ARKG vs IBB Stock Comparison: AI Score, Valuation, Performance and Upside
ARKG and IBB sit in related but distinct corners of the ETF landscape — ARKG centers on concentrated, actively managed exposure to genomic and biotech innovation, while IBB focuses on the standard, most liquid broad biotechnology industry fund. Investors choosing between them should weigh how each fund's strategy lines up with their own goals rather than assuming they're interchangeable.
Choosing between ARKG and IBB comes down to which specific exposure — concentrated, actively managed exposure to genomic and biotech innovation or the standard, most liquid broad biotechnology industry fund — better matches the role you want this holding to play in a diversified portfolio.
IBB holds the edge across 4 of 5 key metrics in this comparison. ARKG has delivered stronger 1-year price return (+87.14% vs +42.71% for IBB).
- want concentrated, actively managed exposure to genomic and biotech innovation
- prefer ARK Invest's approach and fund lineup
- value pure-play, high-conviction exposure to gene-editing and genomics innovation
- are comfortable with extremely volatile with a history of deep, multi-year drawdowns
- want the standard, most liquid broad biotechnology industry fund
- prefer iShares (BlackRock)'s approach and fund lineup
- value deepest liquidity of any biotech-focused ETF
- are comfortable with binary clinical-trial and FDA-decision risk across many holdings
| Metric | ARKG | IBB |
|---|---|---|
| ETF scorei | 59.0 | 75.0 |
| Latest closei | $51.64 | $204.56 |
| 1M returni | +8.19% | -5.71% |
| 6M returni | +98.23% | +26.57% |
| 1Y returni | +87.14% | +42.71% |
The ETF score weights long-term returns and risk-adjusted performance most heavily, but still rewards low expense ratios, larger fund size, and broader diversification — so it can favor low-cost, broad, mega-cap funds over smaller thematic or actively-managed funds even when the latter have delivered stronger returns.
How much would $10,000 be worth today if invested at the start of each period, with all dividends reinvested?
| Period | ARKG | IBB |
|---|---|---|
| 1Y ago | $18.71K (+87.1%) started 2025-09-18 | $14.3K (+43.0%) started 2025-09-18 |
| 5Y ago | $6.51K (-34.9%) started 2021-09-20 | $12.37K (+23.7%) started 2021-09-20 |
| 10Y ago | $30.65K (+206.5%) started 2016-09-19 | $22.17K (+121.7%) started 2016-09-19 |
Hypothetical — past performance does not guarantee future results.
| Metric | ARKG | IBB |
|---|---|---|
| Expense ratioi | 0.75% | 0.44% |
| Total assets (AUM)i | $2.02B | $10.47B |
| Dividend yieldi | 0.00% | 0.20% |
| Trailing P/Ei | N/A | 25.56 |
| Betai | 1.77 | 0.73 |
| 52-week change | 87.14% | 42.71% |
| Metric | ARKG | IBB |
|---|---|---|
| 1Y returni | +87.14% | +42.71% |
| 6M returni | +98.23% | +26.57% |
| 1M returni | +8.19% | -5.71% |
| 1Y Sharpe ratio | 1.53 | 1.54 |
| Betai | 1.77 | 0.73 |
| Dividend yieldi | 0.00% | 0.20% |
| 5Y CAGR | -8.35% | +4.06% |
Over the past year, ARKG and IBB have moved moderately in the same direction (correlation of 0.70), based on daily returns.
Lower drawdown and smaller single-period drops generally indicate a smoother ride, though they do not guarantee lower future risk.
| Period | Metric | ARKG | IBB |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1Y | Growthi | +87.14% | +42.71% |
| CAGRi | +87.22% | +42.74% | |
| Volatilityi | 44.71% | 21.80% | |
| Sharpe ratioi | 1.53 | 1.54 | |
| Sortino ratioi | 2.54 | 2.46 | |
| Max drawdowni | 27.51% | 9.63% | |
| Current drawdowni | 0.00% | 5.71% | |
| Avg drawdowni | 9.42% | 2.71% | |
| Ulcer Indexi | 11.57% | 3.53% | |
| Max daily dropi | 7.89% | 3.01% | |
| Max wkly dropi | 12.31% | 5.22% | |
| 5Y | Growthi | -35.31% | +22.01% |
| CAGRi | -8.35% | +4.06% | |
| Volatilityi | 46.63% | 22.29% | |
| Sharpe ratioi | -0.05 | 0.09 | |
| Sortino ratioi | -0.08 | 0.13 | |
| Max drawdowni | 77.32% | 39.02% | |
| Current drawdowni | 36.14% | 5.71% | |
| Avg drawdowni | 59.15% | 19.53% | |
| Ulcer Indexi | 60.81% | 21.71% | |
| Max daily dropi | 9.72% | 5.77% | |
| Max wkly dropi | 24.54% | 12.64% | |
| 10Y | Growthi | +182.84% | +116.01% |
| CAGRi | +10.96% | +8.01% | |
| Volatilityi | 41.73% | 23.21% | |
| Sharpe ratioi | 0.35 | 0.25 | |
| Sortino ratioi | 0.51 | 0.36 | |
| Max drawdowni | 83.59% | 39.82% | |
| Current drawdowni | 53.80% | 5.71% | |
| Avg drawdowni | 39.61% | 13.68% | |
| Ulcer Indexi | 51.01% | 17.10% | |
| Max daily dropi | 13.76% | 8.96% | |
| Max wkly dropi | 27.43% | 18.45% |
| Category | ARKG | IBB |
|---|---|---|
| Fund name | ARK Genomic Revolution ETF | iShares Biotechnology ETF |
| Type | ETF | ETF |
| Expense ratioi | 0.75% | 0.44% |
| Total assets (AUM)i | $2.02B | $10.47B |
| Dividend yieldi | 0.00% | 0.20% |
- Pure-play, high-conviction exposure to gene-editing and genomics innovation
- Active management can capitalize on fast-moving scientific breakthroughs
- Potential for outsized gains if genomic medicine breakthroughs accelerate
- Deepest liquidity of any biotech-focused ETF
- Includes established, profitable biotech leaders alongside growth names
- Long track record through multiple biotech market cycles
- Extremely volatile with a history of deep, multi-year drawdowns
- Concentrated in small, often unprofitable biotech companies
- Active management style has led to significant style-timing risk
- Binary clinical-trial and FDA-decision risk across many holdings
- Drug-pricing and regulatory policy risk
- More volatile than the broad market given industry concentration
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