NUSC vs. NUAG
NUSC (Nuveen ESG Small-Cap ETF) and NUAG (Nuveen Enhanced Yield U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - NUSC is a Small Cap Growth Equities fund tracking the MSCI TIAA ESG USA Small Cap, while NUAG is a Intermediate Core Bond fund tracking the ICE BofA Enhanced Yield US Broad Bond. Both are passively managed. Over the past 5 years, NUSC returned 4.87%/yr vs 0.51%/yr for NUAG. At a 0.12 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. NUSC charges 0.30%/yr vs 0.19%/yr for NUAG.
Performance
NUSC vs. NUAG - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, NUSC achieves a 13.93% return, which is significantly higher than NUAG's 0.67% return.
NUSC
- 1D
- 0.93%
- 1M
- 3.29%
- YTD
- 13.93%
- 6M
- 13.54%
- 1Y
- 28.92%
- 3Y*
- 14.10%
- 5Y*
- 4.87%
- 10Y*
- —
NUAG
- 1D
- 0.17%
- 1M
- 0.39%
- YTD
- 0.67%
- 6M
- 0.70%
- 1Y
- 5.51%
- 3Y*
- 4.97%
- 5Y*
- 0.51%
- 10Y*
- —
NUSC vs. NUAG - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
NUSC Nuveen ESG Small-Cap ETF | 13.93% | 7.72% | 8.29% | 15.72% | -17.73% | 17.51% | 23.69% | 27.09% | -9.40% | 16.50% |
NUAG Nuveen Enhanced Yield U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF | 0.67% | 7.37% | 2.02% | 7.52% | -13.97% | -2.03% | 7.48% | 10.13% | -1.45% | 3.98% |
Correlation
The correlation between NUSC and NUAG is 0.36, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.36 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.30 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.22 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Dec 15, 2016 | 0.12 |
Over the past year, NUSC and NUAG have become more correlated (0.36) than their long-term average of 0.12, meaning their price movements have been converging.
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Return for Risk
NUSC vs. NUAG — Risk / Return Rank
NUSC
NUAG
NUSC vs. NUAG - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Nuveen ESG Small-Cap ETF (NUSC) and Nuveen Enhanced Yield U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF (NUAG). 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.
| NUSC | NUAG | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +0.14 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +0.17 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.29 | 1.28 | +0.01 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.88 | 2.18 | +0.70 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 10.35 | 6.58 | +3.77 |
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
| NUSC | NUAG | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.70 | 1.56 | +0.14 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.23 | 0.08 | +0.15 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.45 | 0.31 | +0.13 |
Drawdowns
NUSC vs. NUAG - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum NUSC drawdown since its inception was -41.49%, which is greater than NUAG's maximum drawdown of -19.79%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for NUSC and NUAG.
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Drawdown Indicators
| NUSC | NUAG | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -41.49% | -19.79% | -21.70% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -10.10% | -2.54% | -7.56% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -26.95% | -5.61% | -21.34% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -28.85% | -19.19% | -9.66% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | 0.00% | -1.06% | +1.06% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -8.21% | -4.95% | -3.26% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 2.80% | 0.84% | +1.96% |
Volatility
NUSC vs. NUAG - Volatility Comparison
Nuveen ESG Small-Cap ETF (NUSC) has a higher volatility of 4.39% compared to Nuveen Enhanced Yield U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF (NUAG) at 1.15%. This indicates that NUSC's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than NUAG based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| NUSC | NUAG | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 4.39% | 1.15% | +3.24% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 12.19% | 2.59% | +9.60% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 17.08% | 3.58% | +13.50% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 21.15% | 6.01% | +15.14% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 22.35% | 5.48% | +16.87% |
NUSC vs. NUAG - Expense Ratio Comparison
NUSC has a 0.30% expense ratio, which is higher than NUAG's 0.19% expense ratio.
Dividends
NUSC vs. NUAG - Dividend Comparison
NUSC's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.92%, less than NUAG's 4.49% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
NUAG Nuveen Enhanced Yield U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF | 4.49% | 4.43% | 4.44% | 3.95% | 3.60% | 2.27% | 2.93% | 3.54% | 3.79% | 3.38% | 0.48% |
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% | 0.00% |
Frequently Asked Questions
NUSC and NUAG have a correlation of 0.36, 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 NUAG (1.15%). In terms of maximum drawdown, NUSC dropped -41.49% vs NUAG's -19.79%.
On 5-year performance, NUSC leads with 4.87% vs 0.51% for NUAG. On fees, NUAG is cheaper at 0.19% per year. On volatility, NUAG has been the lower-risk option at 1.15%. 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 0.51%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
NUAG is cheaper with a 0.19% expense ratio, compared with 0.30% for NUSC.
NUAG has the higher dividend yield at 4.49%, compared with 0.92% for NUSC.
NUSC is categorized as Small Cap Growth Equities, while NUAG is Intermediate Core Bond. NUSC tracks MSCI TIAA ESG USA Small Cap, while NUAG tracks ICE BofA Enhanced Yield US Broad Bond. Their fees differ too: 0.30% for NUSC and 0.19% for NUAG.
NUSC currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.70 vs 1.56), 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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