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: . Both ETFs have the same top 3 sector exposures: Industrials, Materials and Information Technology. ITA is more expensive with a Total Expense Ratio (TER) of 0.38%, versus 0.35% for XAR. ITA is up 5.11% year-to-date (YTD) with +$394M in YTD flows. XAR performs better with 12.65% YTD performance, and +$857M 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 05/22/2026
| 1M | 3M | YTD | 1Y | 3Y | 5Y | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Perf. | ITA XAR | +2.88%+2.95% | -6.48%-2.74% | +5.11%+12.65% | +33.15%+47.39% | +104.15%+135.12% | +119.18%+121.72% |
| Flows | ITA XAR | -$56M-$92M | -$888M+$254M | +$394M+$857M | +$3.97B+$1.50B | +$2.79B+$2.02B | +$5.43B+$2.32B |
Volatility and drawdown
| 3M | 1Y | 3Y | 5Y | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Volatility | ITA XAR | +27.49%+31.95% | +20.84%+26.33% | +19.43%+22.79% | +20.11%+23.21% |
| Max drawdown | ITA XAR | -15.79%-16.33% | -15.79%-17.03% | -15.79%-19.74% | -18.75%-32.38% |
| Max drawdown duration | ITA XAR | 81d81d | 81d123d | 81d109d | 227d904d |
Trading data
ITA | XAR | |
Last sale 5/22/2026 at 1:30 PM | $225.37 | $271.18 |
| Previous close 05/21/2026 | $223.15 | $266.37 |
| Consolidated volume 05/21/2026 | ||
| 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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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 5/22/2026 at 1:30 PM
Live
Closed
ITA | XAR | |
|---|---|---|
| Last price | $225.37 | $271.18 |
| 1D performance | +0.99% | +1.81% |
| AuM | $13.81 B | $6.10 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 | 36 | 34 |
| 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
97.87%
Other
2.13%
XAR
USA
96.81%
Other
3.19%
Sectors
ITA
Industrials
90.12%
Other
9.88%
XAR
Industrials
75.52%
Other
24.48%
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Diversification
ITA
Total weight of top 15 holdings out of 15
85.18%
XAR
Total weight of top 15 holdings out of 15
47.2%
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%
XAR
BWX TECHNOLOGIES INC
3.46%
CURTISS WRIGHT
3.26%
GENERAL DYNAMICS
3.21%
CARPENTER TECHNOLOGY
3.20%
HEXCEL
3.17%
L3 HARRIS TECHNOLOGIES
3.14%
KYG3730V1059
3.12%
TEXTRON
3.11%
RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORD
3.08%
LOCKHEED MARTIN
3.08%
NORTHROP GRUMMAN
3.08%
BOEING U
3.08%
WOODWARD
3.07%
ATI INC
3.06%
TRANSDIGM GROUP
3.05%
Frequently asked questions about ITA and XAR
How have the ITA and XAR ETFs performed in 2026?
As of May 22, 2026, ITA is up 5.11% year-to-date (YTD), while XAR has returned 12.65%. 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 +$394M in flows, compared to +$857M for XAR.
Which ETF is more volatile: ITA or XAR?
Over the past year, ITA had a volatility of 20.84%, while XAR experienced 26.33%.
Which ETF is bigger: ITA or XAR?
As of May 22, 2026, ITA holds $13.81 B in assets under management (AUM), while XAR manages $6.10 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 GENERAL ELECTRIC, RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORD and BOEING U. XAR holds in its top three: BWX TECHNOLOGIES INC, CURTISS WRIGHT and GENERAL DYNAMICS.
Which ETF is more diversified: ITA or XAR?
ITA holds 45 securities with 85.18% of its assets in the top 15. XAR has 41 securities and a top 15 weight of 47.2%.
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