First Trust Indxx Aerospace & Defense ETF (MISL)
Market Price (8/30/2026): $44.62
First Trust Indxx Aerospace & Defense ETF (MISL)
Market Price (8/30/2026): $44.62
Key Takeaways
- MISL has returned +4.3% YTD vs +13.1% for SPY; +14.2% over the past 12 months (SPY +20.3%). details →
- Priced in gold, MISL has returned -15.3% over the past 3 years, vs +94.2% in dollars — its dollar gains have lagged gold. details →
- Over the past month, MISL has seen net outflows of −$9M (−1.2% of assets). details →
- MISL's portfolio trades at 33.2x forward earnings — a 287% premium to SPY (8.6x). details →
- MISL's top 10 holdings represent 63% of the fund vs 37% for SPY — a more concentrated portfolio. details →
Asset Allocation with MISL
Moderate — 55% equity / 25% bonds / 20% alternatives
10Y Return (ann.)
+7.8%
Volatility
7.9%
Sharpe
0.65
YTD
+4.5%
Modeled with monthly rebalancing to target weights; 10-year figures are annualized from monthly returns. Illustrative only — past performance is not indicative of future results.
Learn More →
Tailored Asset Allocation
[1] Personalized 5 Level Risk Tolerance Assessment
[2] Asset Allocation for My Risk Tolerance
Learn More →
Protect Wealth
[1] Defensive Portfolios
[2] Tax-Efficient Strategies
Top 20 Holdings for MISL
Total Weights Top 5: 42.2% | Top 10: 62.5% | Top 20: 87.5%
| Ticker | Holding | ETF Weight | Sales Weight | Earnings Weight | Fwd P/S | Fwd P/E | Fwd Sales Growth | Fwd Earnings Growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total | 99.70% | 100.00% | 100.00% | 2.9 | 33.2 | +11.2% | +16.3% | |
| Top 20 | 87.48% | 80.09% | 87.07% | 3.2 | 34.4 | +11.9% | +16.5% | |
| PLTR | Palantir Technologies | 11.08% | 0.50% | 3.10% | 41.1 | 102.3 | +49.5% | +40.0% |
| RTX | RTX | 8.53% | 9.19% | 9.56% | 2.8 | 27.3 | +7.4% | +8.8% |
| GE | GE Aerospace | 7.60% | 3.56% | 7.93% | 6.6 | 39.5 | +11.1% | +12.8% |
| BA | Boeing | 7.56% | 14.13% | 4.60% | 1.5 | 94.4 | +14.8% | — |
| SPCX | Space Exploration Technologies | 7.42% | 0.61% | — | 9.9 | 217.2 | +139.0% | +260.6% |
| LMT | Lockheed Martin | 4.30% | 8.42% | 8.64% | 1.5 | 17.6 | +5.7% | +6.9% |
| GD | General Dynamics | 4.09% | 7.21% | 7.41% | 1.8 | 20.8 | +4.9% | +9.0% |
| NOC | Northrop Grumman | 4.06% | 7.41% | 9.77% | 1.7 | 18.2 | +6.9% | +4.1% |
| HEI | Heico | 4.01% | 1.46% | 3.00% | 8.0 | 47.4 | +11.0% | +12.4% |
| HWM | Howmet Aerospace | 3.88% | 1.10% | 2.84% | 9.6 | 43.4 | +13.3% | +20.6% |
| TDG | TransDigm | 3.71% | 1.80% | 4.81% | 5.9 | 24.7 | +10.1% | +17.5% |
| LHX | L3Harris Technologies | 3.61% | 5.58% | 5.69% | 2.0 | 20.1 | +7.0% | +15.0% |
| RKLB | Rocket Lab | 3.36% | 0.21% | — | 32.5 | — | +46.0% | — |
| ASTS | AST SpaceMobile | 2.60% | 0.06% | — | 32.6 | — | +351.0% | — |
| CW | Curtiss-Wright | 2.44% | 1.34% | 2.49% | 5.5 | 35.8 | +8.2% | +10.2% |
| FTAI | FTAI Aviation | 2.19% | 1.12% | 2.25% | 3.6 | 18.0 | +65.6% | +140.5% |
| WWD | Woodward | 2.13% | 1.45% | 2.40% | 4.3 | 31.4 | +8.9% | +12.3% |
| LDOS | Leidos | 1.87% | 6.14% | 6.02% | 0.9 | 10.5 | +4.7% | +4.6% |
| TXT | Textron | 1.53% | 5.37% | 4.14% | 0.9 | 11.5 | +3.7% | +12.4% |
| CACI | CACI International | 1.51% | 3.43% | 2.42% | 1.3 | 18.1 | +6.7% | +12.3% |
[1] Total and Top 20 rows are weighted aggregates across constituents.
