MCRO vs SDG Fund Comparison

A comparison between MCRO and SDG based on their expense ratio, growth, holdings and how well they match their benchmark performance.

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Minafi's Take on MCRO vs SDG

Here's an in depth look at the differences between IQ Hedge Macro Tracker ETF ($MCRO) and iShares MSCI Global Impact ETF ($SDG).

To start off, here's a look at the basics of each fund. Keep an eye on the FI Score. That's a custom score from 0 to 100 that we generate based on how good this fund is for the casual investor. Most investors only need a handful of total funds in their portfolio. The higher the score, the more likely this is one of those few. Score alone isn't enough! Keep reading on to see how different (or perhaps similar) these two funds are.

33% FI Score
  • mcro
  • ETF
  • Allocation
  • Total World

IQ Hedge Macro Tracker ETF

Expenses: 0.69% (Better than 1% of similar funds)

This is a bad choice for a Total World Allocation fund. See why »

55% FI Score
  • sdg
  • ETF
  • Allocation
  • Total World

iShares MSCI Global Impact ETF

Expenses: 0.49% (Better than 1% of similar funds)

This is an OK choice for a Total World Allocation fund. See why »

Both $MCRO and $SDG are categorized as ETFs. ETFs have an added bonus over mutual funds of being more widely available. Mutual funds are often limited to only the issuing investment brokerage. Since these are both ETFs, you may be able to find these at a wider number of investment apps and websites.

The biggest disadvantage of ETFs is that some platforms only allow you to purchase ETFs in whole shares. So if an ETF is going for $75, you may need to invest in increments of $75. Most 401(k)'s allow for investing down to the penny, but you'll want to verify your platform allows for "fractional ETF Shares".

To learn more about the difference between these two, you can read about the difference between ETFs and Mutual Funds.

When evaluating a fund, the first things I look at are:

  • What it invests in
  • How much it charges in fees
  • How large the fund is

Let's look into these criteria one by one and see if either of these funds stands out.

Fund Holdings Comparison

Both of these funds are Allocation Total World funds – which means they're likely both investing in about the same investments behind the scenes.

Minafi's FI Score algorithm takes into account the category and market. The more niche a fund is, the lower the score. This doesn't mean it's a worse fund, but it does mean you should stop and make sure this a fund you need to diversify your portfolio.

MCRO SDG
Market Score 0.4 /10 3.6 /10
Category Score 5.0 /10 5.0 /10
Total 5.4 8.6

A score of 10 means this is a solid market and category that almost every investor will want to have investments in. The lower the score, the more specific the investment. These scores are based on when most investors would add these funds to their portfolio. A score of 10 means that this fund (or one like it) belongs in a three-fund portfolio. The lower the score, the farther down in your portfolio a fund would go.

For each fund we've created a "diversification score" – a metric to indicate how closely each funds asset allocation matches it's benchmark. For example, an S&P 500 fund would have a diversification score of 10 if it's fully in line with the actual S&P 500.

The diversification score for MCRO is 2.4/10, while SDG has a diversification score of 0.0/10.

In other words, MCRO more closely matches it's benchmark.

Winner: $SDG

Fee Comparison

Fees are one of the biggest killers of portfolio growth. The difference between a 2% fee and a 0.04% fee over 30 years can result in your portfolio having half the total value!

If you're just getting started investing and learning how fees impact your portfolio, I'd encourage you to read through my free investment course (specifically '2.2 - All About Fees') where I go over all the different types of fees you can be charged and how to lower them.

For these two funds, MCRO has an expense ratio of 0.69% while SDG has an expense ratio of 0.49%. In this case, both of these funds have a similar fee.

Winner: $SDG (barely)

Fund Size Comparison

Both MCRO and SDG have a similar number of assets under management. MCRO has 3.91 Million in assets under management, while SDG has 103 Million.

Minafi categorizes both of these funds as small funds. Fund size is a good indication of how many other investors trust this fund. A large fund by itself doesn't mean it's a good fund, but it is one thing to consider when figuring out how to choose the right fund.

Winner: tie

Which Should You Choose? MCRO or SDG?

Since both of these funds are Allocation Total World funds, you'll most likely only need to invest in one of these funds – not both. Running both of these funds through Minafi's FI Score algorithm, gives MCRO a score of 33 and SDG a score of 55.

Neither of these funds has an FI Score above 90 – which is a red flag. I'd look into more funds to find one with a higher FI Score.

Winner: Neither, I'd research more funds if you're looking to invest for retirement.

$MCRO

IQ Hedge Macro Tracker ETF

33

Read More
Ratings
Rating Type Rating
Diversification Score 2 /10
Expense Ratio Score 8 /10
Expense Rating 3 /10
Market Score 0 /10
Category Score 5 /10
Overview
Overview Details
Fund Type ETF
Inception Date Apr-30-2018
Exchange NYSE ARCA
Expense Ratio 0.690%
Net Assets 3.91 Million
Yield 1.39%
Holdings
Description Info
Market Allocation
Category Total World
Sectors
  • Basic Materials 11.23%
  • Communication Services 9.58%
  • Consumer Cyclicals 12.88%
  • Consumer Defensive 7.01%
  • Energy 13.86%
  • Financial Services 12.67%
  • Healthcare 5.96%
  • Industrials 8.36%
  • Real Estate 4.22%
  • Technology 9.46%
  • Utilities 4.77%
Regions
  • Africa/Middle East 2.45%
  • Asia Developed 6.86%
  • Asia Emerging 38.03%
  • Australasia 1.36%
  • Europe Developed 7.19%
  • Europe Emerging 1.67%
  • Japan 15.37%
  • Latin America 2.27%
  • North America 21.51%
  • United Kingdom 3.30%

$SDG

iShares MSCI Global Impact ETF

55

Read More
Ratings
Rating Type Rating
Diversification Score 0 /10
Expense Ratio Score 9 /10
Expense Rating 5 /10
Market Score 4 /10
Category Score 5 /10
Overview
Overview Details
Fund Type ETF
Exchange NASDAQ
Expense Ratio 0.490%
Net Assets 103 Million
Yield 1.41%
Holdings
Description Info
Market Allocation
Category Total World
Sectors
  • Basic Materials 6.51%
  • Communication Services 2.64%
  • Consumer Cyclicals 12.38%
  • Consumer Defensive 19.24%
  • Energy 0.00%
  • Financial Services 0.03%
  • Healthcare 18.73%
  • Industrials 24.71%
  • Real Estate 7.39%
  • Technology 3.76%
  • Utilities 4.62%
Regions
  • Africa/Middle East 0.10%
  • Asia Developed 5.39%
  • Asia Emerging 10.22%
  • Australasia 0.85%
  • Europe Developed 24.49%
  • Japan 13.13%
  • Latin America 2.94%
  • North America 32.24%
  • United Kingdom 10.65%

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