NDVG vs. IGRO

Last updated Apr 1, 2026

Compare and contrast key facts about Nuveen Dividend Growth ETF (NDVG) and iShares International Dividend Growth ETF (IGRO).

NDVG and IGRO are both exchange-traded funds (ETFs), meaning they are traded on stock exchanges and can be bought and sold throughout the day. NDVG is an actively managed fund by Nuveen. It was launched on Aug 4, 2021. IGRO is a passively managed fund by iShares that tracks the performance of the Morningstar Global ex-US Dividend Growth Index. It was launched on May 17, 2016.

Performance

NDVG vs. IGRO - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Nuveen Dividend Growth ETF (NDVG) and iShares International Dividend Growth ETF (IGRO). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

NDVG vs. IGRO - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021
NDVG Nuveen Dividend Growth ETF	-2.17%	10.06%	17.60%	15.15%	-9.55%	11.07%
IGRO iShares International Dividend Growth ETF	1.57%	25.03%	7.78%	15.38%	-12.72%	1.38%

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, NDVG achieves a -2.17% return, which is significantly lower than IGRO's 1.57% return.

NDVG

• 1D: 2.07%
• 1M: -5.31%
• YTD: -2.17%
• 6M: -2.02%
• 1Y: 9.40%
• 3Y*: 12.79%
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

IGRO

• 1D: 2.91%
• 1M: -6.70%
• YTD: 1.57%
• 6M: 6.16%
• 1Y: 18.69%
• 3Y*: 14.34%
• 5Y*: 7.73%
• 10Y*: —

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

NDVG vs. IGRO - Expense Ratio Comparison

NDVG has a 0.64% expense ratio, which is higher than IGRO's 0.22% expense ratio.

NDVG

Nuveen Dividend Growth ETF

IGRO

iShares International Dividend Growth ETF

Return for Risk

NDVG vs. IGRO — Risk / Return Rank

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

NDVG

NDVG Risk / Return Rank: 37
NDVG Sharpe Ratio Rank: 34
NDVG Sortino Ratio Rank: 34
NDVG Omega Ratio Rank: 35
NDVG Calmar Ratio Rank: 38
NDVG Martin Ratio Rank: 44

IGRO

IGRO Risk / Return Rank: 74
IGRO Sharpe Ratio Rank: 75
IGRO Sortino Ratio Rank: 74
IGRO Omega Ratio Rank: 74
IGRO Calmar Ratio Rank: 73
IGRO Martin Ratio Rank: 72

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.

NDVG vs. IGRO - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Nuveen Dividend Growth ETF (NDVG) and iShares International Dividend Growth ETF (IGRO). 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.

	NDVG	IGRO	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	0.61	1.31	-0.69
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	0.97	1.80	-0.83
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.14	1.26	-0.12
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	0.98	1.81	-0.83
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	4.17	7.00	-2.83
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

NDVG vs. IGRO - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current NDVG Sharpe Ratio is 0.61, which is lower than the IGRO Sharpe Ratio of 1.31. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of NDVG and IGRO, 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

	NDVG	IGRO	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.61	1.31	-0.69
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	—	0.56	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.59	0.51	+0.08

Correlation

The correlation between NDVG and IGRO is 0.70, which is considered to be moderate. This suggests that the two assets have some degree of positive relationship in their price movements. Moderate correlation can be acceptable for portfolio diversification, offering a balance between risk and potential returns.

Dividends

NDVG vs. IGRO - Dividend Comparison

NDVG's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.09%, less than IGRO's 2.51% yield.

	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016
NDVG Nuveen Dividend Growth ETF	1.09%	1.05%	1.20%	1.24%	1.34%	0.57%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
IGRO iShares International Dividend Growth ETF	2.51%	2.51%	2.44%	2.79%	2.69%	2.27%	2.41%	2.65%	2.97%	2.43%	1.18%

Drawdowns

NDVG vs. IGRO - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum NDVG drawdown since its inception was -19.71%, smaller than the maximum IGRO drawdown of -36.25%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for NDVG and IGRO.

Drawdown Indicators

	NDVG	IGRO	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-19.71%	-36.25%	+16.54%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-10.79%	-10.00%	-0.79%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	—	-26.04%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-5.87%	-6.74%	+0.87%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-4.34%	-5.74%	+1.40%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	2.53%	2.58%	-0.05%

Volatility

NDVG vs. IGRO - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for Nuveen Dividend Growth ETF (NDVG) is 4.25%, while iShares International Dividend Growth ETF (IGRO) has a volatility of 6.63%. This indicates that NDVG experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than IGRO based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	NDVG	IGRO	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	4.25%	6.63%	-2.38%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	7.93%	9.45%	-1.52%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	15.46%	14.39%	+1.07%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	14.55%	13.83%	+0.72%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	14.55%	16.89%	-2.34%