ESGE vs LDEM: Grades, Fees and Holdings Compared

iShares ESG Aware MSCI EM ETF

ESGEANasdaq

iShares ESG MSCI EM Leaders ETF

LDEMANasdaq

Overlap

52.2%by weight

Expense ratio

LDEM −0.09pt a year

ESGE0.25%LDEM0.16%

Avg volume · 30D

ESGE 436.9×the volume

ESGE663KLDEM1.52K

5Y return · a year

ESGE +4.7pt

ESGE+6.1%LDEM+1.4%

ESGE vs LDEM Performance

Oct 29, 2021 – Oct 30, 2026

+34.6%ESGE+7.0%LDEM

Expense ratio: ESGE 0.25%; LDEM 0.16%, better
Fund size: ESGE $6.25B; LDEM $31M
1Y total return: ESGE +13.3%, better; LDEM −2.9%
Yield (12M): ESGE 2.29%; LDEM 3.14%, better
Holdings: ESGE 318; LDEM 447
Avg volume (30D): ESGE 663K sh, better; LDEM 1.52K sh
NAV per share: ESGE $49.38; LDEM $56.26
52W range

ETF.net Grade

Pillar letters and Scores for ESGE, LDEM, with each pillar’s weight
Pillar	ESGE	LDEM
Cost30% weight	B63	A84Higher
Mission25% weight	A100Higher	A93
Risk15% weight	C53	B57Higher
Tradability15% weight	A92Higher	C44
Holdings10% weight	B61	A71Higher
Durability5% weight	A95Higher	D36

Rank among Emerging Markets ESG & Values Index funds

How we build Categories ›

Same Category. ESGE and LDEM are both graded against the same 12 Emerging Markets ESG & Values Index funds, so their Grades compare head to head.

Emerging Markets ESG & Values Index⁠

Category · 12 funds

See all 12 ›

ESGE ranks 2nd and LDEM 4th of 12 funds in the Emerging Markets ESG & Values Index Category.

Rank 1AEMXFiShares ESG Advanced MSCI EM ETFScore 79
Rank 2AESGEiShares ESG Aware MSCI EM ETFScore 76
Rank 3AEMCSXtrackers MSCI Emerging Markets Climate Selection ETFScore 74
Rank 4ALDEMiShares ESG MSCI EM Leaders ETFScore 72
Rank 5AEMCRXtrackers Emerging Markets Carbon Reduction and Climate Improvers ETFScore 71

Our read on each fund

ETF.net Research

ESGEAiShares ESG Aware MSCI EM ETF

LDEMAiShares ESG MSCI EM Leaders ETF

In short

ESGE The ESG emerging-markets fund built to not feel different: it screens MSCI's EM universe for environmental, social and governance traits while keeping risk and return close to the parent index, for 0.25% a year.

LDEM The budget door into strict ESG in emerging markets. LDEM tracks an MSCI index that keeps the best ESG scorers within each sector, and charges 0.16% to do it, well under the going rate in its peer group.

Stated mandate

ESGE The fund seeks to track large- and mid-capitalization emerging-market equities with positive environmental, social, and governance characteristics, while maintaining risk and return characteristics similar to its parent index.

LDEM The fund seeks to track an index of emerging-market companies with high environmental, social, and governance characteristics relative to their sector peers.

Why people hold it

ESGE 0.25% a year, below the typical fee among ESG emerging-market ETFs.
"Aware" is the whole design: the index tilts toward better ESG-rated companies while targeting risk and return characteristics similar to the standard MSCI EM parent.ishares.com
Trading since 2016 and now a multi-billion-dollar, actively traded fund, which is a rare combination in a corner full of small, thinly used products.
Does exactly what its name says: full-time exposure to large- and mid-cap emerging-market stocks via the MSCI Emerging Markets Extended ESG Focus Index, one of the cleanest mandate fits in its peer group.ishares.com

LDEM At 0.16%, it undercuts the typical fee in its ESG emerging-markets peer group by a wide margin, so less of a volatile asset class's return goes to the manager.
Best-in-class logic: companies are judged against sector peers instead of whole industries getting banned, so the sector mix stays closer to a plain EM fund.ishares.com
The index caps any single issuer at 5%, a real check in emerging markets, where a handful of giants can crowd out everything else.ishares.com
No cleverness beyond the screen: a straight index build of roughly 400 names, and one of the tighter mandate fits in its ESG emerging-markets group.

