FTBI vs. AOA

Last updated Jun 5, 2026

FTBI (First Trust Balanced Income ETF) and AOA (iShares Core 80/20 Aggressive Allocation ETF) are both Diversified Portfolio funds. FTBI is actively managed, while AOA is passively managed. Over the past year, FTBI returned 17.93% vs 24.17% for AOA. Their correlation of 0.83 suggests significant overlap in exposure. FTBI charges 0.97%/yr vs 0.15%/yr for AOA.

Performance

FTBI vs. AOA - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in First Trust Balanced Income ETF (FTBI) and iShares Core 80/20 Aggressive Allocation ETF (AOA). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, FTBI achieves a 6.54% return, which is significantly lower than AOA's 10.13% return.

FTBI

• 1D: 0.20%
• 1M: 2.19%
• YTD: 6.54%
• 6M: 6.80%
• 1Y: 17.93%
• 3Y*: —
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

AOA

• 1D: 0.18%
• 1M: 3.39%
• YTD: 10.13%
• 6M: 10.89%
• 1Y: 24.17%
• 3Y*: 17.70%
• 5Y*: 9.19%
• 10Y*: 10.53%

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

FTBI vs. AOA - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025
FTBI First Trust Balanced Income ETF	6.54%	11.80%
AOA iShares Core 80/20 Aggressive Allocation ETF	10.13%	13.87%

Correlation

The correlation between FTBI and AOA is 0.84, 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	0.84
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since May 30, 2025	0.83

The correlation between FTBI and AOA has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.83 to 0.84 - a consistent structural relationship.

Return for Risk

FTBI vs. AOA — Risk / Return Rank

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

FTBI

FTBI Risk / Return Rank: 78
FTBI Sharpe Ratio Rank: 79
FTBI Sortino Ratio Rank: 84
FTBI Omega Ratio Rank: 80
FTBI Calmar Ratio Rank: 69
FTBI Martin Ratio Rank: 80

AOA

AOA Risk / Return Rank: 70
AOA Sharpe Ratio Rank: 71
AOA Sortino Ratio Rank: 72
AOA Omega Ratio Rank: 72
AOA Calmar Ratio Rank: 61
AOA Martin Ratio Rank: 72

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.

FTBI vs. AOA - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for First Trust Balanced Income ETF (FTBI) and iShares Core 80/20 Aggressive Allocation ETF (AOA). 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.

	FTBI	AOA	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	2.52	2.28	+0.23
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	3.67	3.22	+0.45
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.47	1.42	+0.04
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	3.37	2.96	+0.41
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	15.34	13.13	+2.21
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

FTBI vs. AOA - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current FTBI Sharpe Ratio is 2.52, which is comparable to the AOA Sharpe Ratio of 2.28. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of FTBI and AOA, 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

	FTBI	AOA	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	2.52	2.28	+0.23
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	—	0.71	—
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	—	0.78	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	2.65	0.69	+1.96

Drawdowns

FTBI vs. AOA - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum FTBI drawdown since its inception was -5.34%, smaller than the maximum AOA drawdown of -28.38%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for FTBI and AOA.

Drawdown Indicators

	FTBI	AOA	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-5.34%	-28.38%	+23.04%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-5.34%	-8.20%	+2.86%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	—	-12.94%	—
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	—	-23.62%	—
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	—	-28.38%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-0.17%	-0.31%	+0.14%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-0.61%	-4.05%	+3.44%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	1.17%	1.85%	-0.68%

Volatility

FTBI vs. AOA - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for First Trust Balanced Income ETF (FTBI) is 2.02%, while iShares Core 80/20 Aggressive Allocation ETF (AOA) has a volatility of 3.16%. This indicates that FTBI experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than AOA based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	FTBI	AOA	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	2.02%	3.16%	-1.14%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	5.65%	8.51%	-2.86%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	7.15%	10.63%	-3.48%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	7.13%	12.97%	-5.84%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	7.13%	13.54%	-6.41%

FTBI vs. AOA - Expense Ratio Comparison

FTBI has a 0.97% expense ratio, which is higher than AOA's 0.15% expense ratio.

Dividends

FTBI vs. AOA - Dividend Comparison

FTBI's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 7.87%, more than AOA's 2.04% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
AOA iShares Core 80/20 Aggressive Allocation ETF	2.04%	2.18%	2.30%	2.22%	2.10%	1.67%	1.71%	2.50%	2.37%	5.09%	2.26%	2.15%
FTBI First Trust Balanced Income ETF	7.87%	4.76%	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 FTBI and AOA in my portfolio?

FTBI and AOA have a correlation of 0.84, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, FTBI or AOA?

AOA has higher volatility (3.16%) compared to FTBI (2.02%). In terms of maximum drawdown, FTBI dropped -5.34% vs AOA's -28.38%.

Which ETF is better, FTBI or AOA?

On 1-year performance, AOA leads with 24.17% vs 17.93% for FTBI. On fees, AOA is cheaper at 0.15% per year. On volatility, FTBI has been the lower-risk option at 2.02%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF has performed better, FTBI or AOA?

Over the 1-year period, AOA has performed better with a 24.17% return vs 17.93%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.

Which ETF is cheaper, FTBI or AOA?

AOA is cheaper with a 0.15% expense ratio, compared with 0.97% for FTBI.

Which ETF pays a higher dividend yield, FTBI or AOA?

FTBI has the higher dividend yield at 7.87%, compared with 2.04% for AOA.

What is the main difference between FTBI and AOA?

They also come from different issuers: First Trust and iShares. Their fees differ too: 0.97% for FTBI and 0.15% for AOA.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

FTBI currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.52 vs 2.28), 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.