SMH vs. IGLD
SMH (VanEck Semiconductor ETF) and IGLD (FT Vest Gold Strategy Target Income ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - SMH is a Semiconductors fund tracking the MVIS US Listed Semiconductor 25 Index, while IGLD is a Gold fund actively managed by First Trust. SMH is passively managed, while IGLD is actively managed. Over the past 5 years, SMH returned 38.42%/yr vs 12.02%/yr for IGLD. At a 0.13 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. SMH charges 0.35%/yr vs 0.85%/yr for IGLD.
Performance
SMH vs. IGLD - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, SMH achieves a 72.15% return, which is significantly higher than IGLD's -3.45% return.
SMH
- 1D
- 1.72%
- 1M
- 11.44%
- YTD
- 72.15%
- 6M
- 75.62%
- 1Y
- 141.99%
- 3Y*
- 60.05%
- 5Y*
- 38.42%
- 10Y*
- 37.49%
IGLD
- 1D
- -0.23%
- 1M
- -6.93%
- YTD
- -3.45%
- 6M
- -2.82%
- 1Y
- 16.13%
- 3Y*
- 20.89%
- 5Y*
- 12.02%
- 10Y*
- —
SMH vs. IGLD - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SMH VanEck Semiconductor ETF | 72.15% | 49.17% | 39.10% | 73.38% | -33.53% | 29.05% |
IGLD FT Vest Gold Strategy Target Income ETF | -3.45% | 47.46% | 19.36% | 9.24% | -2.34% | 4.30% |
Correlation
The correlation between SMH and IGLD is 0.22, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.22 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.13 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.11 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Mar 3, 2021 | 0.13 |
The correlation between SMH and IGLD shifts across timeframes, from 0.11 (5 years) to 0.22 (1 year), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
SMH vs. IGLD — Risk / Return Rank
SMH
IGLD
SMH vs. IGLD - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for VanEck Semiconductor ETF (SMH) and FT Vest Gold Strategy Target Income ETF (IGLD). 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.
Values are calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. Risk-adjusted metrics are more stable over longer periods — use the period switch above to explore them.
| SMH | IGLD | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +3.40 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +3.19 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.60 | 1.16 | +0.44 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 9.18 | 0.80 | +8.38 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 33.74 | 2.45 | +31.28 |
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Drawdowns
SMH vs. IGLD - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum SMH drawdown since its inception was -84.96%, which is greater than IGLD's maximum drawdown of -21.90%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for SMH and IGLD.
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Drawdown Indicators
| SMH | IGLD | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -84.96% | -21.90% | -63.06% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -14.93% | -21.90% | +6.97% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -35.74% | -21.90% | -13.84% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -45.30% | -21.90% | -23.40% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -45.30% | — | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -2.81% | -19.44% | +16.63% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -41.04% | -5.31% | -35.73% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 4.06% | 7.12% | -3.06% |
Volatility
SMH vs. IGLD - Volatility Comparison
VanEck Semiconductor ETF (SMH) has a higher volatility of 16.25% compared to FT Vest Gold Strategy Target Income ETF (IGLD) at 7.55%. This indicates that SMH's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than IGLD based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| SMH | IGLD | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 16.25% | 7.55% | +8.70% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 27.73% | 22.02% | +5.71% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 33.20% | 24.13% | +9.07% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 35.47% | 15.44% | +20.03% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 32.82% | 15.23% | +17.59% |
SMH vs. IGLD - Expense Ratio Comparison
SMH has a 0.35% expense ratio, which is lower than IGLD's 0.85% expense ratio.
Dividends
SMH vs. IGLD - Dividend Comparison
SMH's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.18%, less than IGLD's 18.87% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
IGLD FT Vest Gold Strategy Target Income ETF | 18.87% | 9.91% | 20.81% | 7.85% | 4.45% | 2.24% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
SMH VanEck Semiconductor ETF | 0.18% | 0.31% | 0.44% | 0.60% | 1.18% | 0.51% | 0.69% | 1.50% | 1.88% | 1.43% | 0.80% | 2.14% |
Frequently Asked Questions
SMH and IGLD have a correlation of 0.22, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
SMH has higher volatility (16.25%) compared to IGLD (7.55%). In terms of maximum drawdown, SMH dropped -84.96% vs IGLD's -21.90%.
On 5-year performance, SMH leads with 38.42% vs 12.02% for IGLD. On fees, SMH is cheaper at 0.35% per year. On volatility, IGLD has been the lower-risk option at 7.55%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 5-year period, SMH has performed better with a 38.42% return vs 12.02%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
SMH is cheaper with a 0.35% expense ratio, compared with 0.85% for IGLD.
IGLD has the higher dividend yield at 18.87%, compared with 0.18% for SMH.
SMH is categorized as Semiconductors, while IGLD is Gold. They also come from different issuers: VanEck and First Trust. Their fees differ too: 0.35% for SMH and 0.85% for IGLD.
SMH currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (4.13 vs 0.73), 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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