IGF vs UPGR

IGFAiShares Global Infrastructure ETF

UPGRCXtrackers US Green Infrastructure Select Equity ETF

In short

IGF About 80 developed-market infrastructure companies in one ticker, tracked against the S&P Global Infrastructure Index since 2007, for 0.37% a year (well under the category norm).

UPGR Clean energy, but wider. UPGR tracks a US-only index that reaches past solar panels into green mobility, green fuel and pollution control, and it charges less than every top-ranked fund in its peer group.

Stated mandate

IGF The Fund seeks to track an index of developed-market equities focused on the infrastructure industry.

UPGR The fund seeks to track, before fees and expenses, the Solactive United States Green Infrastructure ESG Screened Index. It generally invests at least 80% of its assets in the index's component securities and at least 80% of net assets plus investment borrowings in equity securities of U.S. green-infrastructure companies.

Why people hold it

• IGF Costs 0.37% a year against a cohort median of 0.55%, so the toll on a long hold is smaller than most infrastructure funds charge.
• The one other fund on the same S&P Global Infrastructure Index, GII, charges 0.40%. Same benchmark, cheaper wrapper here.
• Trading since December 2007, now a multi-billion-dollar, actively traded fund that has tracked its index closely.
• Goes global where the biggest peers stay home: IFRA and PAVE are US-only, while this one spans developed markets worldwide.

• UPGR 0.35% a year, well under the roughly 0.59% typical for clean-energy ETFs and below peer leaders ICLN and FRNW at 0.39%.
• Wider net than solar and wind: the index spans green mobility, green fuel, green wholesale power, environmental services and pollution control.dws.com
• US-only by design, while category heavyweights like ICLN and FAN run global books.
• Straightforward mechanics: passive indexing, roughly 50 names, at least 80% of assets in the index's own components.

Worth knowing

• IGF About 80 holdings in one industry. A concentrated basket, so a bad stretch for utilities or transport operators shows up fast.
• Distributions arrive once or twice a year, not monthly, and foreign holdings bring currency swings along with the dividends.
• Developed markets only. The fast-building infrastructure of emerging economies sits outside the mandate.

• UPGR Small asset base and thin trading, which tends to mean wider bid-ask spreads. Small funds also face a higher chance of being closed or merged away.
• One theme, one country. The issuer's own materials note results depend greatly on the condition of the green energy sector, and roughly 50 names concentrates that bet.dws.com
• The ESG screen is Solactive's definition of green, not yours, and a 2023 launch leaves a short record to judge.

Full IGF profile⁠

Full UPGR profile⁠