Worth knowing

ESGE It is a tilt, not a purge. Because the index chases parent-like risk and return, the lineup stays close to mainstream EM rather than a deep-green portfolio.ishares.com
Screening narrows the field to roughly 300 stocks, so holdings and country weights drift from a plain emerging-markets index fund.
Not the cheapest badge in the aisle: sibling LDEM runs 0.16%, though it takes a stricter ESG-leaders approach.

LDEM Small asset base and thin trading volume, so spreads can run wider than on the household-name emerging-markets funds.
Distributions land once or twice a year rather than quarterly, so income arrives in lumps.
Sibling ESGE runs the looser ESG Aware screen at 0.25%. LDEM costs less and screens harder, which means a narrower, more exclusionary lineup.

Full ESGE profile⁠

Full LDEM profile⁠

ESGE vs LDEM Holdings

How ESGE and LDEM differ

Overlap by weight

52.2%

Shared holdings make up 77.7% of LDEM and 74.7% of ESGE.

Level by level

Holdings207 in both52.2%
Sector11 Sectors75.6%
Countryby domicile80.8%
Asset classEquity100%

Sector

Sector weights in ESGE and LDEM, widest gap first
Sector	More in ESGEMore in LDEM	ESGE	LDEM
Technology	ESGE +24.4 points	42.7%	18.3%
Consumer Discretionary	LDEM +5.9 points	7.1%	13.0%
Industrials	LDEM +3.3 points	4.6%	7.9%
Financials	LDEM +2.8 points	24.9%	27.7%
Communication	LDEM +2.7 points	6.9%	9.6%
Materials	LDEM +2.4 points	4.8%	7.2%
Energy	LDEM +2.3 points	2.1%	4.4%
Health Care	LDEM +1.7 points	2.2%	3.9%
Utilities	LDEM +1.5 points	1.3%	2.8%
Consumer Staples	LDEM +1.3 points	2.4%	3.7%
Real Estate	LDEM +0.3 points	1.1%	1.4%

Country, concentration and asset class

Country by domicile

Country weights in ESGE and LDEM, widest gap first
Country	More in ESGEMore in LDEM	ESGE	LDEM
Taiwan	ESGE +13.7 points	31.2%	17.5%
China	LDEM +11.8 points	20.4%	32.2%
South Korea	ESGE +5.0 points	21.2%	16.2%
South Africa	LDEM +3.3 points	7.4%	10.7%
Mexico	LDEM +1.6 points	1.4%	3.0%
Greece	LDEM +1.3 points	0.0%	1.3%
Poland	LDEM +1.0 points	1.2%	2.2%
Other countries (4)	ESGE +0.3 points	17.2%	16.9%

Outside the US: ESGE 0% developed, 100% emerging. LDEM 0% developed, 100% emerging.

Concentration

Weight in the 10 largest Holdings

ESGE38.4%
LDEM29.3%

Securities held

ESGE297
LDEM426

Asset class

ESGE: Equity
LDEM: Equity

Holdings

Only in ESGE90
In both207
Only in LDEM219

Only in ESGE

90 securities, 25.3% of ESGE by weight

Samsung Electronics Ltd7.06%
Mediatek1.56%
Samsung Electronics Non Voting Pre1.03%
Hdfc Bank0.86%
Al Rajhi Bank0.79%
Hon Hai Precision Industry0.72%
Ase Technology Holding0.67%
Petroleo Brasileiro SA Petrobras0.63%
Icici Bank0.61%
Bajaj Finance Ltd0.50%
Xiaomi0.46%
Anglogold Ashanti PLC0.34%
Unimicron Technology0.30%
Shriram Finance Ltd0.30%
Ptt Non-Voting Dr0.29%
Gek Terna0.29%
Bank of China Ltd H0.28%
Ambev SA0.23%
Vibra Energia SA0.22%
Sd Guthrie0.21%
Nu Holdings Class A0.20%
Chroma Ate0.20%
Nanya Technology Corp0.20%
Elite Material0.19%
King Slide Works0.19%
Wistron0.18%
Persistent Systems Ltd0.17%
Mpi Corp0.17%
Yageo0.17%
Bco Btg Pactual Unt SA0.17%
Accton Technology0.16%
Idfc First Bank Ltd0.16%
Posco0.16%
Grupo Mexico B0.16%
Xp Class A Inc0.16%
Delta Electronics (Thailand) Non-V0.15%
Banco Bradesco0.15%
State Bank of India0.14%
Petrochina H0.14%
Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance Lt0.14%
Aspeed Technology0.14%
China Life Insurance Ltd H0.14%
Fubon Financial Holding0.13%
Samsung Life Ltd0.13%
Saudi Arabian Mining0.13%
Asustek Computer Inc0.13%
Kgi Financial Holding0.13%
Emirates Nbd0.12%
Punjab National Bank0.12%
Lotes0.12%

