SLX vs. IYM
Compare and contrast key facts about VanEck Vectors Steel ETF (SLX) and iShares U.S. Basic Materials ETF (IYM).
SLX and IYM are both exchange-traded funds (ETFs), meaning they are traded on stock exchanges and can be bought and sold throughout the day. SLX is a passively managed fund by VanEck that tracks the performance of the NYSE Arca Steel Index. It was launched on Oct 16, 2006. 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. Both SLX and IYM 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
SLX vs. IYM - Performance Comparison
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SLX vs. IYM - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SLX VanEck Vectors Steel ETF | 8.19% | 47.45% | -17.94% | 31.25% | 14.28% | 27.69% | 20.57% | 12.01% | -19.27% | 24.59% |
IYM iShares U.S. Basic Materials ETF | 14.57% | 20.41% | -4.54% | 12.83% | -9.15% | 25.62% | 17.87% | 19.22% | -16.63% | 24.83% |
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, SLX achieves a 8.19% return, which is significantly lower than IYM's 14.57% return. Over the past 10 years, SLX has outperformed IYM with an annualized return of 17.78%, while IYM has yielded a comparatively lower 10.95% annualized return.
SLX
- 1D
- 3.72%
- 1M
- -9.17%
- YTD
- 8.19%
- 6M
- 28.67%
- 1Y
- 51.64%
- 3Y*
- 15.96%
- 5Y*
- 15.05%
- 10Y*
- 17.78%
IYM
- 1D
- 2.70%
- 1M
- -6.45%
- YTD
- 14.57%
- 6M
- 19.61%
- 1Y
- 32.51%
- 3Y*
- 11.71%
- 5Y*
- 8.58%
- 10Y*
- 10.95%
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SLX vs. IYM - Expense Ratio Comparison
SLX has a 0.56% expense ratio, which is higher than IYM's 0.42% expense ratio.
Return for Risk
SLX vs. IYM — Risk / Return Rank
SLX
IYM
SLX vs. IYM - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for VanEck Vectors Steel ETF (SLX) and iShares U.S. Basic Materials ETF (IYM). 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.
| SLX | IYM | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | 1.90 | 1.46 | +0.44 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | 2.55 | 2.05 | +0.50 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.34 | 1.28 | +0.06 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 3.10 | 2.29 | +0.82 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 10.15 | 8.49 | +1.66 |
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
| SLX | IYM | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.90 | 1.46 | +0.44 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.54 | 0.42 | +0.12 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.57 | 0.51 | +0.06 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.19 | 0.33 | -0.14 |
Correlation
The correlation between SLX and IYM is 0.83, 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
SLX vs. IYM - Dividend Comparison
SLX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.43%, more than IYM's 1.32% yield.
| TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SLX VanEck Vectors Steel ETF | 1.43% | 1.55% | 3.56% | 2.80% | 4.97% | 7.07% | 1.87% | 3.44% | 6.26% | 2.50% | 1.06% | 5.35% |
IYM iShares U.S. Basic Materials ETF | 1.32% | 1.51% | 1.65% | 1.77% | 2.14% | 1.48% | 1.39% | 2.08% | 1.68% | 1.43% | 1.47% | 2.04% |
Drawdowns
SLX vs. IYM - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum SLX drawdown since its inception was -82.14%, which is greater than IYM's maximum drawdown of -67.78%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for SLX and IYM.
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Drawdown Indicators
| SLX | IYM | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -82.14% | -67.78% | -14.36% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -16.35% | -14.54% | -1.81% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -33.62% | -29.94% | -3.68% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -61.64% | -42.76% | -18.88% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -10.39% | -6.96% | -3.43% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -39.05% | -11.51% | -27.54% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 5.00% | 3.92% | +1.08% |
Volatility
SLX vs. IYM - Volatility Comparison
VanEck Vectors Steel ETF (SLX) has a higher volatility of 9.70% compared to iShares U.S. Basic Materials ETF (IYM) at 7.53%. This indicates that SLX's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than IYM based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| SLX | IYM | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 9.70% | 7.53% | +2.17% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 17.90% | 14.86% | +3.04% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 27.26% | 22.37% | +4.89% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 27.86% | 20.32% | +7.54% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 31.36% | 21.66% | +9.70% |