VCEL vs. SMH

Last updated Aug 1, 2026

VCEL (Vericel Corporation) is a stock, while SMH (VanEck Semiconductor ETF) is Semiconductors fund tracking the MVIS US Listed Semiconductor 25 Index. Over the past 10 years, VCEL returned 35.21%/yr vs 34.16%/yr for SMH. Their 0.22 correlation means their historical movements had little consistent relationship.

Performance

VCEL vs. SMH - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Vericel Corporation (VCEL) 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, VCEL achieves a 27.63% return, which is significantly lower than SMH's 50.09% return. Both investments have delivered pretty close results over the past 10 years, with VCEL having a 35.21% annualized return and SMH not far behind at 34.16%.

VCEL

• 1D: -3.47%
• 1M: -2.17%
• 6M: 27.74%
• YTD: 27.63%
• 1Y: 28.99%
• 3Y*: 9.38%
• 5Y*: -2.79%
• 10Y*: 35.21%
• ALL TIME*: -10.26%

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%

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

Liquidity Comparison

Position	Avg. Volume Value (2W)	Avg. Volume Value (1M)	Avg. Volume Value (3M)
SMH VanEck Semiconductor ETF	$8.28B	$7.64B	$7.07B
VCEL Vericel Corporation	$25.08M	$24.07M	$25.61M

VCEL vs. SMH - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
VCEL Vericel Corporation	27.63%	-34.42%	54.20%	35.19%	-32.98%	27.27%	77.47%	0.00%	219.27%	81.67%
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 VCEL and SMH is 0.12, which is low. Their historical price movements had little consistent relationship.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Focuses on recent behavior, but can change the most.	0.12
Correlation (3Y) Balances recent behavior with more history.	0.24
Correlation (5Y) Shows whether the relationship held over a longer period.	0.34
Correlation (10Y) Provides a long-term view across more market conditions.	0.33
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jun 5, 2000	0.22

The correlation between VCEL and SMH shifts across timeframes, from 0.12 (1 year) to 0.34 (5 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

Return for Risk

VCEL vs. SMH — Risk / Return Rank

Compare historical risk-adjusted metric ranks over the past 12 months.

VCEL

VCEL Risk / Return Rank: 65
VCEL Sharpe Ratio Rank: 68
VCEL Sortino Ratio Rank: 64
VCEL Omega Ratio Rank: 61
VCEL Calmar Ratio Rank: 66
VCEL Martin Ratio Rank: 66

SMH

SMH Risk / Return Rank: 87
SMH Sharpe Ratio Rank: 91
SMH Sortino Ratio Rank: 83
SMH Omega Ratio Rank: 84
SMH Calmar Ratio Rank: 88
SMH Martin Ratio Rank: 91

The rank (0–100) uses a weighted average of the Sharpe, Sortino, Omega, Calmar, and Martin percentile ranks for the trailing 12 months. Higher means stronger historical risk-adjusted performance within the peer group.

VCEL vs. SMH - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vericel Corporation (VCEL) 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.

	VCEL	SMH	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	0.69	2.29	-1.60
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	1.25	2.70	-1.45
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.14	1.36	-0.22
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	1.02	3.58	-2.56
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	2.27	14.64	-12.38

VCEL vs. SMH - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current VCEL Sharpe Ratio is 0.69, which is lower than the SMH Sharpe Ratio of 2.29. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of VCEL 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.

Drawdowns

VCEL vs. SMH - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum VCEL drawdown since its inception was -99.88%, which is greater than SMH's maximum drawdown of -84.96%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VCEL and SMH.

Drawdown Indicators

	VCEL	SMH	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-99.88%	-84.96%	-14.92%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-31.03%	-24.62%	-6.41%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-52.52%	-35.74%	-16.78%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-70.46%	-45.30%	-25.16%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-73.97%	-45.30%	-28.67%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-96.74%	-19.19%	-77.55%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-89.89%	-40.89%	-49.00%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	13.96%	6.01%	+7.95%

Volatility

VCEL vs. SMH - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for Vericel Corporation (VCEL) is 10.15%, while VanEck Semiconductor ETF (SMH) has a volatility of 14.70%. This indicates that VCEL 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

	VCEL	SMH	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	10.15%	14.70%	-4.55%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	30.27%	33.13%	-2.86%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	47.94%	38.57%	+9.37%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	52.75%	36.50%	+16.25%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	63.04%	33.32%	+29.72%

Dividends

VCEL vs. SMH - Dividend Comparison

VCEL has not paid dividends to shareholders, while SMH's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.20%.

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%
VCEL Vericel Corporation	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both VCEL and SMH in my portfolio?

VCEL and SMH have a correlation of 0.12, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, VCEL or SMH?

SMH has higher volatility (14.70%) compared to VCEL (10.15%). In terms of maximum drawdown, VCEL dropped -99.88% vs SMH's -84.96%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

SMH currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.29 vs 0.69), 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.