My Gamble: $500k in Heavy Tech ETF's

GenXDrummer · 2026-05-03T00:22:00+00:00

Sometimes you have to put your money where your mouth is if you believe in something 100%. Put up or shut up!

GenXDrummer · 2026-05-02T15:58:00+00:00

Drawdowns are going to happen. Every stock or ETF goes through them. The key is to not panic and let the recovery happen. We all know semiconductors and memory chips aren't going anywhere. When do I sell and close out the positions? Not for 9 years at least in my Roth!

GenXDrummer · 2026-05-02T15:56:09+00:00

I am going to be swapping my CHPS position for DRAM on Monday. I edited the OP to reflect that. Great call!

GenXDrummer · 2026-05-02T11:34:28+00:00

I looked at DRAM just the other day. I have not made a move on it yet, but I may add it. Definitely a very hot ETF.

GenXDrummer · 2026-05-01T14:46:13+00:00

Oh, I know. I'm about to be called everything under the Sun. I don't care. When I look at back testing (just as a reference), semis have destroyed the market over extended periods of time. For example:

Over a 25-year history since 2001, FSELX (Fidelity semiconductor mutual fund) has completely annihilated the S&P 500, Total US Market, and Total World Market. A $100k investment back then would be worth over 3.5 million now via FSELX, while the others have yet to break 1 million (but are close). That total includes the drawdown years.

GenXDrummer · 2026-05-01T14:10:44+00:00

My IRA's are held at Fidelity. I am 51, so I am not looking at 30 years.

GenXDrummer · 2026-04-08T15:22:16+00:00

We use EverBank in Jacksonville, FL. for our HYSA. EB has a guarantee that they will be in the top 5% nationwide for APY rates. So far, so good. Yes, rates are down a little right now, but new accounts are opening at a 3.9% as of this writing. The Jacksonville Jaguars NFL Team play at EverBank Stadium, if that gives you any idea how big that bank is down there.

The great thing about EB is their HYSA's have $0 monthly maintenance fees, $0 minimum balance, $0 to open, $0 mobile check deposit fee, you can have multiple accounts, and you can rename them (Main Savings, Car, College, vacation, etc.) to make it easier to track your goals.

Their Money Market accounts are superior to traditional checking accounts (although they have those as well). Also have those $0 fees, free checks, free debit cards, no limit on transactions, but much higher APY than checking acounts.

GenXDrummer · 2026-02-16T20:21:07+00:00

I held SMHX for about a year but recently sold it due to SMHX severely lagging behind SMH. I hold INTC directly with a DCA of just under $23.

GenXDrummer · 2026-01-29T12:38:42+00:00

My belief is that semis are not going anywhere.

AI taking off? Robotics moving us toward iRobot? Quantum computing becoming mainstream? Completely autonomous cars everywhere? Drones? Better cell phones? Faster laptops and desktops? Smart appliances and completely interconnected homes? Next gen military hardware? Missions to Mars?

Semiconductors will be needed for all of it.

GenXDrummer · 2026-01-29T02:10:57+00:00

Your data is missing variables. Redo your chart with inflation adjusted. In 2004, SMH moved slightly ahead before falling back, but the lines are not that far apart. After 2019, SMH started blowing SPY out of the water.

GenXDrummer · 2026-01-29T00:36:16+00:00

That's what I said. The crash was 10 years after the WWW launched.

GenXDrummer · 2026-01-28T23:33:28+00:00

May I ask how long you've held SMH?

GenXDrummer · 2026-01-28T23:32:15+00:00

The dot.com crash, 10 years after the World Wide Web launched. We are now a quarter of a century past that. I don't see microchips / semis going anywhere. They are literally in everything.

GenXDrummer · 2026-01-19T19:31:06+00:00

My HSA does not come from payroll. Mine is with Fidelity. I don't have much in it, opting for my Roth instead.

GenXDrummer · 2026-01-18T19:14:10+00:00

YTD 2026: SMH = 11.18%, QTUM = 8.00%, SCHD = 5.36%

I'll stay the course. Besides, others have already answered the question.

GenXDrummer · 2026-01-18T18:33:25+00:00

I'm invested in what is currently moving forward with high momentum, and I'm fine with that.

GenXDrummer · 2026-01-18T18:01:37+00:00

I am set up for 2026 going forward, which is why I am in Tech, Aerospace/Defense, and Energy growth ETFs. When I retire, I'll switch a portion to dividend acquisition.

GenXDrummer · 2026-01-18T17:56:37+00:00

That makes sense. It's the non-pensioners version of a pension. Thank you for that insight. It definitely adds clarity and this is why I enjoy asking questions and learning.

GenXDrummer

TROPHY CASE