GCADvsXARETF Comparison
ETF 1
GCAD
Gabelli Commercial Aerospace & Defense ETF
VS
ETF 2
XAR
State Street SPDR S&P Aerospace & Defense ETF
Gabelli Commercial Aerospace & Defense ETF (GCAD) and State Street SPDR S&P Aerospace & Defense ETF (XAR) belong to the same industry segment: . GCAD's top 3 sector exposures are Industrials, Non-Energy Materials and Telecommunications. In contrast, XAR's top sector exposures are Industrials, Non-Energy Materials and Technology. GCAD is more expensive with a Total Expense Ratio (TER) of 0.9%, versus 0.35% for XAR. GCAD is up 20.63% year-to-date (YTD) with +$27M in YTD flows. XAR performs worse with 13.67% YTD performance, and +$913M in YTD flows. Run a side-by-side ETF comparison of GCAD and XAR below, and assess how they stack up in performance, liquidity, risk, exposure, holdings, and more, helping you select the best ETF for your investments.
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GCAD vs XAR performance and flow charts
Performance
Cumulative Flows
Historic performance and flows
Data as of 08/03/2026
| 1M | 3M | YTD | 1Y | 3Y | 5Y | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Perf. | GCAD XAR | -1.44%-5.55% | +11.42%+7.43% | +20.63%+13.67% | +32.86%+26.49% | +130.02%+129.33% | n/a+120.23% |
| Flows | GCAD XAR | +$1M-$48M | +$15M-$16M | +$27M+$913M | +$29M+$1.21B | +$33M+$2.07B | -+$2.39B |
Volatility and drawdown
| 3M | 1Y | 3Y | 5Y | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Volatility | GCAD XAR | +25.92%+32.95% | +21.19%+28.89% | +19.10%+23.88% | n/a+23.82% |
| Max drawdown | GCAD XAR | -6.68%-11.11% | -14.81%-17.03% | -16.22%-19.74% | n/a-27.66% |
| Max drawdown duration | GCAD XAR | 28d28d | 121d196d | 91d109d | n/a841d |
Trading data
GCAD | XAR | |
Last sale 8/4/2026 at 4:12 PM | $56.47 | $282.26 |
| Previous close 08/03/2026 | $56.17 | $273.63 |
| Consolidated volume 08/03/2026 | ||
| Average volume 30 days | ||
| Average discount or premium 30 days | ||
| Average Bid/Ask spread 30 days |
Replication quality
Data as of July 31, 2026
1-year trailing difference
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GCAD
is actively managed and doesn’t replicate an indexGCAD | XAR | |
|---|---|---|
| Tracking error | ||
| Tracking difference | ||
| 1 year cumulative return difference | ||
| Best | ||
| Worst | ||
| Daily return difference | ||
| Average | ||
| Worst | ||
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Main metrics
Last update 8/4/2026 at 4:12 PM
Live
Closed
GCAD | XAR | |
|---|---|---|
| Last price | $56.47 | $282.26 |
| 1D performance | +0.53% | +3.15% |
| AuM | $45.85 M | $6.19 B |
| E/R | 0.9% | 0.35% |
Characteristics
GCAD | XAR | |
|---|---|---|
| Management strategy | Active | Passive |
| Provider | Gabelli Funds | State Street Investment Management |
| Benchmark | - | S&P Aerospace & Defense Select Industry Index |
| N° of holdings | 48 | 47 |
| Asset class | - | Equities |
| Trailing 12m distribution yield | Join | Join |
| Inception date | January 3, 2023 | September 28, 2011 |
| ESG | No | No |
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Exposure
Countries
GCAD
USA
86.94%
Other
13.06%
XAR
USA
98.62%
Other
1.38%
Sectors
GCAD
Industrials
79.4%
Non-Energy Materi.
10.44%
Other
10.15%
XAR
Industrials
93.67%
Other
6.33%
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Diversification
GCAD
Total weight of top 15 holdings out of 15
62.26%
XAR
Total weight of top 15 holdings out of 15
44.3%
Top 15 holdings
Data as of June 30, 2026
GCAD
Albany International Corp.
6.82%
Moog, Inc.
6.15%
The Boeing Co.
5.24%
Ducommun, Inc.
4.86%
Hexcel Corp.
4.48%
RTX Corp.
4.18%
Lockheed Martin Corp.
4.07%
L3Harris Technologies, Inc.
4.03%
Mercury Systems, Inc.
3.95%
Textron, Inc.
3.88%
Northrop Grumman Corp.
3.55%
Crane Co.
3.01%
US912797UF28
3.01%
Howmet Aerospace, Inc.
2.59%
Curtiss-Wright Corp.
2.44%
XAR
VSE Corp.
3.40%
Axon Enterprise, Inc.
3.22%
StandardAero, Inc.
3.11%
FTAI Aviation Ltd.
3.08%
Carpenter Technology Corp.
3.04%
GE Aerospace
3.02%
Woodward, Inc.
2.98%
HEICO Corp.
2.86%
Moog, Inc.
2.86%
TransDigm Group, Inc.
2.83%
Hexcel Corp.
2.81%
Karman Holdings, Inc.
2.80%
Howmet Aerospace, Inc.
2.77%
ATI, Inc.
2.77%
RTX Corp.
2.75%
Frequently asked questions about GCAD and XAR
How have the GCAD and XAR ETFs performed in 2026?
As of August 3, 2026, GCAD is up 20.63% year-to-date (YTD), while XAR has returned 13.67%. That puts GCAD better performer ahead so far this year.
Which ETF is attracting more investor money: GCAD or XAR?
Year-to-date, the GCAD ETF saw +$27M in flows, compared to +$913M for XAR.
Which ETF is more volatile: GCAD or XAR?
Over the past year, GCAD had a volatility of 21.19%, while XAR experienced 28.89%.
Which ETF is bigger: GCAD or XAR?
As of August 3, 2026, GCAD holds $45.85 M in assets under management (AUM), while XAR manages $6.19 B.
What sectors do the GCAD and XAR ETFs invest in?
GCAD leans toward sectors like Industrials and Non-Energy Materials. Meanwhile, XAR focuses on Industrials.
What are the top holdings of the GCAD ETF and XAR ETF?
GCAD top holdings include Albany International Corp., Moog, Inc. and The Boeing Co.. XAR holds in its top three: VSE Corp., Axon Enterprise, Inc. and StandardAero, Inc..
Which ETF is more diversified: GCAD or XAR?
GCAD holds 54 securities with 62.26% of its assets in the top 15. XAR has 48 securities and a top 15 weight of 44.3%.
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