HDEF vs. BUFI
HDEF (Xtrackers MSCI EAFE High Dividend Yield Equity ETF) and BUFI (AB International Buffer ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - HDEF is a Foreign Large Cap Equities fund tracking the MSCI EAFE High Dividend Yield US Dollar Hedged Index, while BUFI is a Defined Outcome fund actively managed by AllianceBernstein. HDEF is passively managed, while BUFI is actively managed. Over the past year, HDEF returned 16.55% vs 12.80% for BUFI. A 0.79 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined. HDEF charges 0.20%/yr vs 0.69%/yr for BUFI.
Performance
HDEF vs. BUFI - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
The year-to-date returns for both investments are quite close, with HDEF having a 4.87% return and BUFI slightly higher at 4.92%.
HDEF
- 1D
- 0.84%
- 1M
- -1.49%
- YTD
- 4.87%
- 6M
- 7.11%
- 1Y
- 16.55%
- 3Y*
- 16.85%
- 5Y*
- 10.01%
- 10Y*
- 8.59%
BUFI
- 1D
- -0.31%
- 1M
- 1.83%
- YTD
- 4.92%
- 6M
- 6.32%
- 1Y
- 12.80%
- 3Y*
- —
- 5Y*
- —
- 10Y*
- —
HDEF vs. BUFI - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | |
|---|---|---|---|
HDEF Xtrackers MSCI EAFE High Dividend Yield Equity ETF | 4.87% | 33.01% | -2.74% |
BUFI AB International Buffer ETF | 4.92% | 16.50% | -1.31% |
Correlation
The correlation between HDEF 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 | 0.79 |
The correlation between HDEF and BUFI has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.79 to 0.79 - a consistent structural relationship.
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Return for Risk
HDEF vs. BUFI — Risk / Return Rank
HDEF
BUFI
HDEF vs. BUFI - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Xtrackers MSCI EAFE High Dividend Yield Equity ETF (HDEF) 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.
| HDEF | BUFI | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.10 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -0.24 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.26 | 1.30 | -0.04 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.07 | 2.26 | -0.19 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 6.36 | 8.98 | -2.62 |
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
| HDEF | BUFI | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.42 | 1.53 | -0.10 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.71 | — | — |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.53 | — | — |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.45 | 1.50 | -1.04 |
Drawdowns
HDEF vs. BUFI - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum HDEF drawdown since its inception was -36.43%, which is greater than BUFI's maximum drawdown of -7.43%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for HDEF and BUFI.
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Drawdown Indicators
| HDEF | BUFI | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -36.43% | -7.43% | -29.00% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -8.03% | -5.69% | -2.34% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -11.15% | — | — |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -23.63% | — | — |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -36.43% | — | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -4.89% | -0.32% | -4.57% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -5.04% | -0.86% | -4.18% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 2.61% | 1.43% | +1.18% |
Volatility
HDEF vs. BUFI - Volatility Comparison
Xtrackers MSCI EAFE High Dividend Yield Equity ETF (HDEF) has a higher volatility of 3.72% compared to AB International Buffer ETF (BUFI) at 2.20%. This indicates that HDEF'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
| HDEF | BUFI | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 3.72% | 2.20% | +1.52% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 9.22% | 7.05% | +2.17% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 11.68% | 8.43% | +3.25% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 14.14% | 9.15% | +4.99% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 16.24% | 9.15% | +7.09% |
HDEF vs. BUFI - Expense Ratio Comparison
HDEF has a 0.20% expense ratio, which is lower than BUFI's 0.69% expense ratio.
Dividends
HDEF vs. BUFI - Dividend Comparison
HDEF's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.62%, while BUFI has not paid dividends to shareholders.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
BUFI AB International Buffer ETF | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
HDEF Xtrackers MSCI EAFE High Dividend Yield Equity ETF | 3.62% | 3.88% | 4.53% | 4.38% | 5.41% | 4.76% | 3.93% | 4.20% | 3.55% | 3.38% | 9.53% | 1.87% |
Frequently Asked Questions
HDEF 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.
HDEF has higher volatility (3.72%) compared to BUFI (2.20%). In terms of maximum drawdown, HDEF dropped -36.43% vs BUFI's -7.43%.
On 1-year performance, HDEF leads with 16.55% vs 12.80% for BUFI. On fees, HDEF is cheaper at 0.20% 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, HDEF has performed better with a 16.55% return vs 12.80%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
HDEF is cheaper with a 0.20% expense ratio, compared with 0.69% for BUFI.
HDEF has the higher dividend yield at 3.62%, compared with 0.00% for BUFI.
HDEF is categorized as Foreign Large Cap Equities, while BUFI is Defined Outcome. They also come from different issuers: Deutsche Bank and AllianceBernstein. Their fees differ too: 0.20% for HDEF and 0.69% for BUFI.
BUFI currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.53 vs 1.42), 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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