IGRO vs. BUFI
IGRO (iShares International Dividend Growth ETF) and BUFI (AB International Buffer ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - IGRO is a Foreign Large Cap Equities fund tracking the Morningstar Global ex-US Dividend Growth Index (Net), while BUFI is a Defined Outcome fund actively managed by AllianceBernstein. IGRO is passively managed, while BUFI is actively managed. Over the past year, IGRO returned 13.91% vs 12.80% for BUFI. Their correlation of 0.90 suggests significant overlap in exposure. IGRO charges 0.15%/yr vs 0.69%/yr for BUFI.
Performance
IGRO vs. BUFI - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, IGRO achieves a 5.91% return, which is significantly higher than BUFI's 4.92% return.
IGRO
- 1D
- -0.85%
- 1M
- 0.87%
- YTD
- 5.91%
- 6M
- 8.22%
- 1Y
- 13.91%
- 3Y*
- 15.21%
- 5Y*
- 7.30%
- 10Y*
- 8.49%
BUFI
- 1D
- -0.31%
- 1M
- 1.83%
- YTD
- 4.92%
- 6M
- 6.32%
- 1Y
- 12.80%
- 3Y*
- —
- 5Y*
- —
- 10Y*
- —
IGRO vs. BUFI - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | |
|---|---|---|---|
IGRO iShares International Dividend Growth ETF | 5.91% | 25.03% | -3.50% |
BUFI AB International Buffer ETF | 4.92% | 16.50% | -1.31% |
Correlation
The correlation between IGRO and BUFI is 0.92, 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 | 0.92 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Dec 11, 2024 | 0.90 |
The correlation between IGRO and BUFI has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.90 to 0.92 - a consistent structural relationship.
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Return for Risk
IGRO vs. BUFI — Risk / Return Rank
IGRO
BUFI
IGRO vs. BUFI - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares International Dividend Growth ETF (IGRO) 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.
| IGRO | BUFI | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.40 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -0.61 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.21 | 1.30 | -0.09 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.40 | 2.26 | -0.86 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 5.22 | 8.98 | -3.77 |
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
| IGRO | BUFI | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.12 | 1.53 | -0.40 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.53 | — | — |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.51 | — | — |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.53 | 1.50 | -0.97 |
Drawdowns
IGRO vs. BUFI - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum IGRO drawdown since its inception was -36.25%, which is greater than BUFI's maximum drawdown of -7.43%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for IGRO and BUFI.
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Drawdown Indicators
| IGRO | BUFI | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -36.25% | -7.43% | -28.82% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -10.00% | -5.69% | -4.31% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -11.13% | — | — |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -26.04% | — | — |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -36.25% | — | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -2.75% | -0.32% | -2.43% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -5.68% | -0.86% | -4.82% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 2.67% | 1.43% | +1.24% |
Volatility
IGRO vs. BUFI - Volatility Comparison
iShares International Dividend Growth ETF (IGRO) has a higher volatility of 3.60% compared to AB International Buffer ETF (BUFI) at 2.20%. This indicates that IGRO'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
| IGRO | BUFI | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 3.60% | 2.20% | +1.40% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 10.38% | 7.05% | +3.33% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 12.46% | 8.43% | +4.03% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 13.92% | 9.15% | +4.77% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 16.86% | 9.15% | +7.71% |
IGRO vs. BUFI - Expense Ratio Comparison
IGRO has a 0.15% expense ratio, which is lower than BUFI's 0.69% expense ratio.
Dividends
IGRO vs. BUFI - Dividend Comparison
IGRO's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.41%, while BUFI has not paid dividends to shareholders.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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% |
IGRO iShares International Dividend Growth ETF | 2.41% | 2.51% | 2.44% | 2.79% | 2.69% | 2.27% | 2.41% | 2.65% | 2.97% | 2.43% | 1.18% |
Frequently Asked Questions
With a correlation of 0.92, IGRO 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.
IGRO has higher volatility (3.60%) compared to BUFI (2.20%). In terms of maximum drawdown, IGRO dropped -36.25% vs BUFI's -7.43%.
On 1-year performance, IGRO leads with 13.91% vs 12.80% for BUFI. On fees, IGRO is cheaper at 0.15% 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, IGRO has performed better with a 13.91% return vs 12.80%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
IGRO is cheaper with a 0.15% expense ratio, compared with 0.69% for BUFI.
IGRO has the higher dividend yield at 2.41%, compared with 0.00% for BUFI.
IGRO is categorized as Foreign Large Cap Equities, while BUFI is Defined Outcome. They also come from different issuers: iShares and AllianceBernstein. Their fees differ too: 0.15% for IGRO and 0.69% for BUFI.
BUFI currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.53 vs 1.12), 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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