Defense/Aerospace ETF in Focus
The iShares Defense and Aerospace ETF (ITA) holds 38 companies exposed to the commercial/military aircraft, component suppliers and military contracting market segments. The fund has outperformed the S&P 500 by 2% this year and is being driven by the top three weighted companies in the fund, which are Boeing (BA), United Technology (UTX) and Lockheed Martin (LMT) with portfolio weightings of 10.41%, 7.98% and 6.85% respectively.
The ETF holdings are benefiting from the expansion of the 2019 defense budget to $717 billion and