JUST vs. GEM

Last updated Aug 6, 2026

JUST (Goldman Sachs JUST U.S. Large Cap Equity ETF) and GEM (Goldman Sachs ActiveBeta Emerging Markets Equity ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - JUST is a Large Cap Growth Equities fund tracking the JUST US Large Cap Diversified Index, while GEM is a Emerging Markets Equities fund tracking the Goldman Sachs ActiveBeta Emerging Markets Equity Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 5 years, JUST returned 12.93%/yr vs 8.06%/yr for GEM. Their 0.67 correlation means they have sometimes moved together and sometimes differently. JUST charges 0.20%/yr vs 0.45%/yr for GEM.

Performance

JUST vs. GEM - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Goldman Sachs JUST U.S. Large Cap Equity ETF (JUST) and Goldman Sachs ActiveBeta Emerging Markets Equity ETF (GEM). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, JUST achieves a 15.37% return, which is significantly lower than GEM's 20.74% return.

JUST

• 1D: -0.09%
• 1M: 3.44%
• 6M: 14.24%
• YTD: 15.37%
• 1Y: 25.83%
• 3Y*: 21.77%
• 5Y*: 12.93%
• 10Y*: —
• ALL TIME*: 14.87%

GEM

• 1D: -0.38%
• 1M: -2.50%
• 6M: 11.99%
• YTD: 20.74%
• 1Y: 36.47%
• 3Y*: 20.45%
• 5Y*: 8.06%
• 10Y*: 8.53%
• ALL TIME*: 9.38%

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

Liquidity Comparison

Position	Avg. Volume Value (2W)	Avg. Volume Value (1M)	Avg. Volume Value (3M)
GEM Goldman Sachs ActiveBeta Emerging Markets Equity ETF	$6.26M	$6.34M	$5.46M
JUST Goldman Sachs JUST U.S. Large Cap Equity ETF	$426.25K	$476.15K	$729.52K

JUST vs. GEM - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018
JUST Goldman Sachs JUST U.S. Large Cap Equity ETF	15.37%	17.60%	23.73%	24.86%	-17.88%	26.89%	19.59%	31.54%	-9.96%
GEM Goldman Sachs ActiveBeta Emerging Markets Equity ETF	20.74%	33.43%	6.66%	11.82%	-21.33%	-0.19%	13.23%	17.79%	-12.97%

Correlation

The correlation between JUST and GEM is 0.72, which is moderate. They have sometimes moved together and sometimes differently, sharing some price drivers without tracking each other closely.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Focuses on recent behavior, but can change the most.	0.72
Correlation (3Y) Balances recent behavior with more history.	0.64
Correlation (5Y) Shows whether the relationship held over a longer period.	0.64
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jun 13, 2018	0.67

The correlation between JUST and GEM has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.64 to 0.72 - a consistent structural relationship.

JUST vs. GEM - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors	JUST	GEM
Technology	37.6%	38.4%
Financial Services	13.2%	19.6%
Healthcare	9.2%	3.0%
Consumer Cyclical	8.9%	7.4%
Industrials	7.9%	5.5%
Communication Services	7.7%	6.1%
Consumer Defensive	5.1%	2.9%
Energy	3.5%	2.9%
Utilities	2.5%	1.8%
Basic Materials	2.1%	6.0%
Real Estate	2.1%	0.7%

Return for Risk

JUST vs. GEM — Risk / Return Rank

Compare historical risk-adjusted metric ranks over the past 12 months.

JUST

JUST Risk / Return Rank: 78
JUST Sharpe Ratio Rank: 79
JUST Sortino Ratio Rank: 78
JUST Omega Ratio Rank: 77
JUST Calmar Ratio Rank: 74
JUST Martin Ratio Rank: 84

GEM

GEM Risk / Return Rank: 58
GEM Sharpe Ratio Rank: 55
GEM Sortino Ratio Rank: 51
GEM Omega Ratio Rank: 57
GEM Calmar Ratio Rank: 68
GEM Martin Ratio Rank: 59

The rank (0–100) uses a weighted average of the Sharpe, Sortino, Omega, Calmar, and Martin percentile ranks for the trailing 12 months. Higher means stronger historical risk-adjusted performance within the peer group.

