FFEB vs. DDEC

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

FFEB (FT Vest U.S. Equity Buffer ETF - February) and DDEC (FT Vest U.S. Equity Deep Buffer ETF - December) are both Defined Outcome funds from FT Vest. FFEB is actively managed, while DDEC is passively managed. Over the past 5 years, FFEB returned 11.09%/yr vs 8.31%/yr for DDEC. Their correlation of 0.89 suggests significant overlap in exposure. Both charge a 0.85% expense ratio.

Performance

FFEB vs. DDEC - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in FT Vest U.S. Equity Buffer ETF - February (FFEB) and FT Vest U.S. Equity Deep Buffer ETF - December (DDEC). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, FFEB achieves a 7.65% return, which is significantly higher than DDEC's 4.97% return.

FFEB

• 1D: -0.30%
• 1M: 2.45%
• YTD: 7.65%
• 6M: 8.55%
• 1Y: 19.32%
• 3Y*: 16.35%
• 5Y*: 11.09%
• 10Y*: —

DDEC

• 1D: -0.19%
• 1M: 1.98%
• YTD: 4.97%
• 6M: 5.94%
• 1Y: 16.08%
• 3Y*: 12.69%
• 5Y*: 8.31%
• 10Y*: —

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

FFEB vs. DDEC - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020
FFEB FT Vest U.S. Equity Buffer ETF - February	7.65%	13.76%	16.64%	19.95%	-7.51%	16.26%	0.66%
DDEC FT Vest U.S. Equity Deep Buffer ETF - December	4.97%	12.33%	12.26%	16.82%	-6.71%	7.61%	0.75%

Correlation

The correlation between FFEB and DDEC is 0.93, 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	0.93
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.92
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.89
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Dec 22, 2020	0.89

The correlation between FFEB and DDEC has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.89 to 0.93 - a consistent structural relationship.

FFEB vs. DDEC - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors	FFEB	DDEC
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

FFEB vs. DDEC — Risk / Return Rank

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

FFEB

FFEB Risk / Return Rank: 82
FFEB Sharpe Ratio Rank: 83
FFEB Sortino Ratio Rank: 87
FFEB Omega Ratio Rank: 88
FFEB Calmar Ratio Rank: 68
FFEB Martin Ratio Rank: 86

DDEC

DDEC Risk / Return Rank: 86
DDEC Sharpe Ratio Rank: 85
DDEC Sortino Ratio Rank: 89
DDEC Omega Ratio Rank: 89
DDEC Calmar Ratio Rank: 77
DDEC Martin Ratio Rank: 88

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.

FFEB vs. DDEC - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for FT Vest U.S. Equity Buffer ETF - February (FFEB) and FT Vest U.S. Equity Deep Buffer ETF - December (DDEC). 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.

	FFEB	DDEC	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	2.73	2.79	-0.07
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	3.94	4.12	-0.19
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.55	1.57	-0.02
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	3.39	3.87	-0.48
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	18.01	19.48	-1.46
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

FFEB vs. DDEC - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current FFEB Sharpe Ratio is 2.73, which is comparable to the DDEC Sharpe Ratio of 2.79. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of FFEB and DDEC, 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

	FFEB	DDEC	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	2.73	2.79	-0.07
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	1.03	1.19	-0.16
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.87	1.25	-0.38

Drawdowns

FFEB vs. DDEC - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum FFEB drawdown since its inception was -22.81%, which is greater than DDEC's maximum drawdown of -10.22%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for FFEB and DDEC.

Drawdown Indicators

	FFEB	DDEC	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-22.81%	-10.22%	-12.59%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-5.73%	-4.18%	-1.55%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-11.89%	-9.40%	-2.49%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-13.85%	-10.22%	-3.63%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-0.30%	-0.19%	-0.11%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-2.40%	-1.87%	-0.53%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	1.08%	0.83%	+0.25%

Volatility

FFEB vs. DDEC - Volatility Comparison

FT Vest U.S. Equity Buffer ETF - February (FFEB) has a higher volatility of 1.24% compared to FT Vest U.S. Equity Deep Buffer ETF - December (DDEC) at 0.88%. This indicates that FFEB's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than DDEC based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	FFEB	DDEC	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	1.24%	0.88%	+0.36%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	5.56%	4.36%	+1.20%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	7.12%	5.79%	+1.33%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	10.81%	7.02%	+3.79%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	13.75%	6.87%	+6.88%

FFEB vs. DDEC - Expense Ratio Comparison

Both FFEB and DDEC have an expense ratio of 0.85%.

Dividends

FFEB vs. DDEC - Dividend Comparison

Neither FFEB nor DDEC has paid dividends to shareholders.

Tickers have no history of dividend payments

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both FFEB and DDEC in my portfolio?

With a correlation of 0.93, FFEB and DDEC move almost identically. Holding both adds very little diversification - you're essentially doubling your position in the same market segment. Choosing one is usually more capital-efficient.

Which is riskier, FFEB or DDEC?

FFEB has higher volatility (1.24%) compared to DDEC (0.88%). In terms of maximum drawdown, FFEB dropped -22.81% vs DDEC's -10.22%.

Which ETF is better, FFEB or DDEC?

On 5-year performance, FFEB leads with 11.09% vs 8.31% for DDEC. Both ETFs have the same 0.85% expense ratio. On volatility, DDEC has been the lower-risk option at 0.88%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF has performed better, FFEB or DDEC?

Over the 5-year period, FFEB has performed better with a 11.09% return vs 8.31%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.

Which ETF is cheaper, FFEB or DDEC?

FFEB and DDEC have the same expense ratio: 0.85% per year.

Which ETF pays a higher dividend yield, FFEB or DDEC?

FFEB and DDEC have nearly identical dividend yields, around 0.00%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

DDEC currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.79 vs 2.73), 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.