CFA vs. FMAY

Last updated Jun 25, 2026

CFA (VictoryShares US 500 Volatility Weighted ETF) and FMAY (FT Cboe Vest U.S. Equity Buffer ETF - May) are both Large Cap Blend Equities funds - CFA tracks the Nasdaq Victory U.S. Large Cap 500 Volatility Weighted Index while FMAY tracks the Cboe S&P 500 Buffer Protect Index May Series. Both are passively managed. Over the past 5 years, CFA returned 8.04%/yr vs 8.98%/yr for FMAY. Their correlation of 0.82 suggests significant overlap in exposure. CFA charges 0.35%/yr vs 0.85%/yr for FMAY.

Performance

CFA vs. FMAY - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in VictoryShares US 500 Volatility Weighted ETF (CFA) and FT Cboe Vest U.S. Equity Buffer ETF - May (FMAY). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, CFA achieves a 7.97% return, which is significantly higher than FMAY's 4.02% return.

CFA

• 1D: 0.46%
• 1M: 1.74%
• YTD: 7.97%
• 6M: 6.65%
• 1Y: 13.72%
• 3Y*: 13.68%
• 5Y*: 8.04%
• 10Y*: 11.92%

FMAY

• 1D: 0.07%
• 1M: -0.57%
• YTD: 4.02%
• 6M: 3.86%
• 1Y: 12.21%
• 3Y*: 13.16%
• 5Y*: 8.98%
• 10Y*: —

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

CFA vs. FMAY - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020
CFA VictoryShares US 500 Volatility Weighted ETF	7.97%	8.63%	15.34%	11.85%	-11.39%	26.09%	36.21%
FMAY FT Cboe Vest U.S. Equity Buffer ETF - May	4.02%	12.69%	14.45%	17.83%	-8.08%	11.00%	10.80%

Correlation

The correlation between CFA and FMAY is 0.70, which is moderate. They share some common price drivers but move independently often enough to provide real diversification benefit when combined.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.70
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.76
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.84
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since May 18, 2020	0.82

The correlation between CFA and FMAY shifts across timeframes, from 0.70 (1 year) to 0.84 (5 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

CFA vs. FMAY - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors	CFA	FMAY
Industrials	18.1%	7.8%
Financial Services	17.8%	11.1%
Technology	17.1%	39.0%
Consumer Cyclical	9.6%	9.9%
Healthcare	9.6%	8.3%
Utilities	8.5%	2.1%
Consumer Defensive	6.7%	4.5%
Energy	5.1%	3.1%
Basic Materials	3.6%	1.7%
Communication Services	3.6%	10.6%
Real Estate	0.4%	1.8%

Return for Risk

CFA vs. FMAY — Risk / Return Rank

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

CFA

CFA Risk / Return Rank: 42
CFA Sharpe Ratio Rank: 40
CFA Sortino Ratio Rank: 40
CFA Omega Ratio Rank: 37
CFA Calmar Ratio Rank: 44
CFA Martin Ratio Rank: 48

FMAY

FMAY Risk / Return Rank: 72
FMAY Sharpe Ratio Rank: 66
FMAY Sortino Ratio Rank: 68
FMAY Omega Ratio Rank: 76
FMAY Calmar Ratio Rank: 67
FMAY Martin Ratio Rank: 85

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.

CFA vs. FMAY - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for VictoryShares US 500 Volatility Weighted ETF (CFA) and FT Cboe Vest U.S. Equity Buffer ETF - May (FMAY). 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.

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.

	CFA	FMAY	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	1.27	1.89	-0.62
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	1.88	2.70	-0.82
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.22	1.39	-0.17
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	1.93	2.91	-0.98
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	7.15	15.45	-8.30

CFA vs. FMAY - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current CFA Sharpe Ratio is 1.27, which is lower than the FMAY Sharpe Ratio of 1.89. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of CFA and FMAY, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Drawdowns

CFA vs. FMAY - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum CFA drawdown since its inception was -37.74%, which is greater than FMAY's maximum drawdown of -13.60%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for CFA and FMAY.

Drawdown Indicators

	CFA	FMAY	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-37.74%	-13.60%	-24.14%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-7.13%	-4.22%	-2.91%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-17.28%	-13.12%	-4.16%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-20.88%	-13.60%	-7.28%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-37.74%	—	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-0.57%	-1.67%	+1.10%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-4.15%	-2.00%	-2.15%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	1.93%	0.79%	+1.14%

Volatility

CFA vs. FMAY - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for VictoryShares US 500 Volatility Weighted ETF (CFA) is 2.94%, while FT Cboe Vest U.S. Equity Buffer ETF - May (FMAY) has a volatility of 3.11%. This indicates that CFA experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than FMAY based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	CFA	FMAY	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	2.94%	3.11%	-0.17%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	8.07%	5.41%	+2.66%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	10.88%	6.53%	+4.35%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	15.08%	10.66%	+4.42%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	17.18%	10.17%	+7.01%

CFA vs. FMAY - Expense Ratio Comparison

CFA has a 0.35% expense ratio, which is lower than FMAY's 0.85% expense ratio.

Dividends

CFA vs. FMAY - Dividend Comparison

CFA's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.25%, while FMAY has not paid dividends to shareholders.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
CFA VictoryShares US 500 Volatility Weighted ETF	1.25%	1.29%	1.32%	1.42%	1.59%	1.04%	1.21%	1.35%	1.50%	1.15%	1.37%	1.31%
FMAY FT Cboe Vest U.S. Equity Buffer ETF - May	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both CFA and FMAY in my portfolio?

CFA and FMAY have a correlation of 0.70, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, CFA or FMAY?

FMAY has higher volatility (3.11%) compared to CFA (2.94%). In terms of maximum drawdown, CFA dropped -37.74% vs FMAY's -13.60%.

Which ETF is better, CFA or FMAY?

On 5-year performance, FMAY leads with 8.98% vs 8.04% for CFA. On fees, CFA is cheaper at 0.35% per year. On volatility, CFA has been the lower-risk option at 2.94%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF has performed better, CFA or FMAY?

Over the 5-year period, FMAY has performed better with a 8.98% return vs 8.04%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.

Which ETF is cheaper, CFA or FMAY?

CFA is cheaper with a 0.35% expense ratio, compared with 0.85% for FMAY.

Which ETF pays a higher dividend yield, CFA or FMAY?

CFA has the higher dividend yield at 1.25%, compared with 0.00% for FMAY.

What is the main difference between CFA and FMAY?

CFA tracks Nasdaq Victory U.S. Large Cap 500 Volatility Weighted Index, while FMAY tracks Cboe S&P 500 Buffer Protect Index May Series. They also come from different issuers: VictoryShares and First Trust. Their fees differ too: 0.35% for CFA and 0.85% for FMAY.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

FMAY currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.89 vs 1.27), 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.