First Trust (MISL) vs. ARK (ARKX): Which Space and Aerospace ETF Reigns Supreme?

2 hours ago 2

ARK Space & Defense Innovation ETF (NYSEMKT:ARKX) provides aggressive, high-beta vulnerability to abstraction technology, portion First Trust Indxx Aerospace & Defense ETF (NYSEMKT:MISL) offers a lower-cost, much blimpish index-based attack focused heavy connected industrials.

Investors looking to capitalize connected the enlargement of the "final frontier" person 2 chiseled paths disposable done these funds. One strategy follows a structured scale of home defence players, portion the different actively targets planetary innovation. This investigation evaluates however these differing absorption philosophies interaction costs, hazard profiles, and caller performance.

Snapshot (cost & size)

Metric

MISL

ARKX

Issuer

First Trust

ARK

Expense ratio

0.60%

0.75%

1-yr instrumentality (as of May 30, 2026)

42.24%

79.11%

Dividend yield

0.37%

None

Beta

0.86

1.59

AUM

$1.48 billion

$893 million

Beta measures terms volatility comparative to the S&P 500; beta is calculated from five-year monthly returns. The one-year instrumentality represents full instrumentality implicit the trailing 12 months. Dividend output is the trailing-12-month organisation yield.

The outgo of ownership differs by 0.15 percent points. While the ARK Space & Defense Innovation ETF charges 0.75%, the First Trust Indxx Aerospace & Defense ETF is somewhat much affordable astatine 0.60%. Over agelong holding periods, these tiny differences successful yearly fees tin meaningfully interaction the full superior disposable for reinvestment, particularly arsenic MISL besides pays a tiny dividend.

Performance & hazard examination

Metric

MISL

ARKX

Max drawdown (3-year)

(17.92%)

(40.32%)

Growth of $1,000 implicit 3 years (total return)

$2,319

$2,738

What's wrong

ARK Space & Defense Innovation ETF chiefly targets companies progressive successful abstraction exploration and defence innovation. The money manages 45 holdings, with a portfolio creation of 56% industrials, 27% technology, and 8% user cyclical. Its largest positions see Rocket Lab astatine 9.39%, Advanced Micro Devices astatine 7.75%, and L3Harris Technologies astatine 7.15%. This ARK money was launched successful 2021 and actively seeks semipermanent superior maturation done innovation-driven securities.

First Trust Indxx Aerospace & Defense ETF tracks the Indxx U.S. Aerospace & Defense Index and presently holds 49 stocks. Its portfolio is much heavy concentrated successful industrials astatine 83%, with exertion accounting for 17%. Its apical holdings see Palantir Technologies astatine 8.24%, Rocket Lab astatine 8.13%, and GE Aerospace astatine 7.88%. The First Trust money was launched successful 2022 and provides a little volatile alternate for investors seeking vulnerability to the aerospace and defence sectors.

Read Entire Article