Only in LDEM

219 securities, 22.3% of LDEM by weight

Saudi Arabian Oil0.95%
Itau Unibanco Holding Pref SA0.87%
Firstrand Ltd0.62%
Kuwait Finance House0.61%
Powszechna Kasa Oszczednosci Bank0.58%
Capitec Shs0.54%
Fomento Economico Mexicano0.47%
America Movil B0.41%
Public Bank0.38%
National Bank of Greece0.33%
China Petroleum and Chemical H0.32%
Lg Energy Solution Ltd0.29%
Ultratech Cement Ltd0.27%
Ke Holdings0.27%
Uni-President Enterprises0.27%
Power Grid Corporation of India0.26%
Saudi Basic Industries0.25%
Absa Group0.25%
China Resources Land0.25%
Companhia De Saneamento Basico De0.25%
Petro Rio0.25%
Interglobe Aviation Ltd0.22%
Nongfu Spring Ltd H0.22%
Shoprite Holdings Ltd0.22%
Bid Corporation0.22%
Wuxi Apptec H0.21%
Evergreen Marine Corp (Taiwan) Ltd0.21%
Impala Platinum0.20%
H World Group Adr0.20%
Grupo Aeroportuario Del Pacifico0.20%
Grasim Industries0.19%
China Hongqiao Group Ltd0.19%
Cspc Pharmaceutical Group0.18%
Indust Penoles0.17%
Alpha Bank SA0.17%
Cipla Ltd0.17%
Sociedad Quimica Y Minera De Chile0.17%
Latam Airlines Group0.16%
Sabic Agri-Nutrients0.16%
Nestle India Ltd0.16%
Public Power Corporation SA0.16%
China Steel Corp0.16%
Taiwan Mobile0.16%
Airports of Thailand Non-Voting Dr0.16%
Gulf Development Non-Voting Dr Pcl0.15%
Indian Hotels Ltd0.15%
Cp All Non-Voting Dr0.15%
Turkiye Petrol Rafinerileri A0.15%
China Yangtze Power Ltd A0.15%
Equatorial SA0.14%

Weight gaps

The 100 widest of 207 Holdings in both funds.

