GXLV.L vs. IHCU.L
GXLV.L (SPDR S&P US Health Care Select Sector UCITS ETF) and IHCU.L (iShares S&P 500 Health Care Sector UCITS ETF USD (Acc)) are both Health & Biotech Equities funds - GXLV.L tracks the MSCI World/Health Care NR USD while IHCU.L tracks the S&P 500 Capped 35/20 Health Care Index NTR (USD). Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, GXLV.L returned 6.42%/yr vs 9.50%/yr for IHCU.L. A 0.70 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined. Both charge a 0.15% expense ratio.
Performance
GXLV.L vs. IHCU.L - Performance Comparison
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Different Trading Currencies
GXLV.L is traded in GBP, while IHCU.L is traded in GBp. To make them comparable, the IHCU.L values have been converted to GBP using the latest available exchange rates.
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, GXLV.L achieves a 4.49% return, which is significantly lower than IHCU.L's 5.35% return. Over the past 10 years, GXLV.L has underperformed IHCU.L with an annualized return of 6.42%, while IHCU.L has yielded a comparatively higher 9.50% annualized return.
GXLV.L
- 1D
- 0.00%
- 1M
- 5.91%
- 6M
- 3.34%
- YTD
- 4.49%
- 1Y
- 22.45%
- 3Y*
- 7.25%
- 5Y*
- -0.06%
- 10Y*
- 6.42%
IHCU.L
- 1D
- 0.83%
- 1M
- 6.67%
- 6M
- 4.07%
- YTD
- 5.35%
- 1Y
- 23.48%
- 3Y*
- 7.53%
- 5Y*
- 6.73%
- 10Y*
- 9.50%
GXLV.L vs. IHCU.L - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
GXLV.L SPDR S&P US Health Care Select Sector UCITS ETF | 4.49% | 7.08% | 3.73% | -3.91% | -18.87% | 25.58% | 12.96% | 20.28% | 6.01% | 21.41% |
IHCU.L iShares S&P 500 Health Care Sector UCITS ETF USD (Acc) | 5.35% | 6.77% | 3.96% | -3.89% | 8.99% | 29.15% | 8.09% | 16.89% | 10.43% | 11.31% |
Correlation
The correlation between GXLV.L and IHCU.L is 0.97 - these two move nearly in lockstep. At this level, holding both provides almost no diversification benefit. If you already own one, adding the other does little to reduce portfolio risk.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.97 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.97 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.92 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.72 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Nov 20, 2015 | 0.70 |
Over the past year, GXLV.L and IHCU.L have become more correlated (0.97) than their long-term average of 0.70, meaning their price movements have been converging.
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Return for Risk
GXLV.L vs. IHCU.L — Risk / Return Rank
GXLV.L
IHCU.L
GXLV.L vs. IHCU.L - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for SPDR S&P US Health Care Select Sector UCITS ETF (GXLV.L) and iShares S&P 500 Health Care Sector UCITS ETF USD (Acc) (IHCU.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.
| GXLV.L | IHCU.L | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.06 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -0.05 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.25 | 1.26 | -0.01 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.96 | 2.03 | -0.07 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 4.85 | 5.06 | -0.21 |
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Drawdowns
GXLV.L vs. IHCU.L - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum GXLV.L drawdown since its inception was -31.32%, smaller than the maximum IHCU.L drawdown of -38.44%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for GXLV.L and IHCU.L.
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Drawdown Indicators
| GXLV.L | IHCU.L | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -31.32% | -38.44% | +7.12% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -11.51% | -11.54% | +0.03% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -19.59% | -23.98% | +4.39% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -31.32% | -23.98% | -7.34% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -31.32% | -23.98% | -7.34% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -9.88% | -2.26% | -7.62% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -10.51% | -9.78% | -0.73% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 4.64% | 4.63% | +0.01% |
Volatility
GXLV.L vs. IHCU.L - Volatility Comparison
SPDR S&P US Health Care Select Sector UCITS ETF (GXLV.L) and iShares S&P 500 Health Care Sector UCITS ETF USD (Acc) (IHCU.L) have volatilities of 5.69% and 5.51%, respectively, indicating that both stocks experience similar levels of price fluctuations. This suggests that the risk associated with both stocks, as measured by volatility, is nearly the same. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| GXLV.L | IHCU.L | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 5.69% | 5.51% | +0.18% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 11.26% | 11.29% | -0.03% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 15.37% | 15.29% | +0.08% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 17.80% | 20.32% | -2.52% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 17.96% | 18.56% | -0.60% |
GXLV.L vs. IHCU.L - Expense Ratio Comparison
Both GXLV.L and IHCU.L have an expense ratio of 0.15%, making them cost-effective options compared to the broader market, where average expense ratios typically range from 0.3% to 0.9%.
Dividends
GXLV.L vs. IHCU.L - Dividend Comparison
Neither GXLV.L nor IHCU.L has paid dividends to shareholders.
Frequently Asked Questions
With a correlation of 0.97, GXLV.L and IHCU.L move almost identically. Holding both adds very little diversification - you're essentially doubling your position in the same market segment. Choosing one is usually more capital-efficient.
Both ETFs have the same 0.15% expense ratio. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
GXLV.L and IHCU.L have the same expense ratio: 0.15% per year.
GXLV.L tracks MSCI World/Health Care NR USD, while IHCU.L tracks S&P 500 Capped 35/20 Health Care Index NTR (USD). They also come from different issuers: State Street and iShares.
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