HOCT vs. BALT

Last updated Apr 1, 2026

Compare and contrast key facts about Innovator Premium Income 9 Buffer ETF - October (HOCT) and Innovator Defined Wealth Shield ETF (BALT).

HOCT and BALT are both exchange-traded funds (ETFs), meaning they are traded on stock exchanges and can be bought and sold throughout the day. HOCT is an actively managed fund by Innovator. It was launched on Sep 29, 2023. BALT is a passively managed fund by Innovator that tracks the performance of the S&P 500. It was launched on Jun 30, 2021.

Performance

HOCT vs. BALT - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Innovator Premium Income 9 Buffer ETF - October (HOCT) and Innovator Defined Wealth Shield ETF (BALT). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

HOCT vs. BALT - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)
HOCT Innovator Premium Income 9 Buffer ETF - October	0.00%
BALT Innovator Defined Wealth Shield ETF	-0.79%

Returns By Period

HOCT

• 1D: 0.00%
• 1M: 0.00%
• YTD: —
• 6M: —
• 1Y: —
• 3Y*: —
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

BALT

• 1D: 0.10%
• 1M: -0.87%
• YTD: -0.13%
• 6M: 1.97%
• 1Y: 6.64%
• 3Y*: 7.11%
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

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

HOCT vs. BALT - Expense Ratio Comparison

HOCT has a 0.79% expense ratio, which is higher than BALT's 0.69% expense ratio.

HOCT

Innovator Premium Income 9 Buffer ETF - October

BALT

Innovator Defined Wealth Shield ETF

Return for Risk

HOCT vs. BALT — Risk / Return Rank

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

BALT

BALT Risk / Return Rank: 86
BALT Sharpe Ratio Rank: 81
BALT Sortino Ratio Rank: 87
BALT Omega Ratio Rank: 94
BALT Calmar Ratio Rank: 76
BALT Martin Ratio Rank: 92

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.

HOCT vs. BALT - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Innovator Premium Income 9 Buffer ETF - October (HOCT) and Innovator Defined Wealth Shield ETF (BALT). 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.

Risk / return metrics aren't available yet — we need at least 12 months of trading data to calculate them.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	HOCT	BALT	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	—	1.49	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	—	1.70	—

Dividends

HOCT vs. BALT - Dividend Comparison

Neither HOCT nor BALT has paid dividends to shareholders.

Tickers have no history of dividend payments

Drawdowns

HOCT vs. BALT - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum HOCT drawdown since its inception was 0.00%, smaller than the maximum BALT drawdown of -4.89%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for HOCT and BALT.

Drawdown Indicators

	HOCT	BALT	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	0.00%	-4.89%	+4.89%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	—	-3.48%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	0.00%	-1.05%	+1.05%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	0.00%	-0.35%	+0.35%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	—	0.52%	—

Volatility

Volatility by Period

	HOCT	BALT	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	—	0.61%	—
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	—	1.84%	—
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.00%	4.48%	-4.48%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	0.00%	3.36%	-3.36%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	0.00%	3.36%	-3.36%