Fund Evaluator:
Nuveen Global Dividend Growth C (NUGCX)Best Performing in Global Large-Stock Blend Over the Last Year
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Fund Details
Nuveen Global Dividend Growth C Overview
Nuveen Global Dividend Growth C (NUGCX) is an actively managed International Equity Global Large-Stock Blend fund. Nuveen launched the fund in 2012.
The investment seeks an attractive total return comprised of income from dividends and long-term capital appreciation. Under normal market conditions, the fund invests at least 80% of its net assets in dividend-paying equity securities, which include preferred securities. The minimum portion of the fund’s net assets invested in non-U.S. securities will be reduced to 50% of the MSCI World Index’s non-U.S. assets. The fund may invest up to 10% of its net assets in companies located in emerging market countries. It may invest in small-, mid- and large-cap companies.
About Nuveen Global Dividend Growth C (NUGCX)
There are 3 members of the management team with an average tenure of 4.93 years: David Park (2019), Charles Carr (2026), David Chalupnik (2019). Management tenure is more important for actively managed funds than passive index funds.
The fund has 2 primary benchmarks: MSCI World NR USD index with a weighting of 100% and Lipper Gbl Equity Income Fnds Class Avg index with a weighting of 100%. Nuveen Global Dividend Growth C has 50 securities in its portfolio. The top 10 holdings constitute 37.8% of the fund’s assets. The fund meets the SEC requirement of being classified as a diversified fund. The fund is not considered to have an ESG focus with its investment selection and management.
Nuveen Global Dividend Growth C is part of the Equity global asset class and is within the International Equity fund group. Nuveen Global Dividend Growth C has 38.3% of its portfolio invested in foreign issues. The overall assets allocated to domestic stock is 60.2%. There is 38.3% allocated to foreign stock, and 0.0% is allocated to preferred stocks. The bond allocation as a percentage of total assets is 0.0% (0.0% domestic bond, 0.0% foreign bond and 0.0% convertible bond). Nuveen Global Dividend Growth C has 1.4% of the portfolio in cash.
Assets Under Management
The fund has $194 million in total assets, which is below the $1 billion average for the Global Large-Stock Blend category. Normally, lower assets under management translates to higher average expense ratios, and greater total assets are desired. However, for some investment categories, such as small-cap investing, it may be difficult for the manager to fully employ the desired active strategy if assets grow too large or too quickly.
NUGCX Performance and Fees
The expense ratio measures how much of a fund’s assets are used for administrative expenses and operating expenses, including adviser fees and fees for the transfer agent and custodial services. The Nuveen Global Dividend Growth C expense ratio is high compared to funds in the Global Large-Stock Blend category. Nuveen Global Dividend Growth C has an expense ratio of 1.90%, which is 82% higher than its category average, making the fund expense ratio grade a F. While it is difficult to predict returns, it is known that high annual expense ratios reduce your rate of return, and excessive fees are difficult to overcome. Active management normally comes with higher expense ratios than passive index management. Certain investment categories such as small company and foreign also normally have higher expense ratios. It is best to compare fund expense ratios against the category averages for meaningful assessments.
High portfolio turnover can translate to higher expenses and lower aftertax returns. Nuveen Global Dividend Growth C has a portfolio turnover rate of 14%, indicating that holds its assets around 0.1 years. By way of comparison, the average portfolio turnover is 43% for the Global Large-Stock Blend category.
Recently, in the month of August 2026, Nuveen Global Dividend Growth C returned 0.9%, which earned it a grade of D, as the Global Large-Stock Blend category had an average return of 1.9%. The letter grades of A, B, C, D and F are based upon relative rankings within the investment category. A grade of A, for example, would indicate that the return is in the highest 20% for that time period compared to all funds in that category.
Nuveen Global Dividend Growth C has a trailing yield of 0.54%, which is below the 0.93% category average. The fund normally distributes its income quarterly and its capital gains annually.
It’s natural to seek the best-performing investments, but you must consider the relationship between risk and return and the impact of costs and taxes on your realized returns.
Nuveen Global Dividend Growth C Grades
Year to date, the fund has returned 7.8%, 4.0 percentage points worse than the category, which translates into a grade of F. The fund has returned 11.2% over the past year (grade of F), 12.8% over the past three years (grade of F) and 7.7% per year over the past five years (grade of D) and 8.6% per year over the past 10 years (grade of F).
