EXCS.L vs. SEMA.L

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

EXCS.L (iShares MSCI EM ex-China UCITS ETF USD (Acc)) and SEMA.L (iShares MSCI EM UCITS ETF (Acc)) are both Emerging Markets Equities funds from iShares tracking the MSCI EM NR USD. Both are passively managed. Over the past 3 years, EXCS.L returned 26.11%/yr vs 21.49%/yr for SEMA.L. Their correlation of 0.86 suggests significant overlap in exposure. Both charge a 0.18% expense ratio.

Performance

EXCS.L vs. SEMA.L - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a £10,000 investment in iShares MSCI EM ex-China UCITS ETF USD (Acc) (EXCS.L) and iShares MSCI EM UCITS ETF (Acc) (SEMA.L). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Different Trading Currencies

EXCS.L is traded in GBP, while SEMA.L is traded in GBp. To make them comparable, the SEMA.L values have been converted to GBP using the latest available exchange rates.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, EXCS.L achieves a 41.08% return, which is significantly higher than SEMA.L's 27.84% return.

EXCS.L

• 1D: -0.71%
• 1M: 13.86%
• YTD: 41.08%
• 6M: 45.00%
• 1Y: 77.57%
• 3Y*: 26.11%
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

SEMA.L

• 1D: -0.97%
• 1M: 10.33%
• YTD: 27.84%
• 6M: 30.04%
• 1Y: 57.61%
• 3Y*: 21.49%
• 5Y*: 8.88%
• 10Y*: 11.29%

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

EXCS.L vs. SEMA.L - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021
EXCS.L iShares MSCI EM ex-China UCITS ETF USD (Acc)	41.08%	26.13%	5.55%	10.95%	-8.31%	2.81%
SEMA.L iShares MSCI EM UCITS ETF (Acc)	27.84%	25.09%	9.38%	3.47%	-10.74%	0.70%

Correlation

The correlation between EXCS.L and SEMA.L is 0.93, indicating a strong positive relationship between their price movements. Combining them offers limited diversification - they tend to fall together during downturns.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.93
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.87
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Nov 30, 2021	0.86

The correlation between EXCS.L and SEMA.L has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.86 to 0.93 - a consistent structural relationship.

EXCS.L vs. SEMA.L - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors	EXCS.L	SEMA.L
Technology	45.1%	41.3%
Financial Services	19.5%	18.2%
Industrials	8.3%	7.0%
Basic Materials	6.8%	6.0%
Consumer Cyclical	4.5%	9.0%
Energy	4.2%	3.6%
Communication Services	3.4%	6.4%
Consumer Defensive	2.9%	2.8%
Utilities	2.3%	2.0%
Healthcare	2.2%	2.7%
Real Estate	1.0%	1.1%

Return for Risk

EXCS.L vs. SEMA.L — Risk / Return Rank

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

EXCS.L

EXCS.L Risk / Return Rank: 94
EXCS.L Sharpe Ratio Rank: 96
EXCS.L Sortino Ratio Rank: 94
EXCS.L Omega Ratio Rank: 95
EXCS.L Calmar Ratio Rank: 93
EXCS.L Martin Ratio Rank: 92

SEMA.L

SEMA.L Risk / Return Rank: 90
SEMA.L Sharpe Ratio Rank: 92
SEMA.L Sortino Ratio Rank: 90
SEMA.L Omega Ratio Rank: 92
SEMA.L Calmar Ratio Rank: 88
SEMA.L Martin Ratio Rank: 87

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.

EXCS.L vs. SEMA.L - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares MSCI EM ex-China UCITS ETF USD (Acc) (EXCS.L) and iShares MSCI EM UCITS ETF (Acc) (SEMA.L). 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.

	EXCS.L	SEMA.L	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	4.11	3.39	+0.72
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	5.03	4.30	+0.73
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.74	1.63	+0.11
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	6.54	5.23	+1.30
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	23.94	18.66	+5.28
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

EXCS.L vs. SEMA.L - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current EXCS.L Sharpe Ratio is 4.11, which is comparable to the SEMA.L Sharpe Ratio of 3.39. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of EXCS.L and SEMA.L, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	EXCS.L	SEMA.L	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	4.11	3.39	+0.72
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	—	0.55	—
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	—	0.63	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	1.06	0.40	+0.65

Drawdowns

EXCS.L vs. SEMA.L - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum EXCS.L drawdown since its inception was -17.51%, smaller than the maximum SEMA.L drawdown of -31.75%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for EXCS.L and SEMA.L.

Drawdown Indicators

	EXCS.L	SEMA.L	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-17.51%	-31.75%	+14.24%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-11.81%	-10.95%	-0.86%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-17.51%	-15.23%	-2.28%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	—	-23.52%	—
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	—	-27.06%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-0.71%	-0.97%	+0.26%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-4.85%	-10.72%	+5.87%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	3.23%	3.08%	+0.15%

Volatility

EXCS.L vs. SEMA.L - Volatility Comparison

iShares MSCI EM ex-China UCITS ETF USD (Acc) (EXCS.L) has a higher volatility of 8.68% compared to iShares MSCI EM UCITS ETF (Acc) (SEMA.L) at 7.31%. This indicates that EXCS.L's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than SEMA.L based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	EXCS.L	SEMA.L	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	8.68%	7.31%	+1.37%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	16.44%	14.47%	+1.97%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	18.79%	16.94%	+1.85%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	15.35%	16.19%	-0.84%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	15.35%	18.04%	-2.69%

EXCS.L vs. SEMA.L - Expense Ratio Comparison

Both EXCS.L and SEMA.L have an expense ratio of 0.18%, making them cost-effective options compared to the broader market, where average expense ratios typically range from 0.3% to 0.9%.

Dividends

EXCS.L vs. SEMA.L - Dividend Comparison

Neither EXCS.L nor SEMA.L has paid dividends to shareholders.

Tickers have no history of dividend payments

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both EXCS.L and SEMA.L in my portfolio?

With a correlation of 0.93, EXCS.L and SEMA.L move almost identically. Holding both adds very little diversification - you're essentially doubling your position in the same market segment. Choosing one is usually more capital-efficient.

Which ETF is better, EXCS.L or SEMA.L?

Both ETFs have the same 0.18% expense ratio. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF is cheaper, EXCS.L or SEMA.L?

EXCS.L and SEMA.L have the same expense ratio: 0.18% per year.

What is the main difference between EXCS.L and SEMA.L?

Both ETFs track MSCI EM NR USD.