SMB vs. GDX
Compare and contrast key facts about VanEck Short Muni ETF (SMB) and VanEck Gold Miners ETF (GDX).
SMB and GDX are both exchange-traded funds (ETFs), meaning they are traded on stock exchanges and can be bought and sold throughout the day. SMB is a passively managed fund by VanEck that tracks the performance of the Bloomberg AMT-Free Short Continuous. It was launched on Feb 22, 2008. GDX is a passively managed fund by VanEck that tracks the performance of the NYSE MarketVector Global Gold Miners Index. It was launched on May 16, 2006. Both SMB and GDX 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
SMB vs. GDX - Performance Comparison
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SMB vs. GDX - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SMB VanEck Short Muni ETF | -0.20% | 4.61% | 2.41% | 3.14% | -4.50% | 0.12% | 3.30% | 4.54% | 1.86% | 1.16% |
GDX VanEck Gold Miners ETF | 7.00% | 154.77% | 10.63% | 9.98% | -9.01% | -9.52% | 23.66% | 39.84% | -8.77% | 11.99% |
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, SMB achieves a -0.20% return, which is significantly lower than GDX's 7.00% return. Over the past 10 years, SMB has underperformed GDX with an annualized return of 1.50%, while GDX has yielded a comparatively higher 17.53% annualized return.
SMB
- 1D
- 0.06%
- 1M
- -1.00%
- YTD
- -0.20%
- 6M
- 0.64%
- 1Y
- 3.71%
- 3Y*
- 2.99%
- 5Y*
- 1.07%
- 10Y*
- 1.50%
GDX
- 1D
- 6.97%
- 1M
- -20.78%
- YTD
- 7.00%
- 6M
- 20.99%
- 1Y
- 101.08%
- 3Y*
- 43.23%
- 5Y*
- 23.96%
- 10Y*
- 17.53%
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SMB vs. GDX - Expense Ratio Comparison
SMB has a 0.20% expense ratio, which is lower than GDX's 0.51% expense ratio.
Return for Risk
SMB vs. GDX — Risk / Return Rank
SMB
GDX
SMB vs. GDX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for VanEck Short Muni ETF (SMB) and VanEck Gold Miners ETF (GDX). 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.
| SMB | GDX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | 1.58 | 2.21 | -0.63 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | 2.02 | 2.45 | -0.42 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.36 | 1.36 | 0.00 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.29 | 3.34 | -1.05 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 8.77 | 12.07 | -3.30 |
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
| SMB | GDX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.58 | 2.21 | -0.63 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.43 | 0.67 | -0.24 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.35 | 0.47 | -0.12 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.42 | 0.14 | +0.28 |
Correlation
The correlation between SMB and GDX is 0.10, which is considered to be low. This implies their price changes are not closely related. A low correlation is generally favorable for portfolio diversification, as it helps to reduce overall risk by spreading it across multiple assets with different performance patterns.
Dividends
SMB vs. GDX - Dividend Comparison
SMB's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.68%, more than GDX's 0.69% yield.
| TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SMB VanEck Short Muni ETF | 2.68% | 2.63% | 2.38% | 1.83% | 1.32% | 1.24% | 1.50% | 1.58% | 1.49% | 1.23% | 1.12% | 1.13% |
GDX VanEck Gold Miners ETF | 0.69% | 0.74% | 1.19% | 1.61% | 1.66% | 1.67% | 0.53% | 0.67% | 0.50% | 0.76% | 0.26% | 0.85% |
Drawdowns
SMB vs. GDX - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum SMB drawdown since its inception was -12.64%, smaller than the maximum GDX drawdown of -80.34%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for SMB and GDX.
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Drawdown Indicators
| SMB | GDX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -12.64% | -80.34% | +67.70% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -1.63% | -30.84% | +29.21% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -7.48% | -46.51% | +39.03% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -12.64% | -49.79% | +37.15% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -1.00% | -20.78% | +19.78% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -1.14% | -40.61% | +39.47% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 0.43% | 8.52% | -8.09% |
Volatility
SMB vs. GDX - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for VanEck Short Muni ETF (SMB) is 0.64%, while VanEck Gold Miners ETF (GDX) has a volatility of 18.51%. This indicates that SMB experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than GDX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| SMB | GDX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 0.64% | 18.51% | -17.87% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 1.19% | 38.19% | -37.00% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 2.36% | 46.00% | -43.64% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 2.49% | 35.73% | -33.24% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 4.27% | 37.44% | -33.17% |