USSG vs. HDEF

Last updated Apr 1, 2026

Compare and contrast key facts about Xtrackers MSCI USA ESG Leaders Equity ETF (USSG) and Xtrackers MSCI EAFE High Dividend Yield Equity ETF (HDEF).

USSG and HDEF are both exchange-traded funds (ETFs), meaning they are traded on stock exchanges and can be bought and sold throughout the day. USSG is a passively managed fund by Deutsche Bank that tracks the performance of the MSCI USA ESG Leaders. It was launched on Mar 7, 2019. HDEF is a passively managed fund by Deutsche Bank that tracks the performance of the MSCI EAFE High Dividend Yield US Dollar Hedged Index. It was launched on Aug 12, 2015. Both USSG and HDEF are passive ETFs, meaning that they are not actively managed but aim to replicate the performance of the underlying index as closely as possible.

Performance

USSG vs. HDEF - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Xtrackers MSCI USA ESG Leaders Equity ETF (USSG) and Xtrackers MSCI EAFE High Dividend Yield Equity ETF (HDEF). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

USSG vs. HDEF - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019
USSG Xtrackers MSCI USA ESG Leaders Equity ETF	-5.86%	18.97%	23.45%	29.17%	-20.33%	31.83%	18.71%	19.24%
HDEF Xtrackers MSCI EAFE High Dividend Yield Equity ETF	5.06%	33.01%	2.85%	18.53%	-2.51%	6.95%	-1.90%	14.38%

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, USSG achieves a -5.86% return, which is significantly lower than HDEF's 5.06% return.

USSG

• 1D: 3.04%
• 1M: -5.48%
• YTD: -5.86%
• 6M: -2.23%
• 1Y: 19.80%
• 3Y*: 18.19%
• 5Y*: 11.59%
• 10Y*: —

HDEF

• 1D: 1.98%
• 1M: -4.72%
• YTD: 5.06%
• 6M: 11.32%
• 1Y: 24.25%
• 3Y*: 16.72%
• 5Y*: 11.17%
• 10Y*: 8.87%

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

USSG vs. HDEF - Expense Ratio Comparison

USSG has a 0.10% expense ratio, which is lower than HDEF's 0.20% expense ratio. Despite the difference, both funds are considered low-cost compared to the broader market, where average expense ratios usually range from 0.3% to 0.9%.

HDEF

Xtrackers MSCI EAFE High Dividend Yield Equity ETF

USSG

Xtrackers MSCI USA ESG Leaders Equity ETF

Return for Risk

USSG vs. HDEF — Risk / Return Rank

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

USSG

USSG Risk / Return Rank: 66
USSG Sharpe Ratio Rank: 62
USSG Sortino Ratio Rank: 65
USSG Omega Ratio Rank: 64
USSG Calmar Ratio Rank: 71
USSG Martin Ratio Rank: 70

HDEF

HDEF Risk / Return Rank: 86
HDEF Sharpe Ratio Rank: 85
HDEF Sortino Ratio Rank: 86
HDEF Omega Ratio Rank: 88
HDEF Calmar Ratio Rank: 86
HDEF Martin Ratio Rank: 86

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.

USSG vs. HDEF - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Xtrackers MSCI USA ESG Leaders Equity ETF (USSG) and Xtrackers MSCI EAFE High Dividend Yield Equity ETF (HDEF). 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.

	USSG	HDEF	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	1.07	1.68	-0.61
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	1.63	2.25	-0.62
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.23	1.35	-0.12
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	1.79	2.51	-0.71
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	7.10	9.67	-2.56
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

USSG vs. HDEF - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current USSG Sharpe Ratio is 1.07, which is lower than the HDEF Sharpe Ratio of 1.68. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of USSG and HDEF, 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

	USSG	HDEF	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	1.07	1.68	-0.61
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.66	0.80	-0.13
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	—	0.55	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.73	0.46	+0.27

Correlation

The correlation between USSG and HDEF is 0.63, 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

USSG vs. HDEF - Dividend Comparison

USSG's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.10%, less than HDEF's 3.61% yield.

	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
USSG Xtrackers MSCI USA ESG Leaders Equity ETF	1.10%	1.02%	1.13%	1.60%	1.52%	1.13%	1.42%	1.21%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
HDEF Xtrackers MSCI EAFE High Dividend Yield Equity ETF	3.61%	3.88%	4.53%	4.38%	5.41%	4.76%	3.93%	4.20%	3.55%	3.38%	9.53%	1.87%

Drawdowns

USSG vs. HDEF - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum USSG drawdown since its inception was -34.10%, smaller than the maximum HDEF drawdown of -36.43%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for USSG and HDEF.

Drawdown Indicators

	USSG	HDEF	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-34.10%	-36.43%	+2.33%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-11.33%	-9.32%	-2.01%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-27.00%	-23.63%	-3.37%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	—	-36.43%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-8.51%	-4.72%	-3.79%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-5.70%	-5.07%	-0.63%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	2.86%	2.42%	+0.44%

Volatility

USSG vs. HDEF - Volatility Comparison

Xtrackers MSCI USA ESG Leaders Equity ETF (USSG) and Xtrackers MSCI EAFE High Dividend Yield Equity ETF (HDEF) have volatilities of 5.64% and 5.52%, 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.

Volatility by Period

	USSG	HDEF	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	5.64%	5.52%	+0.12%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	10.22%	8.54%	+1.68%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	18.66%	14.54%	+4.12%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	17.54%	14.10%	+3.44%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	20.30%	16.21%	+4.09%