SMHB vs. KORU
SMHB (ETRACS 2xMonthly Pay Leveraged US Small Cap High Dividend ETN Series B) and KORU (Direxion Daily South Korea Bull 3X Shares) are both Leveraged Equities funds - SMHB tracks the Solactive US Small Cap High Dividend Index (200%) while KORU tracks the MSCI Korea 25-50 Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 5 years, SMHB returned -6.36%/yr vs 23.42%/yr for KORU. At a 0.40 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. SMHB charges 0.85%/yr vs 1.29%/yr for KORU.
Performance
SMHB vs. KORU - Performance Comparison
Loading charts...
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, SMHB achieves a 5.72% return, which is significantly lower than KORU's 559.14% return.
SMHB
- 1D
- -1.45%
- 1M
- -1.99%
- YTD
- 5.72%
- 6M
- 0.84%
- 1Y
- 11.36%
- 3Y*
- 9.31%
- 5Y*
- -6.36%
- 10Y*
- —
KORU
- 1D
- -2.29%
- 1M
- 92.47%
- YTD
- 559.14%
- 6M
- 689.29%
- 1Y
- 2,160.10%
- 3Y*
- 132.56%
- 5Y*
- 23.42%
- 10Y*
- 19.62%
SMHB vs. KORU - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SMHB ETRACS 2xMonthly Pay Leveraged US Small Cap High Dividend ETN Series B | 5.72% | -7.75% | -15.85% | 35.96% | -36.03% | 68.86% | -43.21% | 13.05% | -24.78% |
KORU Direxion Daily South Korea Bull 3X Shares | 559.14% | 432.73% | -62.18% | 28.61% | -70.16% | -33.86% | 48.78% | 5.47% | -0.27% |
Correlation
The correlation between SMHB and KORU is 0.21, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.21 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.29 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.38 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Nov 15, 2018 | 0.40 |
The correlation between SMHB and KORU shifts across timeframes, from 0.21 (1 year) to 0.40 (all time), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
Compare stocks, funds, or ETFs
Search for stocks, ETFs, and funds for a quick comparison or use the comparison tool for more options.
Return for Risk
SMHB vs. KORU — Risk / Return Rank
SMHB
KORU
SMHB vs. KORU - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for ETRACS 2xMonthly Pay Leveraged US Small Cap High Dividend ETN Series B (SMHB) and Direxion Daily South Korea Bull 3X Shares (KORU). 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.
| SMHB | KORU | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -17.33 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -4.51 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.08 | 1.72 | -0.65 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 0.45 | 35.65 | -35.19 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 1.10 | 112.99 | -111.89 |
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month. | |||
Loading charts...
Sharpe Ratios by Period
| SMHB | KORU | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.29 | 17.63 | -17.33 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | -0.13 | 0.28 | -0.41 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | — | 0.25 | — |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | -0.10 | 0.13 | -0.23 |
Drawdowns
SMHB vs. KORU - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum SMHB drawdown since its inception was -90.30%, smaller than the maximum KORU drawdown of -95.79%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for SMHB and KORU.
Loading charts...
Drawdown Indicators
| SMHB | KORU | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -90.30% | -95.79% | +5.49% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -25.16% | -61.39% | +36.23% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -45.05% | -73.71% | +28.66% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -58.85% | -93.35% | +34.50% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | — | -95.79% | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -41.81% | -5.39% | -36.42% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -37.21% | -57.53% | +20.32% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 10.38% | 19.33% | -8.95% |
Volatility
SMHB vs. KORU - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for ETRACS 2xMonthly Pay Leveraged US Small Cap High Dividend ETN Series B (SMHB) is 7.35%, while Direxion Daily South Korea Bull 3X Shares (KORU) has a volatility of 60.18%. This indicates that SMHB experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than KORU based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
Loading charts...
Volatility by Period
| SMHB | KORU | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 7.35% | 60.18% | -52.83% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 25.74% | 110.71% | -84.97% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 38.92% | 124.15% | -85.23% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 48.93% | 85.11% | -36.18% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 66.33% | 79.91% | -13.58% |
SMHB vs. KORU - Expense Ratio Comparison
SMHB has a 0.85% expense ratio, which is lower than KORU's 1.29% expense ratio.
Dividends
SMHB vs. KORU - Dividend Comparison
SMHB's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 21.00%, more than KORU's 0.14% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
KORU Direxion Daily South Korea Bull 3X Shares | 0.14% | 0.89% | 4.10% | 2.55% | 0.48% | 0.76% | 0.01% | 0.93% | 1.40% | 3.59% |
SMHB ETRACS 2xMonthly Pay Leveraged US Small Cap High Dividend ETN Series B | 21.00% | 22.22% | 21.95% | 15.27% | 24.18% | 12.22% | 16.86% | 19.97% | 0.91% | 0.00% |
Frequently Asked Questions
SMHB and KORU have a correlation of 0.21, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
KORU has higher volatility (60.18%) compared to SMHB (7.35%). In terms of maximum drawdown, SMHB dropped -90.30% vs KORU's -95.79%.
On 5-year performance, KORU leads with 23.42% vs -6.36% for SMHB. On fees, SMHB is cheaper at 0.85% per year. On volatility, SMHB has been the lower-risk option at 7.35%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 5-year period, KORU has performed better with a 23.42% return vs -6.36%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
SMHB is cheaper with a 0.85% expense ratio, compared with 1.29% for KORU.
SMHB has the higher dividend yield at 21.00%, compared with 0.14% for KORU.
SMHB tracks Solactive US Small Cap High Dividend Index (200%), while KORU tracks MSCI Korea 25-50 Index. They also come from different issuers: UBS and Direxion. Their fees differ too: 0.85% for SMHB and 1.29% for KORU.
KORU currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (17.63 vs 0.29), 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.
Find the right allocation for SMHB and KORU
Add both to a portfolio and optimize allocations for your target — whether that's maximizing returns, minimizing drawdowns, or balancing risk across holdings.
Open Portfolio Optimizer