 48%Dividend growth rate (10-year average): Approx. 12.12%Dividend frequency: QuarterlyAnalysts tracking LMT stock forecast free cash flow to increase to $7.6 billion in 2030, which should support consistent dividend hikes. The growth story behind the dividendWhat makes Lockheed interesting right now isn’t just the yield. It’s the runway.The defense behemoth recently signed groundbreaking seven-year framework agreements with the U.S. Department of War for both PAC-3 MSE interceptors and THAAD missile systems. Under the old system, defense contracts were awarded annually, making it nearly impossible for companies to plan long-term investments or ramp production efficiently.The PAC-3 agreement could triple annual production capacity, from roughly 600 interceptors per year to 2,000. That kind of scale requires serious upfront investment, but it also locks in revenue for years to come.Lockheed’s Chief Financial Officer Evan Scott said on the company’s January earnings call that MFC could see double-digit sales growth through the end of the decade, potentially reaching mid-teens in some years.Related: Goldman Sachs resets price target for this Dow 30 dividend stockThe F-35 program remains the crown jewel. With 191 jets delivered in 2025, a record number, and roughly 1,200 to 1,300 aircraft already built out of a total program of record of 3,500, Lockheed is only about one-third of the way through the production run. Nineteen countries currently fly or have ordered the F-35.Sustainment revenue, the maintenance, parts, and upgrades side of the business, is growing even faster, with Lockheed guiding for approaching double-digit growth in F-35 sustainment alone.Meanwhile, the company is investing heavily in Golden Dome, the U.S. missile defense initiative, through satellite tracking systems, ground-based radars, and battle management software. It’s also developing autonomous Black Hawk helicopters, drone wingman technology for the F-22 and F-35, and a new low-cost cruise missile called CMMT.Lockheed Martin: a dividend built to lastThe backdrop matters here. Geopolitical uncertainty is rising. Defense budgets globally are climbing. And Lockheed is sitting on a record backlog, with multi-year contract frameworks that provide the long-term visibility most industries simply don’t enjoy.Lockheed Martin has paid dividends continuously since 1986, according to Macrotrends, and the company has grown its dividend at nearly 6% annually over the past five years.With $6.5 billion or more in free cash flow expected in 2026, a roughly $3.2 billion dividend obligation, and a backlog that extends well past this decade, Lockheed Martin’s dividend looks as solid as the steel in its missile casings.LMT stock offers something rare: a durable payout backed by real earnings power. Out of the 14 analysts covering LMT stock, three recommend “buy” and 11 recommend “hold.” The average LMT stock price target is $659, marginally above the current price. Related: JPMorgan lowers price target on this fintech dividend stock

TheStreet aims to feature only the best products and services. If you buy something via one of our links, we may earn a commission.Why I love this dealSince I review products for a living as a Commerce Editor, I tend to be pretty picky when it comes to buying new things for my home. I spend a lot of leisure time in my upstairs gaming room, which doubles as my husband’s office with a desk, a TV mounted on the wall, and an L-shaped couch. But we don’t have a coffee table in the room, since it’s a small space, adding one could get in the way of his desk chair. So while it’s comfortable to lounge on the sofa and play a game, there wasn’t a good spot to put my drink down, leaving me the awkward option of placing it on the floor.I thought side tables or TV trays might solve our problem. But I am a fan of nice design, so I didn’t want to opt for the typical tray table, as they aren’t attractive to me (you know the one I mean). However, I did want a budget-friendly option, and I knew it could be challenging to find something both attractive and inexpensive. That’s when I found the Amhancible C-Shaped Side Table Set on Amazon, which is currently on sale for $40. I really liked its shape and that it could hug the side of a couch, so I decided to take a chance on them, and I’m so glad I did.Amhancible C-Shaped Side Table Set, $40 (was $57) at Amazon

Courtesy of Amazon

Why a $40 table set transformed my gaming roomWhile I do spend some evenings downstairs in my favorite reading nook, my husband and I spend the majority of our time together in our gaming room, either watching YouTube or playing two-player games together. But having nowhere to put our drinks, the TV remote, or our phones was annoying, which is why I decided to invest in the Amhancible C-Shaped Table Set after researching my options.I chose this set over other side table sets because it had a clean, modern look I liked, and it’s earned more than 1,500 five-star reviews on Amazon. Doing some market research, I learned that solid wood tray table sets typically cost $60 and up, with some sets going as high as $100 to $200 from retailers like Wayfair and Lowe’s. The Amazon option was a perfect fit for both my budget and my aesthetic preferences.Unlike a regular side table, the C-shaped legs were built to hug the edge of a couch. I placed one on each side of ours, meaning no matter where we sat, a table was close by. These tables are ideal for a small room, and they added the space we desperately needed. Now we can easily have a snack and place our plate and cup on the tables while we watch a movie or play a game together.The gaming room has a low-pile carpet, and these tables have felt very steady standing on it. I haven’t tried them on a hardwood floor, but they do have small rubber feet, so I imagine they would do just fine on that surface as well.

