SHSAX vs. AHSAX
SHSAX (BlackRock Health Sciences Opportunities Portfolio) and AHSAX (Alger Health Sciences Fund) are both Health & Biotech Equities funds. Over the past 10 years, SHSAX returned 9.92%/yr vs 10.07%/yr for AHSAX. Their correlation of 0.88 means they have usually moved in the same direction. SHSAX charges 1.09%/yr vs 1.05%/yr for AHSAX.
Performance
SHSAX vs. AHSAX - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, SHSAX achieves a 5.93% return, which is significantly lower than AHSAX's 23.38% return. Both investments have delivered pretty close results over the past 10 years, with SHSAX having a 9.92% annualized return and AHSAX not far ahead at 10.07%.
SHSAX
- 1D
- -0.74%
- 1M
- -1.37%
- 6M
- 5.84%
- YTD
- 5.93%
- 1Y
- 25.84%
- 3Y*
- 9.08%
- 5Y*
- 4.84%
- 10Y*
- 9.92%
- ALL TIME*
- 13.07%
AHSAX
- 1D
- 0.64%
- 1M
- 7.49%
- 6M
- 23.38%
- YTD
- 23.38%
- 1Y
- 55.59%
- 3Y*
- 10.53%
- 5Y*
- 0.59%
- 10Y*
- 10.07%
- ALL TIME*
- 7.65%
Liquidity Comparison
| Position | Avg. Volume Value (2W) | Avg. Volume Value (1M) | Avg. Volume Value (3M) |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | |
| $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 |
SHSAX vs. AHSAX - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SHSAX BlackRock Health Sciences Opportunities Portfolio | 5.93% | 15.85% | 3.73% | 3.59% | -5.94% | 11.88% | 19.44% | 25.27% | 7.93% | 24.74% |
AHSAX Alger Health Sciences Fund | 23.38% | 10.14% | 1.17% | -4.26% | -17.04% | 3.26% | 30.99% | 22.02% | 5.71% | 33.06% |
Correlation
The correlation between SHSAX and AHSAX is 0.74, which is moderate. They have sometimes moved together and sometimes differently, sharing some price drivers without tracking each other closely.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Focuses on recent behavior, but can change the most. | 0.74 |
Correlation (3Y) Balances recent behavior with more history. | 0.80 |
Correlation (5Y) Shows whether the relationship held over a longer period. | 0.82 |
Correlation (10Y) Provides a long-term view across more market conditions. | 0.83 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jan 2, 2003 | 0.88 |
The correlation between SHSAX and AHSAX shifts across timeframes, from 0.74 (1 year) to 0.88 (all time), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
SHSAX vs. AHSAX — Risk / Return Rank
SHSAX
AHSAX
SHSAX vs. AHSAX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for BlackRock Health Sciences Opportunities Portfolio (SHSAX) and Alger Health Sciences Fund (AHSAX). 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.
| SHSAX | AHSAX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -1.57 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -1.92 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.28 | 1.53 | -0.26 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.43 | 5.55 | -3.12 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 5.81 | 17.97 | -12.16 |
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Drawdowns
SHSAX vs. AHSAX - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum SHSAX drawdown since its inception was -35.49%, smaller than the maximum AHSAX drawdown of -46.23%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for SHSAX and AHSAX.
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Drawdown Indicators
| SHSAX | AHSAX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -35.49% | -46.23% | +10.74% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -9.87% | -9.67% | -0.20% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -16.08% | -23.11% | +7.03% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -17.99% | -45.04% | +27.05% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -28.36% | -45.04% | +16.68% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -1.78% | -10.27% | +8.49% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -6.16% | -14.73% | +8.57% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 4.13% | 2.99% | +1.14% |
Volatility
SHSAX vs. AHSAX - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for BlackRock Health Sciences Opportunities Portfolio (SHSAX) is 5.25%, while Alger Health Sciences Fund (AHSAX) has a volatility of 6.39%. This indicates that SHSAX experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than AHSAX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| SHSAX | AHSAX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 5.25% | 6.39% | -1.14% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 11.72% | 13.29% | -1.57% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 14.93% | 16.89% | -1.96% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 14.66% | 24.31% | -9.65% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 16.60% | 23.37% | -6.77% |
SHSAX vs. AHSAX - Expense Ratio Comparison
SHSAX has a 1.09% expense ratio, which is higher than AHSAX's 1.05% expense ratio.
Dividends
SHSAX vs. AHSAX - Dividend Comparison
SHSAX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 15.34%, while AHSAX has not paid dividends to shareholders.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
AHSAX Alger Health Sciences Fund | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 27.18% | 11.68% | 6.98% | 7.82% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
SHSAX BlackRock Health Sciences Opportunities Portfolio | 15.34% | 10.63% | 9.18% | 3.84% | 7.44% | 9.20% | 4.34% | 3.89% | 8.56% | 3.53% | 2.43% | 12.58% |
Frequently Asked Questions
SHSAX and AHSAX have a correlation of 0.74, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
AHSAX has higher volatility (6.39%) compared to SHSAX (5.25%). In terms of maximum drawdown, SHSAX dropped -35.49% vs AHSAX's -46.23%.
AHSAX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (3.18 vs 1.61), 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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