ILOWvsEFAETF Comparison
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AB International Low Volatility Equity ETF (ILOW) belongs to the Uncategorized Equities segment. iShares MSCI EAFE ETF (EFA) is part of the DM Large & Mid Cap segment. Both ETFs have the same top 3 sector exposures: Finance, Industrials and Technology. ILOW is more expensive with a Total Expense Ratio (TER) of 0.5%, versus 0.32% for EFA. ILOW is up 8.73% year-to-date (YTD) with +$139M in YTD flows. EFA performs better with 9.65% YTD performance, and +$794M in YTD flows. Run a side-by-side ETF comparison of ILOW and EFA below, and assess how they stack up in performance, liquidity, risk, exposure, holdings, and more, helping you select the best ETF for your investments.
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ILOW vs EFA performance and flow charts
Performance
Cumulative Flows
Historic performance and flows
Data as of 10/16/2026
| 1M | 3M | YTD | 1Y | 3Y | 5Y | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Perf. | ILOW EFA | -0.51%-1.14% | +1.09%-0.32% | +8.73%+9.65% | +10.92%+13.65% | n/a+65.11% | n/a+52.36% |
| Flows | ILOW EFA | -$66K+$312M | -$97K+$187M | +$139M+$794M | +$206M+$2.04B | -+$5.89B | -+$2.77B |
Volatility and drawdown
| 3M | 1Y | 3Y | 5Y | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Volatility | ILOW EFA | +9.88%+12.52% | +11.85%+15.86% | n/a+15.04% | n/a+16.32% |
| Max drawdown | ILOW EFA | -5.45%-5.66% | -9.40%-11.39% | n/a-13.68% | n/a-29.16% |
| Max drawdown duration | ILOW EFA | 52d52d | 122d107d | n/a41d | n/a828d |
Trading data
ILOW | EFA | |
Last sale 10/19/2026 at 1:30 PM | $45.79 | $102.87 |
| Previous close 10/16/2026 | $46.20 | $103.55 |
| Consolidated volume 10/16/2026 | ||
| Average volume 30 days | ||
| Average discount or premium 30 days | ||
| Average Bid/Ask spread 30 days |
Replication quality
Data as of September 30, 2026
1-year trailing difference
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ILOW
is actively managed and doesn’t replicate an indexILOW | EFA | |
|---|---|---|
| Tracking error | ||
| Tracking difference | ||
| 1 year cumulative return difference | ||
| Best | ||
| Worst | ||
| Daily return difference | ||
| Average | ||
| Worst | ||
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Main metrics
Last update 10/19/2026 at 1:30 PM
Live
Closed
ILOW | EFA | |
|---|---|---|
| Last price | $45.79 | $102.87 |
| 1D performance | -0.89% | -0.66% |
| AuM | $1.83 B | $76.80 B |
| E/R | 0.5% | 0.32% |
Characteristics
ILOW | EFA | |
|---|---|---|
| Management strategy | Active | Passive |
| Provider | AllianceBernstein | iShares |
| Benchmark | - | MSCI EAFE Index |
| N° of holdings | 85 | 650 |
| Asset class | - | Equities |
| Trailing 12m distribution yield | Join | Join |
| Inception date | July 15, 2024 | August 14, 2001 |
| ESG | No | No |
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Exposure
Countries
ILOW
United Kingdom
21.88%
Japan
15.36%
France
9.58%
Netherlands
7.39%
Other
45.79%
EFA
Japan
23.74%
United Kingdom
13.75%
Switzerland
9.84%
Germany
8.75%
France
8.69%
Other
35.23%
Sectors
ILOW
Finance
31.09%
Industrials
16.36%
Technology
12.91%
Consumer Non-Cycl.
10.02%
Healthcare
7.65%
Other
21.98%
EFA
Finance
27.68%
Industrials
15.81%
Technology
12.97%
Healthcare
9.69%
Consumer Non-Cycl.
7.95%
Non-Energy Materi.
7.03%
Other
18.88%
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Diversification
ILOW
Total weight of top 15 holdings out of 15
29.74%
EFA
Total weight of top 15 holdings out of 15
18.29%
Top 15 holdings
Data as of August 31, 2026
ILOW
ASML Holding NV
3.17%
Schneider Electric SE
2.48%
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
2.44%
Oversea-Chinese Banking Corp. Ltd.
2.13%
Roche Holding AG
1.99%
BAE Systems Plc
1.99%
Novartis AG
1.96%
KBC Group NV
1.95%
Euronext NV
1.82%
AIB Group plc
1.73%
Prysmian SpA
1.69%
UniCredit SpA
1.65%
Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, Inc.
1.62%
Tesco Plc
1.59%
NN Group NV
1.54%
EFA
ASML Holding NV
2.93%
HSBC Holdings Plc
1.59%
Roche Holding AG
1.37%
Novartis AG
1.25%
Shell Plc
1.13%
Nestlé SA
1.12%
Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, Inc.
1.10%
AstraZeneca PLC
1.10%
BHP Group Ltd.
1.08%
Siemens AG
1.07%
SAP SE
1.01%
Banco Santander SA
0.94%
Allianz SE
0.89%
Commonwealth Bank of Australia
0.86%
Schneider Electric SE
0.84%
Frequently asked questions about ILOW and EFA
How have the ILOW and EFA ETFs performed in 2026?
As of October 16, 2026, ILOW is up 8.73% year-to-date (YTD), while EFA has returned 9.65%. That puts EFA better performer ahead so far this year.
Which ETF is attracting more investor money: ILOW or EFA?
Year-to-date, the ILOW ETF saw +$139M in flows, compared to +$794M for EFA.
Which ETF is more volatile: ILOW or EFA?
Over the past year, ILOW had a volatility of 11.85%, while EFA experienced 15.86%.
Which ETF is bigger: ILOW or EFA?
As of October 16, 2026, ILOW holds $1.83 B in assets under management (AUM), while EFA manages $76.80 B.
What sectors do the ILOW and EFA ETFs invest in?
ILOW leans toward sectors like Finance, Industrials and Technology. Meanwhile, EFA focuses on Finance, Industrials and Technology.
What are the top holdings of the ILOW ETF and EFA ETF?
ILOW top holdings include ASML Holding NV, Schneider Electric SE and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.. EFA holds in its top three: ASML Holding NV, HSBC Holdings Plc and Roche Holding AG.
Which ETF is more diversified: ILOW or EFA?
ILOW holds 85 securities with 29.74% of its assets in the top 15. EFA has 658 securities and a top 15 weight of 18.29%.
Latest news about ILOW & EFA
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January 14, 2026
EFA
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December 23, 2025
EFA
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