Data as of .
GRID vs IDEF: which is really different?
GRID holds 40.0% of its weight in S&P 500 companies and IDEF 36.1%.
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 371 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
What they hold in common
By the books each fund has filed, GRID and IDEF hold 0% of their money in the same securities at the same weight.
| Only in GRID | Only in IDEF |
|---|---|
| Schneider Electric SE 9.13% | RTX 6.72% |
| Eaton Corporation Plc 8.86% | PALANTIR TECHNOLOGIES CLASS A 4.71% |
| Johnson Controls International Plc 8.45% | LOCKHEED MARTIN CORP 3.62% |
| ABB Ltd 7.72% | BOEING 3.32% |
| Quanta Services, Inc. 7.54% | ROLLS-ROYCE HOLDINGS PLC 3.30% |
| E.ON SE 4.16% | GENERAL DYNAMICS CORP 2.97% |
| National Grid Plc 4.10% | USD CASH 2.72% |
| Prysmian SpA 3.57% | 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 | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GRID | IDEF | GRID | IDEF | GRID | IDEF | |
| 3 months | −4.0% | −1.9% | −7.3 pts | −5.2 pts | −3.2 pts | −1.1 pts |
| 6 months | +9.9% | −8.5% | −6.1 pts | −24.5 pts | −10.8 pts | −29.2 pts |
| 1 year | +22.9% | +4.9% | +5.4 pts | −12.6 pts | 0.0 pts | −18.1 pts |
| 3 years | +88.9% | not published | +11.0 pts | not published | −6.2 pts | not published |
| Since launch | +560.9% | +26.5% | −243.5 pts | −6.4 pts | −1113.0 pts | −13.6 pts |
| GRID First Trust NASDAQ Clean Edge Smart Grid Infrastructure Index Fund Holds 122 stocks in electrification and the grid, 40% 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 | First Trust | iShares |
| Theme | Electrification and the grid | Defense |
| In the S&P 500 | 40.0% | 36.1% |
| Active share vs the S&P 500 | 92.0% | 95.9% |
| In the Nasdaq-100 | 8.5% | 8.5% |
| Holdings | 122 | 152 |
| Top ten, share of the fund | 58.8% | 35.2% |
| Expense ratio | 0.56% | not published |
| Fee for the differing part | 0.61% | not published |
| Total return, 1 year | +22.9% | +4.9% |
| vs the S&P 500 | +5.4 pts | −12.6 pts |
| vs the Nasdaq-100 | 0.0 pts | −18.1 pts |
| Below its high | −9.2% | −13.9% |
GRID in plain words
By weight, 40% of GRID's portfolio is stocks that are also in the S&P 500; its active share against the S&P 500 is 92%. The top ten holdings are 59% of the fund across 122 positions, as published by its issuer for Sep 10, 2026. Over the year to Sep 11, 2026 the fund returned +22.9% with distributions reinvested against +17.5% for the S&P 500, so a holder was ahead by 5.4 pts. It sits 9.2% below its all-time high of May 11, 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
- Which is more different from the S&P 500, GRID or IDEF?
- GRID has 40% 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, GRID against IDEF, data as of Sep 11, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/themes/grid-vs-idef Free to use with attribution; the underlying files are at Open data.