TWCGX vs. SMH

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

TWCGX (American Century Growth Fund) and SMH (VanEck Semiconductor ETF) are both funds - TWCGX is a Large Cap Growth Equities fund managed by American Century, while SMH is a Semiconductors fund tracking the MVIS US Listed Semiconductor 25 Index. Over the past 10 years, TWCGX returned 17.03%/yr vs 37.68%/yr for SMH. A 0.78 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined. TWCGX charges 0.94%/yr vs 0.35%/yr for SMH.

Performance

TWCGX vs. SMH - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in American Century Growth Fund (TWCGX) and VanEck Semiconductor ETF (SMH). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, TWCGX achieves a 8.57% return, which is significantly lower than SMH's 77.13% return. Over the past 10 years, TWCGX has underperformed SMH with an annualized return of 17.03%, while SMH has yielded a comparatively higher 37.68% annualized return.

TWCGX

• 1D: -0.51%
• 1M: 7.77%
• YTD: 8.57%
• 6M: 7.58%
• 1Y: 26.68%
• 3Y*: 21.99%
• 5Y*: 13.42%
• 10Y*: 17.03%

SMH

• 1D: 0.90%
• 1M: 25.87%
• YTD: 77.13%
• 6M: 75.61%
• 1Y: 157.20%
• 3Y*: 64.17%
• 5Y*: 39.21%
• 10Y*: 37.68%

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

TWCGX vs. SMH - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
TWCGX American Century Growth Fund	8.57%	15.28%	26.20%	43.31%	-31.39%	27.86%	35.23%	35.39%	-1.27%	30.06%
SMH VanEck Semiconductor ETF	77.13%	49.17%	39.10%	73.38%	-33.53%	42.13%	55.53%	64.45%	-9.05%	38.48%

Correlation

The correlation between TWCGX and SMH is 0.72, 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	0.72
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.79
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.83
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.81
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jun 6, 2000	0.78

The correlation between TWCGX and SMH shifts across timeframes, from 0.72 (1 year) to 0.83 (5 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

Return for Risk

TWCGX vs. SMH — Risk / Return Rank

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

TWCGX

TWCGX Risk / Return Rank: 29
TWCGX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 37
TWCGX Sortino Ratio Rank: 33
TWCGX Omega Ratio Rank: 34
TWCGX Calmar Ratio Rank: 20
TWCGX Martin Ratio Rank: 21

SMH

SMH Risk / Return Rank: 96
SMH Sharpe Ratio Rank: 98
SMH Sortino Ratio Rank: 95
SMH Omega Ratio Rank: 95
SMH Calmar Ratio Rank: 97
SMH Martin Ratio Rank: 96

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.

TWCGX vs. SMH - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for American Century Growth Fund (TWCGX) 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.

	TWCGX	SMH	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	1.76	5.19	-3.43
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	2.40	5.22	-2.82
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.31	1.72	-0.42
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	1.66	10.59	-8.94
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	5.50	40.63	-35.12
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

TWCGX vs. SMH - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current TWCGX Sharpe Ratio is 1.76, which is lower than the SMH Sharpe Ratio of 5.19. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of TWCGX and SMH, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	TWCGX	SMH	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	1.76	5.19	-3.43
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.62	1.13	-0.50
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.80	1.16	-0.36
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.53	0.34	+0.19

Drawdowns

TWCGX vs. SMH - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum TWCGX drawdown since its inception was -59.60%, smaller than the maximum SMH drawdown of -84.96%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for TWCGX and SMH.

Drawdown Indicators

	TWCGX	SMH	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-59.60%	-84.96%	+25.36%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-16.69%	-14.93%	-1.76%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-24.20%	-35.74%	+11.54%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-34.92%	-45.30%	+10.38%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-34.92%	-45.30%	+10.38%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-0.51%	0.00%	-0.51%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-15.30%	-41.09%	+25.79%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	5.01%	3.89%	+1.12%

Volatility

TWCGX vs. SMH - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for American Century Growth Fund (TWCGX) is 3.44%, while VanEck Semiconductor ETF (SMH) has a volatility of 11.47%. This indicates that TWCGX 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.

Volatility by Period

	TWCGX	SMH	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	3.44%	11.47%	-8.03%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	11.92%	24.29%	-12.37%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	15.72%	30.56%	-14.84%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	21.59%	35.01%	-13.42%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	21.31%	32.57%	-11.26%

TWCGX vs. SMH - Expense Ratio Comparison

TWCGX has a 0.94% expense ratio, which is higher than SMH's 0.35% expense ratio.

Dividends

TWCGX vs. SMH - Dividend Comparison

TWCGX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 15.79%, more than SMH's 0.17% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
SMH VanEck Semiconductor ETF	0.17%	0.31%	0.44%	0.60%	1.18%	0.51%	0.69%	1.50%	1.88%	1.43%	0.80%	2.14%
TWCGX American Century Growth Fund	15.79%	17.14%	5.96%	4.81%	4.86%	9.83%	5.33%	5.60%	14.07%	10.28%	4.64%	6.80%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both TWCGX and SMH in my portfolio?

TWCGX and SMH have a correlation of 0.72, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, TWCGX or SMH?

SMH has higher volatility (11.47%) compared to TWCGX (3.44%). In terms of maximum drawdown, TWCGX dropped -59.60% vs SMH's -84.96%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

SMH currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (5.19 vs 1.76), 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.