Data as of .
GDX vs IDEF: which is really different?
GDX and IDEF hold 0% of their weight in the same names, and GDX returned more over the year.
ETFIQ Off-Index Score: GDX 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
0% of the two portfolios are the same securities at the same weight.
What they hold in common
By the books each fund has filed, GDX and IDEF hold 0% of their money in the same securities at the same weight.
| Only in GDX | Only in IDEF |
|---|---|
| Agnico Eagle Mines Ltd 10.67% | RTX 6.72% |
| Newmont Corp 10.42% | PALANTIR TECHNOLOGIES CLASS A 4.71% |
| Barrick Mining Corp 7.95% | LOCKHEED MARTIN CORP 3.62% |
| Wheaton Precious Metals Corp 5.61% | BOEING 3.32% |
| Anglogold Ashanti Plc 5.04% | ROLLS-ROYCE HOLDINGS PLC 3.30% |
| Franco-Nevada Corp 4.89% | GENERAL DYNAMICS CORP 2.97% |
| Kinross Gold Corp 4.40% | USD CASH 2.72% |
| Gold Fields Ltd 4.07% | 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 Jun 30, 2026 and Sep 10, 2026.
Performance, window by window
| Window | Total return | vs the S&P 500 | vs the Nasdaq-100 | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GDX | IDEF | GDX | IDEF | GDX | IDEF | |
| 3 months | +21.3% | −1.9% | +18.0 pts | −5.2 pts | +22.1 pts | −1.1 pts |
| 6 months | +4.1% | −8.5% | −11.9 pts | −24.5 pts | −16.6 pts | −29.2 pts |
| 1 year | +40.2% | +4.9% | +22.7 pts | −12.6 pts | +17.2 pts | −18.1 pts |
| 3 years | +249.2% | not published | +171.3 pts | not published | +154.1 pts | not published |
| Since launch | +137.2% | +26.5% | −667.2 pts | −6.4 pts | −1536.8 pts | −13.6 pts |
| GDX VanEck Gold Miners ETF Holds 59 stocks in miners and metals, 11% 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 | VanEck | iShares |
| Theme | Miners and metals | Defense |
| In the S&P 500 | 11.0% | 36.1% |
| Active share vs the S&P 500 | 99.8% | 95.9% |
| In the Nasdaq-100 | 0.0% | 8.5% |
| Holdings | 59 | 152 |
| Top ten, share of the fund | 58.2% | 35.2% |
| Expense ratio | 0.51% | not published |
| Fee for the differing part | 0.51% | not published |
| Total return, 1 year | +40.2% | +4.9% |
| vs the S&P 500 | +22.7 pts | −12.6 pts |
| vs the Nasdaq-100 | +17.2 pts | −18.1 pts |
| Below its high | −16.2% | −13.9% |
GDX in plain words
By weight, 11% of GDX'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 58% of the fund across 59 positions, as published by its issuer for Sep 10, 2026. Over the year to Sep 11, 2026 the fund returned +40.2% with distributions reinvested against +17.5% for the S&P 500, so a holder was ahead by 22.7 pts. It sits 16.2% below its all-time high of Feb 27, 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 GDX and IDEF hold the same stocks?
- By their latest filings, 0% 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, GDX or IDEF?
- GDX has 11% of its weight in S&P 500 names and IDEF has 36%, so GDX 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, GDX against IDEF, data as of Sep 11, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/themes/GDX-IDEF Free to use with attribution; the underlying files are at Open data.