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Is Nuveen ESG International Developed Markets Equity ETF (NUDM) a Strong ETF Right Now?
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Designed to provide broad exposure to the Broad Developed World ETFs category of the market, the Nuveen ESG International Developed Markets Equity ETF (NUDM - Free Report) is a smart beta exchange traded fund launched on 06/07/2017.
What Are Smart Beta ETFs?
The ETF industry has traditionally been dominated by products based on market capitalization weighted indexes that are designed to represent the market or a particular segment of the market.
Investors who believe in market efficiency should consider market cap indexes, as they replicate market returns in a low-cost, convenient, and transparent way.
If you're the kind of investor who would rather try and beat the market through good stock selection, then smart beta funds are your best choice; this fund class is known for tracking non-cap weighted strategies.
Non-cap weighted indexes try to choose stocks that have a better chance of risk-return performance, which is based on specific fundamental characteristics, or a mix of other such characteristics.
Even though this space provides many choices to investors--think one of the simplest methodologies like equal-weighting and more complicated ones like fundamental and volatility/momentum based weighting--not all have been able to deliver first-rate results.
Fund Sponsor & Index
The fund is managed by Nuveen. NUDM has been able to amass assets over $458.67 million, making it one of the average sized ETFs in the Broad Developed World ETFs. Before fees and expenses, this particular fund seeks to match the performance of the TIAA ESG International Developed Markets Equity Index.
The TIAA ESG International Developed Markets Equity Index uses a rules-based methodology to arrive at a diversified portfolio of equity securities issued by companies located in countries with developed markets, excluding the U.S. and Canada, that adhere to predetermined ESG, controversial business involvement and low-carbon criteria.
Cost & Other Expenses
Expense ratios are an important factor in the return of an ETF and in the long-term, cheaper funds can significantly outperform their more expensive cousins, other things remaining the same.
Annual operating expenses for NUDM are 0.31%, which makes it on par with most peer products in the space.
It's 12-month trailing dividend yield comes in at 2.83%.
Sector Exposure and Top Holdings
Even though ETFs offer diversified exposure which minimizes single stock risk, it is still important to look into a fund's holdings before investing. Luckily, most ETFs are very transparent products that disclose their holdings on a daily basis.
When you look at individual holdings, Novo Nordisk (NOVOB) accounts for about 3.85% of the fund's total assets, followed by Asml Holding Nv (ASML - Free Report) and Unilever Plc (ULVR).
Its top 10 holdings account for approximately 21.55% of NUDM's total assets under management.
Performance and Risk
So far this year, NUDM has added about 10.78%, and is up about 20.08% in the last one year (as of 09/10/2024). During this past 52-week period, the fund has traded between $25.86 and $33.49.
NUDM has a beta of 0.89 and standard deviation of 16.88% for the trailing three-year period. With about 150 holdings, it effectively diversifies company-specific risk.
Alternatives
Nuveen ESG International Developed Markets Equity ETF is a reasonable option for investors seeking to outperform the Broad Developed World ETFs segment of the market. However, there are other ETFs in the space which investors could consider.
IShares ESG Aware MSCI USA ETF (ESGU - Free Report) tracks MSCI USA ESG Focus Index and the JPMorgan Nasdaq Equity Premium Income ETF (JEPQ - Free Report) tracks ----------------------------------------. IShares ESG Aware MSCI USA ETF has $12.62 billion in assets, JPMorgan Nasdaq Equity Premium Income ETF has $15.44 billion. ESGU has an expense ratio of 0.15% and JEPQ charges 0.35%.
Investors looking for cheaper and lower-risk options should consider traditional market cap weighted ETFs that aim to match the returns of the Broad Developed World ETFs.
Bottom Line
To learn more about this product and other ETFs, screen for products that match your investment objectives and read articles on latest developments in the ETF investing universe, please visit Zacks ETF Center.
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Is Nuveen ESG International Developed Markets Equity ETF (NUDM) a Strong ETF Right Now?
Designed to provide broad exposure to the Broad Developed World ETFs category of the market, the Nuveen ESG International Developed Markets Equity ETF (NUDM - Free Report) is a smart beta exchange traded fund launched on 06/07/2017.
What Are Smart Beta ETFs?
The ETF industry has traditionally been dominated by products based on market capitalization weighted indexes that are designed to represent the market or a particular segment of the market.
Investors who believe in market efficiency should consider market cap indexes, as they replicate market returns in a low-cost, convenient, and transparent way.
If you're the kind of investor who would rather try and beat the market through good stock selection, then smart beta funds are your best choice; this fund class is known for tracking non-cap weighted strategies.
Non-cap weighted indexes try to choose stocks that have a better chance of risk-return performance, which is based on specific fundamental characteristics, or a mix of other such characteristics.
Even though this space provides many choices to investors--think one of the simplest methodologies like equal-weighting and more complicated ones like fundamental and volatility/momentum based weighting--not all have been able to deliver first-rate results.
Fund Sponsor & Index
The fund is managed by Nuveen. NUDM has been able to amass assets over $458.67 million, making it one of the average sized ETFs in the Broad Developed World ETFs. Before fees and expenses, this particular fund seeks to match the performance of the TIAA ESG International Developed Markets Equity Index.
The TIAA ESG International Developed Markets Equity Index uses a rules-based methodology to arrive at a diversified portfolio of equity securities issued by companies located in countries with developed markets, excluding the U.S. and Canada, that adhere to predetermined ESG, controversial business involvement and low-carbon criteria.
Cost & Other Expenses
Expense ratios are an important factor in the return of an ETF and in the long-term, cheaper funds can significantly outperform their more expensive cousins, other things remaining the same.
Annual operating expenses for NUDM are 0.31%, which makes it on par with most peer products in the space.
It's 12-month trailing dividend yield comes in at 2.83%.
Sector Exposure and Top Holdings
Even though ETFs offer diversified exposure which minimizes single stock risk, it is still important to look into a fund's holdings before investing. Luckily, most ETFs are very transparent products that disclose their holdings on a daily basis.
When you look at individual holdings, Novo Nordisk (NOVOB) accounts for about 3.85% of the fund's total assets, followed by Asml Holding Nv (ASML - Free Report) and Unilever Plc (ULVR).
Its top 10 holdings account for approximately 21.55% of NUDM's total assets under management.
Performance and Risk
So far this year, NUDM has added about 10.78%, and is up about 20.08% in the last one year (as of 09/10/2024). During this past 52-week period, the fund has traded between $25.86 and $33.49.
NUDM has a beta of 0.89 and standard deviation of 16.88% for the trailing three-year period. With about 150 holdings, it effectively diversifies company-specific risk.
Alternatives
Nuveen ESG International Developed Markets Equity ETF is a reasonable option for investors seeking to outperform the Broad Developed World ETFs segment of the market. However, there are other ETFs in the space which investors could consider.
IShares ESG Aware MSCI USA ETF (ESGU - Free Report) tracks MSCI USA ESG Focus Index and the JPMorgan Nasdaq Equity Premium Income ETF (JEPQ - Free Report) tracks ----------------------------------------. IShares ESG Aware MSCI USA ETF has $12.62 billion in assets, JPMorgan Nasdaq Equity Premium Income ETF has $15.44 billion. ESGU has an expense ratio of 0.15% and JEPQ charges 0.35%.
Investors looking for cheaper and lower-risk options should consider traditional market cap weighted ETFs that aim to match the returns of the Broad Developed World ETFs.
Bottom Line
To learn more about this product and other ETFs, screen for products that match your investment objectives and read articles on latest developments in the ETF investing universe, please visit Zacks ETF Center.