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Is iShares Semiconductor ETF (SOXX) a Strong ETF Right Now?
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The iShares Semiconductor ETF (SOXX - Free Report) was launched on 07/10/2001, and is a smart beta exchange traded fund designed to offer broad exposure to the Technology ETFs category of the market.
What Are Smart Beta ETFs?
Products that are based on market cap weighted indexes, which are strategies designed to reflect a specific market segment or the market as a whole, have traditionally dominated the ETF industry.
A good option for investors who believe in market efficiency, market cap weighted indexes offer a low-cost, convenient, and transparent way of replicating market returns.
There are some investors, though, who think it's possible to beat the market with great stock selection; this group likely invests in another class of funds known as smart beta, which track non-cap weighted strategies.
Non-cap weighted indexes try to choose stocks that have a better chance of risk-return performance, which is based on specific fundamental characteristics, or a mix of other such characteristics.
While this space offers a number of choices to investors, including simplest equal-weighting, fundamental weighting and volatility/momentum based weighting methodologies, not all these strategies have been able to deliver superior results.
Fund Sponsor & Index
The fund is managed by Blackrock, and has been able to amass over $14.68 billion, which makes it one of the largest ETFs in the Technology ETFs. SOXX, before fees and expenses, seeks to match the performance of the PHLX SOX Semiconductor Sector Index.
The ICE Semiconductor Index measures the performance of U.S. traded securities of companies engaged in the semiconductor business.
Cost & Other Expenses
Investors should also pay attention to an ETF's expense ratio. Lower cost products will produce better results than those with a higher cost, assuming all other metrics remain the same.
Annual operating expenses for this ETF are 0.34%, making it one of the least expensive products in the space.
SOXX's 12-month trailing dividend yield is 0.61%.
Sector Exposure and Top Holdings
Most ETFs are very transparent products, and disclose their holdings on a daily basis. ETFs also offer diversified exposure, which minimizes single stock risk, though it's still important for investors to research a fund's holdings.
This ETF has heaviest allocation in the Information Technology sector - about 100% of the portfolio.
When you look at individual holdings, Broadcom Inc (AVGO) accounts for about 9.36% of the fund's total assets, followed by Advanced Micro Devices Inc (AMD) and Nvidia Corp (NVDA).
Its top 10 holdings account for approximately 59.43% of SOXX's total assets under management.
Performance and Risk
The ETF has added roughly 26.41% so far this year and it's up approximately 18.29% in the last one year (as of 10/01/2025). In the past 52-week period, it has traded between $154.86 and $271.12
The fund has a beta of 1.48 and standard deviation of 34.90% for the trailing three-year period, which makes SOXX a high risk choice in this particular space. With about 35 holdings, it has more concentrated exposure than peers .
Alternatives
iShares Semiconductor ETF is an excellent option for investors seeking to outperform the Technology ETFs segment of the market. There are other ETFs in the space which investors could consider as well.
SPDR S&P Semiconductor ETF (XSD) tracks S&P Semiconductor Select Industry Index and the VanEck Semiconductor ETF (SMH) tracks MVIS US Listed Semiconductor 25 Index. SPDR S&P Semiconductor ETF has $1.6 billion in assets, VanEck Semiconductor ETF has $31.02 billion. XSD has an expense ratio of 0.35% and SMH changes 0.35%.
Investors looking for cheaper and lower-risk options should consider traditional market cap weighted ETFs that aim to match the returns of the Technology ETFs
Bottom Line
To learn more about this product and other ETFs, screen for products that match your investment objectives and read articles on latest developments in the ETF investing universe, please visit Zacks ETF Center.
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Is iShares Semiconductor ETF (SOXX) a Strong ETF Right Now?
The iShares Semiconductor ETF (SOXX - Free Report) was launched on 07/10/2001, and is a smart beta exchange traded fund designed to offer broad exposure to the Technology ETFs category of the market.
What Are Smart Beta ETFs?
Products that are based on market cap weighted indexes, which are strategies designed to reflect a specific market segment or the market as a whole, have traditionally dominated the ETF industry.
A good option for investors who believe in market efficiency, market cap weighted indexes offer a low-cost, convenient, and transparent way of replicating market returns.
There are some investors, though, who think it's possible to beat the market with great stock selection; this group likely invests in another class of funds known as smart beta, which track non-cap weighted strategies.
Non-cap weighted indexes try to choose stocks that have a better chance of risk-return performance, which is based on specific fundamental characteristics, or a mix of other such characteristics.
While this space offers a number of choices to investors, including simplest equal-weighting, fundamental weighting and volatility/momentum based weighting methodologies, not all these strategies have been able to deliver superior results.
Fund Sponsor & Index
The fund is managed by Blackrock, and has been able to amass over $14.68 billion, which makes it one of the largest ETFs in the Technology ETFs. SOXX, before fees and expenses, seeks to match the performance of the PHLX SOX Semiconductor Sector Index.
The ICE Semiconductor Index measures the performance of U.S. traded securities of companies engaged in the semiconductor business.
Cost & Other Expenses
Investors should also pay attention to an ETF's expense ratio. Lower cost products will produce better results than those with a higher cost, assuming all other metrics remain the same.
Annual operating expenses for this ETF are 0.34%, making it one of the least expensive products in the space.
SOXX's 12-month trailing dividend yield is 0.61%.
Sector Exposure and Top Holdings
Most ETFs are very transparent products, and disclose their holdings on a daily basis. ETFs also offer diversified exposure, which minimizes single stock risk, though it's still important for investors to research a fund's holdings.
This ETF has heaviest allocation in the Information Technology sector - about 100% of the portfolio.
When you look at individual holdings, Broadcom Inc (AVGO) accounts for about 9.36% of the fund's total assets, followed by Advanced Micro Devices Inc (AMD) and Nvidia Corp (NVDA).
Its top 10 holdings account for approximately 59.43% of SOXX's total assets under management.
Performance and Risk
The ETF has added roughly 26.41% so far this year and it's up approximately 18.29% in the last one year (as of 10/01/2025). In the past 52-week period, it has traded between $154.86 and $271.12
The fund has a beta of 1.48 and standard deviation of 34.90% for the trailing three-year period, which makes SOXX a high risk choice in this particular space. With about 35 holdings, it has more concentrated exposure than peers .
Alternatives
iShares Semiconductor ETF is an excellent option for investors seeking to outperform the Technology ETFs segment of the market. There are other ETFs in the space which investors could consider as well.
SPDR S&P Semiconductor ETF (XSD) tracks S&P Semiconductor Select Industry Index and the VanEck Semiconductor ETF (SMH) tracks MVIS US Listed Semiconductor 25 Index. SPDR S&P Semiconductor ETF has $1.6 billion in assets, VanEck Semiconductor ETF has $31.02 billion. XSD has an expense ratio of 0.35% and SMH changes 0.35%.
Investors looking for cheaper and lower-risk options should consider traditional market cap weighted ETFs that aim to match the returns of the Technology ETFs
Bottom Line
To learn more about this product and other ETFs, screen for products that match your investment objectives and read articles on latest developments in the ETF investing universe, please visit Zacks ETF Center.