At a glance
USSG charges 0.09% a year, below the 0.16% average of the 8 funds most like it (the 3rd cheapest of 9). It has $590.8M in assets, the 8th largest of that group; it paid 0.94% of its price in distributions over the past 12 months, quarterly. Over the past year it returned +14.7% with distributions reinvested (S&P 500: +11.5%), 4th of those 9 funds; over three years it returned +25.2% a year. At its worst it fell 26.6% in the 2022 bear market (S&P 500: 24.5%), and was back at its earlier high 14 months after the low. Its ten largest positions make up 47.8% of the fund, out of 251 in all.
The short version
Xtrackers MSCI USA Selection Equity ETF (USSG), from DWS, tracks the MSCI USA Selection Index: about 250 large and mid-sized US companies that score well on environmental, social and governance (ESG) measures versus sector peers, with screens against tobacco, weapons and fossil fuel extraction. Its 0.09% expense ratio is below the 0.16% peer average, but it is top-heavy: NVIDIA and Microsoft made up about 25% of assets as of August 31, 2026.
Price history
The interactive chart needs JavaScript.
USSG +14.7% 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| USSG official prospectus, to Dec 31, 2024 | — | +23.49% | — | +14.70% | — | +15.82% |
| USSG price data to Oct 27, 2026 | +14.1% | +14.7% | +25.2% | +12.4% | — | +17.3% |
- Over the year to Oct 27, 2026, USSG returned +14.7%, 4th of 9 among similar funds.
- Its 5-year annualized return was +12.4%.
- Its worst full calendar year was 2022 (-20.3%); its best was 2021 (+31.9%).
- The deepest fall in its price history was 27% (Dec 29, 2021 to Oct 14, 2022), recovered by Dec 13, 2023.
Show as a table
| Year | Price data |
|---|---|
| 2026 (to date) | +14.1% |
| 2025 | +19.0% |
| 2024 | +23.4% |
| 2023 | +29.2% |
| 2022 | -20.3% |
| 2021 | +31.9% |
| 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 | Not in the price data, which starts Jun 2, 2020 |
| 2022 bear market stocks fell Jan 3, 2022 – Oct 12, 2022 | Lost 26.6% over that stretch · deepest drop along the way 26.6%, back to its old high 14 months after the low |
Dividends and income
Show as a table
| Year | Per share | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 (to date) | $0.4800 | |
| 2025 | $0.6500 | +6.6% |
| 2024 | $0.6100 | -14.1% |
| 2023 | $0.7100 | +34.0% |
| 2022 | $0.5300 | +3.9% |
| 2021 | $0.5100 |
What's inside
As of Aug 31, 2026, the fund held 251 securities; the ten largest made up 47.81% of assets.
| Holding | Weight | |
|---|---|---|
| NVIDIA CORP | 14.52% | |
| MICROSOFT CORP | 10.24% | |
| ALPHABET INC Class A | 5.69% | |
| ALPHABET INC Class C | 4.49% | |
| TESLA INC | 3.01% | |
| ELI LILLY & COMPANY | 2.65% | |
| ADVANCED MICRO DEVICES INC | 2.20% | |
| JOHNSON & JOHNSON | 1.83% | |
| VISA INC | 1.80% | |
| MASTERCARD INC | 1.37% | |
| COSTCO WHOLESALE CORP | 1.20% | |
| LAM RESEARCH CORP | 1.08% | |
| CATERPILLAR INC | 1.05% | |
| MERCK & COMPANY INC | 1.04% | |
| APPLIED MATERIALS INC | 1.04% |
By country
United States 95.61%Ireland 2.89%Curaçao 0.26%Liberia 0.19%Switzerland 0.18%By asset type
Stocks 99.63%Other 0%By sector
Sectors of the companies held, for the 89.5% 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 Aug 31, 2026. Cash, money-market funds and derivatives are shown separately from the securities list.What changed recently
- Over the three months to Aug 31, 2026, investors withdrew a net $16K (creations minus redemptions, per the N-PORT report).
- Monthly total returns reported for that quarter: +0.19%, -0.09%, +3.61%.
How it works
USSG is an index fund. It does not pick stocks. It tries to match the MSCI USA Selection Index, before fees, and MSCI builds that index from large and mid-sized US companies using its own ESG research. A new company needs an MSCI ESG rating of BB or higher, on a seven-step scale from AAA to CCC. It also needs a controversies score of at least 3 on a 0-to-10 scale, where 0 marks the most severe problems. Companies already in the index can stay with a score as low as 1. Companies with certain ties to weapons, civilian firearms, tobacco, alcohol, gambling, nuclear power, fossil fuel extraction or thermal coal power are excluded.
The index aims to cover 50% of the market value of each sector. It weights stocks by market capitalization (the total value of a company's shares), so the largest firms count most. MSCI does a full review each May and smaller rebalances in August, November and February. At those quarterly rebalances, companies that no longer qualify are dropped, but new ones are added only when a sector falls short of the 50% target.
The fund uses full replication: it holds the index's stocks in about the same weights. If some shares can't be bought, it may switch to a representative sample. Portfolio turnover was 2%, so the fund trades little.
What it really costs
- USSG charges 0.09% a year, versus an average of 0.16% for the similar funds below (3rd of 9, cheapest first).
