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GAUG vs. XYLD
Performance
Return for Risk
Dividends
Drawdowns
Volatility

GAUG vs. XYLD

Last updated Apr 1, 2026

Compare and contrast key facts about FT Cboe Vest U.S. Equity Moderate Buffer ETF - August (GAUG) and Global X S&P 500 Covered Call ETF (XYLD).

GAUG and XYLD 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. XYLD is a passively managed fund by Global X that tracks the performance of the Cboe S&P 500 BuyWrite Index. It was launched on Jun 24, 2013. Both GAUG and XYLD 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. XYLD - 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 Global X S&P 500 Covered Call ETF (XYLD). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

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GAUG vs. XYLD - Yearly Performance Comparison

2026 (YTD)202520242023
GAUG
FT Cboe Vest U.S. Equity Moderate Buffer ETF - August		-1.41%11.28%11.78%5.84%
XYLD
Global X S&P 500 Covered Call ETF		-1.04%8.02%19.49%2.17%

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, GAUG achieves a -1.41% return, which is significantly lower than XYLD's -1.04% return.

GAUG

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

XYLD

1D
2.01%
1M
-2.96%
YTD
-1.04%
6M
5.33%
1Y
10.53%
3Y*
10.21%
5Y*
6.95%
10Y*
7.87%
*Multi-year figures are annualized to reflect compound growth (CAGR)

Compare stocks, funds, or ETFs

Search for stocks, ETFs, and funds for a quick comparison or use the comparison tool for more options.

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

Global X S&P 500 Covered Call ETF

Often compared with GAUG:
GAUG vs. SPQH.DEGAUG vs. SPYGAUG vs. ^SP600GAUG vs. JHEQXGAUG vs. JEPIGAUG vs. MVOL.LGAUG vs. PUTW
Often compared with XYLD:
XYLD vs. JEPIXYLD vs. QYLDXYLD vs. SPYXYLD vs. RYLDXYLD vs. XYLGXYLD vs. VOOXYLD vs. HYLD.TO

GAUG vs. XYLD - Expense Ratio Comparison

GAUG has a 0.85% expense ratio, which is higher than XYLD's 0.60% expense ratio.

GAUG
FT Cboe Vest U.S. Equity Moderate Buffer ETF - August
XYLD
Global X S&P 500 Covered Call ETF

Return for Risk

GAUG vs. XYLD — Risk / Return Rank

Compare risk-adjusted metric ranks to identify better-performing investments over the past 12 months.
GAUG
GAUG Risk / Return Rank: 7171
Overall Rank
GAUG Sharpe Ratio Rank: 6666
Sharpe Ratio Rank
GAUG Sortino Ratio Rank: 7070
Sortino Ratio Rank
GAUG Omega Ratio Rank: 7575
Omega Ratio Rank
GAUG Calmar Ratio Rank: 6565
Calmar Ratio Rank
GAUG Martin Ratio Rank: 8282
Martin Ratio Rank
XYLD
XYLD Risk / Return Rank: 5656
Overall Rank
XYLD Sharpe Ratio Rank: 4444
Sharpe Ratio Rank
XYLD Sortino Ratio Rank: 4848
Sortino Ratio Rank
XYLD Omega Ratio Rank: 7171
Omega Ratio Rank
XYLD Calmar Ratio Rank: 4747
Calmar Ratio Rank
XYLD Martin Ratio Rank: 6969
Martin Ratio Rank
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. XYLD - 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 Global X S&P 500 Covered Call ETF (XYLD). 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.

GAUGXYLDDifference

Sharpe ratio

Return per unit of total volatility

1.15

0.76

+0.40

Sortino ratio

Return per unit of downside risk

1.76

1.22

+0.54

Omega ratio

Gain probability vs. loss probability

1.28

1.25

+0.03

Calmar ratio

Return relative to maximum drawdown

1.64

1.10

+0.55

Martin ratio

Return relative to average drawdown

9.23

6.46

+2.77

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. XYLD - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current GAUG Sharpe Ratio is 1.15, which is higher than the XYLD Sharpe Ratio of 0.76. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of GAUG and XYLD, offering insights into how both investments have performed under varying market conditions. These values are calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months.

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Sharpe Ratios by Period

GAUGXYLDDifference

Sharpe Ratio (1Y)

Calculated over the trailing 1-year period

1.15

0.76

+0.40

Sharpe Ratio (5Y)

Calculated over the trailing 5-year period

—

0.62

—

Sharpe Ratio (10Y)

Calculated over the trailing 10-year period

—

0.55

—

Sharpe Ratio (All Time)

Calculated using the full available price history

1.38

0.57

+0.81

Correlation

The correlation between GAUG and XYLD is 0.80, 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. XYLD - Dividend Comparison

GAUG has not paid dividends to shareholders, while XYLD's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 10.98%.

TTM20252024202320222021202020192018201720162015
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%0.00%
XYLD
Global X S&P 500 Covered Call ETF		10.98%10.51%11.54%10.51%13.43%9.07%7.93%5.76%7.12%5.18%3.23%4.65%

Drawdowns

GAUG vs. XYLD - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum GAUG drawdown since its inception was -10.08%, smaller than the maximum XYLD drawdown of -33.46%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for GAUG and XYLD.

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Drawdown Indicators

GAUGXYLDDifference

Max Drawdown

Largest peak-to-trough decline

-10.08%

-33.46%

+23.38%

Max Drawdown (1Y)

Largest decline over 1 year

-7.14%

-10.14%

+3.00%

Max Drawdown (5Y)

Largest decline over 5 years

—

-18.66%

—

Max Drawdown (10Y)

Largest decline over 10 years

—

-33.46%

—

Current Drawdown

Current decline from peak

-2.45%

-3.39%

+0.94%

Average Drawdown

Average peak-to-trough decline

-0.76%

-3.76%

+3.00%

Ulcer Index

Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks

1.27%

1.72%

-0.45%

Volatility

GAUG vs. XYLD - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for FT Cboe Vest U.S. Equity Moderate Buffer ETF - August (GAUG) is 2.99%, while Global X S&P 500 Covered Call ETF (XYLD) has a volatility of 4.01%. This indicates that GAUG experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than XYLD based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

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Volatility by Period

GAUGXYLDDifference

Volatility (1M)

Calculated over the trailing 1-month period

2.99%

4.01%

-1.02%

Volatility (6M)

Calculated over the trailing 6-month period

4.66%

5.82%

-1.16%

Volatility (1Y)

Calculated over the trailing 1-year period

9.92%

13.99%

-4.07%

Volatility (5Y)

Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized

7.69%

11.31%

-3.62%

Volatility (10Y)

Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized

7.69%

14.23%

-6.54%