BDEC vs. BAPR

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

BDEC (Innovator U.S. Equity Buffer ETF - December) and BAPR (Innovator U.S. Equity Buffer ETF - April) are both Defined Outcome funds from Innovator - BDEC tracks the Cboe S&P 500 Buffer Protect Index December while BAPR tracks the Cboe S&P 500 Buffer Protect Index April. Both are passively managed. Over the past 5 years, BDEC returned 10.16%/yr vs 11.17%/yr for BAPR. Their correlation of 0.91 suggests significant overlap in exposure. Both charge a 0.79% expense ratio.

Performance

BDEC vs. BAPR - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Innovator U.S. Equity Buffer ETF - December (BDEC) and Innovator U.S. Equity Buffer ETF - April (BAPR). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, BDEC achieves a 7.48% return, which is significantly lower than BAPR's 10.81% return.

BDEC

• 1D: -0.25%
• 1M: 3.22%
• YTD: 7.48%
• 6M: 7.80%
• 1Y: 21.54%
• 3Y*: 15.01%
• 5Y*: 10.16%
• 10Y*: —

BAPR

• 1D: -0.23%
• 1M: 2.21%
• YTD: 10.81%
• 6M: 11.74%
• 1Y: 20.12%
• 3Y*: 15.31%
• 5Y*: 11.17%
• 10Y*: —

*Multi-year figures are annualized to reflect compound growth (CAGR)

BDEC vs. BAPR - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019
BDEC Innovator U.S. Equity Buffer ETF - December	7.48%	14.96%	12.71%	19.86%	-9.42%	15.45%	13.39%	2.40%
BAPR Innovator U.S. Equity Buffer ETF - April	10.81%	8.28%	15.95%	23.16%	-7.04%	12.58%	6.19%	2.45%

Correlation

The correlation between BDEC and BAPR is 0.90, indicating a strong positive relationship between their price movements. Combining them offers limited diversification - they tend to fall together during downturns.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.90
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.91
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.93
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Dec 3, 2019	0.91

The correlation between BDEC and BAPR has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.90 to 0.93 - a consistent structural relationship.

BDEC vs. BAPR - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors	BDEC	BAPR
Technology	36.2%	36.2%
Financial Services	11.9%	11.9%
Communication Services	10.9%	10.9%
Consumer Cyclical	10.1%	10.1%
Healthcare	8.4%	8.4%
Industrials	8.1%	8.1%
Consumer Defensive	4.9%	4.9%
Energy	3.5%	3.5%
Utilities	2.3%	2.3%
Real Estate	1.9%	1.9%
Basic Materials	1.8%	1.8%

Return for Risk

BDEC vs. BAPR — Risk / Return Rank

Compare risk-adjusted metric ranks to identify better-performing investments over the past 12 months.

BDEC

BDEC Risk / Return Rank: 76
BDEC Sharpe Ratio Rank: 76
BDEC Sortino Ratio Rank: 77
BDEC Omega Ratio Rank: 79
BDEC Calmar Ratio Rank: 67
BDEC Martin Ratio Rank: 80

BAPR

BAPR Risk / Return Rank: 96
BAPR Sharpe Ratio Rank: 94
BAPR Sortino Ratio Rank: 97
BAPR Omega Ratio Rank: 97
BAPR Calmar Ratio Rank: 97
BAPR Martin Ratio Rank: 98

The rank (0–100) shows how this investment's returns compare to the risk taken. Higher = better. Based on the past 12 months of data, combining Sharpe, Sortino, and other metrics used by quantitative funds and institutional investors.

BDEC vs. BAPR - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Innovator U.S. Equity Buffer ETF - December (BDEC) and Innovator U.S. Equity Buffer ETF - April (BAPR). Risk-adjusted metrics are performance indicators that assess an investment's returns in relation to its risk, enabling a more accurate comparison of different investment options.

	BDEC	BAPR	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	2.47	3.59	-1.12
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	3.48	6.11	-2.63
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.47	1.87	-0.40
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	3.32	10.46	-7.14
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	15.88	57.55	-41.67
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

BDEC vs. BAPR - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current BDEC Sharpe Ratio is 2.47, which is lower than the BAPR Sharpe Ratio of 3.59. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of BDEC and BAPR, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	BDEC	BAPR	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	2.47	3.59	-1.12
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.85	0.98	-0.12
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.81	0.84	-0.03

Drawdowns

BDEC vs. BAPR - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum BDEC drawdown since its inception was -25.60%, which is greater than BAPR's maximum drawdown of -23.91%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for BDEC and BAPR.

Drawdown Indicators

	BDEC	BAPR	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-25.60%	-23.91%	-1.69%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-6.52%	-1.93%	-4.59%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-13.95%	-15.58%	+1.63%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-16.44%	-15.58%	-0.86%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-0.25%	-0.23%	-0.02%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-3.05%	-2.59%	-0.46%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	1.36%	0.35%	+1.01%

Volatility

BDEC vs. BAPR - Volatility Comparison

Innovator U.S. Equity Buffer ETF - December (BDEC) has a higher volatility of 1.53% compared to Innovator U.S. Equity Buffer ETF - April (BAPR) at 1.06%. This indicates that BDEC's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than BAPR based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	BDEC	BAPR	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	1.53%	1.06%	+0.47%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	6.34%	4.53%	+1.81%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	8.78%	5.64%	+3.14%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	11.96%	11.49%	+0.47%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	14.27%	13.12%	+1.15%

BDEC vs. BAPR - Expense Ratio Comparison

Both BDEC and BAPR have an expense ratio of 0.79%.

Dividends

BDEC vs. BAPR - Dividend Comparison

Neither BDEC nor BAPR has paid dividends to shareholders.

Tickers have no history of dividend payments

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both BDEC and BAPR in my portfolio?

BDEC and BAPR have a correlation of 0.90, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, BDEC or BAPR?

BDEC has higher volatility (1.53%) compared to BAPR (1.06%). In terms of maximum drawdown, BDEC dropped -25.60% vs BAPR's -23.91%.

Which ETF is better, BDEC or BAPR?

On 5-year performance, BAPR leads with 11.17% vs 10.16% for BDEC. Both ETFs have the same 0.79% expense ratio. On volatility, BAPR has been the lower-risk option at 1.06%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF has performed better, BDEC or BAPR?

Over the 5-year period, BAPR has performed better with a 11.17% return vs 10.16%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.

Which ETF is cheaper, BDEC or BAPR?

BDEC and BAPR have the same expense ratio: 0.79% per year.

Which ETF pays a higher dividend yield, BDEC or BAPR?

BDEC and BAPR have nearly identical dividend yields, around 0.00%.

What is the main difference between BDEC and BAPR?

BDEC tracks Cboe S&P 500 Buffer Protect Index December, while BAPR tracks Cboe S&P 500 Buffer Protect Index April.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

BAPR currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (3.59 vs 2.47), meaning it's delivered slightly more return per unit of risk over the trailing 12 months. However, this ranking shifts over time - use the Risk/Return Score above for a more comprehensive view that combines Sharpe, Sortino, and other measures used by quantitative funds.