XHE vs. XBI

Last updated Aug 4, 2026

XHE (SPDR S&P Health Care Equipment ETF) and XBI (SPDR S&P Biotech ETF) are both Health & Biotech Equities funds from State Street - XHE tracks the S&P Health Care Equipment Select Industry Index while XBI tracks the S&P Biotechnology Select Industry Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, XHE returned 6.33%/yr vs 8.82%/yr for XBI. Their 0.65 correlation means they have sometimes moved together and sometimes differently. Both charge a 0.35% expense ratio.

Performance

XHE vs. XBI - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in SPDR S&P Health Care Equipment ETF (XHE) and SPDR S&P Biotech ETF (XBI). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, XHE achieves a 5.60% return, which is significantly lower than XBI's 20.93% return. Over the past 10 years, XHE has underperformed XBI with an annualized return of 6.33%, while XBI has yielded a comparatively higher 8.82% annualized return.

XHE

• 1D: 4.05%
• 1M: 6.04%
• 6M: 7.88%
• YTD: 5.60%
• 1Y: 21.90%
• 3Y*: -0.09%
• 5Y*: -6.21%
• 10Y*: 6.33%
• ALL TIME*: 9.68%

XBI

• 1D: 0.20%
• 1M: -8.20%
• 6M: 15.79%
• YTD: 20.93%
• 1Y: 72.21%
• 3Y*: 22.21%
• 5Y*: 3.50%
• 10Y*: 8.82%
• ALL TIME*: 11.58%

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

Liquidity Comparison

Position	Avg. Volume Value (2W)	Avg. Volume Value (1M)	Avg. Volume Value (3M)
XBI SPDR S&P Biotech ETF	$1.15B	$1.32B	$1.30B
XHE SPDR S&P Health Care Equipment ETF	$2.26M	$2.20M	$2.39M

XHE vs. XBI - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
XHE SPDR S&P Health Care Equipment ETF	5.60%	-0.23%	5.08%	-6.23%	-23.34%	3.04%	32.91%	22.30%	8.90%	30.51%
XBI SPDR S&P Biotech ETF	20.93%	35.89%	1.01%	7.60%	-25.87%	-20.45%	48.33%	32.56%	-15.28%	43.77%

Correlation

The correlation between XHE and XBI is 0.40, which is low. Their historical price movements had little consistent relationship.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Focuses on recent behavior, but can change the most.	0.40
Correlation (3Y) Balances recent behavior with more history.	0.57
Correlation (5Y) Shows whether the relationship held over a longer period.	0.67
Correlation (10Y) Provides a long-term view across more market conditions.	0.67
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jan 27, 2011	0.65

Over the past year, the correlation between XHE and XBI has dropped to 0.40 - well below their long-term average of 0.65, suggesting their price drivers have been diverging.

XHE vs. XBI - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors	XHE	XBI
Healthcare	98.8%	99.5%
Technology	1.7%	-
Industrials	1.7%	-
Communication Services	1.5%	-
Financial Services	1.2%	0.5%
Basic Materials	-	0.2%
Consumer Cyclical	-	-
Consumer Defensive	-	-
Energy	-	-
Real Estate	-	-
Utilities	-	-

Return for Risk

XHE vs. XBI — Risk / Return Rank

Compare historical risk-adjusted metric ranks over the past 12 months.

XHE

XHE Risk / Return Rank: 35
XHE Sharpe Ratio Rank: 38
XHE Sortino Ratio Rank: 40
XHE Omega Ratio Rank: 35
XHE Calmar Ratio Rank: 35
XHE Martin Ratio Rank: 29

XBI

XBI Risk / Return Rank: 93
XBI Sharpe Ratio Rank: 94
XBI Sortino Ratio Rank: 93
XBI Omega Ratio Rank: 90
XBI Calmar Ratio Rank: 97
XBI Martin Ratio Rank: 94

The rank (0–100) uses a weighted average of the Sharpe, Sortino, Omega, Calmar, and Martin percentile ranks for the trailing 12 months. Higher means stronger historical risk-adjusted performance within the peer group.

XHE vs. XBI - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for SPDR S&P Health Care Equipment ETF (XHE) and SPDR S&P Biotech ETF (XBI). 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.

	XHE	XBI	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	0.96	2.69	-1.73
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	1.52	3.49	-1.97
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.17	1.42	-0.25
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	1.20	6.90	-5.70
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	2.55	19.18	-16.62

XHE vs. XBI - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current XHE Sharpe Ratio is 0.96, which is lower than the XBI Sharpe Ratio of 2.69. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of XHE and XBI, 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

XHE vs. XBI - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum XHE drawdown since its inception was -49.92%, smaller than the maximum XBI drawdown of -63.89%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for XHE and XBI.

Drawdown Indicators

	XHE	XBI	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-49.92%	-63.89%	+13.97%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-18.29%	-10.51%	-7.78%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-28.66%	-32.99%	+4.33%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-49.92%	-54.00%	+4.08%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-49.92%	-63.89%	+13.97%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-29.99%	-14.77%	-15.22%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-13.50%	-20.87%	+7.37%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	8.61%	3.78%	+4.83%

Volatility

XHE vs. XBI - Volatility Comparison

SPDR S&P Health Care Equipment ETF (XHE) has a higher volatility of 8.23% compared to SPDR S&P Biotech ETF (XBI) at 7.77%. This indicates that XHE's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than XBI based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	XHE	XBI	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	8.23%	7.77%	+0.46%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	18.07%	21.43%	-3.36%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	23.01%	27.01%	-4.00%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	24.83%	32.33%	-7.50%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	23.14%	31.94%	-8.80%

XHE vs. XBI - Expense Ratio Comparison

Both XHE and XBI have an expense ratio of 0.35%.

Dividends

XHE vs. XBI - Dividend Comparison

XHE's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.06%, less than XBI's 0.39% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
XBI SPDR S&P Biotech ETF	0.39%	0.37%	0.15%	0.02%	0.00%	0.04%	0.20%	0.00%	0.28%	0.24%	0.26%	0.61%
XHE SPDR S&P Health Care Equipment ETF	0.06%	0.08%	0.04%	0.03%	0.04%	0.00%	0.00%	0.05%	0.09%	0.78%	0.17%	7.22%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both XHE and XBI in my portfolio?

XHE and XBI have a correlation of 0.40, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, XHE or XBI?

XHE has higher volatility (8.23%) compared to XBI (7.77%). In terms of maximum drawdown, XHE dropped -49.92% vs XBI's -63.89%.

Which ETF is better, XHE or XBI?

On 10-year performance, XBI leads with 8.82% vs 6.33% for XHE. Both ETFs have the same 0.35% expense ratio. On volatility, XBI has been the lower-risk option at 7.77%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF has performed better, XHE or XBI?

Over the 10-year period, XBI has performed better with a 8.82% return vs 6.33%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.

Which ETF is cheaper, XHE or XBI?

XHE and XBI have the same expense ratio: 0.35% per year.

Which ETF pays a higher dividend yield, XHE or XBI?

XBI has the higher dividend yield at 0.39%, compared with 0.06% for XHE.

What is the main difference between XHE and XBI?

XHE tracks S&P Health Care Equipment Select Industry Index, while XBI tracks S&P Biotechnology Select Industry Index.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

XBI currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.69 vs 0.96), meaning it's delivered slightly more return per unit of risk over the trailing 12 months. However, this ranking shifts over time - use the Risk/Return Score above for a more comprehensive view that combines Sharpe, Sortino, and other measures used by quantitative funds.