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SMH vs VOO: which was the better investment?

VanEck Semiconductor ETF against Vanguard S&P 500 ETF on real daily total-return data — every dividend reinvested, from Sep 9, 2010 to Jul 15, 2026.

semiconductors (SMH)Vanguard’s S&P 500 fund (VOO)
16 years of daily dataDividends reinvestedUpdated daily

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SMHVanEck Semiconductor ETF
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VOO
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Frequently asked questions

Did SMH beat VOO?

Yes — measured from Sep 9, 2010 to Jul 15, 2026 with dividends reinvested, SMH came out ahead: $554,809 versus $90,886 from a $10,000 start. That gap compounds from a 28.8% annual return against 14.9%.

What would $10,000 in SMH be worth today?

$10,000 invested in VanEck Semiconductor ETF (SMH) on Sep 9, 2010 would be worth about $554,809 as of Jul 15, 2026, a total return of 5448.1% (28.8% per year). The same $10,000 in VOO would be worth $90,886.

Which was riskier — SMH or VOO?

SMH swung with an annualized volatility of 29.3% and a worst peak-to-trough drop of -45.3%; VOO ran at 17.0% volatility with a -34.0% maximum drawdown. Risk-adjusted (Sharpe ratio), that is 0.92 for SMH vs 0.76 for VOO.

What data is this comparison based on?

Daily adjusted closing prices covering Sep 9, 2010 through Jul 15, 2026 — the full period where both assets have price history. Adjusted prices include dividends and splits, so these are total returns. The page refreshes with new market data every day.

Can I change the dates, amounts, or add monthly investing?

Yes — the interactive tool on this page is pre-loaded with SMH vs VOO. You can set any start and end date, change the starting amount, add monthly contributions, or build a multi-asset portfolio and compare it against any benchmark.