iShares U.S. Pharmaceuticals ETF (IHE) Performance
IHE total return
Distributions reinvested · as of Oct 23, 2026- YTD
- +21.9% since Dec 31, 2025
- 1 year
- +39.2% total return
- 5 years
- +12.4% a year
- 10 years
- +9.6% a year
- Since first price
- +10.9% a year since 2006
IHE trailing returns vs SPY, QQQ, AGG
| Period | IHE total return | Price only | S&P 500 (SPY) | Nasdaq-100 (QQQ) | U.S. bonds (AGG) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 month | +1.2% | +1.2% | −1.0% | −5.0% | +0.9% |
| 3 months | +0.8% | +0.5% | +3.2% | +1.9% | −0.4% |
| 6 months | +18.7% | +18.0% | +7.8% | +8.4% | −1.5% |
| YTD | +21.9% | +20.8% | +12.3% | +15.1% | −1.0% |
| 1 year | +39.2% | +37.0% | +14.4% | +15.9% | −1.1% |
| 3 years | +87.2%+23.3%/yr | +78.5% | +87.4%+23.3%/yr | +101.4%+26.3%/yr | +16.6%+5.2%/yr |
| 5 years | +79.2%+12.4%/yr | +64.7% | +79.3%+12.4%/yr | +94.0%+14.2%/yr | −0.8%−0.2%/yr |
| 10 years | +149.9%+9.6%/yr | +114.5% | +315.9%+15.3%/yr | +538.9%+20.4%/yr | +14.0%+1.3%/yr |
| 15 years | +456.9%+12.1%/yr | +344.3% | +696.0%+14.8%/yr | +1,299.3%+19.2%/yr | +32.2%+1.9%/yr |
| 20 years | +660.7%+10.7%/yr | +466.3% | +696.9%+10.9%/yr | +1,839.9%+16.0%/yr | +79.6%+3.0%/yr |
| Since inceptionMay 5, 2006 | +727.0%+10.9%/yr | +513.1% | — | — | — |
Total return from adjusted closes (distributions reinvested, before tax). Periods of 3 years or more are also shown annualized. Price only excludes distributions.
Growth of $10,000: IHE vs SPY
From May 5, 2006: IHE grew to $82,703, SPY to $83,394.
Year-end values with distributions reinvested, no taxes or trading costs. Start: first common trading day of both funds.
IHE returns by calendar year
15 of 19 full years positive. Best 2013 (+40.6%), worst 2008 (−14.9%). 2026 is year to date.
IHE annual returns table
| Year | IHE | Largest drop | SPY | QQQ | AGG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026YTD | +21.9% | −9.7% | +12.3% | +15.1% | −1.0% |
| 2025 | +31.7% | −15.9% | +17.7% | +20.8% | +7.2% |
| 2024 | +8.1% | −9.8% | +24.9% | +25.6% | +1.3% |
| 2023 | +1.1% | −12.5% | +26.2% | +54.9% | +5.7% |
| 2022 | −4.9% | −16.0% | −18.2% | −32.6% | −13.0% |
| 2021 | +13.1% | −7.8% | +28.7% | +27.4% | −1.8% |
| 2020 | +13.7% | −29.2% | +18.3% | +48.6% | +7.5% |
| 2019 | +15.5% | −12.0% | +31.2% | +39.0% | +8.5% |
| 2018 | −7.8% | −21.8% | −4.6% | −0.1% | +0.1% |
| 2017 | +10.6% | −7.2% | +21.7% | +32.7% | +3.6% |
| 2016 | −11.7% | −17.9% | +12.0% | +7.1% | +2.4% |
| 2015 | +8.8% | −22.1% | +1.2% | +9.4% | +0.5% |
| 2014 | +29.9% | −10.4% | +13.5% | +19.2% | +6.0% |
| 2013 | +40.6% | −5.3% | +32.3% | +36.6% | −2.0% |
| 2012 | +13.4% | −10.4% | +16.0% | +18.1% | +3.8% |
| 2011 | +20.9% | −16.9% | +1.9% | +3.4% | +7.7% |
| 2010 | +12.7% | −11.3% | +15.1% | +19.9% | +6.4% |
| 2009 | +30.1% | −22.2% | +26.4% | +54.7% | +3.0% |
| 2008 | −14.9% | −32.8% | −36.8% | −41.7% | +7.9% |
| 2007 | +2.4% | −11.0% | +5.1% | +19.0% | +6.6% |
Largest drop = deepest fall from a high within that calendar year.
