XLG vs. USSG

Last updated Jun 5, 2026

XLG (Invesco S&P 500 Top 50 ETF) and USSG (Xtrackers MSCI USA ESG Leaders Equity ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - XLG is a S&P 500 fund tracking the S&P 500 Top 50 Index, while USSG is a Large Cap Growth Equities fund tracking the MSCI USA ESG Leaders. Both are passively managed. Over the past 5 years, XLG returned 16.34%/yr vs 14.04%/yr for USSG. Their correlation of 0.94 suggests significant overlap in exposure. XLG charges 0.20%/yr vs 0.10%/yr for USSG.

Performance

XLG vs. USSG - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Invesco S&P 500 Top 50 ETF (XLG) and Xtrackers MSCI USA ESG Leaders Equity ETF (USSG). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, XLG achieves a 8.03% return, which is significantly lower than USSG's 10.71% return.

XLG

• 1D: 0.42%
• 1M: 4.19%
• YTD: 8.03%
• 6M: 7.64%
• 1Y: 28.88%
• 3Y*: 24.70%
• 5Y*: 16.34%
• 10Y*: 17.28%

USSG

• 1D: 1.10%
• 1M: 5.20%
• YTD: 10.71%
• 6M: 11.08%
• 1Y: 29.11%
• 3Y*: 22.87%
• 5Y*: 14.04%
• 10Y*: —

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

XLG vs. USSG - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019
XLG Invesco S&P 500 Top 50 ETF	8.03%	19.51%	33.49%	38.16%	-24.29%	30.77%	24.15%	20.62%
USSG Xtrackers MSCI USA ESG Leaders Equity ETF	10.71%	18.97%	23.45%	29.17%	-20.33%	31.83%	18.71%	19.24%

Correlation

The correlation between XLG and USSG is 0.90, indicating a strong positive relationship between their price movements. Combining them offers limited diversification - they tend to fall together during downturns.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.90
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.92
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.94
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Mar 8, 2019	0.94

The correlation between XLG and USSG has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.90 to 0.94 - a consistent structural relationship.

XLG vs. USSG - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors	XLG	USSG
Technology	43.9%	36.9%
Communication Services	17.1%	14.5%
Consumer Cyclical	11.3%	8.6%
Financial Services	9.6%	10.6%
Healthcare	7.0%	9.6%
Consumer Defensive	5.8%	4.2%
Energy	2.7%	2.1%
Industrials	1.9%	8.1%
Basic Materials	0.6%	2.1%
Real Estate	-	2.2%
Utilities	-	1.1%

Return for Risk

XLG vs. USSG — Risk / Return Rank

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

XLG

XLG Risk / Return Rank: 60
XLG Sharpe Ratio Rank: 67
XLG Sortino Ratio Rank: 65
XLG Omega Ratio Rank: 65
XLG Calmar Ratio Rank: 48
XLG Martin Ratio Rank: 52

USSG

USSG Risk / Return Rank: 64
USSG Sharpe Ratio Rank: 69
USSG Sortino Ratio Rank: 70
USSG Omega Ratio Rank: 66
USSG Calmar Ratio Rank: 54
USSG Martin Ratio Rank: 63

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.

XLG vs. USSG - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Invesco S&P 500 Top 50 ETF (XLG) and Xtrackers MSCI USA ESG Leaders Equity ETF (USSG). 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.

	XLG	USSG	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	2.18	2.22	-0.05
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	2.95	3.12	-0.17
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.38	1.39	-0.01
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	2.34	2.61	-0.27
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	8.77	11.19	-2.42
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

XLG vs. USSG - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current XLG Sharpe Ratio is 2.18, which is comparable to the USSG Sharpe Ratio of 2.22. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of XLG and USSG, 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

	XLG	USSG	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	2.18	2.22	-0.05
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.88	0.80	+0.08
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.92	—	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.63	0.85	-0.22

Drawdowns

XLG vs. USSG - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum XLG drawdown since its inception was -52.39%, which is greater than USSG's maximum drawdown of -34.10%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for XLG and USSG.

Drawdown Indicators

	XLG	USSG	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-52.39%	-34.10%	-18.29%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-12.41%	-11.20%	-1.21%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-20.70%	-20.00%	-0.70%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-28.02%	-27.00%	-1.02%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-30.46%	—	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-1.02%	-0.12%	-0.90%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-7.64%	-5.60%	-2.04%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	3.30%	2.61%	+0.69%

Volatility

XLG vs. USSG - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for Invesco S&P 500 Top 50 ETF (XLG) is 3.19%, while Xtrackers MSCI USA ESG Leaders Equity ETF (USSG) has a volatility of 3.86%. This indicates that XLG experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than USSG based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	XLG	USSG	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	3.19%	3.86%	-0.67%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	9.81%	10.09%	-0.28%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	13.32%	13.15%	+0.17%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	18.68%	17.59%	+1.09%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	18.84%	20.16%	-1.32%

XLG vs. USSG - Expense Ratio Comparison

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

Dividends

XLG vs. USSG - Dividend Comparison

XLG's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.60%, less than USSG's 0.94% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
USSG Xtrackers MSCI USA ESG Leaders Equity ETF	0.94%	1.02%	1.13%	1.60%	1.52%	1.13%	1.42%	1.21%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
XLG Invesco S&P 500 Top 50 ETF	0.60%	0.64%	0.72%	0.97%	1.34%	0.94%	1.25%	1.58%	2.00%	1.85%	2.00%	2.09%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both XLG and USSG in my portfolio?

XLG and USSG have a correlation of 0.90, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, XLG or USSG?

USSG has higher volatility (3.86%) compared to XLG (3.19%). In terms of maximum drawdown, XLG dropped -52.39% vs USSG's -34.10%.

Which ETF is better, XLG or USSG?

On 5-year performance, XLG leads with 16.34% vs 14.04% for USSG. On fees, USSG is cheaper at 0.10% per year. On volatility, XLG has been the lower-risk option at 3.19%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF has performed better, XLG or USSG?

Over the 5-year period, XLG has performed better with a 16.34% return vs 14.04%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.

Which ETF is cheaper, XLG or USSG?

USSG is cheaper with a 0.10% expense ratio, compared with 0.20% for XLG.

Which ETF pays a higher dividend yield, XLG or USSG?

USSG has the higher dividend yield at 0.94%, compared with 0.60% for XLG.

What is the main difference between XLG and USSG?

XLG is categorized as S&P 500, while USSG is Large Cap Growth Equities. XLG tracks S&P 500 Top 50 Index, while USSG tracks MSCI USA ESG Leaders. They also come from different issuers: Invesco and Deutsche Bank. Their fees differ too: 0.20% for XLG and 0.10% for USSG.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

USSG currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.22 vs 2.18), 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.