Data as of .
WDEF vs XAR: which is really different?
WDEF and XAR hold 5% of their weight in the same names, and XAR returned more over the year.
ETFIQ Off-Index Score: WDEF 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
5% of the two portfolios are the same securities at the same weight.
What they hold in common
By the books each fund has filed, WDEF and XAR hold 5% of their money in the same securities at the same weight.
| Holding | WDEF | XAR |
|---|---|---|
| AIRBUS SE | 5.34% | 1.46% |
| Only in WDEF | Only in XAR |
|---|---|
| BAE SYSTEMS PLC 10.21% | AEROVIRONMENT INC 3.24% |
| THALES SA 10.14% | HONEYWELL AEROSPACE INC 3.13% |
| RHEINMETALL AG 8.70% | FTAI AVIATION LTD 2.98% |
| SAFRAN SA 5.62% | ROCKET LAB CORP 2.97% |
| ROLLS-ROYCE HOLDINGS PLC 5.57% | NORTHROP GRUMMAN CORP 2.97% |
| SAAB AB 4.83% | LOCKHEED MARTIN CORP 2.95% |
| LEONARDO SPA 4.79% | KRATOS DEFENSE + SECURITY 2.94% |
| KONGSBERG GRUPPEN ASA 4.61% | CURTISS WRIGHT CORP 2.92% |
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 18, 2026.
Performance, window by window
| Window | Total return | vs the S&P 500 | vs the Nasdaq-100 | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WDEF | XAR | WDEF | XAR | WDEF | XAR | |
| 3 months | +2.9% | −15.6% | +0.7 pts | −17.9 pts | +5.4 pts | −13.1 pts |
| 6 months | −6.0% | −7.3% | −24.1 pts | −25.3 pts | −30.3 pts | −31.5 pts |
| 1 year | −7.6% | +6.0% | −24.1 pts | −10.6 pts | −29.4 pts | −15.8 pts |
| 3 years | not published | +110.8% | not published | +32.4 pts | not published | +12.7 pts |
| Since launch | −2.7% | +1014.0% | −25.7 pts | +261.0 pts | −31.8 pts | −408.8 pts |
| WDEF WisdomTree Europe Defense Fund Holds 42 stocks in defense, 0% 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 | WisdomTree | State Street |
| Theme | Defense | Defense |
| In the S&P 500 | 0.0% | 34.9% |
| Active share vs the S&P 500 | 100.0% | 97.9% |
| In the Nasdaq-100 | 0.0% | 3.1% |
| Holdings | 42 | 49 |
| Top ten, share of the fund | 63.9% | 30.8% |
| Expense ratio | 0.45% | 0.35% |
| Fee for the differing part | 0.45% | 0.36% |
| Total return, 1 year | −7.6% | +6.0% |
| vs the S&P 500 | −24.1 pts | −10.6 pts |
| vs the Nasdaq-100 | −29.4 pts | −15.8 pts |
| Below its high | −15.7% | −19.2% |
| Net assets | $83m | $6.1bn |
WDEF in plain words
By weight, 0% of WDEF'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 64% of the fund across 42 positions, as filed for Jun 30, 2026. Over the year to Sep 18, 2026 the fund returned −7.6% with distributions reinvested against +16.6% for the S&P 500, so a holder was behind by 24.1 pts. It sits 15.7% below its all-time high of Jan 27, 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 18, 2026. Over the year to Sep 18, 2026 the fund returned +6.0% with distributions reinvested against +16.6% for the S&P 500, so a holder was behind by 10.6 pts. It sits 19.2% below its all-time high of Aug 14, 2026.
Questions people ask
- Do WDEF and XAR hold the same stocks?
- By their latest filings, 5% 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, WDEF or XAR?
- WDEF has 0% of its weight in S&P 500 names and XAR has 35%, so WDEF differs more from the index.
- Which is cheaper, WDEF or XAR?
- WDEF charges 0.45% 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, WDEF against XAR, data as of Sep 18, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/themes/wdef-vs-xar Free to use with attribution; the underlying files are at Open data.