At a glance
IXJ charges 0.38% a year, above the 0.37% average of the 8 funds most like it (the 4th cheapest of 9). It has $3.84B in assets, the 3rd largest of that group; it paid 1.33% of its price in distributions over the past 12 months, semiannual. Over the past year it returned +19.5% with distributions reinvested (S&P 500: +11.5%), 7th of those 9 funds; over three years it returned +13.4% a year. At its worst it fell 27.2% in the 2020 crash (S&P 500: 33.7%) and 17.5% in the 2022 bear market (S&P 500: 24.5%), and was back at its earlier high 3 months and 15 months after the lows. Its ten largest positions make up 47.8% of the fund, out of 121 in all.
The short version
The iShares Global Healthcare ETF (IXJ) is a BlackRock index fund that tracks the S&P Global 1200 Health Care (Sector) Capped Index. That index holds large drugmakers, health insurers and medical-device companies from the US and other major markets. About 69% of its assets were in US stocks as of June 30, 2026, with the rest mostly in Switzerland, the UK and Japan. Its 0.38% expense ratio is much higher than XLV (0.08%) or VHT (0.09%).
Price history
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IXJ +19.5% over the year to Oct 27, 2026, total return with distributions reinvested.
How it has behaved
| YTD | 1 yr | 3 yr | 5 yr | 10 yr | Since start | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IXJ official prospectus, to Dec 31, 2025 | — | +14.85% | — | +6.37% | +8.17% | — |
| S&P Global Broad Market Index Net index, same period | — | +21.96% | — | +10.50% | +11.28% | — |
| IXJ price data to Oct 27, 2026 | +13.2% | +19.5% | +13.4% | +6.4% | +10.2% | +8.6% |
- Over the year to Oct 27, 2026, IXJ returned +19.5%, 7th of 9 among similar funds.
- Its 5-year annualized return was +6.4% and its 10-year +10.2%.
- In the 2020 COVID crash it fell 27.2% and regained its old high 2.5 months after the low.
- Its worst full calendar year was 2008 (-21.6%); its best was 2013 (+34.9%).
- The deepest fall in its price history was 41.7% (May 7, 2007 to Mar 9, 2009), recovered by May 12, 2011.
Show as a table
| Year | Price data | Prospectus (official) |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 (to date) | +13.2% | — |
| 2025 | +15.0% | +14.85% |
| 2024 | +0.6% | +0.60% |
| 2023 | +3.6% | +3.49% |
| 2022 | -4.9% | -4.69% |
| 2021 | +19.6% | +19.49% |
| 2020 | +12.7% | +12.48% |
| 2019 | +23.2% | +23.36% |
| 2018 | +2.8% | +2.85% |
| 2017 | +20.4% | +20.34% |
| 2016 | -6.0% | -6.19% |
| 2015 | +6.0% | — |
| 2014 | +17.3% | — |
| 2013 | +34.9% | — |
| 2012 | +16.3% | — |
| 2011 | +9.6% | — |
| 2010 | +0.7% | — |
| 2009 | +16.3% | — |
| 2008 | -21.6% | — |
| 2007 | +2.9% | — |
| 2006 | +10.0% | — |
| 2008 financial crisis stocks fell Oct 9, 2007 – Mar 9, 2009 | Lost 40.7% over that stretch · deepest drop along the way 41.5%, back to its old high 26.1 months after the low |
|---|---|
| 2020 COVID crash stocks fell Feb 19, 2020 – Mar 23, 2020 | Lost 27.2% over that stretch · deepest drop along the way 27.2%, back to its old high 2.5 months after the low |
| 2022 bear market stocks fell Jan 3, 2022 – Oct 12, 2022 | Lost 14.7% over that stretch · deepest drop along the way 17.5%, back to its old high 15.4 months after the low |
Dividends and income
Show as a table
| Year | Per share | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 (to date) | $0.8500 | |
| 2025 | $1.3600 | +5.4% |
| 2024 | $1.2900 | +7.5% |
| 2023 | $1.2000 | +21.2% |
| 2022 | $0.9900 | -2.0% |
| 2021 | $1.0100 | +4.1% |
| 2020 | $0.9700 | -1.0% |
| 2019 | $0.9800 | -18.3% |
| 2018 | $1.2000 | +45.5% |
| 2017 | $0.8250 | +0.6% |
| 2016 | $0.8200 | -43.8% |
| 2015 | $1.4600 | +113.1% |
| 2014 | $0.6850 | +62.7% |
| 2013 | $0.4210 | +14.6% |
| 2012 | $0.3675 | +20.8% |
| 2011 | $0.3043 | +6.8% |
| 2010 | $0.2850 | +11.3% |
| 2009 | $0.2560 | +0.6% |
| 2008 | $0.2545 | +1.4% |
| 2007 | $0.2510 | +106.2% |
| 2006 | $0.1217 |
What's inside
As of Jun 30, 2026, the fund held 121 securities; the ten largest made up 47.79% of assets.
