10 Best Performing Defense Stocks So Far in 2026

8. Curtiss-Wright Corporation (NYSE:CW)

YTD Return: 32%

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 59

Curtiss-Wright Corporation (NYSE:CW) is among the 10 Best Performing Defense Stocks So Far in 2026. On May 14, the company declared a quarterly dividend of $0.26 per share. The payment is scheduled for July 6 to all stockholders as of June 15.

This is an 8% increase over the previous dividend and marks the 10th consecutive year the company has raised its dividend, resulting in an annual payout of $1.04 per share. As of the close on Friday, CW has an annual dividend yield of 0.14%.

Curtiss-Wright Corporation (NYSE:CW) has become an attractive pick for investors due to its robust backlog of orders and an increase in global defense spending. The stock has returned 32% year-to-date as of the close on May 22. Over the past 12 months, it has been up 76%.

Wall Street has a Moderate Buy rating on its shares and anticipates an average upside of 8%. Recent updates include Citigroup, which on May 18 raised the price target to $775 from $728 and maintained a Neutral rating.

The company reported a 13% increase in sales for Q1 2026 to $914 million. Operating income came in at $160 million, up 23% year-over-year, and diluted EPS of $3.46, improving from $2.68 in the prior year’s period. It received new orders worth $1.2 billion during the quarter, taking the total backlog to $4.3 billion. Following the results, the management announced to raise its guidance for the full year across all major metrics.

Curtiss-Wright Corporation (NYSE:CW) is an integrated business that provides engineered products, solutions, and services for the aerospace and defense markets.