Kratos Defense & Security Solutions (KTOS) vs Rocket Lab (RKLB)
Head-to-head comparison of performance, valuation, growth, profitability and dividends. Prices delayed 15 minutes; data as of Oct 10, 2026.
Summary
Rocket Lab (RKLB) has outperformed Kratos Defense & Security Solutions (KTOS) over the past year, gaining 2.7% versus a loss of 60.3%. Over five years, RKLB leads with a +432.9% price change compared with +86.5% for KTOS. Rocket Lab is the larger company by market cap ($43.61 billion vs $7.95 billion), about 5.5 times the size.
On valuation, Kratos Defense & Security Solutions trades at a lower forward P/E (38.0x vs 1158.5x for Rocket Lab). Kratos Defense & Security Solutions converts more of its revenue into profit, with a net margin of 1.6% versus -32.9%.
Summary generated from market data by MetaCap's automated system. Methodology
Relative performance
Percent change in share price from the first common trading day shown; excludes dividends.
Head-to-head
| Metric | KTOS | RKLB |
|---|---|---|
| Share price | $42.36 | $68.21 |
| Market cap | $7.95B | $43.61B |
| 1-day change | +1.03% | -0.28% |
| YTD return | -44.76% | -2.22% |
| 1-year return | -60.32% | +2.69% |
| 5-year return | +86.52% | +432.89% |
| P/E ratio (TTM) | 249.18 | — |
| Forward P/E | 37.96 | — |
| EPS (TTM) | $0.17 | $-0.27 |
| Dividend yield | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Annual dividend | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Revenue (latest FY) | $1.35B | $601.80M |
| Revenue growth (YoY) | +18.53% | +37.96% |
| Net income (latest FY) | $22.00M | $-198.21M |
| Gross margin | 22.86% | 34.43% |
| Operating margin | 1.90% | -38.03% |
| Net margin | 1.63% | -32.94% |
| 52-week high | $134.00 | $151.00 |
| 52-week low | $40.93 | $37.57 |
| Distance from 52-week high | -68.39% | -54.83% |
| Analyst consensus | strong_buy | buy |
| Avg. price target upside | +137.80% | +60.02% |
| Average volume | 3.95M | 19.38M |
| Shares outstanding | 187.72M | 598.46M |
| Employees | 4,300 | 2,600 |
| Sector | Industrials | Industrials |
| Industry | Military/Government/Technical | Military/Government/Technical |
Highlighted cells mark the higher value for growth, returns, margins and yield, and the lower value for P/E ratios. Highlighting is a mechanical comparison, not a recommendation.
Key differences
- Rocket Lab is about 5.5 times larger than Kratos Defense & Security Solutions by market value ($43.61B vs $7.95B).
- RKLB has outperformed KTOS by 63.0 percentage points over the past year.
- Kratos Defense & Security Solutions is more profitable, keeping 1.6 cents of every revenue dollar as net income versus -32.9 cents for Rocket Lab.
- Rocket Lab grew revenue faster in its latest fiscal year (+37.96% vs +18.53%).
About Kratos Defense & Security Solutions
KTOS stock →Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Inc., a technology company, provides technology, hardware, products, system, and software for the defense, national security, and commercial markets in the United States, other North America, the Asia Pacific, the Middle East, Europe, and Internationally. The company operates through Kratos Government Solutions and Unmanned Systems segments.
Industrials · Military/Government/Technical · 4,300 employees
About Rocket Lab
RKLB stock →Rocket Lab Corporation, a space company, provides launch services and space systems solutions in the United States, Canada, Japan, and internationally. The company operates through launch services and space systems segments.
Industrials · Military/Government/Technical · 2,600 employees
KTOS vs RKLB FAQ
Which is bigger, Kratos Defense & Security Solutions or Rocket Lab?
Rocket Lab (RKLB) is larger, with a market capitalization of $43.61B compared with $7.95B for Kratos Defense & Security Solutions (KTOS).
Which stock has performed better over the past year, KTOS or RKLB?
RKLB returned +2.69% over the past 12 months, compared with -60.32% for KTOS (price return, excluding dividends). Past performance does not predict future results.
Are Kratos Defense & Security Solutions and Rocket Lab in the same industry?
Yes. Both are classified in the Military/Government/Technical industry within the Industrials sector.