Data as of .
BAI vs IDEF: which is really different?
BAI and IDEF hold 6% of their weight in the same names, and BAI returned more over the year.
ETFIQ Off-Index Score: IDEF scores higher
How much of it is not the index it is sold as an alternative to?
A percentile among the 349 thematic ETFs with a holdings filing. It is a position in a set, not a rating, and neither end of it is a recommendation. All thematic ETFs ranked by it · How it is computed
6% of the two portfolios are the same securities at the same weight.
What they hold in common
By the books each fund has filed, BAI and IDEF hold 6% of their money in the same securities at the same weight.
| Holding | BAI | IDEF |
|---|---|---|
| SPACE EXPLORATION TECHNOLOGIES COR | 3.01% | 2.38% |
| PALO ALTO NETWORKS | 1.47% | 1.55% |
| CROWDSTRIKE HOLDINGS CLASS A | 1.85% | 1.22% |
| MACOM TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS | 1.44% | 0.64% |
| CEREBRAS SYSTEMS INC CLASS A | 0.43% | 0.46% |
| Only in BAI | Only in IDEF |
|---|---|
| MICRON TECHNOLOGY 6.48% | RTX 6.72% |
| NVIDIA 5.32% | PALANTIR TECHNOLOGIES CLASS A 4.71% |
| ADVANCED MICRO DEVICES 4.77% | LOCKHEED MARTIN CORP 3.62% |
| BROADCOM INC 4.75% | BOEING 3.32% |
| TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING 4.69% | ROLLS-ROYCE HOLDINGS PLC 3.30% |
| LAM RESEARCH 4.06% | GENERAL DYNAMICS CORP 2.97% |
| SNOWFLAKE 3.00% | USD CASH 2.72% |
| LUMENTUM HOLDINGS 2.91% | THALES SA 2.61% |
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 Sep 10, 2026.
Performance, window by window
| Window | Total return | vs the S&P 500 | vs the Nasdaq-100 | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BAI | IDEF | BAI | IDEF | BAI | IDEF | |
| 3 months | −9.1% | −1.9% | −12.3 pts | −5.2 pts | −8.3 pts | −1.1 pts |
| 6 months | +34.1% | −8.5% | +18.1 pts | −24.5 pts | +13.4 pts | −29.2 pts |
| 1 year | +32.3% | +4.9% | +14.8 pts | −12.6 pts | +9.3 pts | −18.1 pts |
| Since launch | +80.9% | +26.5% | +47.2 pts | −6.4 pts | +35.4 pts | −13.6 pts |
| BAI iShares A.I. Innovation and Tech Active ETF Holds 52 stocks in artificial intelligence, 55% of its weight in S&P 500 companies | IDEF iShares Defense Industrials Active ETF Holds 152 stocks in defense, 36% of its weight in S&P 500 companies | |
|---|---|---|
| Issuer | iShares | iShares |
| Theme | Artificial intelligence | Defense |
| In the S&P 500 | 54.8% | 36.1% |
| Active share vs the S&P 500 | 76.5% | 95.9% |
| In the Nasdaq-100 | 49.5% | 8.5% |
| Holdings | 52 | 152 |
| Top ten, share of the fund | 41.8% | 35.2% |
| Expense ratio | 0.55% | not published |
| Fee for the differing part | 0.72% | not published |
| Total return, 1 year | +32.3% | +4.9% |
| vs the S&P 500 | +14.8 pts | −12.6 pts |
| vs the Nasdaq-100 | +9.3 pts | −18.1 pts |
| Below its high | −17.9% | −13.9% |
BAI in plain words
By weight, 55% of BAI's portfolio is stocks that are also in the S&P 500; its active share against the S&P 500 is 76%. The top ten holdings are 42% of the fund across 52 positions, as published by its issuer for Sep 10, 2026. Over the year to Sep 11, 2026 the fund returned +32.3% with distributions reinvested against +17.5% for the S&P 500, so a holder was ahead by 14.8 pts. It sits 17.9% below its all-time high of Jun 22, 2026.
IDEF in plain words
By weight, 36% of IDEF's portfolio is stocks that are also in the S&P 500; its active share against the S&P 500 is 96%. The top ten holdings are 35% of the fund across 152 positions, as published by its issuer for Sep 10, 2026. Over the year to Sep 11, 2026 the fund returned +4.9% with distributions reinvested against +17.5% for the S&P 500, so a holder was behind by 12.6 pts. It sits 13.9% below its all-time high of Mar 2, 2026.
Questions people ask
- Do BAI and IDEF hold the same stocks?
- By their latest filings, 6% of their books are the same securities at the same weight, which is mostly different names. Overlap is the sum of the smaller weight of every security they share.
- Which is more different from the S&P 500, BAI or IDEF?
- BAI has 55% of its weight in S&P 500 names and IDEF has 36%, so IDEF differs more from the index.
Other comparisons
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, BAI against IDEF, data as of Sep 11, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/themes/BAI-IDEF Free to use with attribution; the underlying files are at Open data.