EALT vs. BALT

Last updated Jun 3, 2026

EALT (Innovator U.S. Equity 5 To 15 Buffer ETF - Quarterly) and BALT (Innovator Defined Wealth Shield ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - EALT is a Options Trading fund actively managed by Innovator, while BALT is a Defined Outcome fund tracking the S&P 500. EALT is actively managed, while BALT is passively managed. Over the past year, EALT returned 11.36% vs 6.95% for BALT. Their correlation of 0.82 suggests significant overlap in exposure. Both charge a 0.69% expense ratio.

Performance

EALT vs. BALT - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Innovator U.S. Equity 5 To 15 Buffer ETF - Quarterly (EALT) and Innovator Defined Wealth Shield ETF (BALT). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, EALT achieves a 0.94% return, which is significantly lower than BALT's 1.91% return.

EALT

• 1D: -0.08%
• 1M: 1.12%
• YTD: 0.94%
• 6M: 1.02%
• 1Y: 11.36%
• 3Y*: —
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

BALT

• 1D: -0.06%
• 1M: 0.53%
• YTD: 1.91%
• 6M: 2.81%
• 1Y: 6.95%
• 3Y*: 7.27%
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

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

EALT vs. BALT - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023
EALT Innovator U.S. Equity 5 To 15 Buffer ETF - Quarterly	0.94%	9.45%	18.02%	6.80%
BALT Innovator Defined Wealth Shield ETF	1.91%	6.65%	9.98%	2.62%

Correlation

The correlation between EALT and BALT is 0.80, 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	0.80
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Oct 3, 2023	0.82

The correlation between EALT and BALT has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.80 to 0.82 - a consistent structural relationship.

EALT vs. BALT - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors	EALT	BALT
Technology	33.6%	36.2%
Financial Services	12.2%	11.9%
Communication Services	10.5%	10.9%
Consumer Cyclical	10.0%	10.1%
Healthcare	9.5%	8.4%
Industrials	8.5%	8.1%
Consumer Defensive	5.3%	4.9%
Energy	4.0%	3.5%
Utilities	2.6%	2.3%
Real Estate	2.0%	1.9%
Basic Materials	1.9%	1.8%

Return for Risk

EALT vs. BALT — Risk / Return Rank

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

EALT

EALT Risk / Return Rank: 40
EALT Sharpe Ratio Rank: 43
EALT Sortino Ratio Rank: 41
EALT Omega Ratio Rank: 44
EALT Calmar Ratio Rank: 34
EALT Martin Ratio Rank: 41

BALT

BALT Risk / Return Rank: 92
BALT Sharpe Ratio Rank: 90
BALT Sortino Ratio Rank: 94
BALT Omega Ratio Rank: 93
BALT Calmar Ratio Rank: 91
BALT Martin Ratio Rank: 91

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.

EALT vs. BALT - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Innovator U.S. Equity 5 To 15 Buffer ETF - Quarterly (EALT) and Innovator Defined Wealth Shield ETF (BALT). 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.

	EALT	BALT	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	1.53	3.19	-1.66
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	2.10	4.88	-2.78
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.29	1.67	-0.39
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	1.73	6.05	-4.32
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	6.56	22.58	-16.01
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

EALT vs. BALT - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current EALT Sharpe Ratio is 1.53, which is lower than the BALT Sharpe Ratio of 3.19. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of EALT and BALT, 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

	EALT	BALT	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	1.53	3.19	-1.66
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	1.32	1.80	-0.48

Drawdowns

EALT vs. BALT - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum EALT drawdown since its inception was -14.76%, which is greater than BALT's maximum drawdown of -4.89%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for EALT and BALT.

Drawdown Indicators

	EALT	BALT	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-14.76%	-4.89%	-9.87%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-6.66%	-1.15%	-5.51%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	—	-4.89%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-0.81%	-0.06%	-0.75%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-1.65%	-0.34%	-1.31%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	1.76%	0.31%	+1.45%

Volatility

EALT vs. BALT - Volatility Comparison

Innovator U.S. Equity 5 To 15 Buffer ETF - Quarterly (EALT) has a higher volatility of 0.52% compared to Innovator Defined Wealth Shield ETF (BALT) at 0.37%. This indicates that EALT's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than BALT based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	EALT	BALT	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	0.52%	0.37%	+0.15%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	5.53%	1.56%	+3.97%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	7.46%	2.19%	+5.27%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	10.08%	3.32%	+6.76%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	10.08%	3.32%	+6.76%

EALT vs. BALT - Expense Ratio Comparison

Both EALT and BALT have an expense ratio of 0.69%.

Dividends

EALT vs. BALT - Dividend Comparison

Neither EALT nor BALT has paid dividends to shareholders.

Tickers have no history of dividend payments

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both EALT and BALT in my portfolio?

EALT and BALT have a correlation of 0.80, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, EALT or BALT?

EALT has higher volatility (0.52%) compared to BALT (0.37%). In terms of maximum drawdown, EALT dropped -14.76% vs BALT's -4.89%.

Which ETF is better, EALT or BALT?

On 1-year performance, EALT leads with 11.36% vs 6.95% for BALT. Both ETFs have the same 0.69% expense ratio. On volatility, BALT has been the lower-risk option at 0.37%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF has performed better, EALT or BALT?

Over the 1-year period, EALT has performed better with a 11.36% return vs 6.95%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.

Which ETF is cheaper, EALT or BALT?

EALT and BALT have the same expense ratio: 0.69% per year.

Which ETF pays a higher dividend yield, EALT or BALT?

EALT and BALT have nearly identical dividend yields, around 0.00%.

What is the main difference between EALT and BALT?

EALT is categorized as Options Trading, while BALT is Defined Outcome.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

BALT currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (3.19 vs 1.53), 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.