IDU vs. IYH
IDU (iShares U.S. Utilities ETF) and IYH (iShares U.S. Healthcare ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - IDU is a Utilities Equities fund tracking the Dow Jones U.S. Utilities Index, while IYH is a Health & Biotech Equities fund tracking the Dow Jones U.S. Health Care Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, IDU returned 8.77%/yr vs 9.52%/yr for IYH. At a 0.45 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. IDU charges 0.42%/yr vs 0.43%/yr for IYH.
Performance
IDU vs. IYH - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, IDU achieves a 4.44% return, which is significantly higher than IYH's -0.65% return. Over the past 10 years, IDU has underperformed IYH with an annualized return of 8.77%, while IYH has yielded a comparatively higher 9.52% annualized return.
IDU
- 1D
- 1.08%
- 1M
- -0.15%
- YTD
- 4.44%
- 6M
- 4.87%
- 1Y
- 9.46%
- 3Y*
- 13.84%
- 5Y*
- 9.15%
- 10Y*
- 8.77%
IYH
- 1D
- -0.20%
- 1M
- 4.45%
- YTD
- -0.65%
- 6M
- 0.07%
- 1Y
- 14.13%
- 3Y*
- 6.45%
- 5Y*
- 4.89%
- 10Y*
- 9.52%
IDU vs. IYH - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
IDU iShares U.S. Utilities ETF | 4.44% | 15.23% | 23.23% | -5.02% | 0.17% | 16.96% | -1.07% | 24.21% | 3.93% | 11.94% |
IYH iShares U.S. Healthcare ETF | -0.65% | 13.16% | 2.99% | 2.14% | -4.46% | 23.41% | 15.56% | 20.80% | 5.80% | 22.27% |
Correlation
The correlation between IDU and IYH is 0.24, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.24 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.37 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.47 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.41 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jun 20, 2000 | 0.45 |
Over the past year, the correlation between IDU and IYH has dropped to 0.24 - well below their long-term average of 0.45, suggesting their price drivers have been diverging.
IDU vs. IYH - Sectors Allocation Comparison
Sectors
IDU
IYH
Utilities
-
Industrials
-
Energy
-
Basic Materials
-
-
Communication Services
-
-
Consumer Cyclical
-
-
Consumer Defensive
-
-
Financial Services
-
-
Healthcare
-
Real Estate
-
-
Technology
-
-
Utilities
IDU
IYH
-
Industrials
IDU
IYH
-
Energy
IDU
IYH
-
Basic Materials
IDU
-
IYH
-
Communication Services
IDU
-
IYH
-
Consumer Cyclical
IDU
-
IYH
-
Consumer Defensive
IDU
-
IYH
-
Financial Services
IDU
-
IYH
-
Healthcare
IDU
-
IYH
Real Estate
IDU
-
IYH
-
Technology
IDU
-
IYH
-
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Return for Risk
IDU vs. IYH — Risk / Return Rank
IDU
IYH
IDU vs. IYH - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares U.S. Utilities ETF (IDU) and iShares U.S. Healthcare ETF (IYH). 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.
| IDU | IYH | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.26 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -0.51 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.13 | 1.17 | -0.04 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.04 | 1.33 | -0.30 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 2.35 | 3.18 | -0.83 |
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Drawdowns
IDU vs. IYH - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum IDU drawdown since its inception was -53.88%, which is greater than IYH's maximum drawdown of -43.12%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for IDU and IYH.
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Drawdown Indicators
| IDU | IYH | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -53.88% | -43.12% | -10.76% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -9.15% | -10.64% | +1.49% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -16.74% | -17.91% | +1.17% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -24.11% | -17.91% | -6.20% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -36.18% | -28.40% | -7.78% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -6.24% | -3.94% | -2.30% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -11.38% | -8.96% | -2.42% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 4.04% | 4.46% | -0.42% |
Volatility
IDU vs. IYH - Volatility Comparison
iShares U.S. Utilities ETF (IDU) has a higher volatility of 5.25% compared to iShares U.S. Healthcare ETF (IYH) at 4.94%. This indicates that IDU's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than IYH based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| IDU | IYH | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 5.25% | 4.94% | +0.31% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 11.13% | 10.64% | +0.49% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 13.93% | 15.10% | -1.17% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 16.52% | 14.96% | +1.56% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 18.73% | 16.74% | +1.99% |
IDU vs. IYH - Expense Ratio Comparison
IDU has a 0.42% expense ratio, which is lower than IYH's 0.43% expense ratio.
Dividends
IDU vs. IYH - Dividend Comparison
IDU's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.20%, more than IYH's 1.25% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
IDU iShares U.S. Utilities ETF | 2.20% | 2.23% | 2.29% | 2.79% | 2.39% | 2.39% | 2.94% | 2.71% | 2.80% | 2.62% | 3.18% | 4.22% |
IYH iShares U.S. Healthcare ETF | 1.25% | 1.19% | 1.25% | 1.18% | 1.10% | 0.94% | 1.16% | 1.14% | 1.95% | 1.10% | 1.29% | 2.02% |
Frequently Asked Questions
IDU and IYH have a correlation of 0.24, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
IDU has higher volatility (5.25%) compared to IYH (4.94%). In terms of maximum drawdown, IDU dropped -53.88% vs IYH's -43.12%.
On 10-year performance, IYH leads with 9.52% vs 8.77% for IDU. On fees, IDU is cheaper at 0.42% per year. On volatility, IYH has been the lower-risk option at 4.94%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 10-year period, IYH has performed better with a 9.52% return vs 8.77%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
IDU is cheaper with a 0.42% expense ratio, compared with 0.43% for IYH.
IDU has the higher dividend yield at 2.20%, compared with 1.25% for IYH.
IDU is categorized as Utilities Equities, while IYH is Health & Biotech Equities. IDU tracks Dow Jones U.S. Utilities Index, while IYH tracks Dow Jones U.S. Health Care Index. Their fees differ too: 0.42% for IDU and 0.43% for IYH.
IYH currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (0.94 vs 0.68), meaning it's delivered slightly more return per unit of risk over the trailing 12 months. However, this ranking shifts over time - use the Risk/Return Score above for a more comprehensive view that combines Sharpe, Sortino, and other measures used by quantitative funds.
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