SMH vs. ESPO
Compare and contrast key facts about VanEck Semiconductor ETF (SMH) and VanEck Vectors Video Gaming and eSports ETF (ESPO).
SMH and ESPO are both exchange-traded funds (ETFs), meaning they are traded on stock exchanges and can be bought and sold throughout the day. 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. ESPO is a passively managed fund by VanEck that tracks the performance of the MVIS Global Video Gaming and eSports Index. It was launched on Oct 16, 2018. Both SMH and ESPO 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
SMH vs. ESPO - Performance Comparison
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SMH vs. ESPO - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SMH VanEck Semiconductor ETF | 8.84% | 49.17% | 39.10% | 73.38% | -33.53% | 42.13% | 55.53% | 64.45% | -10.19% |
ESPO VanEck Vectors Video Gaming and eSports ETF | -12.22% | 25.79% | 47.61% | 33.64% | -34.71% | -2.13% | 83.93% | 42.36% | -12.57% |
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, SMH achieves a 8.84% return, which is significantly higher than ESPO's -12.22% return.
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%
ESPO
- 1D
- 0.49%
- 1M
- -1.91%
- YTD
- -12.22%
- 6M
- -24.60%
- 1Y
- 4.89%
- 3Y*
- 20.86%
- 5Y*
- 6.78%
- 10Y*
- —
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SMH vs. ESPO - Expense Ratio Comparison
SMH has a 0.35% expense ratio, which is lower than ESPO's 0.55% expense ratio.
Return for Risk
SMH vs. ESPO — Risk / Return Rank
SMH
ESPO
SMH vs. ESPO - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for VanEck Semiconductor ETF (SMH) and VanEck Vectors Video Gaming and eSports ETF (ESPO). 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.
| SMH | ESPO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | 2.32 | 0.23 | +2.09 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | 2.92 | 0.48 | +2.45 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.41 | 1.06 | +0.35 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 5.39 | 0.24 | +5.15 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 19.22 | 0.58 | +18.64 |
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
| SMH | ESPO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 2.32 | 0.23 | +2.09 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.76 | 0.27 | +0.49 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.98 | — | — |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.28 | 0.65 | -0.37 |
Correlation
The correlation between SMH and ESPO is 0.70, 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
SMH vs. ESPO - Dividend Comparison
SMH's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.28%, less than ESPO's 1.42% yield.
| TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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% |
ESPO VanEck Vectors Video Gaming and eSports ETF | 1.42% | 1.24% | 0.44% | 0.96% | 0.91% | 3.36% | 0.12% | 0.22% | 0.04% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Drawdowns
SMH vs. ESPO - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum SMH drawdown since its inception was -84.96%, which is greater than ESPO's maximum drawdown of -50.99%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for SMH and ESPO.
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Drawdown Indicators
| SMH | ESPO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -84.96% | -50.99% | -33.97% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -15.95% | -27.81% | +11.86% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -45.30% | -48.33% | +3.03% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -45.30% | — | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -8.02% | -24.72% | +16.70% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -41.35% | -14.81% | -26.54% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 4.47% | 11.48% | -7.01% |
Volatility
SMH vs. ESPO - Volatility Comparison
VanEck Semiconductor ETF (SMH) has a higher volatility of 11.74% compared to VanEck Vectors Video Gaming and eSports ETF (ESPO) at 7.97%. This indicates that SMH's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than ESPO based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| SMH | ESPO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 11.74% | 7.97% | +3.77% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 24.02% | 14.33% | +9.69% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 36.88% | 21.51% | +15.37% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 34.68% | 25.22% | +9.46% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 32.29% | 25.89% | +6.40% |