State Street Health Care Select Sector SPDR ETF
XLV SectorUpdated: Jul 5, 2026, 21:17 UTC
Key Metrics
Top 10 Holdings
| Holding | Ticker | Weight | Bar |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eli Lilly and Co | LLY | 16.18% | |
| Johnson & Johnson | JNJ | 10.03% | |
| AbbVie Inc | ABBV | 7.11% | |
| UnitedHealth Group Inc | UNH | 6.37% | |
| Merck & Co Inc | MRK | 5.45% | |
| Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc | TMO | 3.42% | |
| Amgen Inc | AMGN | 3.35% | |
| Gilead Sciences Inc | GILD | 3.08% | |
| Intuitive Surgical Inc | ISRG | 2.79% | |
| Pfizer Inc | PFE | 2.75% |
Sector Allocation
About This ETF
The State Street Health Care Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLV) is a Sector ETF with an expense ratio (TER) of 0.08% and $38.2B in assets under management., with its largest holdings being Eli Lilly and Co, Johnson & Johnson, AbbVie Inc. The ETF currently yields 1.68% in dividends. Year-to-date, XLV has returned +6.19%. With an expense ratio of just 0.08%, it is one of the cheapest ETFs in its category.
In seeking to track the performance of the index, the fund employs a replication strategy. It generally invests substantially all, but at least 95%, of its total assets in the securities comprising the index. The index includes companies from the following industries: pharmaceuticals; health care equipment & supplies; health care providers & services; biotechnology; life sciences tools & services; and health care technology. The fund is non-diversified.
FAQ — XLV
What is the TER of XLV (State Street Health Care Select Sector SPDR ETF)?
XLV has a Total Expense Ratio (TER) of 0.08 % per year. That sits at the sector category median (0.08 % across 13 peer ETFs). The TER is deducted directly from the fund and lowers your effective return.
What return has XLV delivered?
Performance for XLV: YTD: +6.19 % · 3-year p.a.: +9.36 % · 5-year p.a.: +6.71 %. Over 5 years, XLV underperforms the sector category median of +7.03 % by -0.32 pp. Past performance is no guarantee of future returns.
What are the top holdings of XLV?
The five largest positions in XLV are: LLY, JNJ, ABBV, UNH, MRK. The full holdings list is updated daily on this page.
Does XLV pay dividends?
XLV has a current dividend yield of 1.68 %. Distributing ETFs pay this out in cash; accumulating versions reinvest it inside the fund. Check the share class on your broker before buying.
Where can I buy or set up a savings plan for XLV?
XLV is available at most major brokers. For a free monthly savings plan from €1, look at Trade Republic, Scalable Capital or Flatex. The broker comparison on this site shows fees, free-savings-plan ETFs and execution exchanges side by side.
What is the Health Care Select Sector SPDR ETF?
The State Street Health Care Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLV) tracks the health care segment of the S&P 500, bundling US pharmaceutical giants, biotechnology, medical devices and health insurers into a single portfolio. With assets of $37.9B and an expense ratio of just 0.08%, it ranks among the largest and cheapest sector ETFs available. Heavyweights such as Eli Lilly, Johnson & Johnson and AbbVie shape its profile, making XLV a focused building block for targeted exposure to the defensive yet growth-oriented health care sector.
Performance Overview
The return figures paint a mixed picture: year-to-date the XLV sits at −2.58%, while it delivered an average 7.04% per year over three years and 5.54% per year over five years. The fund currently trades around $150.88, roughly 70% of the way between its 52-week low ($127.96) and high ($160.59).
Performance is driven primarily by pharma heavyweights: Eli Lilly (14.07%) benefits from demand for obesity and diabetes treatments, while insurers like UnitedHealth (6.38%) face regulatory headwinds. The dividend yield stands at 1.72%. Defensive health care spending supports earnings, but pricing pressure and patent expirations temper growth.
Risk Profile
XLV is a sector ETF and therefore 100% concentrated in health care. This single-sector focus markedly raises concentration risk: if one segment weakens, there is no offset from other industries.
- Concentration risk: Top holding Eli Lilly alone accounts for 14.07%; the fund is non-diversified.
- Regulatory risk: Drug pricing rules, health reforms and approval decisions directly affect the sector.
- Patent and innovation risk: Expiring patents and failed trials can heavily weigh on individual names.
- Currency risk: The fund is denominated in USD. For euro-area investors, returns fluctuate with the EUR/USD exchange rate, which can reduce or amplify gains.
Who Is This ETF For?
XLV suits investors who want to deliberately add a defensive, growth-tilted sector and who bring a long-term horizon of at least five to ten years. Those betting on demographic trends such as ageing populations and rising health care spending will find a low-cost, focused instrument here.
It is less suitable as a sole core holding: the 100% sector concentration is no substitute for a broadly diversified global portfolio. It is also unsuitable for short-term investors or those with low tolerance for sector and currency swings. XLV works best as a satellite alongside a diversified core, not as its replacement.
How It Compares to Peers
Several comparable health care ETFs from other issuers exist:
- Vanguard Health Care ETF (VHT): Broader, holding considerably more names; also very cheap and more diversified than XLV.
- iShares U.S. Healthcare ETF (IYH): Similar US focus, but typically with a higher expense ratio.
- iShares Biotechnology ETF (IBB): More specialised in biotechnology and therefore more volatile than the broader XLV.
XLV stands out for its extremely low 0.08% expense ratio and deep liquidity at $37.9B in assets. Investors seeking maximum diversification within the sector might prefer VHT; those who value efficiency and scale are well served by XLV.
Where can I buy XLV?
Compare the best brokers for ETF savings plans — low fees, trusted providers, fully regulated.