IEMG vs EEM Stock Comparison: AI Score, Valuation, Performance and Upside
IEMG and EEM are both iShares exchange-traded funds providing exposure to emerging market equities, but IEMG tracks a broader index that includes small-capitalization companies at a lower expense ratio, while EEM tracks a narrower large and mid-cap index with higher trading liquidity and options market depth.
IEMG offers broader emerging market coverage including small-caps at a lower ongoing cost, while EEM offers a more liquid, options-friendly vehicle favored by traders despite its higher expense ratio. The decision depends on whether you are a long-term buy-and-hold investor prioritizing cost, or a trader prioritizing liquidity and options access.
IEMG holds the edge across 4 of 5 key metrics in this comparison. EEM has delivered stronger 1-year price return (+40.51% vs +38.28% for IEMG).
- Want broader emerging market coverage including small-capitalization companies
- Value a lower expense ratio for long-term, buy-and-hold emerging market exposure
- Are comfortable with the inherent currency, political, and regulatory risks of emerging markets
- Prioritize cost efficiency over trading liquidity and options market depth
- Want high trading liquidity and a well-established options market for emerging market exposure
- Value the fund's long track record as an original widely traded emerging market ETF
- Are comfortable with a slightly higher expense ratio in exchange for greater trading flexibility
- Prioritize liquidity and options access over minimizing ongoing fund costs
| Metric | IEMG | EEM |
|---|---|---|
| ETF scorei | 83.0 | 76.0 |
| Latest closei | $83.65 | $68.70 |
| 1M returni | +4.61% | +4.53% |
| 6M returni | +18.95% | +19.83% |
| 1Y returni | +38.28% | +40.51% |
The ETF score weights long-term returns and risk-adjusted performance most heavily, but still rewards low expense ratios, larger fund size, and broader diversification — so it can favor low-cost, broad, mega-cap funds over smaller thematic or actively-managed funds even when the latter have delivered stronger returns.
How much would $10,000 be worth today if invested at the start of each period, with all dividends reinvested?
| Period | IEMG | EEM |
|---|---|---|
| 1Y ago | $14.18K (+41.8%) started 2025-09-04 | $14.33K (+43.3%) started 2025-09-04 |
| 5Y ago | $17.32K (+73.2%) started 2021-09-07 | $16.38K (+63.8%) started 2021-09-07 |
| 10Y ago | $32.3K (+223.0%) started 2016-09-06 | $28.57K (+185.7%) started 2016-09-06 |
Hypothetical — past performance does not guarantee future results.
| Metric | IEMG | EEM |
|---|---|---|
| Expense ratioi | 0.09% | 0.72% |
| Total assets (AUM)i | $160.9B | $31.21B |
| Dividend yieldi | 2.20% | 1.66% |
| Trailing P/Ei | 14.67 | 14.61 |
| Betai | 0.77 | 0.77 |
| 52-week change | 38.28% | 40.51% |
| Metric | IEMG | EEM |
|---|---|---|
| 1Y returni | +38.28% | +40.51% |
| 6M returni | +18.95% | +19.83% |
| 1M returni | +4.61% | +4.53% |
| 1Y Sharpe ratio | 1.28 | 1.31 |
| Betai | 0.77 | 0.77 |
| Dividend yieldi | 2.20% | 1.66% |
| 5Y CAGR | +8.19% | +7.67% |
Over the past year, IEMG and EEM have moved strongly in the same direction (correlation of 1.00), based on daily returns.
Lower drawdown and smaller single-period drops generally indicate a smoother ride, though they do not guarantee lower future risk.
| Period | Metric | IEMG | EEM |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1Y | Growthi | +38.28% | +40.51% |
| CAGRi | +38.31% | +40.54% | |
| Volatilityi | 24.04% | 24.81% | |
| Sharpe ratioi | 1.28 | 1.31 | |
| Sortino ratioi | 1.83 | 1.88 | |
| Max drawdowni | 13.78% | 14.24% | |
| Current drawdowni | 2.73% | 3.52% | |
| Avg drawdowni | 3.40% | 3.56% | |
| Ulcer Indexi | 4.84% | 5.08% | |
| Max daily dropi | 6.40% | 6.53% | |
| Max wkly dropi | 8.17% | 8.41% | |
| 5Y | Growthi | +48.15% | +44.62% |
| CAGRi | +8.19% | +7.67% | |
| Volatilityi | 19.31% | 19.89% | |
| Sharpe ratioi | 0.27 | 0.25 | |
| Sortino ratioi | 0.39 | 0.35 | |
| Max drawdowni | 33.61% | 35.00% | |
| Current drawdowni | 2.73% | 3.52% | |
| Avg drawdowni | 12.18% | 13.91% | |
| Ulcer Indexi | 14.95% | 16.67% | |
| Max daily dropi | 6.40% | 6.53% | |
| Max wkly dropi | 11.94% | 12.14% | |
| 10Y | Growthi | +136.97% | +123.85% |
| CAGRi | +9.02% | +8.40% | |
| Volatilityi | 20.35% | 20.83% | |
| Sharpe ratioi | 0.31 | 0.28 | |
| Sortino ratioi | 0.42 | 0.38 | |
| Max drawdowni | 38.71% | 39.82% | |
| Current drawdowni | 2.73% | 3.52% | |
| Avg drawdowni | 12.74% | 14.52% | |
| Ulcer Indexi | 15.84% | 17.81% | |
| Max daily dropi | 12.67% | 12.48% | |
| Max wkly dropi | 18.11% | 17.72% |
| Category | IEMG | EEM |
|---|---|---|
| Fund name | iShares Core MSCI Emerging Markets ETF | iShares MSCI Emerging Markets ETF |
| Type | ETF | ETF |
| Expense ratioi | 0.09% | 0.72% |
| Total assets (AUM)i | $160.9B | $31.21B |
| Dividend yieldi | 2.20% | 1.66% |
- Lower expense ratio relative to some other emerging market index funds makes it a cost-efficient way to gain broad emerging market exposure
- Broader inclusion of small-capitalization companies provides more comprehensive coverage of the emerging market opportunity set
- Diversification across many emerging market countries reduces reliance on any single country's economic or political conditions
- High trading liquidity and a well-established options market make it popular among traders and institutional investors seeking liquid emerging market exposure
- Long track record as one of the original widely traded emerging market ETFs supports brand recognition among investors
- Diversification across many emerging market countries reduces reliance on any single country's economic or political conditions
- Emerging market equities carry inherent currency, political, and regulatory risk that developed market equities generally do not face to the same degree
- Significant weighting toward China exposes the fund to that country's specific economic and regulatory developments
- Emerging market equities have historically exhibited higher volatility than developed market equity indexes
- Higher expense ratio relative to some newer emerging market index funds, including its own sibling fund, represents an ongoing cost consideration
- Focuses primarily on large and mid-capitalization companies, providing less small-cap coverage than some broader emerging market funds
- Emerging market equities carry inherent currency, political, and regulatory risk that developed market equities generally do not face to the same degree
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