SECTvsSMAXETF Comparison
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Sector Rotation ETF (SECT) belongs to the US Large Cap segment. iShares Large Cap Max Buffer Sep ETF (SMAX) is part of the Options Strategies segment. SECT's top 3 sector exposures are Technology, Finance and Industrials. In contrast, SMAX's top sector exposures are Technology, Finance and Healthcare. SECT is more expensive with a Total Expense Ratio (TER) of 0.73%, versus 0.53% for SMAX. SECT is up 11.88% year-to-date (YTD) with +$124M in YTD flows. SMAX performs worse with 5.13% YTD performance, and -$34M in YTD flows. Run a side-by-side ETF comparison of SECT and SMAX 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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SECT vs SMAX performance and flow charts
Performance
Cumulative Flows
Historic performance and flows
Data as of 08/31/2026
| 1M | 3M | YTD | 1Y | 3Y | 5Y | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Perf. | SECT SMAX | +2.42%+0.57% | +0.27%+1.65% | +11.88%+5.13% | +21.17%+7.57% | +66.21%n/a | +74.87%n/a |
| Flows | SECT SMAX | +$29M-$1M | +$85M-$7M | +$124M-$34M | +$212M+$515K | +$584M- | +$852M- |
Volatility and drawdown
| 3M | 1Y | 3Y | 5Y | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Volatility | SECT SMAX | +17.28%+2.43% | +14.81%+2.77% | +17.24%n/a | +18.22%n/a |
| Max drawdown | SECT SMAX | -5.52%-0.70% | -10.65%-1.93% | -21.73%n/a | -21.73%n/a |
| Max drawdown duration | SECT SMAX | 62d10d | 94d44d | 129dn/a | 695dn/a |
Trading data
SECT | SMAX | |
Last sale 9/2/2026 at 1:30 PM | $71.18 | $28.26 |
| Previous close 09/01/2026 | $71.00 | $28.24 |
| Consolidated volume 09/01/2026 | ||
| Average volume 30 days | ||
| Average discount or premium 30 days | ||
| Average Bid/Ask spread 30 days |
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Main metrics
Last update 9/2/2026 at 1:30 PM
Live
Closed
SECT | SMAX | |
|---|---|---|
| Last price | $71.18 | $28.26 |
| 1D performance | +0.25% | +0.07% |
| AuM | $2.87 B | $88.21 M |
| E/R | 0.73% | 0.53% |
Characteristics
SECT | SMAX | |
|---|---|---|
| Management strategy | Active | Active |
| Provider | Main Management ETF Advisors | iShares |
| Benchmark | - | - |
| N° of holdings | 389 | 496 |
| Asset class | - | - |
| Trailing 12m distribution yield | Join | Join |
| Inception date | September 5, 2017 | September 30, 2024 |
| ESG | No | No |
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Exposure
Countries
SECT
USA
95.06%
Other
4.94%
SMAX
USA
100.92%
Other
-0.92%
Sectors
SECT
Technology
41.61%
Finance
19.02%
Industrials
11.03%
Other
28.34%
SMAX
Technology
46.23%
Finance
14.48%
Healthcare
9.28%
Consumer Non-Cycl.
9.23%
Industrials
7.84%
Other
12.94%
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Diversification
SECT
Total weight of top 15 holdings out of 15
36.15%
SMAX
Total weight of top 15 holdings out of 15
45.4%
Top 15 holdings
Data as of July 31, 2026
SECT
NVIDIA Corp.
5.82%
Apple, Inc.
5.50%
Microsoft Corp.
4.09%
Amazon.com, Inc.
2.57%
JPMorgan Chase & Co.
2.30%
Berkshire Hathaway, Inc.
2.29%
Broadcom Inc.
2.21%
Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
1.83%
Micron Technology, Inc.
1.64%
Visa, Inc.
1.49%
Tesla, Inc.
1.48%
Cisco Systems, Inc.
1.36%
Intel Corp.
1.26%
Applied Materials, Inc.
1.18%
Mastercard, Inc.
1.13%
SMAX
Apple, Inc.
7.90%
NVIDIA Corp.
7.62%
Microsoft Corp.
5.40%
Amazon.com, Inc.
3.72%
Alphabet, Inc.
3.16%
Broadcom Inc.
2.96%
Alphabet, Inc.
2.54%
Meta Platforms, Inc.
1.91%
Micron Technology, Inc.
1.59%
JPMorgan Chase & Co.
1.52%
Berkshire Hathaway, Inc.
1.51%
Eli Lilly & Co.
1.47%
BlackRock Cash Funds - Treasury
1.42%
Tesla, Inc.
1.40%
Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
1.28%
Frequently asked questions about SECT and SMAX
How have the SECT and SMAX ETFs performed in 2026?
As of August 31, 2026, SECT is up 11.88% year-to-date (YTD), while SMAX has returned 5.13%. That puts SECT better performer ahead so far this year.
Which ETF is attracting more investor money: SECT or SMAX?
Year-to-date, the SECT ETF saw +$124M in flows, compared to -$34M for SMAX.
Which ETF is more volatile: SECT or SMAX?
Over the past year, SECT had a volatility of 14.81%, while SMAX experienced 2.77%.
Which ETF is bigger: SECT or SMAX?
As of August 31, 2026, SECT holds $2.87 B in assets under management (AUM), while SMAX manages $88.21 M.
What sectors do the SECT and SMAX ETFs invest in?
SECT leans toward sectors like Technology, Finance and Industrials. Meanwhile, SMAX focuses on Technology, Finance and Healthcare.
What are the top holdings of the SECT ETF and SMAX ETF?
SECT top holdings include NVIDIA Corp., Apple, Inc. and Microsoft Corp.. SMAX holds in its top three: Apple, Inc., NVIDIA Corp. and Microsoft Corp..
Which ETF is more diversified: SECT or SMAX?
SECT holds 393 securities with 36.15% of its assets in the top 15. SMAX has 504 securities and a top 15 weight of 45.4%.
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