Get the weekly note
ETFIQetfiq.com · independent ETF data

ITA iShares U.S. Aerospace & Defense ETF

Holds 51 stocks in defense, 80% of its weight in S&P 500 companies

ITA holds 51 stocks, and 20% of its weight is outside the S&P 500.

iShares · Thematic ETFs · data as of

Key facts

79.5%Already in the S&P 500
97.9%Active share vs the S&P 500
77.5%Top ten holdings
+10.0%Total return, 1 year

Method

ETFIQ Off-Index Score

48.2joint 189th of 371

ITA shares 12 of its 51 holdings with the S&P 500. Only 2.1% of its weight overlaps the index.

How much of it is not the index it is sold as an alternative to?

Weight that does not overlap the S&P 500
USNZ 23.0%IQSZ 50.1%TNXT 51.6%XIGV 60.8%CRTC 61.6%LQAI 62.1%IETC 62.2%AIX 64.1%ALAI 65.2%IVES 66.5%ILDR 67.0%AIEQ 67.4%XT 67.4%PEXL 68.8%AGIX 69.1%AOTG 69.1%AIQ 69.7%FAI 70.0%JHAI 70.0%WTAI 71.4%XAIX 72.0%CHAT 72.1%THMZ 73.1%AIFD 73.7%METV 73.7%CARZ 74.1%FRWD 74.3%VERS 74.7%WUGI 75.1%FDTX 75.4%AIUP 76.1%ANEW 76.2%BAI 76.5%TRFM 77.4%TEKY 77.6%PNQI 78.8%FMET 79.1%IGPT 79.2%FDCF 79.8%AINT 80.2%SHOC 80.4%SMH 80.6%LEGR 80.7%SOXQ 80.8%ABOT 80.9%ARKQ 80.9%ARKW 80.9%ARVR 81.1%GGME 81.5%KNCT 81.7%FTXL 81.8%PBOT 82.1%CBOT 82.3%SOXX 82.3%QTUM 82.6%ARTY 82.9%OGIG 82.9%CHPX 83.1%THNQ 83.1%SUPP 83.6%WQTM 83.6%RACK 84.0%UFOX 84.0%WISE 84.1%ARKX 84.4%GAMR 84.5%CHPS 84.8%ARKK 85.0%AGIQ 85.1%FBOT 85.1%CABZ 85.5%FDN 85.5%ROBT 85.9%CLOD 86.0%XDAT 86.2%BUYZ 86.3%SKYY 86.3%AIHY 86.5%DRIV 86.6%SMHX 87.1%MUSQ 87.9%NXTG 87.9%XSD 88.0%BOTZ 88.2%FOWF 88.4%ARKF 88.7%AIPO 88.9%AIS 88.9%PCLN 89.4%DTCR 90.6%IBOT 90.6%CIBR 90.8%ETHO 90.9%TMAT 91.5%FCLD 91.6%RBLD 91.8%GRID 92.0%NEWZ 92.0%BLOK 92.2%PSI 92.2%TKNQ 92.3%IGV 92.4%WAR 92.4%SMRF 92.5%NRSH 92.6%WDRN 92.6%IBLC 92.7%ISHP 92.7%TCAI 92.7%BOTT 92.9%CLOU 94.3%KOID 94.3%ELFY 94.6%HAIL 94.6%TSES 94.7%IBUY 94.8%MADE 94.8%SOCL 94.8%AGNG 94.9%PBPH 95.0%MAKX 95.1%FITE 95.2%SATO 95.2%GDOC 95.3%HACK 95.3%HUMN 95.3%WDNA 95.3%XSW 95.4%EPAI 95.5%CANC 95.6%BMED 95.7%IFRA 95.7%IDEF 95.9%HULL 96.0%ROBO 96.1%CQTM 96.2%ONLN 96.2%GTEK 96.4%PPA 96.4%BLDX 96.6%EUV 96.6%WR 96.6%THNR 96.7%DISK 96.8%DRAM 96.8%VOLT 96.8%CNRG 96.9%POWR 96.9%IVEP 97.0%FMED 97.1%YUNG 97.1%BULD 97.2%FPWR 97.2%GCAD 97.2%HELX 97.2%PAVE 97.2%DRNZ 97.3%BPAY 97.4%FDFF 97.4%FDRV 97.4%UPGR 97.4%MISL 97.5%TSSD 97.5%AV 97.6%ETEC 97.6%GNOM 97.6%MNRS 97.6%BITQ 97.7%IPAY 97.7%NATO 97.7%KYC 97.8%NBET 97.8%OZEM 97.8%POW 97.8%SMOG 97.8%HTEC 97.9%LENS 97.9%PBW 97.9%QCLN 97.9%WGMI 97.9%XAR 97.9%ZAP 97.9%BATT 98.0%BCOR 98.0%MDEV 98.0%NVIR 98.0%ACES 98.1%DUTY 98.1%FDIG 98.1%IDRV 98.1%KARS 98.1%LIT 98.1%NODE 98.1%OWNB 98.1%SNSR 98.1%WATS 98.1%WELD 98.1%WNDR 98.1%DRES 98.2%SRVR 98.2%WCLD 98.2%LATR 98.3%STBQ 98.3%WDGF 98.3%ARMY 98.4%IDGT 98.4%PSIL 98.4%ARKG 98.5%INVN 98.5%PWER 98.6%QQQJ 98.6%UFO 98.6%CCSO 98.7%IHI 98.7%NUKZ 98.7%DOCK 98.8%FSPC 98.8%GOLS 98.8%JEDI 98.9%PSWD 98.9%RCTR 98.9%VCLN 98.9%WCBR 98.9%XA 98.9%BBH 99.0%BBP 99.0%GALX 99.0%IBBQ 99.0%JOUL 99.0%PBE 99.0%RTOO 99.0%SHPP 99.0%AMMO 99.1%BNGE 99.1%FBT 99.1%IDNA 99.1%IHAK 99.1%JETS 99.1%SHLD 99.1%SPAM 99.1%FAN 99.2%HLTH 99.2%PAWZ 99.2%SUPL 99.2%TNUK 99.2%AWAY 99.4%BUG 99.4%DTRE 99.4%FIW 99.4%GNMX 99.4%PEJ 99.4%PHO 99.4%BLCK 99.5%FRNW 99.5%LGHT 99.5%MOO 99.5%PIO 99.5%URAN 99.5%VEGI 99.5%BCDF 99.6%EKG 99.6%FINX 99.6%FTAG 99.6%HEAL 99.6%KROP 99.6%STCE 99.6%XME 99.6%AGMI 99.7%DIPR 99.7%EVX 99.7%FMTL 99.7%FOTO 99.7%HYDR 99.7%ICOP 99.7%LAZR 99.7%METL 99.7%PICK 99.7%SEA 99.7%AUAU 99.8%CGW 99.8%CRPT 99.8%CUT 99.8%EART 99.8%EFRA 99.8%EMET 99.8%GBUG 99.8%GDMN 99.8%GDX 99.8%GOAU 99.8%NLR 99.8%RING 99.8%SGDM 99.8%SLVP 99.8%WDIG 99.8%AIRR 99.9%AQWA 99.9%BKCH 99.9%COPA 99.9%COPP 99.9%COPX 99.9%DAPP 99.9%ESPO 99.9%NASA 99.9%NERD 99.9%ODDS 99.9%PBD 99.9%SLX 99.9%WOOD 99.9%AUMI 100.0%BBC 100.0%BETZ 100.0%BOAT 100.0%CNBS 100.0%COPJ 100.0%CTEC 100.0%DRAI 100.0%DRGN 100.0%EMQQ 100.0%EUAD 100.0%EVMT 100.0%FDNI 100.0%FMQQ 100.0%GDXJ 100.0%GOEX 100.0%GXDW 100.0%HERO 100.0%IBRN 100.0%ICLN 100.0%ILIT 100.0%INQQ 100.0%ION 100.0%IPAV 100.0%ISTM 100.0%KAIT 100.0%KDEF 100.0%KGRN 100.0%KMCA 100.0%KWEB 100.0%LFSC 100.0%LIMI 100.0%LITP 100.0%MARS 100.0%MJ 100.0%MSOS 100.0%NIKL 100.0%NSI 100.0%ODDZ 100.0%ORBX 100.0%PDBA 100.0%PIEL 100.0%QTUP 100.0%REMX 100.0%REXC 100.0%RNRG 100.0%SGDJ 100.0%SIL 100.0%SILJ 100.0%SMHC 100.0%TAN 100.0%TCAN 100.0%URA 100.0%URNJ 100.0%URNM 100.0%UX 100.0%WARP 100.0%WDAF 100.0%WDEF 100.0%WEED 100.0%XDEF 100.0%YOLO 100.0%ITA 97.9%97.9%23.0%100.0%

