HFXI vs. BUFI
HFXI (IQ 50 Percent Hedged FTSE International ETF) and BUFI (AB International Buffer ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - HFXI is a Foreign Large Cap Equities fund tracking the FTSE Developed ex North America 50% Hedged to USD Index, while BUFI is a Defined Outcome fund actively managed by AllianceBernstein. HFXI is passively managed, while BUFI is actively managed. Over the past year, HFXI returned 35.26% vs 12.80% for BUFI. Their correlation of 0.91 suggests significant overlap in exposure. HFXI charges 0.20%/yr vs 0.69%/yr for BUFI.
Performance
HFXI vs. BUFI - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, HFXI achieves a 17.13% return, which is significantly higher than BUFI's 4.92% return.
HFXI
- 1D
- -0.45%
- 1M
- 7.03%
- YTD
- 17.13%
- 6M
- 20.26%
- 1Y
- 35.26%
- 3Y*
- 20.46%
- 5Y*
- 12.14%
- 10Y*
- 11.47%
BUFI
- 1D
- -0.31%
- 1M
- 1.83%
- YTD
- 4.92%
- 6M
- 6.32%
- 1Y
- 12.80%
- 3Y*
- —
- 5Y*
- —
- 10Y*
- —
HFXI vs. BUFI - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | |
|---|---|---|---|
HFXI IQ 50 Percent Hedged FTSE International ETF | 17.13% | 30.10% | -2.06% |
BUFI AB International Buffer ETF | 4.92% | 16.50% | -1.31% |
Correlation
The correlation between HFXI and BUFI is 0.93, indicating a strong positive relationship between their price movements. Combining them offers limited diversification - they tend to fall together during downturns.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.93 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Dec 11, 2024 | 0.91 |
The correlation between HFXI and BUFI has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.91 to 0.93 - a consistent structural relationship.
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Return for Risk
HFXI vs. BUFI — Risk / Return Rank
HFXI
BUFI
HFXI vs. BUFI - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for IQ 50 Percent Hedged FTSE International ETF (HFXI) 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.
| HFXI | BUFI | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +0.88 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +1.09 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.44 | 1.30 | +0.15 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 3.27 | 2.26 | +1.01 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 12.97 | 8.98 | +3.99 |
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
| HFXI | BUFI | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 2.41 | 1.53 | +0.88 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.82 | — | — |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.69 | — | — |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.57 | 1.50 | -0.93 |
Drawdowns
HFXI vs. BUFI - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum HFXI drawdown since its inception was -32.42%, which is greater than BUFI's maximum drawdown of -7.43%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for HFXI and BUFI.
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Drawdown Indicators
| HFXI | BUFI | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -32.42% | -7.43% | -24.99% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -10.84% | -5.69% | -5.15% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -13.52% | — | — |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -22.35% | — | — |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -32.42% | — | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -0.45% | -0.32% | -0.13% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -5.46% | -0.86% | -4.60% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 2.72% | 1.43% | +1.29% |
Volatility
HFXI vs. BUFI - Volatility Comparison
IQ 50 Percent Hedged FTSE International ETF (HFXI) has a higher volatility of 5.46% compared to AB International Buffer ETF (BUFI) at 2.20%. This indicates that HFXI'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
| HFXI | BUFI | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 5.46% | 2.20% | +3.26% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 12.40% | 7.05% | +5.35% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 14.69% | 8.43% | +6.26% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 14.85% | 9.15% | +5.70% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 16.63% | 9.15% | +7.48% |
HFXI vs. BUFI - Expense Ratio Comparison
HFXI has a 0.20% expense ratio, which is lower than BUFI's 0.69% expense ratio.
Dividends
HFXI vs. BUFI - Dividend Comparison
HFXI's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.84%, 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% |
HFXI IQ 50 Percent Hedged FTSE International ETF | 3.84% | 4.19% | 2.68% | 2.49% | 4.65% | 3.10% | 2.00% | 3.19% | 4.33% | 2.56% | 2.71% | 0.78% |
Frequently Asked Questions
With a correlation of 0.93, HFXI and BUFI move almost identically. Holding both adds very little diversification - you're essentially doubling your position in the same market segment. Choosing one is usually more capital-efficient.
HFXI has higher volatility (5.46%) compared to BUFI (2.20%). In terms of maximum drawdown, HFXI dropped -32.42% vs BUFI's -7.43%.
On 1-year performance, HFXI leads with 35.26% vs 12.80% for BUFI. On fees, HFXI 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, HFXI has performed better with a 35.26% return vs 12.80%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
HFXI is cheaper with a 0.20% expense ratio, compared with 0.69% for BUFI.
HFXI has the higher dividend yield at 3.84%, compared with 0.00% for BUFI.
HFXI is categorized as Foreign Large Cap Equities, while BUFI is Defined Outcome. They also come from different issuers: New York Life and AllianceBernstein. Their fees differ too: 0.20% for HFXI and 0.69% for BUFI.
HFXI currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.41 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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