NUHY vs. NUSC
NUHY (Nuveen ESG High Yield Corporate Bond ETF) and NUSC (Nuveen ESG Small-Cap ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - NUHY is a High Yield Bonds fund tracking the Bloomberg Barclays MSCI US Aggregate ESG Select Index, while NUSC is a Small Cap Growth Equities fund tracking the MSCI TIAA ESG USA Small Cap. Both are passively managed. Over the past 5 years, NUHY returned 3.43%/yr vs 4.87%/yr for NUSC. A 0.64 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined. Both charge a 0.30% expense ratio.
Performance
NUHY vs. NUSC - 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 NUSC's 13.93% return.
NUHY
- 1D
- 0.14%
- 1M
- 0.75%
- YTD
- 1.49%
- 6M
- 1.82%
- 1Y
- 6.51%
- 3Y*
- 8.51%
- 5Y*
- 3.43%
- 10Y*
- —
NUSC
- 1D
- 0.93%
- 1M
- 3.29%
- YTD
- 13.93%
- 6M
- 13.54%
- 1Y
- 28.92%
- 3Y*
- 14.10%
- 5Y*
- 4.87%
- 10Y*
- —
NUHY vs. NUSC - 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% |
NUSC Nuveen ESG Small-Cap ETF | 13.93% | 7.72% | 8.29% | 15.72% | -17.73% | 17.51% | 23.69% | 6.94% |
Correlation
The correlation between NUHY and NUSC is 0.70, which is moderate. They share some common price drivers but move independently often enough to provide real diversification benefit when combined.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.70 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.66 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.65 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Sep 27, 2019 | 0.64 |
The correlation between NUHY and NUSC has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.64 to 0.70 - a consistent structural relationship.
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Return for Risk
NUHY vs. NUSC — Risk / Return Rank
NUHY
NUSC
NUHY vs. NUSC - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Nuveen ESG High Yield Corporate Bond ETF (NUHY) and Nuveen ESG Small-Cap ETF (NUSC). 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 | NUSC | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +0.02 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +0.15 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.34 | 1.29 | +0.05 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.28 | 2.88 | -0.59 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 10.16 | 10.35 | -0.19 |
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 | NUSC | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.72 | 1.70 | +0.02 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.47 | 0.23 | +0.24 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.43 | 0.45 | -0.02 |
Drawdowns
NUHY vs. NUSC - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum NUHY drawdown since its inception was -20.14%, smaller than the maximum NUSC drawdown of -41.49%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for NUHY and NUSC.
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Drawdown Indicators
| NUHY | NUSC | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -20.14% | -41.49% | +21.35% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -2.87% | -10.10% | +7.23% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -4.68% | -26.95% | +22.27% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -16.92% | -28.85% | +11.93% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -0.12% | 0.00% | -0.12% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -3.53% | -8.21% | +4.68% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 0.64% | 2.80% | -2.16% |
Volatility
NUHY vs. NUSC - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for Nuveen ESG High Yield Corporate Bond ETF (NUHY) is 1.35%, while Nuveen ESG Small-Cap ETF (NUSC) has a volatility of 4.39%. This indicates that NUHY experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than NUSC based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| NUHY | NUSC | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 1.35% | 4.39% | -3.04% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 3.04% | 12.19% | -9.15% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 3.82% | 17.08% | -13.26% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 7.31% | 21.15% | -13.84% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 8.51% | 22.35% | -13.84% |
NUHY vs. NUSC - Expense Ratio Comparison
Both NUHY and NUSC have an expense ratio of 0.30%.
Dividends
NUHY vs. NUSC - Dividend Comparison
NUHY's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 6.63%, more than NUSC's 0.92% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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% |
NUSC Nuveen ESG Small-Cap ETF | 0.92% | 1.05% | 1.15% | 1.11% | 1.16% | 7.06% | 0.52% | 0.90% | 3.95% | 0.94% |
Frequently Asked Questions
NUHY and NUSC have a correlation of 0.70, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
NUSC has higher volatility (4.39%) compared to NUHY (1.35%). In terms of maximum drawdown, NUHY dropped -20.14% vs NUSC's -41.49%.
On 5-year performance, NUSC leads with 4.87% vs 3.43% for NUHY. Both ETFs have the same 0.30% expense ratio. On volatility, NUHY has been the lower-risk option at 1.35%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 5-year period, NUSC has performed better with a 4.87% return vs 3.43%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
NUHY and NUSC have the same expense ratio: 0.30% per year.
NUHY has the higher dividend yield at 6.63%, compared with 0.92% for NUSC.
NUHY is categorized as High Yield Bonds, while NUSC is Small Cap Growth Equities. NUHY tracks Bloomberg Barclays MSCI US Aggregate ESG Select Index, while NUSC tracks MSCI TIAA ESG USA Small Cap.
NUHY currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.72 vs 1.70), 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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