NUHY vs. HYEM
NUHY (Nuveen ESG High Yield Corporate Bond ETF) and HYEM (VanEck Vectors Emerging Markets High Yield Bond ETF) are both High Yield Bonds funds - NUHY tracks the Bloomberg Barclays MSCI US Aggregate ESG Select Index while HYEM tracks the BofA Merrill Lynch Diversified High Yield US Emerging Markets Corporate Plus Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 5 years, NUHY returned 3.43%/yr vs 3.02%/yr for HYEM. A 0.51 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined. NUHY charges 0.30%/yr vs 0.40%/yr for HYEM.
Performance
NUHY vs. HYEM - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, NUHY achieves a 1.49% return, which is significantly lower than HYEM's 3.81% return.
NUHY
- 1D
- 0.14%
- 1M
- 0.75%
- YTD
- 1.49%
- 6M
- 1.82%
- 1Y
- 6.51%
- 3Y*
- 8.51%
- 5Y*
- 3.43%
- 10Y*
- —
HYEM
- 1D
- -0.10%
- 1M
- 0.91%
- YTD
- 3.81%
- 6M
- 4.19%
- 1Y
- 10.08%
- 3Y*
- 10.82%
- 5Y*
- 3.02%
- 10Y*
- 4.63%
NUHY vs. HYEM - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
NUHY Nuveen ESG High Yield Corporate Bond ETF | 1.49% | 9.12% | 7.26% | 11.18% | -11.80% | 2.46% | 4.14% | 2.21% |
HYEM VanEck Vectors Emerging Markets High Yield Bond ETF | 3.81% | 9.24% | 12.14% | 8.35% | -13.39% | -1.31% | 6.87% | 4.57% |
Correlation
The correlation between NUHY and HYEM is 0.46, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.46 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.50 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.55 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Sep 27, 2019 | 0.51 |
The correlation between NUHY and HYEM has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.46 to 0.55 - a consistent structural relationship.
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Return for Risk
NUHY vs. HYEM — Risk / Return Rank
NUHY
HYEM
NUHY vs. HYEM - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Nuveen ESG High Yield Corporate Bond ETF (NUHY) and VanEck Vectors Emerging Markets High Yield Bond ETF (HYEM). 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.
| NUHY | HYEM | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.62 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -0.79 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.34 | 1.46 | -0.12 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.28 | 3.71 | -1.43 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 10.16 | 15.14 | -4.98 |
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
| NUHY | HYEM | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.72 | 2.33 | -0.62 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.47 | 0.40 | +0.07 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | — | 0.50 | — |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.43 | 0.54 | -0.11 |
Drawdowns
NUHY vs. HYEM - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum NUHY drawdown since its inception was -20.14%, smaller than the maximum HYEM drawdown of -30.96%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for NUHY and HYEM.
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Drawdown Indicators
| NUHY | HYEM | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -20.14% | -30.96% | +10.82% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -2.87% | -2.73% | -0.14% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -4.68% | -5.23% | +0.55% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -16.92% | -26.30% | +9.38% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | — | -30.96% | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -0.12% | -0.20% | +0.08% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -3.53% | -4.40% | +0.87% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 0.64% | 0.67% | -0.03% |
Volatility
NUHY vs. HYEM - Volatility Comparison
Nuveen ESG High Yield Corporate Bond ETF (NUHY) and VanEck Vectors Emerging Markets High Yield Bond ETF (HYEM) have volatilities of 1.35% and 1.32%, respectively, indicating that both stocks experience similar levels of price fluctuations. This suggests that the risk associated with both stocks, as measured by volatility, is nearly the same. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| NUHY | HYEM | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 1.35% | 1.32% | +0.03% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 3.04% | 3.21% | -0.17% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 3.82% | 4.33% | -0.51% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 7.31% | 7.49% | -0.18% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 8.51% | 9.27% | -0.76% |
NUHY vs. HYEM - Expense Ratio Comparison
NUHY has a 0.30% expense ratio, which is lower than HYEM's 0.40% expense ratio.
Dividends
NUHY vs. HYEM - Dividend Comparison
NUHY's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 6.63%, more than HYEM's 6.53% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
HYEM VanEck Vectors Emerging Markets High Yield Bond ETF | 6.53% | 6.67% | 6.34% | 6.27% | 6.47% | 5.33% | 5.56% | 6.14% | 5.71% | 5.86% | 6.25% | 7.64% |
NUHY Nuveen ESG High Yield Corporate Bond ETF | 6.63% | 6.51% | 6.59% | 6.64% | 6.36% | 4.88% | 5.10% | 1.37% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Frequently Asked Questions
NUHY and HYEM have a correlation of 0.46, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
NUHY has higher volatility (1.35%) compared to HYEM (1.32%). In terms of maximum drawdown, NUHY dropped -20.14% vs HYEM's -30.96%.
On 5-year performance, NUHY leads with 3.43% vs 3.02% for HYEM. On fees, NUHY is cheaper at 0.30% per year. Their volatility is very similar. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 5-year period, NUHY has performed better with a 3.43% return vs 3.02%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
NUHY is cheaper with a 0.30% expense ratio, compared with 0.40% for HYEM.
NUHY has the higher dividend yield at 6.63%, compared with 6.53% for HYEM.
NUHY tracks Bloomberg Barclays MSCI US Aggregate ESG Select Index, while HYEM tracks BofA Merrill Lynch Diversified High Yield US Emerging Markets Corporate Plus Index. They also come from different issuers: Nuveen and VanEck. Their fees differ too: 0.30% for NUHY and 0.40% for HYEM.
HYEM currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.33 vs 1.72), 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.
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