IBB vs PGEN: Correlation
How closely do iShares Biotechnology ETF (IBB) and Precigen, Inc. (PGEN) trade together? Their weekly returns over three years give a correlation of 0.46, which is moderate.
Data as of 2026-08-27 · refreshed every trading day · weekly returns · methodology
How correlated are IBB and PGEN?
Over the past 3 years, IBB and PGEN moved with a correlation of 0.46, which is moderate. Lately the two have drifted apart, with the 1-year correlation at 0.35 versus 0.46 over 3 years. Over 5 years the correlation is 0.46, and the annualized covariance of weekly returns is 890.7 %².
Within IBB's tracked universe of 168 assets, PGEN comes in at #121 by 3-year correlation. Twelve-month performance is nearly a tie, at +55.4% for IBB and +56.6% for PGEN. One caveat on sizing: PGEN is 4.5 times as volatile as the other leg, so an equal-dollar split is far from equal-risk.
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.
IBB vs PGEN: side by side
| IBB (iShares Biotechnology ETF) | PGEN (Precigen, Inc.) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year return | +55.4% | +56.6% |
| 5-year return | +26.6% | +20.8% |
| Volatility (ann.) | 20.7% | 92.8% |
| Beta vs S&P 500 | 0.81 | 1.77 |
| Max drawdown (3Y) | -24.9% | -64.4% |
| Market cap | – | $2.6B |
| P/E (trailing) | – | – |
| Dividend yield | 0.22% | 0.00% |
| Expense ratio | 0.44% | – |
| Assets under management | $9.2B | – |
| Sector / category | ETF · Thematic | US Listed |
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 | IBB | PGEN |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | -13.7% | -59.0% |
| 2023 | +3.8% | -11.8% |
| 2024 | -2.4% | -16.4% |
| 2025 | +28.0% | +273.2% |
| 2026 | +27.4% | +72.0% |
Calendar-year price returns; the current year is year-to-date as of the data date above.
Fund exposure
A structural note: 0.08% of IBB is PGEN itself, so the fund partly moves with the stock by construction.
Are IBB and PGEN good diversifiers for each other?
Reasonably. At 0.46, IBB and PGEN keep a meaningful degree of independence, and combining them has historically reduced portfolio volatility.
FAQ
What is the correlation between IBB and PGEN?
The IBB/PGEN correlation stands at 0.46 on a 3-year window (1 year: 0.35, 5 years: 0.46), computed from weekly returns as of 2026-08-27.
Is PGEN a good diversifier for IBB?
Reasonably. At 0.46, IBB and PGEN keep a meaningful degree of independence, and combining them has historically reduced portfolio volatility.
What does a correlation of 0.46 mean?
Correlation ranges from −1 to +1. Values near +1 mean two assets move together, near 0 that they move independently, and negative values that they tend to move in opposite directions. It measures co-movement, not performance.
Use this data
$ curl https://www.pairbook.io/api/v1/pairs/ibb-vs-pgen.json
Markdown for the live badge, attribution link included:
[](https://www.pairbook.io/pair/ibb-vs-pgen/)
The core API is free. Terms and every endpoint in the API documentation.
Related comparisons
Hubs: IBB correlations · PGEN correlations
