WHEA.L vs. BIOT.L

Last updated Jul 18, 2026

WHEA.L (State Street SPDR MSCI World Health Care UCITS ETF USD (Acc)) and BIOT.L (L&G Pharma Breakthrough UCITS ETF - USD Accumulating ETF) are both Health & Biotech Equities funds - WHEA.L tracks the MSCI World Health Care 35/20 Capped Index while BIOT.L tracks the Solactive Pharma Breakthrough Value Index Net Total Return. Both are passively managed. Over the past 5 years, WHEA.L returned 4.75%/yr vs 2.89%/yr for BIOT.L. A 0.68 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined. WHEA.L charges 0.30%/yr vs 0.49%/yr for BIOT.L.

Performance

WHEA.L vs. BIOT.L - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in State Street SPDR MSCI World Health Care UCITS ETF USD (Acc) (WHEA.L) and L&G Pharma Breakthrough UCITS ETF - USD Accumulating ETF (BIOT.L). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, WHEA.L achieves a 3.00% return, which is significantly lower than BIOT.L's 8.59% return.

WHEA.L

• 1D: 0.50%
• 1M: 5.67%
• 6M: 1.81%
• YTD: 3.00%
• 1Y: 19.31%
• 3Y*: 7.18%
• 5Y*: 4.75%
• 10Y*: 8.36%

BIOT.L

• 1D: 0.07%
• 1M: 6.33%
• 6M: 9.47%
• YTD: 8.59%
• 1Y: 32.65%
• 3Y*: 10.27%
• 5Y*: 2.89%
• 10Y*: —

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

WHEA.L vs. BIOT.L - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018
WHEA.L State Street SPDR MSCI World Health Care UCITS ETF USD (Acc)	3.00%	15.24%	1.05%	3.54%	-5.55%	20.41%	12.93%	23.18%	-2.23%
BIOT.L L&G Pharma Breakthrough UCITS ETF - USD Accumulating ETF	8.59%	36.47%	-5.31%	-9.28%	-8.41%	-3.60%	28.29%	13.02%	-8.12%

Correlation

The correlation between WHEA.L and BIOT.L is 0.63, 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	0.63
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.60
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.66
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jan 18, 2018	0.68

The correlation between WHEA.L and BIOT.L has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.60 to 0.68 - a consistent structural relationship.

Return for Risk

WHEA.L vs. BIOT.L — Risk / Return Rank

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

WHEA.L

WHEA.L Risk / Return Rank: 47
WHEA.L Sharpe Ratio Rank: 48
WHEA.L Sortino Ratio Rank: 53
WHEA.L Omega Ratio Rank: 46
WHEA.L Calmar Ratio Rank: 47
WHEA.L Martin Ratio Rank: 38

BIOT.L

BIOT.L Risk / Return Rank: 69
BIOT.L Sharpe Ratio Rank: 66
BIOT.L Sortino Ratio Rank: 67
BIOT.L Omega Ratio Rank: 58
BIOT.L Calmar Ratio Rank: 84
BIOT.L Martin Ratio Rank: 72

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.

WHEA.L vs. BIOT.L - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for State Street SPDR MSCI World Health Care UCITS ETF USD (Acc) (WHEA.L) and L&G Pharma Breakthrough UCITS ETF - USD Accumulating ETF (BIOT.L). 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.

	WHEA.L	BIOT.L	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	1.27	1.61	-0.34
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	2.00	2.32	-0.32
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.23	1.27	-0.04
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	1.86	3.40	-1.54
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	4.51	9.73	-5.22

WHEA.L vs. BIOT.L - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current WHEA.L Sharpe Ratio is 1.27, which is comparable to the BIOT.L Sharpe Ratio of 1.61. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of WHEA.L and BIOT.L, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Drawdowns

WHEA.L vs. BIOT.L - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum WHEA.L drawdown since its inception was -26.20%, smaller than the maximum BIOT.L drawdown of -34.44%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for WHEA.L and BIOT.L.

Drawdown Indicators

	WHEA.L	BIOT.L	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-26.20%	-34.44%	+8.24%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-10.35%	-9.55%	-0.80%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-19.16%	-19.91%	+0.75%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-19.16%	-33.80%	+14.64%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-26.20%	—	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-1.77%	-5.43%	+3.66%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-4.76%	-13.31%	+8.55%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	4.27%	3.35%	+0.92%

Volatility

WHEA.L vs. BIOT.L - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for State Street SPDR MSCI World Health Care UCITS ETF USD (Acc) (WHEA.L) is 5.38%, while L&G Pharma Breakthrough UCITS ETF - USD Accumulating ETF (BIOT.L) has a volatility of 5.96%. This indicates that WHEA.L experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than BIOT.L based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	WHEA.L	BIOT.L	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	5.38%	5.96%	-0.58%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	11.61%	15.54%	-3.93%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	15.17%	20.19%	-5.02%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	14.28%	18.62%	-4.34%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	14.74%	19.50%	-4.76%

WHEA.L vs. BIOT.L - Expense Ratio Comparison

WHEA.L has a 0.30% expense ratio, which is lower than BIOT.L's 0.49% expense ratio.

Dividends

WHEA.L vs. BIOT.L - Dividend Comparison

Neither WHEA.L nor BIOT.L has paid dividends to shareholders.

Tickers have no history of dividend payments

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both WHEA.L and BIOT.L in my portfolio?

WHEA.L and BIOT.L have a correlation of 0.63, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which ETF is better, WHEA.L or BIOT.L?

On fees, WHEA.L is cheaper at 0.30% per year. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF is cheaper, WHEA.L or BIOT.L?

WHEA.L is cheaper with a 0.30% expense ratio, compared with 0.49% for BIOT.L.

What is the main difference between WHEA.L and BIOT.L?

WHEA.L tracks MSCI World Health Care 35/20 Capped Index, while BIOT.L tracks Solactive Pharma Breakthrough Value Index Net Total Return. They also come from different issuers: State Street and L&G. Their fees differ too: 0.30% for WHEA.L and 0.49% for BIOT.L.