[2] Forward P/S and P/E ratios use consensus sales and earnings for the 12 months ending 8/31/27. Individual constituent FY1 and FY2 consensus figures adjusted to align with 8/31/27.
[3] Forward Sales and Non-GAAP Earnings Growth are calculated as next fiscal year (FY2) consensus growth over current fiscal year (FY1) consensus. They are not derived from the forward P/S and P/E multiples shown.
[2] Forward P/S and P/E ratios use consensus sales and earnings for the 12 months ending 8/31/27. Individual constituent FY1 and FY2 consensus figures adjusted to align with 8/31/27.
[3] Forward Sales and Non-GAAP Earnings Growth are calculated as next fiscal year (FY2) consensus growth over current fiscal year (FY1) consensus. They are not derived from the forward P/S and P/E multiples shown.
Performance for MISL Top Holdings
| Ticker | Holding | Weight | Mkt Price8/29 | 1D Rtn | 1M Rtn | YTD Rtn | 1Y Rtn | 3Y Rtn | 5Y Rtn | 10Y Rtn |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MISL | First Trust Indxx Aerospace & Defense ETF | 100.00% | 44.64 | 0.0% | 4.2% | 4.3% | 14.2% | 94.2% | ||
| PLTR | Palantir Technologies | 11.08% | 186.29 | 0.0% | 52.4% | 4.8% | 18.9% | 1,040.8% | 623.2% | |
| RTX | RTX | 8.53% | 211.71 | 0.0% | -0.9% | 16.7% | 35.5% | 160.0% | 178.0% | 326.5% |
| GE | GE Aerospace | 7.60% | 342.58 | 0.0% | -3.5% | 11.5% | 25.1% | 281.7% | 430.6% | 153.2% |
| BA | Boeing | 7.56% | 209.82 | 0.0% | -5.0% | -3.4% | -10.6% | -8.3% | -3.6% | 76.2% |
| SPCX | Space Exploration Technologies | 7.42% | 141.50 | 0.0% | 26.1% | |||||
| LMT | Lockheed Martin | 4.30% | 563.85 | 0.0% | -1.8% | 18.0% | 27.1% | 35.1% | 78.2% | 200.3% |
| GD | General Dynamics | 4.09% | 379.32 | 0.0% | -0.8% | 14.2% | 18.9% | 77.2% | 111.5% | 209.5% |
| NOC | Northrop Grumman | 4.06% | 545.57 | 0.0% | 2.0% | -3.6% | -6.1% | 31.3% | 60.2% | 200.7% |
| HEI | Heico | 4.01% | 336.53 | 0.0% | -5.0% | 4.1% | 7.9% | 99.8% | 169.0% | 879.9% |
| HWM | Howmet Aerospace | 3.88% | 264.85 | 0.0% | -4.4% | 29.4% | 52.4% | 437.1% | 745.5% | 1,098.2% |
| TDG | TransDigm | 3.71% | 1,185.97 | 0.0% | -5.1% | -10.8% | -15.2% | 53.7% | 136.4% | 565.4% |
| LHX | L3Harris Technologies | 3.61% | 262.82 | 0.0% | -3.3% | -9.8% | -3.8% | 56.8% | 24.8% | 241.1% |
| RKLB | Rocket Lab | 3.36% | 64.39 | 0.0% | -0.4% | -7.7% | 32.5% | 909.2% | 542.0% | |
| ASTS | AST SpaceMobile | 2.60% | 58.05 | 0.0% | -0.7% | -20.1% | 18.6% | 1,365.9% | 369.7% | |
| CW | Curtiss-Wright | 2.44% | 596.37 | 0.0% | -16.8% | 8.3% | 24.9% | 188.7% | 396.5% | 594.5% |
