IEMG vs. IXUS

Last updated Apr 1, 2026

Compare and contrast key facts about iShares Core MSCI Emerging Markets ETF (IEMG) and iShares Core MSCI Total International Stock ETF (IXUS).

IEMG and IXUS are both exchange-traded funds (ETFs), meaning they are traded on stock exchanges and can be bought and sold throughout the day. IEMG is a passively managed fund by iShares that tracks the performance of the MSCI Emerging Markets Investable Market Index. It was launched on Oct 18, 2012. IXUS is a passively managed fund by iShares that tracks the performance of the MSCI ACWI ex USA Investable Market Index. It was launched on Oct 18, 2012. Both IEMG and IXUS 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

IEMG vs. IXUS - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in iShares Core MSCI Emerging Markets ETF (IEMG) and iShares Core MSCI Total International Stock ETF (IXUS). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

IEMG vs. IXUS - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
IEMG iShares Core MSCI Emerging Markets ETF	3.76%	32.56%	6.50%	11.52%	-19.98%	-0.64%	17.87%	17.81%	-14.92%	37.38%
IXUS iShares Core MSCI Total International Stock ETF	2.36%	32.40%	5.19%	15.83%	-16.47%	8.86%	10.80%	21.71%	-14.41%	28.12%

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, IEMG achieves a 3.76% return, which is significantly higher than IXUS's 2.36% return. Over the past 10 years, IEMG has underperformed IXUS with an annualized return of 8.23%, while IXUS has yielded a comparatively higher 8.90% annualized return.

IEMG

• 1D: 3.61%
• 1M: -9.13%
• YTD: 3.76%
• 6M: 7.65%
• 1Y: 33.09%
• 3Y*: 16.07%
• 5Y*: 4.37%
• 10Y*: 8.23%

IXUS

• 1D: 3.46%
• 1M: -7.87%
• YTD: 2.36%
• 6M: 6.89%
• 1Y: 28.40%
• 3Y*: 15.55%
• 5Y*: 7.22%
• 10Y*: 8.90%

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

IEMG vs. IXUS - Expense Ratio Comparison

Both IEMG and IXUS have an expense ratio of 0.09%, making them cost-effective options compared to the broader market, where average expense ratios typically range from 0.3% to 0.9%.

IEMG

iShares Core MSCI Emerging Markets ETF

IXUS

iShares Core MSCI Total International Stock ETF

Return for Risk

IEMG vs. IXUS — Risk / Return Rank

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

IEMG

IEMG Risk / Return Rank: 86
IEMG Sharpe Ratio Rank: 86
IEMG Sortino Ratio Rank: 87
IEMG Omega Ratio Rank: 86
IEMG Calmar Ratio Rank: 86
IEMG Martin Ratio Rank: 86

IXUS

IXUS Risk / Return Rank: 86
IXUS Sharpe Ratio Rank: 85
IXUS Sortino Ratio Rank: 87
IXUS Omega Ratio Rank: 87
IXUS Calmar Ratio Rank: 86
IXUS Martin Ratio Rank: 86

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.

IEMG vs. IXUS - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares Core MSCI Emerging Markets ETF (IEMG) and iShares Core MSCI Total International Stock ETF (IXUS). 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.

	IEMG	IXUS	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	1.68	1.64	+0.04
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	2.27	2.27	0.00
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.34	1.34	0.00
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	2.48	2.43	+0.06
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	9.61	9.39	+0.22
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

IEMG vs. IXUS - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current IEMG Sharpe Ratio is 1.68, which is comparable to the IXUS Sharpe Ratio of 1.64. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of IEMG and IXUS, 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

	IEMG	IXUS	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	1.68	1.64	+0.04
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.25	0.45	-0.21
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.42	0.53	-0.11
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.28	0.45	-0.17

Correlation

The correlation between IEMG and IXUS is 0.89, 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

IEMG vs. IXUS - Dividend Comparison

IEMG's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.65%, less than IXUS's 3.16% yield.

	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
IEMG iShares Core MSCI Emerging Markets ETF	2.65%	2.75%	3.20%	2.89%	2.71%	3.06%	1.87%	3.15%	2.76%	2.35%	2.28%	2.53%
IXUS iShares Core MSCI Total International Stock ETF	3.16%	3.24%	3.33%	3.13%	2.48%	3.12%	1.85%	3.09%	3.00%	2.41%	2.58%	2.81%

Drawdowns

IEMG vs. IXUS - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum IEMG drawdown since its inception was -38.71%, which is greater than IXUS's maximum drawdown of -36.22%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for IEMG and IXUS.

Drawdown Indicators

	IEMG	IXUS	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-38.71%	-36.22%	-2.49%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-13.21%	-11.36%	-1.85%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-35.93%	-30.04%	-5.89%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-38.71%	-36.22%	-2.49%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-10.08%	-8.29%	-1.79%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-13.11%	-7.58%	-5.53%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	3.41%	2.93%	+0.48%

Volatility

IEMG vs. IXUS - Volatility Comparison

iShares Core MSCI Emerging Markets ETF (IEMG) has a higher volatility of 10.48% compared to iShares Core MSCI Total International Stock ETF (IXUS) at 8.41%. This indicates that IEMG's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than IXUS based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	IEMG	IXUS	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	10.48%	8.41%	+2.07%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	14.67%	11.58%	+3.09%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	19.78%	17.37%	+2.41%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	17.91%	15.96%	+1.95%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	19.84%	16.98%	+2.86%