IUQA.L vs. SMH
IUQA.L (iShares Edge MSCI USA Quality Factor UCITS ETF USD Accumulating) and SMH (VanEck Semiconductor ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - IUQA.L is a Large Cap Blend Equities fund tracking the MSCI USA Sector Neutral Quality Index, while SMH is a Semiconductors fund tracking the MVIS US Listed Semiconductor 25 Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 5 years, IUQA.L returned 11.91%/yr vs 36.10%/yr for SMH. At a 0.46 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. IUQA.L charges 0.20%/yr vs 0.35%/yr for SMH.
Performance
IUQA.L vs. SMH - Performance Comparison
Loading charts...
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, IUQA.L achieves a 8.81% return, which is significantly lower than SMH's 58.19% return.
IUQA.L
- 1D
- 0.80%
- 1M
- 3.63%
- YTD
- 8.81%
- 6M
- 9.17%
- 1Y
- 21.44%
- 3Y*
- 19.71%
- 5Y*
- 11.91%
- 10Y*
- —
SMH
- 1D
- -9.22%
- 1M
- 3.63%
- YTD
- 58.19%
- 6M
- 56.81%
- 1Y
- 127.40%
- 3Y*
- 58.39%
- 5Y*
- 36.10%
- 10Y*
- 36.02%
IUQA.L vs. SMH - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
IUQA.L iShares Edge MSCI USA Quality Factor UCITS ETF USD Accumulating | 8.81% | 12.50% | 22.46% | 30.92% | -20.74% | 27.56% | 16.09% | 33.32% | -6.99% | 22.18% |
SMH VanEck Semiconductor ETF | 58.19% | 49.17% | 39.10% | 73.38% | -33.53% | 42.13% | 55.53% | 64.45% | -9.05% | 38.48% |
Correlation
The correlation between IUQA.L and SMH is 0.51, which is moderate. They share some common price drivers but move independently often enough to provide real diversification benefit when combined.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.51 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.49 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.50 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Oct 18, 2016 | 0.46 |
The correlation between IUQA.L and SMH has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.46 to 0.51 - a consistent structural relationship.
IUQA.L vs. SMH - Sectors Allocation Comparison
Sectors
IUQA.L
SMH
Technology
Financial Services
-
Communication Services
-
Consumer Cyclical
-
Healthcare
-
Industrials
-
Consumer Defensive
-
Energy
-
Utilities
-
Real Estate
-
Basic Materials
-
Technology
IUQA.L
SMH
Financial Services
IUQA.L
SMH
-
Communication Services
IUQA.L
SMH
-
Consumer Cyclical
IUQA.L
SMH
-
Healthcare
IUQA.L
SMH
-
Industrials
IUQA.L
SMH
-
Consumer Defensive
IUQA.L
SMH
-
Energy
IUQA.L
SMH
-
Utilities
IUQA.L
SMH
-
Real Estate
IUQA.L
SMH
-
Basic Materials
IUQA.L
SMH
-
Compare stocks, funds, or ETFs
Search for stocks, ETFs, and funds for a quick comparison or use the comparison tool for more options.
Return for Risk
IUQA.L vs. SMH — Risk / Return Rank
IUQA.L
SMH
IUQA.L vs. SMH - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares Edge MSCI USA Quality Factor UCITS ETF USD Accumulating (IUQA.L) 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.
| IUQA.L | SMH | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -2.07 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -1.14 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.35 | 1.59 | -0.24 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.72 | 8.58 | -5.86 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 11.68 | 32.42 | -20.74 |
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month. | |||
Loading charts...
Sharpe Ratios by Period
| IUQA.L | SMH | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.93 | 4.00 | -2.07 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.73 | 1.03 | -0.30 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | — | 1.11 | — |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.86 | 0.32 | +0.54 |
Drawdowns
IUQA.L vs. SMH - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum IUQA.L drawdown since its inception was -33.96%, smaller than the maximum SMH drawdown of -84.96%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for IUQA.L and SMH.
Loading charts...
Drawdown Indicators
| IUQA.L | SMH | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -33.96% | -84.96% | +51.00% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -7.99% | -14.93% | +6.94% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -18.04% | -35.74% | +17.70% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -27.77% | -45.30% | +17.53% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | — | -45.30% | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | 0.00% | -10.69% | +10.69% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -4.87% | -41.08% | +36.21% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 1.86% | 3.94% | -2.08% |
Volatility
IUQA.L vs. SMH - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for iShares Edge MSCI USA Quality Factor UCITS ETF USD Accumulating (IUQA.L) is 2.78%, while VanEck Semiconductor ETF (SMH) has a volatility of 14.88%. This indicates that IUQA.L 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.
Loading charts...
Volatility by Period
| IUQA.L | SMH | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 2.78% | 14.88% | -12.10% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 8.27% | 26.35% | -18.08% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 11.27% | 32.03% | -20.76% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 16.29% | 35.24% | -18.95% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 16.71% | 32.70% | -15.99% |
IUQA.L vs. SMH - Expense Ratio Comparison
IUQA.L has a 0.20% expense ratio, which is lower than SMH's 0.35% expense ratio.
Dividends
IUQA.L vs. SMH - Dividend Comparison
IUQA.L has not paid dividends to shareholders, while SMH's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.19%.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
IUQA.L iShares Edge MSCI USA Quality Factor UCITS ETF USD Accumulating | 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 | 0.19% | 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
IUQA.L and SMH have a correlation of 0.51, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
On fees, IUQA.L is cheaper at 0.20% per year. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
IUQA.L is cheaper with a 0.20% expense ratio, compared with 0.35% for SMH.
IUQA.L is categorized as Large Cap Blend Equities, while SMH is Semiconductors. IUQA.L tracks MSCI USA Sector Neutral Quality Index, while SMH tracks MVIS US Listed Semiconductor 25 Index. They also come from different issuers: iShares and VanEck. Their fees differ too: 0.20% for IUQA.L and 0.35% for SMH.
Find the right allocation for IUQA.L and SMH
Add both to a portfolio and optimize allocations for your target — whether that's maximizing returns, minimizing drawdowns, or balancing risk across holdings.
Open Portfolio Optimizer