| FTAI | FTAI Aviation | 2.19% | 194.98 | 0.0% | -1.1% | -0.4% | 27.7% | 445.4% | 894.2% | 3,293.7% |
| WWD | Woodward | 2.13% | 341.81 | 0.0% | -4.0% | 13.4% | 39.0% | 169.5% | 188.4% | 481.1% |
| LDOS | Leidos | 1.87% | 140.66 | 0.0% | 25.1% | -21.6% | -21.4% | 48.6% | 53.0% | 307.0% |
| TXT | Textron | 1.53% | 83.04 | 0.0% | -4.7% | -4.7% | 3.7% | 7.4% | 16.0% | 106.0% |
| CACI | CACI International | 1.51% | 628.20 | 0.0% | 31.6% | 17.9% | 31.0% | 91.1% | 144.7% | 532.2% |
Guidance Updates for MISL Top Holdings
| Ticker | Company | Earnings Date | Guidance Metric | Midpoint Value | % Change | Guidance Change | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CACI_8052026 | CACI | CACI International | 8/5/2026 | 2027 Revenue | 10.75 Bil | 12.6% | Higher NewNew Guidance Higher than Prior Actual of 9.55 Bil for 2026 |
| HWM_8062026 | HWM | Howmet Aerospace | 8/6/2026 | Q3 2026 Revenue | 2.58 Bil | 7.3% | Higher NewNew Guidance Higher than Prior Actual of 2.40 Bil for Q2 2026 |
| PLTR_8032026 | PLTR | Palantir Technologies | 8/3/2026 | 2026 Revenue | 8.15 Bil | 6.5% | RaisedRaised Prior Guidance of 7.66 Bil for 2026 |
| RKLB_8102026 | RKLB | Rocket Lab | 8/10/2026 | Q3 2026 Revenue | 257.50 Mil | 10.8% | Higher NewNew Guidance Higher than Prior Actual of 232.50 Mil for Q2 2026 |
Price Returns Compared
| 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 | Total [1] | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Returns | |||||||
| MISL Return | - | 8% | 15% | 20% | 41% | 5% | 122% |
| Peers Return | 15% | -20% | 33% | 13% | 40% | 42% | 178% |
| S&P 500 Return | 27% | -19% | 24% | 23% | 16% | 13% | 106% |
Monthly Win Rates [3] | |||||||
| MISL Win Rate | - | 100% | 58% | 58% | 83% | 50% | |
| Peers Win Rate | 58% | 45% | 62% | 58% | 67% | 70% | |
| S&P 500 Win Rate | 75% | 42% | 67% | 75% | 67% | 50% | |
Max Drawdowns [4] | |||||||
| MISL Max Drawdown | - | - | -10% | -10% | -16% | -17% | |
| Peers Max Drawdown | -20% | -37% | -19% | -18% | -26% | -18% | |
| S&P 500 Max Drawdown | -5% | -25% | -10% | -8% | -19% | -9% | |
[1] Cumulative total returns since the beginning of 2021
[2] Peers: SMH, SOXX, IBB, XBI, ITA.
[3] Win Rate = % of calendar months in which monthly returns were positive
[4] Max drawdown represents maximum peak-to-trough decline within a year
[5] 2026 data is for the year up to 8/28/2026 (YTD)
Sharpe Ratios Compared
One measure of reward vs. risk is a Sharpe ratio. A higher ratio indicates better risk-adjusted returns. Most funds have Sharpe ratios < 1.0.
Results as of 7312026.
