IBB vs. SBIO
Compare and contrast key facts about iShares Nasdaq Biotechnology ETF (IBB) and ALPS Medical Breakthroughs ETF (SBIO).
IBB and SBIO are both exchange-traded funds (ETFs), meaning they are traded on stock exchanges and can be bought and sold throughout the day. IBB is a passively managed fund by iShares that tracks the performance of the NASDAQ Biotechnology Index. It was launched on Feb 5, 2001. SBIO is a passively managed fund by SS&C that tracks the performance of the S-Network Medical Breakthroughs Index. It was launched on Dec 31, 2014. Both IBB and SBIO are passive ETFs, meaning that they are not actively managed but aim to replicate the performance of the underlying index as closely as possible.
Performance
IBB vs. SBIO - Performance Comparison
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IBB vs. SBIO - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
IBB iShares Nasdaq Biotechnology ETF | 0.88% | 27.98% | -2.41% | 3.76% | -13.69% | 0.95% | 26.01% | 25.42% | -9.53% | 21.08% |
SBIO ALPS Medical Breakthroughs ETF | 3.20% | 55.07% | 3.81% | 8.68% | -28.08% | -17.55% | 21.17% | 50.30% | -11.81% | 45.67% |
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, IBB achieves a 0.88% return, which is significantly lower than SBIO's 3.20% return. Over the past 10 years, IBB has underperformed SBIO with an annualized return of 6.92%, while SBIO has yielded a comparatively higher 9.75% annualized return.
IBB
- 1D
- 0.76%
- 1M
- -2.11%
- YTD
- 0.88%
- 6M
- 14.77%
- 1Y
- 37.04%
- 3Y*
- 9.92%
- 5Y*
- 2.62%
- 10Y*
- 6.92%
SBIO
- 1D
- 0.99%
- 1M
- 3.89%
- YTD
- 3.20%
- 6M
- 36.23%
- 1Y
- 95.78%
- 3Y*
- 26.37%
- 5Y*
- 1.76%
- 10Y*
- 9.75%
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IBB vs. SBIO - Expense Ratio Comparison
IBB has a 0.47% expense ratio, which is lower than SBIO's 0.50% expense ratio.
Return for Risk
IBB vs. SBIO — Risk / Return Rank
IBB
SBIO
IBB vs. SBIO - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares Nasdaq Biotechnology ETF (IBB) and ALPS Medical Breakthroughs ETF (SBIO). 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 | SBIO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | 1.56 | 2.92 | -1.36 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | 2.16 | 3.57 | -1.41 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.28 | 1.45 | -0.17 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.86 | 5.66 | -2.80 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 10.20 | 19.94 | -9.74 |
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month. | |||
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Sharpe Ratios by Period
| IBB | SBIO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.56 | 2.92 | -1.36 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.12 | 0.05 | +0.07 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.30 | 0.29 | 0.00 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.26 | 0.23 | +0.03 |
Correlation
The correlation between IBB and SBIO is 0.87, which is considered to be high. That indicates a strong positive relationship between their price movements. Having highly-correlated positions in a portfolio may signal a lack of diversification, potentially leading to increased risk during market downturns.
Dividends
IBB vs. SBIO - Dividend Comparison
IBB's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.23%, while SBIO has not paid dividends to shareholders.
| TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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% |
SBIO ALPS Medical Breakthroughs ETF | 0.00% | 0.00% | 3.55% | 0.22% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.04% | 2.79% | 1.77% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Drawdowns
IBB vs. SBIO - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum IBB drawdown since its inception was -62.85%, roughly equal to the maximum SBIO drawdown of -63.06%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for IBB and SBIO.
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Drawdown Indicators
| IBB | SBIO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -62.85% | -63.06% | +0.21% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -11.65% | -15.08% | +3.43% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -39.82% | -53.67% | +13.85% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -39.82% | -63.06% | +23.24% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -4.16% | -13.79% | +9.63% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -21.30% | -28.70% | +7.40% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 3.27% | 4.28% | -1.01% |
Volatility
IBB vs. SBIO - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for iShares Nasdaq Biotechnology ETF (IBB) is 8.38%, while ALPS Medical Breakthroughs ETF (SBIO) has a volatility of 12.61%. This indicates that IBB experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than SBIO based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| IBB | SBIO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 8.38% | 12.61% | -4.23% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 14.50% | 22.09% | -7.59% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 24.01% | 33.43% | -9.42% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 21.87% | 33.55% | -11.68% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 23.37% | 33.34% | -9.97% |