VHTvsFTXHETF Comparison
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Vanguard Health Care ETF (VHT) and First Trust Nasdaq Pharmaceuticals ETF (FTXH) belong to the same industry segment: US Health Care. VHT's top 3 sector exposures are Healthcare, Consumer Non-Cyclicals and Business Services. In contrast, FTXH's top sector exposures are Healthcare. VHT is less expensive with a Total Expense Ratio (TER) of 0.09%, versus 0.6% for FTXH. VHT is up 8.8% year-to-date (YTD) with +$98M in YTD flows. FTXH performs better with 23.32% YTD performance, and +$978M in YTD flows. Run a side-by-side ETF comparison of VHT and FTXH below, and assess how they stack up in performance, liquidity, risk, exposure, holdings, and more, helping you select the best ETF for your investments.
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VHT vs FTXH performance and flow charts
Performance
Cumulative Flows
Historic performance and flows
Data as of 09/11/2026
| 1M | 3M | YTD | 1Y | 3Y | 5Y | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Perf. | VHT FTXH | -1.57%+0.75% | +8.74%+14.81% | +8.80%+23.32% | +21.61%+46.70% | +33.62%+58.20% | +30.16%+66.91% |
| Flows | VHT FTXH | +$81M+$41M | +$351M+$968M | +$98M+$978M | +$351M+$981M | -$2.17B+$973M | -$958M+$977M |
Volatility and drawdown
| 3M | 1Y | 3Y | 5Y | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Volatility | VHT FTXH | +18.13%+20.07% | +15.65%+17.74% | +14.65%+16.99% | +15.57%+16.34% |
| Max drawdown | VHT FTXH | -5.63%-5.34% | -10.39%-7.50% | -16.88%-19.32% | -17.77%-19.32% |
| Max drawdown duration | VHT FTXH | 23d16d | 169d99d | 435d393d | 767d393d |
Trading data
VHT | FTXH | |
Last sale 9/11/2026 at 1:30 PM | $310.74 | $40.47 |
| Previous close 09/10/2026 | $311.27 | $40.52 |
| Consolidated volume 09/10/2026 | ||
| Average volume 30 days | ||
| Average discount or premium 30 days | ||
| Average Bid/Ask spread 30 days |
Replication quality
Data as of August 31, 2026
1-year trailing difference
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VHT | FTXH | |
|---|---|---|
| Tracking error | ||
| Tracking difference | ||
| 1 year cumulative return difference | ||
| Best | ||
| Worst | ||
| Daily return difference | ||
| Average | ||
| Worst | ||
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Main metrics
Last update 9/11/2026 at 1:30 PM
Live
Closed
VHT | FTXH | |
|---|---|---|
| Last price | $310.74 | $40.47 |
| 1D performance | -0.17% | -0.13% |
| AuM | $18.79 B | $1.04 B |
| E/R | 0.09% | 0.6% |
Characteristics
VHT | FTXH | |
|---|---|---|
| Management strategy | Passive | Passive |
| Provider | Vanguard | First Trust |
| Benchmark | MSCI US IMI Health Care 25/50 Index | NASDAQ US Smart Pharmaceuticals Index |
| N° of holdings | 413 | 49 |
| Asset class | Equities | Equities |
| Trailing 12m distribution yield | Join | Join |
| Inception date | January 26, 2004 | September 20, 2016 |
| ESG | No | No |
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Exposure
Countries
VHT
USA
96.91%
Other
3.09%
FTXH
USA
95.79%
Other
4.21%
Sectors
VHT
Healthcare
97.52%
Other
2.48%
FTXH
Healthcare
99.86%
Other
0.14%
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Diversification
VHT
Total weight of top 15 holdings out of 15
61.16%
FTXH
Total weight of top 15 holdings out of 15
66.98%
Top 15 holdings
Data as of July 31, 2026
VHT
Eli Lilly & Co.
13.37%
Johnson & Johnson
8.83%
AbbVie, Inc.
6.43%
UnitedHealth Group, Inc.
5.45%
Merck & Co., Inc.
4.67%
Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc.
3.09%
Amgen, Inc.
3.01%
Abbott Laboratories
2.67%
Gilead Sciences, Inc.
2.34%
Pfizer Inc.
2.06%
Bristol Myers Squibb Co.
1.93%
CVS Health Corp.
1.93%
Intuitive Surgical, Inc.
1.82%
Danaher Corp.
1.80%
Vertex Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
1.76%
FTXH
Merck & Co., Inc.
7.58%
Eli Lilly & Co.
7.43%
AbbVie, Inc.
7.11%
Johnson & Johnson
6.78%
Bristol Myers Squibb Co.
6.61%
Amgen, Inc.
3.53%
Biogen, Inc.
3.52%
Vertex Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
3.43%
Viatris, Inc.
3.40%
Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
3.34%
Pfizer Inc.
3.17%
Cardinal Health, Inc.
3.14%
Gilead Sciences, Inc.
3.03%
Incyte Corp.
2.48%
United Therapeutics Corp.
2.43%
Frequently asked questions about VHT and FTXH
How have the VHT and FTXH ETFs performed in 2026?
As of September 11, 2026, VHT is up 8.8% year-to-date (YTD), while FTXH has returned 23.32%. That puts FTXH better performer ahead so far this year.
Which ETF is attracting more investor money: VHT or FTXH?
Year-to-date, the VHT ETF saw +$98M in flows, compared to +$978M for FTXH.
Which ETF is more volatile: VHT or FTXH?
Over the past year, VHT had a volatility of 15.65%, while FTXH experienced 17.74%.
Which ETF is bigger: VHT or FTXH?
As of September 11, 2026, VHT holds $18.79 B in assets under management (AUM), while FTXH manages $1.04 B.
What sectors do the VHT and FTXH ETFs invest in?
VHT leans toward sectors like Healthcare. Meanwhile, FTXH focuses on Healthcare.
What are the top holdings of the VHT ETF and FTXH ETF?
VHT top holdings include Eli Lilly & Co., Johnson & Johnson and AbbVie, Inc.. FTXH holds in its top three: Merck & Co., Inc., Eli Lilly & Co. and AbbVie, Inc..
Which ETF is more diversified: VHT or FTXH?
VHT holds 413 securities with 61.16% of its assets in the top 15. FTXH has 49 securities and a top 15 weight of 66.98%.
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