- ISIN
- US33740F2433
- Issuer
- First Trust
- Inception Date
- May 29, 2024
- Category
- Defined Outcome
- Leveraged
- 1x (No leverage)
- Index Tracked
- No Index (Active)
- Domicile
- United States
- Distribution Policy
- Accumulating
- Asset Class
- Alternatives
- Asset Class Size
- Small-Cap
- Asset Class Style
- Blend
- Assets Under Management
- $164M
Share Price Chart
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Performance
BUFS Performance Chart
FT Vest Laddered Small Cap Moderate Buffer ETF (BUFS) is up 9.1% since the beginning of the year. BUFS is currently trading at $25 per share.
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Returns By Period
FT Vest Laddered Small Cap Moderate Buffer ETF (BUFS) has returned 9.06% so far this year and 19.47% over the past 12 months.
FT Vest Laddered Small Cap Moderate Buffer ETF
- 1D
- -0.23%
- 1M
- 1.67%
- YTD
- 9.06%
- 6M
- 8.21%
- 1Y
- 19.47%
- 3Y*
- —
- 5Y*
- —
- 10Y*
- —
Benchmark (S&P 500 Index)
- 1D
- -1.44%
- 1M
- -1.45%
- YTD
- 7.60%
- 6M
- 6.59%
- 1Y
- 22.24%
- 3Y*
- 19.20%
- 5Y*
- 11.54%
- 10Y*
- 13.71%
BUFS Monthly Returns History
Based on dividend-adjusted daily data since May 30, 2024, BUFS's average daily return is +0.05%, while the average monthly return is +0.88%. At this rate, an investment would double in approximately 6.6 years.
Historically, 73% of months were positive and 27% were negative. The best month was Apr 2026 with a return of +5.0%, while the worst month was Mar 2025 at -3.8%. The longest winning streak lasted 10 consecutive months, and the longest losing streak was 3 months.
On a daily basis, BUFS closed higher 54% of trading days. The best single day was Apr 9, 2025 with a return of +5.0%, while the worst single day was Apr 3, 2025 at -3.3%.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 2.32% | 0.60% | -1.91% | 4.99% | 1.88% | 1.00% | 9.06% | ||||||
| 2025 | 2.02% | -3.31% | -3.75% | -1.04% | 2.20% | 2.76% | 0.93% | 3.91% | 1.81% | 0.89% | 0.14% | 0.61% | 7.08% |
| 2024 | 0.36% | -0.42% | 4.97% | 0.26% | 0.64% | -0.27% | 4.94% | -3.55% | 6.83% |
Benchmark Metrics
FT Vest Laddered Small Cap Moderate Buffer ETF has an annualized alpha of 1.22%, beta of 0.58, and R2 of 0.72 versus S&P 500 Index. Calculated based on daily prices since May 30, 2024.
- This ETF participated in 60.73% of S&P 500 Index downside but only 58.17% of its upside - more exposed to losses than it benefited from rallies.
- Beta of 0.58 indicates this ETF moves significantly less than S&P 500 Index - a genuinely defensive profile with reduced participation in both market rallies and downturns.
- Alpha
- 1.22%
- Beta
- 0.58
- R²
- 0.72
- Upside Capture
- 58.17%
- Downside Capture
- 60.73%
Expense Ratio
BUFS has a high expense ratio of 1.01%, indicating above-average management fees.
Return for Risk
Risk / Return Rank
BUFS ranks 80 for risk / return — better than 80% of ETFs on our site. You're getting solid returns for the risk taken. A good sign, especially for investors who want growth without excessive volatility.
Return / Risk — by metrics
The table below present risk-adjusted performance metrics for FT Vest Laddered Small Cap Moderate Buffer ETF (BUFS) and compare them to S&P 500 Index.
Values are calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. Risk-adjusted metrics are more stable over longer periods — use the period switch above to explore them.
| BUFS | Benchmark | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +0.39 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +0.70 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.40 | 1.32 | +0.07 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 4.18 | 2.46 | +1.72 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 16.74 | 10.92 | +5.83 |
Dividends
Dividend History
Drawdowns
Drawdowns Chart
The Drawdowns chart displays portfolio losses from any high point along the way. Drawdowns are calculated considering price movements and all distributions paid, if any.
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Worst Drawdowns
The table below displays the maximum drawdowns of the FT Vest Laddered Small Cap Moderate Buffer ETF. A maximum drawdown is a measure of risk, indicating the largest reduction in portfolio value due to a series of losing trades.
The maximum drawdown for the FT Vest Laddered Small Cap Moderate Buffer ETF was 15.03%, occurring on Apr 8, 2025. Recovery took 103 trading sessions.
The current FT Vest Laddered Small Cap Moderate Buffer ETF drawdown is 0.23%.
Related event | Drawdown | Fall | Recovery | Underwater |
|---|---|---|---|---|
2025 selloff2025 | -15.03%Apr 2025 | 4mo 4d | 5mo | 9mo 4dDec 2024 - Sep 2025 |
2024 pullback2024 | -5.36%Aug 2024 | 19d | 21d | 1mo 10dJul 2024 - Aug 2024 |
2025 pullback2025 | -4.68%Nov 2025 | 23d | 14d | 1mo 7dOct 2025 - Dec 2025 |
2026 pullback2026 | -4.02%Mar 2026 | 1mo 1d | 10d | 1mo 11dFeb 2026 - Apr 2026 |
2024 pullback2024 | -2.82%Sep 2024 | 3d | 13d | 16dSep 2024 - Sep 2024 |
Drawdown Indicators
| BUFS | Benchmark | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -15.03% | -56.78% | +41.75% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -4.68% | -9.10% | +4.42% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | — | -18.90% | — |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | — | -25.43% | — |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | — | -33.92% | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -0.23% | -3.21% | +2.98% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -2.37% | -10.71% | +8.34% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 1.17% | 2.04% | -0.87% |
Volatility
Volatility Chart
The chart below shows the rolling one-month volatility.
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