XLCS.L vs. SMH

Last updated Jun 5, 2026

XLCS.L (Invesco Communications S&P US Select Sector UCITS ETF Acc) and SMH (VanEck Semiconductor ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - XLCS.L is a Communications Equities fund tracking the S&P® Select Sector Capped 20% Communications Services Index, while SMH is a Semiconductors fund tracking the MVIS US Listed Semiconductor 25 Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 5 years, XLCS.L returned 8.09%/yr vs 38.76%/yr for SMH. At a 0.29 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. XLCS.L charges 0.14%/yr vs 0.35%/yr for SMH.

Performance

XLCS.L vs. SMH - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Invesco Communications S&P US Select Sector UCITS ETF Acc (XLCS.L) 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, XLCS.L achieves a -1.85% return, which is significantly lower than SMH's 74.25% return.

XLCS.L

• 1D: 1.24%
• 1M: -3.02%
• YTD: -1.85%
• 6M: -1.80%
• 1Y: 6.30%
• 3Y*: 22.78%
• 5Y*: 8.09%
• 10Y*: —

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)

XLCS.L vs. SMH - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018
XLCS.L Invesco Communications S&P US Select Sector UCITS ETF Acc	-1.85%	19.13%	37.69%	51.30%	-39.23%	13.38%	21.46%	25.69%	-5.25%
SMH VanEck Semiconductor ETF	74.25%	49.17%	39.10%	73.38%	-33.53%	42.13%	55.53%	64.45%	-7.79%

Correlation

The correlation between XLCS.L and SMH is 0.10, 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	0.10
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.22
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.30
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Oct 19, 2018	0.29

The correlation between XLCS.L and SMH shifts across timeframes, from 0.10 (1 year) to 0.30 (5 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

XLCS.L vs. SMH - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors	XLCS.L	SMH
Communication Services	100.0%	-
Basic Materials	-	-
Consumer Cyclical	-	-
Consumer Defensive	-	-
Energy	-	-
Financial Services	-	-
Healthcare	-	-
Industrials	-	-
Real Estate	-	-
Technology	-	100.0%
Utilities	-	-

Return for Risk

XLCS.L vs. SMH — Risk / Return Rank

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

XLCS.L

XLCS.L Risk / Return Rank: 17
XLCS.L Sharpe Ratio Rank: 17
XLCS.L Sortino Ratio Rank: 16
XLCS.L Omega Ratio Rank: 15
XLCS.L Calmar Ratio Rank: 17
XLCS.L Martin Ratio Rank: 17

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.

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

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Invesco Communications S&P US Select Sector UCITS ETF Acc (XLCS.L) 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.

	XLCS.L	SMH	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	0.47	4.94	-4.47
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	0.78	5.05	-4.27
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.09	1.69	-0.61
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	0.67	10.11	-9.44
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	1.59	38.76	-37.17
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

XLCS.L vs. SMH - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current XLCS.L Sharpe Ratio is 0.47, which is lower than the SMH Sharpe Ratio of 4.94. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of XLCS.L 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

	XLCS.L	SMH	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.47	4.94	-4.47
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.44	1.11	-0.68
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	—	1.15	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.69	0.34	+0.35

Drawdowns

XLCS.L vs. SMH - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum XLCS.L drawdown since its inception was -47.62%, smaller than the maximum SMH drawdown of -84.96%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for XLCS.L and SMH.

Drawdown Indicators

	XLCS.L	SMH	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-47.62%	-84.96%	+37.34%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-9.39%	-14.93%	+5.54%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-17.91%	-35.74%	+17.83%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-47.62%	-45.30%	-2.32%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	—	-45.30%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-6.15%	-1.63%	-4.52%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-10.46%	-41.08%	+30.62%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	3.95%	3.89%	+0.06%

Volatility

XLCS.L vs. SMH - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for Invesco Communications S&P US Select Sector UCITS ETF Acc (XLCS.L) is 4.12%, while VanEck Semiconductor ETF (SMH) has a volatility of 11.58%. This indicates that XLCS.L 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

	XLCS.L	SMH	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	4.12%	11.58%	-7.46%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	9.83%	24.35%	-14.52%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	13.32%	30.57%	-17.25%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	19.88%	35.01%	-15.13%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	20.62%	32.57%	-11.95%

XLCS.L vs. SMH - Expense Ratio Comparison

XLCS.L has a 0.14% expense ratio, which is lower than SMH's 0.35% expense ratio.

Dividends

XLCS.L vs. SMH - Dividend Comparison

XLCS.L has not paid dividends to shareholders, while SMH's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.18%.

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%
XLCS.L Invesco Communications S&P US Select Sector UCITS ETF Acc	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 XLCS.L and SMH in my portfolio?

XLCS.L and SMH have a correlation of 0.10, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which ETF is better, XLCS.L or SMH?

On fees, XLCS.L is cheaper at 0.14% per year. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF is cheaper, XLCS.L or SMH?

XLCS.L is cheaper with a 0.14% expense ratio, compared with 0.35% for SMH.

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

XLCS.L is categorized as Communications Equities, while SMH is Semiconductors. XLCS.L tracks S&P® Select Sector Capped 20% Communications Services Index, while SMH tracks MVIS US Listed Semiconductor 25 Index. They also come from different issuers: Invesco and VanEck. Their fees differ too: 0.14% for XLCS.L and 0.35% for SMH.