IQDY vs. BUFI
IQDY (FlexShares International Quality Dividend Dynamic Index Fund) and BUFI (AB International Buffer ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - IQDY is a Foreign Large Cap Equities fund tracking the Northern Trust International Quality Dividend Dynamic Index, while BUFI is a Defined Outcome fund actively managed by AllianceBernstein. IQDY is passively managed, while BUFI is actively managed. Over the past year, IQDY returned 41.61% vs 12.80% for BUFI. Their correlation of 0.90 suggests significant overlap in exposure. IQDY charges 0.47%/yr vs 0.69%/yr for BUFI.
Performance
IQDY vs. BUFI - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, IQDY achieves a 17.95% return, which is significantly higher than BUFI's 4.92% return.
IQDY
- 1D
- -0.89%
- 1M
- 6.55%
- YTD
- 17.95%
- 6M
- 20.74%
- 1Y
- 41.61%
- 3Y*
- 24.42%
- 5Y*
- 11.45%
- 10Y*
- 11.61%
BUFI
- 1D
- -0.31%
- 1M
- 1.83%
- YTD
- 4.92%
- 6M
- 6.32%
- 1Y
- 12.80%
- 3Y*
- —
- 5Y*
- —
- 10Y*
- —
IQDY vs. BUFI - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | |
|---|---|---|---|
IQDY FlexShares International Quality Dividend Dynamic Index Fund | 17.95% | 37.44% | -3.14% |
BUFI AB International Buffer ETF | 4.92% | 16.50% | -1.31% |
Correlation
The correlation between IQDY and BUFI is 0.91, 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 | 0.91 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Dec 11, 2024 | 0.90 |
The correlation between IQDY and BUFI has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.90 to 0.91 - a consistent structural relationship.
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Return for Risk
IQDY vs. BUFI — Risk / Return Rank
IQDY
BUFI
IQDY vs. BUFI - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for FlexShares International Quality Dividend Dynamic Index Fund (IQDY) 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.
| IQDY | BUFI | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +1.10 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +1.27 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.47 | 1.30 | +0.17 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 4.01 | 2.26 | +1.76 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 15.76 | 8.98 | +6.78 |
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
| IQDY | BUFI | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 2.63 | 1.53 | +1.10 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.65 | — | — |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.63 | — | — |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.50 | 1.50 | -1.00 |
Drawdowns
IQDY vs. BUFI - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum IQDY drawdown since its inception was -39.60%, which is greater than BUFI's maximum drawdown of -7.43%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for IQDY and BUFI.
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Drawdown Indicators
| IQDY | BUFI | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -39.60% | -7.43% | -32.17% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -10.42% | -5.69% | -4.73% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -14.76% | — | — |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -33.03% | — | — |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -39.60% | — | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -0.89% | -0.32% | -0.57% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -9.10% | -0.86% | -8.24% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 2.65% | 1.43% | +1.22% |
Volatility
IQDY vs. BUFI - Volatility Comparison
FlexShares International Quality Dividend Dynamic Index Fund (IQDY) has a higher volatility of 5.84% compared to AB International Buffer ETF (BUFI) at 2.20%. This indicates that IQDY'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
| IQDY | BUFI | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 5.84% | 2.20% | +3.64% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 13.40% | 7.05% | +6.35% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 15.93% | 8.43% | +7.50% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 17.81% | 9.15% | +8.66% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 18.43% | 9.15% | +9.28% |
IQDY vs. BUFI - Expense Ratio Comparison
IQDY has a 0.47% expense ratio, which is lower than BUFI's 0.69% expense ratio.
Dividends
IQDY vs. BUFI - Dividend Comparison
IQDY's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.76%, 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% |
IQDY FlexShares International Quality Dividend Dynamic Index Fund | 2.76% | 3.26% | 6.95% | 6.45% | 5.52% | 3.89% | 2.62% | 3.85% | 5.97% | 3.57% | 3.77% | 4.08% |
Frequently Asked Questions
With a correlation of 0.91, IQDY 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.
IQDY has higher volatility (5.84%) compared to BUFI (2.20%). In terms of maximum drawdown, IQDY dropped -39.60% vs BUFI's -7.43%.
On 1-year performance, IQDY leads with 41.61% vs 12.80% for BUFI. On fees, IQDY is cheaper at 0.47% 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, IQDY has performed better with a 41.61% return vs 12.80%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
IQDY is cheaper with a 0.47% expense ratio, compared with 0.69% for BUFI.
IQDY has the higher dividend yield at 2.76%, compared with 0.00% for BUFI.
IQDY is categorized as Foreign Large Cap Equities, while BUFI is Defined Outcome. They also come from different issuers: Northern Trust and AllianceBernstein. Their fees differ too: 0.47% for IQDY and 0.69% for BUFI.
IQDY currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.63 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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