GAUG vs. BUFQ

Last updated Apr 1, 2026

Compare and contrast key facts about FT Cboe Vest U.S. Equity Moderate Buffer ETF - August (GAUG) and FT Vest Laddered Nasdaq Buffer ETF (BUFQ).

GAUG and BUFQ are both exchange-traded funds (ETFs), meaning they are traded on stock exchanges and can be bought and sold throughout the day. GAUG is a passively managed fund by FT Vest that tracks the performance of the S&P 500. It was launched on Aug 17, 2023. BUFQ is a passively managed fund by FT Vest that tracks the performance of the NASDAQ 100 Index - USD. It was launched on Jun 15, 2022. Both GAUG and BUFQ are passive ETFs, meaning that they are not actively managed but aim to replicate the performance of the underlying index as closely as possible.

Performance

GAUG vs. BUFQ - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in FT Cboe Vest U.S. Equity Moderate Buffer ETF - August (GAUG) and FT Vest Laddered Nasdaq Buffer ETF (BUFQ). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

GAUG vs. BUFQ - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023
GAUG FT Cboe Vest U.S. Equity Moderate Buffer ETF - August	-1.41%	11.28%	11.78%	5.84%
BUFQ FT Vest Laddered Nasdaq Buffer ETF	-1.45%	14.03%	16.41%	7.82%

Returns By Period

The year-to-date returns for both stocks are quite close, with GAUG having a -1.41% return and BUFQ slightly lower at -1.45%.

GAUG

• 1D: 1.62%
• 1M: -2.13%
• YTD: -1.41%
• 6M: 0.25%
• 1Y: 11.40%
• 3Y*: —
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

BUFQ

• 1D: 2.67%
• 1M: -1.59%
• YTD: -1.45%
• 6M: 1.38%
• 1Y: 18.29%
• 3Y*: 15.31%
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

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

GAUG vs. BUFQ - Expense Ratio Comparison

GAUG has a 0.85% expense ratio, which is lower than BUFQ's 1.10% expense ratio.

BUFQ

FT Vest Laddered Nasdaq Buffer ETF

GAUG

FT Cboe Vest U.S. Equity Moderate Buffer ETF - August

Return for Risk

GAUG vs. BUFQ — Risk / Return Rank

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

GAUG

GAUG Risk / Return Rank: 71
GAUG Sharpe Ratio Rank: 66
GAUG Sortino Ratio Rank: 70
GAUG Omega Ratio Rank: 75
GAUG Calmar Ratio Rank: 65
GAUG Martin Ratio Rank: 82

BUFQ

BUFQ Risk / Return Rank: 81
BUFQ Sharpe Ratio Rank: 74
BUFQ Sortino Ratio Rank: 81
BUFQ Omega Ratio Rank: 83
BUFQ Calmar Ratio Rank: 78
BUFQ Martin Ratio Rank: 90

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.

GAUG vs. BUFQ - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for FT Cboe Vest U.S. Equity Moderate Buffer ETF - August (GAUG) and FT Vest Laddered Nasdaq Buffer ETF (BUFQ). 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.

	GAUG	BUFQ	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	1.15	1.32	-0.17
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	1.76	2.08	-0.31
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.28	1.32	-0.04
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	1.64	2.07	-0.42
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	9.23	11.41	-2.18
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

GAUG vs. BUFQ - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current GAUG Sharpe Ratio is 1.15, which is comparable to the BUFQ Sharpe Ratio of 1.32. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of GAUG and BUFQ, offering insights into how both investments have performed under varying market conditions. These values are calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	GAUG	BUFQ	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	1.15	1.32	-0.17
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	1.38	1.23	+0.15

Correlation

The correlation between GAUG and BUFQ is 0.85, which is considered to be high. That indicates a strong positive relationship between their price movements. Having highly-correlated positions in a portfolio may signal a lack of diversification, potentially leading to increased risk during market downturns.

Dividends

GAUG vs. BUFQ - Dividend Comparison

Neither GAUG nor BUFQ has paid dividends to shareholders.

Tickers have no history of dividend payments

Drawdowns

GAUG vs. BUFQ - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum GAUG drawdown since its inception was -10.08%, smaller than the maximum BUFQ drawdown of -15.74%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for GAUG and BUFQ.

Drawdown Indicators

	GAUG	BUFQ	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-10.08%	-15.74%	+5.66%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-7.14%	-8.83%	+1.69%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-2.45%	-2.86%	+0.41%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-0.76%	-2.41%	+1.65%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	1.27%	1.60%	-0.33%

Volatility

GAUG vs. BUFQ - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for FT Cboe Vest U.S. Equity Moderate Buffer ETF - August (GAUG) is 2.99%, while FT Vest Laddered Nasdaq Buffer ETF (BUFQ) has a volatility of 4.25%. This indicates that GAUG experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than BUFQ based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	GAUG	BUFQ	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	2.99%	4.25%	-1.26%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	4.66%	6.77%	-2.11%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	9.92%	13.87%	-3.95%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	7.69%	13.56%	-5.87%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	7.69%	13.56%	-5.87%