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IDEF ETF — iShares Defense Industrials Act
iShares Defense Industrials Act (IDEF)
Updated October 23, 2026.
Verdict as of October 26, 2026
IDEF's distribution is rated unproven by the Dividend Vision Distribution Safety Score™ (50/100, medium confidence). It pays semi-annual and its distribution rate is 0.36%. The latest total cash payment per current share, $0.054 with an ex-date of June 15, 2026, was 3.8% higher than the previous $0.052. It is not yet confirmed whether this is an increase in the regular payout or a one-off difference.
Sources: iShares, Section 19a-1 notices, scoring methodology.
IDEF is an ETF. Its distribution rate is 0.36%, its trailing-12-month yield is 0.36%, its expense ratio is 0.55%. Dividend Vision Distribution Safety Score™ is 50/100 (Unproven). Total return is 19.2% over the past 1.4 years, 13.4 points behind SPY at 32.6%.
iShares Defense Industrials Act is an ETF that invests at least 80% of its assets in equity securities issued by U.S. and non-U.S. defense and related industrials companies, with a non-diversified structure. The fund carries a low expense ratio of 0.55% and has a modest current distribution rate. This ETF appeals to investors seeking equity exposure to the defense and industrial sectors.
IDEF dividend yield and income
Price as of 2026-10-23.
The distribution rate (0.36%) has no calculation basis on file. Trailing-12-month yield (0.36%) is the last year of cash distributions by ex-date divided by the current price. The dividend amount is $0.054. The ex-dividend date is 06/15/2026. The payment date is 06/18/2026.
| Ex-date | Amount | Change from previous payment |
|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-15 | $0.054 | 3.8% Total cash (unclassified) |
| 2025-12-16 | $0.052 | — |
| 2025 total (partial launch year) | $0.052 | — |
| 2026 YTD total | $0.054 | — |
IDEF holdings and sector exposure
The top 10 holdings are 36.4% of the fund.
| Ticker | Name | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| RTX | RTX Corporation | 6.77% |
| LMT | Lockheed Martin Corporation | 4.54% |
| GD | General Dynamics Corporation | 4.00% |
| BA | The Boeing Company | 3.98% |
| NOC | Northrop Grumman Corporation | 3.68% |
| RR | Rolls-Royce Holdings PLC | 3.23% |
| SPCX | Space Exploration Technologies Corp. Class A Common Stock | 2.95% |
| PLTR | Palantir Technologies Inc. | 2.70% |
| AIR | Airbus Group SE | 2.44% |
| HO | Thales S.A. | 2.15% |
To see how this fund's sectors add up across your own holdings, use True Exposure.
IDEF performance versus SPY
Total return is 19.2% over the past 1.4 years, 13.4 points behind SPY at 32.6%. Its deepest 1-year drawdown was 18.9%.
| Window | Total return | CAGR |
|---|---|---|
| 1M | -6.6% | — |
| 3M | -7.4% | — |
| 6M | -11.2% | — |
| YTD | -3.1% | — |
| 1Y | -7.1% | — |
| Since inception (1.4 years) | 19.2% | 13.10% |
IDEF key facts
- Distribution Safety Score™
- 50 · Unproven
- Issuer
- iShares
- Asset type
- ETF
- Asset class
- Equity
- Inception date
- 05/19/2025
- Expense ratio
- 0.55%
- Distribution rate
- 0.36%
- Distribution frequency
- Semi-Annual
- Trailing yield
- 0.36%
- Last close
- $29.79 (as of 2026-10-23)
- AUM
- $3,663,012,023
- Average volume
- 510,000
- Dividend
- $0.054
- Ex-dividend date
- 06/15/2026
- Payment date
- 06/18/2026
- Beta
- 1.155
How Dividend Vision calculates yield and returns
Distribution rate (0.36%) has no calculation basis on file. Issuer rates can use a different denominator and date, including ex-date NAV. Trailing-12-month yield (0.36%) is the sum of split-adjusted cash distributions with ex-dates in the last 12 months, divided by the published price. It lags a recent raise or cut. Total return uses split-adjusted close with distributions reinvested on the ex-dividend date (a modeling convention, not the cash-settlement date) from the first stored bar on or after inception through the latest bar, compared with the same window on the benchmark. That is the security's total return, not your personal gain/loss.
Yield and safety methodology · Distribution rate methodology · Distribution Safety Score methodology
Sources and review
Primary sources: iShares; prices and distributions from Dividend Vision, derived from vendor EOD data.
Reviewed by Bert Sweet, CEO and Co-owner of Dividend Vision. Methodology: Distribution Safety Score.
IDEF risks and drawbacks
IDEF's current distribution rate is moderate, not a high-yield payout — the strategy is dividend quality more than maximum income. Payments are semi-annual, so cash flow is lumpy versus a monthly fund. Total return has trailed SPY over the available window. The deepest 1-year drawdown on record here is 18.9%.
Who may consider IDEF — and who may not
It is a weaker fit for investors who need monthly cash flow (IDEF pays semi-annual); investors hunting double-digit covered-call yields; investors whose main goal is matching SPY total return. This is educational context, not a recommendation to buy or sell.
More on IDEF
Frequently asked questions
Does IDEF pay monthly?
No. IDEF currently pays semi-annual, not monthly.
What is IDEF's expense ratio?
IDEF's expense ratio is 0.55%.
What is IDEF's dividend yield?
IDEF's distribution rate is 0.36%, paid semi-annual, with a 0.55% expense ratio — calculation basis unavailable.
When does IDEF pay a dividend?
IDEF pays semi-annual. The dividend amount is $0.054. The ex-dividend date is 06/15/2026. The payment date is 06/18/2026.
How has IDEF performed?
Total return is 19.2% over the past 1.4 years, 13.4 points behind SPY at 32.6%. Its deepest 1-year drawdown was 18.9%.
Is IDEF a good investment?
IDEF's Dividend Vision Distribution Safety Score is 50 (Unproven). That is a risk signal, not investment advice. Its distribution rate is 0.36% (calculation basis unavailable). Compare peers below rather than treating any single figure as a buy or sell.
More securities from iShares.
Tickers
Holdings as-of date unavailable.
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