Vertex Pharmaceuticals' Rally Has a New Engine -- and Wall Street Thinks the Best Is Still Ahead

Vertex Pharmaceuticals strengthens its dominant position in the cystic fibrosis market after competitor Sionna Therapeutics failed a clinical trial for its CF drug candidate. With continued CF portfolio improvements, patent exclusivity until the late 2030s, and promising newer medicines like Casgevy for rare blood diseases and Journavx for pain management, Wall Street remains bullish on Vertex's growth prospects.

08/20/2026, 3:30 PM • The Motley Fool

Invesco Nasdaq Biotech vs. Invesco Pharma: How Do These ETFs Stack Up?

The Invesco Pharmaceuticals ETF (PJP) offers concentrated exposure to 29 pharma giants with better historical returns and lower volatility, while the Invesco Nasdaq Biotechnology ETF (IBBQ) provides broader diversification across 251 holdings at a lower expense ratio of 0.19% versus 0.57%. Despite IBBQ's cost advantage, PJP is recommended as the better buy due to its significantly larger asset base ($512.6M vs $81M), which addresses liquidity concerns.

08/19/2026, 7:15 AM • The Motley Fool

AbbVie vs. Bristol-Myers Squibb: Which Healthcare Stock Is a Better Buy in 2026?

AbbVie and Bristol-Myers Squibb are compared as dividend-paying pharmaceutical investments. AbbVie shows stronger revenue growth (8.6% YoY) driven by Skyrizi and Rinvoq, while Bristol-Myers Squibb faces patent cliff headwinds despite trading at a significant valuation discount. The article recommends AbbVie for long-term investors due to its focused operations, accelerating neuroscience portfolio, and attractive dividend, despite Bristol-Myers Squibb's recovery potential.

08/14/2026, 3:26 PM • The Motley Fool

Simplify's PINK or iShares' IYH: Which Healthcare ETF Should Long-Term Investors Choose Right Now?

Simplify Health Care ETF (PINK) has delivered superior 1-year returns of 42% versus iShares U.S. Healthcare ETF's (IYH) 31.4%, driven by active management focused on healthcare innovation and a charitable mission donating profits to cancer research. However, IYH offers lower costs (0.38% vs 0.51% expense ratio), higher dividend yield (1.1% vs 0.6%), and a proven 25+ year track record, making it the more suitable choice for most long-term conservative investors despite PINK's recent outperformance.

08/13/2026, 3:34 PM • The Motley Fool

AbbVie vs. CVS Health: Which Healthcare Stock Is a Better Buy in 2026?

The article compares AbbVie and CVS Health as healthcare investment options in 2026. AbbVie, a biopharmaceutical company with a $438B market cap, is recommended as the better choice due to its focused growth trajectory, strong drug pipeline (Skyrizi and Rinvoq), and attractive dividend yield. CVS Health, a diversified healthcare provider with a $122B market cap managing 37 million medical members, is acknowledged as a turnaround story showing stabilization but is considered less compelling than AbbVie's growth prospects.

08/11/2026, 4:27 PM • The Motley Fool

iShares Global Healthcare ETF vs State Street SPDR Biotech ETF. Which Healthcare-Focused Fund Will Bring You Profits in 2026 and Beyond?

The article compares two healthcare-focused ETFs: iShares Global Healthcare ETF (IXJ) and State Street SPDR S&P Biotech ETF (XBI). XBI delivered superior 1-year returns of 80.2% with small-cap biotech focus but carries higher volatility (54% max drawdown). IXJ offers more stability with lower volatility, higher dividend yield (1.4%), and international diversification across large-cap pharmaceutical and healthcare companies. The analysis recommends XBI for long-term investors prioritizing performance despite greater risk.

08/08/2026, 12:02 PM • The Motley Fool

Vanguard Health Care ETF vs State Street XLV: Which ETF Is the Better Buy for Investors in 2026?

The article compares two healthcare sector ETFs: Vanguard Health Care ETF (VHT) with 423 holdings and State Street Health Care Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLV) with 60 holdings. While XLV has slightly lower expenses (0.08% vs 0.09%) and better 5-year returns, VHT outperforms on 1-year returns and offers broader diversification. The analysis recommends VHT for long-term investors due to superior recent performance and lower concentration risk.

08/08/2026, 11:33 AM • The Motley Fool

Nxera Pharma Operational Highlights and Consolidated Results for the Second Quarter 2026

Nxera Pharma reported strong Q2 2026 results with revenue of JPY 18.9 billion, up from the prior year, driven by eight R&D milestone events. The company achieved key regulatory designations for vamorolone in South Korea, progressed partnered programs with Neurocrine, Lilly, and AbbVie, and benefited from Lilly's acquisition of Centessa Pharmaceuticals. Operating profit turned positive at JPY 1.9 billion versus a prior loss, with core operating profit reaching JPY 6.5 billion.

