IUCM.L vs. IMSU.L

Last updated Jun 5, 2026

IUCM.L (iShares S&P 500 Communication Sector UCITS ETF USD Acc) and IMSU.L (iShares S&P 500 Materials Sector UCITS ETF USD (Acc)) are both exchange-traded funds - IUCM.L is a Communications Equities fund tracking the MSCI World/Comm Services NR USD, while IMSU.L is a Materials fund tracking the MSCI World/Materials NR USD. Both are passively managed. Over the past 5 years, IUCM.L returned 11.39%/yr vs 4.92%/yr for IMSU.L. At a 0.48 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. Both charge a 0.15% expense ratio.

Performance

IUCM.L vs. IMSU.L - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in iShares S&P 500 Communication Sector UCITS ETF USD Acc (IUCM.L) and iShares S&P 500 Materials Sector UCITS ETF USD (Acc) (IMSU.L). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Different Trading Currencies

IUCM.L is traded in USD, while IMSU.L is traded in GBp. To make them comparable, the IMSU.L values have been converted to USD using the latest available exchange rates.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, IUCM.L achieves a 1.60% return, which is significantly lower than IMSU.L's 12.38% return.

IUCM.L

• 1D: 1.51%
• 1M: -2.81%
• YTD: 1.60%
• 6M: 1.52%
• 1Y: 20.87%
• 3Y*: 27.10%
• 5Y*: 11.39%
• 10Y*: —

IMSU.L

• 1D: -0.13%
• 1M: 0.93%
• YTD: 12.38%
• 6M: 16.78%
• 1Y: 18.22%
• 3Y*: 10.97%
• 5Y*: 4.92%
• 10Y*: —

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

IUCM.L vs. IMSU.L - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018
IUCM.L iShares S&P 500 Communication Sector UCITS ETF USD Acc	1.60%	26.48%	38.98%	55.75%	-40.54%	22.36%	22.64%	30.83%	-10.96%
IMSU.L iShares S&P 500 Materials Sector UCITS ETF USD (Acc)	12.38%	11.17%	-0.99%	11.87%	-11.90%	27.47%	19.90%	23.86%	-15.71%

Correlation

The correlation between IUCM.L and IMSU.L is 0.20, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.20
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.31
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.44
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Sep 20, 2018	0.48

Over the past year, the correlation between IUCM.L and IMSU.L has dropped to 0.20 - well below their long-term average of 0.48, suggesting their price drivers have been diverging.

IUCM.L vs. IMSU.L - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors	IUCM.L	IMSU.L
Communication Services	99.1%	-
Technology	0.6%	-
Basic Materials	-	91.4%
Consumer Cyclical	-	8.6%
Consumer Defensive	-	-
Energy	-	-
Financial Services	-	-
Healthcare	-	-
Industrials	-	-
Real Estate	-	-
Utilities	-	-

Return for Risk

IUCM.L vs. IMSU.L — Risk / Return Rank

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

IUCM.L

IUCM.L Risk / Return Rank: 44
IUCM.L Sharpe Ratio Rank: 42
IUCM.L Sortino Ratio Rank: 46
IUCM.L Omega Ratio Rank: 39
IUCM.L Calmar Ratio Rank: 44
IUCM.L Martin Ratio Rank: 48

IMSU.L

IMSU.L Risk / Return Rank: 37
IMSU.L Sharpe Ratio Rank: 37
IMSU.L Sortino Ratio Rank: 37
IMSU.L Omega Ratio Rank: 35
IMSU.L Calmar Ratio Rank: 37
IMSU.L Martin Ratio Rank: 39

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.

IUCM.L vs. IMSU.L - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares S&P 500 Communication Sector UCITS ETF USD Acc (IUCM.L) and iShares S&P 500 Materials Sector UCITS ETF USD (Acc) (IMSU.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.

	IUCM.L	IMSU.L	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	1.46	1.15	+0.31
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	2.26	1.68	+0.57
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.25	1.20	+0.05
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	2.14	1.56	+0.59
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	7.78	4.60	+3.19
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

IUCM.L vs. IMSU.L - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current IUCM.L Sharpe Ratio is 1.46, which is comparable to the IMSU.L Sharpe Ratio of 1.15. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of IUCM.L and IMSU.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

	IUCM.L	IMSU.L	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	1.46	1.15	+0.31
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.57	0.26	+0.31
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.73	0.48	+0.25

Drawdowns

IUCM.L vs. IMSU.L - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum IUCM.L drawdown since its inception was -47.32%, which is greater than IMSU.L's maximum drawdown of -35.42%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for IUCM.L and IMSU.L.

Drawdown Indicators

	IUCM.L	IMSU.L	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-47.32%	-35.42%	-11.90%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-9.71%	-11.66%	+1.95%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-18.79%	-22.76%	+3.97%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-47.32%	-26.06%	-21.26%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-4.70%	-3.76%	-0.94%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-10.21%	-7.09%	-3.12%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	2.67%	3.96%	-1.29%

Volatility

IUCM.L vs. IMSU.L - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for iShares S&P 500 Communication Sector UCITS ETF USD Acc (IUCM.L) is 4.40%, while iShares S&P 500 Materials Sector UCITS ETF USD (Acc) (IMSU.L) has a volatility of 5.61%. This indicates that IUCM.L experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than IMSU.L based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	IUCM.L	IMSU.L	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	4.40%	5.61%	-1.21%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	10.34%	12.69%	-2.35%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	14.28%	15.83%	-1.55%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	19.96%	18.61%	+1.35%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	20.34%	19.92%	+0.42%

IUCM.L vs. IMSU.L - Expense Ratio Comparison

Both IUCM.L and IMSU.L have an expense ratio of 0.15%, making them cost-effective options compared to the broader market, where average expense ratios typically range from 0.3% to 0.9%.

Dividends

IUCM.L vs. IMSU.L - Dividend Comparison

Neither IUCM.L nor IMSU.L has paid dividends to shareholders.

Tickers have no history of dividend payments

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both IUCM.L and IMSU.L in my portfolio?

IUCM.L and IMSU.L have a correlation of 0.20, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which ETF is better, IUCM.L or IMSU.L?

Both ETFs have the same 0.15% expense ratio. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF is cheaper, IUCM.L or IMSU.L?

IUCM.L and IMSU.L have the same expense ratio: 0.15% per year.

What is the main difference between IUCM.L and IMSU.L?

IUCM.L is categorized as Communications Equities, while IMSU.L is Materials. IUCM.L tracks MSCI World/Comm Services NR USD, while IMSU.L tracks MSCI World/Materials NR USD.