IBB vs. BTEC

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

IBB (iShares Nasdaq Biotechnology ETF) and BTEC (Principal Healthcare Innovators Index ETF) are both Health & Biotech Equities funds - IBB tracks the NASDAQ Biotechnology Index while BTEC tracks the NASDAQ U.S. Health Care Innovators Index. Both are passively managed. IBB charges 0.47%/yr vs 0.42%/yr for BTEC.

Performance

IBB vs. BTEC - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in iShares Nasdaq Biotechnology ETF (IBB) and Principal Healthcare Innovators Index ETF (BTEC). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

IBB

• 1D: 1.97%
• 1M: -1.56%
• YTD: -0.68%
• 6M: -2.57%
• 1Y: 34.50%
• 3Y*: 9.40%
• 5Y*: 2.10%
• 10Y*: 6.23%

BTEC

• 1D: 0.00%
• 1M: 0.00%
• YTD: —
• 6M: —
• 1Y: —
• 3Y*: —
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

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

IBB vs. BTEC - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)
IBB iShares Nasdaq Biotechnology ETF	-4.20%
BTEC Principal Healthcare Innovators Index ETF	0.00%

IBB vs. BTEC - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors	IBB	BTEC
Healthcare	100.0%	99.4%
Basic Materials	-	-
Communication Services	-	-
Consumer Cyclical	-	-
Consumer Defensive	-	-
Energy	-	-
Financial Services	-	-
Industrials	-	0.6%
Real Estate	-	-
Technology	-	-
Utilities	-	-

Return for Risk

IBB vs. BTEC — Risk / Return Rank

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

IBB

IBB Risk / Return Rank: 56
IBB Sharpe Ratio Rank: 50
IBB Sortino Ratio Rank: 50
IBB Omega Ratio Rank: 46
IBB Calmar Ratio Rank: 71
IBB Martin Ratio Rank: 62

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.

IBB vs. BTEC - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares Nasdaq Biotechnology ETF (IBB) and Principal Healthcare Innovators Index ETF (BTEC). 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.

	IBB	BTEC	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	1.74	—	—
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	2.50	—	—
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.30	—	—
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	3.60	—	—
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	11.43	—	—
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	IBB	BTEC	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	1.74	—	—
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.10	—	—
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.27	—	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.26	—	—

Drawdowns

IBB vs. BTEC - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum IBB drawdown since its inception was -62.85%, which is greater than BTEC's maximum drawdown of 0.00%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for IBB and BTEC.

Drawdown Indicators

	IBB	BTEC	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-62.85%	0.00%	-62.85%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-9.63%	—	—
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-24.85%	—	—
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-39.82%	—	—
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-39.82%	—	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-5.64%	0.00%	-5.64%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-21.18%	0.00%	-21.18%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	3.03%	—	—

Volatility

Volatility by Period

	IBB	BTEC	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	6.86%	—	—
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	15.38%	—	—
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	19.89%	0.00%	+19.89%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	21.99%	0.00%	+21.99%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	23.22%	0.00%	+23.22%

IBB vs. BTEC - Expense Ratio Comparison

IBB has a 0.47% expense ratio, which is higher than BTEC's 0.42% expense ratio.

Dividends

IBB vs. BTEC - Dividend Comparison

IBB's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.23%, while BTEC has not paid dividends to shareholders.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
BTEC Principal Healthcare Innovators Index ETF	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
IBB iShares Nasdaq Biotechnology ETF	0.23%	0.23%	0.29%	0.26%	0.31%	0.21%	0.21%	0.33%	0.20%	0.30%	0.19%	0.03%

Frequently Asked Questions

Which ETF is better, IBB or BTEC?

On fees, BTEC is cheaper at 0.42% per year. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF is cheaper, IBB or BTEC?

BTEC is cheaper with a 0.42% expense ratio, compared with 0.47% for IBB.

Which ETF pays a higher dividend yield, IBB or BTEC?

IBB has the higher dividend yield at 0.23%, compared with 0.00% for BTEC.

What is the main difference between IBB and BTEC?

IBB tracks NASDAQ Biotechnology Index, while BTEC tracks NASDAQ U.S. Health Care Innovators Index. They also come from different issuers: iShares and Principal. Their fees differ too: 0.47% for IBB and 0.42% for BTEC.