BIOT.L vs. HEAW.L

Last updated Jul 16, 2026

BIOT.L (L&G Pharma Breakthrough UCITS ETF - USD Accumulating ETF) and HEAW.L (SPDR MSCI World Health Care UCITS ETF) are both Health & Biotech Equities funds - BIOT.L tracks the Solactive Pharma Breakthrough Value Index Net Total Return while HEAW.L tracks the MSCI World/Health Care NR USD. Both are passively managed. Over the past 5 years, BIOT.L returned 2.83%/yr vs -2.23%/yr for HEAW.L. A 0.53 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined. BIOT.L charges 0.49%/yr vs 0.30%/yr for HEAW.L.

Performance

BIOT.L vs. HEAW.L - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in L&G Pharma Breakthrough UCITS ETF - USD Accumulating ETF (BIOT.L) and SPDR MSCI World Health Care UCITS ETF (HEAW.L). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Different Trading Currencies

BIOT.L is traded in USD, while HEAW.L is traded in GBP. To make them comparable, the HEAW.L values have been converted to USD using the latest available exchange rates.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, BIOT.L achieves a 8.27% return, which is significantly higher than HEAW.L's 0.37% return.

BIOT.L

• 1D: 0.31%
• 1M: 7.79%
• 6M: 7.56%
• YTD: 8.27%
• 1Y: 33.81%
• 3Y*: 10.20%
• 5Y*: 2.83%
• 10Y*: —

HEAW.L

• 1D: 0.00%
• 1M: 2.89%
• 6M: -1.32%
• YTD: 0.37%
• 1Y: 16.52%
• 3Y*: 6.69%
• 5Y*: -2.23%
• 10Y*: 5.10%

*Multi-year figures are annualized to reflect compound growth (CAGR)

BIOT.L vs. HEAW.L - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018
BIOT.L L&G Pharma Breakthrough UCITS ETF - USD Accumulating ETF	8.27%	36.47%	-5.31%	-9.28%	-8.41%	-3.60%	28.29%	13.02%	-8.12%
HEAW.L SPDR MSCI World Health Care UCITS ETF	0.37%	15.56%	0.81%	3.12%	-29.87%	18.50%	16.73%	28.28%	-10.07%

Correlation

The correlation between BIOT.L and HEAW.L is 0.54, which is moderate. They share some common price drivers but move independently often enough to provide real diversification benefit when combined.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.54
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.52
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.57
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jan 18, 2018	0.53

The correlation between BIOT.L and HEAW.L has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.52 to 0.57 - a consistent structural relationship.

Return for Risk

BIOT.L vs. HEAW.L — Risk / Return Rank

Compare risk-adjusted metric ranks to identify better-performing investments over the past 12 months.

BIOT.L

BIOT.L Risk / Return Rank: 67
BIOT.L Sharpe Ratio Rank: 63
BIOT.L Sortino Ratio Rank: 64
BIOT.L Omega Ratio Rank: 55
BIOT.L Calmar Ratio Rank: 83
BIOT.L Martin Ratio Rank: 70

HEAW.L

HEAW.L Risk / Return Rank: 37
HEAW.L Sharpe Ratio Rank: 39
HEAW.L Sortino Ratio Rank: 42
HEAW.L Omega Ratio Rank: 37
HEAW.L Calmar Ratio Rank: 37
HEAW.L Martin Ratio Rank: 33

The rank (0–100) shows how this investment's returns compare to the risk taken. Higher = better. Based on the past 12 months of data, combining Sharpe, Sortino, and other metrics used by quantitative funds and institutional investors.

BIOT.L vs. HEAW.L - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for L&G Pharma Breakthrough UCITS ETF - USD Accumulating ETF (BIOT.L) and SPDR MSCI World Health Care UCITS ETF (HEAW.L). Risk-adjusted metrics are performance indicators that assess an investment's returns in relation to its risk, enabling a more accurate comparison of different investment options.

Values are calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. Risk-adjusted metrics are more stable over longer periods — use the period switch above to explore them.

	BIOT.L	HEAW.L	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	1.67	1.13	+0.53
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	2.39	1.79	+0.60
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.28	1.20	+0.08
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	3.52	1.58	+1.95
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	10.12	3.79	+6.33

BIOT.L vs. HEAW.L - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current BIOT.L Sharpe Ratio is 1.67, which is higher than the HEAW.L Sharpe Ratio of 1.13. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of BIOT.L and HEAW.L, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Drawdowns

BIOT.L vs. HEAW.L - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum BIOT.L drawdown since its inception was -34.44%, smaller than the maximum HEAW.L drawdown of -40.13%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for BIOT.L and HEAW.L.

Drawdown Indicators

	BIOT.L	HEAW.L	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-34.44%	-40.13%	+5.69%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-9.55%	-10.51%	+0.96%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-19.91%	-19.14%	-0.77%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-33.80%	-40.13%	+6.33%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	—	-40.13%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-5.72%	-16.60%	+10.88%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-13.31%	-13.39%	+0.08%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	3.33%	4.37%	-1.04%

Volatility

BIOT.L vs. HEAW.L - Volatility Comparison

L&G Pharma Breakthrough UCITS ETF - USD Accumulating ETF (BIOT.L) has a higher volatility of 6.08% compared to SPDR MSCI World Health Care UCITS ETF (HEAW.L) at 5.44%. This indicates that BIOT.L's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than HEAW.L based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	BIOT.L	HEAW.L	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	6.08%	5.44%	+0.64%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	15.54%	11.20%	+4.34%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	20.18%	14.70%	+5.48%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	18.62%	17.98%	+0.64%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	19.50%	18.43%	+1.07%

BIOT.L vs. HEAW.L - Expense Ratio Comparison

BIOT.L has a 0.49% expense ratio, which is higher than HEAW.L's 0.30% expense ratio.

Dividends

BIOT.L vs. HEAW.L - Dividend Comparison

Neither BIOT.L nor HEAW.L has paid dividends to shareholders.

Tickers have no history of dividend payments

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both BIOT.L and HEAW.L in my portfolio?

BIOT.L and HEAW.L have a correlation of 0.54, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which ETF is better, BIOT.L or HEAW.L?

On fees, HEAW.L is cheaper at 0.30% per year. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF is cheaper, BIOT.L or HEAW.L?

HEAW.L is cheaper with a 0.30% expense ratio, compared with 0.49% for BIOT.L.

What is the main difference between BIOT.L and HEAW.L?

BIOT.L tracks Solactive Pharma Breakthrough Value Index Net Total Return, while HEAW.L tracks MSCI World/Health Care NR USD. They also come from different issuers: L&G and State Street. Their fees differ too: 0.49% for BIOT.L and 0.30% for HEAW.L.