Holding weights in ESGE and LDEM, widest gap first
Holding	More in ESGEMore in LDEM	ESGE	LDEM
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing	ESGE +10.58 points	15.94%	5.36%
Alibaba Group Holding	LDEM +2.53 points	1.63%	4.16%
Tencent Holdings	LDEM +2.19 points	2.37%	4.56%
Reliance Industries Ltd	LDEM +1.17 points	0.43%	1.60%
China Construction Bank Corp H	LDEM +1.11 points	1.39%	2.50%
Delta Electronics	LDEM +1.01 points	0.82%	1.83%
Chunghwa Telecom Ltd	ESGE +0.80 points	1.23%	0.42%
Sk Square	LDEM +0.78 points	0.63%	1.41%
Industrial and Commercial Bank of	LDEM +0.75 points	0.73%	1.48%
Nan Ya Plastics Corp	LDEM +0.64 points	0.32%	0.96%
Meituan	LDEM +0.61 points	0.43%	1.04%
Naspers Limited Class N	LDEM +0.55 points	0.13%	0.68%
Samsung Electro Mechanics Ltd	LDEM +0.55 points	0.58%	1.13%
Infosys	LDEM +0.53 points	0.33%	0.86%
Ctbc Financial Holding	LDEM +0.47 points	0.41%	0.88%
Nepi Rockcastle	ESGE +0.44 points	0.56%	0.12%
Jd.com Class A	LDEM +0.43 points	0.23%	0.66%
Trip.com Group	LDEM +0.43 points	0.09%	0.52%
Netease	LDEM +0.42 points	0.48%	0.90%
Vodacom Group Ltd	ESGE +0.37 points	0.51%	0.14%
Mtn Group	LDEM +0.37 points	0.10%	0.47%
Standard Bank Group	LDEM +0.36 points	0.17%	0.53%
Beone Medicines AG	LDEM +0.36 points	0.15%	0.51%
Motiva Infraestrutura De Mobilidad	ESGE +0.35 points	0.41%	0.06%
Ts Financial Holding	LDEM +0.34 points	0.32%	0.66%
Agricultural Bank of China H	LDEM +0.34 points	0.20%	0.54%
Kb Financial Group	LDEM +0.34 points	0.55%	0.89%
Ping An Insurance (Group) Co of Ch	LDEM +0.32 points	0.57%	0.89%
United Micro Electronics Corp	LDEM +0.33 points	0.55%	0.88%
Hdfc Life Insurance Company Ltd	ESGE +0.32 points	0.44%	0.12%
Byd H	LDEM +0.32 points	0.41%	0.73%
Orlen	LDEM +0.31 points	0.18%	0.49%
Enel Chile SA	ESGE +0.30 points	0.34%	0.04%
Moneta Money Bnk	ESGE +0.29 points	0.35%	0.06%
First Abu Dhabi Bank	LDEM +0.27 points	0.23%	0.50%
Far Eastone Telecommunications Ltd	ESGE +0.28 points	0.41%	0.13%
Sunway Bhd	ESGE +0.27 points	0.34%	0.07%
China Merchants Bank H	LDEM +0.26 points	0.33%	0.59%
Industrial Bank A	ESGE +0.26 points	0.34%	0.08%
Engie Brasil Energia SA	ESGE +0.24 points	0.28%	0.04%
Baidu	LDEM +0.25 points	0.21%	0.46%
Eternal	LDEM +0.24 points	0.15%	0.39%
Asia Vital Components	LDEM +0.24 points	0.37%	0.61%
Press Metal Aluminium Holdings	ESGE +0.23 points	0.37%	0.14%
Mahindra and Mahindra Ltd	LDEM +0.22 points	0.36%	0.58%
Doosan Enerbility Ltd	LDEM +0.23 points	0.19%	0.42%
Gold Fields	LDEM +0.22 points	0.46%	0.68%
Wuxi Apptec A	ESGE +0.22 points	0.29%	0.07%
Lite On Technology	LDEM +0.21 points	0.12%	0.33%
Marico	ESGE +0.21 points	0.31%	0.10%
Credicorp LtdBAP	LDEM +0.21 points	0.33%	0.54%
First Financial Holding Ltd	ESGE +0.19 points	0.54%	0.35%
Nedbank Group Ltd	ESGE +0.19 points	0.36%	0.17%
Emaar Properties	LDEM +0.19 points	0.24%	0.43%
Cathay Financial Holding	LDEM +0.19 points	0.57%	0.76%
China Merchants Bank A	ESGE +0.18 points	0.37%	0.19%
Allegro SA	ESGE +0.19 points	0.51%	0.32%
Samsung C&T Corp	LDEM +0.18 points	0.25%	0.43%
Hindalco Industries Ltd	LDEM +0.19 points	0.09%	0.28%
Naver	LDEM +0.18 points	0.23%	0.41%
Cia Paranaense De Energia Copel	ESGE +0.18 points	0.30%	0.12%
Samsung Sdi Ltd	LDEM +0.18 points	0.38%	0.56%
Walmart De Mexico V	LDEM +0.18 points	0.10%	0.28%
Shinhan Financial Group	LDEM +0.18 points	0.45%	0.63%
Upl	ESGE +0.18 points	0.24%	0.06%
Dabur India	ESGE +0.17 points	0.21%	0.04%
Icici Life Insurance Ltd	ESGE +0.18 points	0.21%	0.03%
Yuanta Financial Holding	ESGE +0.18 points	0.72%	0.54%
China Minsheng Banking A	ESGE +0.17 points	0.20%	0.03%
Bosideng International	ESGE +0.17 points	0.22%	0.05%
Etihad Etisalat	ESGE +0.17 points	0.30%	0.13%
Huatai Securities A	ESGE +0.17 points	0.20%	0.03%
Banco Bradesco Pref	LDEM +0.16 points	0.17%	0.33%
Axis Bank	ESGE +0.16 points	0.82%	0.66%
Voltas Ltd	ESGE +0.16 points	0.21%	0.05%
Gpo Finance Banorte	LDEM +0.15 points	0.45%	0.60%
Enn Energy Holdings Ltd	ESGE +0.15 points	0.26%	0.11%
Yum China Holdings Inc	LDEM +0.15 points	0.19%	0.34%
Geely Automobile Holdings Ltd	LDEM +0.15 points	0.11%	0.26%
Pharmaessentia	LDEM +0.15 points	0.14%	0.29%
Picc Property and Casualty Ltd H	LDEM +0.14 points	0.19%	0.33%
Eicher Motors Ltd	LDEM +0.14 points	0.10%	0.24%
Eva Airways	ESGE +0.14 points	0.22%	0.08%
Lenovo Group	LDEM +0.14 points	0.31%	0.45%
Malayan Banking	ESGE +0.14 points	0.41%	0.27%
Lg Electronics Inc	LDEM +0.13 points	0.14%	0.27%
E.sun Financial Holding	LDEM +0.14 points	0.37%	0.51%
Sk Innovation Ltd	ESGE +0.13 points	0.27%	0.14%
Ammb Holdings	ESGE +0.13 points	0.22%	0.09%
Sanlam Limited Ltd	ESGE +0.13 points	0.33%	0.20%
Acwa Power Co	LDEM +0.12 points	0.09%	0.21%
Clicks Group	ESGE +0.12 points	0.19%	0.07%
Asian Paints	ESGE +0.12 points	0.33%	0.21%
Haci Omer Sabanci Holding A	ESGE +0.12 points	0.16%	0.04%
B3 Brasil Bolsa Balcao SA	ESGE +0.12 points	0.40%	0.28%
Kasikornbank Public Non-Voting Dr	ESGE +0.11 points	0.21%	0.10%
Cimb Group Holdings	ESGE +0.12 points	0.42%	0.30%
Kakaobank	ESGE +0.12 points	0.17%	0.05%
Ls Electric Ltd	LDEM +0.11 points	0.08%	0.19%
Shenzhen Inovance Technology A	ESGE +0.11 points	0.12%	0.01%

