XARvsITAETF Comparison
ETF 1
XAR
State Street SPDR S&P Aerospace & Defense ETF
VS
ETF 2
ITA
iShares U.S. Aerospace & Defense ETF
State Street SPDR S&P Aerospace & Defense ETF (XAR) and iShares U.S. Aerospace & Defense ETF (ITA) belong to the same industry segment: . Both ETFs have the same top 3 sector exposures: Industrials, Materials and Information Technology. XAR is less expensive with a Total Expense Ratio (TER) of 0.35%, versus 0.38% for ITA. XAR is up 6.14% year-to-date (YTD) with +$923M in YTD flows. ITA performs worse with 0.48% YTD performance, and +$527M in YTD flows. Run a side-by-side ETF comparison of XAR and ITA 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 ITA performance and flow charts
Performance
Cumulative Flows
Historic performance and flows
Data as of 05/05/2026
| 1M | 3M | YTD | 1Y | 3Y | 5Y | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Perf. | XAR ITA | -2.94%-4.35% | -1.58%-4.62% | +6.14%+0.48% | +45.40%+34.32% | +129.97%+97.39% | +111.82%+113.23% |
| Flows | XAR ITA | +$10M+$102M | +$424M-$460M | +$923M+$527M | +$1.65B+$4.28B | +$2.09B+$2.89B | +$2.38B+$5.49B |
Volatility and drawdown
| 3M | 1Y | 3Y | 5Y | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Volatility | XAR ITA | +31.57%+26.61% | +25.62%+20.27% | +22.49%+19.20% | +23.08%+20.05% |
| Max drawdown | XAR ITA | -16.33%-15.79% | -17.03%-15.79% | -19.74%-15.79% | -32.38%-18.75% |
| Max drawdown duration | XAR ITA | 64d64d | 106d64d | 109d64d | 904d227d |
Trading data
XAR | ITA | |
Last sale 5/6/2026 at 7:32 PM | $267.40 | $224.02 |
| Previous close 05/05/2026 | $255.22 | $215.37 |
| Consolidated volume 05/05/2026 | ||
| 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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XAR | ITA | |
|---|---|---|
| Tracking error | ||
| Tracking difference | ||
| 1 year cumulative return difference | ||
| Best | ||
| Worst | ||
| Daily return difference | ||
| Average | ||
| Worst | ||
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Main metrics
Last update 5/6/2026 at 7:32 PM
Live
Closed
XAR | ITA | |
|---|---|---|
| Last price | $267.40 | $224.02 |
| 1D performance | +4.77% | +4.02% |
| AuM | $5.81 B | $13.33 B |
| E/R | 0.35% | 0.38% |
Characteristics
XAR | ITA | |
|---|---|---|
| Management strategy | Passive | Passive |
| Provider | State Street Investment Management | iShares |
| Benchmark | S&P Aerospace & Defense Select Industry Index | Dow Jones U.S. Select Aerospace & Defense Index |
| N° of holdings | 34 | 36 |
| Asset class | Equities | Equities |
| Trailing 12m distribution yield | Join | Join |
| Inception date | September 28, 2011 | May 1, 2006 |
| ESG | No | No |
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Exposure
Countries
XAR
USA
96.81%
Other
3.19%
ITA
USA
97.87%
Other
2.13%
Sectors
XAR
Industrials
75.52%
Other
24.48%
ITA
Industrials
90.12%
Other
9.88%
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Diversification
XAR
Total weight of top 15 holdings out of 15
47.2%
ITA
Total weight of top 15 holdings out of 15
85.18%
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%
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%
Frequently asked questions about XAR and ITA
How have the XAR and ITA ETFs performed in 2026?
As of May 5, 2026, XAR is up 6.14% year-to-date (YTD), while ITA has returned 0.48%. That puts XAR better performer ahead so far this year.
Which ETF is attracting more investor money: XAR or ITA?
Year-to-date, the XAR ETF saw +$923M in flows, compared to +$527M for ITA.
Which ETF is more volatile: XAR or ITA?
Over the past year, XAR had a volatility of 25.62%, while ITA experienced 20.27%.
Which ETF is bigger: XAR or ITA?
As of May 5, 2026, XAR holds $5.81 B in assets under management (AUM), while ITA manages $13.33 B.
What sectors do the XAR and ITA ETFs invest in?
XAR leans toward sectors like Industrials. Meanwhile, ITA focuses on Industrials.
What are the top holdings of the XAR ETF and ITA ETF?
XAR top holdings include BWX TECHNOLOGIES INC, CURTISS WRIGHT and GENERAL DYNAMICS. ITA holds in its top three: GENERAL ELECTRIC, RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORD and BOEING U.
Which ETF is more diversified: XAR or ITA?
XAR holds 41 securities with 47.2% of its assets in the top 15. ITA has 45 securities and a top 15 weight of 85.18%.
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Latest news about XAR & ITA
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