TAFM vs. ILOW

Last updated Apr 1, 2026

Compare and contrast key facts about AB Tax-Aware Intermediate Municipal ETF (TAFM) and AB International Low Volatility Equity ETF (ILOW).

TAFM and ILOW are both exchange-traded funds (ETFs), meaning they are traded on stock exchanges and can be bought and sold throughout the day. TAFM is an actively managed fund by AllianceBernstein. It was launched on Dec 12, 2023. ILOW is an actively managed fund by AllianceBernstein. It was launched on Jul 14, 2024.

Performance

TAFM vs. ILOW - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in AB Tax-Aware Intermediate Municipal ETF (TAFM) and AB International Low Volatility Equity ETF (ILOW). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

TAFM vs. ILOW - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024
TAFM AB Tax-Aware Intermediate Municipal ETF	0.10%	4.21%	1.09%
ILOW AB International Low Volatility Equity ETF	0.16%	26.99%	-1.37%

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, TAFM achieves a 0.10% return, which is significantly lower than ILOW's 0.16% return.

TAFM

• 1D: 0.34%
• 1M: -2.13%
• YTD: 0.10%
• 6M: 1.35%
• 1Y: 4.23%
• 3Y*: —
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

ILOW

• 1D: 3.34%
• 1M: -6.43%
• YTD: 0.16%
• 6M: 1.95%
• 1Y: 17.35%
• 3Y*: —
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

*Multi-year figures are annualized to reflect compound growth (CAGR)

TAFM vs. ILOW - Expense Ratio Comparison

TAFM has a 0.28% expense ratio, which is lower than ILOW's 0.50% expense ratio.

ILOW

AB International Low Volatility Equity ETF

TAFM

AB Tax-Aware Intermediate Municipal ETF

Return for Risk

TAFM vs. ILOW — Risk / Return Rank

Compare risk-adjusted metric ranks to identify better-performing investments over the past 12 months.

TAFM

TAFM Risk / Return Rank: 36
TAFM Sharpe Ratio Rank: 36
TAFM Sortino Ratio Rank: 30
TAFM Omega Ratio Rank: 44
TAFM Calmar Ratio Rank: 38
TAFM Martin Ratio Rank: 33

ILOW

ILOW Risk / Return Rank: 64
ILOW Sharpe Ratio Rank: 63
ILOW Sortino Ratio Rank: 63
ILOW Omega Ratio Rank: 62
ILOW Calmar Ratio Rank: 66
ILOW Martin Ratio Rank: 66

The rank (0–100) shows how this investment's returns compare to the risk taken. Higher = better. Based on the past 12 months of data, combining Sharpe, Sortino, and other metrics used by quantitative funds and institutional investors.

TAFM vs. ILOW - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for AB Tax-Aware Intermediate Municipal ETF (TAFM) and AB International Low Volatility Equity ETF (ILOW). 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.

	TAFM	ILOW	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	0.71	1.13	-0.42
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	0.91	1.64	-0.73
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.18	1.23	-0.06
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	1.00	1.73	-0.73
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	3.01	6.81	-3.81
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

TAFM vs. ILOW - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current TAFM Sharpe Ratio is 0.71, which is lower than the ILOW Sharpe Ratio of 1.13. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of TAFM and ILOW, offering insights into how both investments have performed under varying market conditions. These values are calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	TAFM	ILOW	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.71	1.13	-0.42
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.73	1.00	-0.27

Correlation

The correlation between TAFM and ILOW is 0.12, which is considered to be low. This implies their price changes are not closely related. A low correlation is generally favorable for portfolio diversification, as it helps to reduce overall risk by spreading it across multiple assets with different performance patterns.

Dividends

TAFM vs. ILOW - Dividend Comparison

TAFM's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.62%, more than ILOW's 1.60% yield.

	TTM	2025	2024	2023
TAFM AB Tax-Aware Intermediate Municipal ETF	3.62%	3.51%	3.35%	0.18%
ILOW AB International Low Volatility Equity ETF	1.60%	1.60%	0.78%	0.00%

Drawdowns

TAFM vs. ILOW - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum TAFM drawdown since its inception was -4.74%, smaller than the maximum ILOW drawdown of -10.37%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for TAFM and ILOW.

Drawdown Indicators

	TAFM	ILOW	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-4.74%	-10.37%	+5.63%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-4.44%	-9.80%	+5.36%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-2.13%	-6.43%	+4.30%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-0.93%	-2.12%	+1.19%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	1.48%	2.49%	-1.01%

Volatility

TAFM vs. ILOW - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for AB Tax-Aware Intermediate Municipal ETF (TAFM) is 1.32%, while AB International Low Volatility Equity ETF (ILOW) has a volatility of 7.10%. This indicates that TAFM experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than ILOW based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	TAFM	ILOW	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	1.32%	7.10%	-5.78%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	2.19%	9.76%	-7.57%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	6.00%	15.38%	-9.38%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	5.08%	14.29%	-9.21%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	5.08%	14.29%	-9.21%