ITA vs. ARKX: Proven Defense Contractors Against an Active Bet on the Space Economy
Key takeaways
- Aerospace & Defense ETF (NYSEMKT:ITA) provides established, low-cost exposure to traditional U.S.
- Investors looking at these funds are often targeting the intersection of national security and aerospace technology.
- Beta measures price volatility relative to the S&P 500; beta is calculated from five-year monthly returns.
Aerospace & Defense ETF (NYSEMKT:ITA) provides established, low-cost exposure to traditional U.S. defense contractors, while the ARK Space & Defense Innovation ETF (NYSEMKT:ARKX) offers an actively managed, tech-heavy approach to global orbital exploration.
Investors looking at these funds are often targeting the intersection of national security and aerospace technology. The i Shares fund tracks a market-cap-weighted index of domestic aerospace firms and manages a massive $13.6 billion in assets under management (AUM). In contrast, the ARK fund takes a smaller, more thematic approach with ~$717.3 million in AUM, focusing on companies that enable space innovation regardless of their primary industry classification.
Beta measures price volatility relative to the S&P 500; beta is calculated from five-year monthly returns. The 1-yr return represents total return over the trailing 12 months.