ILDR vs. SMH
Compare and contrast key facts about First Trust Innovation Leaders ETF (ILDR) and VanEck Semiconductor ETF (SMH).
ILDR and SMH are both exchange-traded funds (ETFs), meaning they are traded on stock exchanges and can be bought and sold throughout the day. ILDR is an actively managed fund by First Trust. It was launched on May 25, 2021. 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.
Performance
ILDR vs. SMH - Performance Comparison
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ILDR vs. SMH - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ILDR First Trust Innovation Leaders ETF | -8.12% | 29.22% | 29.31% | 39.34% | -34.95% | 7.29% |
SMH VanEck Semiconductor ETF | 8.84% | 49.17% | 39.10% | 73.38% | -33.53% | 26.58% |
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, ILDR achieves a -8.12% return, which is significantly lower than SMH's 8.84% return.
ILDR
- 1D
- 1.78%
- 1M
- -2.63%
- YTD
- -8.12%
- 6M
- -7.48%
- 1Y
- 29.24%
- 3Y*
- 23.34%
- 5Y*
- —
- 10Y*
- —
SMH
- 1D
- 2.24%
- 1M
- -3.55%
- YTD
- 8.84%
- 6M
- 17.83%
- 1Y
- 85.04%
- 3Y*
- 44.53%
- 5Y*
- 26.15%
- 10Y*
- 31.58%
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ILDR vs. SMH - Expense Ratio Comparison
ILDR has a 0.75% expense ratio, which is higher than SMH's 0.35% expense ratio.
Return for Risk
ILDR vs. SMH — Risk / Return Rank
ILDR
SMH
ILDR vs. SMH - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for First Trust Innovation Leaders ETF (ILDR) 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.
| ILDR | SMH | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | 1.10 | 2.32 | -1.21 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | 1.66 | 2.92 | -1.26 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.23 | 1.41 | -0.19 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.69 | 5.39 | -3.70 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 5.61 | 19.22 | -13.61 |
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
| ILDR | SMH | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.10 | 2.32 | -1.21 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | — | 0.76 | — |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | — | 0.98 | — |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.33 | 0.28 | +0.05 |
Correlation
The correlation between ILDR and SMH is 0.82, 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
ILDR vs. SMH - Dividend Comparison
ILDR has not paid dividends to shareholders, while SMH's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.28%.
| TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ILDR First Trust Innovation Leaders ETF | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.16% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
SMH VanEck Semiconductor ETF | 0.28% | 0.31% | 0.44% | 0.60% | 1.18% | 0.51% | 0.69% | 1.50% | 1.88% | 1.43% | 0.80% | 2.14% |
Drawdowns
ILDR vs. SMH - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum ILDR drawdown since its inception was -44.61%, smaller than the maximum SMH drawdown of -84.96%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for ILDR and SMH.
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Drawdown Indicators
| ILDR | SMH | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -44.61% | -84.96% | +40.35% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -17.70% | -15.95% | -1.75% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | — | -45.30% | — |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | — | -45.30% | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -12.30% | -8.02% | -4.28% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -15.42% | -41.35% | +25.93% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 5.34% | 4.47% | +0.87% |
Volatility
ILDR vs. SMH - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for First Trust Innovation Leaders ETF (ILDR) is 8.56%, while VanEck Semiconductor ETF (SMH) has a volatility of 11.74%. This indicates that ILDR 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
| ILDR | SMH | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 8.56% | 11.74% | -3.18% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 16.69% | 24.02% | -7.33% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 26.63% | 36.88% | -10.25% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 26.13% | 34.68% | -8.55% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 26.13% | 32.29% | -6.16% |