That is the share of the 371 thematic ETFs with a holdings filing sitting at or below ITA. A position in this set, not a rating: it moves when the set moves, and it is not a figure to average against another desk's.

All thematic ETFs ranked by this score · How it is computed

1st of 22 defense ETFs by net assets 22nd of 22 defense ETFs by least weight in the S&P 500

Its ten largest equity positions

ITA top ten by weight, 77.5% of its 51 equity positions, from the holdings published by its issuer for Sep 10, 2026. Source: the issuer’s own daily file.
HoldingTickerWeight
GE AEROSPACEGE21.81%
RTXRTX17.21%
BOEINGBA9.36%
GENERAL DYNAMICS CORPGD4.82%
LOCKHEED MARTIN CORPLMT4.69%
NORTHROP GRUMMAN CORPNOC4.44%
TRANSDIGM GROUPTDG4.31%
HOWMET AEROSPACEHWM4.24%
L3HARRIS TECHNOLOGIESLHX3.61%
AXON ENTERPRISEAXON3.01%

Method

Period by period

ITA over each window to Sep 11, 2026. Every figure is an ETFIQ calculation. Source: ETFIQ.
WindowTotal returnS&P 500Gap to S&P 500Gap to Nasdaq-100
3 months−6.3%+3.3%−9.6 pts−5.5 pts
6 months−4.4%+16.0%−20.4 pts−25.1 pts
1 year+10.0%+17.5%−7.5 pts−13.0 pts
3 years+103.7%+77.9%+25.8 pts+8.6 pts
Since launch+906.7%+804.4%+102.3 pts−767.2 pts

Method

In plain words

The top ten holdings are 78% of the fund across 51 positions, as published by its issuer for Sep 10, 2026. Over the year to Sep 11, 2026 the fund returned +10.0% with distributions reinvested against +17.5% for the S&P 500, so a holder was behind by 7.5 pts. It sits 13.5% below its all-time high of Aug 14, 2026.

