PLUS Korea Defense Industry Index ETF (KDEF)
| Assets | $109.34M |
| Expense Ratio | 0.65% |
| PE Ratio | 23.29 |
| Shares Out | 2.64M |
| Dividend (ttm) | $2.22 |
| Dividend Yield | 6.26% |
| Ex-Dividend Date | Dec 30, 2025 |
| Payout Frequency | n/a |
| Payout Ratio | 151.14% |
| Volume | 50,407 |
| Open | 36.91 |
| Previous Close | 37.73 |
| Day's Range | 35.52 - 37.18 |
| 52-Week Low | 33.17 |
| 52-Week High | 67.41 |
| Beta | n/a |
| Holdings | 21 |
| Inception Date | Feb 5, 2025 |
About KDEF
Fund Home PageThe PLUS Korea Defense Industry Index ETF (KDEF) is an exchange-traded fund that is based on the Korea Defense Industry index. The fund is passively managed to track an index which provides concentrated exposure to Koreas leading defense companies. The fund uses an AI program to identify, score and select companies for industry relevance KDEF was launched on Feb 5, 2025 and is issued by PLUS.
Top 10 Holdings
71.63% of assets| Name | Symbol | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Hanwha Aerospace Co., Ltd. | 012450 | 20.50% |
| Hyundai Rotem Company | 064350 | 8.76% |
| Korea Aerospace Industries, Ltd. | 047810 | 7.99% |
| LIG Defense&Aerospace Co., Ltd. | 079550 | 7.22% |
| SK oceanplant Co.,Ltd | 100090 | 5.69% |
| Poongsan Corporation | 103140 | 4.97% |
| Snt Dynamics Co.,Ltd. | 003570 | 4.64% |
| SNT Motiv Co., Ltd. | 064960 | 4.24% |
| Satrec Initiative Co., Ltd. | 099320 | 3.94% |
| Samhyun Co., Ltd. | 437730 | 3.69% |
Performance
KDEF had a total return of -11.75% in the past year, including dividends. Since the fund's inception, the average annual return has been 45.94%.
News
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The rally driven by the global artificial-intelligence boom has exposed structural vulnerabilities in a stock market unaccustomed to wild swings.
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One quadrillion is the number used to describe the wealth effect of South Korea's stock-market miracle
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The hottest stock market in the world has doubled this year. Now Goldman Sachs sees another 40% gain from here.
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South Korea Inflation Accelerated to 26-Month High in May
The benchmark consumer-price index rose 3.1% from a year earlier in May, reflecting the effects of higher oil prices amid Middle East tensions and the won's weakness against the U.S. dollar.
Korean chip stocks will win no matter who survives the AI giants' 'deathmatch': KB Financial Group
Peter Kim, global investment strategist at KB Financial Group, says from a valuations and fundamentals perspective, we are "not even halfway through" the rally in South Korea's semiconductor and memor...
Bank of Korea Holds Rates Steady, Raises Inflation and Growth Forecasts
South Korea's central bank held rates steady at its first meeting under Gov. Shin Hyun-song, but kept the door open to policy tightening as it forecast higher growth and inflation.
Debt-fueled bets turbocharge South Korean stock-market returns as Kospi jumps 8%
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Goldman Sachs says AI and energy resilience are creating a North-South divide in Asian markets
Investors are focusing on AI developments in North Asia. China is coming out of more than three years of deflation measured by the producer price index.
Korean Stocks Are Up 89%. Hedge Funders Suggest How to Play It.
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