MOTI vs. BUFI
MOTI (VanEck Vectors Morningstar International Moat ETF) and BUFI (AB International Buffer ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - MOTI is a Foreign Large Cap Equities fund tracking the Morningstar Global ex-US Moat Focus Index, while BUFI is a Defined Outcome fund actively managed by AllianceBernstein. MOTI is passively managed, while BUFI is actively managed. Over the past year, MOTI returned 3.14% vs 12.80% for BUFI. A 0.74 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined. MOTI charges 0.57%/yr vs 0.69%/yr for BUFI.
Performance
MOTI vs. BUFI - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, MOTI achieves a -6.91% return, which is significantly lower than BUFI's 4.92% return.
MOTI
- 1D
- -1.03%
- 1M
- -2.16%
- YTD
- -6.91%
- 6M
- -5.79%
- 1Y
- 3.14%
- 3Y*
- 6.65%
- 5Y*
- 1.78%
- 10Y*
- 6.07%
BUFI
- 1D
- -0.31%
- 1M
- 1.83%
- YTD
- 4.92%
- 6M
- 6.32%
- 1Y
- 12.80%
- 3Y*
- —
- 5Y*
- —
- 10Y*
- —
MOTI vs. BUFI - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | |
|---|---|---|---|
MOTI VanEck Vectors Morningstar International Moat ETF | -6.91% | 25.01% | -4.49% |
BUFI AB International Buffer ETF | 4.92% | 16.50% | -1.31% |
Correlation
The correlation between MOTI and BUFI is 0.76, 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 | 0.76 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Dec 11, 2024 | 0.74 |
The correlation between MOTI and BUFI has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.74 to 0.76 - a consistent structural relationship.
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Return for Risk
MOTI vs. BUFI — Risk / Return Rank
MOTI
BUFI
MOTI vs. BUFI - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for VanEck Vectors Morningstar International Moat ETF (MOTI) 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.
| MOTI | BUFI | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -1.31 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -1.84 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.05 | 1.30 | -0.25 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 0.20 | 2.26 | -2.05 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 0.55 | 8.98 | -8.43 |
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
| MOTI | BUFI | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.22 | 1.53 | -1.31 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.10 | — | — |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.34 | — | — |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.26 | 1.50 | -1.24 |
Drawdowns
MOTI vs. BUFI - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum MOTI drawdown since its inception was -36.70%, which is greater than BUFI's maximum drawdown of -7.43%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for MOTI and BUFI.
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Drawdown Indicators
| MOTI | BUFI | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -36.70% | -7.43% | -29.27% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -15.45% | -5.69% | -9.76% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -16.35% | — | — |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -31.14% | — | — |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -36.70% | — | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -12.36% | -0.32% | -12.04% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -9.13% | -0.86% | -8.27% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 5.70% | 1.43% | +4.27% |
Volatility
MOTI vs. BUFI - Volatility Comparison
VanEck Vectors Morningstar International Moat ETF (MOTI) has a higher volatility of 4.32% compared to AB International Buffer ETF (BUFI) at 2.20%. This indicates that MOTI'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
| MOTI | BUFI | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 4.32% | 2.20% | +2.12% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 11.04% | 7.05% | +3.99% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 14.30% | 8.43% | +5.87% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 17.53% | 9.15% | +8.38% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 18.08% | 9.15% | +8.93% |
MOTI vs. BUFI - Expense Ratio Comparison
MOTI has a 0.57% expense ratio, which is lower than BUFI's 0.69% expense ratio.
Dividends
MOTI vs. BUFI - Dividend Comparison
MOTI's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.46%, 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% |
MOTI VanEck Vectors Morningstar International Moat ETF | 3.46% | 3.22% | 4.79% | 2.34% | 3.27% | 4.67% | 2.14% | 3.90% | 3.73% | 8.87% | 1.33% | 0.84% |
Frequently Asked Questions
MOTI and BUFI have a correlation of 0.76, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
MOTI has higher volatility (4.32%) compared to BUFI (2.20%). In terms of maximum drawdown, MOTI dropped -36.70% vs BUFI's -7.43%.
On 1-year performance, BUFI leads with 12.80% vs 3.14% for MOTI. On fees, MOTI is cheaper at 0.57% 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, BUFI has performed better with a 12.80% return vs 3.14%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
MOTI is cheaper with a 0.57% expense ratio, compared with 0.69% for BUFI.
MOTI has the higher dividend yield at 3.46%, compared with 0.00% for BUFI.
MOTI is categorized as Foreign Large Cap Equities, while BUFI is Defined Outcome. They also come from different issuers: VanEck and AllianceBernstein. Their fees differ too: 0.57% for MOTI and 0.69% for BUFI.
BUFI currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.53 vs 0.22), 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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