XGES.L vs. HEAW.L

Last updated Jun 5, 2026

XGES.L (Xtrackers MSCI Genomic Healthcare Innovation UCITS ETF 1C) and HEAW.L (SPDR MSCI World Health Care UCITS ETF) are both Health & Biotech Equities funds tracking the MSCI World/Health Care NR USD, from DWS and State Street respectively. Both are passively managed. Over the past 3 years, XGES.L returned 1.51%/yr vs 2.71%/yr for HEAW.L. A 0.66 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined. XGES.L charges 0.35%/yr vs 0.30%/yr for HEAW.L.

Performance

XGES.L vs. HEAW.L - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a £10,000 investment in Xtrackers MSCI Genomic Healthcare Innovation UCITS ETF 1C (XGES.L) and SPDR MSCI World Health Care UCITS ETF (HEAW.L). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, XGES.L achieves a -0.81% return, which is significantly higher than HEAW.L's -2.73% return.

XGES.L

• 1D: 4.22%
• 1M: 6.75%
• YTD: -0.81%
• 6M: -4.42%
• 1Y: 26.00%
• 3Y*: 1.51%
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

HEAW.L

• 1D: 3.01%
• 1M: 4.33%
• YTD: -2.73%
• 6M: -2.25%
• 1Y: 12.68%
• 3Y*: 2.71%
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

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

XGES.L vs. HEAW.L - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022
XGES.L Xtrackers MSCI Genomic Healthcare Innovation UCITS ETF 1C	-0.81%	11.22%	-1.38%	-7.92%	-8.46%
HEAW.L SPDR MSCI World Health Care UCITS ETF	-2.73%	7.46%	2.52%	-2.05%	3.73%

Correlation

The correlation between XGES.L and HEAW.L is 0.71, 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	0.71
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.65
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jul 21, 2022	0.66

The correlation between XGES.L and HEAW.L has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.65 to 0.71 - a consistent structural relationship.

Return for Risk

XGES.L vs. HEAW.L — Risk / Return Rank

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

XGES.L

XGES.L Risk / Return Rank: 37
XGES.L Sharpe Ratio Rank: 42
XGES.L Sortino Ratio Rank: 43
XGES.L Omega Ratio Rank: 38
XGES.L Calmar Ratio Rank: 35
XGES.L Martin Ratio Rank: 29

HEAW.L

HEAW.L Risk / Return Rank: 25
HEAW.L Sharpe Ratio Rank: 27
HEAW.L Sortino Ratio Rank: 27
HEAW.L Omega Ratio Rank: 25
HEAW.L Calmar Ratio Rank: 25
HEAW.L Martin Ratio Rank: 24

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.

XGES.L vs. HEAW.L - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Xtrackers MSCI Genomic Healthcare Innovation UCITS ETF 1C (XGES.L) and SPDR MSCI World Health Care UCITS ETF (HEAW.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.

	XGES.L	HEAW.L	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	1.45	0.92	+0.53
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	2.15	1.45	+0.70
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.25	1.17	+0.08
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	1.69	1.18	+0.51
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	4.09	3.10	+0.99
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

XGES.L vs. HEAW.L - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current XGES.L Sharpe Ratio is 1.45, which is higher than the HEAW.L Sharpe Ratio of 0.92. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of XGES.L and HEAW.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.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	XGES.L	HEAW.L	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	1.45	0.92	+0.53
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	-0.12	0.20	-0.32

Drawdowns

XGES.L vs. HEAW.L - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum XGES.L drawdown since its inception was -35.79%, which is greater than HEAW.L's maximum drawdown of -18.85%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for XGES.L and HEAW.L.

Drawdown Indicators

	XGES.L	HEAW.L	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-35.79%	-18.85%	-16.94%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-15.29%	-10.71%	-4.58%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-25.52%	-18.85%	-6.67%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-12.59%	-6.00%	-6.59%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-17.98%	-5.60%	-12.38%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	6.34%	4.08%	+2.26%

Volatility

XGES.L vs. HEAW.L - Volatility Comparison

Xtrackers MSCI Genomic Healthcare Innovation UCITS ETF 1C (XGES.L) has a higher volatility of 6.45% compared to SPDR MSCI World Health Care UCITS ETF (HEAW.L) at 5.19%. This indicates that XGES.L's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than HEAW.L based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	XGES.L	HEAW.L	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	6.45%	5.19%	+1.26%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	13.62%	9.96%	+3.66%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	17.84%	13.70%	+4.14%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	18.27%	13.11%	+5.16%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	18.27%	13.11%	+5.16%

XGES.L vs. HEAW.L - Expense Ratio Comparison

XGES.L has a 0.35% expense ratio, which is higher than HEAW.L's 0.30% expense ratio.

Dividends

XGES.L vs. HEAW.L - Dividend Comparison

Neither XGES.L nor HEAW.L has paid dividends to shareholders.

Tickers have no history of dividend payments

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both XGES.L and HEAW.L in my portfolio?

XGES.L and HEAW.L have a correlation of 0.71, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which ETF is better, XGES.L or HEAW.L?

On fees, HEAW.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, XGES.L or HEAW.L?

HEAW.L is cheaper with a 0.30% expense ratio, compared with 0.35% for XGES.L.

What is the main difference between XGES.L and HEAW.L?

Both ETFs track MSCI World/Health Care NR USD. They also come from different issuers: DWS and State Street. Their fees differ too: 0.35% for XGES.L and 0.30% for HEAW.L.