WQDS.L vs. EMES.L

Last updated Jun 5, 2026

WQDS.L (iShares MSCI World Quality Dividend ESG UCITS ETF USD (Dist)) and EMES.L (iShares J.P. Morgan ESG USD EM Bond UCITS ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - WQDS.L is a Global Equities fund tracking the MSCI World High Dividend Yield ESG Reduced Carbon Target Select Index, while EMES.L is a Emerging Markets Bonds fund tracking the JPM EMBI Global Diversified TR USD. Both are passively managed. Over the past 5 years, WQDS.L returned 13.76%/yr vs 2.45%/yr for EMES.L. At a 0.42 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. WQDS.L charges 0.38%/yr vs 0.45%/yr for EMES.L.

Performance

WQDS.L vs. EMES.L - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a £10,000 investment in iShares MSCI World Quality Dividend ESG UCITS ETF USD (Dist) (WQDS.L) and iShares J.P. Morgan ESG USD EM Bond UCITS ETF (EMES.L). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Different Trading Currencies

WQDS.L is traded in GBp, while EMES.L is traded in USD. To make them comparable, the EMES.L values have been converted to GBp using the latest available exchange rates.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, WQDS.L achieves a 15.10% return, which is significantly higher than EMES.L's 1.91% return.

WQDS.L

• 1D: 0.14%
• 1M: 7.68%
• YTD: 15.10%
• 6M: 15.33%
• 1Y: 33.20%
• 3Y*: 17.21%
• 5Y*: 13.76%
• 10Y*: —

EMES.L

• 1D: 0.06%
• 1M: 1.53%
• YTD: 1.91%
• 6M: 1.38%
• 1Y: 11.91%
• 3Y*: 6.30%
• 5Y*: 2.45%
• 10Y*: —

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

WQDS.L vs. EMES.L - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018
WQDS.L iShares MSCI World Quality Dividend ESG UCITS ETF USD (Dist)	15.10%	16.53%	12.46%	11.62%	4.66%	18.72%	-2.56%	19.86%	-5.82%
EMES.L iShares J.P. Morgan ESG USD EM Bond UCITS ETF	1.91%	5.04%	7.30%	4.09%	-9.16%	-1.67%	2.31%	11.26%	2.71%

Correlation

The correlation between WQDS.L and EMES.L is 0.38, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.38
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.40
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.35
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Sep 27, 2018	0.42

Return for Risk

WQDS.L vs. EMES.L — Risk / Return Rank

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

WQDS.L

WQDS.L Risk / Return Rank: 90
WQDS.L Sharpe Ratio Rank: 91
WQDS.L Sortino Ratio Rank: 93
WQDS.L Omega Ratio Rank: 91
WQDS.L Calmar Ratio Rank: 87
WQDS.L Martin Ratio Rank: 87

EMES.L

EMES.L Risk / Return Rank: 59
EMES.L Sharpe Ratio Rank: 59
EMES.L Sortino Ratio Rank: 64
EMES.L Omega Ratio Rank: 65
EMES.L Calmar Ratio Rank: 49
EMES.L Martin Ratio Rank: 57

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.

WQDS.L vs. EMES.L - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares MSCI World Quality Dividend ESG UCITS ETF USD (Dist) (WQDS.L) and iShares J.P. Morgan ESG USD EM Bond UCITS ETF (EMES.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.

	WQDS.L	EMES.L	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	3.19	1.71	+1.48
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	4.56	2.51	+2.05
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.60	1.31	+0.29
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	4.90	2.58	+2.32
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	18.20	7.44	+10.76
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

WQDS.L vs. EMES.L - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current WQDS.L Sharpe Ratio is 3.19, which is higher than the EMES.L Sharpe Ratio of 1.71. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of WQDS.L and EMES.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.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	WQDS.L	EMES.L	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	3.19	1.71	+1.48
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	1.19	0.27	+0.92
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.80	0.29	+0.51

Drawdowns

WQDS.L vs. EMES.L - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum WQDS.L drawdown since its inception was -24.24%, which is greater than EMES.L's maximum drawdown of -19.10%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for WQDS.L and EMES.L.

Drawdown Indicators

	WQDS.L	EMES.L	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-24.24%	-19.10%	-5.14%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-6.75%	-4.54%	-2.21%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-14.93%	-8.94%	-5.99%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-14.93%	-15.30%	+0.37%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	0.00%	-0.29%	+0.29%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-2.87%	-8.15%	+5.28%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	1.82%	1.58%	+0.24%

Volatility

WQDS.L vs. EMES.L - Volatility Comparison

iShares MSCI World Quality Dividend ESG UCITS ETF USD (Dist) (WQDS.L) has a higher volatility of 3.09% compared to iShares J.P. Morgan ESG USD EM Bond UCITS ETF (EMES.L) at 2.22%. This indicates that WQDS.L's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than EMES.L based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	WQDS.L	EMES.L	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	3.09%	2.22%	+0.87%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	7.72%	5.51%	+2.21%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	10.37%	6.85%	+3.52%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	11.58%	9.22%	+2.36%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	13.22%	10.14%	+3.08%

WQDS.L vs. EMES.L - Expense Ratio Comparison

WQDS.L has a 0.38% expense ratio, which is lower than EMES.L's 0.45% expense ratio.

Dividends

WQDS.L vs. EMES.L - Dividend Comparison

WQDS.L's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.90%, less than EMES.L's 5.78% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
EMES.L iShares J.P. Morgan ESG USD EM Bond UCITS ETF	5.78%	5.78%	5.45%	5.41%	5.03%	3.48%	3.49%	4.60%	0.50%	0.00%
WQDS.L iShares MSCI World Quality Dividend ESG UCITS ETF USD (Dist)	2.90%	3.12%	3.24%	3.55%	3.56%	3.71%	3.84%	3.98%	4.19%	1.05%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both WQDS.L and EMES.L in my portfolio?

WQDS.L and EMES.L have a correlation of 0.38, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which ETF is better, WQDS.L or EMES.L?

On fees, WQDS.L is cheaper at 0.38% per year. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF is cheaper, WQDS.L or EMES.L?

WQDS.L is cheaper with a 0.38% expense ratio, compared with 0.45% for EMES.L.

What is the main difference between WQDS.L and EMES.L?

WQDS.L is categorized as Global Equities, while EMES.L is Emerging Markets Bonds. WQDS.L tracks MSCI World High Dividend Yield ESG Reduced Carbon Target Select Index, while EMES.L tracks JPM EMBI Global Diversified TR USD. Their fees differ too: 0.38% for WQDS.L and 0.45% for EMES.L.