| Holding | Weight | |
|---|---|---|
| ELI LILLY AND COMPANY | 10.93% | |
| JOHNSON & JOHNSON | 7.04% | |
| ABBVIE INC. | 5.12% | |
| UNITEDHEALTH GROUP INCORPORATED | 4.40% | |
| MERCK & CO., INC. | 4.12% | |
| ASTRAZENECA PLC | 3.76% | |
| Roche Holding AG | 3.75% | |
| Novartis AG | 3.71% | |
| AMGEN INC. | 2.54% | |
| THERMO FISHER SCIENTIFIC INCORPORATED | 2.42% | |
| ABBOTT LABORATORIES | 2.05% | |
| GILEAD SCIENCES, INC. | 2.04% | |
| NOVO NORDISK A/S | 1.99% | |
| INTUITIVE SURGICAL, INC. | 1.83% | |
| PFIZER INC. | 1.78% |
By country
United States 69.36%Switzerland 10.35%United Kingdom 5.83%Japan 3.68%Denmark 2.3%By asset type
Stocks 99.57%Other 0.04%By sector
Sectors of the companies held, for the 63% of the fund in companies that have a stock page here; other holdings and cash aren't classified. Source: N-PORT holdings report as of Jun 30, 2026. Cash, money-market funds and derivatives are shown separately from the securities list.What changed recently
- Over the three months to Jun 30, 2026, investors added a net $41.2M (creations minus redemptions, per the N-PORT report).
- Monthly total returns reported for that quarter: -0.77%, +1.74%, +4.94%.
How it works
IXJ follows an index run by S&P Dow Jones Indices. The index starts with the S&P Global 1200, a measure of large company stocks from major world markets, and keeps only the companies it classifies as healthcare. As of March 31, 2026, the index held companies from 15 countries, including the US, Switzerland, the UK, Japan, Denmark, France, Germany and South Korea.
The index puts a cap on its biggest names. Companies that each make up more than 5% of the index can't add up to more than 25% in total. At each quarterly review, the index trims them to tighter limits of 4.5% and 22.5%. It also rebalances on any day the 25% limit is broken. As of June 30, 2026, three companies were above 5%: Eli Lilly (10.9%), Johnson & Johnson (7.0%) and AbbVie (5.1%).
BlackRock uses "representative sampling." That means the fund buys a set of stocks chosen to behave like the index, so it may not own every index member. It held 121 companies as of June 30, 2026. It also held 1.27% in cash and one small stock derivative worth 0.02% of assets. Portfolio turnover was only 2%. The fund may lend up to one-third of its assets to other investors for a fee. It doesn't try to beat the index or move to safer assets when markets fall.
What it really costs
- IXJ charges 0.38% a year, versus an average of 0.37% for the similar funds below (4th of 9, cheapest first).
- Using the prospectus's standard example, $10,000 invested would cost about $39 in the first year and $480 over 10 years (assuming a 5% annual return).
| Cost of $10,000 (SEC example) | 1 yr | 3 yrs | 5 yrs | 10 yrs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| IXJ | $39 | $122 | $213 | $480 |
In a retirement portfolio
It holds a single sector, so it works better as a small slice next to broad stock and bond funds than as a main holding.
IXJ adds global healthcare companies to a portfolio. Those stocks haven't always held up in a crash. In the 2008 financial crisis the fund fell 41.5%. Its worst-ever drop was 41.7%, measured from May 2007, and it took about 26 months after the March 2009 low to get back to its old high. Based on price, its worst calendar year was 2008, when it lost 21.6%. In the 2020 COVID crash it fell 27.2% and recovered in about 2.5 months. In the 2022 bear market it fell 17.5% and didn't recover until January 2024, about 15 months later. A retiree who had to sell shares in those stretches would have locked in losses.
