RAFE vs. FMAY
RAFE (PIMCO RAFI ESG U.S. ETF) and FMAY (FT Cboe Vest U.S. Equity Buffer ETF - May) are both exchange-traded funds - RAFE is a Large Cap Blend Equities fund tracking the RAFI ESG US Index, while FMAY is a Defined Outcome fund tracking the Cboe S&P 500 Buffer Protect Index May Series. Both are passively managed. Over the past 5 years, RAFE returned 11.54%/yr vs 9.00%/yr for FMAY. Their correlation of 0.83 means they have usually moved in the same direction. RAFE charges 0.30%/yr vs 0.85%/yr for FMAY.
Performance
RAFE vs. FMAY - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, RAFE achieves a 16.68% return, which is significantly higher than FMAY's 5.43% return.
RAFE
- 1D
- -0.31%
- 1M
- 1.12%
- 6M
- 14.64%
- YTD
- 16.68%
- 1Y
- 31.75%
- 3Y*
- 18.09%
- 5Y*
- 11.54%
- 10Y*
- —
- ALL TIME*
- 12.67%
FMAY
- 1D
- 0.48%
- 1M
- 0.39%
- 6M
- 4.78%
- YTD
- 5.43%
- 1Y
- 12.00%
- 3Y*
- 12.48%
- 5Y*
- 9.00%
- 10Y*
- —
- ALL TIME*
- 10.05%
Liquidity Comparison
| Position | Avg. Volume Value (2W) | Avg. Volume Value (1M) | Avg. Volume Value (3M) |
|---|---|---|---|
| $1.41M | $1.35M | $5.09M | |
| $564.44K | $467.39K | $607.84K |
RAFE vs. FMAY - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
RAFE PIMCO RAFI ESG U.S. ETF | 16.68% | 17.60% | 13.81% | 18.80% | -13.76% | 30.16% | 32.39% |
FMAY FT Cboe Vest U.S. Equity Buffer ETF - May | 5.43% | 12.69% | 14.45% | 17.83% | -8.08% | 11.00% | 10.80% |
Correlation
The correlation between RAFE and FMAY is 0.75, which is moderate. They have sometimes moved together and sometimes differently, sharing some price drivers without tracking each other closely.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Focuses on recent behavior, but can change the most. | 0.75 |
Correlation (3Y) Balances recent behavior with more history. | 0.81 |
Correlation (5Y) Shows whether the relationship held over a longer period. | 0.86 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since May 18, 2020 | 0.83 |
The correlation between RAFE and FMAY shifts across timeframes, from 0.75 (1 year) to 0.86 (5 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
RAFE vs. FMAY — Risk / Return Rank
RAFE
FMAY
RAFE vs. FMAY - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for PIMCO RAFI ESG U.S. ETF (RAFE) and FT Cboe Vest U.S. Equity Buffer ETF - May (FMAY). 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.
| RAFE | FMAY | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +1.04 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +1.37 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.48 | 1.33 | +0.15 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 4.09 | 2.65 | +1.44 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 16.26 | 13.18 | +3.08 |
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Drawdowns
RAFE vs. FMAY - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum RAFE drawdown since its inception was -35.74%, which is greater than FMAY's maximum drawdown of -13.60%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for RAFE and FMAY.
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Drawdown Indicators
| RAFE | FMAY | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -35.74% | -13.60% | -22.14% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -7.46% | -4.22% | -3.24% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -16.36% | -13.12% | -3.24% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -24.28% | -13.60% | -10.68% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -0.96% | -0.48% | -0.48% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -6.08% | -1.98% | -4.10% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 1.87% | 0.85% | +1.02% |
Volatility
RAFE vs. FMAY - Volatility Comparison
PIMCO RAFI ESG U.S. ETF (RAFE) has a higher volatility of 3.01% compared to FT Cboe Vest U.S. Equity Buffer ETF - May (FMAY) at 2.40%. This indicates that RAFE's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than FMAY based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| RAFE | FMAY | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 3.01% | 2.40% | +0.61% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 8.70% | 5.85% | +2.85% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 11.48% | 6.86% | +4.62% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 15.05% | 10.68% | +4.37% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 19.27% | 10.14% | +9.13% |
RAFE vs. FMAY - Expense Ratio Comparison
RAFE has a 0.30% expense ratio, which is lower than FMAY's 0.85% expense ratio.
Dividends
RAFE vs. FMAY - Dividend Comparison
RAFE's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.48%, while FMAY has not paid dividends to shareholders.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
FMAY FT Cboe Vest U.S. Equity Buffer ETF - May | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
RAFE PIMCO RAFI ESG U.S. ETF | 1.48% | 1.67% | 1.79% | 1.81% | 2.22% | 1.42% | 2.36% |
Frequently Asked Questions
RAFE and FMAY have a correlation of 0.75, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
RAFE has higher volatility (3.01%) compared to FMAY (2.40%). In terms of maximum drawdown, RAFE dropped -35.74% vs FMAY's -13.60%.
On 5-year performance, RAFE leads with 11.54% vs 9.00% for FMAY. On fees, RAFE is cheaper at 0.30% per year. On volatility, FMAY has been the lower-risk option at 2.40%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 5-year period, RAFE has performed better with a 11.54% return vs 9.00%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
RAFE is cheaper with a 0.30% expense ratio, compared with 0.85% for FMAY.
RAFE has the higher dividend yield at 1.48%, compared with 0.00% for FMAY.
RAFE is categorized as Large Cap Blend Equities, while FMAY is Defined Outcome. RAFE tracks RAFI ESG US Index, while FMAY tracks Cboe S&P 500 Buffer Protect Index May Series. They also come from different issuers: PIMCO and First Trust. Their fees differ too: 0.30% for RAFE and 0.85% for FMAY.
RAFE currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.67 vs 1.63), 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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