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 7.57% year-to-date (YTD) with +$140M in YTD flows. EFA performs better with 9.47% YTD performance, and +$482M 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 07/16/2026
| 1M | 3M | YTD | 1Y | 3Y | 5Y | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Perf. | ILOW EFA | +0.82%-0.19% | +1.96%+0.79% | +7.57%+9.47% | +14.39%+20.69% | n/a+53.92% | n/a+57.47% |
| Flows | ILOW EFA | +$5M-$997M | +$31M+$128M | +$140M+$482M | +$342M+$1.73B | -+$4.35B | -+$2.46B |
Volatility and drawdown
| 3M | 1Y | 3Y | 5Y | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Volatility | ILOW EFA | +10.20%+17.10% | +11.58%+15.88% | n/a+15.00% | n/a+16.29% |
| Max drawdown | ILOW EFA | -3.37%-3.96% | -9.40%-11.39% | n/a-13.68% | n/a-29.40% |
| Max drawdown duration | ILOW EFA | 57d16d | 122d107d | n/a41d | n/a892d |
Trading data
ILOW | EFA | |
Last sale 7/17/2026 at 1:30 PM | $45.58 | $103.33 |
| Previous close 07/16/2026 | $45.73 | $103.81 |
| Consolidated volume 07/16/2026 | ||
| Average volume 30 days | ||
| Average discount or premium 30 days | ||
| Average Bid/Ask spread 30 days |
Replication quality
Data as of June 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 7/17/2026 at 1:30 PM
Live
Closed
ILOW | EFA | |
|---|---|---|
| Last price | $45.58 | $103.33 |
| 1D performance | -0.33% | -0.46% |
| AuM | $1.81 B | $76.36 B |
| E/R | 0.5% | 0.32% |
Characteristics
ILOW | EFA | |
|---|---|---|
| Management strategy | Active | Passive |
| Provider | AllianceBernstein | iShares |
| Benchmark | - | MSCI EAFE Index |
| N° of holdings | 84 | 664 |
| 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
23%
Japan
13.85%
France
9.02%
Netherlands
7.58%
Other
46.55%
EFA
Japan
23.46%
United Kingdom
13.48%
Switzerland
9.98%
Germany
8.93%
France
8.79%
Other
35.36%
Sectors
ILOW
Finance
32.22%
Industrials
17.08%
Technology
12.15%
Consumer Non-Cycl.
10.59%
Healthcare
8.71%
Other
19.25%
EFA
Finance
26.08%
Industrials
16.3%
Technology
12.87%
Healthcare
9.83%
Consumer Non-Cycl.
8.03%
Non-Energy Materi.
7.24%
Other
19.66%
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Diversification
ILOW
Total weight of top 15 holdings out of 15
29.05%
EFA
Total weight of top 15 holdings out of 15
17.88%
Top 15 holdings
Data as of May 31, 2026
ILOW
ASML Holding NV
2.87%
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
2.46%
Prysmian SpA
2.13%
Schneider Electric SE
2.11%
Novartis AG
1.99%
BAE Systems Plc
1.94%
Roche Holding AG
1.80%
Oversea-Chinese Banking Corp. Ltd.
1.79%
ABB Ltd.
1.78%
AIB Group plc
1.78%
Enel SpA
1.72%
AstraZeneca PLC
1.71%
Tryg A/S
1.70%
Euronext NV
1.66%
British American Tobacco plc
1.62%
EFA
ASML Holding NV
2.88%
HSBC Holdings Plc
1.48%
Roche Holding AG
1.36%
AstraZeneca PLC
1.29%
Novartis AG
1.27%
Nestlé SA
1.20%
Shell Plc
1.09%
Siemens AG
1.08%
BHP Group Ltd.
1.05%
Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, Inc.
0.93%
Commonwealth Bank of Australia
0.91%
SAP SE
0.87%
Toyota Motor Corp.
0.83%
Banco Santander SA
0.83%
SoftBank Group Corp.
0.80%
Frequently asked questions about ILOW and EFA
How have the ILOW and EFA ETFs performed in 2026?
As of July 16, 2026, ILOW is up 7.57% year-to-date (YTD), while EFA has returned 9.47%. 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 +$140M in flows, compared to +$482M for EFA.
Which ETF is more volatile: ILOW or EFA?
Over the past year, ILOW had a volatility of 11.58%, while EFA experienced 15.88%.
Which ETF is bigger: ILOW or EFA?
As of July 16, 2026, ILOW holds $1.81 B in assets under management (AUM), while EFA manages $76.36 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, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd. and Prysmian SpA. 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 84 securities with 29.05% of its assets in the top 15. EFA has 676 securities and a top 15 weight of 17.88%.
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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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