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Should You Invest in the iShares U.S. Pharmaceuticals ETF (IHE)?
ZACKSยท2025-09-02 11:21

Core Insights - The iShares U.S. Pharmaceuticals ETF (IHE) is a passively managed fund launched on May 1, 2006, aimed at providing broad exposure to the Healthcare - Pharma segment of the equity market [1] - The Healthcare - Pharma sector is ranked 7th among the 16 Zacks sectors, placing it in the top 44% [2] Fund Overview - Sponsored by Blackrock, IHE has assets exceeding $578.73 million, categorizing it as an average-sized ETF [3] - The fund seeks to match the performance of the Dow Jones U.S. Select Pharmaceuticals Index, which is a free-float adjusted market capitalization-weighted index [4] Cost Structure - IHE has an annual operating expense ratio of 0.38%, making it one of the cheaper options in the ETF space [5] - The ETF offers a 12-month trailing dividend yield of 1.64% [5] Sector Exposure and Holdings - The ETF is fully allocated to the Healthcare sector, with approximately 100% of its portfolio [6] - Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) constitutes about 25.45% of total assets, followed by Eli Lilly (LLY) and Viatris Inc (VTRS), with the top 10 holdings accounting for approximately 78.07% of total assets [7] Performance Metrics - As of September 2, 2025, IHE has gained roughly 9.19% this year but is down about 0.74% over the past year [8] - The ETF has traded between $61 and $72.85 in the last 52 weeks, with a beta of 0.54 and a standard deviation of 15.83% over the trailing three-year period, indicating a higher risk profile [8] Alternatives - IHE carries a Zacks ETF Rank of 3 (Hold), suggesting it is a reasonable option for investors seeking exposure to the Healthcare ETFs area [9] - Other ETF options include Invesco Pharmaceuticals ETF (PJP) and VanEck Pharmaceutical ETF (PPH), with respective assets of $259.99 million and $620.64 million [10]