08/07/2026, 2:30 AM • GlobeNewswire

State Street XLV vs VanEck BBH: Which Healthcare ETF Is the Better Buy in 2026?

State Street's XLV healthcare ETF offers broader exposure with lower costs (0.08% expense ratio) and higher dividend yield (1.6%), delivering 30% more growth over five years with lower volatility. VanEck's BBH biotech ETF provides concentrated exposure to 25 biotech stocks with higher recent returns but greater risk, making XLV the better choice for long-term investors seeking defensive characteristics.

08/05/2026, 3:02 PM • The Motley Fool

XLV vs. IBBQ: Is Broad Healthcare Exposure or Biotech Growth the Better ETF Buy?

XLV, a broad healthcare ETF, offers lower costs (0.08% expense ratio) and higher dividend yield (1.60%) with more stability, while IBBQ, a concentrated biotech ETF, delivered stronger one-year returns (45.52% vs 26.79%) but with significantly higher volatility and drawdown risk. The choice depends on investor risk tolerance and investment objectives.

08/01/2026, 5:11 PM • The Motley Fool

Healthcare Stocks Are Having a Good Year. Should You Buy a Fidelity or iShares ETF to Profit?

The article compares two healthcare-focused ETFs: Fidelity MSCI Health Care Index ETF (FHLC) and iShares U.S. Healthcare ETF (IYH). FHLC is recommended as the better choice due to its significantly lower expense ratio (0.08% vs 0.38%), broader diversification with 334 holdings versus 100, and consistent outperformance across multiple time periods. Over 10 years, a $10,000 investment in FHLC would have yielded approximately $1,900 more than IYH.

08/01/2026, 1:28 PM • The Motley Fool

VHT vs. PBE: Which Health Care ETF Is the Better Buy?

The Vanguard Health Care ETF (VHT) offers broad healthcare exposure with a low 0.09% expense ratio and 423 holdings, while the Invesco Biotechnology & Genome ETF (PBE) provides focused biotech exposure with 31 holdings and higher growth potential. PBE delivered a stronger 40.88% one-year return but experienced greater volatility with a 37.84% maximum drawdown, while VHT returned 27.85% with lower risk. VHT suits conservative investors seeking steady, low-cost exposure, while PBE appeals to risk-tolerant investors chasing biotech innovation.

07/30/2026, 9:09 AM • The Motley Fool

Vanguard Health Care ETF Outperforms VanEck Biotech on Returns, Yield, and Fees

Vanguard Health Care ETF (VHT) outperforms VanEck Biotech ETF (BBH) with lower fees (0.09% vs 0.35%), higher dividend yield (1.6% vs 0.5%), and superior 5-year returns ($1,278 vs $1,004 on $1,000 invested). VHT offers broad diversification across 411 healthcare holdings, while BBH provides concentrated biotech exposure with 25 stocks and higher volatility.

07/28/2026, 8:20 AM • The Motley Fool

XLV vs FHLC: Which Healthcare ETF Fits Your Portfolio?

The State Street Health Care Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLV) and Fidelity MSCI Health Care Index ETF (FHLC) both offer low-cost healthcare exposure with identical 0.08% expense ratios. XLV focuses on 60 mega-cap healthcare stocks and has delivered stronger 5-year returns ($1,332 vs $1,276 on $1,000 invested), higher dividend yield (1.60% vs 1.30%), and greater liquidity with $41.7B in AUM. FHLC provides broader diversification with 365 holdings including mid and small-cap stocks. Over 10 years, both underperformed the S&P 500 significantly, with XLV returning 157% (9.9% CAGR) and FHLC returning 159% (10.0% CAGR) versus the S&P 500's 301% (14.9% CAGR).

07/27/2026, 8:35 AM • The Motley Fool

Is the VanEck Pharmaceutical ETF or State Street Health Care ETF the Better Buy for Your Portfolio?

The article compares two healthcare ETFs: VanEck Pharmaceutical ETF (PPH), which focuses exclusively on 25 pharmaceutical companies with higher returns but higher costs, and State Street Health Care Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLV), which offers broader diversification across 60 healthcare positions with lower fees. While XLV outperforms over 10 years, PPH delivers superior 3-year and 5-year returns. The article recommends PPH for investors seeking recent performance gains, though XLV offers better cost efficiency and diversification.

07/26/2026, 1:01 PM • The Motley Fool