VHTvsXLVETF Comparison
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Vanguard Health Care ETF (VHT) and State Street Health Care Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLV) 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, XLV's top sector exposures are Healthcare and Consumer Non-Cyclicals. VHT is more expensive with a Total Expense Ratio (TER) of 0.09%, versus 0.08% for XLV. VHT is up 11.54% year-to-date (YTD) with +$49M in YTD flows. XLV performs worse with 10.54% YTD performance, and +$767M in YTD flows. Run a side-by-side ETF comparison of VHT and XLV 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 XLV performance and flow charts
Performance
Cumulative Flows
Historic performance and flows
Data as of 08/18/2026
| 1M | 3M | YTD | 1Y | 3Y | 5Y | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Perf. | VHT XLV | +6.41%+6.53% | +17.83%+16.96% | +11.54%+10.54% | +28.60%+27.02% | +36.79%+33.59% | +32.56%+36.51% |
| Flows | VHT XLV | +$140M+$159M | +$312M+$184M | +$49M+$767M | +$81M+$2.90B | -$2.42B-$5.00B | -$790M+$2.81B |
Volatility and drawdown
| 3M | 1Y | 3Y | 5Y | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Volatility | VHT XLV | +17.35%+18.48% | +15.08%+15.51% | +14.43%+14.47% | +15.44%+15.02% |
| Max drawdown | VHT XLV | -3.84%-3.83% | -10.39%-10.51% | -16.88%-17.05% | -17.77%-17.05% |
| Max drawdown duration | VHT XLV | 20d20d | 169d116d | 435d444d | 767d444d |
Trading data
VHT | XLV | |
Last sale 8/19/2026 at 1:30 PM | $329.48 | $175.68 |
| Previous close 08/18/2026 | $318.84 | $169.73 |
| Consolidated volume 08/18/2026 | ||
| Average volume 30 days | ||
| Average discount or premium 30 days | ||
| Average Bid/Ask spread 30 days |
Replication quality
Data as of July 31, 2026
1-year trailing difference
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VHT | XLV | |
|---|---|---|
| Tracking error | ||
| Tracking difference | ||
| 1 year cumulative return difference | ||
| Best | ||
| Worst | ||
| Daily return difference | ||
| Average | ||
| Worst | ||
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Main metrics
Last update 8/19/2026 at 1:30 PM
Live
Closed
VHT | XLV | |
|---|---|---|
| Last price | $329.48 | $175.68 |
| 1D performance | +3.34% | +3.51% |
| AuM | $19.22 B | $44.21 B |
| E/R | 0.09% | 0.08% |
Characteristics
VHT | XLV | |
|---|---|---|
| Management strategy | Passive | Passive |
| Provider | Vanguard | State Street Investment Management |
| Benchmark | MSCI US IMI Health Care 25/50 Index | S&P Health Care Select Sector Index |
| N° of holdings | 419 | 59 |
| Asset class | Equities | Equities |
| Trailing 12m distribution yield | Join | Join |
| Inception date | January 26, 2004 | December 16, 1998 |
| ESG | No | No |
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Exposure
Countries
VHT
USA
96.86%
Other
3.14%
XLV
USA
97.92%
Other
2.08%
Sectors
VHT
Healthcare
97.39%
Other
2.61%
XLV
Healthcare
97.73%
Other
2.27%
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Diversification
VHT
Total weight of top 15 holdings out of 15
61.42%
XLV
Total weight of top 15 holdings out of 15
72.82%
Top 15 holdings
Data as of June 30, 2026
VHT
Eli Lilly & Co.
14.16%
Johnson & Johnson
8.87%
AbbVie, Inc.
6.54%
UnitedHealth Group, Inc.
5.55%
Merck & Co., Inc.
4.67%
Amgen, Inc.
2.87%
Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc.
2.74%
Abbott Laboratories
2.32%
Gilead Sciences, Inc.
2.31%
Intuitive Surgical, Inc.
2.08%
Pfizer Inc.
2.01%
CVS Health Corp.
1.93%
Vertex Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
1.86%
Danaher Corp.
1.78%
Bristol Myers Squibb Co.
1.73%
XLV
Eli Lilly & Co.
16.57%
Johnson & Johnson
10.68%
AbbVie, Inc.
7.76%
UnitedHealth Group, Inc.
6.59%
Merck & Co., Inc.
5.54%
Amgen, Inc.
3.41%
Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc.
3.25%
Abbott Laboratories
2.76%
Gilead Sciences, Inc.
2.74%
Intuitive Surgical, Inc.
2.46%
Pfizer Inc.
2.40%
CVS Health Corp.
2.31%
Vertex Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
2.20%
Danaher Corp.
2.10%
Bristol Myers Squibb Co.
2.05%
Frequently asked questions about VHT and XLV
How have the VHT and XLV ETFs performed in 2026?
As of August 18, 2026, VHT is up 11.54% year-to-date (YTD), while XLV has returned 10.54%. That puts VHT better performer ahead so far this year.
Which ETF is attracting more investor money: VHT or XLV?
Year-to-date, the VHT ETF saw +$49M in flows, compared to +$767M for XLV.
Which ETF is more volatile: VHT or XLV?
Over the past year, VHT had a volatility of 15.08%, while XLV experienced 15.51%.
Which ETF is bigger: VHT or XLV?
As of August 18, 2026, VHT holds $19.22 B in assets under management (AUM), while XLV manages $44.21 B.
What sectors do the VHT and XLV ETFs invest in?
VHT leans toward sectors like Healthcare. Meanwhile, XLV focuses on Healthcare.
What are the top holdings of the VHT ETF and XLV ETF?
VHT top holdings include Eli Lilly & Co., Johnson & Johnson and AbbVie, Inc.. XLV holds in its top three: Eli Lilly & Co., Johnson & Johnson and AbbVie, Inc..
Which ETF is more diversified: VHT or XLV?
VHT holds 419 securities with 61.42% of its assets in the top 15. XLV has 59 securities and a top 15 weight of 72.82%.
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