RPRX vs. XBI

Last updated Apr 1, 2026

Compare and contrast key facts about Royalty Pharma plc (RPRX) and SPDR S&P Biotech ETF (XBI).

XBI is a passively managed fund by State Street that tracks the performance of the S&P Biotechnology Select Industry Index. It was launched on Feb 6, 2006.

Performance

RPRX vs. XBI - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Royalty Pharma plc (RPRX) and SPDR S&P Biotech ETF (XBI). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

RPRX vs. XBI - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020
RPRX Royalty Pharma plc	24.80%	55.29%	-6.36%	-27.08%	0.99%	-19.09%	13.33%
XBI SPDR S&P Biotech ETF	4.76%	35.89%	1.01%	7.60%	-25.87%	-20.45%	34.81%

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, RPRX achieves a 24.80% return, which is significantly higher than XBI's 4.76% return.

RPRX

• 1D: 3.45%
• 1M: 3.81%
• YTD: 24.80%
• 6M: 37.44%
• 1Y: 57.76%
• 3Y*: 13.02%
• 5Y*: 4.62%
• 10Y*: —

XBI

• 1D: 7.53%
• 1M: 0.28%
• YTD: 4.76%
• 6M: 27.90%
• 1Y: 58.08%
• 3Y*: 19.00%
• 5Y*: -1.29%
• 10Y*: 9.32%

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

Return for Risk

RPRX vs. XBI — Risk / Return Rank

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

RPRX

RPRX Risk / Return Rank: 95
RPRX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 95
RPRX Sortino Ratio Rank: 93
RPRX Omega Ratio Rank: 93
RPRX Calmar Ratio Rank: 97
RPRX Martin Ratio Rank: 96

XBI

XBI Risk / Return Rank: 92
XBI Sharpe Ratio Rank: 92
XBI Sortino Ratio Rank: 93
XBI Omega Ratio Rank: 87
XBI Calmar Ratio Rank: 95
XBI Martin Ratio Rank: 94

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.

RPRX vs. XBI - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Royalty Pharma plc (RPRX) and SPDR S&P Biotech ETF (XBI). 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.

	RPRX	XBI	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	2.56	2.02	+0.55
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	3.26	2.70	+0.56
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.44	1.34	+0.10
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	7.66	3.72	+3.94
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	18.39	13.98	+4.41
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

RPRX vs. XBI - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current RPRX Sharpe Ratio is 2.56, which is comparable to the XBI Sharpe Ratio of 2.02. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of RPRX and XBI, offering insights into how both investments have performed under varying market conditions. These values are calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	RPRX	XBI	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	2.56	2.02	+0.55
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.19	-0.04	+0.23
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	—	0.29	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.13	0.36	-0.23

Correlation

The correlation between RPRX and XBI is 0.36, which is considered to be low. This implies their price changes are not closely related. A low correlation is generally favorable for portfolio diversification, as it helps to reduce overall risk by spreading it across multiple assets with different performance patterns.

Dividends

RPRX vs. XBI - Dividend Comparison

RPRX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.87%, more than XBI's 0.34% yield.

	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
RPRX Royalty Pharma plc	1.87%	2.28%	3.29%	2.85%	1.92%	1.71%	0.60%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
XBI SPDR S&P Biotech ETF	0.34%	0.37%	0.15%	0.02%	0.00%	0.04%	0.20%	0.00%	0.28%	0.24%	0.26%	0.61%

Drawdowns

RPRX vs. XBI - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum RPRX drawdown since its inception was -49.68%, smaller than the maximum XBI drawdown of -63.89%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for RPRX and XBI.

Drawdown Indicators

	RPRX	XBI	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-49.68%	-63.89%	+14.21%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-7.38%	-13.39%	+6.01%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-43.44%	-55.04%	+11.60%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	—	-63.89%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	0.00%	-26.17%	+26.17%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-27.22%	-20.91%	-6.31%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	3.07%	3.71%	-0.64%

Volatility

RPRX vs. XBI - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for Royalty Pharma plc (RPRX) is 6.99%, while SPDR S&P Biotech ETF (XBI) has a volatility of 11.60%. This indicates that RPRX experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than XBI based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	RPRX	XBI	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	6.99%	11.60%	-4.61%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	16.06%	19.25%	-3.19%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	22.68%	29.24%	-6.56%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	24.20%	32.23%	-8.03%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	27.04%	32.15%	-5.11%