Esoterica NextG Economy ETF (WUGI) Performance
WUGI total return
Distributions reinvested · as of Oct 23, 2026- YTD
- +8.0% since Dec 31, 2025
- 1 year
- +6.5% total return
- 5 years
- +9.8% a year
- Since first price
- +22.9% a year since 2020
WUGI trailing returns vs SPY, QQQ, AGG
| Period | WUGI total return | Price only | S&P 500 (SPY) | Nasdaq-100 (QQQ) | U.S. bonds (AGG) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 month | −13.2% | −13.2% | −1.0% | −5.0% | +0.9% |
| 3 months | −7.8% | −7.8% | +3.2% | +1.9% | −0.4% |
| 6 months | +2.9% | +2.9% | +7.8% | +8.4% | −1.5% |
| YTD | +8.0% | +8.0% | +12.3% | +15.1% | −1.0% |
| 1 year | +6.5% | −13.3% | +14.4% | +15.9% | −1.1% |
| 3 years | +131.0%+32.2%/yr | +80.7% | +87.4%+23.3%/yr | +101.4%+26.3%/yr | +16.6%+5.2%/yr |
| 5 years | +59.4%+9.8%/yr | +24.7% | +79.3%+12.4%/yr | +94.0%+14.2%/yr | −0.8%−0.2%/yr |
| Since inceptionMar 31, 2020 | +287.8%+22.9%/yr | +203.3% | — | — | — |
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: WUGI vs SPY
From Mar 31, 2020: WUGI grew to $38,782, SPY to $32,238.
Year-end values with distributions reinvested, no taxes or trading costs. Start: first common trading day of both funds.
WUGI returns by calendar year
4 of 5 full years positive. Best 2023 (+61.3%), worst 2022 (−49.5%). 2026 is year to date.
WUGI annual returns table
| Year | WUGI | Largest drop | SPY | QQQ | AGG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026YTD | +8.0% | −23.1% | +12.3% | +15.1% | −1.0% |
| 2025 | +22.7% | −27.5% | +17.7% | +20.8% | +7.2% |
| 2024 | +47.1% | −16.1% | +24.9% | +25.6% | +1.3% |
| 2023 | +61.3% | −17.6% | +26.2% | +54.9% | +5.7% |
| 2022 | −49.5% | −52.2% | −18.2% | −32.6% | −13.0% |
| 2021 | +25.2% | −24.0% | +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.
WUGI largest drawdowns
Now 18.8% below the high| Peak | Decline | Bottom | Recovered | Fall | Underwater |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 16, 2021 | −56.4% | Nov 9, 2022 | Jun 13, 2024 | 12 months | 2.6 years |
| Feb 14, 2025 | −27.5% | Apr 8, 2025 | Jun 24, 2025 | 53 days | 4 months |
| Dec 22, 2025 | −24.7% | Mar 30, 2026 | May 6, 2026 | 3 months | 4 months |
| Feb 12, 2021 | −24.0% | May 13, 2021 | Sep 3, 2021 | 3 months | 7 months |
| Jun 30, 2026 | −23.1% | Jul 29, 2026 | not yet | 29 days | 4 months so far |
| Jul 10, 2024 | −16.1% | Aug 7, 2024 | Oct 4, 2024 | 28 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.
WUGI risk statistics
| Statistic | 3 years | 5 years | Since 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annualized return | +37.6% | +15.3% | +26.1% |
| Volatility (annualized) | 24.8% | 28.5% | 27.7% |
| Sharpe ratio | 1.25 | 0.52 | 0.88 |
| Sortino ratio | 2.30 | 0.83 | 1.52 |
| Best month | +19.5% | +19.5% | +19.5% |
| Worst month | −16.3% | −16.6% | −16.6% |
| Best 12 months | +67.9% | +67.9% | +95.7% |
| Worst 12 months | +10.2% | −49.5% | −49.5% |
| Positive months | 72% | 60% | 63% |
| Beta vs S&P 500 | 1.57 | 1.38 | — |
| Correlation with S&P 500 | 0.79 | 0.76 | — |
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.
WUGI rolling returns
| Holding period | Periods | Worst | Median | Best | Positive |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1-year | 68 | −49.5% | +25.1% | +95.7% | 79% |
| 3-year (a year) | 44 | −0.6% | +11.4% | +43.4% | 98% |
| 5-year (a year) | 20 | +9.6% | +15.1% | +21.5% | 100% |
Every holding period starting at a month-end since 2020. Returns for 3 years and longer are annualized.
WUGI performance overview
Esoterica NextG Economy ETF (WUGI) returned +6.5% over the past year and +9.8% a year over five years, with distributions reinvested. Since its first recorded price in 2020 it has returned +22.9% a year, turning $10,000 into about $38,782. Over the same year S&P 500 (SPY) returned +14.4%.
The deepest decline was −56.4%, from Nov 16, 2021 to Nov 9, 2022, and it took 1.6 years to get back to the old high. WUGI finished 4 of its 5 full calendar years with a gain; the best year was 2023 (+61.3%) and the worst 2022 (−49.5%). Volatility has been 27.7% a year.
Related: WUGI chart, WUGI holdings, WUGI dividends, WUGI valuation. See the WUGI overview for the latest quote and fund facts.
WUGI performance FAQ
What is the WUGI return over the past year?
WUGI returned +6.5% over the 12 months to October 23, 2026, including reinvested distributions. On price alone it fell 13.3%.
What is the average annual return of WUGI?
WUGI has returned +9.8% a year over 5 years, +22.9% a year since March 31, 2020 (total return, distributions reinvested).
How much would $10,000 invested in WUGI be worth?
$10,000 invested in WUGI at its first recorded close on March 31, 2020 would be worth about $38,782 on October 23, 2026 with distributions reinvested.
What was the worst year for WUGI?
The worst calendar year was 2022, with a total return of −49.5%. The best was 2023 at +61.3%.
What is the biggest drawdown of WUGI?
The largest peak-to-trough decline was −56.4% between November 16, 2021 and November 9, 2022. It recovered to the old high on June 13, 2024, 1.6 years after the bottom.
How volatile is WUGI?
Over the past 3 years WUGI had an annualized volatility of 24.8% and a Sharpe ratio of 1.25 (excess return over 1–3 month T-bills per unit of risk).