ITAvsXARETF Comparison
ETF 1
ITA
iShares U.S. Aerospace & Defense ETF
VS
ETF 2
XAR
State Street SPDR S&P Aerospace & Defense ETF
iShares U.S. Aerospace & Defense ETF (ITA) and State Street SPDR S&P Aerospace & Defense ETF (XAR) belong to the same industry segment: . ITA's top 3 sector exposures are Industrials, Non-Energy Materials and Non-Corporate. In contrast, XAR's top sector exposures are Industrials, Non-Energy Materials ITA is more expensive with a Total Expense Ratio (TER) of 0.38%, versus 0.35% for XAR. ITA is up 16.89% year-to-date (YTD) with -$96M in YTD flows. XAR performs better with 20.34% YTD performance, and +$961M in YTD flows. Run a side-by-side ETF comparison of ITA 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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ITA vs XAR performance and flow charts
Performance
Cumulative Flows
Historic performance and flows
Data as of 07/06/2026
| 1M | 3M | YTD | 1Y | 3Y | 5Y | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Perf. | ITA XAR | +10.34%+6.77% | +11.27%+10.04% | +16.89%+20.34% | +33.94%+38.86% | +120.54%+145.49% | +139.03%+126.28% |
| Flows | ITA XAR | -$350M+$118M | -$521M+$47M | -$96M+$961M | +$3.04B+$1.46B | +$2.49B+$2.13B | +$5.00B+$2.41B |
Volatility and drawdown
| 3M | 1Y | 3Y | 5Y | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Volatility | ITA XAR | +26.86%+31.63% | +22.06%+27.82% | +19.86%+23.37% | +20.35%+23.58% |
| Max drawdown | ITA XAR | -9.54%-9.59% | -15.79%-17.03% | -15.79%-19.74% | -18.75%-30.43% |
| Max drawdown duration | ITA XAR | 57d38d | 122d168d | 122d109d | 227d880d |
Trading data
ITA | XAR | |
Last sale 7/7/2026 at 2:59 PM | $245.36 | $279.47 |
| Previous close 07/06/2026 | $240.62 | $282.05 |
| Consolidated volume 07/06/2026 | ||
| Average volume 30 days | ||
| Average discount or premium 30 days | ||
| Average Bid/Ask spread 30 days |
Replication quality
Data as of June 30, 2026
1-year trailing difference
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ITA | 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 7/7/2026 at 2:59 PM
Live
Closed
ITA | XAR | |
|---|---|---|
| Last price | $245.36 | $279.47 |
| 1D performance | +1.97% | -0.91% |
| AuM | $14.81 B | $6.60 B |
| E/R | 0.38% | 0.35% |
Characteristics
ITA | XAR | |
|---|---|---|
| Management strategy | Passive | Passive |
| Provider | iShares | State Street Investment Management |
| Benchmark | Dow Jones U.S. Select Aerospace & Defense Index | S&P Aerospace & Defense Select Industry Index |
| N° of holdings | 44 | 41 |
| Asset class | Equities | Equities |
| Trailing 12m distribution yield | Join | Join |
| Inception date | May 1, 2006 | September 28, 2011 |
| ESG | No | No |
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Exposure
Countries
ITA
USA
99.81%
Other
0.19%
XAR
USA
99.16%
Other
0.84%
Sectors
ITA
Industrials
96.23%
Other
3.77%
XAR
Industrials
93.34%
Other
6.66%
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Diversification
ITA
Total weight of top 15 holdings out of 15
84.98%
XAR
Total weight of top 15 holdings out of 15
49.28%
Top 15 holdings
Data as of May 31, 2026
ITA
GE Aerospace
20.15%
RTX Corp.
14.31%
The Boeing Co.
9.61%
Rocket Lab Corp.
5.28%
Howmet Aerospace, Inc.
4.68%
TransDigm Group, Inc.
4.56%
General Dynamics Corp.
4.47%
L3Harris Technologies, Inc.
3.95%
Lockheed Martin Corp.
3.73%
Northrop Grumman Corp.
3.51%
Axon Enterprise, Inc.
2.77%
Curtiss-Wright Corp.
2.16%
FTAI Aviation Ltd.
2.09%
ATI, Inc.
1.86%
Carpenter Technology Corp.
1.83%
XAR
Rocket Lab Corp.
5.83%
Carpenter Technology Corp.
3.36%
HEICO Corp.
3.32%
ATI, Inc.
3.25%
Intuitive Machines, Inc.
3.20%
The Boeing Co.
3.16%
Curtiss-Wright Corp.
3.16%
Hexcel Corp.
3.10%
Archer Aviation, Inc.
3.10%
Moog, Inc.
3.08%
Howmet Aerospace, Inc.
3.00%
Mercury Systems, Inc.
2.95%
FTAI Aviation Ltd.
2.93%
StandardAero, Inc.
2.93%
TransDigm Group, Inc.
2.92%
Frequently asked questions about ITA and XAR
How have the ITA and XAR ETFs performed in 2026?
As of July 6, 2026, ITA is up 16.89% year-to-date (YTD), while XAR has returned 20.34%. That puts XAR better performer ahead so far this year.
Which ETF is attracting more investor money: ITA or XAR?
Year-to-date, the ITA ETF saw -$96M in flows, compared to +$961M for XAR.
Which ETF is more volatile: ITA or XAR?
Over the past year, ITA had a volatility of 22.06%, while XAR experienced 27.82%.
Which ETF is bigger: ITA or XAR?
As of July 6, 2026, ITA holds $14.81 B in assets under management (AUM), while XAR manages $6.60 B.
What sectors do the ITA and XAR ETFs invest in?
ITA leans toward sectors like Industrials. Meanwhile, XAR focuses on Industrials.
What are the top holdings of the ITA ETF and XAR ETF?
ITA top holdings include GE Aerospace, RTX Corp. and The Boeing Co.. XAR holds in its top three: Rocket Lab Corp., Carpenter Technology Corp. and HEICO Corp..
Which ETF is more diversified: ITA or XAR?
ITA holds 45 securities with 84.98% of its assets in the top 15. XAR has 41 securities and a top 15 weight of 49.28%.
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Latest news about ITA & XAR
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