ITOT vs. BUFX
ITOT (iShares Core S&P Total U.S. Stock Market ETF) and BUFX (FT Vest Laddered Enhance & Moderate Buffer ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - ITOT is a Large Cap Blend Equities fund tracking the S&P Total Market Index, while BUFX is a Defined Outcome fund managed by First Trust. Over the past year, ITOT returned 22.95% vs 9.64% for BUFX. Their correlation of 0.90 suggests significant overlap in exposure. ITOT charges 0.03%/yr vs 0.96%/yr for BUFX.
Performance
ITOT vs. BUFX - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, ITOT achieves a 8.95% return, which is significantly higher than BUFX's 3.81% return.
ITOT
- 1D
- 0.08%
- 1M
- -1.51%
- YTD
- 8.95%
- 6M
- 7.49%
- 1Y
- 22.95%
- 3Y*
- 20.80%
- 5Y*
- 11.85%
- 10Y*
- 15.35%
BUFX
- 1D
- 0.05%
- 1M
- -0.07%
- YTD
- 3.81%
- 6M
- 3.64%
- 1Y
- 9.64%
- 3Y*
- —
- 5Y*
- —
- 10Y*
- —
ITOT vs. BUFX - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | |
|---|---|---|
ITOT iShares Core S&P Total U.S. Stock Market ETF | 8.95% | 12.72% |
BUFX FT Vest Laddered Enhance & Moderate Buffer ETF | 3.81% | 5.43% |
Correlation
The correlation between ITOT and BUFX is 0.91, 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 | 0.91 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jun 25, 2025 | 0.90 |
The correlation between ITOT and BUFX has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.90 to 0.91 - a consistent structural relationship.
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Return for Risk
ITOT vs. BUFX — Risk / Return Rank
ITOT
BUFX
ITOT vs. BUFX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares Core S&P Total U.S. Stock Market ETF (ITOT) and FT Vest Laddered Enhance & Moderate Buffer ETF (BUFX). 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.
| ITOT | BUFX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.60 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -1.32 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.32 | 1.53 | -0.20 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.59 | 3.38 | -0.79 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 11.40 | 19.91 | -8.52 |
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Drawdowns
ITOT vs. BUFX - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum ITOT drawdown since its inception was -55.20%, which is greater than BUFX's maximum drawdown of -2.87%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for ITOT and BUFX.
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Drawdown Indicators
| ITOT | BUFX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -55.20% | -2.87% | -52.33% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -8.90% | -2.87% | -6.03% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -19.44% | — | — |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -25.36% | — | — |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -35.00% | — | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -2.78% | -0.61% | -2.17% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -6.96% | -0.25% | -6.71% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 2.02% | 0.49% | +1.53% |
Volatility
ITOT vs. BUFX - Volatility Comparison
iShares Core S&P Total U.S. Stock Market ETF (ITOT) has a higher volatility of 4.87% compared to FT Vest Laddered Enhance & Moderate Buffer ETF (BUFX) at 1.22%. This indicates that ITOT's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than BUFX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| ITOT | BUFX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 4.87% | 1.22% | +3.65% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 10.00% | 3.39% | +6.61% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 12.77% | 4.03% | +8.74% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 17.46% | 4.03% | +13.43% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 18.27% | 4.03% | +14.24% |
ITOT vs. BUFX - Expense Ratio Comparison
ITOT has a 0.03% expense ratio, which is lower than BUFX's 0.96% expense ratio.
Dividends
ITOT vs. BUFX - Dividend Comparison
ITOT's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.02%, while BUFX has not paid dividends to shareholders.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
BUFX FT Vest Laddered Enhance & Moderate Buffer ETF | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
ITOT iShares Core S&P Total U.S. Stock Market ETF | 1.02% | 1.11% | 1.23% | 1.47% | 1.66% | 1.18% | 1.41% | 1.88% | 2.14% | 1.69% | 1.83% | 2.01% |
Frequently Asked Questions
With a correlation of 0.91, ITOT and BUFX move almost identically. Holding both adds very little diversification - you're essentially doubling your position in the same market segment. Choosing one is usually more capital-efficient.
ITOT has higher volatility (4.87%) compared to BUFX (1.22%). In terms of maximum drawdown, ITOT dropped -55.20% vs BUFX's -2.87%.
On 1-year performance, ITOT leads with 22.95% vs 9.64% for BUFX. On fees, ITOT is cheaper at 0.03% per year. On volatility, BUFX has been the lower-risk option at 1.22%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 1-year period, ITOT has performed better with a 22.95% return vs 9.64%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
ITOT is cheaper with a 0.03% expense ratio, compared with 0.96% for BUFX.
ITOT has the higher dividend yield at 1.02%, compared with 0.00% for BUFX.
ITOT is categorized as Large Cap Blend Equities, while BUFX is Defined Outcome. They also come from different issuers: iShares and First Trust. Their fees differ too: 0.03% for ITOT and 0.96% for BUFX.
BUFX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.40 vs 1.80), 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.
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