ITA vs. DFND

Last updated Jul 17, 2026

ITA (iShares U.S. Aerospace & Defense ETF) and DFND (Siren DIVCON Dividend Defender ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - ITA is a Aerospace & Defense fund tracking the Dow Jones U.S. Select Aerospace & Defense Index, while DFND is a Large Cap Blend Equities fund tracking the Siren DIVCON Dividend Defender Index. Both are passively managed. At a 0.32 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. ITA charges 0.38%/yr vs 1.50%/yr for DFND.

Performance

ITA vs. DFND - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in iShares U.S. Aerospace & Defense ETF (ITA) and Siren DIVCON Dividend Defender ETF (DFND). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

ITA

• 1D: -2.34%
• 1M: -3.60%
• 6M: -4.15%
• YTD: 7.69%
• 1Y: 19.36%
• 3Y*: 26.42%
• 5Y*: 18.03%
• 10Y*: 14.84%

DFND

• 1D: —
• 1M: —
• 6M: —
• YTD: —
• 1Y: —
• 3Y*: —
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

*Multi-year figures are annualized to reflect compound growth (CAGR)

ITA vs. DFND - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
ITA iShares U.S. Aerospace & Defense ETF	7.69%	48.64%	15.81%	14.33%	9.96%	9.39%	-13.57%	30.51%	-7.22%	35.24%
DFND Siren DIVCON Dividend Defender ETF	0.00%	10.37%	8.48%	12.13%	-19.59%	14.80%	16.12%	19.53%	-1.83%	16.33%

Correlation

The correlation between ITA and DFND is 0.00, meaning there is essentially no relationship between their price movements. Each responds to its own set of market drivers, making them strong candidates for combining in a diversified portfolio.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.00
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.10
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.25
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.31
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jan 14, 2016	0.32

Over the past year, the correlation between ITA and DFND has dropped to 0.00 - well below their long-term average of 0.32, suggesting their price drivers have been diverging.

ITA vs. DFND - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors	ITA	DFND
Industrials	99.8%	17.1%
Technology	0.1%	24.8%
Basic Materials	-	4.3%
Communication Services	-	0.8%
Consumer Cyclical	-	3.5%
Consumer Defensive	-	4.2%
Energy	-	1.7%
Financial Services	-	18.2%
Healthcare	-	10.7%
Real Estate	-	2.0%
Utilities	-	-

Return for Risk

ITA vs. DFND — Risk / Return Rank

Compare risk-adjusted metric ranks to identify better-performing investments over the past 12 months.

ITA

ITA Risk / Return Rank: 29
ITA Sharpe Ratio Rank: 29
ITA Sortino Ratio Rank: 30
ITA Omega Ratio Rank: 27
ITA Calmar Ratio Rank: 30
ITA Martin Ratio Rank: 28

DFND

Risk / return metrics aren't available yet — we need at least 12 months of trading data to calculate them.

The rank (0–100) shows how this investment's returns compare to the risk taken. Higher = better. Based on the past 12 months of data, combining Sharpe, Sortino, and other metrics used by quantitative funds and institutional investors.

ITA vs. DFND - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares U.S. Aerospace & Defense ETF (ITA) and Siren DIVCON Dividend Defender ETF (DFND). Risk-adjusted metrics are performance indicators that assess an investment's returns in relation to its risk, enabling a more accurate comparison of different investment options.

Values are calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. Risk-adjusted metrics are more stable over longer periods — use the period switch above to explore them.

	ITA	DFND	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	0.88	—	—
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	1.38	—	—
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.16	—	—
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	1.23	—	—
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	3.17	—	—

Drawdowns

Drawdown Indicators

	ITA	DFND	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-59.72%	—	—
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-15.82%	—	—
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-15.82%	—	—
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-18.72%	—	—
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-51.00%	—	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-7.93%	—	—
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-9.43%	—	—
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	6.13%	—	—

Volatility

Volatility by Period

	ITA	DFND	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	5.95%	—	—
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	18.02%	—	—
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	22.11%	—	—
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	20.28%	—	—
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	23.24%	—	—

ITA vs. DFND - Expense Ratio Comparison

ITA has a 0.38% expense ratio, which is lower than DFND's 1.50% expense ratio.

Dividends

ITA vs. DFND - Dividend Comparison

ITA's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.46%, while DFND has not paid dividends to shareholders.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
DFND Siren DIVCON Dividend Defender ETF	0.29%	1.10%	1.64%	1.84%	0.29%	0.00%	0.00%	0.77%	0.53%	0.02%	0.00%	0.00%
ITA iShares U.S. Aerospace & Defense ETF	0.46%	0.55%	0.85%	0.93%	0.95%	0.82%	1.07%	1.54%	1.13%	0.91%	1.07%	1.04%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both ITA and DFND in my portfolio?

ITA and DFND have a correlation of 0.00, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which ETF is better, ITA or DFND?

On fees, ITA is cheaper at 0.38% per year. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF is cheaper, ITA or DFND?

ITA is cheaper with a 0.38% expense ratio, compared with 1.50% for DFND.

Which ETF pays a higher dividend yield, ITA or DFND?

ITA has the higher dividend yield at 0.46%, compared with 0.29% for DFND.

What is the main difference between ITA and DFND?

ITA is categorized as Aerospace & Defense, while DFND is Large Cap Blend Equities. ITA tracks Dow Jones U.S. Select Aerospace & Defense Index, while DFND tracks Siren DIVCON Dividend Defender Index. They also come from different issuers: iShares and SRN Advisors. Their fees differ too: 0.38% for ITA and 1.50% for DFND.