XAR is an exchange-traded fund that invests in companies within the aerospace and defense industry.
It offers investors diversified exposure to a sector driven by government spending and technological innovation.
Updated: February 19, 2026, 16:00 EST
Based on the provided analysis, here is a comprehensive assessment of whether XAR is worth buying.
Technical Analysis XAR shows impressive momentum, having significantly outperformed the market over the past year. However, its current position near its 52-week high, combined with a recent flattening in price, suggests it may be entering an overbought or extended state. While the high beta of 1.43 confirms this is a volatile asset prone to large swings.
Fundamentals & Valuation The analysis reveals a critical lack of accessible fundamental data, severely hindering the assessment of its financial health, profitability, and operational efficiency. The available trailing P/E ratio of 41.29 suggests a premium valuation, but this cannot be properly contextualized without peer or industry comparisons or forward-looking metrics. The primary fundamental drawback is the absence of foundational financial data.
Risk Assessment The primary risks are high market volatility and concentrated sector exposure to aerospace and defense. While short-term liquidity pressure appears low, the fund's fortunes are tethered to the cyclical and geopolitical dynamics of its specific industry.
Buy Recommendation
Based on this multi-faceted analysis, a buy recommendation for XAR is not supported. The combination of a potentially overbought technical condition, a complete lack of verifiable fundamental data, and a high-risk, concentrated sector profile makes an investment highly speculative. An investor would be taking on significant uncertainty regarding the underlying value and financial stability of the holdings. For reference only, this ETF may only be suitable for investors with a high tolerance for volatility who are making a purely tactical, sentiment-driven bet on the aerospace and defense sector.
Based on the analysis provided, here is a 12-month outlook for the SPDR S&P Aerospace & Defense ETF (XAR):
12-Month Outlook for XAR
XAR's performance will be primarily driven by geopolitical catalysts, including sustained global defense spending and budgetary priorities in the US and allied nations, which should provide a solid tailwind. The key risk is the ETF's concentrated sector exposure, making it highly vulnerable to any de-escalation in geopolitical tensions or delays in major government contracts, which could trigger a significant pullback given its high volatility and premium valuation. With the stock technically extended near its highs and fundamental data largely unavailable, the outlook is speculative; a target price range cannot be reliably established, but investors should brace for high volatility, with price action likely dictated by sector sentiment rather than underlying corporate fundamentals.
Most Wall Street analysts are optimistic about State Street SPDR S&P Aerospace & Defense ETF's 12-month outlook, with consensus target around $284.46, indicating expected upside potential.
Overall, XAR has investment potential but also faces challenges. Here are key factors to weigh before investing.
XAR has demonstrated strong performance over the past year, significantly outpacing the broader market with considerable volatility.
The stock has shown impressive momentum, gaining over 25% in the last three months and outperforming the market by more than 23%. While the most recent one-month change has been relatively flat, this follows a period of substantial upward movement. Given the stock's elevated beta of 1.43, these large swings are characteristic of its highly volatile nature.
Currently trading at $284.46, XAR is positioned near the upper end of its 52-week range, sitting approximately 97% above its low and just 3% below its high. This proximity to the yearly peak, combined with the modest recent pullback from the high, suggests the stock may be in an extended or potentially overbought condition after its significant rally.
| Period | XAR Return | S&P 500 |
|---|---|---|
| 1m | +0.1% | +1.0% |
| 3m | +25.2% | +1.9% |
| 6m | +30.2% | +6.5% |
| 1y | +69.7% | +12.1% |
| ytd | +13.6% | +0.2% |
Of course. Here is a fundamental analysis based on the limited information provided.
With no reported quarterly data or financial ratios, an analysis of XAR's revenue growth trends, profit margins, or earnings stability is not possible. The lack of available financial statements is a significant concern, as it prevents any assessment of the company's core operating performance and its ability to generate profits for shareholders.
