XLVvsIHEETF Comparison
VS
State Street Health Care Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLV) and iShares U.S. Pharmaceuticals ETF (IHE) belong to the same industry segment: US Health Care. XLV's top 2 sector exposures are Healthcare and Consumer Non-Cyclicals. In contrast, IHE's top sector exposures are Healthcare and Non-Corporate. XLV is less expensive with a Total Expense Ratio (TER) of 0.08%, versus 0.37% for IHE. XLV is up 17.24% year-to-date (YTD) with +$1.03B in YTD flows. IHE performs better with 21.99% YTD performance, and +$500M in YTD flows. Run a side-by-side ETF comparison of XLV and IHE 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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XLV vs IHE performance and flow charts
Performance
Cumulative Flows
Historic performance and flows
Data as of 10/23/2026
| 1M | 3M | YTD | 1Y | 3Y | 5Y | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Perf. | XLV IHE | +6.22%+1.25% | +11.46%+0.82% | +17.24%+21.99% | +24.79%+39.12% | +48.03%+87.20% | +47.51%+79.04% |
| Flows | XLV IHE | +$1.21B-$129M | +$92M+$77M | +$1.03B+$500M | +$1.68B+$664M | -$3.62B+$758M | +$4.34B+$754M |
Volatility and drawdown
| 3M | 1Y | 3Y | 5Y | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Volatility | XLV IHE | +17.60%+18.62% | +16.35%+18.66% | +14.97%+17.25% | +15.25%+16.78% |
| Max drawdown | XLV IHE | -5.81%-9.67% | -10.51%-9.67% | -17.05%-16.04% | -17.05%-16.12% |
| Max drawdown duration | XLV IHE | 56d65d | 116d65d | 444d210d | 444d669d |
Trading data
XLV | IHE | |
Last sale 10/23/2026 at 1:30 PM | $179.28 | $102.51 |
| Previous close 10/22/2026 | $181.30 | $104.78 |
| Consolidated volume 10/22/2026 | ||
| Average volume 30 days | ||
| Average discount or premium 30 days | ||
| Average Bid/Ask spread 30 days |
Replication quality
Data as of September 30, 2026
1-year trailing difference
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XLV | IHE | |
|---|---|---|
| Tracking error | ||
| Tracking difference | ||
| 1 year cumulative return difference | ||
| Best | ||
| Worst | ||
| Daily return difference | ||
| Average | ||
| Worst | ||
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Main metrics
Last update 10/23/2026 at 1:30 PM
Live
Closed
XLV | IHE | |
|---|---|---|
| Last price | $179.28 | $102.51 |
| 1D performance | -1.11% | -2.17% |
| AuM | $46.98 B | $1.54 B |
| E/R | 0.08% | 0.37% |
Characteristics
XLV | IHE | |
|---|---|---|
| Management strategy | Passive | Passive |
| Provider | State Street Investment Management | iShares |
| Benchmark | S&P Health Care Select Sector Index | Dow Jones U.S. Select Pharmaceuticals Index |
| N° of holdings | 59 | 57 |
| Asset class | Equities | Equities |
| Trailing 12m distribution yield | Join | Join |
| Inception date | December 16, 1998 | May 1, 2006 |
| ESG | No | No |
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Exposure
Countries
XLV
USA
97.52%
Other
2.48%
IHE
USA
95.75%
Other
4.25%
Sectors
XLV
Healthcare
97.84%
Other
2.16%
IHE
Healthcare
99.75%
Other
0.25%
Diversification
XLV
Total weight of top 15 holdings out of 15
71.32%
IHE
Total weight of top 15 holdings out of 15
84.42%
Top 15 holdings
Data as of August 31, 2026
XLV
Eli Lilly & Co.
14.88%
Johnson & Johnson
10.41%
AbbVie, Inc.
7.37%
Merck & Co., Inc.
5.93%
UnitedHealth Group, Inc.
5.75%
Amgen, Inc.
3.77%
Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc.
3.73%
Abbott Laboratories
3.13%
Gilead Sciences, Inc.
2.95%
Pfizer Inc.
2.64%
Vertex Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
2.25%
Bristol Myers Squibb Co.
2.22%
Danaher Corp.
2.19%
Intuitive Surgical, Inc.
2.17%
CVS Health Corp.
1.95%
IHE
Johnson & Johnson
22.45%
Eli Lilly & Co.
20.50%
Merck & Co., Inc.
5.00%
Bristol Myers Squibb Co.
4.84%
Royalty Pharma Plc
4.54%
Pfizer Inc.
4.48%
Viatris, Inc.
4.19%
Zoetis, Inc.
3.82%
Jazz Pharmaceuticals Plc
3.43%
Elanco Animal Health, Inc.
2.61%
Corcept Therapeutics, Inc.
2.36%
Crinetics Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
1.95%
Axsome Therapeutics, Inc.
1.87%
Ligand Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
1.24%
Definium Therapeutics, Inc.
1.12%
Frequently asked questions about XLV and IHE
How have the XLV and IHE ETFs performed in 2026?
As of October 23, 2026, XLV is up 17.24% year-to-date (YTD), while IHE has returned 21.99%. That puts IHE better performer ahead so far this year.
Which ETF is attracting more investor money: XLV or IHE?
Year-to-date, the XLV ETF saw +$1.03B in flows, compared to +$500M for IHE.
Which ETF is more volatile: XLV or IHE?
Over the past year, XLV had a volatility of 16.35%, while IHE experienced 18.66%.
Which ETF is bigger: XLV or IHE?
As of October 23, 2026, XLV holds $46.98 B in assets under management (AUM), while IHE manages $1.54 B.
What sectors do the XLV and IHE ETFs invest in?
XLV leans toward sectors like Healthcare. Meanwhile, IHE focuses on Healthcare.
What are the top holdings of the XLV ETF and IHE ETF?
XLV top holdings include Eli Lilly & Co., Johnson & Johnson and AbbVie, Inc.. IHE holds in its top three: Johnson & Johnson, Eli Lilly & Co. and Merck & Co., Inc..
Which ETF is more diversified: XLV or IHE?
XLV holds 59 securities with 71.32% of its assets in the top 15. IHE has 57 securities and a top 15 weight of 84.42%.
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