Better Healthcare Sector ETF: Vanguard's Broad VHT vs. Invesco's Biotechnology-Focused IBBQ
Vanguard's broad sector approach costs half as much and yields twice the dividend, while Invesco's biotech focus delivered stronger 1-year returns but with steeper downside risk.
Overview
The Vanguard Health Care ETF (NYSEMKT:VHT) offers broad sector exposure and lower costs, while the Invesco Nasdaq Biotechnology ETF (NASDAQ:IBBQ) provides a concentrated, higher-volatility play on biotech innovation and pharmaceutical research.
Selecting a healthcare ETF requires a choice between broad sector coverage and concentrated sub-industry focus. This comparison examines how a diversified giant like the Vanguard fund measures up against a more specialized biotech fund. Investors often use these vehicles to capture medical innovation, but the risk profiles differ based on the mix of stable pharmaceutical giants and volatile biotech firms.
Details
Beta measures price volatility relative to the S&P 500; beta is calculated from monthly returns over the available fund history (up to five years). The 1-yr return represents total return over the trailing 12 months. Dividend yield is the trailing-12-month distribution yield.
Source
Originally published at www.fool.com.