We use cookies to understand how you use our site and to improve your experience. This includes personalizing content and advertising. By pressing "Accept All" or closing out of this banner, you consent to the use of all cookies and similar technologies and the sharing of information they collect with third parties. You can reject marketing cookies by pressing "Deny Optional," but we still use essential, performance, and functional cookies. In addition, whether you "Accept All," Deny Optional," click the X or otherwise continue to use the site, you accept our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service, revised from time to time.
You are being directed to ZacksTrade, a division of LBMZ Securities and licensed broker-dealer. ZacksTrade and Zacks.com are separate companies. The web link between the two companies is not a solicitation or offer to invest in a particular security or type of security. ZacksTrade does not endorse or adopt any particular investment strategy, any analyst opinion/rating/report or any approach to evaluating individual securities.
If you wish to go to ZacksTrade, click OK. If you do not, click Cancel.
Should You Invest in the iShares Biotechnology ETF (IBB)?
Read MoreHide Full Article
Launched on 02/05/2001, the iShares Biotechnology ETF (IBB - Free Report) is a passively managed exchange traded fund designed to provide a broad exposure to the Healthcare - Biotech segment of the equity market.
Passively managed ETFs are becoming increasingly popular with institutional as well as retail investors due to their low cost, transparency, flexibility and tax efficiency. They are excellent vehicles for long term investors.
Investor-friendly, sector ETFs provide many options to gain low risk and diversified exposure to a broad group of companies in particular sectors. Healthcare - Biotech is one of the 16 broad Zacks sectors within the Zacks Industry classification. It is currently ranked 3, placing it in top 25%.
Index Details
The fund is sponsored by Blackrock. It has amassed assets over $6.52 billion, making it one of the largest ETFs attempting to match the performance of the Healthcare - Biotech segment of the equity market. IBB seeks to match the performance of the Nasdaq Biotechnology Index before fees and expenses.
The ICE Biotechnology Index contains securities of NASDAQ listed companies that are classified as either biotechnology or pharmaceuticals.
Costs
Since cheaper funds tend to produce better results than more expensive funds, assuming all other factors remain equal, it is important for investors to pay attention to an ETF's expense ratio.
Annual operating expenses for this ETF are 0.45%, making it on par with most peer products in the space.
It has a 12-month trailing dividend yield of 0.28%.
Sector Exposure and Top Holdings
Even though ETFs offer diversified exposure that minimizes single stock risk, investors should also look at the actual holdings inside the fund. Luckily, most ETFs are very transparent products that disclose their holdings on a daily basis.
This ETF has heaviest allocation in the Healthcare sector--about 100% of the portfolio.
Looking at individual holdings, Gilead Sciences Inc (GILD - Free Report) accounts for about 8.50% of total assets, followed by Amgen Inc (AMGN - Free Report) and Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc (REGN - Free Report) .
The top 10 holdings account for about 47.78% of total assets under management.
Performance and Risk
Year-to-date, the iShares Biotechnology ETF return is roughly 4.88% so far, and was up about 3.47% over the last 12 months (as of 02/03/2025). IBB has traded between $124.64 and $149.47 in this past 52-week period.
The ETF has a beta of 0.73 and standard deviation of 21.23% for the trailing three-year period, making it a high risk choice in the space. With about 270 holdings, it effectively diversifies company-specific risk.
Alternatives
IShares Biotechnology ETF holds a Zacks ETF Rank of 2 (Buy), which is based on expected asset class return, expense ratio, and momentum, among other factors. Because of this, IBB is an outstanding option for investors seeking exposure to the Health Care ETFs segment of the market. There are other additional ETFs in the space that investors could consider as well.
First Trust NYSE Arca Biotechnology ETF (FBT - Free Report) tracks NYSE Arca Biotechnology Index and the SPDR S&P Biotech ETF (XBI - Free Report) tracks S&P Biotechnology Select Industry Index. First Trust NYSE Arca Biotechnology ETF has $1.21 billion in assets, SPDR S&P Biotech ETF has $6.34 billion. FBT has an expense ratio of 0.56% and XBI charges 0.35%.
Bottom Line
To learn more about this product and other ETFs, screen for products that match your investment objectives and read articles on latest developments in the ETF investing universe, please visit Zacks ETF Center.
See More Zacks Research for These Tickers
Normally $25 each - click below to receive one report FREE:
Image: Bigstock
Should You Invest in the iShares Biotechnology ETF (IBB)?
Launched on 02/05/2001, the iShares Biotechnology ETF (IBB - Free Report) is a passively managed exchange traded fund designed to provide a broad exposure to the Healthcare - Biotech segment of the equity market.
Passively managed ETFs are becoming increasingly popular with institutional as well as retail investors due to their low cost, transparency, flexibility and tax efficiency. They are excellent vehicles for long term investors.
Investor-friendly, sector ETFs provide many options to gain low risk and diversified exposure to a broad group of companies in particular sectors. Healthcare - Biotech is one of the 16 broad Zacks sectors within the Zacks Industry classification. It is currently ranked 3, placing it in top 25%.
Index Details
The fund is sponsored by Blackrock. It has amassed assets over $6.52 billion, making it one of the largest ETFs attempting to match the performance of the Healthcare - Biotech segment of the equity market. IBB seeks to match the performance of the Nasdaq Biotechnology Index before fees and expenses.
The ICE Biotechnology Index contains securities of NASDAQ listed companies that are classified as either biotechnology or pharmaceuticals.
Costs
Since cheaper funds tend to produce better results than more expensive funds, assuming all other factors remain equal, it is important for investors to pay attention to an ETF's expense ratio.
Annual operating expenses for this ETF are 0.45%, making it on par with most peer products in the space.
It has a 12-month trailing dividend yield of 0.28%.
Sector Exposure and Top Holdings
Even though ETFs offer diversified exposure that minimizes single stock risk, investors should also look at the actual holdings inside the fund. Luckily, most ETFs are very transparent products that disclose their holdings on a daily basis.
This ETF has heaviest allocation in the Healthcare sector--about 100% of the portfolio.
Looking at individual holdings, Gilead Sciences Inc (GILD - Free Report) accounts for about 8.50% of total assets, followed by Amgen Inc (AMGN - Free Report) and Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc (REGN - Free Report) .
The top 10 holdings account for about 47.78% of total assets under management.
Performance and Risk
Year-to-date, the iShares Biotechnology ETF return is roughly 4.88% so far, and was up about 3.47% over the last 12 months (as of 02/03/2025). IBB has traded between $124.64 and $149.47 in this past 52-week period.
The ETF has a beta of 0.73 and standard deviation of 21.23% for the trailing three-year period, making it a high risk choice in the space. With about 270 holdings, it effectively diversifies company-specific risk.
Alternatives
IShares Biotechnology ETF holds a Zacks ETF Rank of 2 (Buy), which is based on expected asset class return, expense ratio, and momentum, among other factors. Because of this, IBB is an outstanding option for investors seeking exposure to the Health Care ETFs segment of the market. There are other additional ETFs in the space that investors could consider as well.
First Trust NYSE Arca Biotechnology ETF (FBT - Free Report) tracks NYSE Arca Biotechnology Index and the SPDR S&P Biotech ETF (XBI - Free Report) tracks S&P Biotechnology Select Industry Index. First Trust NYSE Arca Biotechnology ETF has $1.21 billion in assets, SPDR S&P Biotech ETF has $6.34 billion. FBT has an expense ratio of 0.56% and XBI charges 0.35%.
Bottom Line
To learn more about this product and other ETFs, screen for products that match your investment objectives and read articles on latest developments in the ETF investing universe, please visit Zacks ETF Center.