XAR vs. XDEF

Last updated Aug 2, 2026

XAR (SPDR S&P Aerospace & Defense ETF) and XDEF (Xtrackers Europe Defense Technologies ETF) are both Aerospace & Defense funds - XAR tracks the S&P Aerospace & Defense Select Industry Index while XDEF tracks the STOXX Europe Total Market Defence, Space and Cybersecurity Innovation 50-25 Index. Both are passively managed. Their 0.67 correlation means they have sometimes moved together and sometimes differently. Both charge a 0.35% expense ratio.

Performance

XAR vs. XDEF - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in SPDR S&P Aerospace & Defense ETF (XAR) and Xtrackers Europe Defense Technologies ETF (XDEF). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

XAR

• 1D: 0.77%
• 1M: -7.89%
• 6M: -2.90%
• YTD: 9.86%
• 1Y: 24.03%
• 3Y*: 29.11%
• 5Y*: 16.36%
• 10Y*: 17.38%
• ALL TIME*: 18.36%

XDEF

• 1D: -0.02%
• 1M: 1.13%
• 6M: -99.17%
• YTD: —
• 1Y: —
• 3Y*: —
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —
• ALL TIME*: —

*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)
XAR SPDR S&P Aerospace & Defense ETF	$64.82M	$59.56M	$61.10M
XDEF Xtrackers Europe Defense Technologies ETF	$25.38K	$19.51K	$30.56K

XAR vs. XDEF - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)
XAR SPDR S&P Aerospace & Defense ETF	9.86%
XDEF Xtrackers Europe Defense Technologies ETF	-99.10%

Correlation

The correlation between XAR and XDEF 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 (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jan 2, 2026	0.67

Return for Risk

XAR vs. XDEF — Risk / Return Rank

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

XAR

XAR Risk / Return Rank: 34
XAR Sharpe Ratio Rank: 32
XAR Sortino Ratio Rank: 34
XAR Omega Ratio Rank: 31
XAR Calmar Ratio Rank: 38
XAR Martin Ratio Rank: 35

XDEF

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

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.

XAR vs. XDEF - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for SPDR S&P Aerospace & Defense ETF (XAR) and Xtrackers Europe Defense Technologies ETF (XDEF). 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.

	XAR	XDEF	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	0.79	—	—
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	1.29	—	—
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.15	—	—
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	1.33	—	—
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	3.45	—	—

Drawdowns

XAR vs. XDEF - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum XAR drawdown since its inception was -46.37%, smaller than the maximum XDEF drawdown of -99.30%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for XAR and XDEF.

Drawdown Indicators

	XAR	XDEF	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-46.37%	-99.30%	+52.93%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-17.22%	—	—
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-19.73%	—	—
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-27.55%	—	—
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-46.37%	—	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-9.47%	-99.21%	+89.74%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-6.78%	-77.91%	+71.13%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	6.61%	—	—

Volatility

Volatility by Period

	XAR	XDEF	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	8.97%	—	—
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	23.17%	—	—
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	28.75%	134.34%	-105.59%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	23.84%	134.34%	-110.50%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	24.85%	134.34%	-109.49%

XAR vs. XDEF - Expense Ratio Comparison

Both XAR and XDEF have an expense ratio of 0.35%.

Dividends

XAR vs. XDEF - Dividend Comparison

XAR's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.31%, less than XDEF's 1.41% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
XAR SPDR S&P Aerospace & Defense ETF	0.31%	0.40%	0.66%	0.54%	0.50%	0.83%	0.63%	0.75%	1.19%	0.76%	1.09%	2.31%
XDEF Xtrackers Europe Defense Technologies ETF	1.41%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both XAR and XDEF in my portfolio?

XAR and XDEF 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 ETF is better, XAR or XDEF?

Both ETFs have the same 0.35% expense ratio. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF is cheaper, XAR or XDEF?

XAR and XDEF have the same expense ratio: 0.35% per year.

Which ETF pays a higher dividend yield, XAR or XDEF?

XDEF has the higher dividend yield at 1.41%, compared with 0.31% for XAR.

What is the main difference between XAR and XDEF?

XAR tracks S&P Aerospace & Defense Select Industry Index, while XDEF tracks STOXX Europe Total Market Defence, Space and Cybersecurity Innovation 50-25 Index. They also come from different issuers: State Street and Xtrackers.