Calendar-year return vs largest drop within the year
Most years include a sizable fall at some point even when the year ends higher.
IHE largest drawdowns
Now 5.0% below the high| Peak | Decline | Bottom | Recovered | Fall | Underwater |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 22, 2007 | −38.2% | Mar 5, 2009 | Dec 14, 2009 | 1.8 years | 2.6 years |
| Jul 16, 2015 | −32.2% | Mar 23, 2020 | Oct 9, 2020 | 4.7 years | 5.2 years |
| Jul 7, 2011 | −16.9% | Aug 8, 2011 | Dec 20, 2011 | 32 days | 5 months |
| Apr 7, 2022 | −16.0% | Oct 10, 2022 | Feb 5, 2024 | 6 months | 1.8 years |
| Mar 3, 2025 | −15.9% | Apr 10, 2025 | Sep 30, 2025 | 38 days | 7 months |
| Mar 23, 2010 | −11.3% | Jun 8, 2010 | Sep 20, 2010 | 3 months | 6 months |
Declines from a closing high (distributions reinvested) of 10% or more. Underwater = time from the peak until the old high was regained.
IHE risk statistics
| Statistic | 3 years | 5 years | 10 years | Since 2006 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annualized return | +21.4% | +12.4% | +8.9% | +11.0% |
| Volatility (annualized) | 15.3% | 15.3% | 15.5% | 15.6% |
| Sharpe ratio | 1.06 | 0.61 | 0.48 | 0.67 |
| Sortino ratio | 2.00 | 1.01 | 0.75 | 1.04 |
| Best month | +12.4% | +12.4% | +13.2% | +13.2% |
| Worst month | −5.6% | −7.6% | −10.4% | −13.0% |
| Best 12 months | +57.3% | +57.3% | +57.3% | +57.3% |
| Worst 12 months | −2.0% | −9.9% | −16.9% | −23.3% |
| Positive months | 72% | 62% | 60% | 62% |
| Beta vs S&P 500 | 0.41 | 0.47 | 0.66 | — |
| Correlation with S&P 500 | 0.33 | 0.48 | 0.65 | — |
From monthly total returns. Sharpe and Sortino use 1–3 month T-bills (BIL) as the risk-free rate, so they need history from 2007 on.
IHE rolling returns
| Holding period | Periods | Worst | Median | Best | Positive |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1-year | 234 | −23.3% | +11.0% | +57.3% | 74% |
| 3-year (a year) | 210 | −4.3% | +7.7% | +31.6% | 92% |
| 5-year (a year) | 186 | −3.5% | +9.6% | +29.9% | 97% |
| 10-year (a year) | 126 | +2.4% | +11.2% | +16.6% | 100% |
Every holding period starting at a month-end since 2006. Returns for 3 years and longer are annualized.
IHE performance overview
iShares U.S. Pharmaceuticals ETF (IHE) returned +39.2% over the past year and +9.6% a year over ten years, with distributions reinvested. Since its first recorded price in 2006 it has returned +10.9% a year, turning $10,000 into about $82,703. Over the same year S&P 500 (SPY) returned +14.4%.
The deepest decline was −38.2%, from May 22, 2007 to Mar 5, 2009, and it took 9 months to get back to the old high. IHE finished 15 of its 19 full calendar years with a gain; the best year was 2013 (+40.6%) and the worst 2008 (−14.9%). Volatility has been 15.6% a year.
Related: IHE chart, IHE holdings, IHE dividends, IHE valuation. See the IHE overview for the latest quote and fund facts.
IHE performance FAQ
What is the IHE return over the past year?
IHE returned +39.2% over the 12 months to October 23, 2026, including reinvested distributions. On price alone it rose 37.0%.
What is the average annual return of IHE?
IHE has returned +12.4% a year over 5 years, +9.6% a year over 10 years, +10.9% a year since May 5, 2006 (total return, distributions reinvested).
How much would $10,000 invested in IHE be worth?
$10,000 invested in IHE at its first recorded close on May 5, 2006 would be worth about $82,703 on October 23, 2026 with distributions reinvested.
What was the worst year for IHE?
The worst calendar year was 2008, with a total return of −14.9%. The best was 2013 at +40.6%.
What is the biggest drawdown of IHE?
The largest peak-to-trough decline was −38.2% between May 22, 2007 and March 5, 2009. It recovered to the old high on December 14, 2009, 9 months after the bottom.
How volatile is IHE?
Over the past 3 years IHE had an annualized volatility of 15.3% and a Sharpe ratio of 1.06 (excess return over 1–3 month T-bills per unit of risk).