iShares ESG Aware MSCI EM ETF (ESGE) Performance
ESGE total return
Distributions reinvested · as of Oct 23, 2026- YTD
- +14.9% since Dec 31, 2025
- 1 year
- +16.5% total return
- 5 years
- +6.0% a year
- 10 years
- +8.1% a year
- Since first price
- +8.4% a year since 2016
ESGE trailing returns vs SPY, QQQ, AGG
| Period | ESGE total return | Price only | S&P 500 (SPY) | Nasdaq-100 (QQQ) | U.S. bonds (AGG) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 month | −8.3% | −8.3% | −1.0% | −5.0% | +0.9% |
| 3 months | −2.8% | −2.8% | +3.2% | +1.9% | −0.4% |
| 6 months | +1.8% | +1.1% | +7.8% | +8.4% | −1.5% |
| YTD | +14.9% | +14.1% | +12.3% | +15.1% | −1.0% |
| 1 year | +16.5% | +13.7% | +14.4% | +15.9% | −1.1% |
| 3 years | +84.9%+22.7%/yr | +71.2% | +87.4%+23.3%/yr | +101.4%+26.3%/yr | +16.6%+5.2%/yr |
| 5 years | +34.1%+6.0%/yr | +17.7% | +79.3%+12.4%/yr | +94.0%+14.2%/yr | −0.8%−0.2%/yr |
| 10 years | +117.8%+8.1%/yr | +74.7% | +315.9%+15.3%/yr | +538.9%+20.4%/yr | +14.0%+1.3%/yr |
| Since inceptionJul 20, 2016 | +129.2%+8.4%/yr | +83.8% | — | — | — |
Total return from adjusted closes (distributions reinvested, before tax). Periods of 3 years or more are also shown annualized. Price only excludes distributions.
Growth of $10,000: ESGE vs SPY
From Jul 20, 2016: ESGE grew to $22,919, SPY to $41,200.
Year-end values with distributions reinvested, no taxes or trading costs. Start: first common trading day of both funds.
ESGE returns by calendar year
6 of 9 full years positive. Best 2017 (+38.9%), worst 2022 (−22.4%). 2026 is year to date.
ESGE annual returns table
| Year | ESGE | Largest drop | SPY | QQQ | AGG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026YTD | +14.9% | −13.9% | +12.3% | +15.1% | −1.0% |
| 2025 | +35.9% | −14.7% | +17.7% | +20.8% | +7.2% |
| 2024 | +6.6% | −9.9% | +24.9% | +25.6% | +1.3% |
| 2023 | +9.5% | −13.2% | +26.2% | +54.9% | +5.7% |
| 2022 | −22.4% | −34.5% | −18.2% | −32.6% | −13.0% |
| 2021 | −2.9% | −16.3% | +28.7% | +27.4% | −1.8% |
| 2020 | +18.6% | −33.4% | +18.3% | +48.6% | +7.5% |
| 2019 | +20.4% | −11.9% | +31.2% | +39.0% | +8.5% |
| 2018 | −15.2% | −26.4% | −4.6% | −0.1% | +0.1% |
| 2017 | +38.9% | −5.0% | +21.7% | +32.7% | +3.6% |
Largest drop = deepest fall from a high within that calendar year.
Calendar-year return vs largest drop within the year
Most years include a sizable fall at some point even when the year ends higher.
ESGE largest drawdowns
Now 11.3% below the high| Peak | Decline | Bottom | Recovered | Fall | Underwater |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 17, 2021 | −41.1% | Oct 24, 2022 | Sep 11, 2025 | 1.7 years | 4.6 years |
| Jan 26, 2018 | −36.6% | Mar 23, 2020 | Nov 5, 2020 | 2.2 years | 2.8 years |
| Feb 25, 2026 | −13.9% | Mar 30, 2026 | Apr 17, 2026 | 33 days | 51 days |
| Jun 22, 2026 | −13.6% | Jul 29, 2026 | not yet | 37 days | 4 months so far |
Declines from a closing high (distributions reinvested) of 10% or more. Underwater = time from the peak until the old high was regained.
ESGE risk statistics
| Statistic | 3 years | 5 years | 10 years | Since 2016 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annualized return | +24.5% | +8.3% | +8.9% | +9.2% |
| Volatility (annualized) | 15.1% | 17.9% | 17.3% | 17.1% |
| Sharpe ratio | 1.25 | 0.33 | 0.45 | 0.47 |
| Sortino ratio | 2.33 | 0.53 | 0.69 | 0.73 |
| Best month | +12.5% | +15.6% | +15.6% | +15.6% |
| Worst month | −9.3% | −11.9% | −16.1% | −16.1% |
| Best 12 months | +54.1% | +54.1% | +60.6% | +60.6% |
| Worst 12 months | +6.6% | −32.9% | −32.9% | −32.9% |
| Positive months | 75% | 60% | 60% | 61% |
| Beta vs S&P 500 | 0.80 | 0.76 | 0.78 | — |
| Correlation with S&P 500 | 0.66 | 0.66 | 0.69 | — |
From monthly total returns. Sharpe and Sortino use 1–3 month T-bills (BIL) as the risk-free rate, so they need history from 2007 on.
ESGE rolling returns
| Holding period | Periods | Worst | Median | Best | Positive |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1-year | 112 | −32.9% | +9.8% | +60.6% | 67% |
| 3-year (a year) | 88 | −8.8% | +4.5% | +24.7% | 72% |
| 5-year (a year) | 64 | −3.2% | +3.6% | +10.9% | 86% |
| 10-year (a year) | 4 | +8.3% | +8.9% | +9.1% | 100% |
Every holding period starting at a month-end since 2016. Returns for 3 years and longer are annualized.
ESGE performance overview
iShares ESG Aware MSCI EM ETF (ESGE) returned +16.5% over the past year and +8.1% a year over ten years, with distributions reinvested. Since its first recorded price in 2016 it has returned +8.4% a year, turning $10,000 into about $22,919. Over the same year S&P 500 (SPY) returned +14.4%.
The deepest decline was −41.1%, from Feb 17, 2021 to Oct 24, 2022, and it took 2.9 years to get back to the old high. ESGE finished 6 of its 9 full calendar years with a gain; the best year was 2017 (+38.9%) and the worst 2022 (−22.4%). Volatility has been 17.1% a year.
Related: ESGE chart, ESGE holdings, ESGE dividends. See the ESGE overview for the latest quote and fund facts.
ESGE performance FAQ
What is the ESGE return over the past year?
ESGE returned +16.5% over the 12 months to October 23, 2026, including reinvested distributions. On price alone it rose 13.7%.
What is the average annual return of ESGE?
ESGE has returned +6.0% a year over 5 years, +8.1% a year over 10 years, +8.4% a year since July 20, 2016 (total return, distributions reinvested).
How much would $10,000 invested in ESGE be worth?
$10,000 invested in ESGE at its first recorded close on July 20, 2016 would be worth about $22,919 on October 23, 2026 with distributions reinvested.
What was the worst year for ESGE?
The worst calendar year was 2022, with a total return of −22.4%. The best was 2017 at +38.9%.
What is the biggest drawdown of ESGE?
The largest peak-to-trough decline was −41.1% between February 17, 2021 and October 24, 2022. It recovered to the old high on September 11, 2025, 2.9 years after the bottom.
How volatile is ESGE?
Over the past 3 years ESGE had an annualized volatility of 15.1% and a Sharpe ratio of 1.25 (excess return over 1–3 month T-bills per unit of risk).