First Trust Indxx Aerospace & Defense ETF (MISL) belongs to the Industrials Equities category. Below you'll find alternative ETFs from the same category, ranked by key criteria, plus funds that investors commonly compare with MISL. Use the tables to find lower-cost options, better risk-adjusted returns, or a closer substitute for your current allocation.
Cheapest Alternatives to MISL
MISL charges 0.60% annually. There are 30 ETFs in the Industrials Equities category with lower expense ratios, going as low as 0.08%.
| Symbol | Name | Expense Ratio | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Industrial Select Sector SPDR Fund | 0.08% | 32.43B | Dec 1998 | MISL vs XLI | |
| Fidelity MSCI Industrials Index ETF | 0.08% | 2.36B | Oct 2013 | MISL vs FIDU | |
| Vanguard Industrials ETF | 0.09% | 9.10B | Sep 2004 | MISL vs VIS | |
| VanEck Industrials TruSector ETF | 0.10% | 257.33K | Jun 2026 | MISL vs TRUI | |
| Themes US Infrastructure ETF | 0.29% | 3.80M | Sep 2024 | MISL vs HWAY |
Best Risk-Adjusted Alternatives to MISL
MISL has a PortfoliosLab risk / return rank of 26. There are 35 ETFs in the Industrials Equities category with higher risk-adjusted ranks, going as high as 93.
| Symbol | Name | Risk / Return Rank | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SonicShares Global Shipping ETF | 93 | 82.19M | Aug 2021 | MISL vs BOAT | |
| U.S. Global Sea to Sky Cargo ETF | 89 | 15.53M | Jan 2022 | MISL vs SEA | |
| SPDR S&P Kensho Final Frontiers ETF | 81 | 225.42M | Oct 2018 | MISL vs ROKT | |
| First Trust Nasdaq Transportation ETF | 80 | 1.04B | Sep 2016 | MISL vs FTXR | |
| Pacer Industrials and Logistics ETF | 73 | 2.07M | Jun 2022 | MISL vs SHPP |
Top Performing MISL Alternatives (YTD)
MISL is at 3.62% YTD. There are 36 ETFs in the Industrials Equities category with higher YTD returns, going as high as 45.07%.
| Symbol | Name | YTD Return | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SonicShares Global Shipping ETF | 45.07% | 82.19M | Aug 2021 | MISL vs BOAT | |
| VistaShares Electrification Supercycle ETF | 34.20% | 65.23M | Oct 2025 | MISL vs POW | |
| SPDR S&P Kensho Final Frontiers ETF | 33.82% | 225.42M | Oct 2018 | MISL vs ROKT | |
| U.S. Global Sea to Sky Cargo ETF | 30.53% | 15.53M | Jan 2022 | MISL vs SEA | |
| Invesco Dorsey Wright Industrials Momentum ETF | 26.45% | 424.57M | Oct 2006 | MISL vs PRN |
Lowest Volatility Alternatives to MISL
MISL has 24.71% 1-year volatility. There are 29 ETFs in the Industrials Equities category with lower 1-year volatility, going as low as 10.71%.
| Symbol | Name | Volatility 1Y | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ProShares DJ Brookfield Global Infrastructure ETF | 10.71% | 176.36M | Mar 2014 | MISL vs TOLZ | |
| iShares Global Infrastructure ETF | 10.72% | 10.93B | Dec 2007 | MISL vs IGF | |
| Russell Investments Global Infrastructure ETF | 10.82% | — | May 2025 | MISL vs RIFR | |
| State Street Industrial Select Sector SPDR Premium... | 12.30% | 10.56M | Jul 2025 | MISL vs XLII | |
| VanEck Vectors Environmental Services ETF | 13.97% | 99.28M | Oct 2006 | MISL vs EVX |
Lowest Drawdown Alternatives to MISL
MISL has a 1-year max drawdown of -17.12%. There are 28 ETFs in the Industrials Equities category with shallower 1-year drawdowns, going as shallow as -5.18%.
| Symbol | Name | Max Drawdown 1Y | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ProShares DJ Brookfield Global Infrastructure ETF | -5.18% | 176.36M | Mar 2014 | MISL vs TOLZ | |
| iShares Global Infrastructure ETF | -5.87% | 10.93B | Dec 2007 | MISL vs IGF | |
| Russell Investments Global Infrastructure ETF | -6.80% | — | May 2025 | MISL vs RIFR | |
| First Trust Alerian U.S. NextGen Infrastructure ET... | -7.19% | 56.40M | Oct 2008 | MISL vs RBLD | |
| iShares U.S. Infrastructure ETF | -8.40% | 4.55B | Apr 2018 | MISL vs IFRA |
Other ETFs from First Trust
The 10 most viewed First Trust ETFs shown here include CIBR, GRID, AIRR and span 16 categories. AUM among these funds goes as high as $25B.
Often Compared With MISL
Investors most often compare MISL with SHLD, PPA, ITA. These 20 comparison targets span 10 categories, based on PortfoliosLab usage data.
Compare MISL with Any Fund or Stock
Compare MISL with any ETF, mutual fund, or stock using PortfoliosLab's comparison tool.
Pair MISL with funds that move differently
First Trust Indxx Aerospace & Defense ETF alternatives help with substitution. Diversifiers are the next step when you want funds with lower historical correlation to MISL.
Explore MISL Diversifiers