The Semiconductor ETF's 2026 Return Is About 3 Times Nvidia's

The VanEck Semiconductor ETF (SMH) returned approximately 69% in 2026, significantly outperforming its largest holding Nvidia, which gained only 23%. The outperformance was driven by smaller positions like Micron (up 276%), Intel (up 223%), and AMD (up 181%), which together accounted for about half the fund's gains despite representing only 14% of assets. The fund's 20% position cap on any single stock and exposure to the broader semiconductor industry, including cyclical memory chip makers, enabled it to beat Nvidia's returns.