IYW vs. IYH
IYW (iShares U.S. Technology ETF) and IYH (iShares U.S. Healthcare ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - IYW is a Technology Equities fund tracking the Russell 1000 Technology RIC 22.5/45 Capped 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, IYW returned 25.63%/yr vs 9.52%/yr for IYH. A 0.54 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined. IYW charges 0.38%/yr vs 0.43%/yr for IYH.
Performance
IYW vs. IYH - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, IYW achieves a 22.66% return, which is significantly higher than IYH's -0.65% return. Over the past 10 years, IYW has outperformed IYH with an annualized return of 25.63%, while IYH has yielded a comparatively lower 9.52% annualized return.
IYW
- 1D
- 0.61%
- 1M
- 0.73%
- YTD
- 22.66%
- 6M
- 23.40%
- 1Y
- 50.17%
- 3Y*
- 32.06%
- 5Y*
- 21.19%
- 10Y*
- 25.63%
IYH
- 1D
- -0.20%
- 1M
- 4.56%
- YTD
- -0.65%
- 6M
- 0.07%
- 1Y
- 14.83%
- 3Y*
- 6.45%
- 5Y*
- 4.89%
- 10Y*
- 9.52%
IYW vs. IYH - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
IYW iShares U.S. Technology ETF | 22.66% | 25.38% | 30.25% | 65.44% | -34.83% | 35.44% | 47.45% | 46.64% | -0.93% | 36.60% |
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 IYW and IYH is 0.09, meaning there is essentially no relationship between their price movements. Each responds to its own set of market drivers, making them strong candidates for combining in a diversified portfolio.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.09 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.24 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.42 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.51 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jun 16, 2000 | 0.54 |
Over the past year, the correlation between IYW and IYH has dropped to 0.09 - well below their long-term average of 0.54, suggesting their price drivers have been diverging.
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Return for Risk
IYW vs. IYH — Risk / Return Rank
IYW
IYH
IYW vs. IYH - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares U.S. Technology ETF (IYW) 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.
| IYW | IYH | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +1.30 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +1.30 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.38 | 1.17 | +0.21 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.70 | 1.33 | +1.37 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 8.68 | 3.18 | +5.50 |
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Drawdowns
IYW vs. IYH - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum IYW drawdown since its inception was -81.90%, which is greater than IYH's maximum drawdown of -43.12%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for IYW and IYH.
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Drawdown Indicators
| IYW | IYH | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -81.90% | -43.12% | -38.78% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -17.81% | -10.64% | -7.17% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -26.47% | -17.91% | -8.56% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -39.44% | -17.91% | -21.53% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -39.44% | -28.40% | -11.04% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -5.81% | -3.94% | -1.87% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -34.62% | -8.96% | -25.66% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 5.54% | 4.46% | +1.08% |
Volatility
IYW vs. IYH - Volatility Comparison
iShares U.S. Technology ETF (IYW) has a higher volatility of 9.41% compared to iShares U.S. Healthcare ETF (IYH) at 4.94%. This indicates that IYW'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
| IYW | IYH | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 9.41% | 4.94% | +4.47% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 17.67% | 10.64% | +7.03% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 21.47% | 15.10% | +6.37% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 26.07% | 14.96% | +11.11% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 25.20% | 16.74% | +8.46% |
IYW vs. IYH - Expense Ratio Comparison
IYW has a 0.38% expense ratio, which is lower than IYH's 0.43% expense ratio.
Dividends
IYW vs. IYH - Dividend Comparison
IYW's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.11%, less than IYH's 1.25% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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% |
IYW iShares U.S. Technology ETF | 0.11% | 0.14% | 0.21% | 0.34% | 0.50% | 0.31% | 0.56% | 0.72% | 0.92% | 0.82% | 1.14% | 1.12% |
Frequently Asked Questions
IYW and IYH have a correlation of 0.09, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
IYW has higher volatility (9.41%) compared to IYH (4.94%). In terms of maximum drawdown, IYW dropped -81.90% vs IYH's -43.12%.
On 10-year performance, IYW leads with 25.63% vs 9.52% for IYH. On fees, IYW is cheaper at 0.38% 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, IYW has performed better with a 25.63% return vs 9.52%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
IYW is cheaper with a 0.38% expense ratio, compared with 0.43% for IYH.
IYH has the higher dividend yield at 1.25%, compared with 0.11% for IYW.
IYW is categorized as Technology Equities, while IYH is Health & Biotech Equities. IYW tracks Russell 1000 Technology RIC 22.5/45 Capped Index, while IYH tracks Dow Jones U.S. Health Care Index. Their fees differ too: 0.38% for IYW and 0.43% for IYH.
IYW currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.24 vs 0.94), 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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