WU vs. SMH

Last updated Jun 5, 2026

WU (The Western Union Company) is a stock, while SMH (VanEck Semiconductor ETF) is Semiconductors fund tracking the MVIS US Listed Semiconductor 25 Index. Over the past 10 years, WU returned -3.59%/yr vs 37.49%/yr for SMH. At a 0.41 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.

Performance

WU vs. SMH - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in The Western Union Company (WU) 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, WU achieves a -15.08% return, which is significantly lower than SMH's 74.25% return. Over the past 10 years, WU has underperformed SMH with an annualized return of -3.59%, while SMH has yielded a comparatively higher 37.49% annualized return.

WU

• 1D: -2.41%
• 1M: -15.46%
• YTD: -15.08%
• 6M: -9.24%
• 1Y: -7.93%
• 3Y*: -4.88%
• 5Y*: -14.70%
• 10Y*: -3.59%

SMH

• 1D: -1.63%
• 1M: 20.06%
• YTD: 74.25%
• 6M: 74.08%
• 1Y: 150.04%
• 3Y*: 63.96%
• 5Y*: 38.76%
• 10Y*: 37.49%

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

WU vs. SMH - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
WU The Western Union Company	-15.08%	-2.63%	-3.79%	-6.19%	-17.92%	-15.11%	-14.72%	62.85%	-6.73%	-9.27%
SMH VanEck Semiconductor ETF	74.25%	49.17%	39.10%	73.38%	-33.53%	42.13%	55.53%	64.45%	-9.05%	38.48%

Correlation

The correlation between WU and SMH is 0.05, meaning there is essentially no relationship between their price movements. Each responds to its own set of market drivers, making them strong candidates for combining in a diversified portfolio.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.05
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.11
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.21
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.31
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Oct 3, 2006	0.41

Over the past year, the correlation between WU and SMH has dropped to 0.05 - well below their long-term average of 0.41, suggesting their price drivers have been diverging.

Return for Risk

WU vs. SMH — Risk / Return Rank

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

WU

WU Risk / Return Rank: 28
WU Sharpe Ratio Rank: 31
WU Sortino Ratio Rank: 26
WU Omega Ratio Rank: 27
WU Calmar Ratio Rank: 30
WU Martin Ratio Rank: 24

SMH

SMH Risk / Return Rank: 96
SMH Sharpe Ratio Rank: 97
SMH Sortino Ratio Rank: 95
SMH Omega Ratio Rank: 94
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.

WU vs. SMH - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for The Western Union Company (WU) 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.

	WU	SMH	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	-0.26	4.94	-5.20
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	-0.19	5.05	-5.24
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	0.98	1.69	-0.71
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	-0.34	10.11	-10.45
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	-0.90	38.76	-39.66
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

WU vs. SMH - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current WU Sharpe Ratio is -0.26, which is lower than the SMH Sharpe Ratio of 4.94. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of WU 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

	WU	SMH	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	-0.26	4.94	-5.20
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	-0.52	1.11	-1.63
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	-0.13	1.15	-1.29
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	-0.03	0.34	-0.37

Drawdowns

WU vs. SMH - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum WU drawdown since its inception was -63.10%, smaller than the maximum SMH drawdown of -84.96%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for WU and SMH.

Drawdown Indicators

	WU	SMH	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-63.10%	-84.96%	+21.86%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-23.10%	-14.93%	-8.17%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-36.69%	-35.74%	-0.95%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-57.35%	-45.30%	-12.05%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-60.15%	-45.30%	-14.85%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-58.04%	-1.63%	-56.41%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-28.71%	-41.08%	+12.37%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	8.84%	3.89%	+4.95%

Volatility

WU vs. SMH - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for The Western Union Company (WU) is 7.02%, while VanEck Semiconductor ETF (SMH) has a volatility of 11.58%. This indicates that WU 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

	WU	SMH	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	7.02%	11.58%	-4.56%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	20.19%	24.35%	-4.16%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	30.46%	30.57%	-0.11%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	28.64%	35.01%	-6.37%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	27.40%	32.57%	-5.17%

Dividends

WU vs. SMH - Dividend Comparison

WU's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 12.19%, more than SMH's 0.18% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
SMH VanEck Semiconductor ETF	0.18%	0.31%	0.44%	0.60%	1.18%	0.51%	0.69%	1.50%	1.88%	1.43%	0.80%	2.14%
WU The Western Union Company	12.19%	10.10%	8.87%	7.89%	6.83%	5.27%	4.10%	2.99%	4.45%	3.68%	2.95%	3.46%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both WU and SMH in my portfolio?

WU and SMH have a correlation of 0.05, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, WU or SMH?

SMH has higher volatility (11.58%) compared to WU (7.02%). In terms of maximum drawdown, WU dropped -63.10% vs SMH's -84.96%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

SMH currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (4.94 vs -0.26), 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.