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NUSC

Nuveen ESG Small-Cap ETF (NUSC)

Rating:67Neutral
Price Target:$54.00â–²(8.94% Upside)

NUSC, the Nuveen ESG Small-Cap ETF, has a solid overall rating driven by several strong holdings with healthy financial performance and growth, such as East West Bancorp and NEXTracker, which show robust revenue trends, solid profitability, and supportive technical signals. The fund’s score is held back somewhat by weaker names like Avantor and CoStar Group, where declining profitability, valuation concerns, and weak momentum create drag. The main risk factor is exposure to smaller companies with mixed financial strength, which can make the ETF more sensitive to business and market downturns.

Positive Factors
Strong Year-to-Date PerformanceThe ETF has delivered solid gains so far this year, showing that its strategy has worked well in the recent market environment.
Healthy Asset SizeThe fund manages a sizable pool of assets, which can support better liquidity and stability for everyday investors.
Broad Sector DiversificationHoldings are spread across many sectors like technology, health care, industrials, and financials, helping reduce the impact if any one industry struggles.
Negative Factors
Mixed Performance in Top HoldingsWhile several top positions have shown strong gains, at least one major holding has weak performance this year, which can drag on overall returns.
Higher Expense Ratio Than Some Index ETFsThe fund’s fees are moderate but not rock-bottom, meaning investors give up a bit more of their returns in costs compared with the cheapest index funds.
Heavy U.S. ExposureWith almost all assets in U.S. companies, the ETF offers little geographic diversification and remains highly sensitive to the U.S. market.

NUSC vs. SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY)

AUM
1.27B
Region
North America
Expense Ratio
0.31%
Beta
0.96
Issuer
Nuveen
Inception Date
Dec 13, 2016
Dividend Yield
0.94%
Asset Class
Equity
Index Tracked
MSCI Nuveen ESG USA Small Cap

NUSC Summary

Nuveen ESG Small-Cap ETF (NUSC) is a fund that follows the MSCI Nuveen ESG USA Small Cap index, focusing on smaller U.S. companies that meet certain environmental, social, and governance (ESG) standards. It spreads your money across many industries, including technology, health care, and financials, and holds well-known names like Viatris and Host Hotels & Resorts. Someone might invest in NUSC to seek long-term growth from smaller companies while supporting more responsible business practices. A key risk is that small-cap stocks can be more volatile, so the value of this ETF can go up and down sharply with the market.

How much will it cost me?

This ETF has an expense ratio of 0.31%, which means you’ll pay about $3.10 per year for every $1,000 invested. That’s a bit higher than the average low-cost index ETF because it focuses on small-cap stocks and uses an ESG screening process, which adds extra research and management costs.

What would affect this ETF?

NUSC could benefit if the U.S. economy stays healthy, as small-cap companies in technology, health care, and industrials often grow faster in strong business cycles, and rising interest in ESG investing may support demand for this fund’s holdings like CoStar Group and Medpace. On the downside, small caps are usually more sensitive to economic slowdowns, higher interest rates, and tighter credit conditions, and any backlash against ESG rules or changes in U.S. regulations could hurt performance, especially for financial and real estate names such as East West Bancorp and Host Hotels & Resorts.

NUSC Top 10 Holdings

NUSC leans into a diverse mix of U.S. small caps, with a few standout names steering the ship. TD SYNNEX has been a key engine, rising steadily this year and giving the fund a tech-flavored boost, while Medpace and Royal Gold add momentum from health care and materials. Viatris is also climbing, though its financial footing is still a bit shaky. On the flip side, AGNC Investment and Nextpower are lagging, acting as small anchors on performance. Overall, the ETF spreads its bets across sectors, avoiding heavy concentration in any single theme.

