CARZ vs. SMH

Last updated Apr 1, 2026

Compare and contrast key facts about First Trust NASDAQ Global Auto Index Fund (CARZ) and VanEck Semiconductor ETF (SMH).

CARZ and SMH are both exchange-traded funds (ETFs), meaning they are traded on stock exchanges and can be bought and sold throughout the day. CARZ is a passively managed fund by First Trust that tracks the performance of the NASDAQ OMX Global Automobile (TR). It was launched on May 9, 2011. SMH is a passively managed fund by VanEck that tracks the performance of the MVIS US Listed Semiconductor 25 Index. It was launched on Dec 20, 2011. Both CARZ and SMH are passive ETFs, meaning that they are not actively managed but aim to replicate the performance of the underlying index as closely as possible.

Performance

CARZ vs. SMH - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in First Trust NASDAQ Global Auto Index Fund (CARZ) and VanEck Semiconductor ETF (SMH). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

CARZ vs. SMH - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
CARZ First Trust NASDAQ Global Auto Index Fund	3.74%	37.18%	3.26%	42.47%	-31.25%	18.09%	54.66%	11.39%	-23.91%	25.47%
SMH VanEck Semiconductor ETF	6.46%	49.17%	39.10%	73.38%	-33.53%	42.13%	55.53%	64.45%	-9.05%	38.48%

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, CARZ achieves a 3.74% return, which is significantly lower than SMH's 6.46% return. Over the past 10 years, CARZ has underperformed SMH with an annualized return of 11.68%, while SMH has yielded a comparatively higher 31.28% annualized return.

CARZ

• 1D: 5.11%
• 1M: -8.16%
• YTD: 3.74%
• 6M: 12.72%
• 1Y: 54.64%
• 3Y*: 18.45%
• 5Y*: 8.71%
• 10Y*: 11.68%

SMH

• 1D: 5.76%
• 1M: -5.65%
• YTD: 6.46%
• 6M: 17.84%
• 1Y: 81.87%
• 3Y*: 43.47%
• 5Y*: 25.59%
• 10Y*: 31.28%

*Multi-year figures are annualized to reflect compound growth (CAGR)

CARZ vs. SMH - Expense Ratio Comparison

CARZ has a 0.70% expense ratio, which is higher than SMH's 0.35% expense ratio.

CARZ

First Trust NASDAQ Global Auto Index Fund

SMH

VanEck Semiconductor ETF

Return for Risk

CARZ vs. SMH — Risk / Return Rank

Compare risk-adjusted metric ranks to identify better-performing investments over the past 12 months.

CARZ

CARZ Risk / Return Rank: 89
CARZ Sharpe Ratio Rank: 87
CARZ Sortino Ratio Rank: 88
CARZ Omega Ratio Rank: 86
CARZ Calmar Ratio Rank: 91
CARZ Martin Ratio Rank: 92

SMH

SMH Risk / Return Rank: 95
SMH Sharpe Ratio Rank: 94
SMH Sortino Ratio Rank: 94
SMH Omega Ratio Rank: 93
SMH Calmar Ratio Rank: 97
SMH Martin Ratio Rank: 97

The rank (0–100) shows how this investment's returns compare to the risk taken. Higher = better. Based on the past 12 months of data, combining Sharpe, Sortino, and other metrics used by quantitative funds and institutional investors.

CARZ vs. SMH - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for First Trust NASDAQ Global Auto Index Fund (CARZ) 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.

	CARZ	SMH	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	1.80	2.23	-0.43
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	2.45	2.85	-0.40
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.34	1.40	-0.06
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	3.10	5.10	-1.99
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	12.53	18.29	-5.76
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

CARZ vs. SMH - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current CARZ Sharpe Ratio is 1.80, which is comparable to the SMH Sharpe Ratio of 2.23. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of CARZ and SMH, offering insights into how both investments have performed under varying market conditions. These values are calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	CARZ	SMH	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	1.80	2.23	-0.43
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.32	0.74	-0.43
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.45	0.97	-0.52
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.34	0.28	+0.06

Correlation

The correlation between CARZ and SMH is 0.66, which is considered to be moderate. This suggests that the two assets have some degree of positive relationship in their price movements. Moderate correlation can be acceptable for portfolio diversification, offering a balance between risk and potential returns.

Dividends

CARZ vs. SMH - Dividend Comparison

CARZ's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.06%, more than SMH's 0.29% yield.

	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
CARZ First Trust NASDAQ Global Auto Index Fund	2.06%	2.13%	1.17%	1.40%	1.59%	2.25%	0.63%	3.23%	2.85%	2.11%	2.47%	1.64%
SMH VanEck Semiconductor ETF	0.29%	0.31%	0.44%	0.60%	1.18%	0.51%	0.69%	1.50%	1.88%	1.43%	0.80%	2.14%

Drawdowns

CARZ vs. SMH - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum CARZ drawdown since its inception was -51.20%, smaller than the maximum SMH drawdown of -84.96%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for CARZ and SMH.

Drawdown Indicators

	CARZ	SMH	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-51.20%	-84.96%	+33.76%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-16.91%	-15.95%	-0.96%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-40.30%	-45.30%	+5.00%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-51.20%	-45.30%	-5.90%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-10.07%	-10.03%	-0.04%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-13.03%	-41.36%	+28.33%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	4.19%	4.44%	-0.25%

Volatility

CARZ vs. SMH - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for First Trust NASDAQ Global Auto Index Fund (CARZ) is 11.13%, while VanEck Semiconductor ETF (SMH) has a volatility of 12.11%. This indicates that CARZ experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than SMH based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	CARZ	SMH	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	11.13%	12.11%	-0.98%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	19.44%	23.95%	-4.51%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	30.54%	36.84%	-6.30%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	27.64%	34.71%	-7.07%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	26.03%	32.28%	-6.25%