Twelve Health Care ETFs Trading Near 52-Week Highs

PowerShares S&P SmallCap Health Care PSCH is up nearly 22% year to date. The investment seeks to replicate the S&P SmallCap 600 Capped Health Care index, which is comprised of common stocks of U.S. health care companies. Top holdings include Regeneron Pharmaceuticals REGN, Amerigroup AGP and Cooper Companies COO. SPDR S&P Biotech XBI is up more than 19% since the beginning of the year. The underlying index represents the biotechnology subindustry portion of the S&P Total Market index. Top holdings include Theravance THRX and Savient Pharmaceuticals SVNT. PowerShares Dynamic Healthcare PTH is up nearly 19% year to date. The underlying index consists of U.S. companies engaged in providing health care-related products and services, including biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, medical technology, supplies and facilities. Top holdings include Biogen Idec BIIB, Humana HUM and St. Jude Medical STJ. First Trust Health Care AlphaDEX FXH is up more than 18% year to date. The investment seeks results that correspond generally to the price and yield of the StrataQuant Health Care Index. Top holdings include Regeneron Pharmaceuticals REGN, Endo Pharmaceuticals ENDP and UnitedHealth Group UNH. SPDR S&P Health Care Equipment XHE is about 17% higher since the beginning of the year. The fund tracks the total return performance of the S&P Health Care Equipment Select Industry Index. Top holdings include Mako Surgical MAKO and NuVasive NUVA. Rydex S&P Equal Weight Health Care RYH is up nearly 17% since the beginning of the year. The fund uses a passive management strategy to track the performance of the underlying index. Top holdings include Cephalon CEPH, MedcoHealth Solutions MHS and Biogen Idec BIIB. iShares Nasdaq Biotechnology IBB is up more than 14% year to date. The fund normally invests at least 90% of assets in securities of Nasdaq-listed companies that are classified as either biotechnology or pharmaceuticals. Top holdings include Amgen AMGN, Teva Pharmaceutical TEVA and Celgene CELG. Vanguard Health Care ETF VHT is about 14% higher than at the beginning of the year. The fund invests substantially all of its assets in the stocks that make up the MSCI U.S. Investable Market Health Care 25/50 Index. Top holdings include Johnson & Johnson JNJ, Pfizer PFE and Merck MRK. iShares S&P Global Healthcare Sector Index Fund IXJ is up nearly 14% year to date. The fund generally invests at least 90% of its assets in securities of health care providers, biotechnology companies and manufacturers of medical supplies, advanced medical devices and pharmaceuticals. Top holdings include Johnson & Johnson JNJ, Pfizer PFE and Merck MRK. PowerShares Dynamic Pharmaceuticals PJP is up nearly 14% year to date. The investment seeks to replicate the Dynamic Pharmaceuticals Intellidex index, which includes companies engaged in the research, development, manufacture, sale or distribution of pharmaceuticals and drugs of all types. Top holdings include Eli Lilly LLY, Merck MRK and Amgen AMGN. iShares Dow Jones U.S. Healthcare IYH is nearly 14% higher than at the beginning of year. The fund invests at least 90% of its assets in securities of health care equipment and services, pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies. Top holdings include Johnson & Johnson JNJ, Pfizer PFE and Merck MRK. SPDR S&P Pharmaceuticals XPH is up about 13% since the beginning of the year. The underlying index represents the pharmaceuticals subindustry portion of the S&P Total Market index. Top holdings include Questcor Pharmaceuticals QCOR, VIVUS VVUS and Valeant Pharmaceutical VRX.