SYF vs. SMH
SYF (Synchrony Financial) is a stock, while SMH (VanEck Semiconductor ETF) is Semiconductors fund tracking the MVIS US Listed Semiconductor 25 Index. Over the past 10 years, SYF returned 13.35%/yr vs 34.16%/yr for SMH. Their 0.41 correlation means their historical movements had little consistent relationship.
Performance
SYF vs. SMH - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, SYF achieves a -8.42% return, which is significantly lower than SMH's 50.09% return. Over the past 10 years, SYF has underperformed SMH with an annualized return of 13.35%, while SMH has yielded a comparatively higher 34.16% annualized return.
SYF
- 1D
- -1.79%
- 1M
- -0.71%
- 6M
- 5.20%
- YTD
- -8.42%
- 1Y
- 14.11%
- 3Y*
- 32.20%
- 5Y*
- 12.40%
- 10Y*
- 13.35%
- ALL TIME*
- 12.62%
SMH
- 1D
- 0.30%
- 1M
- -8.74%
- 6M
- 33.97%
- YTD
- 50.09%
- 1Y
- 90.95%
- 3Y*
- 50.56%
- 5Y*
- 33.46%
- 10Y*
- 34.16%
- ALL TIME*
- 11.06%
Liquidity Comparison
| Position | Avg. Volume Value (2W) | Avg. Volume Value (1M) | Avg. Volume Value (3M) |
|---|---|---|---|
| $8.28B | $7.64B | $7.07B | |
| $337.34M | $302.11M | $283.45M |
SYF vs. SMH - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SYF Synchrony Financial | -8.42% | 30.64% | 74.01% | 19.76% | -27.43% | 36.40% | -0.08% | 57.48% | -37.84% | 8.35% |
SMH VanEck Semiconductor ETF | 50.09% | 49.17% | 39.10% | 73.38% | -33.53% | 42.13% | 55.53% | 64.45% | -9.05% | 38.48% |
Correlation
The correlation between SYF and SMH is 0.29, which is low. Their historical price movements had little consistent relationship.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Focuses on recent behavior, but can change the most. | 0.29 |
Correlation (3Y) Balances recent behavior with more history. | 0.31 |
Correlation (5Y) Shows whether the relationship held over a longer period. | 0.41 |
Correlation (10Y) Provides a long-term view across more market conditions. | 0.40 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jul 31, 2014 | 0.41 |
The correlation between SYF and SMH shifts across timeframes, from 0.29 (1 year) to 0.41 (5 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
SYF vs. SMH — Risk / Return Rank
SYF
SMH
SYF vs. SMH - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Synchrony Financial (SYF) and VanEck Semiconductor ETF (SMH). 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.
| SYF | SMH | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -1.96 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -2.06 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.09 | 1.36 | -0.27 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 0.39 | 3.58 | -3.20 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 0.78 | 14.64 | -13.86 |
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Drawdowns
SYF vs. SMH - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum SYF drawdown since its inception was -66.37%, smaller than the maximum SMH drawdown of -84.96%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for SYF and SMH.
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Drawdown Indicators
| SYF | SMH | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -66.37% | -84.96% | +18.59% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -27.61% | -24.62% | -2.99% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -37.75% | -35.74% | -2.01% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -46.65% | -45.30% | -1.35% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -66.37% | -45.30% | -21.07% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -13.63% | -19.19% | +5.56% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -16.96% | -40.89% | +23.93% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 13.57% | 6.01% | +7.56% |
Volatility
SYF vs. SMH - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for Synchrony Financial (SYF) is 13.66%, while VanEck Semiconductor ETF (SMH) has a volatility of 14.70%. This indicates that SYF experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than SMH based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| SYF | SMH | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 13.66% | 14.70% | -1.04% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 23.91% | 33.13% | -9.22% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 31.62% | 38.57% | -6.95% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 36.91% | 36.50% | +0.41% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 39.43% | 33.32% | +6.11% |
Dividends
SYF vs. SMH - Dividend Comparison
SYF's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.58%, more than SMH's 0.20% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SMH VanEck Semiconductor ETF | 0.20% | 0.31% | 0.44% | 0.60% | 1.18% | 0.51% | 0.69% | 1.50% | 1.88% | 1.43% | 0.80% | 2.14% |
SYF Synchrony Financial | 1.58% | 1.38% | 1.54% | 2.51% | 2.74% | 1.90% | 2.54% | 2.39% | 3.07% | 1.45% | 0.72% | 0.00% |
Frequently Asked Questions
SYF and SMH have a correlation of 0.29, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
SMH has higher volatility (14.70%) compared to SYF (13.66%). In terms of maximum drawdown, SYF dropped -66.37% vs SMH's -84.96%.
SMH currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.29 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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