ITB vs. FTXR

Last updated Aug 2, 2026

ITB (iShares U.S. Home Construction ETF) and FTXR (First Trust Nasdaq Transportation ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - ITB is a Building & Construction fund tracking the Dow Jones U.S. Select Home Construction Index, while FTXR is a Industrials Equities fund tracking the Nasdaq U.S. Smart Transportation Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 5 years, ITB returned 6.57%/yr vs 8.30%/yr for FTXR. Their 0.58 correlation means they have sometimes moved together and sometimes differently. ITB charges 0.38%/yr vs 0.60%/yr for FTXR.

Performance

ITB vs. FTXR - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in iShares U.S. Home Construction ETF (ITB) and First Trust Nasdaq Transportation ETF (FTXR). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, ITB achieves a -1.69% return, which is significantly lower than FTXR's 14.58% return.

ITB

• 1D: -1.18%
• 1M: -8.32%
• 6M: -7.21%
• YTD: -1.69%
• 1Y: -5.06%
• 3Y*: 2.79%
• 5Y*: 6.57%
• 10Y*: 13.43%
• ALL TIME*: 4.08%

FTXR

• 1D: -0.49%
• 1M: -1.91%
• 6M: 11.22%
• YTD: 14.58%
• 1Y: 41.32%
• 3Y*: 14.39%
• 5Y*: 8.30%
• 10Y*: —
• ALL TIME*: 9.74%

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

Liquidity Comparison

Position	Avg. Volume Value (2W)	Avg. Volume Value (1M)	Avg. Volume Value (3M)
FTXR First Trust Nasdaq Transportation ETF	$21.02M	$11.11M	$8.84M
ITB iShares U.S. Home Construction ETF	$179.18M	$195.32M	$218.82M

ITB vs. FTXR - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
ITB iShares U.S. Home Construction ETF	-1.69%	-5.26%	2.06%	68.91%	-26.26%	49.25%	26.42%	48.70%	-30.92%	59.65%
FTXR First Trust Nasdaq Transportation ETF	14.58%	14.70%	17.09%	20.93%	-25.38%	24.02%	15.03%	14.82%	-15.27%	15.82%

Correlation

The correlation between ITB and FTXR is 0.67, which is moderate. They have sometimes moved together and sometimes differently, sharing some price drivers without tracking each other closely.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Focuses on recent behavior, but can change the most.	0.67
Correlation (3Y) Balances recent behavior with more history.	0.66
Correlation (5Y) Shows whether the relationship held over a longer period.	0.69
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Sep 22, 2016	0.58

The correlation between ITB and FTXR shifts across timeframes, from 0.58 (all time) to 0.69 (5 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

ITB vs. FTXR - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors	ITB	FTXR
Consumer Cyclical	74.6%	31.7%
Industrials	16.0%	67.8%
Basic Materials	8.7%	-
Real Estate	0.7%	-
Communication Services	-	-
Consumer Defensive	-	-
Energy	-	0.5%
Financial Services	-	-
Healthcare	-	-
Technology	-	-
Utilities	-	-

Return for Risk

ITB vs. FTXR — Risk / Return Rank

Compare historical risk-adjusted metric ranks over the past 12 months.

ITB

ITB Risk / Return Rank: 10
ITB Sharpe Ratio Rank: 10
ITB Sortino Ratio Rank: 10
ITB Omega Ratio Rank: 10
ITB Calmar Ratio Rank: 9
ITB Martin Ratio Rank: 9

FTXR

FTXR Risk / Return Rank: 76
FTXR Sharpe Ratio Rank: 79
FTXR Sortino Ratio Rank: 79
FTXR Omega Ratio Rank: 72
FTXR Calmar Ratio Rank: 76
FTXR Martin Ratio Rank: 74

The rank (0–100) uses a weighted average of the Sharpe, Sortino, Omega, Calmar, and Martin percentile ranks for the trailing 12 months. Higher means stronger historical risk-adjusted performance within the peer group.

ITB vs. FTXR - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares U.S. Home Construction ETF (ITB) and First Trust Nasdaq Transportation ETF (FTXR). 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.

	ITB	FTXR	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	-0.09	1.79	-1.88
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	0.09	2.55	-2.46
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.01	1.30	-0.29
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	-0.10	2.66	-2.76
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	-0.17	9.11	-9.28

ITB vs. FTXR - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current ITB Sharpe Ratio is -0.09, which is lower than the FTXR Sharpe Ratio of 1.79. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of ITB and FTXR, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Drawdowns

ITB vs. FTXR - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum ITB drawdown since its inception was -86.53%, which is greater than FTXR's maximum drawdown of -52.06%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for ITB and FTXR.

Drawdown Indicators

	ITB	FTXR	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-86.53%	-52.06%	-34.47%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-26.04%	-14.49%	-11.55%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-33.35%	-29.71%	-3.64%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-40.55%	-33.96%	-6.59%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-52.10%	—	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-25.47%	-3.12%	-22.35%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-36.98%	-10.90%	-26.08%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	14.54%	4.22%	+10.32%

Volatility

ITB vs. FTXR - Volatility Comparison

iShares U.S. Home Construction ETF (ITB) has a higher volatility of 8.79% compared to First Trust Nasdaq Transportation ETF (FTXR) at 4.77%. This indicates that ITB's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than FTXR based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	ITB	FTXR	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	8.79%	4.77%	+4.02%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	22.03%	16.91%	+5.12%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	29.51%	21.51%	+8.00%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	29.57%	23.93%	+5.64%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	30.20%	24.68%	+5.52%

ITB vs. FTXR - Expense Ratio Comparison

ITB has a 0.38% expense ratio, which is lower than FTXR's 0.60% expense ratio.

Dividends

ITB vs. FTXR - Dividend Comparison

ITB's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.68%, less than FTXR's 0.98% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
FTXR First Trust Nasdaq Transportation ETF	0.98%	1.52%	2.13%	1.50%	2.38%	0.67%	0.33%	1.34%	1.74%	1.18%	0.24%	0.00%
ITB iShares U.S. Home Construction ETF	0.68%	1.67%	0.46%	0.48%	0.86%	0.37%	0.46%	0.50%	0.63%	0.28%	0.43%	0.34%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both ITB and FTXR in my portfolio?

ITB and FTXR have a correlation of 0.67, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, ITB or FTXR?

ITB has higher volatility (8.79%) compared to FTXR (4.77%). In terms of maximum drawdown, ITB dropped -86.53% vs FTXR's -52.06%.

Which ETF is better, ITB or FTXR?

On 5-year performance, FTXR leads with 8.30% vs 6.57% for ITB. On fees, ITB is cheaper at 0.38% per year. On volatility, FTXR has been the lower-risk option at 4.77%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF has performed better, ITB or FTXR?

Over the 5-year period, FTXR has performed better with a 8.30% return vs 6.57%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.

Which ETF is cheaper, ITB or FTXR?

ITB is cheaper with a 0.38% expense ratio, compared with 0.60% for FTXR.

Which ETF pays a higher dividend yield, ITB or FTXR?

FTXR has the higher dividend yield at 0.98%, compared with 0.68% for ITB.

What is the main difference between ITB and FTXR?

ITB is categorized as Building & Construction, while FTXR is Industrials Equities. ITB tracks Dow Jones U.S. Select Home Construction Index, while FTXR tracks Nasdaq U.S. Smart Transportation Index. They also come from different issuers: iShares and First Trust. Their fees differ too: 0.38% for ITB and 0.60% for FTXR.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

FTXR currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.79 vs -0.09), 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.