Compare/Updated Oct 26, 2026, refreshed every trading day
SMH vs VGT
VanEck Semiconductor ETF against Vanguard Information Technology ETF: 4 years of returns, risk and today’s technical read, from Kavout’s own data.
SMH did better over the period: $1,000 invested on Oct 28, 2022 grew to $5,590, versus $2,924 for VGT. SMH also led across the 1-year and 3-year periods, with returns of 55.7% and 266.5%, compared with VGT’s 27.3% and 130.6%. The stronger performance reflects SMH’s concentrated semiconductor exposure and higher sensitivity to technology-sector gains: it moved 1.36% for every 1% move in VGT and beat VGT in 29 of the last 48 months. That outperformance came with materially higher risk. SMH’s 12-month volatility was 40.0% and its worst drawdown was -35.7%, compared with VGT’s 25.0% volatility and -27.2% drawdown. VGT offered broader exposure, a lower 0.09% expense ratio versus SMH’s 0.35%, and less severe losses, but substantially lower returns over the comparison period.
- Price is above its 200-day average ($515); 50-day at $575.
- RSI 33, neutral. Supertrend says sell. ADX 26, so the trend is strong.
- Price is above its 200-day average ($109); 50-day at $122.
- RSI 40, neutral. Supertrend says sell. ADX 25, so the trend is developing.
Head to head
Which has returned more, SMH or VGT?
SMH beat VGT in 29 of the last 48 months; VGT won the other 19. The typical monthly gap was 2.56 points.
Total return by period
Which is riskier?
SMH: Jul 10, 2024 to Apr 8, 2025; VGT: Dec 16, 2024 to Apr 8, 2025
- 0.917
- correlation of daily moves, 4 years
- 1.36
- SMH move per 1% in VGT
- 0.907
- correlation, last 12 months
Month by month
Of the last 48 months. The typical gap was 2.56 points.
When did they diverge?
| Month | SMH | VGT | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| November 2022 | +20.4% | +5.4% | +15.00 pts |
| April 2026 | +32.2% | +18.3% | +13.87 pts |
| January 2026 | +12.0% | -0.8% | +12.80 pts |
| July 2026 | -17.6% | -5.3% | -12.32 pts |
Where the numbers come from. 1000 daily adjusted closes per fund from the Kavout market-data API, dividends included. Signals and indicators are Kavout’s own, refreshed nightly. Every figure is calculated from those adjusted closes.
Holdings and fees
What do you actually own with SMH and VGT?
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