Data as of Sep 12, 2026. Both funds on the fields they both publish, from the same sources.
IBB vs VGK: how they differ
IBB and VGK hold 0% of their weight in the same names, and IBB returned more over the year.
iShares Biotechnology ETF and Vanguard European Stock Index Fund.
What they hold in common
By the books each fund has filed, IBB and VGK hold 0% of their money in the same securities at the same weight.
| Only in IBB | Only in VGK |
|---|---|
| Vertex Pharmaceuticals, Inc. 8.09% | ASML Holding NV 3.63% |
| Amgen, Inc. 7.84% | HSBC Holdings PLC 2.05% |
| Gilead Sciences, Inc. 6.85% | AstraZeneca PLC 1.84% |
| Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. 4.91% | Novartis AG 1.84% |
| Argenx SE 3.76% | Nestle SA 1.69% |
| Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc. 3.12% | Siemens AG 1.41% |
| Natera, Inc. 2.89% | Banco Santander SA 1.16% |
| Revolution Medicines, Inc. 2.78% | Allianz SE 1.13% |
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 Apr 30, 2026 and Jun 30, 2026.
| IBB iShares Biotechnology ETF | VGK Vanguard European Stock Index Fund | |
|---|---|---|
| Where it sits | Core index fund | Core index fund |
| Issuer | iShares | Vanguard |
| What it is | Biotechnology | European Stock |
| Total return, 1 year | +41.5% | +16.5% |
| S&P 500 over the same days | +17.5% | +17.5% |
| Gap to the S&P 500 | +24.0 pts | −1.0 pts |
| Expense ratio | 0.44% | 0.06% |
| Already in the S&P 500 | 35.6% | 0.0% |
| Holdings | 248 | 1228 |
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.
VGK in plain words
VGK is an index equity fund tracking the European Stock. Over the year to Sep 11, 2026 it returned +16.5% with distributions reinvested, against +17.5% for the S&P 500 and +23.0% for the Nasdaq-100. The prospectus expense ratio is 0.06% a year. By its holdings filed for Apr 30, 2026, 0% of the fund by weight is stocks the S&P 500 also holds, across 1228 positions, with the top ten at 18.1%. It sat 3.4% below its high of Aug 25, 2026 on Sep 11, 2026.
Questions people ask
- Which returned more over the last year, IBB or VGK?
- In the year to Sep 12, 2026, with distributions reinvested, IBB returned +41.5% and VGK returned +16.5%, so IBB returned more. One year is one year; the longer windows are in the table.
- Which is cheaper, IBB or VGK?
- IBB charges 0.44% a year and VGK charges 0.06%, so VGK is cheaper. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.
- How much do IBB and VGK overlap with the S&P 500?
- By their latest filed holdings, 36% of IBB and 0% of VGK by weight is stocks the S&P 500 already holds. Between the two funds, 0% of their books are the same securities at the same weight.
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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 VGK, data as of Sep 12, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/any/IBB-VGK Free to use with attribution; the underlying files are at Open data.
A comparison is not a recommendation. Standards and sources