FID vs. BUFI
FID (First Trust S&P International Dividend Aristocrats ETF) and BUFI (AB International Buffer ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - FID is a Foreign Large Cap Equities fund tracking the S&P International Dividend Aristocrats Index, while BUFI is a Defined Outcome fund actively managed by AllianceBernstein. FID is passively managed, while BUFI is actively managed. Over the past year, FID returned 23.28% vs 12.80% for BUFI. A 0.75 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined. FID charges 0.60%/yr vs 0.69%/yr for BUFI.
Performance
FID vs. BUFI - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, FID achieves a 8.56% return, which is significantly higher than BUFI's 4.92% return.
FID
- 1D
- -1.11%
- 1M
- 2.56%
- YTD
- 8.56%
- 6M
- 10.95%
- 1Y
- 23.28%
- 3Y*
- 17.43%
- 5Y*
- 7.74%
- 10Y*
- —
BUFI
- 1D
- -0.31%
- 1M
- 1.83%
- YTD
- 4.92%
- 6M
- 6.32%
- 1Y
- 12.80%
- 3Y*
- —
- 5Y*
- —
- 10Y*
- —
FID vs. BUFI - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | |
|---|---|---|---|
FID First Trust S&P International Dividend Aristocrats ETF | 8.56% | 32.07% | -2.54% |
BUFI AB International Buffer ETF | 4.92% | 16.50% | -1.31% |
Correlation
The correlation between FID and BUFI is 0.79, which is moderate. They share some common price drivers but move independently often enough to provide real diversification benefit when combined.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.79 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Dec 11, 2024 | 0.75 |
The correlation between FID and BUFI has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.75 to 0.79 - a consistent structural relationship.
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Return for Risk
FID vs. BUFI — Risk / Return Rank
FID
BUFI
FID vs. BUFI - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for First Trust S&P International Dividend Aristocrats ETF (FID) and AB International Buffer ETF (BUFI). 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.
| FID | BUFI | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +0.78 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +1.02 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.41 | 1.30 | +0.11 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.62 | 2.26 | +0.36 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 9.14 | 8.98 | +0.16 |
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month. | |||
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Sharpe Ratios by Period
| FID | BUFI | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 2.30 | 1.53 | +0.78 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.46 | — | — |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.39 | 1.50 | -1.10 |
Drawdowns
FID vs. BUFI - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum FID drawdown since its inception was -39.79%, which is greater than BUFI's maximum drawdown of -7.43%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for FID and BUFI.
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Drawdown Indicators
| FID | BUFI | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -39.79% | -7.43% | -32.36% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -8.93% | -5.69% | -3.24% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -10.97% | — | — |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -29.13% | — | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -1.11% | -0.32% | -0.79% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -8.47% | -0.86% | -7.61% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 2.55% | 1.43% | +1.12% |
Volatility
FID vs. BUFI - Volatility Comparison
First Trust S&P International Dividend Aristocrats ETF (FID) has a higher volatility of 3.00% compared to AB International Buffer ETF (BUFI) at 2.20%. This indicates that FID's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than BUFI based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| FID | BUFI | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 3.00% | 2.20% | +0.80% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 8.12% | 7.05% | +1.07% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 10.16% | 8.43% | +1.73% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 17.04% | 9.15% | +7.89% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 18.96% | 9.15% | +9.81% |
FID vs. BUFI - Expense Ratio Comparison
FID has a 0.60% expense ratio, which is lower than BUFI's 0.69% expense ratio.
Dividends
FID vs. BUFI - Dividend Comparison
FID's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 4.02%, while BUFI has not paid dividends to shareholders.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
BUFI AB International Buffer ETF | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
FID First Trust S&P International Dividend Aristocrats ETF | 4.02% | 4.30% | 4.31% | 4.19% | 4.22% | 3.76% | 3.91% | 3.70% | 1.74% |
Frequently Asked Questions
FID and BUFI have a correlation of 0.79, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
FID has higher volatility (3.00%) compared to BUFI (2.20%). In terms of maximum drawdown, FID dropped -39.79% vs BUFI's -7.43%.
On 1-year performance, FID leads with 23.28% vs 12.80% for BUFI. On fees, FID is cheaper at 0.60% per year. On volatility, BUFI has been the lower-risk option at 2.20%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 1-year period, FID has performed better with a 23.28% return vs 12.80%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
FID is cheaper with a 0.60% expense ratio, compared with 0.69% for BUFI.
FID has the higher dividend yield at 4.02%, compared with 0.00% for BUFI.
FID is categorized as Foreign Large Cap Equities, while BUFI is Defined Outcome. They also come from different issuers: First Trust and AllianceBernstein. Their fees differ too: 0.60% for FID and 0.69% for BUFI.
FID currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.30 vs 1.53), meaning it's delivered slightly more return per unit of risk over the trailing 12 months. However, this ranking shifts over time - use the Risk/Return Score above for a more comprehensive view that combines Sharpe, Sortino, and other measures used by quantitative funds.
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