ILOW vs JIRE

ILOWBAB International Low Volatility Equity ETF

JIREAJPMorgan International Research Enhanced Equity ETF

In short

ILOW Most international funds hunt growth. ILOW works the calm end of the pool: an actively run AB portfolio of overseas companies picked for steady profits, quiet price action, and sane valuations.

JIRE EAFE core with a stock-picker's fingerprints. JIRE holds sector and geographic risk close to the MSCI EAFE Index and expresses J.P. Morgan's global analyst calls as small over- and underweights, for 0.29% a year, below the typical active international fee.

Stated mandate

ILOW The fund seeks long-term growth of capital. It is actively managed and invests internationally with emphasis on sustainable profitability, price stability, and attractive valuations.

JIRE JIRE seeks long-term capital appreciation by investing primarily in foreign developed-market companies. It uses global fundamental research and seeks to outperform the MSCI EAFE Index while maintaining similar sector and geographic risk characteristics.

Why people hold it

• ILOW Low volatility run by humans, not a rulebook. AB selects for sustainable profitability, price stability, and attractive valuations rather than holding whatever a low-vol index prints.
• 0.50% a year, below the typical actively managed international fund in its group. Unusual for a strategy with a manager steering it.
• Roughly 90 names: tight enough that stock selection actually shows up, wide enough that no single position runs the fund.
• Grades as one of the stronger builds in its active international peer group.

• JIRE Index-like by design: sector and geographic risk stay close to MSCI EAFE, so stock-level tilts from J.P. Morgan's worldwide research bench do the work.jpmorgan.com
• 0.29% a year, below the median fee in its active international category, and no waiver is propping that up, so there is no expiry date to watch.
• Risk spread wide: roughly 200 stocks across developed markets outside North America, inside a multi-billion-dollar fund.
• Rates as one of the stronger implementations in the active international equity group.

Worth knowing

• ILOW Thinly traded next to the heavyweights of the category, so spreads and limit orders deserve a closer look before you click.
• Launched in 2024. The live record is short and has not been through a full market cycle yet.
• Index-based rivals like AVDE and DFIC charge roughly half as much. The active low-vol tilt is what the extra fee buys.

• JIRE Hugging the benchmark cuts both ways: differences from EAFE come in small slices from stock selection, not bold sector or country bets.
• Cheaper shelf-mates exist: DFIC at 0.22% and AVDE at 0.23%, plus TACN at 0.20% gross but 0% net of a waiver through January 30, 2027.
• Developed-market holdings are priced in foreign currencies, so moves in the dollar ride along with the stock results.jpmorgan.com

Full ILOW profile⁠

Full JIRE profile⁠