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NUGCX Trailing NAV Total Returns Data as of 8/31/26
| Last Month |
Last Quarter |
Ann'l. 1Yr |
Ann'l. 3Yr |
Ann'l. 5Yr |
Ann'l. 10Yr |
|
| NUGCX Return (NAV) | 0.9% | 3.6% | 11.2% | 12.8% | 7.7% | 8.6% |
| NUGCX Grade | D | B | F | F | D | F |
| +/- Category | -0.9% | 1.3% | -6.9% | -4.3% | -1.2% | -2.3% |
| Global Large-Stock Blend Avg | 1.9% | 2.3% | 18.0% | 17.1% | 8.9% | 10.8% |
| NUGCX Tax Cost Ratio | na | na | 2.4% | 1.4% | 1.3% | 1.3% |
NUGCX Annual NAV Total ReturnsData as of 8/31/26
| 2026 | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | |
| NUGCX Return (NAV) | 7.8% | 10.6% | 14.2% | 13.3% | -10.7% | 18.7% | 2.9% | 25.7% | -9.9% | 18.7% | 5.5% |
| NUGCX Grade | F | F | C | F | A | C | F | C | C | F | D |
| +/- Category | -4.0% | -9.4% | 1.0% | -5.5% | 5.5% | 1.2% | -11.7% | -0.2% | 0.5% | -4.3% | -1.2% |
| Global Large-Stock Blend Avg | 11.8% | 20.1% | 13.2% | 18.8% | -16.2% | 17.5% | 14.6% | 25.9% | -10.4% | 23.0% | 6.6% |
| Risk Measures | |
| Standard Deviation: | 10.2% |
| Total Risk Index: | 0.84 - Average |
| Category Risk Index: | 0.84 - Low |
| Category Risk Grade: | A (10% Rank) |
| Beta: | 0.74 |
| R-Squared: | 80% |
| Leveraged Fund: | No |
| Inverse Fund: | No |
| Portfolio Characteristics | |
| Equity Investment Style: | Large-Cap Blend |
| Bond Investment Style: | na |
| Yield: | 0.5% |
| Dividend Distribution: | Quarterly |
| Cap Gains Distribution: | Annually |
| Total Assets: | $17 Mil |
| Fund Total Assets: | $ 0 Mil |
| Share Class Type: | C |
| Portfolio Turnover: | 14% |
Management Team
| Number of Managers: 3 | |||
| Longest Tenure: 7.2 years | |||
| Average Tenure: 4.9 years | |||
| Managers (Year): Park David (2019), Chalupnik David (2019), Carr Charles (2026) | |||
Portfolio Composition (as of 7/31/26)
| # of Holdings: | 50 |
| % in Top 10 Holdings: | 37.8% |
| Fund is Non-Diversified: | No |
| % in Foreign Issues: | 38.3% |
Portfolio Allocation |
|
| Domestic Stock: | 60.2% |
| Foreign Stock: | 38.3% |
| Preferred Stock: | 0.0% |
| Domestic Bond: | 0.0% |
| Foreign Bond: | 0.0% |
| Convertible Bond: | 0.0% |
| Other: | 0.0% |
| Cash: | 1.4% |
Purchase Information
| Fund Family: | Nuveen |
| Phone Number: | 800-257-8787 |
| Website: | www.nuveen.com |
| Status: | Open |
| Inception Date: | June 11, 2012 |
| Min. Initial Purchase: | $2,500 |
| Min. Initial IRA Purchase: | $2,000 |
| True No-Load: | No |
| Front Load Maximum: | 0.00% |
| Deferred Charge Maximum: | 1.00% |
| Redemption Charge Maximum: | 0.00% |
| 12b-1 Fee: | 1.00% |
Expenses and Fees | |
| Expense Ratio (%): | 1.90% ( Rating : High ) |
| Category Average Expense Ratio (%): | 1.05% |
| Share Class: | Nuveen Global Dividend Growth I |
| Min. Subsequent Purchase: | $ 100 |
| Min. Subsequent IRA Purchase: | $ 100 |