At a glance
NSCR charges 0.45% a year, above the 0.15% average of the 8 funds most like it (the most expensive of 9). It has $6.9M in assets, the 9th largest of that group; it paid 16.36% of its price in distributions over the past 12 months, semiannual. Over the past year it returned −6.3% with distributions reinvested (S&P 500: +11.5%), the weakest of those 9 funds. Its ten largest positions make up 41.8% of the fund, out of 56 in all.
The short version
Nuveen Sustainable Core ETF (NSCR) is an actively managed fund of large US stocks, picked partly with its manager's own scoring model, which ranks companies on energy transition, inclusive growth and strong governance. Its 0.45% annual fee, or expense ratio, is well above the 0.15% average for similar funds. With about $6.9 million in assets and 56 stocks as of January 31, 2026, it is also the smallest fund in that group.
Price history
The interactive chart needs JavaScript.
NSCR -6.3% over the year to Oct 27, 2026, total return with distributions reinvested.
How it has behaved
| YTD | 1 yr | 3 yr | 5 yr | 10 yr | Since start | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NSCR price data to Oct 27, 2026 | -6.3% | -6.3% | — | — | — | +7.7% |
- Over the year to Oct 27, 2026, NSCR returned -6.3%, 9th of 9 among similar funds.
- Its worst full calendar year was 2025 (+13.3%); its best was 2025 (+13.3%).
- The deepest fall in its price history was 20.7% (Jan 24, 2025 to Apr 8, 2025), recovered by Jul 17, 2025.
Show as a table
| Year | Price data |
|---|---|
| 2026 (to date) | -6.3% |
| 2025 | +13.3% |
| 2008 financial crisis stocks fell Oct 9, 2007 – Mar 9, 2009 | Before this security existed |
|---|---|
| 2020 COVID crash stocks fell Feb 19, 2020 – Mar 23, 2020 | Before this security existed |
| 2022 bear market stocks fell Jan 3, 2022 – Oct 12, 2022 | Before this security existed |
Dividends and income
Show as a table
| Year | Per share | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 (to date) | $3.5800 | |
| 2025 | $0.6000 |
What's inside
As of Jan 31, 2026, the fund held 56 securities; the ten largest made up 41.77% of assets.
| Holding | Weight | |
|---|---|---|
| Microsoft Corp | 6.53% | |
| Apple Inc | 6.20% | |
| NVIDIA Corp | 5.09% | |
| Amazon.com Inc | 4.52% | |
| Alphabet Inc | 3.52% | |
| Meta Platforms Inc | 3.41% | |
| Eli Lilly & Co | 3.22% | |
| Johnson & Johnson | 3.20% | |
| Broadcom Inc | 3.15% | |
| Mastercard Inc | 2.96% | |
| Alphabet Inc | 2.82% | |
| Citigroup Inc | 2.59% | |
| RTX Corp | 2.56% | |
| Cummins Inc | 2.25% | |
| American Electric Power Co Inc | 2.15% |
By country
United States 98.3%By asset type
Stocks 98.3%By sector
Sectors of the companies held, for the 90% of the fund in companies that have a stock page here; other holdings and cash aren't classified. Source: N-PORT holdings report as of Jan 31, 2026. Cash, money-market funds and derivatives are shown separately from the securities list.What changed recently
- Over the three months to Jan 31, 2026, investors added a net $0.00 (creations minus redemptions, per the N-PORT report).
- Monthly total returns reported for that quarter: +0.43%, -0.16%, +0.24%.
How it works
NSCR does not track an index. Its sub-adviser, the firm hired to manage the fund, picks stocks and measures results against the S&P 500 Index. At least 80% of assets go to companies in the top 70% of the sub-adviser's Thematic Alignment Model. The model uses third-party data to score three themes: energy transition and innovation (emissions, carbon intensity, green innovation), inclusive growth (fit with UN goals like health, clean water and decent work) and strong governance (board structure, shareholder rights, executive pay). Each theme's weight ranges from 20% to 50%, based partly on its link to excess returns, meaning returns above the market.
The scores point to candidates. They are not a list of banned stocks. The manager adds forward-looking company research. It favors firms it believes have growth potential and strong competitive positions, and it weighs how each one affects portfolio risk. Up to 20% can go to cash or to companies outside the themes. The fund invests mainly in US-listed companies worth at least $10 billion. The themes, model and data may change over time.
The manager decides when to trade. Turnover was 121%, meaning trades over a year added up to more than the whole portfolio. Those trading costs come on top of the 0.45% expense ratio. As of January 31, 2026, the fund held 56 stocks and no derivatives, and its top 10 holdings made up about 42% of assets.
What it really costs
- NSCR charges 0.45% a year, versus an average of 0.15% for the similar funds below (9th of 9, cheapest first).
- Using the prospectus's standard example, $10,000 invested would cost about $46 in the first year and $567 over 10 years (assuming a 5% annual return).
| Cost of $10,000 (SEC example) | 1 yr | 3 yrs | 5 yrs | 10 yrs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NSCR | $46 | $144 | $252 | $567 |
In a retirement portfolio
It spreads money across large US companies in most sectors and measures itself against the S&P 500, so it is built to serve as a main stock holding with a sustainability tilt.
