EALT vs. QQQY

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

EALT (Innovator U.S. Equity 5 To 15 Buffer ETF - Quarterly) and QQQY (Defiance Nasdaq 100 Enhanced Options Income ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - EALT is a Options Trading fund actively managed by Innovator, while QQQY is a Nasdaq-100 fund actively managed by Defiance. Both are actively managed. Over the past year, EALT returned 10.95% vs 36.38% for QQQY. Their correlation of 0.80 suggests significant overlap in exposure. EALT charges 0.69%/yr vs 0.99%/yr for QQQY.

Performance

EALT vs. QQQY - 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 Defiance Nasdaq 100 Enhanced Options Income ETF (QQQY). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, EALT achieves a 1.05% return, which is significantly lower than QQQY's 19.07% return.

EALT

• 1D: 0.11%
• 1M: 1.42%
• YTD: 1.05%
• 6M: 0.88%
• 1Y: 10.95%
• 3Y*: —
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

QQQY

• 1D: -0.36%
• 1M: 9.64%
• YTD: 19.07%
• 6M: 19.11%
• 1Y: 36.38%
• 3Y*: —
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

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

EALT vs. QQQY - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023
EALT Innovator U.S. Equity 5 To 15 Buffer ETF - Quarterly	1.05%	9.45%	18.02%	6.80%
QQQY Defiance Nasdaq 100 Enhanced Options Income ETF	19.07%	14.96%	7.70%	8.93%

Correlation

The correlation between EALT and QQQY is 0.76, 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	0.76
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Oct 3, 2023	0.80

The correlation between EALT and QQQY has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.76 to 0.80 - a consistent structural relationship.

Return for Risk

EALT vs. QQQY — 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: 42
EALT Sortino Ratio Rank: 39
EALT Omega Ratio Rank: 43
EALT Calmar Ratio Rank: 34
EALT Martin Ratio Rank: 40

QQQY

QQQY Risk / Return Rank: 74
QQQY Sharpe Ratio Rank: 81
QQQY Sortino Ratio Rank: 73
QQQY Omega Ratio Rank: 80
QQQY Calmar Ratio Rank: 65
QQQY Martin Ratio Rank: 73

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. QQQY - 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 Defiance Nasdaq 100 Enhanced Options Income ETF (QQQY). 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	QQQY	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	1.48	2.68	-1.20
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	2.03	3.37	-1.35
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.28	1.49	-0.21
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	1.65	3.28	-1.63
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	6.25	13.95	-7.70
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. QQQY - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current EALT Sharpe Ratio is 1.48, which is lower than the QQQY Sharpe Ratio of 2.68. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of EALT and QQQY, 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	QQQY	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	1.48	2.68	-1.20
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	1.33	1.25	+0.07

Drawdowns

EALT vs. QQQY - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum EALT drawdown since its inception was -14.76%, smaller than the maximum QQQY drawdown of -19.05%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for EALT and QQQY.

Drawdown Indicators

	EALT	QQQY	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-14.76%	-19.05%	+4.29%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-6.66%	-11.14%	+4.48%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-0.70%	-0.36%	-0.34%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-1.64%	-2.91%	+1.27%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	1.76%	2.61%	-0.85%

Volatility

EALT vs. QQQY - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for Innovator U.S. Equity 5 To 15 Buffer ETF - Quarterly (EALT) is 0.46%, while Defiance Nasdaq 100 Enhanced Options Income ETF (QQQY) has a volatility of 4.21%. This indicates that EALT experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than QQQY based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	EALT	QQQY	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	0.46%	4.21%	-3.75%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	5.51%	11.30%	-5.79%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	7.45%	13.67%	-6.22%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	10.07%	14.75%	-4.68%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	10.07%	14.75%	-4.68%

EALT vs. QQQY - Expense Ratio Comparison

EALT has a 0.69% expense ratio, which is lower than QQQY's 0.99% expense ratio.

Dividends

EALT vs. QQQY - Dividend Comparison

EALT has not paid dividends to shareholders, while QQQY's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 34.34%.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023
EALT Innovator U.S. Equity 5 To 15 Buffer ETF - Quarterly	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
QQQY Defiance Nasdaq 100 Enhanced Options Income ETF	34.34%	45.34%	83.34%	20.64%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both EALT and QQQY in my portfolio?

EALT and QQQY have a correlation of 0.76, 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 QQQY?

QQQY has higher volatility (4.21%) compared to EALT (0.46%). In terms of maximum drawdown, EALT dropped -14.76% vs QQQY's -19.05%.

Which ETF is better, EALT or QQQY?

On 1-year performance, QQQY leads with 36.38% vs 10.95% for EALT. On fees, EALT is cheaper at 0.69% per year. On volatility, EALT has been the lower-risk option at 0.46%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF has performed better, EALT or QQQY?

Over the 1-year period, QQQY has performed better with a 36.38% return vs 10.95%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.

Which ETF is cheaper, EALT or QQQY?

EALT is cheaper with a 0.69% expense ratio, compared with 0.99% for QQQY.

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

QQQY has the higher dividend yield at 34.34%, compared with 0.00% for EALT.

What is the main difference between EALT and QQQY?

EALT is categorized as Options Trading, while QQQY is Nasdaq-100. They also come from different issuers: Innovator and Defiance. Their fees differ too: 0.69% for EALT and 0.99% for QQQY.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

QQQY currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.68 vs 1.48), 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.