XBI vs. VHT
Compare and contrast key facts about SPDR S&P Biotech ETF (XBI) and Vanguard Health Care ETF (VHT).
XBI and VHT are both exchange-traded funds (ETFs), meaning they are traded on stock exchanges and can be bought and sold throughout the day. 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. VHT is a passively managed fund by Vanguard that tracks the performance of the MSCI US Investable Market Health Care 25/50 Index. It was launched on Jan 26, 2004. Both XBI and VHT are passive ETFs, meaning that they are not actively managed but aim to replicate the performance of the underlying index as closely as possible.
Performance
XBI vs. VHT - Performance Comparison
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XBI vs. VHT - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
XBI SPDR S&P Biotech ETF | 4.76% | 35.89% | 1.01% | 7.60% | -25.87% | -20.45% | 48.33% | 32.56% | -15.28% | 43.77% |
VHT Vanguard Health Care ETF | -5.04% | 15.46% | 2.66% | 2.52% | -5.60% | 20.57% | 18.29% | 21.87% | 5.58% | 23.26% |
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, XBI achieves a 4.76% return, which is significantly higher than VHT's -5.04% return. Both investments have delivered pretty close results over the past 10 years, with XBI having a 9.32% annualized return and VHT not far ahead at 9.72%.
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%
VHT
- 1D
- 2.24%
- 1M
- -7.50%
- YTD
- -5.04%
- 6M
- 5.91%
- 1Y
- 4.70%
- 3Y*
- 6.16%
- 5Y*
- 5.09%
- 10Y*
- 9.72%
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XBI vs. VHT - Expense Ratio Comparison
XBI has a 0.35% expense ratio, which is higher than VHT's 0.10% expense ratio.
Return for Risk
XBI vs. VHT — Risk / Return Rank
XBI
VHT
XBI vs. VHT - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for SPDR S&P Biotech ETF (XBI) and Vanguard Health Care ETF (VHT). 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.
| XBI | VHT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | 2.02 | 0.27 | +1.75 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | 2.70 | 0.49 | +2.21 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.34 | 1.06 | +0.28 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 3.72 | 0.51 | +3.21 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 13.98 | 1.09 | +12.88 |
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month. | |||
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Sharpe Ratios by Period
| XBI | VHT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 2.02 | 0.27 | +1.75 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | -0.04 | 0.34 | -0.38 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.29 | 0.58 | -0.28 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.36 | 0.56 | -0.20 |
Correlation
The correlation between XBI and VHT is 0.73, which is considered to be high. That indicates a strong positive relationship between their price movements. Having highly-correlated positions in a portfolio may signal a lack of diversification, potentially leading to increased risk during market downturns.
Dividends
XBI vs. VHT - Dividend Comparison
XBI's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.34%, less than VHT's 1.73% yield.
| TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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% |
VHT Vanguard Health Care ETF | 1.73% | 1.61% | 1.53% | 1.36% | 1.33% | 1.14% | 1.21% | 1.89% | 1.38% | 1.31% | 1.45% | 1.22% |
Drawdowns
XBI vs. VHT - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum XBI drawdown since its inception was -63.89%, which is greater than VHT's maximum drawdown of -39.12%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for XBI and VHT.
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Drawdown Indicators
| XBI | VHT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -63.89% | -39.12% | -24.77% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -13.39% | -10.40% | -2.99% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -55.04% | -17.71% | -37.33% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -63.89% | -28.85% | -35.04% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -26.17% | -8.05% | -18.12% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -20.91% | -5.98% | -14.93% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 3.71% | 4.96% | -1.25% |
Volatility
XBI vs. VHT - Volatility Comparison
SPDR S&P Biotech ETF (XBI) has a higher volatility of 11.60% compared to Vanguard Health Care ETF (VHT) at 5.10%. This indicates that XBI's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than VHT based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| XBI | VHT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 11.60% | 5.10% | +6.50% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 19.25% | 10.28% | +8.97% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 29.24% | 17.61% | +11.63% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 32.23% | 14.85% | +17.38% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 32.15% | 16.94% | +15.21% |