MISLvsXARETF Comparison
ETF 1
MISL
First Trust Indxx Aerospace & Defense ETF
VS
ETF 2
XAR
State Street SPDR S&P Aerospace & Defense ETF
First Trust Indxx Aerospace & Defense ETF (MISL) and State Street SPDR S&P Aerospace & Defense ETF (XAR) belong to the same industry segment: . MISL's top 3 sector exposures are Industrials, Business Services and Telecommunications. In contrast, XAR's top sector exposures are Industrials, Non-Energy Materials and Technology. MISL is more expensive with a Total Expense Ratio (TER) of 0.6%, versus 0.35% for XAR. MISL is down -3.08% year-to-date (YTD) with -$622M in YTD flows. XAR performs worse with -6.75% YTD performance, and +$920M in YTD flows. Run a side-by-side ETF comparison of MISL 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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MISL vs XAR performance and flow charts
Performance
Cumulative Flows
Historic performance and flows
Data as of 10/27/2026
| 1M | 3M | YTD | 1Y | 3Y | 5Y | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Perf. | MISL XAR | -1.08%-4.19% | -6.32%-17.86% | -3.08%-6.75% | -5.32%-10.42% | +90.29%+103.18% | n/a+92.66% |
| Flows | MISL XAR | -$10M-$322M | -$30M+$57M | -$622M+$920M | +$429M+$927M | +$532M+$1.95B | -+$2.45B |
Volatility and drawdown
| 3M | 1Y | 3Y | 5Y | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Volatility | MISL XAR | +22.16%+24.47% | +25.35%+29.03% | +20.72%+24.24% | n/a+24.02% |
| Max drawdown | MISL XAR | -15.12%-26.51% | -19.82%-26.51% | -19.82%-26.51% | n/a-27.60% |
| Max drawdown duration | MISL XAR | 72d72d | 281d72d | 281d72d | n/a608d |
Trading data
MISL | XAR | |
Last sale 10/28/2026 at 1:30 PM | $41.56 | $224.98 |
| Previous close 10/27/2026 | $41.44 | $224.45 |
| Consolidated volume 10/27/2026 | ||
| 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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MISL | 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 10/28/2026 at 1:30 PM
Live
Closed
MISL | XAR | |
|---|---|---|
| Last price | $41.56 | $224.98 |
| 1D performance | +0.29% | +0.24% |
| AuM | $673.16 M | $5.05 B |
| E/R | 0.6% | 0.35% |
Characteristics
MISL | XAR | |
|---|---|---|
| Management strategy | Passive | Passive |
| Provider | First Trust | State Street Investment Management |
| Benchmark | Indxx US Aerospace and Defense Index | S&P Aerospace & Defense Select Industry Index |
| N° of holdings | 38 | 47 |
| Asset class | Equities | Equities |
| Trailing 12m distribution yield | Join | Join |
| Inception date | October 26, 2022 | September 28, 2011 |
| ESG | No | No |
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Exposure
Countries
MISL
USA
99.56%
Other
0.44%
XAR
USA
98.7%
Other
1.3%
Sectors
MISL
Industrials
75.5%
Business Services
13.13%
Telecommunication.
10.38%
Other
0.99%
XAR
Industrials
93.67%
Other
6.33%
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Diversification
MISL
Total weight of top 15 holdings out of 15
78.47%
XAR
Total weight of top 15 holdings out of 15
45.91%
Top 15 holdings
Data as of August 31, 2026
MISL
Palantir Technologies, Inc.
11.60%
RTX Corp.
8.56%
Space Exploration Technologies Corp.
8.00%
The Boeing Co.
7.57%
GE Aerospace
7.53%
Lockheed Martin Corp.
4.25%
Northrop Grumman Corp.
4.04%
General Dynamics Corp.
4.03%
Howmet Aerospace, Inc.
3.85%
HEICO Corp.
3.79%
L3Harris Technologies, Inc.
3.71%
TransDigm Group, Inc.
3.66%
Rocket Lab Corp.
3.15%
AST SpaceMobile, Inc.
2.38%
Curtiss-Wright Corp.
2.35%
XAR
Axon Enterprise, Inc.
3.61%
VSE Corp.
3.43%
RTX Corp.
3.34%
Archer Aviation, Inc.
3.26%
ATI, Inc.
3.17%
General Dynamics Corp.
3.10%
Lockheed Martin Corp.
3.03%
GE Aerospace
3.00%
HEICO Corp.
2.94%
Hexcel Corp.
2.88%
Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc.
2.87%
Northrop Grumman Corp.
2.84%
The Boeing Co.
2.83%
StandardAero, Inc.
2.82%
Howmet Aerospace, Inc.
2.80%
Frequently asked questions about MISL and XAR
How have the MISL and XAR ETFs performed in 2026?
As of October 27, 2026, MISL is down -3.08% year-to-date (YTD), while XAR has lost -6.75%. That puts MISL better performer ahead so far this year.
Which ETF is attracting more investor money: MISL or XAR?
Year-to-date, the MISL ETF saw -$622M in flows, compared to +$920M for XAR.
Which ETF is more volatile: MISL or XAR?
Over the past year, MISL had a volatility of 25.35%, while XAR experienced 29.03%.
Which ETF is bigger: MISL or XAR?
As of October 27, 2026, MISL holds $673.16 M in assets under management (AUM), while XAR manages $5.05 B.
What sectors do the MISL and XAR ETFs invest in?
MISL leans toward sectors like Industrials, Business Services and Telecommunications. Meanwhile, XAR focuses on Industrials.
What are the top holdings of the MISL ETF and XAR ETF?
MISL top holdings include Palantir Technologies, Inc., RTX Corp. and Space Exploration Technologies Corp.. XAR holds in its top three: Axon Enterprise, Inc., VSE Corp. and RTX Corp..
Which ETF is more diversified: MISL or XAR?
MISL holds 38 securities with 78.47% of its assets in the top 15. XAR has 47 securities and a top 15 weight of 45.91%.
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