SEMI vs. SMH

Last updated Apr 1, 2026

Compare and contrast key facts about Columbia Select Technology ETF (SEMI) and VanEck Semiconductor ETF (SMH).

SEMI and SMH are both exchange-traded funds (ETFs), meaning they are traded on stock exchanges and can be bought and sold throughout the day. SEMI is an actively managed fund by Columbia. It was launched on Mar 29, 2022. 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

SEMI vs. SMH - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Columbia Select Technology ETF (SEMI) and VanEck Semiconductor ETF (SMH). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

SEMI vs. SMH - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022
SEMI Columbia Select Technology ETF	-5.74%	24.91%	15.87%	45.37%	-21.87%
SMH VanEck Semiconductor ETF	6.46%	49.17%	39.10%	73.38%	-25.46%

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, SEMI achieves a -5.74% return, which is significantly lower than SMH's 6.46% return.

SEMI

• 1D: 4.77%
• 1M: -5.49%
• YTD: -5.74%
• 6M: -3.30%
• 1Y: 36.99%
• 3Y*: 18.10%
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

SMH

• 1D: 5.76%
• 1M: -5.65%
• YTD: 6.46%
• 6M: 17.84%
• 1Y: 81.87%
• 3Y*: 43.47%
• 5Y*: 25.59%
• 10Y*: 31.28%

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

SEMI vs. SMH - Expense Ratio Comparison

SEMI has a 0.75% expense ratio, which is higher than SMH's 0.35% expense ratio.

SEMI

Columbia Select Technology ETF

SMH

VanEck Semiconductor ETF

Return for Risk

SEMI vs. SMH — Risk / Return Rank

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

SEMI

SEMI Risk / Return Rank: 80
SEMI Sharpe Ratio Rank: 75
SEMI Sortino Ratio Rank: 79
SEMI Omega Ratio Rank: 75
SEMI Calmar Ratio Rank: 87
SEMI Martin Ratio Rank: 83

SMH

SMH Risk / Return Rank: 95
SMH Sharpe Ratio Rank: 94
SMH Sortino Ratio Rank: 94
SMH Omega Ratio Rank: 93
SMH Calmar Ratio Rank: 97
SMH Martin Ratio Rank: 97

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.

SEMI vs. SMH - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Columbia Select Technology ETF (SEMI) 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.

	SEMI	SMH	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	1.31	2.23	-0.92
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	1.94	2.85	-0.91
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.27	1.40	-0.13
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	2.56	5.10	-2.53
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	8.98	18.29	-9.32
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

SEMI vs. SMH - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current SEMI Sharpe Ratio is 1.31, which is lower than the SMH Sharpe Ratio of 2.23. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of SEMI and SMH, 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

	SEMI	SMH	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	1.31	2.23	-0.92
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	—	0.74	—
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	—	0.97	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.37	0.28	+0.09

Correlation

The correlation between SEMI and SMH is 0.94, 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

SEMI vs. SMH - Dividend Comparison

SEMI's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 4.76%, more than SMH's 0.29% yield.

	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
SEMI Columbia Select Technology ETF	4.76%	4.48%	0.96%	0.87%	0.67%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
SMH VanEck Semiconductor ETF	0.29%	0.31%	0.44%	0.60%	1.18%	0.51%	0.69%	1.50%	1.88%	1.43%	0.80%	2.14%

Drawdowns

SEMI vs. SMH - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum SEMI drawdown since its inception was -32.93%, smaller than the maximum SMH drawdown of -84.96%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for SEMI and SMH.

Drawdown Indicators

	SEMI	SMH	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-32.93%	-84.96%	+52.03%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-14.41%	-15.95%	+1.54%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	—	-45.30%	—
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	—	-45.30%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-10.33%	-10.03%	-0.30%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-9.62%	-41.36%	+31.74%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	4.11%	4.44%	-0.33%

Volatility

SEMI vs. SMH - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for Columbia Select Technology ETF (SEMI) is 9.31%, while VanEck Semiconductor ETF (SMH) has a volatility of 12.11%. This indicates that SEMI 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.

Volatility by Period

	SEMI	SMH	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	9.31%	12.11%	-2.80%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	17.42%	23.95%	-6.53%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	28.33%	36.84%	-8.51%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	31.85%	34.71%	-2.86%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	31.85%	32.28%	-0.43%