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BUFCAB Conservative Buffer ETF

Grow my moneyDiversifier2y track recordRanked #56 of 266 in this goal

Seeks a conservative level of capital appreciation while providing potential downside protection against market declines.

By AllianceBernstein · Launched 2023

Annual Cost

0.69%

#3,611 of 5,861 · average

Fund Size

$1.0B

#1,106 of 5,861 · large

Return (1Y)Goal

+7.2%

Track Record

2 years

#3,252 of 5,861 · seasoned

Performance

Total-return NAV · USD
Growth of $10,000
$10,720+7.2%

Total-return NAV, USD. Net of fund fees, before tax.

What's inside

How Beacon categorizes this fund

Asset class

Alternative

Strategy

Structured outcome

Index tracked

S&P 500 Index

What it actually holds

By weight

Concentration

Top 5 holdings = 100.1% of fundconcentrated

Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC
99.5%
Alliance Bernstein
0.5%
Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC
0.0%
Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC
-0.0%
Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC
-0.0%

Asset allocation

Stocks
99.6%
Cash
0.4%

Risk profile

Last 12 months · Sharpe & Sortino need 3+ years
Volatility (1Y)
4.4%Low

Year-on-year price swings

Max drawdown
-8.3%Mild

Worst peak-to-trough loss

Sharpe (3Y)
Unavailable

Needs 3+ years of history

Sortino (3Y)
Not yet

Needs 3+ years of history

Listing

Exchange
NASDAQ Global Select Market

Full fund details

Objective
Seeks a conservative level of capital appreciation while providing potential downside protection against market declines.
Strategy
Actively-managed ETF that invests primarily in options on the Underlying ETF to achieve capital appreciation while providing a Hedge Period Buffer against declines of up to 15%. Focuses on large capitalization U.S. equity market securities.
Inception date
December 12, 2023
Fund family
AllianceBernstein

Our take

Structural notes on how this fund behaves. Read our guide on the 6 warning signs.

Buffer
Warning

You can build this cheaper yourself

Defined-outcome funds cap your gains (often 8% to 20%) in exchange for cushioning losses by 9% to 30%, priced with options. The fee runs about 0.70% or more, against 0.03% to 0.10% for a plain index fund. For most investors, a simple stock-and-bond mix gives similar protection for far less.

Sources: Morningstar, 'Buffer Funds Are on the Rise, but They May Not Make Sense for Most Investors' (2025)

Educational analysis of structural product characteristics. Not investment advice. Always read the fund prospectus and consult a qualified advisor before investing. More

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Data updated on 2026-08-04