Data as of Sep 12, 2026. Both funds on the fields they both publish, from the same sources.
IBB vs XLF: how they differ
IBB and XLF hold 0% of their weight in the same names, and IBB returned more over the year.
iShares Biotechnology ETF and State Street(R) Financial Select Sector SPDR(R) ETF.
What they hold in common
By the books each fund has filed, IBB and XLF hold 0% of their money in the same securities at the same weight.
| Only in IBB | Only in XLF |
|---|---|
| Vertex Pharmaceuticals, Inc. 8.09% | Berkshire Hathaway Inc 12.10% |
| Amgen, Inc. 7.84% | JPMorgan Chase & Co 11.57% |
| Gilead Sciences, Inc. 6.85% | Visa Inc 7.51% |
| Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. 4.91% | Mastercard Inc 5.47% |
| Argenx SE 3.76% | Bank of America Corp 4.91% |
| Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc. 3.12% | Goldman Sachs Group Inc/The 3.94% |
| Natera, Inc. 2.89% | Wells Fargo & Co 3.34% |
| Revolution Medicines, Inc. 2.78% | Morgan Stanley 3.31% |
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 | XLF State Street(R) Financial Select Sector SPDR(R) ETF | |
|---|---|---|
| Where it sits | Core index fund | Core index fund |
| Issuer | iShares | State Street |
| What it is | Biotechnology | Financials |
| Total return, 1 year | +41.5% | +7.6% |
| S&P 500 over the same days | +17.5% | +17.5% |
| Gap to the S&P 500 | +24.0 pts | −9.9 pts |
| Expense ratio | 0.44% | 0.08% |
| Already in the S&P 500 | 35.6% | 100.0% |
| Holdings | 248 | 76 |
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.
XLF in plain words
XLF is an index equity fund tracking the Financials. Over the year to Sep 11, 2026 it returned +7.6% 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 76 positions, with the top ten at 57.7%.
Questions people ask
- Which returned more over the last year, IBB or XLF?
- In the year to Sep 12, 2026, with distributions reinvested, IBB returned +41.5% and XLF returned +7.6%, so IBB returned more. One year is one year; the longer windows are in the table.
- Which is cheaper, IBB or XLF?
- IBB charges 0.44% a year and XLF charges 0.08%, so XLF is cheaper. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.
- How much do IBB and XLF overlap with the S&P 500?
- By their latest filed holdings, 36% of IBB and 100% of XLF 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.
Other comparisons
Where to next
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 XLF, data as of Sep 12, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/any/IBB-XLF Free to use with attribution; the underlying files are at Open data.
A comparison is not a recommendation. Standards and sources