SMT.L vs. SMH.L

Last updated Jun 26, 2026

SMT.L (Scottish Mortgage Investment Trust plc) and SMH.L (VanEck Semiconductor UCITS ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - SMT.L is a Global Equities fund actively managed by Baillie Gifford Funds, while SMH.L is a Semiconductors fund tracking the MarketVector US Listed Semiconductor 10% Capped Screened Index. SMT.L is actively managed, while SMH.L is passively managed. Over the past 5 years, SMT.L returned 2.00%/yr vs 38.70%/yr for SMH.L. A 0.62 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined. SMT.L charges 0.31%/yr vs 0.35%/yr for SMH.L.

Performance

SMT.L vs. SMH.L - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a £10,000 investment in Scottish Mortgage Investment Trust plc (SMT.L) and VanEck Semiconductor UCITS ETF (SMH.L). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Different Trading Currencies

SMT.L is traded in GBp, while SMH.L is traded in USD. To make them comparable, the SMH.L values have been converted to GBp using the latest available exchange rates.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, SMT.L achieves a 18.50% return, which is significantly lower than SMH.L's 95.82% return.

SMT.L

• 1D: -0.25%
• 1M: -7.54%
• YTD: 18.50%
• 6M: 18.55%
• 1Y: 37.66%
• 3Y*: 30.63%
• 5Y*: 2.00%
• 10Y*: 19.16%

SMH.L

• 1D: 1.96%
• 1M: 11.22%
• YTD: 95.82%
• 6M: 96.78%
• 1Y: 167.51%
• 3Y*: 60.11%
• 5Y*: 38.70%
• 10Y*: —

*Multi-year figures are annualized to reflect compound growth (CAGR)

SMT.L vs. SMH.L - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020
SMT.L Scottish Mortgage Investment Trust plc	18.50%	24.72%	18.75%	12.46%	-45.71%	10.46%	10.77%
SMH.L VanEck Semiconductor UCITS ETF	95.82%	38.57%	26.28%	67.15%	-27.87%	44.10%	2.52%

Correlation

The correlation between SMT.L and SMH.L is 0.52, which is moderate. They share some common price drivers but move independently often enough to provide real diversification benefit when combined.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.52
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.61
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.62
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Dec 1, 2020	0.62

The correlation between SMT.L and SMH.L has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.52 to 0.62 - a consistent structural relationship.

Return for Risk

SMT.L vs. SMH.L — Risk / Return Rank

Compare risk-adjusted metric ranks to identify better-performing investments over the past 12 months.

SMT.L

SMT.L Risk / Return Rank: 64
SMT.L Sharpe Ratio Rank: 63
SMT.L Sortino Ratio Rank: 66
SMT.L Omega Ratio Rank: 62
SMT.L Calmar Ratio Rank: 70
SMT.L Martin Ratio Rank: 61

SMH.L

SMH.L Risk / Return Rank: 97
SMH.L Sharpe Ratio Rank: 98
SMH.L Sortino Ratio Rank: 96
SMH.L Omega Ratio Rank: 94
SMH.L Calmar Ratio Rank: 98
SMH.L Martin Ratio Rank: 97

The rank (0–100) shows how this investment's returns compare to the risk taken. Higher = better. Based on the past 12 months of data, combining Sharpe, Sortino, and other metrics used by quantitative funds and institutional investors.

SMT.L vs. SMH.L - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Scottish Mortgage Investment Trust plc (SMT.L) and VanEck Semiconductor UCITS ETF (SMH.L). 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.

	SMT.L	SMH.L	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	1.80	4.94	-3.14
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	2.64	5.03	-2.39
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.33	1.65	-0.33
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	3.06	13.61	-10.55
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	9.45	45.15	-35.70

SMT.L vs. SMH.L - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current SMT.L Sharpe Ratio is 1.80, which is lower than the SMH.L Sharpe Ratio of 4.94. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of SMT.L and SMH.L, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Drawdowns

SMT.L vs. SMH.L - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum SMT.L drawdown since its inception was -60.25%, which is greater than SMH.L's maximum drawdown of -36.36%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for SMT.L and SMH.L.

Drawdown Indicators

	SMT.L	SMH.L	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-60.25%	-36.36%	-23.89%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-12.26%	-12.23%	-0.03%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-28.05%	-36.36%	+8.31%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-60.11%	-36.36%	-23.75%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-60.11%	—	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-9.03%	-3.80%	-5.23%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-14.80%	-9.76%	-5.04%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	3.98%	3.69%	+0.29%

Volatility

SMT.L vs. SMH.L - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for Scottish Mortgage Investment Trust plc (SMT.L) is 6.83%, while VanEck Semiconductor UCITS ETF (SMH.L) has a volatility of 13.95%. This indicates that SMT.L experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than SMH.L based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	SMT.L	SMH.L	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	6.83%	13.95%	-7.12%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	16.79%	27.08%	-10.29%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	20.86%	33.68%	-12.82%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	29.76%	31.75%	-1.99%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	28.79%	31.33%	-2.54%

SMT.L vs. SMH.L - Expense Ratio Comparison

SMT.L has a 0.31% expense ratio, which is lower than SMH.L's 0.35% expense ratio.

Dividends

SMT.L vs. SMH.L - Dividend Comparison

SMT.L's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.33%, while SMH.L has not paid dividends to shareholders.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
SMH.L VanEck Semiconductor UCITS ETF	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
SMT.L Scottish Mortgage Investment Trust plc	0.33%	0.37%	0.44%	0.51%	0.51%	0.26%	0.27%	0.54%	0.66%	0.67%	0.93%	1.17%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both SMT.L and SMH.L in my portfolio?

SMT.L and SMH.L have a correlation of 0.52, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which ETF is better, SMT.L or SMH.L?

On fees, SMT.L is cheaper at 0.31% per year. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF is cheaper, SMT.L or SMH.L?

SMT.L is cheaper with a 0.31% expense ratio, compared with 0.35% for SMH.L.

What is the main difference between SMT.L and SMH.L?

SMT.L is categorized as Global Equities, while SMH.L is Semiconductors. They also come from different issuers: Baillie Gifford Funds and VanEck. Their fees differ too: 0.31% for SMT.L and 0.35% for SMH.L.