XPH vs. ALC
XPH (SPDR S&P Pharmaceuticals ETF) is Health & Biotech Equities fund tracking the S&P Pharmaceuticals Select Industry Index, while ALC (Alcon Inc.) is a stock. Over the past 5 years, XPH returned 6.98%/yr vs -0.20%/yr for ALC. At a 0.47 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.
Performance
XPH vs. ALC - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, XPH achieves a 22.45% return, which is significantly higher than ALC's -13.01% return.
XPH
- 1D
- -2.30%
- 1M
- 13.67%
- 6M
- 23.00%
- YTD
- 22.45%
- 1Y
- 63.68%
- 3Y*
- 20.03%
- 5Y*
- 6.98%
- 10Y*
- 5.48%
ALC
- 1D
- 1.00%
- 1M
- 1.44%
- 6M
- -14.45%
- YTD
- -13.01%
- 1Y
- -21.63%
- 3Y*
- -6.14%
- 5Y*
- -0.20%
- 10Y*
- —
XPH vs. ALC - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
XPH SPDR S&P Pharmaceuticals ETF | 22.45% | 31.60% | 4.94% | 2.97% | -9.83% | -10.54% | 14.68% | 8.67% |
ALC Alcon Inc. | -13.01% | -6.50% | 9.02% | 14.32% | -21.09% | 32.23% | 16.63% | -2.38% |
Correlation
The correlation between XPH and ALC is 0.42, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.42 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.45 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.49 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Apr 9, 2019 | 0.47 |
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Return for Risk
XPH vs. ALC — Risk / Return Rank
XPH
ALC
XPH vs. ALC - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for SPDR S&P Pharmaceuticals ETF (XPH) and Alcon Inc. (ALC). 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.
| XPH | ALC | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +3.57 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +4.65 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.44 | 0.88 | +0.57 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 5.19 | -0.71 | +5.90 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 18.62 | -1.29 | +19.91 |
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Drawdowns
XPH vs. ALC - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum XPH drawdown since its inception was -48.03%, which is greater than ALC's maximum drawdown of -37.33%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for XPH and ALC.
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Drawdown Indicators
| XPH | ALC | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -48.03% | -37.33% | -10.70% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -11.97% | -32.01% | +20.04% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -23.57% | -37.33% | +13.76% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -31.63% | -37.33% | +5.70% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -35.97% | — | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -2.30% | -31.48% | +29.18% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -17.17% | -11.97% | -5.20% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 3.33% | 17.63% | -14.30% |
Volatility
XPH vs. ALC - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for SPDR S&P Pharmaceuticals ETF (XPH) is 6.53%, while Alcon Inc. (ALC) has a volatility of 7.61%. This indicates that XPH experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than ALC based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| XPH | ALC | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 6.53% | 7.61% | -1.08% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 17.21% | 21.72% | -4.51% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 22.34% | 29.04% | -6.70% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 21.07% | 27.16% | -6.09% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 22.09% | 27.87% | -5.78% |
Dividends
XPH vs. ALC - Dividend Comparison
XPH's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.49%, less than ALC's 1.19% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ALC Alcon Inc. | 1.19% | 0.84% | 0.31% | 0.30% | 0.30% | 0.13% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
XPH SPDR S&P Pharmaceuticals ETF | 0.49% | 0.83% | 1.58% | 1.28% | 1.64% | 0.95% | 0.47% | 0.64% | 0.65% | 0.67% | 0.63% | 7.15% |
Frequently Asked Questions
XPH and ALC have a correlation of 0.42, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
ALC has higher volatility (7.61%) compared to XPH (6.53%). In terms of maximum drawdown, XPH dropped -48.03% vs ALC's -37.33%.
XPH currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.78 vs -0.79), 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.
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