JULB vs. DEFR

Last updated Aug 1, 2026

JULB (Aptus July Buffer ETF) and DEFR (Aptus Deferred Income ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - JULB is a Defined Outcome fund actively managed by Aptus, while DEFR is a Intermediate Core-Plus Bond fund actively managed by Aptus. Both are actively managed. Their 0.48 correlation means their historical movements had little consistent relationship. JULB charges 0.25%/yr vs 0.79%/yr for DEFR.

Performance

JULB vs. DEFR - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Aptus July Buffer ETF (JULB) and Aptus Deferred Income ETF (DEFR). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, JULB achieves a 8.08% return, which is significantly higher than DEFR's -0.90% return.

JULB

• 1D: 0.54%
• 1M: 0.57%
• 6M: 7.15%
• YTD: 8.08%
• 1Y: —
• 3Y*: —
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —
• ALL TIME*: —

DEFR

• 1D: -0.19%
• 1M: -0.85%
• 6M: -0.94%
• YTD: -0.90%
• 1Y: 2.64%
• 3Y*: —
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —
• ALL TIME*: 4.79%

*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)
DEFR Aptus Deferred Income ETF	$351.27K	$456.39K	$576.13K
JULB Aptus July Buffer ETF	$122.17K	$181.25K	$221.75K

JULB vs. DEFR - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025
JULB Aptus July Buffer ETF	8.08%	2.44%
DEFR Aptus Deferred Income ETF	-0.90%	1.23%

Correlation

The correlation between JULB and DEFR is 0.48, which is low. Their historical price movements had little consistent relationship.

	Correlation
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Oct 14, 2025	0.48

Return for Risk

JULB vs. DEFR — Risk / Return Rank

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

JULB

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

DEFR

DEFR Risk / Return Rank: 27
DEFR Sharpe Ratio Rank: 29
DEFR Sortino Ratio Rank: 27
DEFR Omega Ratio Rank: 27
DEFR Calmar Ratio Rank: 28
DEFR Martin Ratio Rank: 25

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.

JULB vs. DEFR - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Aptus July Buffer ETF (JULB) and Aptus Deferred Income ETF (DEFR). 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.

	JULB	DEFR	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	—	0.69	—
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	—	1.01	—
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	—	1.12	—
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	—	0.88	—
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	—	1.94	—

Drawdowns

JULB vs. DEFR - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum JULB drawdown since its inception was -5.24%, which is greater than DEFR's maximum drawdown of -3.90%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for JULB and DEFR.

Drawdown Indicators

	JULB	DEFR	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-5.24%	-3.90%	-1.34%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	—	-3.90%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-0.20%	-3.18%	+2.98%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-0.78%	-1.16%	+0.38%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	—	1.75%	—

Volatility

Volatility by Period

	JULB	DEFR	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	—	1.20%	—
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	—	3.43%	—
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	6.81%	4.93%	+1.88%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	6.81%	5.24%	+1.57%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	6.81%	5.24%	+1.57%

JULB vs. DEFR - Expense Ratio Comparison

JULB has a 0.25% expense ratio, which is lower than DEFR's 0.79% expense ratio.

Dividends

JULB vs. DEFR - Dividend Comparison

Neither JULB nor DEFR has paid dividends to shareholders.

Tickers have no history of dividend payments

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both JULB and DEFR in my portfolio?

JULB and DEFR have a correlation of 0.48, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which ETF is better, JULB or DEFR?

On fees, JULB is cheaper at 0.25% per year. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF is cheaper, JULB or DEFR?

JULB is cheaper with a 0.25% expense ratio, compared with 0.79% for DEFR.

Which ETF pays a higher dividend yield, JULB or DEFR?

JULB and DEFR have nearly identical dividend yields, around 0.00%.

What is the main difference between JULB and DEFR?

JULB is categorized as Defined Outcome, while DEFR is Intermediate Core-Plus Bond. Their fees differ too: 0.25% for JULB and 0.79% for DEFR.