The absence of data makes it impossible to evaluate XAR's financial health. Critical metrics such as its debt-to-equity ratio, interest coverage, and operating cash flow are unavailable, leaving its solvency and liquidity position unverifiable. This lack of transparency poses a high risk, as the company's ability to meet its financial obligations and fund its operations cannot be determined.
Without fundamental data, key indicators of operational efficiency like Return on Equity (ROE) and asset turnover cannot be calculated or analyzed. Consequently, there is no basis to assess how effectively management is utilizing the company's assets and equity to generate returns. An investment decision cannot be made without access to this essential financial information.
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Try Now & Get Tesla Stock RewardValuation Level: Based on its trailing PE ratio of 41.29, XAR appears to be richly valued. Without accompanying fundamental metrics like forward earnings estimates or growth projections, the high TTM PE suggests the market has priced in significant future growth. The absence of forward-looking valuation ratios prevents a more nuanced assessment of its current pricing level.
Peer Comparison: A peer-based valuation analysis is unfortunately not feasible in this instance as no industry average data is available for comparison. Without sector benchmarks, it is impossible to determine whether XAR's valuation premium or discount is justified relative to its industry peers. This gap significantly limits the context for the standalone PE ratio evaluation.
Volatility Risk: With a beta of 1.43, XAR exhibits significantly higher volatility than the broader market, suggesting amplified price movements in both directions. The one-year maximum drawdown of -14.85%, while not excessively severe for such a volatile ETF, confirms its susceptibility to notable downward swings during market stress.
Other Risks: Despite the absence of short interest, which mitigates near-term pressure from coordinated short selling, liquidity remains a key consideration. The fund's specialized focus on aerospace and defense sectors inherently exposes it to concentrated industry risks, including cyclical demand and geopolitical influences.
Bullish for long-term investors willing to tolerate volatility. XAR benefits from strong geopolitical tailwinds boosting defense spending globally and offers diversified exposure to essential industry leaders through a low-cost ETF structure. The main concerns are near-term aerospace supply chain issues and elevated valuation/technical levels, making it suitable for strategic investors with a multi-year horizon rather than short-term traders.
Based on the limited data available, XAR appears to be overvalued. The key metric is its trailing PE ratio of 41.29, which is very high and suggests the market has priced in significant future growth. However, without fundamental data on revenue, profitability, or financial health, this high valuation appears speculative and unjustified. The inability to compare this PE to industry averages or to analyze a forward PE or PEG ratio severely limits confidence in the current price level.
Based on the provided information, here are the key risks of holding XAR, ordered by importance.
1. Concentrated Industry Risk: The ETF's singular focus on the aerospace and defense sector exposes it to amplified risks from industry-specific downturns, cyclical demand fluctuations, and adverse geopolitical developments. 2. High Volatility Risk: With a beta of 1.43 and a recent history of large price swings, the ETF is prone to significantly sharper declines than the broader market during periods of stress. 3. Valuation and Momentum Risk: Trading near its 52-week high after a substantial rally, the ETF faces an elevated risk of a sharp pullback or a period of consolidation as the upward momentum appears to be stalling.
Based on the available information, which is heavily caveated by significant data gaps, here is a speculative outlook for XAR through 2026.
The forecast is hampered by a lack of fundamental data, but a base case target range of $250-$320 is plausible, contingent on stable geopolitical tensions and continued global defense budget growth, while a bull case up to $370+ would require escalated conflicts leading to sustained spending surges. Key growth drivers are elevated global defense budgets, modernization programs for next-generation aircraft and munitions, and robust commercial aerospace demand for new, fuel-efficient aircraft. The primary assumptions include no major geopolitical de-escalation and the uninterrupted passage of key defense appropriations bills in the US and allied nations. Given the ETF's inherent volatility and reliance on macro-political factors beyond traditional financial analysis, this forecast carries very high uncertainty and investors should anticipate significant price swings.