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, Non-Energy Materials and Technology. In contrast, GCAD's top sector exposures are Industrials, Non-Energy Materials and Sovereign. XAR is less expensive with a Total Expense Ratio (TER) of 0.35%, versus 0.9% for GCAD. XAR is down -6.46% year-to-date (YTD) with +$920M in YTD flows. GCAD performs better with 4.37% YTD performance, and +$31M 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 10/28/2026
| 1M | 3M | YTD | 1Y | 3Y | 5Y | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Perf. | XAR GCAD | -3.89%-0.56% | -17.18%-14.14% | -6.46%+4.37% | -9.80%+6.72% | +102.14%+109.44% | +93.61%n/a |
| Flows | XAR GCAD | -$322M+$1M | +$57M+$4M | +$920M+$31M | +$921M+$32M | +$1.95B+$37M | +$2.46B- |
Volatility and drawdown
| 3M | 1Y | 3Y | 5Y | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Volatility | XAR GCAD | +24.49%+19.08% | +29.03%+21.45% | +24.23%+19.37% | +24.02%n/a |
| Max drawdown | XAR GCAD | -26.51%-17.90% | -26.51%-17.90% | -26.51%-17.90% | -27.60%n/a |
| Max drawdown duration | XAR GCAD | 73d73d | 73d73d | 73d73d | 608dn/a |
Trading data
XAR | GCAD | |
Last sale 10/29/2026 at 1:30 PM | $235.29 | $50.01 |
| Previous close 10/28/2026 | $224.98 | $48.46 |
| Consolidated volume 10/28/2026 | ||
| 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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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 10/29/2026 at 1:30 PM
Live
Closed
XAR | GCAD | |
|---|---|---|
| Last price | $235.29 | $50.01 |
| 1D performance | +4.58% | +3.21% |
| AuM | $5.07 B | $43.30 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 | 47 | 52 |
| 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
98.7%
Other
1.3%
GCAD
USA
94.84%
Other
5.16%
Sectors
XAR
Industrials
93.67%
Other
6.33%
GCAD
Industrials
86.47%
Non-Energy Materi.
9.81%
Other
3.72%
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Diversification
XAR
Total weight of top 15 holdings out of 15
45.91%
GCAD
Total weight of top 15 holdings out of 15
65.58%
Top 15 holdings
Data as of August 31, 2026
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%
GCAD
Albany International Corp.
6.02%
Moog, Inc.
5.88%
The Boeing Co.
5.40%
L3Harris Technologies, Inc.
5.12%
RTX Corp.
4.95%
Ducommun, Inc.
4.84%
Lockheed Martin Corp.
4.72%
Hexcel Corp.
4.65%
Honeywell Aerospace, Inc.
4.64%
Northrop Grumman Corp.
3.98%
Textron, Inc.
3.76%
Mercury Systems, Inc.
3.05%
Crane Co.
3.04%
Howmet Aerospace, Inc.
2.75%
General Dynamics Corp.
2.75%
Frequently asked questions about XAR and GCAD
How have the XAR and GCAD ETFs performed in 2026?
As of October 28, 2026, XAR is down -6.46% year-to-date (YTD), while GCAD has returned 4.37%. 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 +$920M in flows, compared to +$31M for GCAD.
Which ETF is more volatile: XAR or GCAD?
Over the past year, XAR had a volatility of 29.03%, while GCAD experienced 21.45%.
Which ETF is bigger: XAR or GCAD?
As of October 28, 2026, XAR holds $5.07 B in assets under management (AUM), while GCAD manages $43.30 M.
What sectors do the XAR and GCAD ETFs invest in?
XAR leans toward sectors like Industrials. Meanwhile, GCAD focuses on Industrials and Non-Energy Materials.
What are the top holdings of the XAR ETF and GCAD ETF?
XAR top holdings include Axon Enterprise, Inc., VSE Corp. and RTX Corp.. GCAD holds in its top three: Albany International Corp., Moog, Inc. and The Boeing Co..
Which ETF is more diversified: XAR or GCAD?
XAR holds 47 securities with 45.91% of its assets in the top 15. GCAD has 53 securities and a top 15 weight of 65.58%.
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