2 Dividend Stocks That Are Off of Hot Starts to 2026

Group 1: Lockheed Martin - Lockheed Martin's stock has increased by 32% year to date, showing strong performance after a flat year in 2025 [3] - The company reported a record backlog of $194 billion and experienced "unprecedented demand" in the previous year, exceeding its own expectations [4] - Lockheed Martin has strong government relationships and is expected to see further growth in 2026, making it an attractive investment [4] - The stock has a market capitalization of $147 billion, a gross margin of 10.15%, and a dividend yield of 2.09%, which is about twice the average S&P 500 stock [6] Group 2: Texas Instruments - Texas Instruments' stock has risen over 26% year to date, driven by strong demand from data centers [7] - The company reported revenue of $4.4 billion for the last three months of 2025, reflecting a 10% year-over-year increase [7] - Texas Instruments has a diversified semiconductor business with over 80,000 parts, making it appealing for growth-oriented investors [8] - The stock has a market capitalization of $199 billion, a gross margin of 57.02%, and a dividend yield of 2.54%, with a history of increasing payouts for 22 consecutive years [10]