ILOW vs. YCS
ILOW (AB International Low Volatility Equity ETF) and YCS (ProShares UltraShort Yen) are both exchange-traded funds - ILOW is a Foreign Large Cap Equities fund actively managed by AllianceBernstein, while YCS is a Leveraged Currency fund tracking the USD/JPY Exchange Rate (-200%). ILOW is actively managed, while YCS is passively managed. Over the past year, ILOW returned 11.67% vs 34.99% for YCS. At a correlation of -0.32, they often move in opposite directions. ILOW charges 0.50%/yr vs 1.00%/yr for YCS.
Performance
ILOW vs. YCS - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, ILOW achieves a 5.98% return, which is significantly lower than YCS's 7.17% return.
ILOW
- 1D
- 1.10%
- 1M
- 1.20%
- YTD
- 5.98%
- 6M
- 7.96%
- 1Y
- 11.67%
- 3Y*
- —
- 5Y*
- —
- 10Y*
- —
YCS
- 1D
- 0.00%
- 1M
- 3.39%
- YTD
- 7.17%
- 6M
- 10.02%
- 1Y
- 34.99%
- 3Y*
- 20.03%
- 5Y*
- 23.54%
- 10Y*
- 12.16%
ILOW vs. YCS - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | |
|---|---|---|---|
ILOW AB International Low Volatility Equity ETF | 5.98% | 26.99% | -1.37% |
YCS ProShares UltraShort Yen | 7.17% | 9.04% | 1.27% |
Correlation
The correlation between ILOW and YCS is -0.47, meaning they tend to move in opposite directions. This is especially valuable for risk management - when one declines, the other has historically tended to hold steady or rise.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | -0.47 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jul 16, 2024 | -0.32 |
The correlation between ILOW and YCS shifts across timeframes, from -0.47 (1 year) to -0.32 (all time), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
ILOW vs. YCS — Risk / Return Rank
ILOW
YCS
ILOW vs. YCS - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for AB International Low Volatility Equity ETF (ILOW) and ProShares UltraShort Yen (YCS). 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.
| ILOW | YCS | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -1.18 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -1.27 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.16 | 1.38 | -0.22 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.20 | 4.23 | -3.04 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 4.65 | 13.22 | -8.56 |
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
| ILOW | YCS | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.87 | 2.06 | -1.18 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | — | 1.12 | — |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | — | 0.64 | — |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 1.12 | 0.33 | +0.79 |
Drawdowns
ILOW vs. YCS - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum ILOW drawdown since its inception was -10.37%, smaller than the maximum YCS drawdown of -49.56%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for ILOW and YCS.
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Drawdown Indicators
| ILOW | YCS | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -10.37% | -49.56% | +39.19% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -9.80% | -8.30% | -1.50% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | — | -23.05% | — |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | — | -27.32% | — |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | — | -27.32% | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -1.00% | 0.00% | -1.00% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -2.11% | -19.93% | +17.82% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 2.51% | 2.65% | -0.14% |
Volatility
ILOW vs. YCS - Volatility Comparison
AB International Low Volatility Equity ETF (ILOW) has a higher volatility of 4.42% compared to ProShares UltraShort Yen (YCS) at 2.62%. This indicates that ILOW's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than YCS based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| ILOW | YCS | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 4.42% | 2.62% | +1.80% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 11.17% | 12.31% | -1.14% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 13.43% | 17.18% | -3.75% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 14.56% | 21.09% | -6.53% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 14.56% | 19.01% | -4.45% |
ILOW vs. YCS - Expense Ratio Comparison
ILOW has a 0.50% expense ratio, which is lower than YCS's 1.00% expense ratio.
Dividends
ILOW vs. YCS - Dividend Comparison
ILOW's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.51%, while YCS has not paid dividends to shareholders.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
ILOW AB International Low Volatility Equity ETF | 1.51% | 1.60% | 0.78% |
YCS ProShares UltraShort Yen | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Frequently Asked Questions
ILOW and YCS have a correlation of -0.47, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
ILOW has higher volatility (4.42%) compared to YCS (2.62%). In terms of maximum drawdown, ILOW dropped -10.37% vs YCS's -49.56%.
On 1-year performance, YCS leads with 34.99% vs 11.67% for ILOW. On fees, ILOW is cheaper at 0.50% per year. On volatility, YCS has been the lower-risk option at 2.62%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 1-year period, YCS has performed better with a 34.99% return vs 11.67%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
ILOW is cheaper with a 0.50% expense ratio, compared with 1.00% for YCS.
ILOW has the higher dividend yield at 1.51%, compared with 0.00% for YCS.
ILOW is categorized as Foreign Large Cap Equities, while YCS is Leveraged Currency. They also come from different issuers: AllianceBernstein and ProShares. Their fees differ too: 0.50% for ILOW and 1.00% for YCS.
YCS currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.06 vs 0.87), 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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