BEAM vs IBB: Correlation
Measured on weekly returns over the past three years, Beam Therapeutics Inc. (BEAM) and iShares Biotechnology ETF (IBB) carry a correlation of 0.60, a strong link.
Data as of 2026-08-27 · refreshed every trading day · weekly returns · methodology
How correlated are BEAM and IBB?
Over the past 3 years, BEAM and IBB moved with a correlation of 0.60, which is strong. The past 12 months show a weaker link (0.49) than the 3-year average (0.60). Over 5 years the correlation is 0.61, and the annualized covariance of weekly returns is 898.8 %².
Within BEAM's tracked universe of 20 assets, IBB comes in at #5 by 3-year correlation. Correlation aside, the last 12 months split them widely, with BEAM ahead by 25.4 points (+80.8% versus +55.4%). Risk is not evenly split, since BEAM carries 3.5 times the volatility of the other side.
How is this computed?
Pearson correlation on weekly returns: ρ(A,B) = cov(rA, rB) / (σA · σB), over windows of 52, 156 and 260 weeks. Covariance is annualized (×52) and expressed in %². Full definitions on the methodology page.
BEAM vs IBB: side by side
| BEAM (Beam Therapeutics Inc.) | IBB (iShares Biotechnology ETF) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year return | +80.8% | +55.4% |
| 5-year return | -71.5% | +26.6% |
| Volatility (ann.) | 72.6% | 20.7% |
| Beta vs S&P 500 | 2.39 | 0.81 |
| Max drawdown (3Y) | -67.7% | -24.9% |
| Market cap | $3.1B | – |
| P/E (trailing) | – | – |
| Dividend yield | 0.00% | 0.22% |
| Expense ratio | – | 0.44% |
| Assets under management | – | $9.2B |
| Sector / category | US Listed | ETF · Thematic |
IBB, iShares's Health fund, carries $9.2B under management, 235 holdings, a 0.44% expense ratio, a 0.22% trailing dividend yield.
Year-by-year returns
| Year | BEAM | IBB |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | -50.9% | -13.7% |
| 2023 | -30.4% | +3.8% |
| 2024 | -8.9% | -2.4% |
| 2025 | +11.8% | +28.0% |
| 2026 | +10.0% | +27.4% |
Calendar-year price returns; the current year is year-to-date as of the data date above.
Fund exposure
Keep in mind that IBB holds BEAM at a 0.2% weight, which makes a slice of this correlation mechanical rather than coincidental.
Are BEAM and IBB good diversifiers for each other?
To a limited degree. At 0.60 the two still catch most of the same waves, so the pair smooths returns a little without insulating either from a shared selloff.
FAQ
What is the correlation between BEAM and IBB?
Using weekly returns as of 2026-08-27: 0.60 over 3 years, with 0.49 over the last year and 0.61 over 5 years.
Is IBB a good diversifier for BEAM?
To a limited degree. At 0.60 the two still catch most of the same waves, so the pair smooths returns a little without insulating either from a shared selloff.
What does a correlation of 0.60 mean?
On the −1 to +1 scale, 0.60 describes how much the two returns move together: +1 is lockstep, 0 is independence, negative values mean opposite directions. It says nothing about which performed better.
Use this data
$ curl https://www.pairbook.io/api/v1/pairs/beam-vs-ibb.json
Embed this badge (it refreshes with the data), with attribution:
[](https://www.pairbook.io/pair/beam-vs-ibb/)
No key needed, free to use. Full endpoint list in the API documentation.
Related comparisons
Hubs: BEAM correlations · IBB correlations
