NUSC vs. NUGO

Last updated Apr 2, 2026

Compare and contrast key facts about Nuveen ESG Small-Cap ETF (NUSC) and Nuveen Growth Opportunities ETF (NUGO).

NUSC and NUGO are both exchange-traded funds (ETFs), meaning they are traded on stock exchanges and can be bought and sold throughout the day. NUSC is a passively managed fund by Nuveen that tracks the performance of the MSCI TIAA ESG USA Small Cap. It was launched on Dec 13, 2016. NUGO is an actively managed fund by Nuveen. It was launched on Sep 27, 2021.

Performance

NUSC vs. NUGO - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Nuveen ESG Small-Cap ETF (NUSC) and Nuveen Growth Opportunities ETF (NUGO). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

NUSC vs. NUGO - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021
NUSC Nuveen ESG Small-Cap ETF	1.77%	7.72%	8.29%	15.72%	-17.73%	2.09%
NUGO Nuveen Growth Opportunities ETF	-9.13%	14.91%	35.95%	45.37%	-32.73%	7.78%

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, NUSC achieves a 1.77% return, which is significantly higher than NUGO's -9.13% return.

NUSC

• 1D: 0.84%
• 1M: -5.43%
• YTD: 1.77%
• 6M: 3.62%
• 1Y: 19.16%
• 3Y*: 9.86%
• 5Y*: 3.12%
• 10Y*: —

NUGO

• 1D: 0.44%
• 1M: -4.62%
• YTD: -9.13%
• 6M: -8.35%
• 1Y: 17.38%
• 3Y*: 21.99%
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

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

NUSC vs. NUGO - Expense Ratio Comparison

NUSC has a 0.30% expense ratio, which is lower than NUGO's 0.56% expense ratio.

NUGO

Nuveen Growth Opportunities ETF

NUSC

Nuveen ESG Small-Cap ETF

Return for Risk

NUSC vs. NUGO — Risk / Return Rank

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

NUSC

NUSC Risk / Return Rank: 47
NUSC Sharpe Ratio Rank: 44
NUSC Sortino Ratio Rank: 47
NUSC Omega Ratio Rank: 43
NUSC Calmar Ratio Rank: 48
NUSC Martin Ratio Rank: 53

NUGO

NUGO Risk / Return Rank: 37
NUGO Sharpe Ratio Rank: 36
NUGO Sortino Ratio Rank: 40
NUGO Omega Ratio Rank: 38
NUGO Calmar Ratio Rank: 37
NUGO Martin Ratio Rank: 35

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.

NUSC vs. NUGO - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Nuveen ESG Small-Cap ETF (NUSC) and Nuveen Growth Opportunities ETF (NUGO). 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	NUGO	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	0.86	0.73	+0.13
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	1.35	1.20	+0.15
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.18	1.16	+0.01
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	1.34	1.04	+0.29
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	5.44	3.41	+2.03
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

NUSC vs. NUGO - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current NUSC Sharpe Ratio is 0.86, which is comparable to the NUGO Sharpe Ratio of 0.73. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of NUSC and NUGO, 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

	NUSC	NUGO	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.86	0.73	+0.13
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.15	—	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.39	0.40	-0.01

Correlation

The correlation between NUSC and NUGO is 0.68, 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

NUSC vs. NUGO - Dividend Comparison

NUSC's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.03%, while NUGO has not paid dividends to shareholders.

	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
NUSC Nuveen ESG Small-Cap ETF	1.03%	1.05%	1.15%	1.11%	1.16%	7.06%	0.52%	0.90%	3.95%	0.94%
NUGO Nuveen Growth Opportunities ETF	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.19%	0.26%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%

Drawdowns

NUSC vs. NUGO - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum NUSC drawdown since its inception was -41.49%, which is greater than NUGO's maximum drawdown of -38.01%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for NUSC and NUGO.

Drawdown Indicators

	NUSC	NUGO	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-41.49%	-38.01%	-3.48%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-14.76%	-17.54%	+2.78%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-28.85%	—	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-6.21%	-13.52%	+7.31%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-8.33%	-12.41%	+4.08%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	3.63%	5.37%	-1.74%

Volatility

NUSC vs. NUGO - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for Nuveen ESG Small-Cap ETF (NUSC) is 6.89%, while Nuveen Growth Opportunities ETF (NUGO) has a volatility of 7.67%. This indicates that NUSC experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than NUGO based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	NUSC	NUGO	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	6.89%	7.67%	-0.78%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	12.90%	14.31%	-1.41%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	22.31%	23.89%	-1.58%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	21.18%	23.33%	-2.15%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	22.46%	23.33%	-0.87%