ITAvsGCADETF Comparison
ETF 1
ITA
iShares U.S. Aerospace & Defense ETF
VS
ETF 2
GCAD
Gabelli Commercial Aerospace & Defense ETF
iShares U.S. Aerospace & Defense ETF (ITA) and Gabelli Commercial Aerospace & Defense ETF (GCAD) belong to the same industry segment: . ITA's top 3 sector exposures are Industrials, Materials and Information Technology. In contrast, GCAD's top sector exposures are Industrials, Materials and Communication Services. ITA is less expensive with a Total Expense Ratio (TER) of 0.38%, versus 0.9% for GCAD. ITA is up 0.87% year-to-date (YTD) with +$635M in YTD flows. GCAD performs better with 9.34% YTD performance, and +$12M in YTD flows. Run a side-by-side ETF comparison of ITA and GCAD 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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ITA vs GCAD performance and flow charts
Performance
Cumulative Flows
Historic performance and flows
Data as of 05/01/2026
| 1M | 3M | YTD | 1Y | 3Y | 5Y | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Perf. | ITA GCAD | -3.31%-0.72% | -6.34%-2.42% | +0.87%+9.34% | +37.12%+46.30% | +93.78%+113.86% | +110.90%n/a |
| Flows | ITA GCAD | +$142M+$794K | -$294M+$4M | +$635M+$12M | +$4.39B+$16M | +$2.96B+$19M | +$5.60B- |
Volatility and drawdown
| 3M | 1Y | 3Y | 5Y | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Volatility | ITA GCAD | +27.10%+24.94% | +20.31%+18.27% | +19.21%+18.20% | +20.05%n/a |
| Max drawdown | ITA GCAD | -15.79%-14.81% | -15.79%-14.81% | -15.79%-16.22% | -18.75%n/a |
| Max drawdown duration | ITA GCAD | 60d60d | 60d60d | 60d91d | 227dn/a |
Trading data
ITA | GCAD | |
Last sale 5/1/2026 at 1:30 PM | $216.27 | $50.80 |
| Previous close 04/29/2026 | $218.56 | $51.10 |
| Consolidated volume 04/29/2026 | ||
| Average volume 30 days | ||
| Average discount or premium 30 days | ||
| Average Bid/Ask spread 30 days |
Replication quality
Data as of April 30, 2026
1-year trailing difference
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GCAD
is actively managed and doesn’t replicate an indexITA | GCAD | |
|---|---|---|
| Tracking error | ||
| Tracking difference | ||
| 1 year cumulative return difference | ||
| Best | ||
| Worst | ||
| Daily return difference | ||
| Average | ||
| Worst | ||
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Main metrics
Last update 5/1/2026 at 1:30 PM
Live
Closed
ITA | GCAD | |
|---|---|---|
| Last price | $216.27 | $50.80 |
| 1D performance | -1.05% | -0.59% |
| AuM | $13.49 B | $27.88 M |
| E/R | 0.38% | 0.9% |
Characteristics
ITA | GCAD | |
|---|---|---|
| Management strategy | Passive | Active |
| Provider | iShares | Gabelli Funds |
| Benchmark | Dow Jones U.S. Select Aerospace & Defense Index | - |
| N° of holdings | 36 | 38 |
| Asset class | Equities | - |
| Trailing 12m distribution yield | Join | Join |
| Inception date | May 1, 2006 | January 3, 2023 |
| ESG | No | No |
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Exposure
Countries
ITA
USA
97.87%
Other
2.13%
GCAD
USA
87.87%
Other
12.13%
Sectors
ITA
Industrials
90.12%
Other
9.88%
GCAD
Industrials
85.62%
Other
14.38%
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Diversification
ITA
Total weight of top 15 holdings out of 15
85.18%
GCAD
Total weight of top 15 holdings out of 15
63.19%
Top 15 holdings
Data as of March 31, 2026
ITA
GENERAL ELECTRIC
19.03%
RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORD
16.55%
BOEING U
8.91%
GENERAL DYNAMICS
4.77%
L3 HARRIS TECHNOLOGIES
4.66%
LOCKHEED MARTIN
4.58%
NORTHROP GRUMMAN
4.58%
TRANSDIGM GROUP
4.53%
HOWMET AEROSPACE INC
4.50%
AXON ENTERPRISE INC
2.83%
US7731211089
2.55%
KYG3730V1059
2.12%
CURTISS WRIGHT
2.12%
WOODWARD
1.80%
ATI INC
1.67%
GCAD
ALBANY INTERNATIONAL
5.94%
BOEING U
5.92%
LOCKHEED MARTIN
5.83%
NORTHROP GRUMMAN
5.79%
MOOG
5.30%
HEXCEL
4.58%
TEXTRON
4.58%
HONEYWELL INTL
4.21%
DUCOMMUN
3.86%
L3 HARRIS TECHNOLOGIES
3.60%
MERCURY SYSTEMS INC
2.90%
GENERAL DYNAMICS
2.87%
HOWMET AEROSPACE INC
2.77%
CURTISS WRIGHT
2.72%
ASTRONICS
2.33%
Frequently asked questions about ITA and GCAD
How have the ITA and GCAD ETFs performed in 2026?
As of May 1, 2026, ITA is up 0.87% year-to-date (YTD), while GCAD has returned 9.34%. That puts GCAD better performer ahead so far this year.
Which ETF is attracting more investor money: ITA or GCAD?
Year-to-date, the ITA ETF saw +$635M in flows, compared to +$12M for GCAD.
Which ETF is more volatile: ITA or GCAD?
Over the past year, ITA had a volatility of 20.31%, while GCAD experienced 18.27%.
Which ETF is bigger: ITA or GCAD?
As of May 1, 2026, ITA holds $13.49 B in assets under management (AUM), while GCAD manages $27.88 M.
What sectors do the ITA and GCAD ETFs invest in?
ITA leans toward sectors like Industrials. Meanwhile, GCAD focuses on Industrials.
What are the top holdings of the ITA ETF and GCAD ETF?
ITA top holdings include GENERAL ELECTRIC, RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORD and BOEING U. GCAD holds in its top three: ALBANY INTERNATIONAL, BOEING U and LOCKHEED MARTIN.
Which ETF is more diversified: ITA or GCAD?
ITA holds 45 securities with 85.18% of its assets in the top 15. GCAD has 40 securities and a top 15 weight of 63.19%.
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