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Current Dip Buy Opportunities Across ETFs
ETFs currently down 5% or more from trailing 6M peaks.
| Ticker | Name | Dip % | Mkt Price | Price Date | Peak Price | Peak Date | # Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SCHA | Schwab U.S. Small-Cap ETF | -5.2% | 34.24 | 8292026 | 36.13 | 6302026 | 60 |
| EEM | iShares MSCI Emerging Markets ETF | -5.7% | 67.14 | 8292026 | 71.21 | 6222026 | 68 |
| ASHR | Xtrackers Harvest CSI 300 China A-Shares ETF | -8.1% | 34.29 | 8292026 | 37.30 | 6222026 | 68 |
| EWY | iShares MSCI South Korea ETF | -17.8% | 180.20 | 8292026 | 219.20 | 6212026 | 69 |
| EWZ | iShares MSCI Brazil ETF | -14.8% | 35.55 | 8292026 | 41.73 | 4142026 | 137 |
| FXI | iShares China Large-Cap ETF | -7.2% | 35.51 | 8292026 | 38.26 | 5132026 | 108 |
| ILF | iShares Latin America 40 ETF | -9.1% | 34.65 | 8292026 | 38.10 | 4142026 | 137 |
| KWEB | KraneShares CSI China Internet ETF | -15.3% | 26.32 | 8292026 | 31.06 | 3012026 | 181 |
| MTUM | iShares MSCI USA Momentum Factor ETF | -13.2% | 299.71 | 8292026 | 345.22 | 6222026 | 68 |
| SPMO | Invesco S&P 500 Momentum ETF | -9.2% | 146.78 | 8292026 | 161.66 | 6222026 | 68 |
| URA | Global X Uranium ETF | -21.8% | 45.57 | 8292026 | 58.26 | 5062026 | 115 |
| BOTZ | Global X Funds Global X Robotics & Artificial Intelligence ETF | -14.1% | 35.75 | 8292026 | 41.63 | 5132026 | 108 |
| ROBO | ROBO Global Robotics & Automation Index ETF | -10.7% | 80.64 | 8292026 | 90.34 | 6022026 | 88 |
| LIT | Global X Lithium & Battery Tech ETF | -17.0% | 76.07 | 8292026 | 91.62 | 5112026 | 110 |
| ICLN | iShares Global Clean Energy ETF | -26.4% | 17.48 | 8292026 | 23.75 | 6022026 | 88 |
| ARKQ | ARK Autonomous Technology & Robotics ETF | -14.9% | 122.32 | 8292026 | 143.82 | 5282026 | 93 |
| ARKX | ARK Space & Defense Innovation ETF | -14.3% | 32.35 | 8292026 | 37.74 | 5282026 | 93 |
| NASA | Tema Space Innovators ETF | -44.1% | 23.41 | 8292026 | 41.89 | 5272026 | 94 |
| AGIX | KraneShares Artificial Intelligence ETF | -8.8% | 45.03 | 8292026 | 49.40 | 6012026 | 89 |
| XLK | State Street Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF | -6.3% | 185.69 | 8292026 | 198.21 | 6022026 | 88 |
| XLI | State Street Industrial Select Sector SPDR ETF | -5.0% | 177.14 | 8292026 | 186.51 | 8162026 | 13 |
| XLC | State Street Communication Services Select Sector SPDR ETF | -5.1% | 112.99 | 8292026 | 119.10 | 4192026 | 132 |
| XLU | State Street Utilities Select Sector SPDR ETF | -9.8% | 42.73 | 8292026 | 47.40 | 3012026 | 181 |
| SMH | VanEck Semiconductor ETF | -17.3% | 553.11 | 8292026 | 668.91 | 6222026 | 68 |
| SOXX | iShares Semiconductor ETF | -22.3% | 508.62 | 8292026 | 655.01 | 6222026 | 68 |
| ITA | iShares U.S. Aerospace & Defense ETF | -8.1% | 232.82 | 8292026 | 253.22 | 8162026 | 13 |
