IG vs. USMC

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

IG (Principal Investment Grade Corporate Active ETF) and USMC (Principal U.S. Mega-Cap ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - IG is a Corporate Bonds fund actively managed by Principal, while USMC is a Large Cap Growth Equities fund tracking the Nasdaq US Mega Cap Select Leaders Index. IG is actively managed, while USMC is passively managed. A 0.71 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined. IG charges 0.26%/yr vs 0.12%/yr for USMC.

Performance

IG vs. USMC - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Principal Investment Grade Corporate Active ETF (IG) and Principal U.S. Mega-Cap ETF (USMC). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

IG

• 1D: -0.23%
• 1M: 0.57%
• YTD: —
• 6M: —
• 1Y: —
• 3Y*: —
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

USMC

• 1D: -0.35%
• 1M: 5.52%
• YTD: 8.73%
• 6M: 8.24%
• 1Y: 23.60%
• 3Y*: 21.98%
• 5Y*: 15.40%
• 10Y*: —

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

IG vs. USMC - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)
IG Principal Investment Grade Corporate Active ETF	-0.22%
USMC Principal U.S. Mega-Cap ETF	6.98%

Correlation

The correlation between IG and USMC is 0.71, which is moderate. They share some common price drivers but move independently often enough to provide real diversification benefit when combined.

	Correlation
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Apr 23, 2026	0.71

IG vs. USMC - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors	IG	USMC
Financial Services	2.9%	19.6%
Basic Materials	-	-
Communication Services	-	14.7%
Consumer Cyclical	-	8.4%
Consumer Defensive	-	9.6%
Energy	-	4.8%
Healthcare	-	8.1%
Industrials	-	5.6%
Real Estate	-	-
Technology	-	29.1%
Utilities	-	-

Return for Risk

IG vs. USMC — Risk / Return Rank

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

USMC

USMC Risk / Return Rank: 54
USMC Sharpe Ratio Rank: 58
USMC Sortino Ratio Rank: 59
USMC Omega Ratio Rank: 56
USMC Calmar Ratio Rank: 46
USMC Martin Ratio Rank: 51

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.

IG vs. USMC - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Principal Investment Grade Corporate Active ETF (IG) and Principal U.S. Mega-Cap ETF (USMC). 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.

Risk / return metrics aren't available yet — we need at least 12 months of trading data to calculate them.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	IG	USMC	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	—	2.01	—
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	—	0.95	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	-0.40	0.84	-1.24

Drawdowns

IG vs. USMC - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum IG drawdown since its inception was -1.75%, smaller than the maximum USMC drawdown of -29.97%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for IG and USMC.

Drawdown Indicators

	IG	USMC	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-1.75%	-29.97%	+28.22%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	—	-10.30%	—
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	—	-19.12%	—
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	—	-24.09%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-0.32%	-0.35%	+0.03%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-0.53%	-4.40%	+3.87%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	—	2.69%	—

Volatility

Volatility by Period

	IG	USMC	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	—	2.52%	—
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	—	8.68%	—
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	4.90%	11.81%	-6.91%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	4.90%	16.36%	-11.46%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	4.90%	18.25%	-13.35%

IG vs. USMC - Expense Ratio Comparison

IG has a 0.26% expense ratio, which is higher than USMC's 0.12% expense ratio. However, both funds are considered low-cost compared to the broader market, where average expense ratios usually range from 0.3% to 0.9%.

Dividends

IG vs. USMC - Dividend Comparison

IG's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.84%, more than USMC's 0.74% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
IG Principal Investment Grade Corporate Active ETF	0.84%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
USMC Principal U.S. Mega-Cap ETF	0.74%	0.79%	1.04%	1.35%	1.78%	1.53%	1.55%	2.01%	2.28%	0.24%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both IG and USMC in my portfolio?

IG and USMC have a correlation of 0.71, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which ETF is better, IG or USMC?

On fees, USMC is cheaper at 0.12% per year. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF is cheaper, IG or USMC?

USMC is cheaper with a 0.12% expense ratio, compared with 0.26% for IG.

Which ETF pays a higher dividend yield, IG or USMC?

IG has the higher dividend yield at 0.84%, compared with 0.74% for USMC.

What is the main difference between IG and USMC?

IG is categorized as Corporate Bonds, while USMC is Large Cap Growth Equities. Their fees differ too: 0.26% for IG and 0.12% for USMC.