IBB — iShares Biotechnology ETF
Healthcare Ranked #87 of 458 tracked ETFs · Issued by iShares
IBB Price Performance — Growth of $10,000
Value of a $10,000 investment in IBB over time, compared with SPY. Both lines are rebased to $10,000 on the first shared date. Based on total returns — prices are adjusted for dividends and splits, so this assumes distributions were reinvested. Hover or tap the chart for exact values.
IBB Drawdown
The "underwater" chart: IBB's decline from its highest prior value at each point in time. It shows how deep past losses ran and how long the fund took to recover to break-even.
What If You'd Invested in IBB?
See what a lump sum in IBB would have grown to, with the option to add a regular monthly contribution on top. Figures use total returns — dividends are assumed reinvested.
Past performance doesn't predict future results. Assumes contributions on the first trading day of each month, no trading costs or taxes, and reinvested distributions. History is limited to the range published in the site's daily return data.
Overview
iShares Biotechnology ETF (IBB) is a healthcare-focused exchange-traded fund, issued by iShares. It is positioned as the 87th best-performing ETF among the 458 tracked by ETFValuer, indicating a solid standing in its category. The fund carries an expense ratio of 0.44%, which is relatively low, and a dividend yield of 0.17%, suggesting modest income potential for investors. With a market value of $9.21 billion, IBB is a sizable fund, implying substantial investor adoption and liquidity. The price of $213.56 reflects its position in the market, and its asset under management (AUM) indicates a significant level of investor interest and trust in the fund.
Over the past year, IBB has shown strong performance with a return of 54.68%, accelerating from a 1-month gain of 13.01% and a 1-week increase of 7.72%. The 1-day return of +1.29% suggests some volatility, but the 3-month and 6-month returns of +26.34% and +22.57%, respectively, indicate a consistent upward trend. The 3-year return of +68.12% further supports a long-term positive performance trajectory, with the year-to-date return of +26.48% showing a continuation of this trend. This pattern suggests that the fund has been performing well across various time horizons, with a notable acceleration in recent months.
iShares Biotechnology ETF (IBB) is categorized as having a moderate volatility label, which implies that it experiences fluctuations in value but not as extreme as more volatile funds. The beta of 0.70 suggests that the fund is slightly less volatile than the overall market, indicating that it may be a relatively stable investment in a rising market. The Sharpe ratio of 2.29 is quite high, indicating that the fund provides a good risk-adjusted return, meaning that the returns are significantly higher than the risk taken. The maximum drawdown of -24.85% reflects the fund's potential for significant losses during downturns, but given the moderate volatility label and high Sharpe ratio, it suggests that the fund can still offer attractive returns while managing risk effectively. Overall, these figures imply that IBB is a balanced investment that can offer both growth and stability, suitable for investors looking for exposure to the biotechnology sector with a moderate risk tolerance.
AI-generated summary based on the data on this page.
IBB Top Holdings
| # | Holding | % of Net Assets | Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | BlackRock Funds III | 13.18% | $783M |
| 2 | Vertex Pharmaceuticals, Inc. | 7.66% | $455M |
| 3 | Gilead Sciences, Inc. | 7.52% | $447M |
| 4 | Amgen, Inc. | 7.50% | $446M |
| 5 | Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. | 5.70% | $339M |
| 6 | Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc. | 5.68% | $337M |
| 7 | IQVIA Holdings, Inc. | 3.18% | $189M |
| 8 | Argenx SE | 3.15% | $187M |
| 9 | Insmed, Inc. | 2.95% | $176M |
| 10 | Mettler-Toledo International, Inc. | 2.49% | $148M |
Holdings as of 2025-09-30 per the fund's most recent SEC N-PORT-P filing. Top 10 holdings make up 59.0% of net assets — a rough gauge of concentration risk (the higher this figure, the more the fund's return depends on a handful of names). To see how IBB's holdings overlap with other ETFs you own or are considering, check the Stock Overlap tool.
Which Funds Overlap With IBB
Holding two funds that own the same companies adds cost and complexity without adding much diversification. These tracked ETFs share the most names with IBB's top 10 — IWP overlaps most, holding 2 of the same companies as IBB's top 10 (18.9% of IBB's assets).
| ETF | Name | Shared Companies | IBB Weight | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| IWP | iShares Russell Mid-Cap Growth ETF | 2 | 18.9% | BlackRock Funds III, Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc. |
| VHT | Vanguard Health Care Index Fund ETF Shares | 2 | 15.0% | Amgen, Inc., Gilead Sciences, Inc. |
| XLV | State Street Health Care Select Sector SPDR ETF | 2 | 15.0% | Amgen, Inc., Gilead Sciences, Inc. |
| FHLC | Fidelity MSCI Health Care Index ETF | 2 | 15.0% | Amgen, Inc., Gilead Sciences, Inc. |
| IYH | iShares U.S. Healthcare ETF | 2 | 15.0% | Amgen, Inc., Gilead Sciences, Inc. |
Compares the top 10 reported holdings of each fund, so it's a floor on true overlap — two S&P 500 trackers overlap ~100% even when only 10 names are listed. Use the Stock Overlap tool to search by individual company.