NSCR launched on March 5, 2024, so it has no record from the 2008, 2020 or 2022 market downturns. Its only full calendar year, 2025, returned 13.3%. Its deepest drop was about 21%, from January 24 to April 8, 2025. It regained that ground by July 17, 2025, about 3.3 months later. Someone withdrawing money that spring would have had to sell shares at a loss. It fell 6.3% in 2026 through October 27.
It pays twice a year. Its yield over the prior 12 months was 16.36% ($4.18 a share) as of October 27, 2026, far above typical large-company dividends. Active funds can also pay out realized capital gains, which vary, so that figure may not be a dependable income rate. Its 0.45% annual fee compares with a 0.15% average for similar funds. Past results don't predict future ones, and a plan should weigh the whole portfolio, not one fund.
Who it may suit — and who should look elsewhere
May suit
- Investors wanting large US stocks picked partly on emissions, inclusive-growth and governance scores, used to highlight candidates rather than as an exclusion list.
- People who prefer an active manager's judgment over index rules and accept the 121% turnover and 0.45% fee that come with it.
- Long-term holders who can ride out drops like its roughly 21% slide in early 2025, which was recovered about 3.3 months later.
Look elsewhere if
- Cost-focused investors: its 0.45% expense ratio compares with 0.07% for USCA and 0.08% for USCL, climate-themed funds sharing about half its holdings.
- Anyone wary of tiny funds, which can close or trade less smoothly: net assets were about $6.9 million as of January 31, 2026.
- Those wanting a proven record: it launched in March 2024 and ranked last of nine similar funds on one-year return through October 27, 2026.
Close alternatives
Matched by holdings overlap from the latest N-PORT reports.
| Fund | Overlap | Cost | Net assets | 1 yr | 3 yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NSCR this fund | — | 0.45% | $6.9M | -6.3% | — |
| MGC Vanguard Mega Cap ETF | 53% | 0.07% | $10.90B | +13.5% | +26.0% |
| USCA Xtrackers MSCI USA Climate Action Equity ETF | 52% | 0.07% | $3.52B | +9.2% | +23.2% |
| USCL iShares Climate Conscious & Transition MSCI… | 52% | 0.08% | $2.87B | +9.2% | +23.1% |
| IWL iShares Russell Top 200 ETF | 51% | 0.15% | $2.19B | +12.5% | +25.5% |
| DYNF iShares U.S. Equity Factor Rotation Active … | 50% | 0.27% | $38.61B | +10.7% | +24.9% |
| SCHG Schwab U.S. Large-Cap Growth ETF | 49% | 0.04% | $63.03B | +2.2% | +23.0% |
| SPYX SPDR S&P 500 Fossil Fuel Reserves Free ETF | 48% | 0.2% | $2.74B | +12.6% | +24.8% |
Questions investors ask
Is NSCR an index fund?
No. NSCR is an actively managed ETF. A sub-adviser chooses its stocks, and the S&P 500 Index serves only as a benchmark, or yardstick, for results. Under normal conditions, at least 80% of assets go to companies in the top 70% of the sub-adviser's Thematic Alignment Model. That model scores energy transition and innovation, inclusive growth and strong governance. The manager combines those scores with its own company research. Turnover was 121%, a sign of frequent trading.
Does NSCR avoid oil and gas stocks?
Not by rule. The prospectus says its sustainability model is meant to highlight investment opportunities, not to create a list of banned stocks. Up to 20% of assets can also go to cash or companies outside its themes. In practice, energy stocks made up just 0.6% of the portfolio as of January 31, 2026, while technology was 29.1%. The largest holdings were Microsoft (6.5%), Apple (6.2%), NVIDIA (5.1%) and Amazon (4.5%).
What is NSCR's expense ratio?
NSCR's expense ratio, the yearly fee taken from fund assets, is 0.45%, according to the prospectus filed November 25, 2025. All of it is a management fee, with no fee waiver. Similar funds average 0.15%, and NSCR is the most expensive of the nine compared. The SEC's standard example assumes $10,000 invested and 5% annual returns. On that basis, costs would total $46 after one year, $144 after three, $252 after five and $567 after 10.
Does NSCR pay dividends?
Yes, twice a year. Over the 12 months to October 27, 2026, it paid $4.18 a share, a yield of 16.36%. That is much higher than typical dividends on large US stocks. Funds that trade often, as NSCR does with 121% turnover, can also pay out realized capital gains. Those vary from year to year, so one year's figure may not repeat. Capital gains payouts are taxable in regular brokerage accounts.
What's the difference between NSCR and USCA?
The biggest differences are cost and size. USCA, the Xtrackers MSCI USA Climate Action Equity ETF, charges 0.07% a year versus NSCR's 0.45%. It had about $3.5 billion in net assets as of August 31, 2026, versus NSCR's $6.9 million as of January 31, 2026. Their holdings overlap by 52%. NSCR is actively managed, combining its own scoring model with company research. Over the year to October 27, 2026, USCA returned 9.2% while NSCR lost 6.3%.