SMHB vs. VTI
SMHB (ETRACS 2xMonthly Pay Leveraged US Small Cap High Dividend ETN Series B) and VTI (Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - SMHB is a Leveraged Equities fund tracking the Solactive US Small Cap High Dividend Index (200%), while VTI is a Large Cap Blend Equities fund tracking the CRSP US Total Market Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 5 years, SMHB returned -3.98%/yr vs 11.74%/yr for VTI. Their 0.61 correlation means they have sometimes moved together and sometimes differently. SMHB charges 0.85%/yr vs 0.03%/yr for VTI.
Performance
SMHB vs. VTI - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, SMHB achieves a 14.34% return, which is significantly higher than VTI's 10.49% return.
SMHB
- 1D
- -1.16%
- 1M
- -3.81%
- 6M
- 5.43%
- YTD
- 14.34%
- 1Y
- 13.60%
- 3Y*
- 0.43%
- 5Y*
- -3.98%
- 10Y*
- —
- ALL TIME*
- -5.83%
VTI
- 1D
- 0.53%
- 1M
- -0.15%
- 6M
- 8.77%
- YTD
- 10.49%
- 1Y
- 21.84%
- 3Y*
- 18.92%
- 5Y*
- 11.74%
- 10Y*
- 14.63%
- ALL TIME*
- 9.58%
Liquidity Comparison
| Position | Avg. Volume Value (2W) | Avg. Volume Value (1M) | Avg. Volume Value (3M) |
|---|---|---|---|
| $86.68K | $94.24K | $90.73K | |
| $1.06B | $1.16B | $1.24B |
SMHB vs. VTI - 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 | 14.34% | -7.75% | -15.85% | 35.96% | -36.03% | 68.86% | -43.21% | 13.05% | -24.78% |
VTI Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF | 10.49% | 17.10% | 23.81% | 26.05% | -19.52% | 25.68% | 21.08% | 30.67% | -7.80% |
Correlation
The correlation between SMHB and VTI is 0.40, which is low. Their historical price movements had little consistent relationship.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Focuses on recent behavior, but can change the most. | 0.40 |
Correlation (3Y) Balances recent behavior with more history. | 0.48 |
Correlation (5Y) Shows whether the relationship held over a longer period. | 0.61 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Nov 14, 2018 | 0.61 |
Over the past year, the correlation between SMHB and VTI has dropped to 0.40 - well below their long-term average of 0.61, suggesting their price drivers have been diverging.
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Return for Risk
SMHB vs. VTI — Risk / Return Rank
SMHB
VTI
SMHB vs. VTI - 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 Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF (VTI). 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.
| SMHB | VTI | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -1.19 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -1.39 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.08 | 1.27 | -0.19 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 0.49 | 2.23 | -1.74 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 1.24 | 9.62 | -8.38 |
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Drawdowns
SMHB vs. VTI - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum SMHB drawdown since its inception was -90.30%, which is greater than VTI's maximum drawdown of -55.45%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for SMHB and VTI.
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Drawdown Indicators
| SMHB | VTI | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -90.30% | -55.45% | -34.85% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -25.16% | -8.92% | -16.24% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -45.05% | -19.30% | -25.75% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -58.11% | -25.36% | -32.75% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | — | -35.00% | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -37.06% | -1.36% | -35.70% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -37.18% | -7.99% | -29.19% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 9.94% | 2.07% | +7.87% |
Volatility
SMHB vs. VTI - Volatility Comparison
ETRACS 2xMonthly Pay Leveraged US Small Cap High Dividend ETN Series B (SMHB) has a higher volatility of 9.51% compared to Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF (VTI) at 3.46%. This indicates that SMHB's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than VTI based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| SMHB | VTI | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 9.51% | 3.46% | +6.05% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 24.59% | 10.24% | +14.35% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 36.73% | 13.10% | +23.63% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 48.88% | 17.51% | +31.37% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 65.80% | 18.30% | +47.50% |
SMHB vs. VTI - Expense Ratio Comparison
SMHB has a 0.85% expense ratio, which is higher than VTI's 0.03% expense ratio.
Dividends
SMHB vs. VTI - Dividend Comparison
SMHB's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 19.83%, more than VTI's 1.06% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SMHB ETRACS 2xMonthly Pay Leveraged US Small Cap High Dividend ETN Series B | 19.83% | 22.22% | 21.95% | 15.27% | 24.18% | 12.22% | 16.86% | 19.97% | 0.91% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
VTI Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF | 1.06% | 1.12% | 1.27% | 1.44% | 1.66% | 1.21% | 1.42% | 1.78% | 2.04% | 1.71% | 1.92% | 1.98% |
Frequently Asked Questions
SMHB and VTI have a correlation of 0.40, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
SMHB has higher volatility (9.51%) compared to VTI (3.46%). In terms of maximum drawdown, SMHB dropped -90.30% vs VTI's -55.45%.
On 5-year performance, VTI leads with 11.74% vs -3.98% for SMHB. On fees, VTI is cheaper at 0.03% per year. On volatility, VTI has been the lower-risk option at 3.46%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 5-year period, VTI has performed better with a 11.74% return vs -3.98%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
VTI is cheaper with a 0.03% expense ratio, compared with 0.85% for SMHB.
SMHB has the higher dividend yield at 19.83%, compared with 1.06% for VTI.
SMHB is categorized as Leveraged Equities, while VTI is Large Cap Blend Equities. SMHB tracks Solactive US Small Cap High Dividend Index (200%), while VTI tracks CRSP US Total Market Index. They also come from different issuers: UBS and Vanguard. Their fees differ too: 0.85% for SMHB and 0.03% for VTI.
VTI currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.52 vs 0.34), 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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