TipRanks
Go Ultimate55% OFF

Top Page

PPH

VanEck Pharmaceutical ETF (PPH)

Rating:72Outperform
Price Target:$121.00â–²(1.40% Upside)

PPH, the VanEck Pharmaceutical ETF, earns a solid overall rating thanks to heavy exposure to strong global pharma leaders like Eli Lilly and Merck, which bring robust financial performance, promising drug pipelines, and supportive earnings outlooks. At the same time, holdings such as Teva and McKesson introduce some drag due to higher debt and profitability concerns, and the fund’s focus on the pharmaceutical sector means investors are exposed to industry-specific risks like regulatory changes and product setbacks.

Positive Factors
Strong Overall PerformanceThe ETF has delivered strong year-to-date returns, showing solid momentum in the current market.
Leading Pharmaceutical HoldingsSeveral major drug companies in the top holdings, such as Eli Lilly, Merck, Pfizer, and McKesson, have shown strong performance, helping support the fund’s gains.
Focused Healthcare ExposureThe fund’s heavy tilt toward the health care sector gives investors targeted exposure to pharmaceutical and related businesses, which can benefit from long-term demand for medicines.
Negative Factors
High Stock ConcentrationA large portion of the portfolio is concentrated in a few companies, especially Eli Lilly and Merck, which increases the impact of any negative news in those stocks.
Single-Sector RiskWith most assets in health care, the ETF is vulnerable if the pharmaceutical industry faces regulatory changes, pricing pressure, or other sector-specific challenges.
Limited Geographic DiversificationThe fund is heavily invested in U.S. companies with only a small allocation to Israel, offering little protection if the U.S. market or its healthcare policies turn unfavorable.

PPH vs. SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY)

AUM
1.08B
Region
Global
Expense Ratio
0.36%
Beta
0.31
Issuer
VanEck
Inception Date
Dec 20, 2011
Dividend Yield
1.79%
Asset Class
Equity
Index Tracked
MVIS US Listed Pharmaceutical 25

PPH Summary

VanEck Pharmaceutical ETF (PPH) is a fund that follows the MVIS US Listed Pharmaceutical 25 Index, focusing on major drug and healthcare companies. It owns well-known names like Eli Lilly and Merck, along with other global pharmaceutical firms that develop and sell medicines and treatments. Investors might consider PPH for long-term growth tied to new drugs, aging populations, and rising healthcare spending, while also getting diversification across many pharma stocks instead of picking just one company. A key risk is that it is heavily concentrated in the pharmaceutical sector, so its value can rise or fall sharply with changes in drug pricing, regulation, or healthcare news.

How much will it cost me?

PPH has an expense ratio of 0.36%, which means you’ll pay about $3.60 per year for every $1,000 invested. This cost is slightly higher than the cheapest broad-market index ETFs because PPH is a more specialized, sector-focused fund that requires more targeted management.

What would affect this ETF?

PPH could benefit from global aging populations, rising healthcare spending, and successful new drug launches by major holdings like Eli Lilly, Merck, and Novo Nordisk, especially if governments continue to support access to medicines. On the negative side, tighter drug price regulations, patent expirations, safety issues, or weaker economic conditions that pressure healthcare budgets could hurt profits for its large pharmaceutical companies and weigh on the ETF’s performance.

PPH Top 10 Holdings

PPH is essentially a bet on Big Pharma, with Eli Lilly sitting in the driver’s seat as a rising heavyweight that’s been powering recent gains. Merck and Pfizer are also pulling their weight, with steady-to-rising performance that helps keep the fund’s overall trajectory positive. On the flip side, Novo Nordisk and Haleon have been more mixed to lagging, acting like a bit of a brake on returns. With a tight focus on global pharmaceutical names and heavy concentration in a few U.S. giants, this ETF lives and dies by the fortunes of its largest drugmakers.

