SLM vs. USD
SLM (SLM Corporation) is a stock, while USD (ProShares Ultra Semiconductors) is Leveraged Equities fund tracking the Dow Jones U.S. Semiconductors Index (200%). Over the past 10 years, SLM returned 13.40%/yr vs 62.16%/yr for USD. At a 0.39 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.
Performance
SLM vs. USD - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, SLM achieves a -19.57% return, which is significantly lower than USD's 114.00% return. Over the past 10 years, SLM has underperformed USD with an annualized return of 13.40%, while USD has yielded a comparatively higher 62.16% annualized return.
SLM
- 1D
- -1.95%
- 1M
- -3.95%
- YTD
- -19.57%
- 6M
- -27.38%
- 1Y
- -32.54%
- 3Y*
- 12.18%
- 5Y*
- 3.86%
- 10Y*
- 13.40%
USD
- 1D
- -1.14%
- 1M
- 44.53%
- YTD
- 114.00%
- 6M
- 111.06%
- 1Y
- 274.62%
- 3Y*
- 127.67%
- 5Y*
- 69.52%
- 10Y*
- 62.16%
SLM vs. USD - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SLM SLM Corporation | -19.57% | -0.20% | 47.25% | 18.70% | -13.47% | 60.54% | 40.89% | 8.60% | -26.46% | 2.54% |
USD ProShares Ultra Semiconductors | 114.00% | 62.08% | 139.64% | 228.79% | -68.57% | 104.27% | 68.16% | 110.37% | -26.88% | 81.72% |
Correlation
The correlation between SLM and USD is 0.14, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.14 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.22 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.35 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.35 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Feb 2, 2007 | 0.39 |
Over the past year, the correlation between SLM and USD has dropped to 0.14 - well below their long-term average of 0.39, suggesting their price drivers have been diverging.
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Return for Risk
SLM vs. USD — Risk / Return Rank
SLM
USD
SLM vs. USD - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for SLM Corporation (SLM) and ProShares Ultra Semiconductors (USD). 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.
| SLM | USD | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -5.42 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -4.85 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 0.85 | 1.51 | -0.67 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | -0.72 | 8.70 | -9.42 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | -1.34 | 25.16 | -26.50 |
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
| SLM | USD | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | -0.88 | 4.53 | -5.42 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.11 | 0.91 | -0.81 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.36 | 0.90 | -0.54 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.24 | 0.49 | -0.25 |
Drawdowns
SLM vs. USD - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum SLM drawdown since its inception was -94.50%, which is greater than USD's maximum drawdown of -88.63%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for SLM and USD.
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Drawdown Indicators
| SLM | USD | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -94.50% | -88.63% | -5.87% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -45.06% | -31.80% | -13.26% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -45.06% | -64.46% | +19.40% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -45.06% | -77.85% | +32.79% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -51.79% | -77.85% | +26.06% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -36.19% | -1.14% | -35.05% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -29.89% | -32.35% | +2.46% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 24.28% | 10.97% | +13.31% |
Volatility
SLM vs. USD - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for SLM Corporation (SLM) is 7.55%, while ProShares Ultra Semiconductors (USD) has a volatility of 20.36%. This indicates that SLM experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than USD based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| SLM | USD | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 7.55% | 20.36% | -12.81% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 32.13% | 46.39% | -14.26% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 36.99% | 61.22% | -24.23% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 35.79% | 76.55% | -40.76% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 36.87% | 69.23% | -32.36% |
Dividends
SLM vs. USD - Dividend Comparison
SLM's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.41%, more than USD's 0.21% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SLM SLM Corporation | 2.41% | 1.92% | 1.67% | 2.30% | 2.65% | 1.02% | 0.97% | 1.35% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
USD ProShares Ultra Semiconductors | 0.21% | 0.39% | 0.10% | 0.05% | 0.30% | 0.00% | 0.14% | 0.72% | 0.93% | 0.32% | 0.46% | 0.39% |
Frequently Asked Questions
SLM and USD have a correlation of 0.14, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
USD has higher volatility (20.36%) compared to SLM (7.55%). In terms of maximum drawdown, SLM dropped -94.50% vs USD's -88.63%.
USD currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (4.53 vs -0.88), meaning it's delivered slightly more return per unit of risk over the trailing 12 months. However, this ranking shifts over time - use the Risk/Return Score above for a more comprehensive view that combines Sharpe, Sortino, and other measures used by quantitative funds.
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