AXTI vs. SMH
AXTI (AXT, Inc.) is a stock, while SMH (VanEck Semiconductor ETF) is Semiconductors fund tracking the MVIS US Listed Semiconductor 25 Index. Over the past 10 years, AXTI returned 33.32%/yr vs 33.99%/yr for SMH. Their 0.41 correlation means their historical movements had little consistent relationship.
Performance
AXTI vs. SMH - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, AXTI achieves a 320.00% return, which is significantly higher than SMH's 51.46% return. Both investments have delivered pretty close results over the past 10 years, with AXTI having a 33.32% annualized return and SMH not far ahead at 33.99%.
AXTI
- 1D
- 13.64%
- 1M
- 21.28%
- 6M
- 227.94%
- YTD
- 320.00%
- 1Y
- 3,476.56%
- 3Y*
- 186.50%
- 5Y*
- 48.28%
- 10Y*
- 33.32%
- ALL TIME*
- 6.89%
SMH
- 1D
- 0.91%
- 1M
- -7.91%
- 6M
- 33.70%
- YTD
- 51.46%
- 1Y
- 92.69%
- 3Y*
- 53.04%
- 5Y*
- 32.99%
- 10Y*
- 33.99%
- ALL TIME*
- 11.09%
Liquidity Comparison
| Position | Avg. Volume Value (2W) | Avg. Volume Value (1M) | Avg. Volume Value (3M) |
|---|---|---|---|
AXTI AXT, Inc. | $610.63M | $544.68M | $821.30M |
| $8.29B | $7.23B | $7.12B |
AXTI vs. SMH - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
AXTI AXT, Inc. | 320.00% | 653.46% | -9.58% | -45.21% | -50.28% | -7.94% | 120.00% | -0.00% | -50.00% | 81.25% |
SMH VanEck Semiconductor ETF | 51.46% | 49.17% | 39.10% | 73.38% | -33.53% | 42.13% | 55.53% | 64.45% | -9.05% | 38.48% |
Correlation
The correlation between AXTI and SMH is 0.41, which is low. Their historical price movements had little consistent relationship.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Focuses on recent behavior, but can change the most. | 0.41 |
Correlation (3Y) Balances recent behavior with more history. | 0.42 |
Correlation (5Y) Shows whether the relationship held over a longer period. | 0.50 |
Correlation (10Y) Provides a long-term view across more market conditions. | 0.50 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jun 5, 2000 | 0.41 |
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Return for Risk
AXTI vs. SMH — Risk / Return Rank
AXTI
SMH
AXTI vs. SMH - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for AXT, Inc. (AXTI) and VanEck Semiconductor ETF (SMH). Risk-adjusted metrics are performance indicators that assess an investment's returns in relation to its risk, enabling a more accurate comparison of different investment options.
Values are calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. Risk-adjusted metrics are more stable over longer periods — use the period switch above to explore them.
| AXTI | SMH | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +21.13 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +2.77 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.68 | 1.37 | +0.30 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 47.84 | 3.79 | +44.05 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 144.58 | 15.18 | +129.40 |
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Drawdowns
AXTI vs. SMH - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum AXTI drawdown since its inception was -98.57%, which is greater than SMH's maximum drawdown of -84.96%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for AXTI and SMH.
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Drawdown Indicators
| AXTI | SMH | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -98.57% | -84.96% | -13.61% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -73.75% | -24.62% | -49.13% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -78.52% | -35.74% | -42.78% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -88.79% | -45.30% | -43.49% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -92.45% | -45.30% | -47.15% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -51.24% | -18.46% | -32.78% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -82.14% | -40.89% | -41.25% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 24.35% | 6.13% | +18.22% |
Volatility
AXTI vs. SMH - Volatility Comparison
AXT, Inc. (AXTI) has a higher volatility of 56.84% compared to VanEck Semiconductor ETF (SMH) at 14.15%. This indicates that AXTI's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than SMH based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| AXTI | SMH | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 56.84% | 14.15% | +42.69% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 122.95% | 32.94% | +90.01% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 150.07% | 38.50% | +111.57% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 100.51% | 36.51% | +64.00% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 85.36% | 33.33% | +52.03% |
Dividends
AXTI vs. SMH - Dividend Comparison
AXTI has not paid dividends to shareholders, while SMH's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.20%.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
AXTI AXT, Inc. | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
SMH VanEck Semiconductor ETF | 0.20% | 0.31% | 0.44% | 0.60% | 1.18% | 0.51% | 0.69% | 1.50% | 1.88% | 1.43% | 0.80% | 2.14% |
Frequently Asked Questions
AXTI and SMH have a correlation of 0.41, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
AXTI has higher volatility (56.84%) compared to SMH (14.15%). In terms of maximum drawdown, AXTI dropped -98.57% vs SMH's -84.96%.
AXTI currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (23.56 vs 2.43), meaning it's delivered slightly more return per unit of risk over the trailing 12 months. However, this ranking shifts over time - use the Risk/Return Score above for a more comprehensive view that combines Sharpe, Sortino, and other measures used by quantitative funds.
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