Courtesy of Colette Bennett

These tables have a powder-coated metal frame and engineered wood tabletops, so one important tip is to use coasters so you don’t damage them. If moisture gets into engineered wood, it can cause buckling and peeling, so don’t get it wet. While solid wood is a nice choice for tables like this, it’s also heavier, and I wanted a lightweight option, which is why I went with engineered wood instead.These tables do require assembly, but it only took me about 15 minutes to put both together, and the tools you need are included. Each one can hold up to 22 pounds, so you can even use these as a laptop table (and I do that sometimes in the game room when I’m working while my husband is gaming).Details to knowColors: These tables are available in four colors, including Rustic Brown, gray, dark gray, and black. Material: Powder-coated steel base and engineered wood top.Measurements: Each table is 15.35 inches deep, 11.41 inches wide, and 23.23 inches high.Related: Walmart’s ‘sharp’ buffet cabinet is on sale for just $96, and it’s ‘great for an at-home bar’Shop more deals Qeeig Narrow C-Shaped Table Set, $34 (was $50) at AmazonFuyao C-Shaped Couch Table, $63 (was $70) at AmazonElbourn Folding Side Table for Couch, $40 (was $50) at AmazonOur game room is one of my favorite spots in our home, and now it’s both comfortable and functional thanks to the Amhancible C-Shaped Side Table Set. They’re easy to move and convenient to use, and thanks to a 30% off sale at Amazon, they’re just $40 for the pair. I highly recommend you try them out if you’re looking for a small tray table set that’s budget-friendly.

One of the most closed-off countries in the world, North Korea is both difficult and dangerous to access.Under the control of the Kim dynasty since the end of World War II, the northern part of the Korean Peninsula remains under a full “do not travel” advisory by most other nations. This is due to the policy of strict state control and authoritarian rule that left the country isolated from the rest of the world, while its southern neighbor developed into a modern democracy and economic powerhouse.That said, small numbers of tourists primarily from neighboring China and Russia did make it to North Korea in the years before the country closed down completely during the Covid pandemic in 2020. Over the last half-decade, North Korea resumed some tourism with direct flights from several Russian cities as the latter country was also isolated by democratic nations over its invasion of Ukraine in 2022.China, North Korea restart passenger train between two countries this MarchThe only official way for Western tourists to enter North Korea has traditionally been through a limited number of guided tours from China or South Korea. These have restarted on a very limited basis, as a passenger train between Beijing and the North Korean capital of Pyongyang is set to run for the first time since 2020 on March 13.Tourists cannot access the tours, only Chinese residents with documentation showing they are studying or working in North Korea. North Koreans who have the right to exit the country for work, study, or family visits will also be able to purchase tickets from an agency in Pyongyang.Related: North Korea is opening up to international tourists (yes, really)The China Railways K27/28 route was first launched in 1954 and crossed a distance of approximately 496 miles or 800 kilometers. The modern route will take just over 24 hours by leaving at Beijing at 10 a.m. and arriving in Pyongyang at 6:07 p.m. the following day after a stopover of several hours in the Chinese border city of Dandong.China’s national railways also confirmed that the train will run four times a week on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays.

North Korea is one of the most closed-off countries in the world.Shutterstock

Here is who can now take the train from China to North KoreaWhile a time frame for reopening the route to tourists has not been revealed, some tour operators based in China see it as an important first step to restoring the border situation that existed prior to the pandemic.”It’s great to see the international train service resuming,” Rowan Beard, who leads tourist groups through Beijing-based Young Pioneer Tours, told The Guardian.More Travel News:Airline to launch unusual new flight to Cayman Islands from the U.S.Iranian strike hits major airport, injuries reportedUnexpected country is most luxurious travel destination for 2026U.S. government issues sudden warning on Switzerland travelEven more isolated from the rest of the world after closing down to all non-citizens after the pandemic, North Korea has recently been trying to grow its tourism industry without making any significant changes to the politics that led to its isolation — primarily by organizing tours to some of its ski resorts for Russian tourists.While some have previously made it into the country through tours from China, U.S. citizens have not been allowed to use an American passport to enter North Korea since 2016, when 22-year-old Ohio student Otto Warmbier died in custody after his arrest for taking a hotel poster.Related: Low-cost airline will launch new flight to Brazil from U.S.