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IJR vs. XLV: What’s The Difference?

The iShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETF (IJR) and the Health Care Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLV) are both among the Top 100 ETFs. IJR is a iShares Small Blend fund and XLV is a SPDR State Street Global Advisors Health fund. So, what’s the difference between IJR and XLV? And which fund is better?

The expense ratio of IJR is 0.06 percentage points lower than XLV’s (0.06% vs. 0.12%). IJR also has a higher exposure to the industrials sector and a higher standard deviation. Overall, IJR has provided lower returns than XLV over the past ten years.

In this article, we’ll compare IJR vs. XLV. We’ll look at industry exposure and annual returns, as well as at their risk metrics and holdings. Moreover, I’ll also discuss IJR’s and XLV’s portfolio growth, performance, and fund composition and examine how these affect their overall returns.

Summary

IJRXLV
NameiShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETFHealth Care Select Sector SPDR Fund
CategorySmall BlendHealth
IssueriSharesSPDR State Street Global Advisors
AUM68.64B27.88B
Avg. Return13.97%15.02%
Div. Yield0.96%1.4%
Expense Ratio0.06%0.12%

The iShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETF (IJR) is a Small Blend fund that is issued by iShares. It currently has 68.64B total assets under management and has yielded an average annual return of 13.97% over the past 10 years. The fund has a dividend yield of 0.96% with an expense ratio of 0.06%.

The Health Care Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLV) is a Health fund that is issued by SPDR State Street Global Advisors. It currently has 27.88B total assets under management and has yielded an average annual return of 15.02% over the past 10 years. The fund has a dividend yield of 1.4% with an expense ratio of 0.12%.

IJR’s dividend yield is 0.44% lower than that of XLV (0.96% vs. 1.4%). Also, IJR yielded on average 1.06% less per year over the past decade (13.97% vs. 15.02%). The expense ratio of IJR is 0.06 percentage points lower than XLV’s (0.06% vs. 0.12%).

Fund Composition

Industry Exposure

IJR vs. XLV - Industry Exposure

IJRXLV
Technology14.32%0.0%
Industrials17.31%0.0%
Energy4.0%0.0%
Communication Services2.59%0.0%
Utilities1.8%0.0%
Healthcare11.55%100.0%
Consumer Defensive4.01%0.0%
Real Estate9.55%0.0%
Financial Services15.91%0.0%
Consumer Cyclical13.61%0.0%
Basic Materials5.34%0.0%

The iShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETF (IJR) has the most exposure to the Industrials sector at 17.31%. This is followed by Financial Services and Technology at 15.91% and 14.32% respectively. Communication Services (2.59%), Energy (4.0%), and Consumer Defensive (4.01%) only make up 10.60% of the fund’s total assets.

IJR’s mid-section with moderate exposure is comprised of Basic Materials, Real Estate, Healthcare, Consumer Cyclical, and Technology stocks at 5.34%, 9.55%, 11.55%, 13.61%, and 14.32%.

The Health Care Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLV) has the most exposure to the Healthcare sector at 100.0%. This is followed by Technology and Industrials at 0.0% and 0.0% respectively. Consumer Cyclical (0.0%), Financial Services (0.0%), and Real Estate (0.0%) only make up 0.00% of the fund’s total assets.

XLV’s mid-section with moderate exposure is comprised of Consumer Defensive, Utilities, Communication Services, Energy, and Industrials stocks at 0.0%, 0.0%, 0.0%, 0.0%, and 0.0%.

IJR is 17.31% more exposed to the Industrials sector than XLV (17.31% vs 0.0%). IJR’s exposure to Financial Services and Technology stocks is 15.91% higher and 14.32% higher respectively (15.91% vs. 0.0% and 14.32% vs. 0.0%). In total, Communication Services, Energy, and Consumer Defensive also make up 10.60% more of the fund’s holdings compared to XLV (10.60% vs. 0.00%).

Holdings

IJR - Holdings

IJR HoldingsWeight
BlackRock Cash Funds Treasury SL Agency1.08%
GameStop Corp Class A0.86%
Omnicell Inc0.61%
Stamps.com Inc0.58%
Saia Inc0.57%
Power Integrations Inc0.57%
Exponent Inc0.54%
NeoGenomics Inc0.53%
Chart Industries Inc0.53%
Macy’s Inc0.51%

IJR’s Top Holdings are BlackRock Cash Funds Treasury SL Agency, GameStop Corp Class A, Omnicell Inc, Stamps.com Inc, and Saia Inc at 1.08%, 0.86%, 0.61%, 0.58%, and 0.57%.

