IHE vs. XLU
Compare and contrast key facts about iShares U.S. Pharmaceuticals ETF (IHE) and Utilities Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLU).
IHE and XLU are both exchange-traded funds (ETFs), meaning they are traded on stock exchanges and can be bought and sold throughout the day. IHE is a passively managed fund by iShares that tracks the performance of the Dow Jones U.S. Select Pharmaceuticals Index. It was launched on May 5, 2006. XLU is a passively managed fund by State Street that tracks the performance of the Utilities Select Sector Index. It was launched on Dec 16, 1998. Both IHE and XLU 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
IHE vs. XLU - Performance Comparison
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IHE vs. XLU - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
IHE iShares U.S. Pharmaceuticals ETF | 3.70% | 31.69% | 8.13% | 1.06% | -4.87% | 13.07% | 13.66% | 15.47% | -7.76% | 10.64% |
XLU Utilities Select Sector SPDR Fund | 8.77% | 16.03% | 23.31% | -7.18% | 1.44% | 17.70% | 0.51% | 25.93% | 3.94% | 12.05% |
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, IHE achieves a 3.70% return, which is significantly lower than XLU's 8.77% return. Over the past 10 years, IHE has underperformed XLU with an annualized return of 8.20%, while XLU has yielded a comparatively higher 9.79% annualized return.
IHE
- 1D
- 1.15%
- 1M
- -3.66%
- YTD
- 3.70%
- 6M
- 18.16%
- 1Y
- 32.13%
- 3Y*
- 16.43%
- 5Y*
- 10.17%
- 10Y*
- 8.20%
XLU
- 1D
- 0.48%
- 1M
- -1.98%
- YTD
- 8.77%
- 6M
- 6.26%
- 1Y
- 19.98%
- 3Y*
- 14.30%
- 5Y*
- 10.90%
- 10Y*
- 9.79%
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IHE vs. XLU - Expense Ratio Comparison
IHE has a 0.42% expense ratio, which is higher than XLU's 0.13% expense ratio.
Return for Risk
IHE vs. XLU — Risk / Return Rank
IHE
XLU
IHE vs. XLU - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares U.S. Pharmaceuticals ETF (IHE) and Utilities Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLU). 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.
| IHE | XLU | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | 1.59 | 1.27 | +0.32 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | 2.20 | 1.73 | +0.47 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.29 | 1.23 | +0.06 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.52 | 2.21 | +0.31 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 7.93 | 5.31 | +2.62 |
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
| IHE | XLU | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.59 | 1.27 | +0.32 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.64 | 0.64 | 0.00 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.45 | 0.51 | -0.06 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.50 | 0.41 | +0.09 |
Correlation
The correlation between IHE and XLU is 0.40, which is considered to be moderate. This suggests that the two assets have some degree of positive relationship in their price movements. Moderate correlation can be acceptable for portfolio diversification, offering a balance between risk and potential returns.
Dividends
IHE vs. XLU - Dividend Comparison
IHE's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.70%, less than XLU's 2.58% yield.
| TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
IHE iShares U.S. Pharmaceuticals ETF | 1.70% | 1.76% | 1.73% | 1.39% | 2.01% | 1.49% | 1.19% | 1.40% | 1.25% | 1.36% | 0.92% | 1.93% |
XLU Utilities Select Sector SPDR Fund | 2.58% | 2.71% | 2.96% | 3.39% | 2.92% | 2.79% | 3.14% | 2.95% | 3.33% | 3.33% | 3.41% | 3.67% |
Drawdowns
IHE vs. XLU - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum IHE drawdown since its inception was -38.20%, smaller than the maximum XLU drawdown of -51.98%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for IHE and XLU.
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Drawdown Indicators
| IHE | XLU | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -38.20% | -51.98% | +13.78% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -10.58% | -9.18% | -1.40% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -16.03% | -25.26% | +9.23% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -29.59% | -36.07% | +6.48% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -4.22% | -2.72% | -1.50% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -7.95% | -10.26% | +2.31% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 3.36% | 3.82% | -0.46% |
Volatility
IHE vs. XLU - Volatility Comparison
iShares U.S. Pharmaceuticals ETF (IHE) has a higher volatility of 5.91% compared to Utilities Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLU) at 5.09%. This indicates that IHE's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than XLU based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| IHE | XLU | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 5.91% | 5.09% | +0.82% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 12.12% | 10.36% | +1.76% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 20.70% | 15.79% | +4.91% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 15.95% | 17.18% | -1.23% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 18.11% | 19.21% | -1.10% |