iShares Biotechnology ETF
IBB SectorUpdated: Jul 5, 2026, 21:17 UTC
Key Metrics
Top 10 Holdings
| Holding | Ticker | Weight | Bar |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gilead Sciences Inc | GILD | 7.42% | |
| Vertex Pharmaceuticals Inc | VRTX | 7.4% | |
| Amgen Inc | AMGN | 7.13% | |
| Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc | REGN | 5.69% | |
| Alnylam Pharmaceuticals Inc | ALNY | 3.61% | |
| argenx SE ADR | ARGX | 3.49% | |
| Natera Inc | NTRA | 2.68% | |
| Biogen Inc | BIIB | 2.61% | |
| Revolution Medicines Inc Ordinary Shares | RVMD | 2.47% | |
| Illumina Inc | ILMN | 2.2% |
Sector Allocation
About This ETF
The iShares Biotechnology ETF (IBB) is a Sector ETF with an expense ratio (TER) of 0.44% and $7.9B in assets under management., with its largest holdings being Gilead Sciences Inc, Vertex Pharmaceuticals Inc, Amgen Inc. The ETF currently yields 0.23% in dividends. Year-to-date, IBB has returned +15.9%.
The fund generally will invest at least 80% of its assets in the component securities of its underlying index and may invest up to 20% of its assets in certain futures, options and swap contracts, cash and cash equivalents. It is non-diversified.
FAQ — IBB
What is the TER of IBB (iShares Biotechnology ETF)?
IBB has a Total Expense Ratio (TER) of 0.44 % per year. That sits above 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 IBB delivered?
Performance for IBB: YTD: +15.90 % · 3-year p.a.: +15.89 % · 5-year p.a.: +3.78 %. Over 5 years, IBB underperforms the sector category median of +7.03 % by -3.25 pp. Past performance is no guarantee of future returns.
What are the top holdings of IBB?
The five largest positions in IBB are: GILD, VRTX, AMGN, REGN, ALNY. The full holdings list is updated daily on this page.
Does IBB pay dividends?
IBB has a current dividend yield of 0.23 %. 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 IBB?
IBB 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 iShares Biotechnology ETF (IBB)?
The iShares Biotechnology ETF bundles leading U.S. biotechnology companies into a single security. With roughly $7.9B in assets and a 0.44% expense ratio, it offers concentrated exposure to heavyweights such as Amgen, Gilead Sciences and Vertex Pharmaceuticals. For investors who want to back innovation in drug development, gene therapy and rare diseases, it delivers focused, deliberately single-sector exposure within healthcare — high conviction in one corner of the market.
Performance at a glance
Returns reflect biotechnology's cyclical nature: the ETF has returned 1.99% year to date, 10.46% over three years and 2.69% over five years (annualized). The current price sits near the top of its 52-week range at about 87.5%, close to the $179.64 high and well above the $120.33 low.
Key drivers include clinical trial results, U.S. drug-regulator approval decisions, patent expirations and merger activity. The dividend yield is modest at 0.23%, as biotech firms reinvest most profits into research. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future results.
Risk profile
As a pure sector ETF, IBB carries high concentration risk: 100% of assets sit in healthcare, specifically biotechnology. The ten largest positions alone represent a substantial share, limiting diversification.
- Sector risk: failed trials, rejected approvals or drug-pricing regulation can hit individual names — and the fund — hard.
- Currency risk: the ETF is priced in U.S. dollars. For euro-area investors, EUR/USD swings add a further layer to returns.
- Volatility: biotech prices react sharply to single news events and tend to be more volatile than the broad market.
Who is this ETF for?
IBB suits growth-oriented investors with a long horizon of at least seven to ten years who want targeted exposure to biotechnology innovation and can tolerate sharp interim drawdowns. As a complementary holding (a “satellite”) alongside a broadly diversified global core portfolio, it can add a thematic tilt.
It is less appropriate for safety-focused or income-seeking investors who rely on stable distributions, and for those with a short time horizon. Anyone looking for a fully diversified core holding should not use it as a foundation. This is not investment advice.
How it compares
Within sector ETFs, IBB competes with several alternatives:
- SPDR S&P Biotech ETF (XBI): equal-weighted rather than market-cap weighted, tilting toward smaller biotech names and therefore more volatile.
- ARK Genomic Revolution ETF (ARKG): actively managed with a focus on genomics and disruptive medical technology, at higher cost.
- Health Care Select Sector SPDR (XLV): covers the entire healthcare sector, including pharma and medtech, making it broader but less specialized.
At a 0.44% expense ratio, IBB sits in the typical range for specialized sector funds.
Where can I buy IBB?
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