USLV.L vs. IESU.L

Last updated Jul 21, 2026

USLV.L (SPDR S&P 500 Low Volatility UCITS ETF) and IESU.L (iShares S&P 500 Energy Sector UCITS ETF USD (Acc)) are both exchange-traded funds - USLV.L is a S&P 500 fund tracking the S&P 500 Low Volatility Index, while IESU.L is a Energy Equities fund tracking the S&P 500 Capped 35/20 Energy Index NTR. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, USLV.L returned 7.41%/yr vs 8.70%/yr for IESU.L. At a 0.34 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. USLV.L charges 0.35%/yr vs 0.15%/yr for IESU.L.

Performance

USLV.L vs. IESU.L - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a £10,000 investment in SPDR S&P 500 Low Volatility UCITS ETF (USLV.L) and iShares S&P 500 Energy Sector UCITS ETF USD (Acc) (IESU.L). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Different Trading Currencies

USLV.L is traded in GBP, while IESU.L is traded in GBp. To make them comparable, the IESU.L values have been converted to GBP using the latest available exchange rates.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, USLV.L achieves a 7.48% return, which is significantly lower than IESU.L's 30.39% return. Over the past 10 years, USLV.L has underperformed IESU.L with an annualized return of 7.41%, while IESU.L has yielded a comparatively higher 8.70% annualized return.

USLV.L

• 1D: -1.03%
• 1M: 3.22%
• 6M: 5.43%
• YTD: 7.48%
• 1Y: 6.85%
• 3Y*: 6.32%
• 5Y*: 6.29%
• 10Y*: 7.41%
• ALL TIME*: 7.02%

IESU.L

• 1D: 1.39%
• 1M: 6.94%
• 6M: 22.87%
• YTD: 30.39%
• 1Y: 38.56%
• 3Y*: 12.77%
• 5Y*: 23.21%
• 10Y*: 8.70%
• ALL TIME*: 6.04%

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

USLV.L vs. IESU.L - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
USLV.L SPDR S&P 500 Low Volatility UCITS ETF	7.48%	-2.67%	15.48%	-6.04%	6.92%	26.04%	-5.76%	22.99%	4.04%	6.57%
IESU.L iShares S&P 500 Energy Sector UCITS ETF USD (Acc)	30.39%	2.26%	5.45%	-5.96%	83.53%	53.82%	-35.62%	5.37%	-13.39%	-10.01%

Correlation

The correlation between USLV.L and IESU.L is 0.26, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.26
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.34
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.29
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.34
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Nov 20, 2015	0.34

USLV.L vs. IESU.L - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors	USLV.L	IESU.L
Utilities	25.4%	-
Financial Services	21.5%	-
Real Estate	17.9%	-
Industrials	10.9%	-
Consumer Defensive	9.2%	-
Healthcare	4.0%	-
Consumer Cyclical	3.9%	-
Energy	2.6%	100.0%
Basic Materials	2.2%	-
Technology	1.8%	-
Communication Services	0.7%	-

Return for Risk

USLV.L vs. IESU.L — Risk / Return Rank

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

USLV.L

USLV.L Risk / Return Rank: 23
USLV.L Sharpe Ratio Rank: 24
USLV.L Sortino Ratio Rank: 23
USLV.L Omega Ratio Rank: 21
USLV.L Calmar Ratio Rank: 25
USLV.L Martin Ratio Rank: 24

IESU.L

IESU.L Risk / Return Rank: 57
IESU.L Sharpe Ratio Rank: 65
IESU.L Sortino Ratio Rank: 56
IESU.L Omega Ratio Rank: 61
IESU.L Calmar Ratio Rank: 60
IESU.L Martin Ratio Rank: 45

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.

USLV.L vs. IESU.L - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for SPDR S&P 500 Low Volatility UCITS ETF (USLV.L) and iShares S&P 500 Energy Sector UCITS ETF USD (Acc) (IESU.L). 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.

Values are calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. Risk-adjusted metrics are more stable over longer periods — use the period switch above to explore them.

	USLV.L	IESU.L	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	0.62	1.56	-0.94
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	0.99	2.02	-1.03
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.11	1.28	-0.17
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	0.86	2.21	-1.36
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	2.09	5.35	-3.26

USLV.L vs. IESU.L - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current USLV.L Sharpe Ratio is 0.62, which is lower than the IESU.L Sharpe Ratio of 1.56. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of USLV.L and IESU.L, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Drawdowns

USLV.L vs. IESU.L - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum USLV.L drawdown since its inception was -40.77%, smaller than the maximum IESU.L drawdown of -63.88%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for USLV.L and IESU.L.

Drawdown Indicators

	USLV.L	IESU.L	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-40.77%	-63.88%	+23.11%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-7.95%	-17.34%	+9.39%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-20.65%	-26.36%	+5.71%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-20.65%	-26.36%	+5.71%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-27.37%	-62.16%	+34.79%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-1.77%	-9.40%	+7.63%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-9.78%	-20.50%	+10.72%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	3.27%	7.19%	-3.92%

Volatility

USLV.L vs. IESU.L - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for SPDR S&P 500 Low Volatility UCITS ETF (USLV.L) is 3.93%, while iShares S&P 500 Energy Sector UCITS ETF USD (Acc) (IESU.L) has a volatility of 7.54%. This indicates that USLV.L experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than IESU.L based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	USLV.L	IESU.L	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	3.93%	7.54%	-3.61%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	8.68%	21.76%	-13.08%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	10.94%	24.61%	-13.67%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	18.70%	28.98%	-10.28%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	16.87%	29.17%	-12.30%

USLV.L vs. IESU.L - Expense Ratio Comparison

USLV.L has a 0.35% expense ratio, which is higher than IESU.L's 0.15% expense ratio.

Dividends

USLV.L vs. IESU.L - Dividend Comparison

Neither USLV.L nor IESU.L has paid dividends to shareholders.

Tickers have no history of dividend payments

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both USLV.L and IESU.L in my portfolio?

USLV.L and IESU.L have a correlation of 0.26, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which ETF is better, USLV.L or IESU.L?

On fees, IESU.L is cheaper at 0.15% per year. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF is cheaper, USLV.L or IESU.L?

IESU.L is cheaper with a 0.15% expense ratio, compared with 0.35% for USLV.L.

What is the main difference between USLV.L and IESU.L?

USLV.L is categorized as S&P 500, while IESU.L is Energy Equities. USLV.L tracks S&P 500 Low Volatility Index, while IESU.L tracks S&P 500 Capped 35/20 Energy Index NTR. They also come from different issuers: State Street and iShares. Their fees differ too: 0.35% for USLV.L and 0.15% for IESU.L.