IDEF vs ITA
iShares Defense Industrials Active ETF compared with iShares U.S. Aerospace & Defense ETF on yield, payout growth, payment schedule, cost and risk.
IDEF
iShares Defense Industrials Active ETF
TTM yield · Semi-annual
ITA
iShares U.S. Aerospace & Defense ETF
TTM yield · Quarterly
Quick take
- IDEF yields more today: 0.33% vs 0.29% (forward).
- IDEF pays twice a year; ITA pays every quarter.
- Over the last year ITA delivered the higher total return: +13.9% vs +11.0% (price change plus payouts).
- ITA is cheaper to own: 0.37% vs 0.55% expense ratio.
Generated from the latest data on both pages. Not a recommendation.
Side by side
| Metric | IDEF | ITA |
|---|---|---|
| Share price | $32.26 | $225.61 |
| TTM yield | 0.33% | 0.14% |
| Forward yield | 0.33% | 0.29% |
| Annual payout per share | $0.108 | $0.656 |
| Payment frequency | Semi-annual | Quarterly |
| Next ex-date | Dec 13, 2026 (est.) | Sep 13, 2026 (est.) |
| Expense ratio | 0.55% | 0.37% |
| 1-year payout growth | — | -71.1% |
| 5-year payout CAGR | — | -19.1% |
| Consecutive years of increases | 0 years | 0 years |
| Payout consistency (last 12) | — | 66/100 |
| 1-year total return | +11.0% | +13.9% |
| 1-year price return | +10.7% | +13.7% |
| Size (market cap / AUM) | 4.4B | 13.6B |
| Years paying | 0.7 | 20.2 |
| Sector / category | Industrials | Industrials |
✓ marks the more favourable figure where one exists (higher yield, growth, streak, consistency, return and size; lower cost, payout ratio and risk).
$10,000 invested today
| IDEF | ITA | |
|---|---|---|
| Shares | 310.0 | 44.3 |
| Income per year | $33 | $29 |
| Income per month (avg) | $3 | $2 |
At forward yields, before taxes. Model IDEF · Model ITA
Next payments
| Ex-date | Pay date | Per share | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| IDEF Dec 13, 2026 | Dec 16, 2026 | $0.054 | Est. |
| IDEF Jun 12, 2027 | Jun 15, 2027 | $0.054 | Est. |
| ITA Sep 13, 2026 | Sep 27, 2026 | $0.164 | Est. |
| ITA Dec 12, 2026 | Dec 26, 2026 | $0.164 | Est. |
| ITA Mar 12, 2027 | Mar 26, 2027 | $0.164 | Est. |
Annual payouts per share
IDEFITA
Regular payments only; the current year is year to date. Per-share amounts are not directly comparable when share prices differ, so read this chart for growth trends.
FAQ
Which has the higher dividend yield, IDEF or ITA?
IDEF currently has the higher trailing yield: IDEF yields 0.33% and ITA yields 0.14%. Yield changes daily with price, so check the live figures above.
How often do IDEF and ITA pay?
IDEF pays twice a year and ITA pays every quarter. IDEF's next ex-date is Dec 13, 2026 and ITA's is Sep 13, 2026.
Is IDEF or ITA better for income?
It depends on what you are optimising for. IDEF and ITA differ in yield, growth, payment schedule and risk profile; the table above puts every metric side by side so you can weigh them for your own goals. This page is data, not advice.