| MISL | First Trust Indxx Aerospace & Defense ETF | -11.9% | 44.64 | 8292026 | 50.66 | 3022026 | 180 |
| RING | iShares MSCI Global Gold Miners ETF | -12.0% | 87.46 | 8292026 | 99.42 | 3012026 | 181 |
| SOXQ | Invesco PHLX Semiconductor ETF | -21.6% | 90.28 | 8292026 | 115.11 | 6222026 | 68 |
| TLT | iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF | -7.0% | 82.88 | 8292026 | 89.15 | 3012026 | 181 |
| VGLT | Vanguard Long-Term Treasury ETF | -5.9% | 53.18 | 8292026 | 56.53 | 3012026 | 181 |
| SPTL | State Street SPDR Portfolio Long Term Treasury ETF | -6.3% | 25.29 | 8292026 | 26.99 | 3012026 | 181 |
| TLH | iShares 10-20 Year Treasury Bond ETF | -5.6% | 97.29 | 8292026 | 103.08 | 3012026 | 181 |
| EDV | Vanguard World Funds Extended Duration ETF | -10.0% | 60.66 | 8292026 | 67.42 | 3012026 | 181 |
| COMT | iShares GSCI Commodity Dynamic Roll Strategy ETF | -5.6% | 34.48 | 8292026 | 36.53 | 5192026 | 102 |
| GSG | iShares GSCI Commodity | -5.8% | 30.01 | 8292026 | 31.85 | 3182026 | 164 |
| GLD | SPDR Gold Trust | -16.6% | 408.89 | 8292026 | 490.00 | 3022026 | 180 |
| IAU | iShares Gold Trust | -16.5% | 83.82 | 8292026 | 100.38 | 3022026 | 180 |
| GLDM | SPDR Gold MiniShares Trust | -16.4% | 88.20 | 8292026 | 105.54 | 3022026 | 180 |
| SGOL | ETFS Physical Swiss Gold Shares | -12.1% | 44.66 | 8292026 | 50.81 | 3022026 | 180 |
| BAR | Direxion Daily Gold Bull 3X Shares | -15.6% | 44.34 | 8292026 | 52.53 | 3022026 | 180 |
| SLV | iShares Silver Trust | -29.4% | 60.02 | 8292026 | 84.99 | 3012026 | 181 |
| SIVR | ETFS Physical Silver Shares Trust ETF | -6.6% | 83.39 | 8292026 | 89.26 | 3012026 | 181 |
| PPLT | ETFS Physical Platinum Shares | -23.2% | 16.49 | 8292026 | 21.47 | 3012026 | 181 |
| CPER | United States Copper Index Fund ETV | -9.6% | 33.33 | 8292026 | 36.88 | 3012026 | 181 |
| PALL | ETFS Physical Palladium Shares | -20.6% | 25.79 | 8292026 | 32.48 | 3012026 | 181 |
| USO | United States Oil Fund LP | -15.2% | 129.70 | 8292026 | 152.96 | 5192026 | 102 |
| UNG | United States Natural Gas Fund LP | -20.8% | 10.33 | 8292026 | 13.04 | 3122026 | 170 |
| BNO | United States Brent Oil Fund LP ETV | -7.1% | 55.85 | 8292026 | 60.13 | 5042026 | 117 |
| USRT | iShares Core U.S. REIT ETF | -5.3% | 66.13 | 8292026 | 69.82 | 7262026 | 34 |
| IBIT | iShares Bitcoin Trust ETF | -5.5% | 43.90 | 8292026 | 46.47 | 5112026 | 110 |
| FBTC | Fidelity Wise Origin Bitcoin Fund | -5.5% | 67.44 | 8292026 | 71.35 | 5112026 | 110 |
ETF Fund Flows
Largest fund inflows and outflows across ETFs, with the asset-allocation rotation they imply.
Net fund flows · as of 2026-08-28
Asset allocation rotation · Past month
- Equity ETFs drew the largest net inflows (+$43.5B), followed by Bond (+$19.3B), while Real Estate (−$226M) saw the largest outflows.
- Within the mix, money rotated into US Nasdaq Growth (+$12.0B) and out of Intermediate Treasury (−$7.9B).
