Data as of Sep 13, 2026. Both funds on the fields they both publish, from the same sources.
IBB vs URTH: how they differ
IBB and URTH hold 1% of their weight in the same names, and IBB returned more over the year.
iShares Biotechnology ETF and iShares MSCI World ETF.
What they hold in common
By the books each fund has filed, IBB and URTH hold 1% of their money in the same securities at the same weight.
| Holding | IBB | URTH |
|---|---|---|
| AMGEN INC | 7.85% | 0.23% |
| GILEAD SCIENCES | 7.44% | 0.20% |
| VERTEX PHARMACEUTICALS | 7.94% | 0.14% |
| BLK CSH FND TREASURY SL AGENCY | 0.12% | 0.09% |
| REGENERON PHARMACEUTICALS | 5.92% | 0.09% |
| ARGENX SE ADR | 3.78% | 0.07% |
| NATERA | 3.30% | 0.05% |
| USD CASH | 0.05% | 0.05% |
| ALNYLAM PHARMACEUTICALS | 2.44% | 0.04% |
| REVOLUTION MEDICINES | 2.87% | 0.04% |
| BIOGEN | 2.33% | 0.03% |
| ILLUMINA INC | 2.25% | 0.03% |
| Only in IBB | Only in URTH |
|---|---|
| MODERNA 3.67% | NVIDIA 5.52% |
| BEONE MEDICINES AG 2.01% | APPLE 5.28% |
| ASCENDIS PHARMA 1.20% | MICROSOFT 3.82% |
| EXELIXIS INC 1.04% | AMAZON.COM INC 2.67% |
| MEDPACE HOLDINGS 0.99% | ALPHABET CLASS A 2.14% |
| CHARLES RIVER LABORATORIES INTERNA 0.96% | BROADCOM INC 1.79% |
| HALOZYME THERAPEUTICS 0.93% | ALPHABET CLASS C 1.70% |
| BIOMARIN PHARMACEUTICAL 0.92% | META PLATFORMS CLASS A 1.56% |
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.
| IBB iShares Biotechnology ETF | URTH iShares MSCI World ETF | |
|---|---|---|
| Where it sits | Core index fund | Core index fund |
| Issuer | iShares | iShares |
| What it is | Biotechnology | MSCI World |
| Total return, 1 year | +41.5% | +17.4% |
| S&P 500 over the same days | +17.5% | +17.5% |
| Gap to the S&P 500 | +24.0 pts | −0.1 pts |
| Expense ratio | 0.44% | 0.24% |
| Already in the S&P 500 | 35.6% | 70.3% |
| Holdings | 233 | 1230 |
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.
URTH in plain words
URTH is an index equity fund tracking the MSCI World. Over the year to Sep 11, 2026 it returned +17.4% with distributions reinvested, against +17.5% for the S&P 500 and +23.0% for the Nasdaq-100. The prospectus expense ratio is 0.24% a year. By its holdings filed for Sep 10, 2026, 70% of the fund by weight is stocks the S&P 500 also holds, across 1230 positions, with the top ten at 26.8%.
Questions people ask
- Which returned more over the last year, IBB or URTH?
- In the year to Sep 13, 2026, with distributions reinvested, IBB returned +41.5% and URTH returned +17.4%, so IBB returned more. One year is one year; the longer windows are in the table.
- Which is cheaper, IBB or URTH?
- IBB charges 0.44% a year and URTH charges 0.24%, so URTH is cheaper. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.
- How much do IBB and URTH overlap with the S&P 500?
- By their latest filed holdings, 36% of IBB and 70% of URTH by weight is stocks the S&P 500 already holds. Between the two funds, 1% 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, IBB against URTH, data as of Sep 13, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/any/ibb-vs-urth Free to use with attribution; the underlying files are at Open data.
A comparison is not a recommendation. Standards and sources