GSEP vs. USOY

Last updated Aug 2, 2026

GSEP (FT Cboe Vest U.S. Equity Moderate Buffer ETF – September) and USOY (Defiance Oil Enhanced Options Income ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - GSEP is a Options Trading fund actively managed by FT Vest, while USOY is a Derivative Income fund actively managed by Defiance. Both are actively managed. Over the past year, GSEP returned 11.93% vs 41.94% for USOY. Their -0.11 correlation means they have often moved in opposite directions in the past. GSEP charges 0.85%/yr vs 1.22%/yr for USOY.

Performance

GSEP vs. USOY - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in FT Cboe Vest U.S. Equity Moderate Buffer ETF – September (GSEP) and Defiance Oil Enhanced Options Income ETF (USOY). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, GSEP achieves a 6.61% return, which is significantly lower than USOY's 51.25% return.

GSEP

• 1D: 0.38%
• 1M: 0.84%
• 6M: 5.77%
• YTD: 6.61%
• 1Y: 11.93%
• 3Y*: —
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —
• ALL TIME*: 11.55%

USOY

• 1D: 1.10%
• 1M: 18.05%
• 6M: 38.09%
• YTD: 51.25%
• 1Y: 41.94%
• 3Y*: —
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —
• ALL TIME*: 19.21%

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

Liquidity Comparison

Position	Avg. Volume Value (2W)	Avg. Volume Value (1M)	Avg. Volume Value (3M)
GSEP FT Cboe Vest U.S. Equity Moderate Buffer ETF – September	$768.49K	$1.16M	$3.28M
USOY Defiance Oil Enhanced Options Income ETF	$3.02M	$3.27M	$3.42M

GSEP vs. USOY - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024
GSEP FT Cboe Vest U.S. Equity Moderate Buffer ETF – September	6.61%	10.56%	5.49%
USOY Defiance Oil Enhanced Options Income ETF	51.25%	-7.93%	6.13%

Correlation

The correlation between GSEP and USOY is -0.25, meaning they have often moved in opposite directions in the past. This relationship can weaken or reverse as market conditions change.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Focuses on recent behavior, but can change the most.	-0.25
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since May 10, 2024	-0.11

The correlation between GSEP and USOY shifts across timeframes, from -0.25 (1 year) to -0.11 (all time), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

Return for Risk

GSEP vs. USOY — Risk / Return Rank

Compare historical risk-adjusted metric ranks over the past 12 months.

GSEP

GSEP Risk / Return Rank: 81
GSEP Sharpe Ratio Rank: 80
GSEP Sortino Ratio Rank: 81
GSEP Omega Ratio Rank: 84
GSEP Calmar Ratio Rank: 72
GSEP Martin Ratio Rank: 86

USOY

USOY Risk / Return Rank: 44
USOY Sharpe Ratio Rank: 46
USOY Sortino Ratio Rank: 43
USOY Omega Ratio Rank: 47
USOY Calmar Ratio Rank: 43
USOY Martin Ratio Rank: 41

The rank (0–100) uses a weighted average of the Sharpe, Sortino, Omega, Calmar, and Martin percentile ranks for the trailing 12 months. Higher means stronger historical risk-adjusted performance within the peer group.

GSEP vs. USOY - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for FT Cboe Vest U.S. Equity Moderate Buffer ETF – September (GSEP) and Defiance Oil Enhanced Options Income ETF (USOY). 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.

	GSEP	USOY	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	1.84	1.12	+0.72
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	2.64	1.59	+1.05
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.36	1.22	+0.15
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	2.53	1.53	+0.99
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	12.62	4.54	+8.08

GSEP vs. USOY - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current GSEP Sharpe Ratio is 1.84, which is higher than the USOY Sharpe Ratio of 1.12. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of GSEP and USOY, 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

GSEP vs. USOY - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum GSEP drawdown since its inception was -10.09%, smaller than the maximum USOY drawdown of -25.51%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for GSEP and USOY.

Drawdown Indicators

	GSEP	USOY	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-10.09%	-25.51%	+15.42%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-4.44%	-25.51%	+21.07%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	0.00%	-11.50%	+11.50%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-0.71%	-7.16%	+6.45%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	0.89%	8.81%	-7.92%

Volatility

GSEP vs. USOY - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for FT Cboe Vest U.S. Equity Moderate Buffer ETF – September (GSEP) is 1.40%, while Defiance Oil Enhanced Options Income ETF (USOY) has a volatility of 15.28%. This indicates that GSEP experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than USOY based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	GSEP	USOY	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	1.40%	15.28%	-13.88%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	4.80%	32.32%	-27.52%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	6.11%	34.89%	-28.78%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	7.49%	28.20%	-20.71%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	7.49%	28.20%	-20.71%

GSEP vs. USOY - Expense Ratio Comparison

GSEP has a 0.85% expense ratio, which is lower than USOY's 1.22% expense ratio.

Dividends

GSEP vs. USOY - Dividend Comparison

GSEP has not paid dividends to shareholders, while USOY's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 56.58%.

Position	TTM	2025	2024
GSEP FT Cboe Vest U.S. Equity Moderate Buffer ETF – September	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
USOY Defiance Oil Enhanced Options Income ETF	56.58%	104.32%	48.60%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both GSEP and USOY in my portfolio?

GSEP and USOY have a correlation of -0.25, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, GSEP or USOY?

USOY has higher volatility (15.28%) compared to GSEP (1.40%). In terms of maximum drawdown, GSEP dropped -10.09% vs USOY's -25.51%.

Which ETF is better, GSEP or USOY?

On 1-year performance, USOY leads with 41.94% vs 11.93% for GSEP. On fees, GSEP is cheaper at 0.85% per year. On volatility, GSEP has been the lower-risk option at 1.40%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF has performed better, GSEP or USOY?

Over the 1-year period, USOY has performed better with a 41.94% return vs 11.93%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.

Which ETF is cheaper, GSEP or USOY?

GSEP is cheaper with a 0.85% expense ratio, compared with 1.22% for USOY.

Which ETF pays a higher dividend yield, GSEP or USOY?

USOY has the higher dividend yield at 56.58%, compared with 0.00% for GSEP.

What is the main difference between GSEP and USOY?

GSEP is categorized as Options Trading, while USOY is Derivative Income. They also come from different issuers: FT Vest and Defiance. Their fees differ too: 0.85% for GSEP and 1.22% for USOY.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

GSEP currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.84 vs 1.12), 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.