JUST vs. GEM - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Goldman Sachs JUST U.S. Large Cap Equity ETF (JUST) and Goldman Sachs ActiveBeta Emerging Markets Equity ETF (GEM). 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.

Values are calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. Risk-adjusted metrics are more stable over longer periods — use the period switch above to explore them.

	JUST	GEM	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	2.04	1.54	+0.50
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	2.83	2.08	+0.75
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.36	1.29	+0.07
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	2.96	2.72	+0.25
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	12.85	7.97	+4.88

JUST vs. GEM - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current JUST Sharpe Ratio is 2.04, which is higher than the GEM Sharpe Ratio of 1.54. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of JUST and GEM, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Drawdowns

JUST vs. GEM - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum JUST drawdown since its inception was -33.83%, smaller than the maximum GEM drawdown of -37.02%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for JUST and GEM.

Drawdown Indicators

	JUST	GEM	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-33.83%	-37.02%	+3.19%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-8.76%	-13.50%	+4.74%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-19.34%	-16.54%	-2.80%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-24.72%	-33.14%	+8.42%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	—	-37.02%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-0.09%	-7.10%	+7.01%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-5.03%	-11.92%	+6.89%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	2.01%	4.59%	-2.58%

Volatility

JUST vs. GEM - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for Goldman Sachs JUST U.S. Large Cap Equity ETF (JUST) is 3.94%, while Goldman Sachs ActiveBeta Emerging Markets Equity ETF (GEM) has a volatility of 8.16%. This indicates that JUST experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than GEM based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	JUST	GEM	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	3.94%	8.16%	-4.22%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	10.11%	21.71%	-11.60%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	12.74%	23.81%	-11.07%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	16.90%	18.67%	-1.77%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	19.03%	19.36%	-0.33%

JUST vs. GEM - Expense Ratio Comparison

JUST has a 0.20% expense ratio, which is lower than GEM's 0.45% expense ratio.

Dividends

JUST vs. GEM - Dividend Comparison

JUST's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.92%, less than GEM's 1.91% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
GEM Goldman Sachs ActiveBeta Emerging Markets Equity ETF	1.91%	2.30%	2.58%	2.97%	2.96%	3.00%	1.63%	3.13%	2.08%	1.81%	1.98%	0.25%
JUST Goldman Sachs JUST U.S. Large Cap Equity ETF	0.92%	1.02%	1.11%	1.37%	1.51%	1.07%	1.36%	1.86%	1.11%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both JUST and GEM in my portfolio?

JUST and GEM have a correlation of 0.72, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, JUST or GEM?

GEM has higher volatility (8.16%) compared to JUST (3.94%). In terms of maximum drawdown, JUST dropped -33.83% vs GEM's -37.02%.

Which ETF is better, JUST or GEM?

On 5-year performance, JUST leads with 12.93% vs 8.06% for GEM. On fees, JUST is cheaper at 0.20% per year. On volatility, JUST has been the lower-risk option at 3.94%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF has performed better, JUST or GEM?

Over the 5-year period, JUST has performed better with a 12.93% return vs 8.06%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.

Which ETF is cheaper, JUST or GEM?

JUST is cheaper with a 0.20% expense ratio, compared with 0.45% for GEM.

Which ETF pays a higher dividend yield, JUST or GEM?

GEM has the higher dividend yield at 1.91%, compared with 0.92% for JUST.

What is the main difference between JUST and GEM?

JUST is categorized as Large Cap Growth Equities, while GEM is Emerging Markets Equities. JUST tracks JUST US Large Cap Diversified Index, while GEM tracks Goldman Sachs ActiveBeta Emerging Markets Equity Index. Their fees differ too: 0.20% for JUST and 0.45% for GEM.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

JUST currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.04 vs 1.54), 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.