Data as of Nov 4, 2026.

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Thematic ETFs

KDEF vs XAR: Holdings Overlap & Returns

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Over the year to Nov 4, 2026, KDEF returned −28.3% to XAR's −6.6%; 0% of their weight is in the same names.

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Net assets: $113m on Aug 31, 2026 for PLUS Korea Defense Industry Index ETF, and $5.3bn on Nov 3, 2026 for State Street SPDR S&P Aerospace & Defense ETF.

At a glance
0.0%
KDEF in the S&P 500
40.1%
XAR in the S&P 500
−28.3%
KDEF total return, 1 year
−6.6%
XAR total return, 1 year
KDEF · 1 year to Nov 4, 2026 100% of its weight is outside the S&P 500
100% of its weight is outside the S&P 5000% of KDEF's weight is in S&P 500 companies and 100% is outside the index. Holdings as of Aug 31, 2026.0%100%0% of its weight in S&P 500 companiesof its weight outside the S&P 500active share 100% · top ten 70% of the fund · 20 holdings as filed for Aug 31, 2026 · Nasdaq-100: 0% in100% of its weight is outside the S&P 5000% of KDEF's weight is in S&P 500 companies and 100% is outside the index. Holdings as of Aug 31, 2026.0%100%0% of its weight in S&P 500 companiesof its weight outside the S&P 500active share 100% · Nasdaq-100: 0% in

0% of KDEF's weight is in S&P 500 companies and 100% is outside the index. Holdings as of Aug 31, 2026.

XAR · 1 year to Nov 4, 2026 60% of its weight is outside the S&P 500
60% of its weight is outside the S&P 50040% of XAR's weight is in S&P 500 companies and 60% is outside the index. Holdings as of Nov 3, 2026.40%60%of its weight in S&P 500 companiesof its weight outside the S&P 500active share 98% · top ten 33% of the fund · 50 holdings as published by its issuer for Nov 3, 2026 · Nasdaq-100: 8% in60% of its weight is outside the S&P 50040% of XAR's weight is in S&P 500 companies and 60% is outside the index. Holdings as of Nov 3, 2026.40%60%in the S&P 500outside the S&P 500active share 98% · Nasdaq-100: 8% in

40% of XAR's weight is in S&P 500 companies and 60% is outside the index. Holdings as of Nov 3, 2026.

Pair scorecard

XAR costs 0.30 points a year less; their one-year returns differ by 21.7 points.

Points (pts) are percentage points.

KDEF vs XAR: Holdings Overlap & Returns
MeasureKDEFXAR
Return
Total return, 1 year−28.3%−6.6%
Drawdown
Below its all-time high50.7%, high on May 5, 202624.0%, high on Aug 14, 2026
Against its benchmark
What it tracksDefenseDefense
Against the S&P 500, 1 yearbehind by 21.4 pts
Its benchmark, total return, 1 year+14.8%
Against its benchmark, 1 yearbehind by 21.4 pts
Cost and size
Expense ratio0.65%0.35%
Net assets, KDEF as of Aug 31, 2026 and XAR as of Nov 3, 2026$113m$5.3bn
Holdings
Holdings in common0%

Method

Risk and return

Feb 14, 2025 to Oct 30, 2026 · 89 weekly returns
KDEF XAR
Return
Total return edge XAR (slight) +33.5% +35.5%
Annualized edge XAR (slight) +18.4% +19.4%
Price return edge XAR +25.4% +34.7%
Risk
Volatility edge XAR 50.9% 28.5%
Max drawdown edge XAR −51.6% −26.6%
Risk-adjusted
Sharpe edge XAR 0.51 0.62
Sortino edge XAR 0.74 0.98
Calmar edge XAR 0.36 0.73
Reading

From Feb 2025 to Oct 2026, XAR returned slightly more: +35.5% to +33.5%. XAR swung less: 28.5% to 50.9%. XAR fell less at its worst: −26.6% to −51.6%.

Full scorecard

9 measures, with how each is measured
Open ↓
Risk and return: KDEF vs XAR: Holdings Overlap & Returns
MeasureKDEFXAREdgeHow it is measured
Return
Total return+33.5%+35.5%XAR (slight)Price change plus distributions, reinvested.
Annualized+18.4%+19.4%XAR (slight)Total return as a yearly rate.
Price return+25.4%+34.7%XARPrice change alone, distributions left out.
Risk
Volatility50.9%28.5%XARSpread of weekly returns, annualized. Lower is steadier.
Downside deviation34.7%18.2%XARLike volatility, counting only weeks below the Treasury bill rate.
Max drawdown−51.6%−26.6%XARDeepest fall from a high to the low after it.
Risk-adjusted
Sharpe0.510.62XARReturn above Treasury bills per unit of volatility.
Sortino0.740.98XARReturn above Treasury bills per unit of downside deviation.
Calmar0.360.73XARAnnualized return divided by the max drawdown.

