Back to top

Image: Bigstock

Is Nuveen ESG Large-Cap Value ETF (NULV) a Strong ETF Right Now?

Read MoreHide Full Article

Designed to provide broad exposure to the Style Box - Large Cap Value category of the market, the Nuveen ESG Large-Cap Value ETF (NULV - Free Report) is a smart beta exchange traded fund launched on 12/13/2016.

What Are Smart Beta ETFs?

For a long time now, the ETF industry has been flooded with products based on market capitalization weighted indexes, which are designed to represent the broader market or a particular market segment.

A good option for investors who believe in market efficiency, market cap weighted indexes offer a low-cost, convenient, and transparent way of replicating market returns.

But, there are some investors who would rather invest in smart beta funds; these funds track non-cap weighted strategies, and are a strong option for those who prefer choosing great stocks in order to beat the market.

Non-cap weighted indexes try to choose stocks that have a better chance of risk-return performance, which is based on specific fundamental characteristics, or a mix of other such characteristics.

The smart beta space gives investors many different choices, from equal-weighting, one of the simplest strategies, to more complicated ones like fundamental and volatility/momentum based weighting. However, not all of these methodologies have been able to deliver remarkable returns.

Fund Sponsor & Index

NULV is managed by Nuveen, and this fund has amassed over $1.66 billion, which makes it one of the average sized ETFs in the Style Box - Large Cap Value. This particular fund seeks to match the performance of the TIAA ESG USA Large-Cap Value Index before fees and expenses.

The TIAA ESG USA Large-Cap Value Index comprises of equity securities issued by large capitalization companies listed on US exchanges. It uses a rules-based methodology that seeks to provide investment exposure generally replicating large-cap value benchmarks through a portfolio of securities adhering to predetermined ESG, controversial business involvement & low-carbon criteria.

Cost & Other Expenses

For ETF investors, expense ratios are an important factor when considering a fund's return; in the long-term, cheaper funds actually have the ability to outperform their more expensive cousins if all other things remain the same.

Annual operating expenses for NULV are 0.26%, which makes it on par with most peer products in the space.

It's 12-month trailing dividend yield comes in at 2.30%.

Sector Exposure and Top Holdings

Even though ETFs offer diversified exposure that minimizes single stock risk, investors should also look at the actual holdings inside the fund. Luckily, most ETFs are very transparent products that disclose their holdings on a daily basis.

NULV's heaviest allocation is in the Financials sector, which is about 21.40% of the portfolio. Its Healthcare and Information Technology round out the top three.

When you look at individual holdings, Oracle Corp. (ORCL - Free Report) accounts for about 2.41% of the fund's total assets, followed by Coca Cola Co. (KO - Free Report) and Pepsico Inc. (PEP - Free Report) .

Its top 10 holdings account for approximately 20.95% of NULV's total assets under management.

Performance and Risk

Year-to-date, the Nuveen ESG Large-Cap Value ETF has gained about 11.08% so far, and was up about 13.73% over the last 12 months (as of 08/01/2024). NULV has traded between $32.04 and $39.89 in this past 52-week period.

The fund has a beta of 0.92 and standard deviation of 14.72% for the trailing three-year period. With about 102 holdings, it effectively diversifies company-specific risk.

Alternatives

Nuveen ESG Large-Cap Value ETF is a reasonable option for investors seeking to outperform the Style Box - Large Cap Value segment of the market. However, there are other ETFs in the space which investors could consider.

IShares ESG Aware MSCI USA ETF (ESGU - Free Report) tracks MSCI USA ESG Focus Index and the JPMorgan Nasdaq Equity Premium Income ETF (JEPQ - Free Report) tracks ----------------------------------------. IShares ESG Aware MSCI USA ETF has $12.59 billion in assets, JPMorgan Nasdaq Equity Premium Income ETF has $14.81 billion. ESGU has an expense ratio of 0.15% and JEPQ charges 0.35%.

Investors looking for cheaper and lower-risk options should consider traditional market cap weighted ETFs that aim to match the returns of the Style Box - Large Cap Value.

Bottom Line

To learn more about this product and other ETFs, screen for products that match your investment objectives and read articles on latest developments in the ETF investing universe, please visit Zacks ETF Center.

Published in