CPLS vs. BUFC

Last updated Apr 1, 2026

Compare and contrast key facts about AB Core Plus Bond ETF (CPLS) and AB Conservative Buffer ETF (BUFC).

CPLS and BUFC are both exchange-traded funds (ETFs), meaning they are traded on stock exchanges and can be bought and sold throughout the day. CPLS is an actively managed fund by AllianceBernstein. It was launched on Dec 12, 2023. BUFC is an actively managed fund by AllianceBernstein. It was launched on Dec 12, 2023.

Performance

CPLS vs. BUFC - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in AB Core Plus Bond ETF (CPLS) and AB Conservative Buffer ETF (BUFC). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

CPLS vs. BUFC - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023
CPLS AB Core Plus Bond ETF	-0.04%	6.91%	1.65%	1.21%
BUFC AB Conservative Buffer ETF	-1.68%	5.50%	10.81%	0.47%

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, CPLS achieves a -0.04% return, which is significantly higher than BUFC's -1.68% return.

CPLS

• 1D: 0.40%
• 1M: -1.56%
• YTD: -0.04%
• 6M: 0.60%
• 1Y: 4.51%
• 3Y*: —
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

BUFC

• 1D: 1.03%
• 1M: -1.19%
• YTD: -1.68%
• 6M: 0.01%
• 1Y: 5.07%
• 3Y*: —
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

*Multi-year figures are annualized to reflect compound growth (CAGR)

CPLS vs. BUFC - Expense Ratio Comparison

CPLS has a 0.33% expense ratio, which is lower than BUFC's 0.69% expense ratio.

BUFC

AB Conservative Buffer ETF

CPLS

AB Core Plus Bond ETF

Return for Risk

CPLS vs. BUFC — Risk / Return Rank

Compare risk-adjusted metric ranks to identify better-performing investments over the past 12 months.

CPLS

CPLS Risk / Return Rank: 56
CPLS Sharpe Ratio Rank: 56
CPLS Sortino Ratio Rank: 54
CPLS Omega Ratio Rank: 47
CPLS Calmar Ratio Rank: 68
CPLS Martin Ratio Rank: 56

BUFC

BUFC Risk / Return Rank: 42
BUFC Sharpe Ratio Rank: 36
BUFC Sortino Ratio Rank: 38
BUFC Omega Ratio Rank: 45
BUFC Calmar Ratio Rank: 38
BUFC Martin Ratio Rank: 53

The rank (0–100) shows how this investment's returns compare to the risk taken. Higher = better. Based on the past 12 months of data, combining Sharpe, Sortino, and other metrics used by quantitative funds and institutional investors.

CPLS vs. BUFC - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for AB Core Plus Bond ETF (CPLS) and AB Conservative Buffer ETF (BUFC). Risk-adjusted metrics are performance indicators that assess an investment's returns in relation to its risk, enabling a more accurate comparison of different investment options.

	CPLS	BUFC	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	1.02	0.70	+0.32
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	1.45	1.11	+0.34
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.19	1.18	+0.01
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	1.77	0.99	+0.79
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	5.62	5.24	+0.38
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

CPLS vs. BUFC - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current CPLS Sharpe Ratio is 1.02, which is higher than the BUFC Sharpe Ratio of 0.70. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of CPLS and BUFC, offering insights into how both investments have performed under varying market conditions. These values are calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	CPLS	BUFC	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	1.02	0.70	+0.32
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.88	1.13	-0.26

Correlation

The correlation between CPLS and BUFC is 0.19, which is considered to be low. This implies their price changes are not closely related. A low correlation is generally favorable for portfolio diversification, as it helps to reduce overall risk by spreading it across multiple assets with different performance patterns.

Dividends

CPLS vs. BUFC - Dividend Comparison

CPLS's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 4.68%, while BUFC has not paid dividends to shareholders.

	TTM	2025	2024	2023
CPLS AB Core Plus Bond ETF	4.68%	4.66%	4.71%	0.23%
BUFC AB Conservative Buffer ETF	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%

Drawdowns

CPLS vs. BUFC - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum CPLS drawdown since its inception was -4.43%, smaller than the maximum BUFC drawdown of -8.29%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for CPLS and BUFC.

Drawdown Indicators

	CPLS	BUFC	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-4.43%	-8.29%	+3.86%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-2.65%	-5.29%	+2.64%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-1.59%	-2.63%	+1.04%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-1.25%	-0.78%	-0.47%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	0.84%	0.99%	-0.15%

Volatility

CPLS vs. BUFC - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for AB Core Plus Bond ETF (CPLS) is 1.76%, while AB Conservative Buffer ETF (BUFC) has a volatility of 1.87%. This indicates that CPLS experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than BUFC based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	CPLS	BUFC	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	1.76%	1.87%	-0.11%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	2.58%	3.56%	-0.98%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	4.43%	7.30%	-2.87%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	4.86%	5.77%	-0.91%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	4.86%	5.77%	-0.91%