FTXL vs. SMHX

Last updated Apr 2, 2026

Compare and contrast key facts about First Trust Nasdaq Semiconductor ETF (FTXL) and VanEck Fabless Semiconductor ETF (SMHX).

FTXL and SMHX are both exchange-traded funds (ETFs), meaning they are traded on stock exchanges and can be bought and sold throughout the day. FTXL is a passively managed fund by First Trust that tracks the performance of the Nasdaq U.S. Smart Semiconductor Index. It was launched on Sep 20, 2016. SMHX is a passively managed fund by VanEck that tracks the performance of the MarketVector™ US Listed Fabless Semiconductor Index. It was launched on Aug 27, 2024. Both FTXL and SMHX 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

FTXL vs. SMHX - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in First Trust Nasdaq Semiconductor ETF (FTXL) and VanEck Fabless Semiconductor ETF (SMHX). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

FTXL vs. SMHX - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024
FTXL First Trust Nasdaq Semiconductor ETF	17.52%	48.94%	-4.79%
SMHX VanEck Fabless Semiconductor ETF	-0.32%	30.00%	17.76%

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, FTXL achieves a 17.52% return, which is significantly higher than SMHX's -0.32% return.

FTXL

• 1D: 3.21%
• 1M: -2.91%
• YTD: 17.52%
• 6M: 32.85%
• 1Y: 101.16%
• 3Y*: 33.55%
• 5Y*: 18.43%
• 10Y*: —

SMHX

• 1D: 1.86%
• 1M: -2.70%
• YTD: -0.32%
• 6M: -1.36%
• 1Y: 60.74%
• 3Y*: —
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

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

FTXL vs. SMHX - Expense Ratio Comparison

FTXL has a 0.60% expense ratio, which is higher than SMHX's 0.35% expense ratio.

FTXL

First Trust Nasdaq Semiconductor ETF

SMHX

VanEck Fabless Semiconductor ETF

Return for Risk

FTXL vs. SMHX — Risk / Return Rank

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

FTXL

FTXL Risk / Return Rank: 95
FTXL Sharpe Ratio Rank: 95
FTXL Sortino Ratio Rank: 94
FTXL Omega Ratio Rank: 92
FTXL Calmar Ratio Rank: 98
FTXL Martin Ratio Rank: 97

SMHX

SMHX Risk / Return Rank: 83
SMHX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 80
SMHX Sortino Ratio Rank: 82
SMHX Omega Ratio Rank: 77
SMHX Calmar Ratio Rank: 93
SMHX Martin Ratio Rank: 82

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.

FTXL vs. SMHX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for First Trust Nasdaq Semiconductor ETF (FTXL) and VanEck Fabless Semiconductor ETF (SMHX). 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.

	FTXL	SMHX	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	2.43	1.55	+0.88
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	2.95	2.19	+0.76
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.42	1.30	+0.12
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	5.50	3.56	+1.94
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	21.31	9.59	+11.72
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

FTXL vs. SMHX - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current FTXL Sharpe Ratio is 2.43, which is higher than the SMHX Sharpe Ratio of 1.55. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of FTXL and SMHX, 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

	FTXL	SMHX	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	2.43	1.55	+0.88
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.52	—	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.72	0.77	-0.05

Correlation

The correlation between FTXL and SMHX is 0.89, which is considered to be high. That indicates a strong positive relationship between their price movements. Having highly-correlated positions in a portfolio may signal a lack of diversification, potentially leading to increased risk during market downturns.

Dividends

FTXL vs. SMHX - Dividend Comparison

FTXL's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.23%, more than SMHX's 0.02% yield.

	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016
FTXL First Trust Nasdaq Semiconductor ETF	0.23%	0.28%	0.54%	0.60%	0.89%	0.25%	0.48%	0.92%	0.71%	0.47%	0.12%
SMHX VanEck Fabless Semiconductor ETF	0.02%	0.02%	0.04%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%

Drawdowns

FTXL vs. SMHX - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum FTXL drawdown since its inception was -43.87%, which is greater than SMHX's maximum drawdown of -38.53%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for FTXL and SMHX.

Drawdown Indicators

	FTXL	SMHX	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-43.87%	-38.53%	-5.34%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-18.57%	-17.51%	-1.06%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-43.87%	—	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-6.58%	-10.19%	+3.61%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-10.72%	-7.94%	-2.78%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	4.79%	6.50%	-1.71%

Volatility

FTXL vs. SMHX - Volatility Comparison

First Trust Nasdaq Semiconductor ETF (FTXL) has a higher volatility of 13.48% compared to VanEck Fabless Semiconductor ETF (SMHX) at 11.28%. This indicates that FTXL's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than SMHX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	FTXL	SMHX	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	13.48%	11.28%	+2.20%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	28.09%	24.45%	+3.64%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	41.94%	39.40%	+2.54%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	35.39%	39.80%	-4.41%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	33.99%	39.80%	-5.81%