IDEFvsITAETF Comparison
ETF 1
IDEF
iShares Defense Industrials Active ETF
VS
ETF 2
ITA
iShares U.S. Aerospace & Defense ETF
iShares Defense Industrials Active ETF (IDEF) and iShares U.S. Aerospace & Defense ETF (ITA) belong to the same industry segment: . IDEF's top 3 sector exposures are Industrials, Technology and Business Services. In contrast, ITA's top sector exposures are Industrials, Non-Energy Materials and Non-Corporate. IDEF is more expensive with a Total Expense Ratio (TER) of 0.55%, versus 0.37% for ITA. IDEF is up 2.25% year-to-date (YTD) with +$4.63B in YTD flows. ITA performs worse with 1.84% YTD performance, and -$88M in YTD flows. Run a side-by-side ETF comparison of IDEF and ITA 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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IDEF vs ITA performance and flow charts
Performance
Cumulative Flows
Historic performance and flows
Data as of 09/10/2026
| 1M | 3M | YTD | 1Y | 3Y | 5Y | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Perf. | IDEF ITA | -10.23%-13.05% | +0.55%-2.82% | +2.25%+1.84% | +6.34%+10.23% | n/a+102.02% | n/a+121.17% |
| Flows | IDEF ITA | +$121M-$249M | +$444M-$318M | +$4.63B-$88M | +$4.64B+$2.66B | -+$2.68B | -+$4.98B |
Volatility and drawdown
| 3M | 1Y | 3Y | 5Y | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Volatility | IDEF ITA | +23.44%+23.81% | +22.58%+23.49% | n/a+20.34% | n/a+20.51% |
| Max drawdown | IDEF ITA | -11.66%-13.82% | -15.58%-15.79% | n/a-15.79% | n/a-18.75% |
| Max drawdown duration | IDEF ITA | 25d25d | 192d122d | n/a122d | n/a227d |
Trading data
IDEF | ITA | |
Last sale 9/11/2026 at 1:30 PM | $31.63 | $219.01 |
| Previous close 09/10/2026 | $31.44 | $218.32 |
| Consolidated volume 09/10/2026 | ||
| Average volume 30 days | ||
| Average discount or premium 30 days | ||
| Average Bid/Ask spread 30 days |
Replication quality
Data as of August 31, 2026
1-year trailing difference
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IDEF
is actively managed and doesn’t replicate an indexIDEF | ITA | |
|---|---|---|
| Tracking error | ||
| Tracking difference | ||
| 1 year cumulative return difference | ||
| Best | ||
| Worst | ||
| Daily return difference | ||
| Average | ||
| Worst | ||
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Main metrics
Last update 9/11/2026 at 1:30 PM
Live
Closed
IDEF | ITA | |
|---|---|---|
| Last price | $31.63 | $219.01 |
| 1D performance | +0.60% | +0.32% |
| AuM | $4.27 B | $12.88 B |
| E/R | 0.55% | 0.37% |
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Exposure
Countries
IDEF
USA
54.77%
United Kingdom
10.48%
France
7.37%
Other
27.38%
ITA
USA
99.94%
Other
0.06%
Sectors
IDEF
Industrials
82.76%
Technology
11.26%
Other
5.98%
ITA
Industrials
96.34%
Other
3.66%
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Diversification
IDEF
Total weight of top 15 holdings out of 15
54.17%
ITA
Total weight of top 15 holdings out of 15
87%
Top 15 holdings
Data as of July 31, 2026
IDEF
RTX Corp.
9.01%
Lockheed Martin Corp.
5.00%
Rolls-Royce Holdings Plc
4.92%
The Boeing Co.
4.76%
General Dynamics Corp.
4.10%
Thales SA
3.81%
Northrop Grumman Corp.
3.35%
Airbus SE
3.24%
BAE Systems Plc
3.24%
Saab AB
2.49%
GE Aerospace
2.45%
Amphenol Corp.
2.02%
Safran SA
1.98%
Palo Alto Networks, Inc.
1.92%
Leonardo SpA
1.88%
ITA
GE Aerospace
21.92%
RTX Corp.
17.08%
The Boeing Co.
9.26%
General Dynamics Corp.
4.77%
Howmet Aerospace, Inc.
4.73%
Lockheed Martin Corp.
4.66%
TransDigm Group, Inc.
4.39%
Northrop Grumman Corp.
4.20%
L3Harris Technologies, Inc.
3.62%
Axon Enterprise, Inc.
3.03%
Rocket Lab Corp.
2.36%
Curtiss-Wright Corp.
1.89%
Carpenter Technology Corp.
1.79%
ATI, Inc.
1.78%
Woodward, Inc.
1.52%
Frequently asked questions about IDEF and ITA
How have the IDEF and ITA ETFs performed in 2026?
As of September 10, 2026, IDEF is up 2.25% year-to-date (YTD), while ITA has returned 1.84%. That puts IDEF better performer ahead so far this year.
Which ETF is attracting more investor money: IDEF or ITA?
Year-to-date, the IDEF ETF saw +$4.63B in flows, compared to -$88M for ITA.
Which ETF is more volatile: IDEF or ITA?
Over the past year, IDEF had a volatility of 22.58%, while ITA experienced 23.49%.
Which ETF is bigger: IDEF or ITA?
As of September 10, 2026, IDEF holds $4.27 B in assets under management (AUM), while ITA manages $12.88 B.
What sectors do the IDEF and ITA ETFs invest in?
IDEF leans toward sectors like Industrials and Technology. Meanwhile, ITA focuses on Industrials.
What are the top holdings of the IDEF ETF and ITA ETF?
IDEF top holdings include RTX Corp., Lockheed Martin Corp. and Rolls-Royce Holdings Plc. ITA holds in its top three: GE Aerospace, RTX Corp. and The Boeing Co..
Which ETF is more diversified: IDEF or ITA?
IDEF holds 134 securities with 54.17% of its assets in the top 15. ITA has 50 securities and a top 15 weight of 87%.
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