Data as of Sep 12, 2026. Both funds on the fields they both publish, from the same sources.
IBB vs XLU: how they differ
IBB and XLU hold 0% of their weight in the same names, and IBB returned more over the year.
iShares Biotechnology ETF and State Street(R) Utilities Select Sector SPDR(R) ETF.
What they hold in common
By the books each fund has filed, IBB and XLU hold 0% of their money in the same securities at the same weight.
| Only in IBB | Only in XLU |
|---|---|
| Vertex Pharmaceuticals, Inc. 8.09% | NextEra Energy Inc 12.93% |
| Amgen, Inc. 7.84% | Southern Co/The 7.62% |
| Gilead Sciences, Inc. 6.85% | Duke Energy Corp 6.97% |
| Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. 4.91% | Constellation Energy Corp 5.61% |
| Argenx SE 3.76% | American Electric Power Co Inc 5.26% |
| Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc. 3.12% | Sempra 4.28% |
| Natera, Inc. 2.89% | Dominion Energy Inc 4.24% |
| Revolution Medicines, Inc. 2.78% | Entergy Corp 3.71% |
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 | XLU State Street(R) Utilities Select Sector SPDR(R) ETF | |
|---|---|---|
| Where it sits | Core index fund | Core index fund |
| Issuer | iShares | State Street |
| What it is | Biotechnology | Utilities |
| Total return, 1 year | +41.5% | +2.4% |
| S&P 500 over the same days | +17.5% | +17.5% |
| Gap to the S&P 500 | +24.0 pts | −15.1 pts |
| Expense ratio | 0.44% | 0.08% |
| Already in the S&P 500 | 35.6% | 100.0% |
| Holdings | 248 | 31 |
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.
XLU in plain words
XLU is an index equity fund tracking the Utilities. Over the year to Sep 11, 2026 it returned +2.4% 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 31 positions, with the top ten at 57.7%. It sat 10.0% below its high of Feb 27, 2026 on Sep 11, 2026.
Questions people ask
- Which returned more over the last year, IBB or XLU?
- In the year to Sep 12, 2026, with distributions reinvested, IBB returned +41.5% and XLU returned +2.4%, so IBB returned more. One year is one year; the longer windows are in the table.
- Which is cheaper, IBB or XLU?
- IBB charges 0.44% a year and XLU charges 0.08%, so XLU is cheaper. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.
- How much do IBB and XLU overlap with the S&P 500?
- By their latest filed holdings, 36% of IBB and 100% of XLU 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 XLU, data as of Sep 12, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/any/IBB-XLU Free to use with attribution; the underlying files are at Open data.
A comparison is not a recommendation. Standards and sources