FOCT vs. VTAPX

Last updated Jun 24, 2026

FOCT (FT Vest U.S. Equity Buffer ETF - October) and VTAPX (Vanguard Short-Term Inflation-Protected Securities Index Fund Admiral Shares) are both funds - FOCT is a Defined Outcome fund actively managed by FT Vest, while VTAPX is a Inflation-Protected Bonds fund tracking the Bloomberg U.S. Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities (TIPS) 0-5 Year Index. FOCT is actively managed, while VTAPX is passively managed. Over the past 5 years, FOCT returned 8.83%/yr vs 3.25%/yr for VTAPX. At a 0.14 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. FOCT charges 0.85%/yr vs 0.06%/yr for VTAPX.

Performance

FOCT vs. VTAPX - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in FT Vest U.S. Equity Buffer ETF - October (FOCT) and Vanguard Short-Term Inflation-Protected Securities Index Fund Admiral Shares (VTAPX). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, FOCT achieves a 5.72% return, which is significantly higher than VTAPX's 1.33% return.

FOCT

• 1D: -0.69%
• 1M: -0.13%
• YTD: 5.72%
• 6M: 5.29%
• 1Y: 18.22%
• 3Y*: 11.88%
• 5Y*: 8.83%
• 10Y*: —

VTAPX

• 1D: -0.12%
• 1M: -0.16%
• YTD: 1.33%
• 6M: 1.45%
• 1Y: 3.53%
• 3Y*: 4.98%
• 5Y*: 3.25%
• 10Y*: 3.02%

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

FOCT vs. VTAPX - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020
FOCT FT Vest U.S. Equity Buffer ETF - October	5.72%	14.92%	9.62%	17.81%	-7.59%	13.13%	4.94%
VTAPX Vanguard Short-Term Inflation-Protected Securities Index Fund Admiral Shares	1.33%	6.03%	4.73%	4.59%	-2.84%	5.26%	1.21%

Correlation

The correlation between FOCT and VTAPX is 0.03, meaning there is essentially no relationship between their price movements. Each responds to its own set of market drivers, making them strong candidates for combining in a diversified portfolio.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.03
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.10
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.13
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Oct 19, 2020	0.14

The correlation between FOCT and VTAPX shifts across timeframes, from 0.03 (1 year) to 0.14 (all time), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

Return for Risk

FOCT vs. VTAPX — Risk / Return Rank

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

FOCT

FOCT Risk / Return Rank: 76
FOCT Sharpe Ratio Rank: 76
FOCT Sortino Ratio Rank: 78
FOCT Omega Ratio Rank: 79
FOCT Calmar Ratio Rank: 68
FOCT Martin Ratio Rank: 82

VTAPX

VTAPX Risk / Return Rank: 84
VTAPX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 74
VTAPX Sortino Ratio Rank: 81
VTAPX Omega Ratio Rank: 79
VTAPX Calmar Ratio Rank: 93
VTAPX Martin Ratio Rank: 93

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.

FOCT vs. VTAPX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for FT Vest U.S. Equity Buffer ETF - October (FOCT) and Vanguard Short-Term Inflation-Protected Securities Index Fund Admiral Shares (VTAPX). 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.

	FOCT	VTAPX	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	2.27	2.29	-0.02
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	3.26	3.53	-0.27
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.44	1.47	-0.03
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	3.19	4.83	-1.64
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	15.48	18.18	-2.70

FOCT vs. VTAPX - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current FOCT Sharpe Ratio is 2.27, which is comparable to the VTAPX Sharpe Ratio of 2.29. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of FOCT and VTAPX, 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

FOCT vs. VTAPX - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum FOCT drawdown since its inception was -14.07%, which is greater than VTAPX's maximum drawdown of -5.33%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for FOCT and VTAPX.

Drawdown Indicators

	FOCT	VTAPX	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-14.07%	-5.33%	-8.74%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-5.74%	-0.75%	-4.99%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-13.06%	-0.92%	-12.14%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-14.07%	-5.33%	-8.74%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	—	-5.33%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-1.10%	-0.75%	-0.35%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-2.24%	-1.03%	-1.21%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	1.18%	0.20%	+0.98%

Volatility

FOCT vs. VTAPX - Volatility Comparison

FT Vest U.S. Equity Buffer ETF - October (FOCT) has a higher volatility of 2.22% compared to Vanguard Short-Term Inflation-Protected Securities Index Fund Admiral Shares (VTAPX) at 0.68%. This indicates that FOCT's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than VTAPX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	FOCT	VTAPX	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	2.22%	0.68%	+1.54%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	6.20%	1.22%	+4.98%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	8.07%	1.58%	+6.49%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	11.11%	2.66%	+8.45%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	10.89%	2.24%	+8.65%

FOCT vs. VTAPX - Expense Ratio Comparison

FOCT has a 0.85% expense ratio, which is higher than VTAPX's 0.06% expense ratio.

Dividends

FOCT vs. VTAPX - Dividend Comparison

FOCT has not paid dividends to shareholders, while VTAPX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.58%.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016
FOCT FT Vest U.S. Equity Buffer ETF - October	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
VTAPX Vanguard Short-Term Inflation-Protected Securities Index Fund Admiral Shares	3.58%	3.78%	2.68%	2.84%	6.82%	4.67%	1.19%	1.94%	2.45%	1.52%	0.76%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both FOCT and VTAPX in my portfolio?

FOCT and VTAPX have a correlation of 0.03, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, FOCT or VTAPX?

FOCT has higher volatility (2.22%) compared to VTAPX (0.68%). In terms of maximum drawdown, FOCT dropped -14.07% vs VTAPX's -5.33%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

VTAPX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.29 vs 2.27), 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.