Data as of Sep 12, 2026. Both funds on the fields they both publish, from the same sources.
AIRR vs IJR: how they differ
Over the year IJR returned more, +19.9% against +15.0%, and IJR charges 0.06% against 0.69%.
First Trust RBA American Industrial Renaissance ETF and iShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETF.
What they hold in common
By the books each fund has filed, AIRR and IJR hold 5% of their money in the same securities at the same weight.
| Holding | AIRR | IJR |
|---|---|---|
| ARGAN INC | 4.73% | 0.62% |
| EVERUS CONSTRUCTION GROUP INC | 1.17% | 0.47% |
| POWELL INDUSTRIES INC | 2.48% | 0.45% |
| FEDERAL SIGNAL CORP | 1.07% | 0.43% |
| ZURN ELKAY WATER SOLUTIONS CORP | 0.77% | 0.42% |
| ARCOSA INC | 0.84% | 0.40% |
| GRANITE CONSTRUCTION INC | 1.66% | 0.38% |
| MERCURY SYSTEMS INC | 1.25% | 0.36% |
| PRIMORIS SERVICES CORP | 1.18% | 0.30% |
| CSW INDUSTRIALS INC | 0.59% | 0.25% |
| FULTON FINANCIAL CORP | 0.89% | 0.25% |
| MUELLER WATER PRODUCTS INC | 0.42% | 0.22% |
| Only in AIRR | Only in IJR |
|---|---|
| STERLING INFRASTRUCTURE INC 6.00% | FORMFACTOR INC 0.69% |
| COMFORT SYSTEMS USA INC 4.42% | VIASAT INC 0.68% |
| MASTEC INC 4.18% | MOLINA HEALTHCARE INC 0.66% |
| CH ROBINSON WORLDWIDE INC 4.08% | BRIGHTSPRING HEALTH SERVICES INC 0.61% |
| OWENS CORNING 3.90% | ELEMENT SOLUTIONS INC 0.61% |
| DYCOM INDUSTRIES INC 3.76% | MAXLINEAR INC 0.60% |
| EMCOR GROUP INC 3.75% | KRYSTAL BIOTECH INC 0.54% |
| SAIA INC 3.54% | ESCO TECHNOLOGIES INC 0.50% |
Weight overlap is an ETFIQ calculation: for every security both funds hold, the smaller of the two weights, summed. Above 50%, holding both is close to holding one of them twice. Holdings dated Jun 30, 2026.
| AIRR First Trust RBA American Industrial Renaissance ETF | IJR iShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETF | |
|---|---|---|
| Where it sits | Thematic ETF | Core index fund |
| Issuer | First Trust | iShares |
| What it is | Reshoring and manufacturing | S&P SmallCap 600 |
| Total return, 1 year | +15.0% | +19.9% |
| S&P 500 over the same days | +17.5% | +17.5% |
| Gap to the S&P 500 | −2.5 pts | +2.4 pts |
| Expense ratio | 0.69% | 0.06% |
| Already in the S&P 500 | 5.5% | 0.0% |
| Holdings | 58 | 603 |
AIRR in plain words
By weight, 6% of AIRR's portfolio is stocks that are also in the S&P 500; its active share against the S&P 500 is 100%. The top ten holdings are 30% of the fund across 58 positions, as published by its issuer for Sep 10, 2026. Over the year to Sep 11, 2026 the fund returned +15.0% with distributions reinvested against +17.5% for the S&P 500, so a holder was behind by 2.5 pts. It sits 19.5% below its all-time high of Jun 22, 2026.
IJR in plain words
IJR is an index equity fund tracking the S&P SmallCap 600. Over the year to Sep 11, 2026 it returned +19.9% with distributions reinvested, against +17.5% for the S&P 500 and +23.0% for the Nasdaq-100. The prospectus expense ratio is 0.06% a year. By its holdings filed for Jun 30, 2026, 0% of the fund by weight is stocks the S&P 500 also holds, across 603 positions, with the top ten at 6.0%. It sat 5.5% below its high of Aug 14, 2026 on Sep 11, 2026.
Questions people ask
- Which returned more over the last year, AIRR or IJR?
- In the year to Sep 12, 2026, with distributions reinvested, AIRR returned +15.0% and IJR returned +19.9%, so IJR returned more. One year is one year; the longer windows are in the table.
- Which is cheaper, AIRR or IJR?
- AIRR charges 0.69% a year and IJR charges 0.06%, so IJR is cheaper. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.
- How much do AIRR and IJR overlap with the S&P 500?
- By their latest filed holdings, 6% of AIRR and 0% of IJR by weight is stocks the S&P 500 already holds. Between the two funds, 5% of their books are the same securities at the same weight.
- Are AIRR and IJR the same kind of fund?
- No. AIRR is a thematic ETF and IJR is an index ETF, so they are built for different jobs. The table compares what both publish: return, cost and what each actually holds.
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Where these figures came from
ETFIQ links to the documents behind every figure. It is not affiliated with any issuer, and a link is not an endorsement.
Cite this page. ETFIQ, AIRR against IJR, data as of Sep 12, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/any/AIRR-IJR Free to use with attribution; the underlying files are at Open data.
A comparison is not a recommendation. Standards and sources