Data as of Sep 12, 2026. Both funds on the fields they both publish, from the same sources.
IBB vs VBR: how they differ
IBB and VBR hold 2% of their weight in the same names, and IBB returned more over the year.
iShares Biotechnology ETF and Vanguard Small-Cap Value Index Fund.
What they hold in common
By the books each fund has filed, IBB and VBR hold 2% of their money in the same securities at the same weight.
| Holding | IBB | VBR |
|---|---|---|
| Moderna, Inc. | 1.99% | 0.54% |
| Illumina, Inc. | 2.07% | 0.27% |
| United Therapeutics Corp. | 1.74% | 0.25% |
| Charles River Laboratories International | 0.84% | 0.23% |
| Praxis Precision Medicines, Inc. | 0.68% | 0.20% |
| Nuvalent, Inc. | 0.50% | 0.15% |
| Bruker Corp. | 0.52% | 0.14% |
| Cogent Biosciences, Inc. | 0.45% | 0.14% |
| Apogee Therapeutics, Inc. | 0.59% | 0.08% |
| Spyre Therapeutics, Inc. | 0.54% | 0.07% |
| CG oncology, Inc. | 0.32% | 0.06% |
| Summit Therapeutics, Inc. | 0.15% | 0.04% |
| Only in IBB | Only in VBR |
|---|---|
| Vertex Pharmaceuticals, Inc. 8.09% | Jabil Inc 0.87% |
| Amgen, Inc. 7.84% | NRG Energy Inc 0.66% |
| Gilead Sciences, Inc. 6.85% | Tapestry Inc 0.64% |
| Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. 4.91% | Atmos Energy Corp 0.62% |
| Argenx SE 3.76% | Williams-Sonoma Inc 0.59% |
| Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc. 3.12% | Smurfit Westrock PLC 0.52% |
| Natera, Inc. 2.89% | F5 Inc 0.50% |
| Revolution Medicines, Inc. 2.78% | US Foods Holding Corp 0.48% |
Weight overlap is an ETFIQ calculation: for every security both funds hold, the smaller of the two weights, summed. Above 50%, holding both is close to holding one of them twice. Holdings dated Jun 30, 2026.
| IBB iShares Biotechnology ETF | VBR Vanguard Small-Cap Value Index Fund | |
|---|---|---|
| Where it sits | Core index fund | Core index fund |
| Issuer | iShares | Vanguard |
| What it is | Biotechnology | Small-Cap Value |
| Total return, 1 year | +41.5% | +16.3% |
| S&P 500 over the same days | +17.5% | +17.5% |
| Gap to the S&P 500 | +24.0 pts | −1.2 pts |
| Expense ratio | 0.44% | 0.05% |
| Already in the S&P 500 | 35.6% | 30.5% |
| Holdings | 248 | 840 |
IBB in plain words
IBB is an index equity fund tracking the Biotechnology. Over the year to Sep 11, 2026 it returned +41.5% with distributions reinvested, against +17.5% for the S&P 500 and +23.0% for the Nasdaq-100. The prospectus expense ratio is 0.44% a year. By its holdings filed for Jun 30, 2026, 36% of the fund by weight is stocks the S&P 500 also holds, across 248 positions, with the top ten at 44.8%. It sat 6.5% below its high of Aug 19, 2026 on Sep 11, 2026.
VBR in plain words
VBR is an index equity fund tracking the Small-Cap Value. Over the year to Sep 11, 2026 it returned +16.3% with distributions reinvested, against +17.5% for the S&P 500 and +23.0% for the Nasdaq-100. The prospectus expense ratio is 0.05% a year. By its holdings filed for Jun 30, 2026, 30% of the fund by weight is stocks the S&P 500 also holds, across 840 positions, with the top ten at 5.9%. It sat 3.8% below its high of Aug 14, 2026 on Sep 11, 2026.
Questions people ask
- Which returned more over the last year, IBB or VBR?
- In the year to Sep 12, 2026, with distributions reinvested, IBB returned +41.5% and VBR returned +16.3%, so IBB returned more. One year is one year; the longer windows are in the table.
- Which is cheaper, IBB or VBR?
- IBB charges 0.44% a year and VBR charges 0.05%, so VBR is cheaper. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.
- How much do IBB and VBR overlap with the S&P 500?
- By their latest filed holdings, 36% of IBB and 30% of VBR by weight is stocks the S&P 500 already holds. Between the two funds, 2% of their books are the same securities at the same weight.
Other comparisons
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Where these figures came from
ETFIQ links to the documents behind every figure. It is not affiliated with any issuer, and a link is not an endorsement.
Cite this page. ETFIQ, IBB against VBR, data as of Sep 12, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/any/IBB-VBR Free to use with attribution; the underlying files are at Open data.
A comparison is not a recommendation. Standards and sources