GAUG vs. PUTW

Last updated Jun 24, 2026

GAUG (FT Cboe Vest U.S. Equity Moderate Buffer ETF - August) and PUTW (WisdomTree Equity Premium Income Fund) are both funds - GAUG is a Options Trading fund tracking the S&P 500, while PUTW is a Derivative Income fund tracking the Volos U.S. Large Cap Target 2.5% PutWrite Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past year, GAUG returned 13.13% vs 16.19% for PUTW. Their correlation of 0.81 suggests significant overlap in exposure. GAUG charges 0.85%/yr vs 0.44%/yr for PUTW.

Performance

GAUG vs. PUTW - 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 WisdomTree Equity Premium Income Fund (PUTW). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, GAUG achieves a 4.89% return, which is significantly higher than PUTW's 3.16% return.

GAUG

• 1D: -0.29%
• 1M: 0.26%
• YTD: 4.89%
• 6M: 4.49%
• 1Y: 13.13%
• 3Y*: —
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

PUTW

• 1D: -1.14%
• 1M: -0.70%
• YTD: 3.16%
• 6M: 2.00%
• 1Y: 16.19%
• 3Y*: 12.75%
• 5Y*: 9.33%
• 10Y*: 8.20%

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

GAUG vs. PUTW - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023
GAUG FT Cboe Vest U.S. Equity Moderate Buffer ETF - August	4.89%	11.28%	11.78%	5.94%
PUTW WisdomTree Equity Premium Income Fund	3.16%	14.45%	17.18%	4.51%

Correlation

The correlation between GAUG and PUTW is 0.82, 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	0.82
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Aug 21, 2023	0.81

The correlation between GAUG and PUTW has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.81 to 0.82 - a consistent structural relationship.

Return for Risk

GAUG vs. PUTW — Risk / Return Rank

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

GAUG

GAUG Risk / Return Rank: 81
GAUG Sharpe Ratio Rank: 80
GAUG Sortino Ratio Rank: 86
GAUG Omega Ratio Rank: 85
GAUG Calmar Ratio Rank: 70
GAUG Martin Ratio Rank: 87

PUTW

PUTW Risk / Return Rank: 45
PUTW Sharpe Ratio Rank: 42
PUTW Sortino Ratio Rank: 40
PUTW Omega Ratio Rank: 47
PUTW Calmar Ratio Rank: 39
PUTW Martin Ratio Rank: 56

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. PUTW - 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 WisdomTree Equity Premium Income Fund (PUTW). 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.

	GAUG	PUTW	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	2.36	1.75	+0.61
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	3.52	2.44	+1.08
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.47	1.35	+0.13
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	3.29	2.27	+1.02
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	17.10	10.71	+6.39

GAUG vs. PUTW - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current GAUG Sharpe Ratio is 2.36, which is higher than the PUTW Sharpe Ratio of 1.75. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of GAUG and PUTW, 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

GAUG vs. PUTW - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum GAUG drawdown since its inception was -10.08%, smaller than the maximum PUTW drawdown of -28.40%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for GAUG and PUTW.

Drawdown Indicators

	GAUG	PUTW	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-10.08%	-28.40%	+18.32%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-4.01%	-7.15%	+3.14%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	—	-15.26%	—
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	—	-16.56%	—
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	—	-28.40%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-0.34%	-1.53%	+1.19%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-0.72%	-3.43%	+2.71%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	0.77%	1.51%	-0.74%

Volatility

GAUG vs. PUTW - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for FT Cboe Vest U.S. Equity Moderate Buffer ETF - August (GAUG) is 1.30%, while WisdomTree Equity Premium Income Fund (PUTW) has a volatility of 3.40%. This indicates that GAUG experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than PUTW based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	GAUG	PUTW	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	1.30%	3.40%	-2.10%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	4.41%	7.61%	-3.20%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	5.62%	9.33%	-3.71%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	7.49%	12.22%	-4.73%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	7.49%	13.26%	-5.77%

GAUG vs. PUTW - Expense Ratio Comparison

GAUG has a 0.85% expense ratio, which is higher than PUTW's 0.44% expense ratio.

Dividends

GAUG vs. PUTW - Dividend Comparison

GAUG has not paid dividends to shareholders, while PUTW's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 12.19%.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016
GAUG FT Cboe Vest U.S. Equity Moderate Buffer ETF - August	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
PUTW WisdomTree Equity Premium Income Fund	12.19%	13.18%	11.99%	8.94%	3.27%	0.00%	1.43%	1.47%	6.46%	3.52%	2.27%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both GAUG and PUTW in my portfolio?

GAUG and PUTW have a correlation of 0.82, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, GAUG or PUTW?

PUTW has higher volatility (3.40%) compared to GAUG (1.30%). In terms of maximum drawdown, GAUG dropped -10.08% vs PUTW's -28.40%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

GAUG currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.36 vs 1.75), 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.