- Relative to fund size, CNEQ drew the largest inflow (+109.2% of AUM) and PKW the largest outflow (−30.5%).
Largest inflows
| # | Ticker | Name | Net flow | % of AUM |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | VOO | Vanguard S&P 500 ETF | +$20.96B | +2.0% |
| 2 | QQQ | Invesco QQQ Trust, Series 1 | +$8.96B | +1.8% |
| 3 | SGOV | iShares 0-3 Month Treasury Bond ETF | +$5.75B | +5.6% |
| 4 | TLT | iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF | +$5.5B | +12.0% |
| 5 | SPYM | State Street SPDR Portfolio S&P 500 ETF | +$4.93B | +2.9% |
| 6 | VTI | Vanguard Morningstar Total Stock Market ETF | +$4.73B | +0.7% |
| 7 | GLD | SPDR Gold Shares | +$4.64B | +3.2% |
| 8 | SCHD | Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF | +$3.91B | +3.6% |
| 9 | AVLV | Avantis U.S. Large Cap Value ETF | +$3.45B | +18.5% |
| 10 | VGSH | Vanguard Short-Term Treasury ETF | +$3.28B | +10.8% |
Largest outflows
| # | Ticker | Name | Net flow | % of AUM |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | IVV | iShares Core S&P 500 ETF | -$11.01B | -1.2% |
| 2 | IEF | iShares 7-10 Year Treasury Bond ETF | -$5.24B | -12.2% |
| 3 | SOXX | iShares Semiconductor ETF | -$4.03B | -9.3% |
| 4 | SPY | State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF | -$3.98B | -0.5% |
| 5 | XLF | State Street Financial Select Sector SPDR ETF | -$3.75B | -6.5% |
| 6 | SMH | VanEck Semiconductor ETF | -$2.28B | -3.3% |
| 7 | SDY | State Street SPDR S&P Dividend ETF | -$1.86B | -8.4% |
| 8 | GOVT | iShares U.S. Treasury Bond ETF | -$1.7B | -3.9% |
| 9 | VGIT | Vanguard Intermediate-Term Treasury ETF | -$1.33B | -3.1% |
| 10 | MTUM | iShares MSCI USA Momentum Factor ETF | -$1.24B | -4.9% |
Largest ETF fund flows across ~2627 funds (min AUM $100M). Net creations/redemptions; leveraged & inverse ETFs excluded. A ⚠ marks a day excluded as a suspected data error.
About MISL
| Holdings Count: 49Expense Ratio: 0.6%Inception Date: 2022-10-25 | First Trust Indxx Aerospace & Defense ETFThe First Trust Indxx Aerospace & Defense ETF aims to mirror the financial performance, specifically the capital appreciation and income generation, of the Indxx US Aerospace & Defense Index, before factoring in its operational costs. Typically, under ordinary market circumstances, the Fund allocates a minimum of 80% of its net assets, including any capital acquired through borrowing, to the equity securities composing that benchmark index.Asset Class: Sector Equity | ETF Website |
Research & Analysis
Invest in Strategies
Wealth Management
Peer Comparisons
| Peers to compare with: |
Profile
| Median | |
|---|---|
| Name | |
| Asset Class | - |
| AUM ($ Bil) | 12.8 |
| Expense Ratio | 0.36% |
| 10-D Avg Volume (Mil) | 5.13 |
| Latest Day Volume (Mil) | 1.16 |
| Holdings Count | 49 |
| Inception Date | - |
Fundamentals
| Median | |
|---|---|
| Name | |
| Net Asset Value | 520.00 |
| Premium/Discount | -1.6% |
| Distribution Yield | 0.2% |
| Sales Yield | 10.1% |
| Earnings Yield | 2.3% |
External Quote Links
| Y Finance | Barrons |
| TradingView | Morningstar |
| SeekingAlpha | ValueLine |
| Motley Fool | Robinhood |
| CNBC | Etrade |
| MarketWatch | Unusual Whales |
| YCharts | Perplexity Finance |
| FinViz |
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