- Using the prospectus's standard example, $10,000 invested would cost about $9 in the first year and $115 over 10 years (assuming a 5% annual return).
| Cost of $10,000 (SEC example) | 1 yr | 3 yrs | 5 yrs | 10 yrs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| USSG | $9 | $29 | $51 | $115 |
In a retirement portfolio
It holds about 250 large and mid-sized US stocks for 0.09% a year, so it could act as a main US stock fund for investors who want ESG screens, though it leans heavily toward technology.
USSG could fill the US stock part of a portfolio for an investor who wants ESG screens. Under the SEC's standard example, $10,000 would cost about $115 in fees over 10 years. The fund's record is short. It launched in March 2019, so it has no 2008 history, and it lost 18.45% in the first quarter of 2020. In the 2022 bear market it fell 26.6%. Its worst calendar year was 2022, down 20.3%. Its deepest drop, 27%, took 14 months from the October 2022 low to recover, ending December 13, 2023. Anyone who had to sell shares during that stretch would have locked in losses. With 34.8% in technology as of August 31, 2026, its swings may be sharper than a broader fund's. It yielded 0.94% as of October 27, 2026, paid quarterly, which is little income. Past results don't predict the future, and a plan should look at the whole portfolio, not one fund.
Who it may suit — and who should look elsewhere
May suit
- Investors who want a low-cost US stock fund with ESG screens; its 0.09% expense ratio is below the 0.16% average for similar funds.
- People comfortable with a big tech tilt: NVIDIA, Microsoft and Alphabet together were about 35% of assets as of August 31, 2026.
- Long-term holders who want a passive index fund that trades little; its portfolio turnover was 2%.
Look elsewhere if
- Income seekers: the yield was 0.94% as of October 27, 2026, paid quarterly, which is far less than dividend-focused funds pay.
- Investors who want the whole US market. Exclusions and a 50% sector coverage target leave many companies out, and energy was just 1.5% of assets.
- Those who care about fund size: at about $591 million, it ranked 8th of 9 among similar funds, and SUSL had roughly twice the assets.
Close alternatives
Matched by holdings overlap from the latest N-PORT reports.
| Fund | Overlap | Cost | Net assets | 1 yr | 3 yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| USSG this fund | — | 0.09% | $590.8M | +14.7% | +25.2% |
| SUSL iShares ESG MSCI USA Leaders ETF | 99% | 0.1% | $1.22B | +14.8% | +25.3% |
| DSI iShares ESG MSCI KLD 400 ETF | 82% | 0.25% | $5.32B | +14.5% | +25.0% |
| SNPE Xtrackers S&P 500 Scored & Screened ETF | 72% | 0.1% | $2.95B | +14.1% | +24.4% |
| EFIV SPDR S&P 500 ESG ETF | 69% | 0.1% | $1.09B | +14.2% | +24.4% |
| SPUS SP Funds S&P 500 Sharia Industry Exclusions… | 61% | 0.45% | $3.14B | +17.2% | +27.5% |
| IQSU IQ Candriam ESG U.S. Large Cap Equity ETF | 60% | 0.09% | $327.5M | +15.9% | +22.0% |
| VOOG Vanguard S&P 500 Growth ETF | 58% | 0.07% | $27.12B | +9.4% | +27.5% |
Questions investors ask
What does USSG invest in?
USSG holds large and mid-sized US stocks picked by MSCI's ESG ratings: 251 companies as of August 31, 2026. The largest holdings were NVIDIA at 14.5%, Microsoft at 10.2%, Alphabet at about 10.2% across two share classes, Tesla at 3.0% and Eli Lilly at 2.6%. The top 10 made up 47.8% of assets. Technology was the largest sector at 34.8%, followed by communication services at 11.6% and financials at 10.4%.
What's the difference between USSG and SUSL?
Very little in holdings. USSG and the iShares ESG MSCI USA Leaders ETF (SUSL) overlap by 99%, based on their latest N-PORT reports. USSG costs 0.09% a year and SUSL costs 0.10%. As of October 27, 2026, their returns were nearly the same: 14.7% versus 14.8% over one year, and 25.2% versus 25.3% a year over three years. SUSL is larger, with about $1.22 billion in assets compared with USSG's roughly $591 million as of August 31, 2026.
Does USSG pay dividends?
Yes, USSG pays dividends quarterly. Over the 12 months to October 27, 2026, it paid $0.68 per share, a yield of 0.94%. That is low because its largest holdings, such as NVIDIA, Microsoft and Alphabet, pay small dividends compared with their share prices. Investors looking mainly for income may want to compare it with funds built around dividend-paying stocks.
What is the expense ratio of USSG?
USSG's expense ratio is 0.09%, according to its prospectus filed December 18, 2025. That is below the 0.16% average for similar funds and ranks 3rd lowest of 9. Under the SEC's standard example, which assumes $10,000 invested with a 5% annual return, total costs would be about $9 after one year, $29 after three years, $51 after five years and $115 after 10 years.
How has USSG performed?
USSG has done well over its short life, with sharp drops along the way. Its prospectus reports average annual returns of 23.49% over one year, 14.7% over five years and 15.82% since its 2019 launch, as of December 31, 2024. Based on prices, it returned 12.4% a year over five years as of October 27, 2026. Its worst calendar year was 2022, when it fell 20.34%.