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 3 of 5 key metrics in this comparison. EEM has delivered stronger 1-year price return (+15.50% vs +14.89% 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 | 24.9 | 24.9 |
| Latest closei | $75.74 | $62.01 |
| 1M returni | -7.88% | -8.42% |
| 3M returni | -1.70% | -2.08% |
| 6M returni | -2.33% | -2.21% |
| 1Y returni | +14.89% | +15.50% |
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 | $11.78K (+17.8%) started 2025-10-23 | $11.78K (+17.8%) started 2025-10-23 |
| 5Y ago | $15.99K (+59.9%) started 2021-10-25 | $15.1K (+51.0%) started 2021-10-25 |
| 10Y ago | $29.49K (+194.9%) started 2016-10-24 | $26.09K (+160.9%) started 2016-10-24 |
Hypothetical — past performance does not guarantee future results.
| Metric | IEMG | EEM |
|---|---|---|
| Expense ratioi | 0.09% | 0.72% |
| Total assets (AUM)i | $160.08B | $31.07B |
| Dividend yieldi | 2.21% | 1.67% |
| Trailing P/Ei | 13.42 | 13.30 |
| Betai | 0.77 | 0.77 |
| 52-week change | 14.89% | 15.50% |
| Metric | IEMG | EEM |
|---|---|---|
| 1Y returni | +14.89% | +15.50% |
| 6M returni | -2.33% | -2.21% |
| 3M returni | -1.70% | -2.08% |
| 1M returni | -7.88% | -8.42% |
| 1Y Sharpe ratio | 0.51 | 0.52 |
| Betai | 0.77 | 0.77 |
| Dividend yieldi | 2.21% | 1.67% |
| 5Y CAGR | +6.48% | +5.93% |
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 | +14.89% | +15.50% |
| CAGRi | +14.90% | +15.51% | |
| Volatilityi | 24.57% | 25.36% | |
| Sharpe ratioi | 0.51 | 0.52 | |
| Sortino ratioi | 0.71 | 0.73 | |
| Max drawdowni | 13.78% | 14.24% | |
| Current drawdowni | 11.93% | 12.92% | |
| Avg drawdowni | 4.16% | 4.43% | |
| Ulcer Indexi | 5.41% | 5.76% | |
| Max daily dropi | 6.40% | 6.53% | |
| Max wkly dropi | 8.17% | 8.41% | |
| 5Y | Growthi | +36.82% | +33.33% |
| CAGRi | +6.48% | +5.93% | |
| Volatilityi | 19.45% | 20.04% | |
| Sharpe ratioi | 0.19 | 0.16 | |
| Sortino ratioi | 0.27 | 0.23 | |
| Max drawdowni | 32.28% | 33.61% | |
| Current drawdowni | 11.93% | 12.92% | |
| Avg drawdowni | 11.07% | 12.70% | |
| Ulcer Indexi | 13.79% | 15.39% | |
| Max daily dropi | 6.40% | 6.53% | |
| Max wkly dropi | 11.94% | 12.14% | |
| 10Y | Growthi | +116.39% | +104.46% |
| CAGRi | +8.03% | +7.42% | |
| Volatilityi | 20.36% | 20.85% | |
| Sharpe ratioi | 0.26 | 0.23 | |
| Sortino ratioi | 0.36 | 0.32 | |
| Max drawdowni | 38.71% | 39.82% | |
| Current drawdowni | 11.93% | 12.92% | |
| Avg drawdowni | 12.77% | 14.55% | |
| Ulcer Indexi | 15.84% | 17.82% | |
| 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 | $160.08B | $31.07B |
| Dividend yieldi | 2.21% | 1.67% |
- 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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