XBIT vs. IBB

Last updated Apr 1, 2026

Compare and contrast key facts about XBiotech Inc. (XBIT) and iShares Nasdaq Biotechnology ETF (IBB).

IBB is a passively managed fund by iShares that tracks the performance of the NASDAQ Biotechnology Index. It was launched on Feb 5, 2001.

Performance

XBIT vs. IBB - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in XBiotech Inc. (XBIT) and iShares Nasdaq Biotechnology ETF (IBB). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

XBIT vs. IBB - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
XBIT XBiotech Inc.	-1.67%	-39.49%	-1.25%	13.96%	-68.46%	-17.46%	-16.15%	267.42%	28.93%	-61.07%
IBB iShares Nasdaq Biotechnology ETF	0.12%	27.98%	-2.41%	3.76%	-13.69%	0.95%	26.01%	25.42%	-9.53%	21.08%

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, XBIT achieves a -1.67% return, which is significantly lower than IBB's 0.12% return. Over the past 10 years, XBIT has underperformed IBB with an annualized return of -11.70%, while IBB has yielded a comparatively higher 6.84% annualized return.

XBIT

• 1D: 3.52%
• 1M: 3.98%
• YTD: -1.67%
• 6M: -11.65%
• 1Y: -27.47%
• 3Y*: -12.01%
• 5Y*: -30.75%
• 10Y*: -11.70%

IBB

• 1D: 4.32%
• 1M: -3.65%
• YTD: 0.12%
• 6M: 17.17%
• 1Y: 32.33%
• 3Y*: 9.65%
• 5Y*: 2.46%
• 10Y*: 6.84%

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

Return for Risk

XBIT vs. IBB — Risk / Return Rank

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

XBIT

XBIT Risk / Return Rank: 22
XBIT Sharpe Ratio Rank: 21
XBIT Sortino Ratio Rank: 22
XBIT Omega Ratio Rank: 23
XBIT Calmar Ratio Rank: 21
XBIT Martin Ratio Rank: 24

IBB

IBB Risk / Return Rank: 78
IBB Sharpe Ratio Rank: 77
IBB Sortino Ratio Rank: 78
IBB Omega Ratio Rank: 70
IBB Calmar Ratio Rank: 85
IBB Martin Ratio Rank: 82

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.

XBIT vs. IBB - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for XBiotech Inc. (XBIT) and iShares Nasdaq Biotechnology ETF (IBB). 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.

	XBIT	IBB	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	-0.46	1.35	-1.81
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	-0.38	1.91	-2.29
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	0.96	1.25	-0.29
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	-0.61	2.41	-3.02
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	-1.02	8.61	-9.63
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

XBIT vs. IBB - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current XBIT Sharpe Ratio is -0.46, which is lower than the IBB Sharpe Ratio of 1.35. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of XBIT and IBB, 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

	XBIT	IBB	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	-0.46	1.35	-1.81
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	-0.48	0.11	-0.59
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	-0.15	0.29	-0.45
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	-0.23	0.26	-0.49

Correlation

The correlation between XBIT and IBB is 0.30, 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

XBIT vs. IBB - Dividend Comparison

XBIT has not paid dividends to shareholders, while IBB's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.23%.

	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
XBIT XBiotech Inc.	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	22.46%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
IBB iShares Nasdaq Biotechnology ETF	0.23%	0.23%	0.29%	0.26%	0.31%	0.21%	0.21%	0.33%	0.20%	0.30%	0.19%	0.03%

Drawdowns

XBIT vs. IBB - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum XBIT drawdown since its inception was -92.67%, which is greater than IBB's maximum drawdown of -62.85%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for XBIT and IBB.

Drawdown Indicators

	XBIT	IBB	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-92.67%	-62.85%	-29.82%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-39.43%	-11.65%	-27.78%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-87.21%	-39.82%	-47.39%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-90.72%	-39.82%	-50.90%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-91.34%	-4.88%	-86.46%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-69.77%	-21.30%	-48.47%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	23.77%	3.47%	+20.30%

Volatility

XBIT vs. IBB - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for XBiotech Inc. (XBIT) is 7.80%, while iShares Nasdaq Biotechnology ETF (IBB) has a volatility of 8.62%. This indicates that XBIT experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than IBB based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	XBIT	IBB	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	7.80%	8.62%	-0.82%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	40.38%	14.53%	+25.85%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	60.04%	24.08%	+35.96%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	64.08%	21.87%	+42.21%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	75.93%	23.37%	+52.56%