Data as of .
ARMY vs IDEF: which is really different?
ARMY and IDEF hold 32% of their weight in the same names.
ETFIQ Off-Index Score: ARMY scores higher
How much of it is not the index it is sold as an alternative to?
A percentile among the 379 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
32% of the two portfolios are the same securities at the same weight.
What they hold in common
By the books each fund has filed, ARMY and IDEF hold 32% of their money in the same securities at the same weight.
| Holding | ARMY | IDEF |
|---|---|---|
| ROLLS-ROYCE HOLDINGS PLC | 3.43% | 3.29% |
| PALANTIR TECHNOLOGIES INC | 2.86% | 5.02% |
| AIRBUS GROUP SE | 2.43% | 2.55% |
| BAE SYSTEMS PLC | 3.58% | 2.18% |
| THALES SA | 3.54% | 2.18% |
| LOCKHEED MARTIN CORP | 1.81% | 3.62% |
| RTX CORP | 1.65% | 6.55% |
| LEONARDO-FINMECCANICA SPA | 3.53% | 1.60% |
| GENERAL DYNAMICS CORP | 1.34% | 2.94% |
| SAFRAN SA | 3.15% | 1.30% |
| RHEINMETALL AG | 2.52% | 1.15% |
| NORTHROP GRUMMAN CORP | 1.12% | 2.58% |
| Only in ARMY | Only in IDEF |
|---|---|
| ANDURIL SPV EXPOSURE 14.63% | BLK CSH FND TREASURY SL AGENCY 3.77% |
| INDRA SISTEMAS SA 3.65% | SPACE EXPLORATION TECHNOLOGIES COR 2.44% |
| SAAB AB 3.40% | HANWHA AEROSPACE LTD 2.21% |
| AVON TECHNOLOGIES PLC 1.47% | GE AEROSPACE 1.83% |
| MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES 1.73% | |
| HANWHA SYSTEMS LTD 1.69% | |
| PALO ALTO NETWORKS 1.66% | |
| SAAB CLASS B 1.62% |
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 18, 2026.
Performance, window by window
| Window | Total return | vs the S&P 500 | vs the Nasdaq-100 | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ARMY | IDEF | ARMY | IDEF | ARMY | IDEF | |
| 3 months | −2.2% | −1.6% | −4.4 pts | −3.9 pts | +0.3 pts | +0.9 pts |
| 6 months | not published | −5.7% | not published | −23.8 pts | not published | −30.0 pts |
| 1 year | not published | +4.4% | not published | −12.2 pts | not published | −17.4 pts |
| Since launch | −6.1% | +27.2% | −23.8 pts | −5.6 pts | −31.2 pts | −14.2 pts |
| ARMY Tema International Defense ETF Holds 34 stocks in defense, 11% of its weight in S&P 500 companies | IDEF iShares Defense Industrials Active ETF Holds 155 stocks in defense, 36% of its weight in S&P 500 companies | |
|---|---|---|
| Issuer | Tema | iShares |
| Theme | Defense | Defense |
| In the S&P 500 | 11.1% | 36.2% |
| Active share vs the S&P 500 | 98.4% | 95.9% |
| In the Nasdaq-100 | 2.9% | 9.2% |
| Holdings | 34 | 155 |
| Top ten, share of the fund | 47.4% | 35.8% |
| Expense ratio | 0.68% | not published |
| Fee for the differing part | 0.69% | not published |
| Total return, 1 year | −6.1% (since launch on Mar 31, 2026) | +4.4% |
| vs the S&P 500 | −23.8 pts | −12.2 pts |
| vs the Nasdaq-100 | −31.2 pts | −17.4 pts |
| Below its high | −14.6% | −13.4% |
| Net assets | $7m | $4.3bn |
ARMY in plain words
By weight, 11% of ARMY's portfolio is stocks that are also in the S&P 500; its active share against the S&P 500 is 98%. The top ten holdings are 47% of the fund across 34 positions, as published by its issuer for Sep 18, 2026. Since it launched on Mar 31, 2026 the fund returned −6.1% with distributions reinvested against +17.7% for the S&P 500, so a holder was behind by 23.8 pts. It sits 14.6% below its all-time high of Aug 14, 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 36% of the fund across 155 positions, as published by its issuer for Sep 18, 2026. Over the year to Sep 18, 2026 the fund returned +4.4% with distributions reinvested against +16.6% for the S&P 500, so a holder was behind by 12.2 pts. It sits 13.4% below its all-time high of Mar 2, 2026.
Questions people ask
- Do ARMY and IDEF hold the same stocks?
- By their latest filings, 32% of their books are the same securities at the same weight, which is a meaningful overlap. Overlap is the sum of the smaller weight of every security they share.
- Which is more different from the S&P 500, ARMY or IDEF?
- ARMY has 11% of its weight in S&P 500 names and IDEF has 36%, so ARMY 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, ARMY against IDEF, data as of Sep 18, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/themes/army-vs-idef Free to use with attribution; the underlying files are at Open data.