IEFA vs. NZAC: How Does A Foreign Fund Matchup Against A Sustainable ETF?

Core Insights - The article compares two ETFs: the State Street SPDR MSCI ACWI Climate Paris Aligned ETF (NZAC) and the iShares Core MSCI EAFE ETF (IEFA), highlighting their unique investment opportunities for foreign exposure and climate-conscious investing [2][9]. Cost & Size Comparison - NZAC has an expense ratio of 0.12% and AUM of $182.12 million, while IEFA has a lower expense ratio of 0.07% and AUM of $171.77 billion [3][4]. - The one-year return for NZAC is 15.11%, compared to IEFA's 28.70%, and the dividend yield for NZAC is 1.88%, while IEFA offers a higher yield of 3.32% [3][4]. Performance & Risk Analysis - Over five years, NZAC has a max drawdown of -28.29% and has grown $1,000 to $1,499, while IEFA has a max drawdown of -30.41% and has grown $1,000 to $1,353 [5]. Holdings Overview - IEFA focuses on developed markets outside the U.S. and Canada, with 2,589 holdings, primarily in financial services (22%), industrials (20%), and healthcare (11%) [6]. - NZAC targets climate-aligned companies with 729 stocks, heavily weighted in technology (32%), followed by financial services (16%) and industrials (10%) [7]. Investment Implications - Investors must choose between a more American-focused ETF (NZAC) or a more international exposure (IEFA), with NZAC showing stronger long-term performance over five years despite lower one-year returns [9][10]. - NZAC includes international companies in its holdings, providing some level of global exposure, while IEFA's performance may be influenced by foreign market volatility [10][11].