IUSG vs. GUSA

Last updated Jun 5, 2026

IUSG (iShares Core S&P U.S. Growth ETF) and GUSA (Goldman Sachs MarketBeta U.S. 1000 Equity ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - IUSG is a Large Cap Growth Equities fund tracking the Russell 3000 Growth Index, while GUSA is a Large Cap Blend Equities fund tracking the Solactive GBS United States 1000 Index - Benchmark TR Gross. Both are passively managed. Over the past 3 years, IUSG returned 27.62%/yr vs 22.50%/yr for GUSA. Their correlation of 0.95 suggests significant overlap in exposure. IUSG charges 0.04%/yr vs 0.11%/yr for GUSA.

Performance

IUSG vs. GUSA - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in iShares Core S&P U.S. Growth ETF (IUSG) and Goldman Sachs MarketBeta U.S. 1000 Equity ETF (GUSA). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, IUSG achieves a 14.00% return, which is significantly higher than GUSA's 11.29% return.

IUSG

• 1D: -0.07%
• 1M: 6.40%
• YTD: 14.00%
• 6M: 13.31%
• 1Y: 33.47%
• 3Y*: 27.62%
• 5Y*: 15.67%
• 10Y*: 17.82%

GUSA

• 1D: 0.40%
• 1M: 4.73%
• YTD: 11.29%
• 6M: 11.21%
• 1Y: 28.15%
• 3Y*: 22.50%
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

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

IUSG vs. GUSA - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022
IUSG iShares Core S&P U.S. Growth ETF	14.00%	21.23%	34.70%	29.28%	-17.67%
GUSA Goldman Sachs MarketBeta U.S. 1000 Equity ETF	11.29%	17.51%	24.46%	26.61%	-12.69%

Correlation

The correlation between IUSG and GUSA is 0.94, 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	0.94
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.93
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Apr 13, 2022	0.95

The correlation between IUSG and GUSA has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.93 to 0.95 - a consistent structural relationship.

IUSG vs. GUSA - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors	IUSG	GUSA
Technology	48.0%	34.0%
Communication Services	17.1%	11.1%
Consumer Cyclical	9.3%	10.3%
Financial Services	8.8%	11.6%
Industrials	7.5%	9.4%
Healthcare	6.2%	8.8%
Consumer Defensive	1.0%	4.7%
Real Estate	0.9%	2.2%
Basic Materials	0.5%	2.0%
Utilities	0.5%	2.3%
Energy	0.2%	3.6%

Return for Risk

IUSG vs. GUSA — Risk / Return Rank

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

IUSG

IUSG Risk / Return Rank: 61
IUSG Sharpe Ratio Rank: 65
IUSG Sortino Ratio Rank: 63
IUSG Omega Ratio Rank: 62
IUSG Calmar Ratio Rank: 53
IUSG Martin Ratio Rank: 62

GUSA

GUSA Risk / Return Rank: 71
GUSA Sharpe Ratio Rank: 72
GUSA Sortino Ratio Rank: 71
GUSA Omega Ratio Rank: 71
GUSA Calmar Ratio Rank: 64
GUSA Martin Ratio Rank: 76

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.

IUSG vs. GUSA - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares Core S&P U.S. Growth ETF (IUSG) and Goldman Sachs MarketBeta U.S. 1000 Equity ETF (GUSA). 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.

	IUSG	GUSA	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	2.14	2.32	-0.18
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	2.90	3.17	-0.27
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.37	1.42	-0.05
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	2.57	3.14	-0.57
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	10.95	14.45	-3.49
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

IUSG vs. GUSA - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current IUSG Sharpe Ratio is 2.14, which is comparable to the GUSA Sharpe Ratio of 2.32. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of IUSG and GUSA, 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

	IUSG	GUSA	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	2.14	2.32	-0.18
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.75	—	—
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.88	—	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.38	0.89	-0.50

Drawdowns

IUSG vs. GUSA - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum IUSG drawdown since its inception was -63.41%, which is greater than GUSA's maximum drawdown of -19.61%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for IUSG and GUSA.

Drawdown Indicators

	IUSG	GUSA	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-63.41%	-19.61%	-43.80%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-13.07%	-9.01%	-4.06%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-22.28%	-19.61%	-2.67%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-32.21%	—	—
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-32.35%	—	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-1.05%	-0.22%	-0.83%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-21.44%	-4.38%	-17.06%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	3.06%	1.95%	+1.11%

Volatility

IUSG vs. GUSA - Volatility Comparison

iShares Core S&P U.S. Growth ETF (IUSG) has a higher volatility of 4.22% compared to Goldman Sachs MarketBeta U.S. 1000 Equity ETF (GUSA) at 3.03%. This indicates that IUSG's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than GUSA based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	IUSG	GUSA	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	4.22%	3.03%	+1.19%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	12.23%	9.29%	+2.94%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	15.71%	12.20%	+3.51%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	20.86%	17.26%	+3.60%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	20.40%	17.26%	+3.14%

IUSG vs. GUSA - Expense Ratio Comparison

IUSG has a 0.04% expense ratio, which is lower than GUSA's 0.11% 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%.

Dividends

IUSG vs. GUSA - Dividend Comparison

IUSG's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.47%, less than GUSA's 0.96% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
GUSA Goldman Sachs MarketBeta U.S. 1000 Equity ETF	0.96%	0.99%	1.16%	1.36%	1.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
IUSG iShares Core S&P U.S. Growth ETF	0.47%	0.53%	0.59%	1.12%	1.07%	0.59%	0.93%	1.64%	1.32%	1.28%	1.48%	1.29%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both IUSG and GUSA in my portfolio?

With a correlation of 0.94, IUSG and GUSA 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 is riskier, IUSG or GUSA?

IUSG has higher volatility (4.22%) compared to GUSA (3.03%). In terms of maximum drawdown, IUSG dropped -63.41% vs GUSA's -19.61%.

Which ETF is better, IUSG or GUSA?

On 3-year performance, IUSG leads with 27.62% vs 22.50% for GUSA. On fees, IUSG is cheaper at 0.04% per year. On volatility, GUSA has been the lower-risk option at 3.03%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF has performed better, IUSG or GUSA?

Over the 3-year period, IUSG has performed better with a 27.62% return vs 22.50%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.

Which ETF is cheaper, IUSG or GUSA?

IUSG is cheaper with a 0.04% expense ratio, compared with 0.11% for GUSA.

Which ETF pays a higher dividend yield, IUSG or GUSA?

GUSA has the higher dividend yield at 0.96%, compared with 0.47% for IUSG.

What is the main difference between IUSG and GUSA?

IUSG is categorized as Large Cap Growth Equities, while GUSA is Large Cap Blend Equities. IUSG tracks Russell 3000 Growth Index, while GUSA tracks Solactive GBS United States 1000 Index - Benchmark TR Gross. They also come from different issuers: iShares and Goldman Sachs. Their fees differ too: 0.04% for IUSG and 0.11% for GUSA.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

GUSA currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.32 vs 2.14), meaning it's delivered slightly more return per unit of risk over the trailing 12 months. However, this ranking shifts over time - use the Risk/Return Score above for a more comprehensive view that combines Sharpe, Sortino, and other measures used by quantitative funds.