Should You Invest in the VanEck Biotech ETF (BBH)?

Designed to provide broad exposure to the Healthcare - Biotech segment of the equity market, the VanEck Biotech ETF (BBH) is a passively managed exchange traded fund launched on 12/20/2011.While an excellent vehicle for long term investors, passively managed ETFs are a popular choice among institutional and retail investors due to their low costs, transparency, flexibility, and tax efficiency.Sector ETFs also provide investors access to a broad group of companies in particular sectors that offer low risk and diversified exposure. Healthcare - Biotech is one of the 16 broad Zacks sectors within the Zacks Industry classification. It is currently ranked 2, placing it in top 13%.Index DetailsThe fund is sponsored by Van Eck. It has amassed assets over $400.53 million, making it one of the average sized ETFs attempting to match the performance of the Healthcare - Biotech segment of the equity market. BBH seeks to match the performance of the MVIS US Listed Biotech 25 Index before fees and expenses.The MVIS US Listed Biotech 25 Index tracks the overall performance of companies involved in the development and production, marketing and sales of drugs based on genetic analysis and diagnostic equipment.CostsExpense ratios are an important factor in the return of an ETF and in the long term, cheaper funds can significantly outperform their more expensive counterparts, other things remaining the same.Annual operating expenses for this ETF are 0.35%, making it one of the least expensive products in the space.It has a 12-month trailing dividend yield of 0.75%.Sector Exposure and Top HoldingsEven though ETFs offer diversified exposure that minimizes single stock risk, investors should also look at the actual holdings inside the fund. Luckily, most ETFs are very transparent products that disclose their holdings on a daily basis.This ETF has heaviest allocation in the Healthcare sector--about 100% of the portfolio.Looking at individual holdings, Amgen Inc (AMGN) accounts for about 16.33% of total assets, followed by Gilead Sciences Inc (GILD) and Vertex Pharmaceuticals Inc (VRTX).The top 10 holdings account for about 71.51% of total assets under management.Performance and RiskYear-to-date, the VanEck Biotech ETF return is roughly 5.85% so far, and is up about 0.98% over the last 12 months (as of 02/25/2025). BBH has traded between $151.99 and $182.72 in this past 52-week period.The ETF has a beta of 0.72 and standard deviation of 20.39% for the trailing three-year period, making it a high risk choice in the space. With about 27 holdings, it has more concentrated exposure than peers.AlternativesVanEck Biotech ETF carries a Zacks ETF Rank of 3 (Hold), which is based on expected asset class return, expense ratio, and momentum, among other factors. Thus, BBH is a reasonable option for those seeking exposure to the Health Care ETFs area of the market. Investors might also want to consider some other ETF options in the space.SPDR S&P Biotech ETF (XBI) tracks S&P Biotechnology Select Industry Index and the iShares Biotechnology ETF (IBB) tracks Nasdaq Biotechnology Index. SPDR S&P Biotech ETF has $5.79 billion in assets, iShares Biotechnology ETF has $6.48 billion. XBI has an expense ratio of 0.35% and IBB charges 0.45%.Bottom LineTo learn more about this product and other ETFs, screen for products that match your investment objectives and read articles on latest developments in the ETF investing universe, please visit Zacks ETF Center.Want key ETF info delivered straight to your inbox?Zacks’ free Fund Newsletter will brief you on top news and analysis, as well as top-performing ETFs, each week.Get it free >>Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report VanEck Biotech ETF (BBH): ETF Research Reports Amgen Inc. (AMGN): Free Stock Analysis Report Gilead Sciences, Inc. (GILD): Free Stock Analysis Report Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (VRTX): Free Stock Analysis Report iShares Biotechnology ETF (IBB): ETF Research Reports SPDR S&P Biotech ETF (XBI): ETF Research ReportsThis article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).Zacks Investment ResearchWeiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Zacks Weiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Zacks