NUEM vs. FEM
Compare and contrast key facts about Nuveen ESG Emerging Markets Equity ETF (NUEM) and First Trust Emerging Markets AlphaDEX Fund (FEM).
NUEM and FEM are both exchange-traded funds (ETFs), meaning they are traded on stock exchanges and can be bought and sold throughout the day. NUEM is a passively managed fund by Nuveen that tracks the performance of the MSCI TIAA ESG Emerging Markets. It was launched on Jun 7, 2017. FEM is a passively managed fund by First Trust that tracks the performance of the NASDAQ AlphaDEX EM Index. It was launched on Apr 18, 2011. Both NUEM and FEM are passive ETFs, meaning that they are not actively managed but aim to replicate the performance of the underlying index as closely as possible.
Performance
NUEM vs. FEM - Performance Comparison
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NUEM vs. FEM - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
NUEM Nuveen ESG Emerging Markets Equity ETF | 3.26% | 27.12% | 9.73% | 8.57% | -19.74% | -1.08% | 24.09% | 16.67% | -17.26% | 18.50% |
FEM First Trust Emerging Markets AlphaDEX Fund | 9.64% | 28.36% | 3.01% | 10.84% | -14.24% | 7.40% | -1.68% | 20.55% | -15.51% | 21.35% |
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, NUEM achieves a 3.26% return, which is significantly lower than FEM's 9.64% return.
NUEM
- 1D
- 3.84%
- 1M
- -6.67%
- YTD
- 3.26%
- 6M
- 6.73%
- 1Y
- 30.23%
- 3Y*
- 13.98%
- 5Y*
- 3.28%
- 10Y*
- —
FEM
- 1D
- 1.40%
- 1M
- -4.37%
- YTD
- 9.64%
- 6M
- 11.51%
- 1Y
- 35.39%
- 3Y*
- 16.74%
- 5Y*
- 6.92%
- 10Y*
- 8.47%
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NUEM vs. FEM - Expense Ratio Comparison
NUEM has a 0.35% expense ratio, which is lower than FEM's 0.80% expense ratio.
Return for Risk
NUEM vs. FEM — Risk / Return Rank
NUEM
FEM
NUEM vs. FEM - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Nuveen ESG Emerging Markets Equity ETF (NUEM) and First Trust Emerging Markets AlphaDEX Fund (FEM). 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.
| NUEM | FEM | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | 1.57 | 1.85 | -0.27 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | 2.22 | 2.34 | -0.13 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.32 | 1.36 | -0.04 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.62 | 2.66 | -0.04 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 9.22 | 12.54 | -3.32 |
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month. | |||
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Sharpe Ratios by Period
| NUEM | FEM | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.57 | 1.85 | -0.27 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.17 | 0.38 | -0.21 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | — | 0.41 | — |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.33 | 0.16 | +0.17 |
Correlation
The correlation between NUEM and FEM is 0.79, which is considered to be high. That indicates a strong positive relationship between their price movements. Having highly-correlated positions in a portfolio may signal a lack of diversification, potentially leading to increased risk during market downturns.
Dividends
NUEM vs. FEM - Dividend Comparison
NUEM's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.47%, more than FEM's 2.84% yield.
| TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
NUEM Nuveen ESG Emerging Markets Equity ETF | 3.47% | 3.58% | 1.95% | 2.37% | 1.90% | 2.45% | 1.26% | 1.98% | 2.05% | 0.62% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
FEM First Trust Emerging Markets AlphaDEX Fund | 2.84% | 3.13% | 3.66% | 4.96% | 6.15% | 4.15% | 2.68% | 3.31% | 3.52% | 2.45% | 2.25% | 3.61% |
Drawdowns
NUEM vs. FEM - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum NUEM drawdown since its inception was -39.48%, smaller than the maximum FEM drawdown of -46.23%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for NUEM and FEM.
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Drawdown Indicators
| NUEM | FEM | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -39.48% | -46.23% | +6.75% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -11.56% | -13.19% | +1.63% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -38.10% | -31.72% | -6.38% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | — | -46.23% | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -8.11% | -5.40% | -2.71% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -15.28% | -15.20% | -0.08% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 3.28% | 2.79% | +0.49% |
Volatility
NUEM vs. FEM - Volatility Comparison
Nuveen ESG Emerging Markets Equity ETF (NUEM) has a higher volatility of 9.97% compared to First Trust Emerging Markets AlphaDEX Fund (FEM) at 8.51%. This indicates that NUEM's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than FEM based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| NUEM | FEM | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 9.97% | 8.51% | +1.46% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 14.16% | 13.64% | +0.52% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 19.28% | 19.24% | +0.04% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 19.42% | 18.21% | +1.21% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 20.09% | 20.95% | -0.86% |