SMH vs. VGSH
SMH (VanEck Semiconductor ETF) and VGSH (Vanguard Short-Term Treasury ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - SMH is a Semiconductors fund tracking the MVIS US Listed Semiconductor 25 Index, while VGSH is a Government Bonds fund tracking the Bloomberg U.S. Treasury 1-3 Year Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, SMH returned 37.49%/yr vs 1.73%/yr for VGSH. At a correlation of -0.13, they often move in opposite directions. SMH charges 0.35%/yr vs 0.03%/yr for VGSH.
Performance
SMH vs. VGSH - 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 VGSH's 0.57% return. Over the past 10 years, SMH has outperformed VGSH with an annualized return of 37.49%, while VGSH has yielded a comparatively lower 1.73% annualized return.
SMH
- 1D
- 1.72%
- 1M
- 7.20%
- YTD
- 72.15%
- 6M
- 75.62%
- 1Y
- 141.99%
- 3Y*
- 60.05%
- 5Y*
- 38.42%
- 10Y*
- 37.49%
VGSH
- 1D
- -0.03%
- 1M
- 0.16%
- YTD
- 0.57%
- 6M
- 0.83%
- 1Y
- 3.36%
- 3Y*
- 4.25%
- 5Y*
- 1.83%
- 10Y*
- 1.73%
SMH vs. VGSH - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SMH VanEck Semiconductor ETF | 72.15% | 49.17% | 39.10% | 73.38% | -33.53% | 42.13% | 55.53% | 64.45% | -9.05% | 38.48% |
VGSH Vanguard Short-Term Treasury ETF | 0.57% | 5.07% | 4.00% | 4.31% | -3.86% | -0.60% | 3.04% | 3.52% | 1.55% | 0.04% |
Correlation
The correlation between SMH and VGSH is -0.01, meaning there is essentially no relationship between their price movements. Each responds to its own set of market drivers, making them strong candidates for combining in a diversified portfolio.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | -0.01 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | -0.04 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | -0.00 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | -0.10 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Nov 23, 2009 | -0.13 |
The correlation between SMH and VGSH shifts across timeframes, from -0.13 (all time) to -0.00 (5 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
SMH vs. VGSH — Risk / Return Rank
SMH
VGSH
SMH vs. VGSH - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for VanEck Semiconductor ETF (SMH) and Vanguard Short-Term Treasury ETF (VGSH). 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 | VGSH | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +1.52 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -0.04 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.60 | 1.55 | +0.05 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 9.18 | 3.76 | +5.43 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 33.74 | 14.67 | +19.07 |
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Drawdowns
SMH vs. VGSH - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum SMH drawdown since its inception was -84.96%, which is greater than VGSH's maximum drawdown of -5.70%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for SMH and VGSH.
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Drawdown Indicators
| SMH | VGSH | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -84.96% | -5.70% | -79.26% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -14.93% | -0.88% | -14.05% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -35.74% | -0.97% | -34.77% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -45.30% | -5.66% | -39.64% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -45.30% | -5.70% | -39.60% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -2.81% | -0.21% | -2.60% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -41.04% | -0.60% | -40.44% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 4.06% | 0.23% | +3.83% |
Volatility
SMH vs. VGSH - Volatility Comparison
VanEck Semiconductor ETF (SMH) has a higher volatility of 16.25% compared to Vanguard Short-Term Treasury ETF (VGSH) at 0.37%. This indicates that SMH's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than VGSH based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| SMH | VGSH | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 16.25% | 0.37% | +15.88% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 27.73% | 0.90% | +26.83% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 33.20% | 1.28% | +31.92% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 35.47% | 1.97% | +33.50% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 32.82% | 1.58% | +31.24% |
SMH vs. VGSH - Expense Ratio Comparison
SMH has a 0.35% expense ratio, which is higher than VGSH's 0.03% expense ratio.
Dividends
SMH vs. VGSH - Dividend Comparison
SMH's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.18%, less than VGSH's 3.87% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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% |
VGSH Vanguard Short-Term Treasury ETF | 3.87% | 4.00% | 4.18% | 3.31% | 1.15% | 0.66% | 1.74% | 2.28% | 1.79% | 1.10% | 0.84% | 0.69% |
Frequently Asked Questions
SMH and VGSH have a correlation of -0.01, 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 VGSH (0.37%). In terms of maximum drawdown, SMH dropped -84.96% vs VGSH's -5.70%.
On 10-year performance, SMH leads with 37.49% vs 1.73% for VGSH. On fees, VGSH is cheaper at 0.03% per year. On volatility, VGSH has been the lower-risk option at 0.37%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 10-year period, SMH has performed better with a 37.49% return vs 1.73%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
VGSH is cheaper with a 0.03% expense ratio, compared with 0.35% for SMH.
VGSH has the higher dividend yield at 3.87%, compared with 0.18% for SMH.
SMH is categorized as Semiconductors, while VGSH is Government Bonds. SMH tracks MVIS US Listed Semiconductor 25 Index, while VGSH tracks Bloomberg U.S. Treasury 1-3 Year Index. They also come from different issuers: VanEck and Vanguard. Their fees differ too: 0.35% for SMH and 0.03% for VGSH.
SMH currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (4.13 vs 2.61), 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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