XLV vs IYH: Which Healthcare ETF Wins on Cost and Yield?

State Street Health Care Select Sector SPDR ETF (NYSEMKT:XLV) provides lower-cost exposure to blue-chip healthcare names, while the iShares U.S. Healthcare ETF (NYSEMKT:IYH) offers a broader portfolio with nearly twice as many holdings.

Investors looking to allocate capital to the medical sector often compare these two prominent funds. While both provide exposure to pharmaceutical and biotech giants, they differ significantly in their assets under management (AUM), cost structures, and depth of holdings, which may influence results for long-term investors.

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.

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