ETF Explainer: IHF

Each month, we look at an ETF selected by ETF.com based on its performance and importance to investors. This month, we consider the performance of the $883 million iShares U.S. Healthcare Providers ETF (IHF), which covers U.S. companies offering health care services. All the companies mentioned below are holdings in IHF, unless otherwise noted (*).

JAN 30 Anthem exceeds expectations for its fourth-quarter revenue and earnings, and issues a better-than-expected earnings forecast, boosting its stock significantly.

FEB 20 CVS’ stock price plunges after the company issues a lower-thanexpected earnings forecast for 2019. The expectations suggest CVS is still dealing with the challenges of its Aetna acquisition

APR 16 HCA Healthcare’s share price sinks more than 10% on worries that Medicare-for-all legislation promoted by multiple presidential candidates could damage the company’s future.

JUL 11 UnitedHealth Group’s stock rises more than 5% after the Trump administration walks back its proposed plan to halt the rebates paid to insurance companies by drugmakers.

SEP 5 Cigna announces a plan to fully cover gene therapy treatments and provide increased access for its members to the expensive therapies, sparking a multiday increase in its stock price.

NOV 6 Humana reports strong third-quarter results, exceeding analyst expectations, and says the layoffs of 800 employees announced previously were part of a cost-saving effort.

Source: Bloomberg. Data for 11/30/2018 to 11/30/2019.