Steward Partners Expands Holdings in ESG-Focused Funds Steward Partners Investment Advisory LLC has increased its stake in the Nuveen ESG Small-Cap ETF. This move comes as ESG-focused funds continue to attract attention. NUSC’s recent performance, however, has been under pressure, with its price-to-earnings ratio at 18.46 and a beta of 1.15, highlighting its sensitivity to market trends.23