Should You Invest in the State Street SPDR S&P Pharmaceuticals ETF (XPH)?

Core Insights - The State Street SPDR S&P Pharmaceuticals ETF (XPH) is designed to provide broad exposure to the Healthcare - Pharma segment of the equity market, launched on June 19, 2006 [1] - The ETF has gained popularity among retail and institutional investors due to its low costs, transparency, flexibility, and tax efficiency [1][2] Fund Overview - Sponsored by State Street Investment Management, XPH has assets exceeding $208.47 million, categorizing it as an average-sized ETF [3] - The ETF aims to match the performance of the S&P Pharmaceuticals Select Industry Index before fees and expenses [3][4] Cost Structure - XPH has annual operating expenses of 0.35%, making it one of the least expensive options in its category [5] - The ETF offers a 12-month trailing dividend yield of 0.92% [5] Sector Exposure and Holdings - The ETF is heavily allocated in the Healthcare sector, with approximately 99.9% of its portfolio dedicated to this area [6] - Crinetics Pharmaceuticals Inc (CRNX) constitutes about 3.31% of total assets, with the top 10 holdings representing around 29.03% of total assets under management [7] Performance Metrics - As of November 28, 2025, XPH has gained approximately 28.24% and is up about 19.46% year-to-date [8] - The ETF has traded between $36.65 and $54.78 over the past 52 weeks, with a beta of 0.61 and a standard deviation of 18.94% for the trailing three-year period [8] Alternatives - XPH carries a Zacks ETF Rank of 3 (Hold), indicating it is a sufficient option for investors seeking exposure to the Health Care ETFs area [10] - Other alternatives include iShares U.S. Pharmaceuticals ETF (IHE) and VanEck Pharmaceutical ETF (PPH), with assets of $779.75 million and $1.19 billion respectively [11]