Data as of Sep 12, 2026. Both funds on the fields they both publish, from the same sources.
IBB vs XLC: how they differ
IBB and XLC hold 0% of their weight in the same names, and IBB returned more over the year.
iShares Biotechnology ETF and State Street(R) Communication Services Select Sector SPDR(R) ETF.
What they hold in common
By the books each fund has filed, IBB and XLC hold 0% of their money in the same securities at the same weight.
| Only in IBB | Only in XLC |
|---|---|
| Vertex Pharmaceuticals, Inc. 8.09% | Meta Platforms Inc 19.93% |
| Amgen, Inc. 7.84% | Alphabet Inc 13.10% |
| Gilead Sciences, Inc. 6.85% | Alphabet Inc 10.44% |
| Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. 4.91% | Take-Two Interactive Software Inc 5.26% |
| Argenx SE 3.76% | Netflix Inc 4.84% |
| Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc. 3.12% | Comcast Corp 4.71% |
| Natera, Inc. 2.89% | Warner Bros Discovery Inc 4.67% |
| Revolution Medicines, Inc. 2.78% | Electronic Arts Inc 4.64% |
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 | XLC State Street(R) Communication Services Select Sector SPDR(R) ETF | |
|---|---|---|
| Where it sits | Core index fund | Core index fund |
| Issuer | iShares | State Street |
| What it is | Biotechnology | Communication services |
| Total return, 1 year | +41.5% | −2.0% |
| S&P 500 over the same days | +17.5% | +17.5% |
| Gap to the S&P 500 | +24.0 pts | −19.5 pts |
| Expense ratio | 0.44% | 0.08% |
| Already in the S&P 500 | 35.6% | 100.0% |
| Holdings | 248 | 23 |
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.
XLC in plain words
XLC is an index equity fund tracking the Communication services. Over the year to Sep 11, 2026 it returned −2.0% with distributions reinvested, against +17.5% for the S&P 500 and +23.0% for the Nasdaq-100. The prospectus expense ratio is 0.08% a year. By its holdings filed for Jun 30, 2026, 100% of the fund by weight is stocks the S&P 500 also holds, across 23 positions, with the top ten at 76.2%. It sat 5.7% below its high of Jan 30, 2026 on Sep 11, 2026.
Questions people ask
- Which returned more over the last year, IBB or XLC?
- In the year to Sep 12, 2026, with distributions reinvested, IBB returned +41.5% and XLC returned −2.0%, so IBB returned more. One year is one year; the longer windows are in the table.
- Which is cheaper, IBB or XLC?
- IBB charges 0.44% a year and XLC charges 0.08%, so XLC is cheaper. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.
- How much do IBB and XLC overlap with the S&P 500?
- By their latest filed holdings, 36% of IBB and 100% of XLC 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 XLC, data as of Sep 12, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/any/IBB-XLC Free to use with attribution; the underlying files are at Open data.
A comparison is not a recommendation. Standards and sources