Data as of Sep 13, 2026. Both funds on the fields they both publish, from the same sources.
EFA vs IBB: how they differ
EFA and IBB hold 0% of their weight in the same names, and IBB returned more over the year.
iShares MSCI EAFE ETF and iShares Biotechnology ETF.
What they hold in common
By the books each fund has filed, EFA and IBB hold 0% of their money in the same securities at the same weight.
| Holding | EFA | IBB |
|---|---|---|
| ARGENX | 0.28% | 3.78% |
| GENMAB | 0.09% | 1.25% |
| ABIVAX SA | 0.03% | 0.55% |
| BLK CSH FND TREASURY SL AGENCY | 0.03% | 0.12% |
| ERSTE GROUP BANK AG | 0.20% | 0.02% |
| Only in EFA | Only in IBB |
|---|---|
| ASML HOLDING 3.01% | VERTEX PHARMACEUTICALS 7.94% |
| HSBC HOLDINGS PLC 1.61% | AMGEN INC 7.85% |
| ROCHE PS PAR AG 1.36% | GILEAD SCIENCES 7.44% |
| SHELL PLC 1.25% | REGENERON PHARMACEUTICALS 5.92% |
| MITSUBISHI UFJ FINANCIAL GROUP 1.15% | MODERNA 3.67% |
| NOVARTIS AG 1.15% | NATERA 3.30% |
| NESTLE SA 1.12% | REVOLUTION MEDICINES 2.87% |
| ASTRAZENECA PLC 1.09% | ALNYLAM PHARMACEUTICALS 2.44% |
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 Sep 10, 2026.
| EFA iShares MSCI EAFE ETF | IBB iShares Biotechnology ETF | |
|---|---|---|
| Where it sits | Core index fund | Core index fund |
| Issuer | iShares | iShares |
| What it is | Developed markets ex US | Biotechnology |
| Total return, 1 year | +18.2% | +41.5% |
| S&P 500 over the same days | +17.5% | +17.5% |
| Gap to the S&P 500 | +0.7 pts | +24.0 pts |
| Expense ratio | 0.32% | 0.44% |
| Already in the S&P 500 | 0.0% | 35.6% |
| Holdings | 670 | 233 |
EFA in plain words
EFA is an index equity fund tracking the Developed markets ex US. Over the year to Sep 11, 2026 it returned +18.2% with distributions reinvested, against +17.5% for the S&P 500 and +23.0% for the Nasdaq-100. The prospectus expense ratio is 0.32% a year. By its holdings filed for Sep 10, 2026, 0% of the fund by weight is stocks the S&P 500 also holds, across 670 positions, with the top ten at 13.8%.
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 Sep 10, 2026, 36% of the fund by weight is stocks the S&P 500 also holds, across 233 positions, with the top ten at 47.5%. It sat 6.5% below its high of Aug 19, 2026 on Sep 11, 2026.
Questions people ask
- Which returned more over the last year, EFA or IBB?
- In the year to Sep 13, 2026, with distributions reinvested, EFA returned +18.2% and IBB returned +41.5%, so IBB returned more. One year is one year; the longer windows are in the table.
- Which is cheaper, EFA or IBB?
- EFA charges 0.32% a year and IBB charges 0.44%, so EFA is cheaper. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.
- How much do EFA and IBB overlap with the S&P 500?
- By their latest filed holdings, 0% of EFA and 36% of IBB 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
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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, EFA against IBB, data as of Sep 13, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/any/efa-vs-ibb Free to use with attribution; the underlying files are at Open data.
A comparison is not a recommendation. Standards and sources