All 295 ESGE holdings⁠All 425 LDEM holdings⁠

How we measure overlap

Each holding counts at its smaller weight in the two funds, summed over the full Holdings. Sector, country and asset class use the same rule on each fund’s split. Cash, FX and derivative lines stay out of the counts. Two bond funds get no overlap figure.

ESGE vs LDEM Cost

Overpaying ESGE vs LDEM

$1,817

On $10,000 over 30 years. 7% growth a year before fees, expense ratio only.

ESGE 0.25%
$5,159
LDEM 0.16%
$3,342

Amount$10,000

Years30 years

Cost over time

ESGE 0.25%
LDEM 0.16%
Overpaying

Year by year

Year	ESGE	LDEM	Overpaying
10	$455	$292	$163
20	$1,769	$1,141	$628
30	$5,159	$3,342	$1,817

Expense ratio

0.25%ESGE
0.16%LDEM, cheaper

LDEM0.16%ESGE0.25%

0.15%1.25%

Middle half of Emerging Markets ESG & Values Index funds
Median 0.33%

LDEM 3rd cheapest of 12 funds

ESGE 5th cheapest of 12 funds

ESGE vs LDEM Dividends

Last 12 months to Oct 30, 2026

Yield (12M): ESGE 2.29%; LDEM 3.14%, better
Payout (12M): ESGE $1.13; LDEM $1.77
Last payment: ESGE $0.40; LDEM $0.50
Ex-dividend: ESGE Jun 15, 2026; LDEM Jun 15, 2026
Paid on: ESGE Jun 18, 2026; LDEM Jun 18, 2026
Frequency: ESGE Twice a year; LDEM Twice a year

Distribution history

Per share, 2017 to 2026, same scale for both

ESGETwice a year · 20 paymentsAll ESGE payments⁠

LDEMTwice a year · 13 paymentsAll LDEM payments⁠

ESGE vs LDEM Risk

Fall from peak · 5 years

ESGE
LDEM

Risk facts

VolatilityStd dev, 3 years: ESGE 16.1%LDEM 13.0%, better
Return per unit of riskSharpe ratio, 3 years: ESGE 1.05, betterLDEM 0.78
Worst fallMax drawdown, 5 years: ESGE −35.1%, betterLDEM −36.5%
Market sensitivityBeta, 5 years: ESGE 0.99LDEM 0.82; Market = 1

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