XARvsGCADETF Comparison
ETF 1
XAR
State Street SPDR S&P Aerospace & Defense ETF
VS
ETF 2
GCAD
Gabelli Commercial Aerospace & Defense ETF
State Street SPDR S&P Aerospace & Defense ETF (XAR) and Gabelli Commercial Aerospace & Defense ETF (GCAD) belong to the same industry segment: . XAR's top 3 sector exposures are Industrials, Materials and Information Technology. In contrast, GCAD's top sector exposures are Industrials, Materials and Communication Services. XAR is less expensive with a Total Expense Ratio (TER) of 0.35%, versus 0.9% for GCAD. XAR is up 3.73% year-to-date (YTD) with +$962M in YTD flows. GCAD performs better with 8.54% YTD performance, and +$12M in YTD flows. Run a side-by-side ETF comparison of XAR and GCAD 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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XAR vs GCAD performance and flow charts
Performance
Cumulative Flows
Historic performance and flows
Data as of 04/29/2026
| 1M | 3M | YTD | 1Y | 3Y | 5Y | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Perf. | XAR GCAD | +3.01%+4.99% | -10.04%-3.35% | +3.73%+8.54% | +46.03%+48.57% | +121.10%+113.41% | +99.16%n/a |
| Flows | XAR GCAD | +$17M+$794K | +$518M+$10M | +$962M+$12M | +$1.70B+$16M | +$2.12B+$19M | +$2.42B- |
Volatility and drawdown
| 3M | 1Y | 3Y | 5Y | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Volatility | XAR GCAD | +32.83%+24.20% | +25.46%+18.08% | +22.43%+18.15% | +23.04%n/a |
| Max drawdown | XAR GCAD | -16.33%-14.81% | -17.03%-14.81% | -19.74%-16.22% | -32.38%n/a |
| Max drawdown duration | XAR GCAD | 58d57d | 100d57d | 109d91d | 904dn/a |
Trading data
XAR | GCAD | |
Last sale 4/29/2026 at 1:30 PM | $249.75 | $49.73 |
| Previous close 04/29/2026 | $254.91 | $50.31 |
| 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 March 31, 2026
1-year trailing difference
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GCAD
is actively managed and doesn’t replicate an indexXAR | GCAD | |
|---|---|---|
| Tracking error | ||
| Tracking difference | ||
| 1 year cumulative return difference | ||
| Best | ||
| Worst | ||
| Daily return difference | ||
| Average | ||
| Worst | ||
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Main metrics
Last update 4/29/2026 at 1:30 PM
Live
Closed
XAR | GCAD | |
|---|---|---|
| Last price | $249.75 | $49.73 |
| 1D performance | -2.02% | -1.15% |
| AuM | $5.72 B | $27.67 M |
| E/R | 0.35% | 0.9% |
Characteristics
XAR | GCAD | |
|---|---|---|
| Management strategy | Passive | Active |
| Provider | State Street Investment Management | Gabelli Funds |
| Benchmark | S&P Aerospace & Defense Select Industry Index | - |
| N° of holdings | 34 | 38 |
| Asset class | Equities | - |
| Trailing 12m distribution yield | Join | Join |
| Inception date | September 28, 2011 | January 3, 2023 |
| ESG | No | No |
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Exposure
Countries
XAR
USA
96.81%
Other
3.19%
GCAD
USA
87.87%
Other
12.13%
Sectors
XAR
Industrials
75.52%
Other
24.48%
GCAD
Industrials
85.62%
Other
14.38%
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Diversification
XAR
Total weight of top 15 holdings out of 15
47.2%
GCAD
Total weight of top 15 holdings out of 15
63.19%
Top 15 holdings
Data as of March 31, 2026
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%
GCAD
ALBANY INTERNATIONAL
5.94%
BOEING U
5.92%
LOCKHEED MARTIN
5.83%
NORTHROP GRUMMAN
5.79%
MOOG
5.30%
HEXCEL
4.58%
TEXTRON
4.58%
HONEYWELL INTL
4.21%
DUCOMMUN
3.86%
L3 HARRIS TECHNOLOGIES
3.60%
MERCURY SYSTEMS INC
2.90%
GENERAL DYNAMICS
2.87%
HOWMET AEROSPACE INC
2.77%
CURTISS WRIGHT
2.72%
ASTRONICS
2.33%
Frequently asked questions about XAR and GCAD
How have the XAR and GCAD ETFs performed in 2026?
As of April 29, 2026, XAR is up 3.73% year-to-date (YTD), while GCAD has returned 8.54%. That puts GCAD better performer ahead so far this year.
Which ETF is attracting more investor money: XAR or GCAD?
Year-to-date, the XAR ETF saw +$962M in flows, compared to +$12M for GCAD.
Which ETF is more volatile: XAR or GCAD?
Over the past year, XAR had a volatility of 25.46%, while GCAD experienced 18.08%.
Which ETF is bigger: XAR or GCAD?
As of April 29, 2026, XAR holds $5.72 B in assets under management (AUM), while GCAD manages $27.67 M.
What sectors do the XAR and GCAD ETFs invest in?
XAR leans toward sectors like Industrials. Meanwhile, GCAD focuses on Industrials.
What are the top holdings of the XAR ETF and GCAD ETF?
XAR top holdings include BWX TECHNOLOGIES INC, CURTISS WRIGHT and GENERAL DYNAMICS. GCAD holds in its top three: ALBANY INTERNATIONAL, BOEING U and LOCKHEED MARTIN.
Which ETF is more diversified: XAR or GCAD?
XAR holds 41 securities with 47.2% of its assets in the top 15. GCAD has 40 securities and a top 15 weight of 63.19%.
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