3 Dividend-Paying Defense Stocks to Buy in February That Yield More Than the S&P 500

The defense industry provides a range of products for national security, from aviation and aircraft to missiles, helicopters, information technology, ships, space defense, and more. Unlike most of the industrial sector, defense stocks tend to be steady performers thanks to their sales cycle, which relies on government contracts and projects with multi-year timelines. Many defense stocks also pay quality dividends, especially relative to the S&P 500 (SNPINDEX: ^GSPC), which yields an average of just 1.2%.