ILOW vs IVV
AB International Low Volatility Equity ETF vs iShares Core S&P 500 ETF
Which is better, ILOW or IVV?
IVV has been ahead.
IVV has a lower expense ratio. IVV led over 1Y and the full window. ILOW is less concentrated, with 21.2% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 37.8%.
MarketXLS is not an investment adviser. This comparison is generated automatically from market data and is for information only. A Best mark means the better reading on that one measure, not a recommendation to buy.
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Metric | ILOW | IVV |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 0.50% | 0.03%Best |
| AUM | $1.9B | $876.4B |
| Dividend Yield | 1.45% | 1.06% |
| Holdings | 102 | 508 |
| YTD Return | +7.99% | +11.03%Best |
| 1Y Return | +10.06% | +15.62%Best |
| 3Y Return (annualized) | - | +20.81% |
| 5Y Return (annualized) | - | +12.61% |
| Volatility (annualized) | 10.1%Best | 12.3% |
| Max Drawdown | -10.4%Best | -18.8% |
| $10,000 over 2.2 years | $13,668 | $13,827Best |
| Top 10 Weight | 21.2%Best | 37.8% |
| Fund Family | AllianceBernstein L.P. | iShares by BlackRock (US) |
| Category | Equity | Equity |
| Style | Large Cap Blend | Large Cap Blend |
| Inception | Jul 15, 2024 | May 15, 2000 |
Volatility and max drawdown, and the $10,000 over 2.2 years row, are measured over the window both funds cover: Jul 15, 2024 to Sep 16, 2026 (2.2 years).
ILOW vs IVV growth
Month-end closes. Both lines start at 0% in the first month shown, so the gap between them is the difference in growth across that window. The full view covers the 2.2 years both funds cover.
ILOW vs IVV Performance
AB International Low Volatility Equity ETF (ILOW) is an ETF from AllianceBernstein L.P. and iShares Core S&P 500 ETF (IVV) is an ETF from iShares by BlackRock (US). Over the past year ILOW returned +10.06% while IVV returned +15.62%. Year to date, ILOW is up 7.99% versus a gain of 11.03% for IVV.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns
IVV has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 12.3% compared with 10.1% for ILOW. Lower volatility generally means a smoother ride, though it often comes with lower long-run returns.
The deepest peak-to-trough decline in our data was -10.4% for ILOW and -18.8% for IVV. Drawdown depth is what each fund did in the worst stretch of the window measured above.
The two funds' monthly returns correlate at 0.45. They move together some of the time, and apart the rest.
Fees and Cost Over Time
ILOW charges 0.50% per year while IVV charges 0.03%. On a $10,000 position that is $50 vs $3 annually, a gap of $47 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, ILOW currently yields 1.45% against 1.06% for IVV.
Holdings Overlap
0.4% of ILOW's money is in holdings IVV also owns. 0.4% of IVV's money is in holdings ILOW also owns.
We cannot see either book well enough to say how much of this pair is duplicated.
1 positions in common, counted across the 85 positions we hold weights for in ILOW and 490 in IVV, against full books of 102 and 508.
What only one of them owns
Our book lists 481 positions for IVV that do not appear in our book for ILOW (98.2% of the fund), and 3 for ILOW that do not appear in IVV (3.6%).
Some of those will be the same company recorded under a different code in one of the two books, so the real difference in what you would own is no larger than this and may be smaller. We do not name the individual positions here for that reason.
Top Shared Holdings
| Stock | Weight in ILOW | Weight in IVV | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| PMPhilip Morris International Inc. | 0.40% | 0.44% | 0.04% |
You are not choosing between two funds in isolation.
Whichever of ILOW and IVV you pick has to sit alongside everything else you own. Add the rest and see what the combination actually holds.
Free for up to 10 holdings. No account needed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is cheaper, ILOW or IVV?
ILOW has an expense ratio of 0.50% while IVV charges 0.03%. IVV is the cheaper option, by $47 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which performed better, ILOW or IVV?
Over the past year ILOW returned +10.06% vs +15.62% for IVV, so IVV leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (2 years), ILOW annualized +15.26% vs +15.87% for IVV. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which is riskier, ILOW or IVV?
IVV has been the more volatile fund at 12.3% annualized versus 10.1% for ILOW. Worst drawdown: ILOW -10.4% vs IVV -18.8%.
Should I hold both ILOW and IVV?
ILOW and IVV have a monthly-return correlation of 0.45, so their returns are far enough apart for the mix to behave differently from either one alone. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which pays a higher dividend, ILOW or IVV?
ILOW yields 1.45% while IVV yields 1.06%, so ILOW currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is IVV better than ILOW?
IVV has a lower expense ratio. IVV led over 1Y and the full window. ILOW is less concentrated, with 21.2% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 37.8%. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.