NUSC top ten holdings
NameCompany NameWeight %Market ValueMarket CapYearly GainOverall Rating
VTRSVTRSViatris1.16%$14.70M$20.67B74.59%60Neutral
HSTHSTHost Hotels & Resorts1.12%$14.25M$16.94B48.65%77Outperform
RNRRNRRenaissancere Holdings1.11%$14.04M$14.65B44.96%78Outperform
EWBCEWBCEast West Bancorp1.09%$13.82M$17.97B28.66%79Outperform
CSGPCSGPCoStar Group1.03%$13.02M$13.74B-56.32%61Neutral
SNXSNXTD SYNNEX Corporation0.93%$11.72M$19.73B61.22%73Outperform
FDSFDSFactset Research0.92%$11.72M$11.68B15.51%78Outperform
MEDPMEDPMedpace Holdings0.91%$11.55M$18.72B12.17%79Outperform
AVTRAVTRAvantor0.90%$11.45M$11.69B11.84%48Neutral
PFGCPFGCPerformance Food Group0.90%$11.45M$14.94B-6.93%65Neutral

NUSC Technical Analysis

Technical Analysis SentimentNeutral
Last Price49.57

Price Trends

50DMA50.18Negative
100DMA50.73Negative
200DMA49.11Positive

Market Momentum

MACD-0.14Negative
RSI51.15Neutral
STOCH88.74Negative

Evaluating momentum and price trends is crucial in ETF analysis to make informed investment decisions. For NUSC, the sentiment is Neutral. The current price of 49.57 is above the 20-day moving average (MA) of 49.12, below the 50-day MA of 50.18, and above the 200-day MA of 49.11, indicating a neutral trend. The MACD of -0.14 indicates Negative momentum. The RSI at 51.15 is Neutral, neither overbought nor oversold. The STOCH value of 88.74 is Negative, not indicating any strong overbought or oversold conditions. Overall, these indicators collectively point to a Neutral sentiment for NUSC.

NUSC Peer Comparison

Comparison Results

NUSC against its peer funds
NamePricePrice TargetAUMExpense RatioOverall Rating
NUSCNUSC$49.57$54.00(8.94% Upside)$1.27B0.31%67Neutral
FNDAFNDA$35.67$43.52(22.02% Upside)$8.86B0.25%68Neutral
FESMFESM$45.02$59.50(32.17% Upside)$6.63B0.28%64Neutral
SMLFSMLF$84.46$107.52(27.31% Upside)$4.18B0.15%66Neutral
VIOOVIOO$128.62$160.37(24.69% Upside)$4.09B0.07%66Neutral
CALFCALF$58.21$65.32(12.21% Upside)$3.84B0.59%65Neutral

Performance Comparison

0%10%20%30%NUSCFNDAFESMSMLFVIOOCALFNov '25Dec '25Jan '26Feb '26Mar '26Apr '26May '26Jun '26Jul '26Aug '26Sep '26Oct '26
NUSC and its peers over the selected period
Show on chartTickerCompany NamePriceChange% Change
NUSCNuveen ESG Small-Cap ETF49.574.499.96%
FNDASchwab Fundamental US Small Co. Index ETF35.674.5314.54%
FESMFidelity Enhanced Small Cap ETF45.027.5720.22%
SMLFiShares MSCI USA Small-Cap Multifactor ETF84.469.3612.46%
VIOOVanguard S&P Small-Cap 600 ETF128.6217.3315.57%
CALFPacer US Small Cap Cash Cows 100 ETF58.2114.7333.86%
Glossary
BuyAn ETF rated as a "Buy" is expected to perform better than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests the ETF is likely to deliver higher returns compared to other ETFs in the same sector or market index. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
HoldAn ETF rated as a "Hold" s expected to perform in line with the overall market or a specific benchmark. This rating indicates that the ETF is neither particularly compelling nor unfavorable for investment. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
SellAn ETF rated as a "Sell" is expected to perform worse than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests the ETF may deliver lower returns compared to other ETFs in the same sector or market index. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
Disclaimer

This AI Analyst ETF Report is automatically generated by our AI systems using advanced algorithms and publicly available financial, technical, and market data. While the information provided aims to be accurate and insightful, it is intended for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial advice. Any content created by an AI (Artificial Intelligence) system may contain inaccuracies and/or contain errors. Investing in ETFs carries inherent risks, and past performance is not indicative of future results. This report does not account for your personal financial circumstances, objectives, or risk tolerance. Always conduct your own research or consult with a qualified financial advisor before making investment decisions. The analysis and recommendations provided are based on historical and current data and may not fully reflect future market conditions or unexpected developments. Neither the creators of this report nor its affiliated entities guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of the information presented. Use this report at your own discretion and risk.