iShares ESG MSCI EM Leaders ETF (LDEM) Performance
LDEM total return
Distributions reinvested · as of Oct 23, 2026- YTD
- −1.1% since Dec 31, 2025
- 1 year
- −2.3% total return
- 5 years
- +1.1% a year
- Since first price
- +4.0% a year since 2020
LDEM trailing returns vs SPY, QQQ, AGG
| Period | LDEM total return | Price only | S&P 500 (SPY) | Nasdaq-100 (QQQ) | U.S. bonds (AGG) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 month | −7.0% | −7.0% | −1.0% | −5.0% | +0.9% |
| 3 months | −3.3% | −3.3% | +3.2% | +1.9% | −0.4% |
| 6 months | −6.2% | −7.0% | +7.8% | +8.4% | −1.5% |
| YTD | −1.1% | −1.9% | +12.3% | +15.1% | −1.0% |
| 1 year | −2.3% | −5.2% | +14.4% | +15.9% | −1.1% |
| 3 years | +51.8%+14.9%/yr | +38.5% | +87.4%+23.3%/yr | +101.4%+26.3%/yr | +16.6%+5.2%/yr |
| 5 years | +5.5%+1.1%/yr | −10.0% | +79.3%+12.4%/yr | +94.0%+14.2%/yr | −0.8%−0.2%/yr |
| Since inceptionFeb 12, 2020 | +29.7%+4.0%/yr | +8.0% | — | — | — |
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: LDEM vs SPY
From Feb 12, 2020: LDEM grew to $12,974, SPY to $24,771.
Year-end values with distributions reinvested, no taxes or trading costs. Start: first common trading day of both funds.
LDEM returns by calendar year
3 of 5 full years positive. Best 2025 (+32.5%), worst 2022 (−22.5%). 2026 is year to date.
LDEM annual returns table
| Year | LDEM | Largest drop | SPY | QQQ | AGG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026YTD | −1.1% | −13.2% | +12.3% | +15.1% | −1.0% |
| 2025 | +32.5% | −14.2% | +17.7% | +20.8% | +7.2% |
| 2024 | +5.9% | −10.8% | +24.9% | +25.6% | +1.3% |
| 2023 | +6.5% | −15.6% | +26.2% | +54.9% | +5.7% |
| 2022 | −22.5% | −34.6% | −18.2% | −32.6% | −13.0% |
| 2021 | −2.0% | −15.0% | +28.7% | +27.4% | −1.8% |
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.
LDEM largest drawdowns
Now 11.1% below the high| Peak | Decline | Bottom | Recovered | Fall | Underwater |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 17, 2021 | −40.8% | Oct 24, 2022 | Sep 17, 2025 | 1.7 years | 4.6 years |
| Feb 12, 2020 | −32.6% | Mar 23, 2020 | Aug 6, 2020 | 40 days | 6 months |
| Feb 25, 2026 | −13.2% | Mar 30, 2026 | not yet | 33 days | 8 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.
LDEM risk statistics
| Statistic | 3 years | 5 years | Since 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annualized return | +15.7% | +3.0% | +6.6% |
| Volatility (annualized) | 12.6% | 16.9% | 18.4% |
| Sharpe ratio | 0.88 | 0.05 | 0.29 |
| Sortino ratio | 1.49 | 0.07 | 0.43 |
| Best month | +7.8% | +16.6% | +16.6% |
| Worst month | −7.8% | −11.5% | −18.8% |
| Best 12 months | +37.8% | +37.8% | +65.7% |
| Worst 12 months | +5.8% | −34.2% | −34.2% |
| Positive months | 67% | 53% | 58% |
| Beta vs S&P 500 | 0.59 | 0.65 | — |
| Correlation with S&P 500 | 0.58 | 0.60 | — |
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.
LDEM rolling returns
| Holding period | Periods | Worst | Median | Best | Positive |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1-year | 69 | −34.2% | +7.7% | +65.7% | 64% |
| 3-year (a year) | 45 | −9.8% | +1.2% | +18.8% | 56% |
| 5-year (a year) | 21 | +1.5% | +3.0% | +7.7% | 100% |
Every holding period starting at a month-end since 2020. Returns for 3 years and longer are annualized.
LDEM performance overview
iShares ESG MSCI EM Leaders ETF (LDEM) returned −2.3% over the past year and +1.1% a year over five years, with distributions reinvested. Since its first recorded price in 2020 it has returned +4.0% a year, turning $10,000 into about $12,974. Over the same year S&P 500 (SPY) returned +14.4%.
The deepest decline was −40.8%, from Feb 17, 2021 to Oct 24, 2022, and it took 2.9 years to get back to the old high. LDEM finished 3 of its 5 full calendar years with a gain; the best year was 2025 (+32.5%) and the worst 2022 (−22.5%). Volatility has been 18.4% a year.
Related: LDEM chart, LDEM holdings, LDEM dividends. See the LDEM overview for the latest quote and fund facts.
LDEM performance FAQ
What is the LDEM return over the past year?
LDEM returned −2.3% over the 12 months to October 23, 2026, including reinvested distributions. On price alone it fell 5.2%.
What is the average annual return of LDEM?
LDEM has returned +1.1% a year over 5 years, +4.0% a year since February 12, 2020 (total return, distributions reinvested).
How much would $10,000 invested in LDEM be worth?
$10,000 invested in LDEM at its first recorded close on February 12, 2020 would be worth about $12,974 on October 23, 2026 with distributions reinvested.
What was the worst year for LDEM?
The worst calendar year was 2022, with a total return of −22.5%. The best was 2025 at +32.5%.
What is the biggest drawdown of LDEM?
The largest peak-to-trough decline was −40.8% between February 17, 2021 and October 24, 2022. It recovered to the old high on September 17, 2025, 2.9 years after the bottom.
How volatile is LDEM?
Over the past 3 years LDEM had an annualized volatility of 12.6% and a Sharpe ratio of 0.88 (excess return over 1–3 month T-bills per unit of risk).