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, Materials and Information Technology. In contrast, XLI's top sector exposures are Industrials, Information Technology ITA is more expensive with a Total Expense Ratio (TER) of 0.38%, versus 0.08% for XLI. ITA is up 0.87% year-to-date (YTD) with +$635M in YTD flows. XLI performs better with 11.83% YTD performance, and +$1.54B 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 05/01/2026
| 1M | 3M | YTD | 1Y | 3Y | 5Y | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Perf. | ITA XLI | -3.31%+5.18% | -6.34%+3.54% | +0.87%+11.83% | +37.12%+32.53% | +93.78%+79.85% | +110.90%+81.23% |
| Flows | ITA XLI | +$142M-$180M | -$294M+$836M | +$635M+$1.54B | +$4.39B+$4.20B | +$2.96B+$6.19B | +$5.60B-$796M |
Volatility and drawdown
| 3M | 1Y | 3Y | 5Y | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Volatility | ITA XLI | +27.10%+20.52% | +20.31%+15.41% | +19.21%+16.22% | +20.05%+17.44% |
| Max drawdown | ITA XLI | -15.79%-12.21% | -15.79%-12.21% | -15.79%-18.43% | -18.75%-21.70% |
| Max drawdown duration | ITA XLI | 60d60d | 60d60d | 60d165d | 227d526d |
Trading data
ITA | XLI | |
Last sale 5/1/2026 at 1:30 PM | $216.27 | $172.96 |
| Previous close 04/29/2026 | $218.56 | $174.58 |
| 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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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 5/1/2026 at 1:30 PM
Live
Closed
ITA | XLI | |
|---|---|---|
| Last price | $216.27 | $172.96 |
| 1D performance | -1.05% | -0.93% |
| AuM | $13.49 B | $30.10 B |
| E/R | 0.38% | 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 | 36 | 77 |
| 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
97.87%
Other
2.13%
XLI
USA
93.12%
Other
6.88%
Sectors
ITA
Industrials
90.12%
Other
9.88%
XLI
Industrials
91.84%
Other
8.16%
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Diversification
ITA
Total weight of top 15 holdings out of 15
85.18%
XLI
Total weight of top 15 holdings out of 15
49.69%
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%
XLI
CATERPILLAR
6.53%
GENERAL ELECTRIC
5.89%
RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORD
5.13%
US36828A1016
4.66%
BOEING U
3.09%
UBER TECHNOLOGIES INC
2.93%
UNION PACIFIC U
2.85%
HONEYWELL INTL
2.84%
DEERE
2.81%
EATON CORP PLC
2.75%
LOCKHEED MARTIN
2.42%
PARKER HANNIFIN
2.24%
VERTIV HOLDINGS
1.90%
HOWMET AEROSPACE INC
1.83%
TRANE TECHNOLOGIES PLC
1.83%
Frequently asked questions about ITA and XLI
How have the ITA and XLI ETFs performed in 2026?
As of May 1, 2026, ITA is up 0.87% year-to-date (YTD), while XLI has returned 11.83%. 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 +$635M in flows, compared to +$1.54B for XLI.
Which ETF is more volatile: ITA or XLI?
Over the past year, ITA had a volatility of 20.31%, while XLI experienced 15.41%.
Which ETF is bigger: ITA or XLI?
As of May 1, 2026, ITA holds $13.49 B in assets under management (AUM), while XLI manages $30.10 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 GENERAL ELECTRIC, RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORD and BOEING U. XLI holds in its top three: CATERPILLAR, GENERAL ELECTRIC and RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORD.
Which ETF is more diversified: ITA or XLI?
ITA holds 45 securities with 85.18% of its assets in the top 15. XLI has 79 securities and a top 15 weight of 49.69%.
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