IYM vs. SMH
Compare and contrast key facts about iShares U.S. Basic Materials ETF (IYM) and VanEck Semiconductor ETF (SMH).
IYM and SMH are both exchange-traded funds (ETFs), meaning they are traded on stock exchanges and can be bought and sold throughout the day. IYM is a passively managed fund by iShares that tracks the performance of the Dow Jones U.S. Basic Materials Index. It was launched on Jun 20, 2000. 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 IYM 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
IYM vs. SMH - Performance Comparison
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IYM vs. SMH - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
IYM iShares U.S. Basic Materials ETF | 16.42% | 20.41% | -4.54% | 12.83% | -9.15% | 25.62% | 17.87% | 19.22% | -16.63% | 24.83% |
SMH VanEck Semiconductor ETF | 8.84% | 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, IYM achieves a 16.42% return, which is significantly higher than SMH's 8.84% return. Over the past 10 years, IYM has underperformed SMH with an annualized return of 11.13%, while SMH has yielded a comparatively higher 31.58% annualized return.
IYM
- 1D
- 1.61%
- 1M
- -5.46%
- YTD
- 16.42%
- 6M
- 22.01%
- 1Y
- 34.61%
- 3Y*
- 12.30%
- 5Y*
- 8.93%
- 10Y*
- 11.13%
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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IYM vs. SMH - Expense Ratio Comparison
IYM has a 0.42% expense ratio, which is higher than SMH's 0.35% expense ratio.
Return for Risk
IYM vs. SMH — Risk / Return Rank
IYM
SMH
IYM vs. SMH - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares U.S. Basic Materials ETF (IYM) 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.
| IYM | SMH | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | 1.55 | 2.32 | -0.77 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | 2.15 | 2.92 | -0.77 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.29 | 1.41 | -0.12 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.38 | 5.39 | -3.01 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 8.81 | 19.22 | -10.41 |
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
| IYM | SMH | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.55 | 2.32 | -0.77 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.44 | 0.76 | -0.32 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.52 | 0.98 | -0.47 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.33 | 0.28 | +0.05 |
Correlation
The correlation between IYM and SMH is 0.54, 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
IYM vs. SMH - Dividend Comparison
IYM's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.30%, more than SMH's 0.28% yield.
| TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
IYM iShares U.S. Basic Materials ETF | 1.30% | 1.51% | 1.65% | 1.77% | 2.14% | 1.48% | 1.39% | 2.08% | 1.68% | 1.43% | 1.47% | 2.04% |
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
IYM vs. SMH - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum IYM drawdown since its inception was -67.78%, smaller than the maximum SMH drawdown of -84.96%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for IYM and SMH.
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Drawdown Indicators
| IYM | SMH | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -67.78% | -84.96% | +17.18% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -14.54% | -15.95% | +1.41% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -29.94% | -45.30% | +15.36% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -42.76% | -45.30% | +2.54% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -5.46% | -8.02% | +2.56% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -11.51% | -41.35% | +29.84% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 3.93% | 4.47% | -0.54% |
Volatility
IYM vs. SMH - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for iShares U.S. Basic Materials ETF (IYM) is 7.07%, while VanEck Semiconductor ETF (SMH) has a volatility of 11.74%. This indicates that IYM 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
| IYM | SMH | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 7.07% | 11.74% | -4.67% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 14.93% | 24.02% | -9.09% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 22.42% | 36.88% | -14.46% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 20.33% | 34.68% | -14.35% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 21.66% | 32.29% | -10.63% |