Market Backdrop
10-Year Treasury Yield: 4.69% (as of 2026-08-20) — The yield on 10-year US Treasury bonds — the standard "risk-free rate" benchmark used to contextualize this fund’s Sharpe ratio and returns.
CBOE Volatility Index (VIX): 16.01 (as of 2026-08-20) — A real-time gauge of expected S&P 500 volatility over the next 30 days — useful context for this fund’s own volatility label.
Federal Funds Rate: 3.63% (as of 2026-07-01) — The Federal Reserve’s target policy rate, which anchors short-term borrowing costs across the economy.
What IBB's Fees Cost You
IBB charges an expense ratio of 0.44% a year, deducted automatically from the fund's value. Small percentages compound into real money — adjust the figures below to see the impact on your own numbers.
Assumes a constant gross return and no additional contributions — a simplification, but it isolates exactly what the expense ratio costs. Try the full fee calculator to model contributions and compare any two funds.
IBB Dividend Income Estimator
IBB currently yields 0.17%. Enter an amount to see the income that implies, or set a monthly income target to see the investment it would take.
Based on the fund's current trailing yield, which varies with price and distributions — treat it as an estimate, not a guarantee. Yields are not adjusted for tax.
IBB Liquidity, Domicile & Tax Treatment
Liquidity: Quoted bid/ask spread is 6.29% and average daily volume is 1.6M/day. Tighter spreads and higher volume mean lower round-trip trading costs; this is a live-market snapshot and can widen during volatile sessions. AUM of $9.21B provides ample scale, supporting tight spreads and issuer commitment to keep the fund open.
Domicile & tax treatment: IBB is a US-domiciled, SEC-registered ('40 Act) exchange-traded fund. Dividends and capital gains distributions are reported to US investors on Form 1099-DIV, and the fund is not subject to the PFIC reporting or UCITS-specific rules that apply to Irish- or Luxembourg-domiciled funds. Non-US investors should note that US-domiciled ETFs are generally subject to 30% US withholding tax on dividends (unless reduced by treaty) and to US estate tax exposure on the position — Irish-domiciled UCITS ETFs tracking the same index often avoid both, which is why non-US residents frequently prefer the UCITS equivalent where one exists. This is general information, not tax advice — consult a tax professional for your situation.
IBB Performance History
| Period | Return |
|---|---|
| 1-Day | +1.29% |
| 1-Week | +7.72% |
| 1-Month | +13.01% |
| 3-Month | +26.34% |
| 6-Month | +22.57% |
| YTD | +26.48% |
| 1-Year | +54.68% |
| 3-Year | +68.12% |
How IBB Compares to Other Healthcare ETFs
| Rank | Grade | Ticker | Name | 1-Year | Exp. Ratio | AUM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #42 | B |
VHT | Vanguard Health Care Index Fund ETF Shares | +30.92% | 0.09% | $20.9B |
| #50 | B |
XLV | State Street Health Care Select Sector SPDR ETF | +29.21% | 0.08% | $41.7B |
| #54 | B |
XBI | State Street SPDR S&P Biotech ETF | +86.60% | 0.35% | $9.63B |
| #76 | B |
FHLC | Fidelity MSCI Health Care Index ETF | +31.01% | 0.084% | $3.29B |
| #87 | B |
IBB | iShares Biotechnology ETF | +54.68% | 0.44% | $9.21B |
| #130 | B |
XPH | State Street SPDR S&P Pharmaceuticals ETF | +58.31% | 0.35% | $489M |
| #161 | B |
IYH | iShares U.S. Healthcare ETF | +29.33% | 0.38% | $3.56B |
| #162 | B |
PPH | VanEck Pharmaceutical ETF | +34.20% | 0.36% | $926M |
| #236 | C |
ARKG | ARK Genomic Revolution ETF | +105.87% | 0.75% | $1.56B |
| #384 | C |
IHF | iShares U.S. Healthcare Providers ETF | +24.43% | 0.37% | $1.25B |
| #443 | F |
IHI | iShares U.S. Medical Devices ETF | -9.87% | 0.37% | $3.25B |