EMXF vs. ESGE

Last updated Apr 2, 2026

Compare and contrast key facts about iShares ESG Advanced MSCI EM ETF (EMXF) and iShares ESG Aware MSCI EM ETF (ESGE).

EMXF and ESGE are both exchange-traded funds (ETFs), meaning they are traded on stock exchanges and can be bought and sold throughout the day. EMXF is a passively managed fund by iShares that tracks the performance of the MSCI Emerging Markets Choice ESG Screened 5% Issuer Capped Index. It was launched on Oct 6, 2020. ESGE is a passively managed fund by iShares that tracks the performance of the MSCI EM Extended ESG Focus Index. It was launched on Jun 28, 2016. Both EMXF and ESGE are passive ETFs, meaning that they are not actively managed but aim to replicate the performance of the underlying index as closely as possible.

Performance

EMXF vs. ESGE - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in iShares ESG Advanced MSCI EM ETF (EMXF) and iShares ESG Aware MSCI EM ETF (ESGE). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

EMXF vs. ESGE - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020
EMXF iShares ESG Advanced MSCI EM ETF	3.68%	29.40%	8.03%	6.63%	-18.99%	4.45%	15.32%
ESGE iShares ESG Aware MSCI EM ETF	3.69%	35.86%	6.63%	9.51%	-22.41%	-2.87%	13.55%

Returns By Period

The year-to-date returns for both investments are quite close, with EMXF having a 3.68% return and ESGE slightly higher at 3.69%.

EMXF

• 1D: 0.84%
• 1M: -5.02%
• YTD: 3.68%
• 6M: 8.34%
• 1Y: 30.12%
• 3Y*: 14.51%
• 5Y*: 4.42%
• 10Y*: —

ESGE

• 1D: 0.73%
• 1M: -6.89%
• YTD: 3.69%
• 6M: 6.42%
• 1Y: 34.05%
• 3Y*: 16.25%
• 5Y*: 3.55%
• 10Y*: —

*Multi-year figures are annualized to reflect compound growth (CAGR)

EMXF vs. ESGE - Expense Ratio Comparison

EMXF has a 0.16% expense ratio, which is lower than ESGE's 0.25% expense ratio. Despite the difference, both funds are considered low-cost compared to the broader market, where average expense ratios usually range from 0.3% to 0.9%.

ESGE

iShares ESG Aware MSCI EM ETF

EMXF

iShares ESG Advanced MSCI EM ETF

Return for Risk

EMXF vs. ESGE — Risk / Return Rank

Compare risk-adjusted metric ranks to identify better-performing investments over the past 12 months.

EMXF

EMXF Risk / Return Rank: 81
EMXF Sharpe Ratio Rank: 82
EMXF Sortino Ratio Rank: 81
EMXF Omega Ratio Rank: 79
EMXF Calmar Ratio Rank: 81
EMXF Martin Ratio Rank: 80

ESGE

ESGE Risk / Return Rank: 83
ESGE Sharpe Ratio Rank: 83
ESGE Sortino Ratio Rank: 84
ESGE Omega Ratio Rank: 82
ESGE Calmar Ratio Rank: 82
ESGE Martin Ratio Rank: 82

The rank (0–100) shows how this investment's returns compare to the risk taken. Higher = better. Based on the past 12 months of data, combining Sharpe, Sortino, and other metrics used by quantitative funds and institutional investors.

EMXF vs. ESGE - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares ESG Advanced MSCI EM ETF (EMXF) and iShares ESG Aware MSCI EM ETF (ESGE). Risk-adjusted metrics are performance indicators that assess an investment's returns in relation to its risk, enabling a more accurate comparison of different investment options.

	EMXF	ESGE	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	1.63	1.67	-0.04
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	2.21	2.27	-0.06
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.32	1.33	-0.01
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	2.46	2.49	-0.03
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	9.50	9.68	-0.19
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

EMXF vs. ESGE - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current EMXF Sharpe Ratio is 1.63, which is comparable to the ESGE Sharpe Ratio of 1.67. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of EMXF and ESGE, offering insights into how both investments have performed under varying market conditions. These values are calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	EMXF	ESGE	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	1.63	1.67	-0.04
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.20	0.19	+0.01
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.36	0.39	-0.03

Correlation

The correlation between EMXF and ESGE is 0.88, which is considered to be high. That indicates a strong positive relationship between their price movements. Having highly-correlated positions in a portfolio may signal a lack of diversification, potentially leading to increased risk during market downturns.

Dividends

EMXF vs. ESGE - Dividend Comparison

EMXF's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.31%, more than ESGE's 2.41% yield.

	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016
EMXF iShares ESG Advanced MSCI EM ETF	3.31%	3.43%	2.92%	2.25%	2.42%	1.87%	0.41%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
ESGE iShares ESG Aware MSCI EM ETF	2.41%	2.50%	2.41%	2.64%	2.68%	2.66%	1.31%	2.59%	2.19%	1.86%	0.27%

Drawdowns

EMXF vs. ESGE - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum EMXF drawdown since its inception was -33.13%, smaller than the maximum ESGE drawdown of -41.07%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for EMXF and ESGE.

Drawdown Indicators

	EMXF	ESGE	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-33.13%	-41.07%	+7.94%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-12.53%	-13.90%	+1.37%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-32.89%	-39.26%	+6.37%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-8.84%	-9.97%	+1.13%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-12.34%	-14.68%	+2.34%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	3.24%	3.57%	-0.33%

Volatility

EMXF vs. ESGE - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for iShares ESG Advanced MSCI EM ETF (EMXF) is 8.78%, while iShares ESG Aware MSCI EM ETF (ESGE) has a volatility of 9.65%. This indicates that EMXF experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than ESGE based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	EMXF	ESGE	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	8.78%	9.65%	-0.87%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	13.61%	15.23%	-1.62%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	18.57%	20.44%	-1.87%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	21.82%	18.62%	+3.20%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	21.61%	19.77%	+1.84%