ITA vs. ESE

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

ITA (iShares U.S. Aerospace & Defense ETF) is Aerospace & Defense fund tracking the Dow Jones U.S. Select Aerospace & Defense Index, while ESE (ESCO Technologies Inc.) is a stock. Over the past 10 years, ITA returned 14.82%/yr vs 22.40%/yr for ESE. A 0.58 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined.

Performance

ITA vs. ESE - Performance Comparison

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

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, ITA achieves a 4.82% return, which is significantly lower than ESE's 51.30% return. Over the past 10 years, ITA has underperformed ESE with an annualized return of 14.82%, while ESE has yielded a comparatively higher 22.40% annualized return.

ITA

• 1D: -1.51%
• 1M: 4.93%
• YTD: 4.82%
• 6M: 11.61%
• 1Y: 26.06%
• 3Y*: 26.89%
• 5Y*: 15.93%
• 10Y*: 14.82%

ESE

• 1D: 1.32%
• 1M: -9.84%
• YTD: 51.30%
• 6M: 46.97%
• 1Y: 63.34%
• 3Y*: 45.80%
• 5Y*: 26.67%
• 10Y*: 22.40%

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

ITA vs. ESE - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
ITA iShares U.S. Aerospace & Defense ETF	4.82%	48.64%	15.81%	14.33%	9.96%	9.39%	-13.57%	30.51%	-7.22%	35.24%
ESE ESCO Technologies Inc.	51.30%	46.96%	14.15%	34.13%	-2.30%	-12.59%	12.01%	41.00%	10.04%	6.79%

Correlation

The correlation between ITA and ESE is 0.47, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.47
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.50
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.54
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.56
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since May 8, 2006	0.58

The correlation between ITA and ESE shifts across timeframes, from 0.47 (1 year) to 0.58 (all time), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

Return for Risk

ITA vs. ESE — Risk / Return Rank

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

ITA

ITA Risk / Return Rank: 32
ITA Sharpe Ratio Rank: 34
ITA Sortino Ratio Rank: 34
ITA Omega Ratio Rank: 32
ITA Calmar Ratio Rank: 33
ITA Martin Ratio Rank: 30

ESE

ESE Risk / Return Rank: 87
ESE Sharpe Ratio Rank: 88
ESE Sortino Ratio Rank: 85
ESE Omega Ratio Rank: 83
ESE Calmar Ratio Rank: 88
ESE Martin Ratio Rank: 89

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. ESE - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares U.S. Aerospace & Defense ETF (ITA) and ESCO Technologies Inc. (ESE). 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.

	ITA	ESE	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	1.26	2.07	-0.82
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	1.84	2.71	-0.87
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.22	1.34	-0.12
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	1.65	4.18	-2.53
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	4.49	11.55	-7.06
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

ITA vs. ESE - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current ITA Sharpe Ratio is 1.26, which is lower than the ESE Sharpe Ratio of 2.07. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of ITA and ESE, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	ITA	ESE	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	1.26	2.07	-0.82
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.80	0.88	-0.08
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.64	0.74	-0.09
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.51	0.42	+0.09

Drawdowns

ITA vs. ESE - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum ITA drawdown since its inception was -59.72%, roughly equal to the maximum ESE drawdown of -58.54%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for ITA and ESE.

Drawdown Indicators

	ITA	ESE	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-59.72%	-58.54%	-1.18%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-15.82%	-15.22%	-0.60%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-15.82%	-17.52%	+1.70%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-18.72%	-36.88%	+18.16%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-51.00%	-45.97%	-5.03%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-10.19%	-12.94%	+2.75%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-9.46%	-20.26%	+10.80%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	5.82%	5.50%	+0.32%

Volatility

ITA vs. ESE - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for iShares U.S. Aerospace & Defense ETF (ITA) is 7.28%, while ESCO Technologies Inc. (ESE) has a volatility of 12.35%. This indicates that ITA experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than ESE based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	ITA	ESE	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	7.28%	12.35%	-5.07%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	17.47%	25.30%	-7.83%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	20.86%	30.74%	-9.88%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	20.02%	30.37%	-10.35%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	23.14%	30.51%	-7.37%

Dividends

ITA vs. ESE - Dividend Comparison

ITA's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.48%, more than ESE's 0.11% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
ESE ESCO Technologies Inc.	0.11%	0.16%	0.24%	0.27%	0.37%	0.27%	0.31%	0.43%	0.49%	0.40%	0.56%	0.89%
ITA iShares U.S. Aerospace & Defense ETF	0.48%	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 ESE in my portfolio?

ITA and ESE have a correlation of 0.47, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, ITA or ESE?

ESE has higher volatility (12.35%) compared to ITA (7.28%). In terms of maximum drawdown, ITA dropped -59.72% vs ESE's -58.54%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

ESE currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.07 vs 1.26), meaning it's delivered slightly more return per unit of risk over the trailing 12 months. However, this ranking shifts over time - use the Risk/Return Score above for a more comprehensive view that combines Sharpe, Sortino, and other measures used by quantitative funds.