NOVM vs. FDL
NOVM (FT Vest U.S. Equity Max Buffer ETF - November) and FDL (First Trust Morningstar Dividend Leaders Index Fund) are both exchange-traded funds - NOVM is a Defined Outcome fund actively managed by First Trust, while FDL is a Large Cap Value Equities fund tracking the Morningstar Dividend Leaders Index. NOVM is actively managed, while FDL is passively managed. Over the past year, NOVM returned 8.37% vs 25.91% for FDL. At a 0.30 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. NOVM charges 0.85%/yr vs 0.45%/yr for FDL.
Performance
NOVM vs. FDL - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, NOVM achieves a 2.27% return, which is significantly lower than FDL's 14.42% return.
NOVM
- 1D
- -0.22%
- 1M
- 0.35%
- YTD
- 2.27%
- 6M
- 2.58%
- 1Y
- 8.37%
- 3Y*
- —
- 5Y*
- —
- 10Y*
- —
FDL
- 1D
- 0.18%
- 1M
- 1.25%
- YTD
- 14.42%
- 6M
- 15.89%
- 1Y
- 25.91%
- 3Y*
- 19.36%
- 5Y*
- 12.73%
- 10Y*
- 11.25%
NOVM vs. FDL - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | |
|---|---|---|---|
NOVM FT Vest U.S. Equity Max Buffer ETF - November | 2.27% | 7.58% | 0.23% |
FDL First Trust Morningstar Dividend Leaders Index Fund | 14.42% | 14.79% | -3.20% |
Correlation
The correlation between NOVM and FDL is 0.20, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.20 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Nov 19, 2024 | 0.30 |
The correlation between NOVM and FDL shifts across timeframes, from 0.20 (1 year) to 0.30 (all time), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
NOVM vs. FDL — Risk / Return Rank
NOVM
FDL
NOVM vs. FDL - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for FT Vest U.S. Equity Max Buffer ETF - November (NOVM) and First Trust Morningstar Dividend Leaders Index Fund (FDL). 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.
| NOVM | FDL | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +1.57 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +2.72 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.90 | 1.40 | +0.49 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 5.68 | 6.09 | -0.41 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 31.64 | 14.81 | +16.83 |
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month. | |||
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Sharpe Ratios by Period
| NOVM | FDL | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 3.87 | 2.31 | +1.57 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | — | 0.89 | — |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | — | 0.66 | — |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 2.20 | 0.45 | +1.75 |
Drawdowns
NOVM vs. FDL - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum NOVM drawdown since its inception was -3.26%, smaller than the maximum FDL drawdown of -65.93%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for NOVM and FDL.
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Drawdown Indicators
| NOVM | FDL | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -3.26% | -65.93% | +62.67% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -1.48% | -4.27% | +2.79% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | — | -12.24% | — |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | — | -16.46% | — |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | — | -41.40% | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -0.25% | -1.24% | +0.99% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -0.35% | -9.65% | +9.30% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 0.27% | 1.75% | -1.48% |
Volatility
NOVM vs. FDL - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for FT Vest U.S. Equity Max Buffer ETF - November (NOVM) is 0.36%, while First Trust Morningstar Dividend Leaders Index Fund (FDL) has a volatility of 2.84%. This indicates that NOVM experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than FDL based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| NOVM | FDL | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 0.36% | 2.84% | -2.48% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 1.66% | 7.78% | -6.12% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 2.17% | 11.27% | -9.10% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 3.00% | 14.31% | -11.31% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 3.00% | 17.11% | -14.11% |
NOVM vs. FDL - Expense Ratio Comparison
NOVM has a 0.85% expense ratio, which is higher than FDL's 0.45% expense ratio.
Dividends
NOVM vs. FDL - Dividend Comparison
NOVM has not paid dividends to shareholders, while FDL's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.64%.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
FDL First Trust Morningstar Dividend Leaders Index Fund | 3.64% | 4.04% | 4.96% | 4.58% | 3.58% | 4.59% | 4.48% | 3.75% | 3.97% | 3.18% | 2.93% | 3.65% |
NOVM FT Vest U.S. Equity Max Buffer ETF - November | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Frequently Asked Questions
NOVM and FDL have a correlation of 0.20, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
FDL has higher volatility (2.84%) compared to NOVM (0.36%). In terms of maximum drawdown, NOVM dropped -3.26% vs FDL's -65.93%.
On 1-year performance, FDL leads with 25.91% vs 8.37% for NOVM. On fees, FDL is cheaper at 0.45% per year. On volatility, NOVM has been the lower-risk option at 0.36%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 1-year period, FDL has performed better with a 25.91% return vs 8.37%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
FDL is cheaper with a 0.45% expense ratio, compared with 0.85% for NOVM.
FDL has the higher dividend yield at 3.64%, compared with 0.00% for NOVM.
NOVM is categorized as Defined Outcome, while FDL is Large Cap Value Equities. Their fees differ too: 0.85% for NOVM and 0.45% for FDL.
NOVM currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (3.87 vs 2.31), 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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