WHCS.AS vs. XUSE.AS

Last updated Jun 5, 2026

WHCS.AS (iShares MSCI World Health Care Sector UCITS ETF USD Inc) and XUSE.AS (iShares MSCI World ex-USA UCITS ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - WHCS.AS is a Health & Biotech Equities fund tracking the MSCI World/Health Care NR USD, while XUSE.AS is a Global Equities fund tracking the MSCI World ex USA Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past year, WHCS.AS returned 9.26% vs 22.53% for XUSE.AS. A 0.53 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined. WHCS.AS charges 1.00%/yr vs 0.25%/yr for XUSE.AS.

Performance

WHCS.AS vs. XUSE.AS - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in iShares MSCI World Health Care Sector UCITS ETF USD Inc (WHCS.AS) and iShares MSCI World ex-USA UCITS ETF (XUSE.AS). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, WHCS.AS achieves a -3.10% return, which is significantly lower than XUSE.AS's 8.38% return.

WHCS.AS

• 1D: 2.89%
• 1M: 3.09%
• YTD: -3.10%
• 6M: -1.69%
• 1Y: 9.26%
• 3Y*: 3.43%
• 5Y*: 3.72%
• 10Y*: —

XUSE.AS

• 1D: 0.27%
• 1M: 2.67%
• YTD: 8.38%
• 6M: 11.28%
• 1Y: 22.53%
• 3Y*: —
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

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

WHCS.AS vs. XUSE.AS - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025
WHCS.AS iShares MSCI World Health Care Sector UCITS ETF USD Inc	-3.10%	9.15%
XUSE.AS iShares MSCI World ex-USA UCITS ETF	8.38%	25.69%

Correlation

The correlation between WHCS.AS and XUSE.AS is 0.52, which is moderate. They share some common price drivers but move independently often enough to provide real diversification benefit when combined.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.52
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jan 31, 2025	0.53

The correlation between WHCS.AS and XUSE.AS has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.52 to 0.53 - a consistent structural relationship.

Return for Risk

WHCS.AS vs. XUSE.AS — Risk / Return Rank

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

WHCS.AS

WHCS.AS Risk / Return Rank: 20
WHCS.AS Sharpe Ratio Rank: 20
WHCS.AS Sortino Ratio Rank: 21
WHCS.AS Omega Ratio Rank: 19
WHCS.AS Calmar Ratio Rank: 20
WHCS.AS Martin Ratio Rank: 19

XUSE.AS

XUSE.AS Risk / Return Rank: 45
XUSE.AS Sharpe Ratio Rank: 44
XUSE.AS Sortino Ratio Rank: 47
XUSE.AS Omega Ratio Rank: 45
XUSE.AS Calmar Ratio Rank: 43
XUSE.AS Martin Ratio Rank: 47

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.

WHCS.AS vs. XUSE.AS - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares MSCI World Health Care Sector UCITS ETF USD Inc (WHCS.AS) and iShares MSCI World ex-USA UCITS ETF (XUSE.AS). 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.

	WHCS.AS	XUSE.AS	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	0.63	1.52	-0.89
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	1.05	2.30	-1.25
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.12	1.28	-0.16
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	0.86	2.11	-1.25
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	2.06	7.72	-5.66
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

WHCS.AS vs. XUSE.AS - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current WHCS.AS Sharpe Ratio is 0.63, which is lower than the XUSE.AS Sharpe Ratio of 1.52. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of WHCS.AS and XUSE.AS, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	WHCS.AS	XUSE.AS	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.63	1.52	-0.89
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.25	—	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.47	1.56	-1.10

Drawdowns

WHCS.AS vs. XUSE.AS - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum WHCS.AS drawdown since its inception was -26.37%, which is greater than XUSE.AS's maximum drawdown of -12.97%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for WHCS.AS and XUSE.AS.

Drawdown Indicators

	WHCS.AS	XUSE.AS	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-26.37%	-12.97%	-13.40%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-10.59%	-10.54%	-0.05%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-19.71%	—	—
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-19.71%	—	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-5.71%	-1.23%	-4.48%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-5.57%	-1.72%	-3.85%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	4.47%	2.90%	+1.57%

Volatility

WHCS.AS vs. XUSE.AS - Volatility Comparison

iShares MSCI World Health Care Sector UCITS ETF USD Inc (WHCS.AS) has a higher volatility of 4.88% compared to iShares MSCI World ex-USA UCITS ETF (XUSE.AS) at 4.32%. This indicates that WHCS.AS's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than XUSE.AS based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	WHCS.AS	XUSE.AS	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	4.88%	4.32%	+0.56%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	10.53%	12.35%	-1.82%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	14.50%	14.62%	-0.12%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	14.44%	16.45%	-2.01%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	16.38%	16.45%	-0.07%

WHCS.AS vs. XUSE.AS - Expense Ratio Comparison

WHCS.AS has a 1.00% expense ratio, which is higher than XUSE.AS's 0.25% expense ratio.

Dividends

WHCS.AS vs. XUSE.AS - Dividend Comparison

WHCS.AS's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.08%, while XUSE.AS has not paid dividends to shareholders.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019
WHCS.AS iShares MSCI World Health Care Sector UCITS ETF USD Inc	1.08%	1.05%	1.04%	1.15%	1.08%	1.08%	1.20%	0.10%
XUSE.AS iShares MSCI World ex-USA UCITS ETF	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both WHCS.AS and XUSE.AS in my portfolio?

WHCS.AS and XUSE.AS have a correlation of 0.52, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which ETF is better, WHCS.AS or XUSE.AS?

On fees, XUSE.AS is cheaper at 0.25% per year. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF is cheaper, WHCS.AS or XUSE.AS?

XUSE.AS is cheaper with a 0.25% expense ratio, compared with 1.00% for WHCS.AS.

What is the main difference between WHCS.AS and XUSE.AS?

WHCS.AS is categorized as Health & Biotech Equities, while XUSE.AS is Global Equities. WHCS.AS tracks MSCI World/Health Care NR USD, while XUSE.AS tracks MSCI World ex USA Index. Their fees differ too: 1.00% for WHCS.AS and 0.25% for XUSE.AS.