ITAvsXLIETF Comparison
ETF 1
ITA
iShares U.S. Aerospace & Defense ETF
VS
iShares U.S. Aerospace & Defense ETF (ITA) belongs to the segment. State Street Industrial Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLI) is part of the US Industrials segment. ITA's top 3 sector exposures are Industrials, Non-Energy Materials and Non-Corporate. In contrast, XLI's top sector exposures are Industrials, Business Services and Non-Energy Materials. ITA is more expensive with a Total Expense Ratio (TER) of 0.37%, versus 0.08% for XLI. ITA is down -5.5% year-to-date (YTD) with -$257M in YTD flows. XLI performs better with 8.39% YTD performance, and +$3.39B in YTD flows. Run a side-by-side ETF comparison of ITA and XLI 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 XLI performance and flow charts
Performance
Cumulative Flows
Historic performance and flows
Data as of 10/23/2026
| 1M | 3M | YTD | 1Y | 3Y | 5Y | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Perf. | ITA XLI | -5.42%-2.06% | -15.02%-6.49% | -5.50%+8.39% | -5.96%+10.35% | +93.50%+76.91% | +94.72%+71.51% |
| Flows | ITA XLI | -$115M+$899M | -$165M+$338M | -$257M+$3.39B | +$126M+$5.06B | +$2.61B+$7.20B | +$5.07B+$4.05B |
Volatility and drawdown
| 3M | 1Y | 3Y | 5Y | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Volatility | ITA XLI | +18.80%+15.01% | +23.07%+17.19% | +20.25%+16.70% | +20.52%+17.64% |
| Max drawdown | ITA XLI | -20.02%-10.39% | -20.02%-12.21% | -20.02%-18.43% | -20.02%-21.70% |
| Max drawdown duration | ITA XLI | 68d67d | 68d102d | 68d165d | 68d526d |
Trading data
ITA | XLI | |
Last sale 10/23/2026 at 1:30 PM | $202.23 | $164.62 |
| Previous close 10/22/2026 | $204.48 | $166.73 |
| Consolidated volume 10/22/2026 | ||
| Average volume 30 days | ||
| Average discount or premium 30 days | ||
| Average Bid/Ask spread 30 days |
Replication quality
Data as of September 30, 2026
1-year trailing difference
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ITA | XLI | |
|---|---|---|
| Tracking error | ||
| Tracking difference | ||
| 1 year cumulative return difference | ||
| Best | ||
| Worst | ||
| Daily return difference | ||
| Average | ||
| Worst | ||
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Main metrics
Last update 10/23/2026 at 1:30 PM
Live
Closed
ITA | XLI | |
|---|---|---|
| Last price | $202.23 | $164.62 |
| 1D performance | -1.10% | -1.27% |
| AuM | $11.77 B | $30.73 B |
| E/R | 0.37% | 0.08% |
Characteristics
ITA | XLI | |
|---|---|---|
| Management strategy | Passive | Passive |
| Provider | iShares | State Street Investment Management |
| Benchmark | Dow Jones U.S. Select Aerospace & Defense Index | S&P Industrial Select Sector Index |
| N° of holdings | 48 | 82 |
| Asset class | Equities | Equities |
| Trailing 12m distribution yield | Join | Join |
| Inception date | May 1, 2006 | December 16, 1998 |
| ESG | No | No |
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Exposure
Countries
ITA
USA
99.85%
Other
0.15%
XLI
USA
92.93%
Other
7.07%
Sectors
ITA
Industrials
96%
Other
4%
XLI
Industrials
88.55%
Other
11.45%
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Diversification
ITA
Total weight of top 15 holdings out of 15
87%
XLI
Total weight of top 15 holdings out of 15
49.1%
Top 15 holdings
Data as of August 31, 2026
ITA
GE Aerospace
21.58%
RTX Corp.
17.24%
The Boeing Co.
9.07%
General Dynamics Corp.
4.83%
Lockheed Martin Corp.
4.74%
Northrop Grumman Corp.
4.41%
Howmet Aerospace, Inc.
4.35%
TransDigm Group, Inc.
4.29%
L3Harris Technologies, Inc.
3.70%
Axon Enterprise, Inc.
3.40%
Rocket Lab Corp.
2.43%
ATI, Inc.
2.08%
Carpenter Technology Corp.
1.76%
Curtiss-Wright Corp.
1.60%
Woodward, Inc.
1.51%
XLI
Caterpillar, Inc.
6.67%
GE Aerospace
6.36%
RTX Corp.
5.08%
GE Vernova, Inc.
4.39%
Union Pacific Corp.
3.24%
Deere & Co.
2.99%
The Boeing Co.
2.98%
Eaton Corp. Plc
2.84%
Uber Technologies, Inc.
2.80%
Parker-Hannifin Corp.
2.24%
Automatic Data Processing, Inc.
2.08%
Lockheed Martin Corp.
2.06%
Vertiv Holdings Co.
1.81%
Trane Technologies Plc
1.79%
Howmet Aerospace, Inc.
1.78%
Frequently asked questions about ITA and XLI
How have the ITA and XLI ETFs performed in 2026?
As of October 23, 2026, ITA is down -5.5% year-to-date (YTD), while XLI has returned 8.39%. That puts XLI better performer ahead so far this year.
Which ETF is attracting more investor money: ITA or XLI?
Year-to-date, the ITA ETF saw -$257M in flows, compared to +$3.39B for XLI.
Which ETF is more volatile: ITA or XLI?
Over the past year, ITA had a volatility of 23.07%, while XLI experienced 17.19%.
Which ETF is bigger: ITA or XLI?
As of October 23, 2026, ITA holds $11.77 B in assets under management (AUM), while XLI manages $30.73 B.
What sectors do the ITA and XLI ETFs invest in?
ITA leans toward sectors like Industrials. Meanwhile, XLI focuses on Industrials.
What are the top holdings of the ITA ETF and XLI ETF?
ITA top holdings include GE Aerospace, RTX Corp. and The Boeing Co.. XLI holds in its top three: Caterpillar, Inc., GE Aerospace and RTX Corp..
Which ETF is more diversified: ITA or XLI?
ITA holds 49 securities with 87% of its assets in the top 15. XLI has 82 securities and a top 15 weight of 49.1%.
Latest news about ITA & XLI
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