Power Integrations Inc (0.57%), Exponent Inc (0.54%), and NeoGenomics Inc (0.53%) have a slightly smaller but still significant weight. Chart Industries Inc and Macy’s Inc are also represented in the IJR’s holdings at 0.53% and 0.51%.

XLV - Holdings

XLV HoldingsWeight
Johnson & Johnson9.19%
UnitedHealth Group Inc8.01%
Pfizer Inc4.64%
Abbott Laboratories4.36%
AbbVie Inc4.21%
Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc4.2%
Merck & Co Inc4.17%
Eli Lilly and Co3.87%
Danaher Corp3.61%
Medtronic PLC3.54%

XLV’s Top Holdings are Johnson & Johnson, UnitedHealth Group Inc, Pfizer Inc, Abbott Laboratories, and AbbVie Inc at 9.19%, 8.01%, 4.64%, 4.36%, and 4.21%.

Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc (4.2%), Merck & Co Inc (4.17%), and Eli Lilly and Co (3.87%) have a slightly smaller but still significant weight. Danaher Corp and Medtronic PLC are also represented in the XLV’s holdings at 3.61% and 3.54%.

Risk Analysis

IJRXLV
Mean Return1.211.27
R-squared76.0358.19
Std. Deviation18.6812.94
Alpha-3.77.75
Beta1.20.7
Sharpe Ratio0.741.13
Treynor Ratio10.7721.1

The iShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETF (IJR) has a Standard Deviation of 18.68 with a Treynor Ratio of 10.77 and a Beta of 1.2. Its Alpha is -3.7 while IJR’s Mean Return is 1.21. Furthermore, the fund has a Sharpe Ratio of 0.74 and a R-squared of 76.03.

The Health Care Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLV) has a Mean Return of 1.27 with a Alpha of 7.75 and a R-squared of 58.19. Its Beta is 0.7 while XLV’s Treynor Ratio is 21.1. Furthermore, the fund has a Standard Deviation of 12.94 and a Sharpe Ratio of 1.13.

IJR’s Mean Return is 0.06 points lower than that of XLV and its R-squared is 17.84 points higher. With a Standard Deviation of 18.68, IJR is slightly more volatile than XLV. The Alpha and Beta of IJR are 11.45 points lower and 0.50 points higher than XLV’s Alpha and Beta.

Performance

Annual Returns

IJR vs. XLV - Annual Returns

YearIJRXLV
202011.24%13.33%
201922.79%20.63%
2018-8.43%6.3%
201713.2%21.7%
201626.49%-2.83%
2015-2.0%6.82%
20145.67%25.17%
201341.36%41.24%
201216.28%17.56%
20110.9%12.44%
201026.14%2.91%

IJR had its best year in 2013 with an annual return of 41.36%. IJR’s worst year over the past decade yielded -8.43% and occurred in 2018. In most years the iShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETF provided moderate returns such as in 2020, 2017, and 2012 where annual returns amounted to 11.24%, 13.2%, and 16.28% respectively.

The year 2013 was the strongest year for XLV, returning 41.24% on an annual basis. The poorest year for XLV in the last ten years was 2016, with a yield of -2.83%. Most years the Health Care Select Sector SPDR Fund has given investors modest returns, such as in 2011, 2020, and 2012, when gains were 12.44%, 13.33%, and 17.56% respectively.

Portfolio Growth

IJR vs. XLV - Portfolio Growth

FundInitial BalanceFinal BalanceCAGR
IJR$10,000$38,80013.97%
XLV$10,000$44,14715.02%

A $10,000 investment in IJR would have resulted in a final balance of $38,800. This is a profit of $28,800 over 11 years and amounts to a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 13.97%.

With a $10,000 investment in XLV, the end total would have been $44,147. This equates to a $34,147 profit over 11 years and a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 15.02%.

IJR’s CAGR is 1.06 percentage points lower than that of XLV and as a result, would have yielded $5,347 less on a $10,000 investment. Thus, IJR performed worse than XLV by 1.06% annually.


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