ITA (iShares U.S. Aerospace & Defense ETF), thematic ETFs fields as of Sep 11, 2026. Source: ETFIQ.
Theme (ETFIQ, editorial)Defense
LaunchedJan 4, 2010
Already in the S&P 500, by weight (ETFIQ)79.5%
Active share vs the S&P 500 (ETFIQ)97.9%
Already in the Nasdaq-100, by weight (ETFIQ)3.0%
Active share vs the Nasdaq-100 (ETFIQ)99.8%
Top ten holdings weight77.5%
Holdings51
Holdings as of (the issuer’s daily file)Sep 10, 2026
Top holdingsGE AEROSPACE 21.8%, RTX 17.2%, BOEING 9.4%, GENERAL DYNAMICS CORP 4.8%, LOCKHEED MARTIN CORP 4.7%, NORTHROP GRUMMAN CORP 4.4%, TRANSDIGM GROUP 4.3%, HOWMET AEROSPACE 4.2%, L3HARRIS TECHNOLOGIES 3.6%, AXON ENTERPRISE 3.0%
Net assets (the issuer own daily fund list, as of Sep 11, 2026)$12.9bn
Below its all-time high (ETFIQ)−13.5%
Expense ratio (485BPOS XBRL, Jul 27, 2026)0.37%
Fee for the part that differs from the S&P 500, active expense ratio (ETFIQ)0.38%
Closest funds by holdings overlapPPA 66%, MISL 61%, NATO 60%, XAR 49%, GCAD 43%

Holdings from the file the issuer publishes daily; overlap and active share computed by ETFIQ against the IVV and QQQM books; returns from Tiingo end-of-day prices with distributions reinvested. How these figures are computed

Questions people ask

How much of ITA is in S&P 500 companies?
By its holdings published by its issuer for Sep 10, 2026, 80% of ITA by weight is stocks the S&P 500 already holds. Its active share against the index is 98%, so that share is the part doing something different.
What does ITA hold?
51 positions as published by its issuer for Sep 10, 2026, with the top ten at 78% of the fund. The largest are GE AEROSPACE at 21.8%, RTX at 17.2%, BOEING at 9.4%.
Has ITA beaten the S&P 500?
Over the year to Sep 11, 2026 ITA returned +10.0% with distributions reinvested, against +17.5% for the S&P 500, so it finished behind the index by 7.5 points.
What does ITA cost?
The prospectus expense ratio is 0.37% a year. Because 98% of the fund differs from the S&P 500, the fee on that differing part works out at 0.38%.

The words on this page

Active share
The part of the fund doing something the index is not, as a percentage. It is the part a fee is actually buying.
Weight overlap
The share of money two portfolios hold in the same securities at the same weight. Above 50%, holding both is close to holding one of them twice.
Already in the index
The fund’s weight in securities the S&P 500 holds at all. A fund can be made entirely of index names and still have high active share, because it holds them at very different weights.
Top ten
What the ten largest positions add up to. The higher it is, the more the fund is a bet on a few companies rather than a theme.

Every term used here, defined in full on the thematic ETFs vocabulary page.

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.

Compare ITA

Also against CIBR, IGV, PAVE, BAI, GRID, AIRR, AIQ, PPA, SHLD, URA, COPX, GDXJ, ARKK, XAR, QTUM, SIL, FDN, KWEB, IFRA, XME, NLR, ARTY, XT, BOTZ, IDEF, QQQM, SCHG, VGT, VOO, VTI, VUG.

Funds near this one

Put this on your own page

The difference bar for ITA, redrawn every trading night. Free to use with the credit link.

ITA difference bar, ETFIQ

Copy the embed code
<a href="https://etfiq.com/funds/ita"><img src="https://etfiq.com/embed/themes/ita.svg" alt="ITA difference bar, ETFIQ" width="640"></a>
<p><a href="https://etfiq.com/funds/ita">ITA difference bar, updated daily by ETFIQ</a></p>

Where ITA is written about

ITA, Thematic ETFs, ETFIQ, data as of Sep 11, 2026. Every figure is arithmetic on a named public source; the method is at etfiq.com/methodology. ETFIQ is an independent publisher, is not a fund issuer, broker-dealer or investment adviser, and makes no recommendations.
Use this data, or open the live card

Open ITA live on ETFIQ, where the figures refresh with the data.

Cite this page. ETFIQ, ITA, thematic ETFs, data as of Sep 11, 2026. https://etfiq.com/funds/ita Free to use with attribution; the underlying files are at Open data.

How these figures are computed · Standards and sources