ECL vs. SMH
ECL (Ecolab 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, ECL returned 8.96%/yr vs 37.49%/yr for SMH. At a 0.43 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.
Performance
ECL vs. SMH - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, ECL achieves a -2.86% return, which is significantly lower than SMH's 74.25% return. Over the past 10 years, ECL has underperformed SMH with an annualized return of 8.96%, while SMH has yielded a comparatively higher 37.49% annualized return.
ECL
- 1D
- -0.52%
- 1M
- -1.29%
- YTD
- -2.86%
- 6M
- -3.29%
- 1Y
- -3.77%
- 3Y*
- 14.82%
- 5Y*
- 4.52%
- 10Y*
- 8.96%
SMH
- 1D
- -1.63%
- 1M
- 20.06%
- YTD
- 74.25%
- 6M
- 74.08%
- 1Y
- 150.04%
- 3Y*
- 63.96%
- 5Y*
- 38.76%
- 10Y*
- 37.49%
ECL vs. SMH - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ECL Ecolab Inc. | -2.86% | 13.19% | 19.29% | 37.94% | -37.10% | 9.38% | 13.17% | 32.26% | 11.07% | 15.80% |
SMH VanEck Semiconductor ETF | 74.25% | 49.17% | 39.10% | 73.38% | -33.53% | 42.13% | 55.53% | 64.45% | -9.05% | 38.48% |
Correlation
The correlation between ECL and SMH is 0.20, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.20 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.25 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.38 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.41 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jun 6, 2000 | 0.43 |
Over the past year, the correlation between ECL and SMH has dropped to 0.20 - well below their long-term average of 0.43, suggesting their price drivers have been diverging.
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Return for Risk
ECL vs. SMH — Risk / Return Rank
ECL
SMH
ECL vs. SMH - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Ecolab Inc. (ECL) 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.
| ECL | SMH | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -5.13 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -5.17 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 0.99 | 1.69 | -0.71 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | -0.19 | 10.11 | -10.30 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | -0.45 | 38.76 | -39.21 |
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month. | |||
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Sharpe Ratios by Period
| ECL | SMH | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | -0.19 | 4.94 | -5.13 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.19 | 1.11 | -0.92 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.36 | 1.15 | -0.79 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.55 | 0.34 | +0.21 |
Drawdowns
ECL vs. SMH - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum ECL drawdown since its inception was -47.19%, smaller than the maximum SMH drawdown of -84.96%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for ECL and SMH.
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Drawdown Indicators
| ECL | SMH | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -47.19% | -84.96% | +37.77% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -20.09% | -14.93% | -5.16% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -20.09% | -35.74% | +15.65% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -43.70% | -45.30% | +1.60% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -43.70% | -45.30% | +1.60% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -17.30% | -1.63% | -15.67% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -7.98% | -41.08% | +33.10% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 8.45% | 3.89% | +4.56% |
Volatility
ECL vs. SMH - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for Ecolab Inc. (ECL) is 6.90%, while VanEck Semiconductor ETF (SMH) has a volatility of 11.58%. This indicates that ECL 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.
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Volatility by Period
| ECL | SMH | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 6.90% | 11.58% | -4.68% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 15.58% | 24.35% | -8.77% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 20.46% | 30.57% | -10.11% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 23.81% | 35.01% | -11.20% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 24.98% | 32.57% | -7.59% |
Dividends
ECL vs. SMH - Dividend Comparison
ECL's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.09%, more than SMH's 0.18% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ECL Ecolab Inc. | 1.09% | 1.02% | 1.01% | 1.09% | 1.42% | 0.83% | 0.87% | 0.96% | 1.15% | 1.13% | 1.21% | 1.17% |
SMH VanEck Semiconductor ETF | 0.18% | 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
ECL and SMH have a correlation of 0.20, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
SMH has higher volatility (11.58%) compared to ECL (6.90%). In terms of maximum drawdown, ECL dropped -47.19% vs SMH's -84.96%.
SMH currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (4.94 vs -0.19), 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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