iShares ESG Aware MSCI USA ETF (ESGU) Performance
ESGU total return
Distributions reinvested · as of Oct 23, 2026- YTD
- +12.4% since Dec 31, 2025
- 1 year
- +14.3% total return
- 5 years
- +11.3% a year
- Since first price
- +15.0% a year since 2016
ESGU trailing returns vs SPY, QQQ, AGG
| Period | ESGU total return | Price only | S&P 500 (SPY) | Nasdaq-100 (QQQ) | U.S. bonds (AGG) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 month | −1.0% | −1.0% | −1.0% | −5.0% | +0.9% |
| 3 months | +3.0% | +2.8% | +3.2% | +1.9% | −0.4% |
| 6 months | +8.5% | +8.0% | +7.8% | +8.4% | −1.5% |
| YTD | +12.4% | +11.7% | +12.3% | +15.1% | −1.0% |
| 1 year | +14.3% | +13.2% | +14.4% | +15.9% | −1.1% |
| 3 years | +86.7%+23.1%/yr | +80.6% | +87.4%+23.3%/yr | +101.4%+26.3%/yr | +16.6%+5.2%/yr |
| 5 years | +70.5%+11.3%/yr | +59.9% | +79.3%+12.4%/yr | +94.0%+14.2%/yr | −0.8%−0.2%/yr |
| Since inceptionDec 6, 2016 | +296.1%+15.0%/yr | +244.7% | — | — | — |
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: ESGU vs SPY
From Dec 6, 2016: ESGU grew to $39,615, SPY to $40,140.
Year-end values with distributions reinvested, no taxes or trading costs. Start: first common trading day of both funds.
ESGU returns by calendar year
7 of 9 full years positive. Best 2019 (+31.7%), worst 2022 (−20.3%). 2026 is year to date.
ESGU annual returns table
| Year | ESGU | Largest drop | SPY | QQQ | AGG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026YTD | +12.4% | −9.3% | +12.3% | +15.1% | −1.0% |
| 2025 | +16.9% | −19.3% | +17.7% | +20.8% | +7.2% |
| 2024 | +24.3% | −8.6% | +24.9% | +25.6% | +1.3% |
| 2023 | +25.8% | −10.4% | +26.2% | +54.9% | +5.7% |
| 2022 | −20.3% | −26.1% | −18.2% | −32.6% | −13.0% |
| 2021 | +26.9% | −5.4% | +28.7% | +27.4% | −1.8% |
| 2020 | +22.5% | −33.9% | +18.3% | +48.6% | +7.5% |
| 2019 | +31.7% | −6.7% | +31.2% | +39.0% | +8.5% |
| 2018 | −4.2% | −19.6% | −4.6% | −0.1% | +0.1% |
| 2017 | +21.1% | −1.7% | +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.
ESGU largest drawdowns
Now 2.5% below the high| Peak | Decline | Bottom | Recovered | Fall | Underwater |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 19, 2020 | −33.9% | Mar 23, 2020 | Aug 4, 2020 | 33 days | 5 months |
| Dec 27, 2021 | −26.1% | Oct 12, 2022 | Dec 27, 2023 | 9 months | 2.0 years |
| Sep 20, 2018 | −19.6% | Dec 24, 2018 | Apr 12, 2019 | 3 months | 7 months |
| Jan 23, 2025 | −19.3% | Apr 8, 2025 | Jun 26, 2025 | 2 months | 5 months |
Declines from a closing high (distributions reinvested) of 10% or more. Underwater = time from the peak until the old high was regained.
ESGU risk statistics
| Statistic | 3 years | 5 years | Since 2016 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annualized return | +22.5% | +12.5% | +15.0% |
| Volatility (annualized) | 12.9% | 16.1% | 15.8% |
| Sharpe ratio | 1.31 | 0.60 | 0.82 |
| Sortino ratio | 2.71 | 0.94 | 1.29 |
| Best month | +10.7% | +10.7% | +13.3% |
| Worst month | −5.9% | −9.5% | −12.5% |
| Best 12 months | +37.7% | +37.7% | +60.3% |
| Worst 12 months | +7.3% | −20.3% | −20.3% |
| Positive months | 61% | 57% | 68% |
| Beta vs S&P 500 | 1.04 | 1.03 | — |
| Correlation with S&P 500 | 1.00 | 1.00 | — |
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.
ESGU rolling returns
| Holding period | Periods | Worst | Median | Best | Positive |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1-year | 107 | −20.3% | +15.7% | +60.3% | 86% |
| 3-year (a year) | 83 | +5.3% | +13.5% | +27.0% | 100% |
| 5-year (a year) | 59 | +9.3% | +13.3% | +18.9% | 100% |
Every holding period starting at a month-end since 2016. Returns for 3 years and longer are annualized.
ESGU performance overview
iShares ESG Aware MSCI USA ETF (ESGU) returned +14.3% over the past year and +11.3% a year over five years, with distributions reinvested. Since its first recorded price in 2016 it has returned +15.0% a year, turning $10,000 into about $39,615. Over the same year S&P 500 (SPY) returned +14.4%.
The deepest decline was −33.9%, from Feb 19, 2020 to Mar 23, 2020, and it took 4 months to get back to the old high. ESGU finished 7 of its 9 full calendar years with a gain; the best year was 2019 (+31.7%) and the worst 2022 (−20.3%). Volatility has been 15.8% a year.
Related: ESGU chart, ESGU holdings, ESGU dividends, ESGU valuation. See the ESGU overview for the latest quote and fund facts.
ESGU performance FAQ
What is the ESGU return over the past year?
ESGU returned +14.3% over the 12 months to October 23, 2026, including reinvested distributions. On price alone it rose 13.2%.
What is the average annual return of ESGU?
ESGU has returned +11.3% a year over 5 years, +15.0% a year since December 6, 2016 (total return, distributions reinvested).
How much would $10,000 invested in ESGU be worth?
$10,000 invested in ESGU at its first recorded close on December 6, 2016 would be worth about $39,615 on October 23, 2026 with distributions reinvested.
What was the worst year for ESGU?
The worst calendar year was 2022, with a total return of −20.3%. The best was 2019 at +31.7%.
What is the biggest drawdown of ESGU?
The largest peak-to-trough decline was −33.9% between February 19, 2020 and March 23, 2020. It recovered to the old high on August 4, 2020, 4 months after the bottom.
How volatile is ESGU?
Over the past 3 years ESGU had an annualized volatility of 12.9% and a Sharpe ratio of 1.31 (excess return over 1–3 month T-bills per unit of risk).