The income is small. The trailing yield was 1.33% as of October 27, 2026, and the fund pays twice a year. Under the SEC's standard example, $10,000 invested costs about $39 in the first year and $480 over 10 years. Past results don't predict the future, and a plan should look at the whole portfolio, not one fund.
Who it may suit — and who should look elsewhere
May suit
- Investors who want healthcare companies such as Roche, Novartis, AstraZeneca and Novo Nordisk alongside US names like Eli Lilly and Johnson & Johnson.
- Investors who want broad sector exposure of 121 large companies, with an index rule that limits how much the biggest names can weigh together.
- Buy-and-hold investors who like low trading inside the fund. Portfolio turnover was 2%, according to the prospectus filed July 27, 2026.
Look elsewhere if
- Cost-focused investors. Similar healthcare funds XLV and VHT charge 0.08% and 0.09% a year, compared with IXJ's 0.38%.
- Investors who need steady income. The trailing yield was 1.33% as of October 27, 2026, and the fund pays only twice a year.
- Investors who couldn't live with a 41.7% drop like 2007–2009. After the 2009 low, it took about 26 months to recover.
Close alternatives
Matched by holdings overlap from the latest N-PORT reports.
| Fund | Overlap | Cost | Net assets | 1 yr | 3 yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IXJ this fund | — | 0.38% | $3.84B | +19.5% | +13.4% |
| XLV Health Care Select Sector SPDR Fund | 71% | 0.08% | $40.60B | +30.2% | +16.2% |
| FHLC Fidelity MSCI Health Care Index ETF | 71% | 0.084% | $3.29B | +23.8% | +16.0% |
| VHT Vanguard Health Care ETF | 71% | 0.09% | $22.04B | +28.9% | +16.9% |
| IYH iShares U.S. Healthcare ETF | 66% | 0.39% | $3.56B | +23.8% | +15.0% |
| JDOC JPMorgan Healthcare Leaders ETF | 60% | 0.65% | $9.1M | +15.7% | — |
| RSPH Invesco S&P 500 Equal Weight Health Care ETF | 45% | 0.4% | $766.9M | +28.4% | +16.6% |
| GDOC Future Health Care Equity ETF | 40% | 0.75% | $19.6M | +9.7% | +11.2% |
Questions investors ask
What does IXJ invest in?
IXJ owns large healthcare stocks from around the world. It tracks the S&P Global 1200 Health Care (Sector) Capped Index and held 121 companies as of June 30, 2026. The largest were Eli Lilly (10.9%), Johnson & Johnson (7.0%), AbbVie (5.1%), UnitedHealth Group (4.4%) and Merck (4.1%). The top 10 made up about 48% of the fund. US stocks were about 69% of assets, followed by Switzerland at about 10% and the UK at about 6%.
What's the difference between IXJ and XLV?
The main differences are cost and reach. IXJ charges 0.38% a year, and XLV charges 0.08%. IXJ also holds companies from 15 countries in its index, while XLV is a much larger healthcare fund with about $40.6 billion in assets as of June 30, 2026. Their holdings overlap by about 71%. Over the past year, XLV returned 29.9% through October 29, 2026. IXJ returned 19.5% through October 27, 2026.
Does IXJ pay dividends?
Yes. IXJ pays dividends twice a year. Over the 12 months to October 27, 2026, it paid about $1.45 per share, a trailing yield of 1.33%. A trailing yield shows what the fund paid over the past year as a share of its price, and the amount can change. That yield is modest because most of the fund's return has come from share prices rising, not from income.
What is IXJ's expense ratio?
IXJ's expense ratio is 0.38% a year, according to the prospectus filed July 27, 2026. The whole amount is the management fee, and there is no fee waiver. Under the SEC's standard example, $10,000 invested would cost about $39 in one year, $213 over five years and $480 over 10 years. The average for similar funds is 0.37%, but XLV, VHT and FHLC each charge under 0.10%.
How has IXJ performed over 10 years?
As of December 31, 2025, IXJ returned 8.17% a year over 10 years, according to its prospectus. Over five years it returned 6.37% a year, and over one year 14.85%. It trailed the prospectus comparison index, the S&P Global Broad Market Index Net, which returned 11.28%, 10.5% and 21.96%. Its worst calendar year in that decade was 2016, with a loss of 6.19%. Past returns don't predict future results.