OCTJ vs. BALT

Last updated Jul 14, 2026

OCTJ (Innovator Premium Income 30 Barrier ETF - October) and BALT (Innovator Defined Wealth Shield ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - OCTJ is a Options Trading fund actively managed by Innovator, while BALT is a Defined Outcome fund tracking the S&P 500. OCTJ is actively managed, while BALT is passively managed. Over the past year, OCTJ returned 5.59% vs 6.81% for BALT. At a 0.47 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. OCTJ charges 0.79%/yr vs 0.69%/yr for BALT.

Performance

OCTJ vs. BALT - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Innovator Premium Income 30 Barrier ETF - October (OCTJ) and Innovator Defined Wealth Shield ETF (BALT). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, OCTJ achieves a 2.87% return, which is significantly higher than BALT's 2.57% return.

OCTJ

• 1D: -0.02%
• 1M: 0.51%
• 6M: 2.61%
• YTD: 2.87%
• 1Y: 5.59%
• 3Y*: —
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

BALT

• 1D: -0.09%
• 1M: 0.53%
• 6M: 2.12%
• YTD: 2.57%
• 1Y: 6.81%
• 3Y*: 7.15%
• 5Y*: 5.97%
• 10Y*: —

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

OCTJ vs. BALT - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023
OCTJ Innovator Premium Income 30 Barrier ETF - October	2.87%	5.70%	5.32%	3.01%
BALT Innovator Defined Wealth Shield ETF	2.57%	6.65%	9.98%	2.77%

Correlation

The correlation between OCTJ and BALT is 0.47, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.47
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Oct 2, 2023	0.47

Return for Risk

OCTJ vs. BALT — Risk / Return Rank

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

OCTJ

OCTJ Risk / Return Rank: 90
OCTJ Sharpe Ratio Rank: 84
OCTJ Sortino Ratio Rank: 90
OCTJ Omega Ratio Rank: 91
OCTJ Calmar Ratio Rank: 91
OCTJ Martin Ratio Rank: 95

BALT

BALT Risk / Return Rank: 95
BALT Sharpe Ratio Rank: 96
BALT Sortino Ratio Rank: 96
BALT Omega Ratio Rank: 96
BALT Calmar Ratio Rank: 95
BALT Martin Ratio Rank: 95

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.

OCTJ vs. BALT - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Innovator Premium Income 30 Barrier ETF - October (OCTJ) 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.

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.

	OCTJ	BALT	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	2.14	3.16	-1.02
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	3.33	4.85	-1.52
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.46	1.69	-0.22
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	4.50	5.93	-1.42
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	22.92	22.12	+0.81

OCTJ vs. BALT - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current OCTJ Sharpe Ratio is 2.14, which is lower than the BALT Sharpe Ratio of 3.16. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of OCTJ and BALT, 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

OCTJ vs. BALT - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum OCTJ drawdown since its inception was -5.35%, which is greater than BALT's maximum drawdown of -4.89%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for OCTJ and BALT.

Drawdown Indicators

	OCTJ	BALT	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-5.35%	-4.89%	-0.46%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-1.25%	-1.15%	-0.10%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	—	-4.89%	—
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	—	-4.89%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-0.02%	-0.09%	+0.07%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-0.16%	-0.34%	+0.18%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	0.24%	0.31%	-0.07%

Volatility

OCTJ vs. BALT - Volatility Comparison

Innovator Premium Income 30 Barrier ETF - October (OCTJ) has a higher volatility of 0.51% compared to Innovator Defined Wealth Shield ETF (BALT) at 0.36%. This indicates that OCTJ's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than BALT based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	OCTJ	BALT	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	0.51%	0.36%	+0.15%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	2.00%	1.40%	+0.60%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	2.63%	2.17%	+0.46%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	4.16%	3.29%	+0.87%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	4.16%	3.28%	+0.88%

OCTJ vs. BALT - Expense Ratio Comparison

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

Dividends

OCTJ vs. BALT - Dividend Comparison

OCTJ's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 5.27%, while BALT has not paid dividends to shareholders.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023
BALT Innovator Defined Wealth Shield ETF	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
OCTJ Innovator Premium Income 30 Barrier ETF - October	5.27%	5.23%	6.27%	1.64%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both OCTJ and BALT in my portfolio?

OCTJ and BALT have a correlation of 0.47, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, OCTJ or BALT?

OCTJ has higher volatility (0.51%) compared to BALT (0.36%). In terms of maximum drawdown, OCTJ dropped -5.35% vs BALT's -4.89%.

Which ETF is better, OCTJ or BALT?

On 1-year performance, BALT leads with 6.81% vs 5.59% for OCTJ. On fees, BALT is cheaper at 0.69% per year. On volatility, BALT has been the lower-risk option at 0.36%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF has performed better, OCTJ or BALT?

Over the 1-year period, BALT has performed better with a 6.81% return vs 5.59%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.

Which ETF is cheaper, OCTJ or BALT?

BALT is cheaper with a 0.69% expense ratio, compared with 0.79% for OCTJ.

Which ETF pays a higher dividend yield, OCTJ or BALT?

OCTJ has the higher dividend yield at 5.27%, compared with 0.00% for BALT.

What is the main difference between OCTJ and BALT?

OCTJ is categorized as Options Trading, while BALT is Defined Outcome. Their fees differ too: 0.79% for OCTJ and 0.69% for BALT.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

BALT currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (3.16 vs 2.14), 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.