Data as of .
SHLD vs XAR: which is really different?
SHLD holds 40.5% of its weight in S&P 500 companies and XAR 35.0%.
ETFIQ Off-Index Score: SHLD 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, SHLD and XAR hold 0% of their money in the same securities at the same weight.
| Only in SHLD | Only in XAR |
|---|---|
| PALANTIR TECHNOLOGIES INC-A 10.28% | RTX CORP 3.34% |
| RTX CORPORATION 9.40% | VSE CORP 3.33% |
| GENERAL DYNAMICS CORP 8.73% | ATI INC 3.25% |
| LOCKHEED MARTIN CORP 8.26% | ARCHER AVIATION INC A 3.23% |
| NORTHROP GRUMMAN CORP 7.86% | AXON ENTERPRISE INC 3.20% |
| BAE SYSTEMS PLC 4.54% | GENERAL DYNAMICS CORP 3.11% |
| HANWHA AEROSPACE CO LTD 4.04% | GENERAL ELECTRIC 3.04% |
| RHEINMETALL AG 3.82% | LOCKHEED MARTIN CORP 3.02% |
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 and Sep 11, 2026.
Performance, window by window
| Window | Total return | vs the S&P 500 | vs the Nasdaq-100 | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SHLD | XAR | SHLD | XAR | SHLD | XAR | |
| 3 months | −2.9% | −12.1% | −6.2 pts | −15.4 pts | −2.1 pts | −11.3 pts |
| 6 months | −18.1% | −7.2% | −34.1 pts | −23.2 pts | −38.8 pts | −27.9 pts |
| 1 year | −4.8% | +11.8% | −22.4 pts | −5.7 pts | −27.8 pts | −11.2 pts |
| 3 years | not published | +114.1% | not published | +36.2 pts | not published | +19.0 pts |
| Since launch | +153.8% | +1042.3% | +76.2 pts | +288.5 pts | +59.5 pts | −366.6 pts |
| SHLD Global X Defense Tech ETF Holds 52 stocks in defense, 40% of its weight in S&P 500 companies | XAR State Street(R) SPDR(R) S&P(R) Aerospace & Defense ETF Holds 49 stocks in defense, 35% of its weight in S&P 500 companies | |
|---|---|---|
| Issuer | Global X | State Street |
| Theme | Defense | Defense |
| In the S&P 500 | 40.5% | 35.0% |
| Active share vs the S&P 500 | 99.1% | 97.9% |
| In the Nasdaq-100 | 0.0% | 3.2% |
| Holdings | 52 | 49 |
| Top ten, share of the fund | 64.3% | 31.4% |
| Expense ratio | 0.50% | 0.35% |
| Fee for the differing part | 0.50% | 0.36% |
| Total return, 1 year | −4.8% | +11.8% |
| vs the S&P 500 | −22.4 pts | −5.7 pts |
| vs the Nasdaq-100 | −27.8 pts | −11.2 pts |
| Below its high | −20.6% | −17.1% |
SHLD in plain words
By weight, 40% of SHLD's portfolio is stocks that are also in the S&P 500; its active share against the S&P 500 is 99%. The top ten holdings are 64% of the fund across 52 positions, as published by its issuer for Sep 11, 2026. Over the year to Sep 11, 2026 the fund returned −4.8% with distributions reinvested against +17.5% for the S&P 500, so a holder was behind by 22.4 pts. It sits 20.6% below its all-time high of Mar 9, 2026.
XAR in plain words
By weight, 35% 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 31% of the fund across 49 positions, as published by its issuer for Sep 10, 2026. Over the year to Sep 11, 2026 the fund returned +11.8% with distributions reinvested against +17.5% for the S&P 500, so a holder was behind by 5.7 pts. It sits 17.1% below its all-time high of Aug 14, 2026.
Questions people ask
- Which is more different from the S&P 500, SHLD or XAR?
- SHLD has 40% of its weight in S&P 500 names and XAR has 35%, so SHLD differs more from the index.
- Which is cheaper, SHLD or XAR?
- SHLD charges 0.50% a year and XAR charges 0.35%, so XAR is cheaper. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.
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, SHLD against XAR, data as of Sep 11, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/themes/shld-vs-xar Free to use with attribution; the underlying files are at Open data.