PPH top ten holdings
NameCompany NameWeight %Market ValueMarket CapYearly GainOverall Rating
LLYLLYEli Lilly & Co22.11%$230.30M$1.33T67.86%72Outperform
MRKMRKMerck & Company12.40%$129.12M$368.89B73.30%80Outperform
NVONVONovo Nordisk5.43%$56.54M$176.13B-20.06%73Outperform
PFEPFEPfizer5.11%$53.26M$173.95B25.65%74Outperform
MCKMCKMcKesson4.68%$48.71M$115.96B20.48%62Neutral
IL:TEVAIL:TEVATeva4.60%$47.95MILS 149.16B94.35%61Neutral
BMYBMYBristol-Myers Squibb4.54%$47.25M$127.71B36.96%78Outperform
GSKGSKGlaxoSmithKline4.35%$45.32M$99.63B5.48%77Outperform
CORCORCencora4.36%$45.36M$63.13B-3.04%70Neutral
HLNHLNHaleon PLC Sponsored ADR3.94%$40.99M$37.64B-5.66%67Neutral

PPH Technical Analysis

Technical Analysis SentimentPositive
Last Price119.33

Price Trends

50DMA112.38Positive
100DMA110.63Positive
200DMA107.03Positive

Market Momentum

MACD1.63Negative
RSI68.33Neutral
STOCH62.39Neutral

Evaluating momentum and price trends is crucial in ETF analysis to make informed investment decisions. For PPH, the sentiment is Positive. The current price of 119.33 is above the 20-day moving average (MA) of 113.14, above the 50-day MA of 112.38, and above the 200-day MA of 107.03, indicating a bullish trend. The MACD of 1.63 indicates Negative momentum. The RSI at 68.33 is Neutral, neither overbought nor oversold. The STOCH value of 62.39 is Neutral, not indicating any strong overbought or oversold conditions. Overall, these indicators collectively point to a Positive sentiment for PPH.

PPH Peer Comparison

Comparison Results

PPH against its peer funds
NamePricePrice TargetAUMExpense RatioOverall Rating
PPHPPH$119.33$121.00(1.40% Upside)$1.08B0.36%72Outperform
IXNIXN$134.69$185.90(38.02% Upside)$9.37B0.37%65Neutral
GUNRGUNR$53.53$60.58(13.16% Upside)$7.02B0.46%60Neutral
SHLDSHLD$63.78$75.63(18.58% Upside)$6.72B0.50%65Neutral
COPXCOPX$71.96$98.29(36.59% Upside)$6.62B0.65%69Neutral
IXJIXJ$112.66$119.93(6.45% Upside)$4.62B0.38%71Outperform

Performance Comparison

0%20%40%60%PPHIXNGUNRSHLDCOPXIXJDec '25Jan '26Feb '26Mar '26Apr '26May '26Jun '26Jul '26Aug '26Sep '26Oct '26
PPH and its peers over the selected period
Show on chartTickerCompany NamePriceChange% Change
PPHVanEck Pharmaceutical ETF119.3328.3431.15%
IXNiShares Global Tech ETF134.6924.5122.25%
GUNRFlexShares Morningstar Global Upstream Natural Resources Index Fund53.5311.2726.67%
SHLDGlobal X Defense Tech ETF63.78-4.54-6.65%
COPXGlobal X Copper Miners ETF71.9613.3322.74%
IXJiShares Global Healthcare ETF112.6622.8025.38%
Glossary
BuyAn ETF rated as a "Buy" is expected to perform better than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests the ETF is likely to deliver higher returns compared to other ETFs in the same sector or market index. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
HoldAn ETF rated as a "Hold" s expected to perform in line with the overall market or a specific benchmark. This rating indicates that the ETF is neither particularly compelling nor unfavorable for investment. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
SellAn ETF rated as a "Sell" is expected to perform worse than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests the ETF may deliver lower returns compared to other ETFs in the same sector or market index. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
Disclaimer

This AI Analyst ETF Report is automatically generated by our AI systems using advanced algorithms and publicly available financial, technical, and market data. While the information provided aims to be accurate and insightful, it is intended for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial advice. Any content created by an AI (Artificial Intelligence) system may contain inaccuracies and/or contain errors. Investing in ETFs carries inherent risks, and past performance is not indicative of future results. This report does not account for your personal financial circumstances, objectives, or risk tolerance. Always conduct your own research or consult with a qualified financial advisor before making investment decisions. The analysis and recommendations provided are based on historical and current data and may not fully reflect future market conditions or unexpected developments. Neither the creators of this report nor its affiliated entities guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of the information presented. Use this report at your own discretion and risk.