Is Nuveen ESG Emerging Markets Equity ETF (NUEM) a Strong ETF Right Now?

Core Insights - The Nuveen ESG Emerging Markets Equity ETF (NUEM) debuted on June 7, 2017, and provides broad exposure to the emerging markets category of ETFs [1] - NUEM aims to match the performance of the TIAA ESG Emerging Markets Equity Index using a rules-based methodology focused on ESG criteria [6][5] Fund Overview - NUEM has accumulated assets of over $316.8 million, positioning it as an average-sized ETF within the Broad Emerging Market ETFs category [5] - The ETF has annual operating expenses of 0.36% and a 12-month trailing dividend yield of 1.65% [7] Holdings and Sector Exposure - The top holding, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, constitutes approximately 11.62% of the fund's total assets, with the top 10 holdings accounting for about 28.58% of total assets [8][9] - The ETF holds around 187 securities, effectively diversifying company-specific risk [11] Performance Metrics - As of August 19, 2025, NUEM has gained roughly 18.26% year-to-date and 19.07% over the past year, with a trading range between $25.97 and $34.65 during the last 52 weeks [10] - The ETF has a beta of 0.59 and a standard deviation of 19.35% for the trailing three-year period [11] Alternatives - Other ETFs in the ESG space include Vanguard ESG U.S. Stock ETF (ESGV) and iShares ESG Aware MSCI USA ETF (ESGU), with assets of $11.1 billion and $14.25 billion respectively [13] - Investors may consider traditional market cap weighted ETFs for potentially lower-cost and lower-risk options [13]