Computed by ETFIQ from Tiingo daily prices and ETFIQ's distribution records, 89 weekly returns. Cash rate: the 13-week Treasury bill.

What they share

0%

By the books each fund has filed, KDEF and XAR hold 0% of their money in the same securities at the same weight. Holdings dated Aug 31, 2026 and Nov 3, 2026.

0 half 100%

half

0% in common

Positions both hold · largest shared weight first KDEF XAR
Only in one fund ↓
Only in KDEF
HANWHA AEROSPACE CO LTD 23.38%
HYUNDAI ROTEM COMPANY 7.63%
KOREA AEROSPACE INDUSTRIES LTD 6.71%
LIG DEFENSE & AEROSPACE CO LTD 6.67%
POONGSAN CORP 6.04%
SK OCEANPLANT CO LTD 4.33%
SNT MOTIV CO LTD 4.25%
SNT DYNAMICS CO LTD 3.94%
Only in XAR
LOCKHEED MARTIN CORP 3.63%
HUNTINGTON INGALLS INDUSTRIE 3.36%
L3HARRIS TECHNOLOGIES INC 3.30%
TEXTRON INC 3.27%
FTAI AVIATION LTD 3.23%
HEICO CORP 3.22%
TRANSDIGM GROUP INC 3.19%
NORTHROP GRUMMAN CORP 3.18%
Check overlap with more funds →

Window by window

Window by window: KDEF vs XAR: Holdings Overlap & Returns
Total returnvs its benchmark
WindowKDEFXARKDEFXAR
3 months−22.9%−20.0%not measured−19.9 pts vs VOO
6 months−49.1%−15.6%not measured−20.6 pts vs VOO
1 year−28.3%−6.6%not measured−21.4 pts vs VOO
3 years–+89.1%–+5.8 pts vs VOO
Since launchNot the same days: KDEF Feb 2025 · XAR Sep 2011+60.9%+948.0%not measured+180.8 pts vs VOO

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Side by side

KDEF PLUS Korea Defense Industry Index ETF · Holds 20 stocks in defense, 0% of its weight in S&P 500 companies XAR State Street SPDR S&P Aerospace & Defense ETF · Holds 50 stocks in defense, 40% of its weight in S&P 500 companies
Theme Defense Defense
In the S&P 500 0.0% 40.1%
Active share vs the S&P 500 100.0% 97.7%
In the Nasdaq-100 0.0% 8.2%
Holdings 20 50
Top ten, share of the fund 70.4% 32.6%
Expense ratio 0.65% 0.35%
Fee for the differing part 0.65% 0.36%
Total return, 1 year −28.3% −6.6%
vs its benchmark not measured −21.4 pts vs VOO
Below its high −50.7% −24.0%
Net assets, KDEF as of Aug 31, 2026 and XAR as of Nov 3, 2026 $113m $5.3bn

As of Nov 4, 2026. Source: ETFIQ.

0% of the two portfolios are the same securities at the same weight.

Client brief:

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About each fund
KDEF

By weight, 0% of KDEF'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 70% of the fund across 20 positions, as filed for Aug 31, 2026. Over the year to Nov 4, 2026 the fund returned −28.3% with distributions reinvested. It sits 50.7% below its all-time high of May 5, 2026.

XAR

By weight, 40% of XAR'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 33% of the fund across 50 positions, as published by its issuer for Nov 3, 2026. Over the year to Nov 4, 2026 the fund returned −6.6% with distributions reinvested against +14.8% for its benchmark, the S&P 500 Index, so a holder was behind by 21.4 pts. It sits 24.0% below its all-time high of Aug 14, 2026.

Questions people ask

Do KDEF and XAR hold the same stocks?
By their latest filings, 0% of their books are the same securities at the same weight. Overlap is the sum of the smaller weight of every security they share.
Which is more different from the S&P 500, KDEF or XAR?
KDEF has 0% of its weight in S&P 500 names and XAR has 40%, so KDEF differs more from the index.
Which is cheaper, KDEF or XAR?
KDEF charges 0.65% a year and XAR charges 0.35%, so XAR is cheaper. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.
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ETFIQ, KDEF against XAR, data as of Nov 4, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/themes/kdef-vs-xar

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