Rocket Lab (RKLB) stock vs the S&P 500 and defense stocks
As of 12 October 2026, Rocket Lab (RKLB) is trailing both the S&P 500 and defense stocks as a group (ITA) over the past three months.
Where Rocket Lab stands now
As of 12 October 2026, Rocket Lab had a good month against the S&P 500 after a weaker quarter. One month alone does not make a trend.
Inside its group, RKLB is catching up: ahead of defense stocks (ITA) over the past month, still behind over three months. As a group, defense stocks are trailing the S&P 500 right now. Stock and group are both under pressure.
Rocket Lab is 3.2% of ITA, so the fund's direction owes little to it. It sits in 2 of the sector and theme funds Zensei tracks. The thing to watch is the past month: a turn against the market usually shows there first.
Rocket Lab competitors and peers
The largest other holdings of iShares U.S. Aerospace & Defense ETF (ITA), by weight in the fund, with their plain return over the past month.
Is Rocket Lab in the S&P 500?
As of 12 October 2026, Rocket Lab is not in the S&P 500. Zensei groups it with defense stocks (ITA), where it has 3.2% weight.
None of the 11 S&P 500 sector funds holds it. See Defense Stocks (ITA)
Rocket Lab ETF: the funds that hold RKLB
2 funds that Zensei tracks hold RKLB. The main sector is the fund Zensei groups it with. The other funds follow by weight.
RKLB stock performance: 1-month, 3-month and 1-year vs the S&P 500
Rocket Lab and the S&P 500 (SPY) side by side, over each window Zensei tracks.
Prices as of · computed from daily adjusted closes · how we measure
RKLB against defense stocks, in depth
See the size of the gap between Rocket Lab and defense stocks (ITA) over every window, its momentum and its relative strength, and where it sits among defense stocks.
See the full analysisRocket Lab stock: common questions
Who are Rocket Lab's competitors?
As of 12 October 2026, the largest other holdings of iShares U.S. Aerospace & Defense ETF (ITA) by weight are GE Aerospace (GE), RTX (RTX), Boeing (BA), Howmet Aerospace Inc (HWM), Transdigm Group Inc (TDG). These are the stocks Rocket Lab sits next to among defense stocks.
Which ETFs hold Rocket Lab?
As of 12 October 2026, 2 funds that Zensei tracks hold RKLB. Zensei groups it with defense stocks in iShares U.S. Aerospace & Defense ETF (ITA), where its weight is 3.2%. It is also in VanEck Social Sentiment ETF (BUZZ, 2.0%).
Is Rocket Lab in the S&P 500?
As of 12 October 2026, Rocket Lab is not in the S&P 500. Zensei groups it with defense stocks (ITA), where it has 3.2% weight.
What sector is Rocket Lab in?
As of 12 October 2026, Zensei groups Rocket Lab with defense stocks (ITA, its primary fund). It is also in social sentiment stocks (BUZZ).
Is Rocket Lab stock beating the S&P 500?
As of 12 October 2026, Rocket Lab (RKLB) is up 4.4% over the past month. The S&P 500 is up 2.1% over the same month. Over three months, the stock is down 14.4% and the S&P 500 is up 4.1%.
Is Rocket Lab doing better than other defense stocks?
As of 12 October 2026, Rocket Lab (RKLB) is behind defense stocks as a group (ITA) over the past three months. Zensei Edge shows the size of the gap, its momentum and its relative strength.
Recent changes
- ·Beating defense stocks, trailing the market → trailing the market and defense stocks
- ·Trailing the market and defense stocks → beating defense stocks, trailing the market
- ·Among the weakest → trailing the market and defense stocks
- ·First tracked: among the weakest
Track Rocket Lab against defense stocks and the market
Zensei Edge maps 100+ sectors and themes against the S&P 500, with each stock inside them measured against its group.