Nuveen ESG Large-Cap Growth ETF (NULG) Performance
NULG total return
Distributions reinvested · as of Oct 23, 2026- YTD
- +11.5% since Dec 31, 2025
- 1 year
- +9.2% total return
- 5 years
- +10.8% a year
- Since first price
- +17.7% a year since 2016
NULG trailing returns vs SPY, QQQ, AGG
| Period | NULG total return | Price only | S&P 500 (SPY) | Nasdaq-100 (QQQ) | U.S. bonds (AGG) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 month | −4.1% | −4.1% | −1.0% | −5.0% | +0.9% |
| 3 months | −3.2% | −3.2% | +3.2% | +1.9% | −0.4% |
| 6 months | +6.1% | +6.1% | +7.8% | +8.4% | −1.5% |
| YTD | +11.5% | +11.5% | +12.3% | +15.1% | −1.0% |
| 1 year | +9.2% | +9.1% | +14.4% | +15.9% | −1.1% |
| 3 years | +85.5%+22.9%/yr | +84.2% | +87.4%+23.3%/yr | +101.4%+26.3%/yr | +16.6%+5.2%/yr |
| 5 years | +67.2%+10.8%/yr | +57.3% | +79.3%+12.4%/yr | +94.0%+14.2%/yr | −0.8%−0.2%/yr |
| Since inceptionDec 14, 2016 | +399.6%+17.7%/yr | +332.4% | — | — | — |
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: NULG vs SPY
From Dec 14, 2016: NULG grew to $49,956, SPY to $39,397.
Year-end values with distributions reinvested, no taxes or trading costs. Start: first common trading day of both funds.
NULG returns by calendar year
8 of 9 full years positive. Best 2023 (+42.7%), worst 2022 (−28.4%). 2026 is year to date.
NULG annual returns table
| Year | NULG | Largest drop | SPY | QQQ | AGG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026YTD | +11.5% | −12.5% | +12.3% | +15.1% | −1.0% |
| 2025 | +14.1% | −21.8% | +17.7% | +20.8% | +7.2% |
| 2024 | +23.8% | −12.3% | +24.9% | +25.6% | +1.3% |
| 2023 | +42.7% | −11.9% | +26.2% | +54.9% | +5.7% |
| 2022 | −28.4% | −34.3% | −18.2% | −32.6% | −13.0% |
| 2021 | +28.1% | −10.9% | +28.7% | +27.4% | −1.8% |
| 2020 | +39.6% | −34.7% | +18.3% | +48.6% | +7.5% |
| 2019 | +39.2% | −6.8% | +31.2% | +39.0% | +8.5% |
| 2018 | +0.3% | −22.4% | −4.6% | −0.1% | +0.1% |
| 2017 | +24.6% | −2.2% | +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.
NULG largest drawdowns
Now 7.9% below the high| Peak | Decline | Bottom | Recovered | Fall | Underwater |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 8, 2021 | −36.2% | Oct 14, 2022 | Jan 19, 2024 | 11 months | 2.2 years |
| Feb 19, 2020 | −34.7% | Mar 23, 2020 | Jul 2, 2020 | 33 days | 4 months |
| Oct 1, 2018 | −22.4% | Dec 24, 2018 | Apr 12, 2019 | 3 months | 6 months |
| Dec 11, 2024 | −22.3% | Apr 8, 2025 | Jun 10, 2025 | 4 months | 6 months |
| Oct 28, 2025 | −14.5% | Mar 30, 2026 | Apr 17, 2026 | 5 months | 6 months |
| Jul 10, 2024 | −12.3% | Aug 5, 2024 | Oct 14, 2024 | 26 days | 3 months |
Declines from a closing high (distributions reinvested) of 10% or more. Underwater = time from the peak until the old high was regained.
NULG risk statistics
| Statistic | 3 years | 5 years | Since 2016 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annualized return | +24.1% | +13.0% | +18.5% |
| Volatility (annualized) | 17.0% | 20.2% | 18.7% |
| Sharpe ratio | 1.10 | 0.53 | 0.88 |
| Sortino ratio | 2.35 | 0.86 | 1.46 |
| Best month | +14.9% | +14.9% | +14.9% |
| Worst month | −7.7% | −11.8% | −12.6% |
| Best 12 months | +41.5% | +42.7% | +69.0% |
| Worst 12 months | +2.8% | −28.4% | −28.4% |
| Positive months | 67% | 58% | 68% |
| Beta vs S&P 500 | 1.25 | 1.21 | — |
| Correlation with S&P 500 | 0.91 | 0.94 | — |
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.
NULG rolling returns
| Holding period | Periods | Worst | Median | Best | Positive |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1-year | 107 | −28.4% | +20.8% | +69.0% | 89% |
| 3-year (a year) | 83 | +6.7% | +19.4% | +35.5% | 100% |
| 5-year (a year) | 59 | +10.0% | +15.9% | +25.5% | 100% |
Every holding period starting at a month-end since 2016. Returns for 3 years and longer are annualized.
NULG performance overview
Nuveen ESG Large-Cap Growth ETF (NULG) returned +9.2% over the past year and +10.8% a year over five years, with distributions reinvested. Since its first recorded price in 2016 it has returned +17.7% a year, turning $10,000 into about $49,956. Over the same year S&P 500 (SPY) returned +14.4%.
The deepest decline was −36.2%, from Nov 8, 2021 to Oct 14, 2022, and it took 1.3 years to get back to the old high. NULG finished 8 of its 9 full calendar years with a gain; the best year was 2023 (+42.7%) and the worst 2022 (−28.4%). Volatility has been 18.7% a year.
Related: NULG chart, NULG holdings, NULG dividends, NULG valuation. See the NULG overview for the latest quote and fund facts.
NULG performance FAQ
What is the NULG return over the past year?
NULG returned +9.2% over the 12 months to October 23, 2026, including reinvested distributions. On price alone it rose 9.1%.
What is the average annual return of NULG?
NULG has returned +10.8% a year over 5 years, +17.7% a year since December 14, 2016 (total return, distributions reinvested).
How much would $10,000 invested in NULG be worth?
$10,000 invested in NULG at its first recorded close on December 14, 2016 would be worth about $49,956 on October 23, 2026 with distributions reinvested.
What was the worst year for NULG?
The worst calendar year was 2022, with a total return of −28.4%. The best was 2023 at +42.7%.
What is the biggest drawdown of NULG?
The largest peak-to-trough decline was −36.2% between November 8, 2021 and October 14, 2022. It recovered to the old high on January 19, 2024, 1.3 years after the bottom.
How volatile is NULG?
Over the past 3 years NULG had an annualized volatility of 17.0% and a Sharpe ratio of 1.10 (excess return over 1–3 month T-bills per unit of risk).