SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust
Price
$773.17
YTD
+12.85%
Expense
0.09%
Yield
1.25%
XLV
XLV NYSE
Health Care Select Sector SPDR Fund · by State Street
Price
$173.26
YTD return
+8.20%
1Y return
12.50%
Expense ratio
0.09%
Dividend yield
1.55%
AUM
$40B
Health Care Select Sector SPDR Fund provides exposure to S&P 500 healthcare companies including pharma, biotech, and medical devices.
What is XLV?
Health Care Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLV) provides concentrated exposure to S&P 500 healthcare companies, spanning pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, medical devices, managed care, and life sciences. Healthcare is a defensive sector that tends to hold up well during economic downturns.
Sub-Sector Allocation
- Pharmaceuticals: 28.5%
- Healthcare Equipment: 18.2%
- Managed Care: 16.5%
- Biotechnology: 15.8%
- Life Sciences Tools: 12.2%
- Healthcare Providers: 5.5%
- Healthcare Technology: 3.3%
GLP-1 and Obesity Drug Impact
The GLP-1 revolution (Eli Lilly's Mounjaro/Zepbound and Novo Nordisk's Ozempic/Wegovy) is reshaping healthcare investing. XLV benefits from Eli Lilly's significant weighting, giving investors exposure to this massive growth opportunity.
Defensive Characteristics
Healthcare spending is relatively recession-resistant since people need medical care regardless of economic conditions. This makes XLV a popular choice for portfolio stability during market volatility.
Regulatory Risks
Healthcare stocks face regulatory risks including drug pricing legislation, Medicare/Medicaid policy changes, and FDA approval timelines. These political risks can create short-term volatility but rarely derail long-term sector performance.
Top holdings
Every holding links to its own page with a live price and the full list of funds that own it.
| # | Holding | Ticker | Sector | Weight | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | UnitedHealth Group | UNH | Healthcare | 9.80% | $400.94 0.32% |
| 2 | Eli Lilly | LLY | Healthcare | 9.50% | $1,159.60 -0.04% |
| 3 | Johnson & Johnson | JNJ | Healthcare | 7.20% | $278.43 1.17% |
| 4 | AbbVie | ABBV | Healthcare | 6.80% | $260.21 -0.58% |
| 5 | Merck & Co. | MRK | Healthcare | 5.50% | $152.34 0.46% |
| 6 | Thermo Fisher Scientific | TMO | Life Sciences | 4.20% | $618.43 1.63% |
| 7 | Abbott Laboratories | ABT | Medical Devices | 3.80% | $108.79 -1.52% |
| 8 | Danaher Corp. | DHR | Life Sciences | 3.50% | $211.03 0.53% |
| 9 | Amgen | AMGN | Healthcare | 3.20% | $444.12 0.29% |
| 10 | Pfizer | PFE | Pharmaceuticals | 2.80% | $28.81 -0.72% |
Frequently asked questions
Is XLV a safe investment?
Healthcare is defensive with stable earnings. XLV beta of 0.72 indicates lower volatility, suitable for conservative portfolios.
What companies are in XLV?
XLV holds UnitedHealth Group, Johnson and Johnson, Eli Lilly, AbbVie, Merck, and other major pharma and healthcare companies.
Is healthcare a good long-term sector?
Healthcare benefits from aging demographics, biotech innovation, and steady demand regardless of economic conditions.
How does XLV compare to biotech ETFs?
XLV includes large-cap pharma, insurers, and medical devices — more stable than pure biotech ETFs which carry higher clinical trial risk.
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Community
XLV discussion
Questions on fair value, cost, dividends and risk — answered with the fund data on this page.
What is the fair value of XLV in 2026?
XLV price prediction 2026: what actually drives it?
Does XLV pay a dividend, and how reliable is the yield?
Is XLV a good long-term hold, or too concentrated?
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