SEPM vs. BNO

Last updated Aug 1, 2026

SEPM (FT Vest U.S. Equity Max Buffer ETF - September) and BNO (United States Brent Oil Fund LP) are both exchange-traded funds - SEPM is a Defined Outcome fund actively managed by First Trust, while BNO is a Oil & Gas fund tracking the Crude Oil Brent ICE Near Term Futures. SEPM is actively managed, while BNO is passively managed. Over the past year, SEPM returned 6.85% vs 62.83% for BNO. Their -0.10 correlation means they have often moved in opposite directions in the past. SEPM charges 0.85%/yr vs 1.00%/yr for BNO.

Performance

SEPM vs. BNO - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in FT Vest U.S. Equity Max Buffer ETF - September (SEPM) and United States Brent Oil Fund LP (BNO). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, SEPM achieves a 3.86% return, which is significantly lower than BNO's 77.90% return.

SEPM

• 1D: 0.24%
• 1M: 0.61%
• 6M: 3.40%
• YTD: 3.86%
• 1Y: 6.85%
• 3Y*: —
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —
• ALL TIME*: 6.11%

BNO

• 1D: 1.45%
• 1M: 27.00%
• 6M: 52.90%
• YTD: 77.90%
• 1Y: 62.83%
• 3Y*: 20.31%
• 5Y*: 20.89%
• 10Y*: 15.06%
• ALL TIME*: 4.31%

*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)
BNO United States Brent Oil Fund LP	$107.13M	$97.34M	$147.52M
SEPM FT Vest U.S. Equity Max Buffer ETF - September	$32.16K	$41.07K	$55.75K

SEPM vs. BNO - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024
SEPM FT Vest U.S. Equity Max Buffer ETF - September	3.86%	6.61%	0.79%
BNO United States Brent Oil Fund LP	77.90%	-5.44%	2.81%

Correlation

The correlation between SEPM and BNO is -0.23, meaning they have often moved in opposite directions in the past. This relationship can weaken or reverse as market conditions change.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Focuses on recent behavior, but can change the most.	-0.23
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Sep 23, 2024	-0.10

The correlation between SEPM and BNO shifts across timeframes, from -0.23 (1 year) to -0.10 (all time), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

Return for Risk

SEPM vs. BNO — Risk / Return Rank

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

SEPM

SEPM Risk / Return Rank: 93
SEPM Sharpe Ratio Rank: 93
SEPM Sortino Ratio Rank: 94
SEPM Omega Ratio Rank: 94
SEPM Calmar Ratio Rank: 88
SEPM Martin Ratio Rank: 94

BNO

BNO Risk / Return Rank: 52
BNO Sharpe Ratio Rank: 55
BNO Sortino Ratio Rank: 55
BNO Omega Ratio Rank: 55
BNO Calmar Ratio Rank: 47
BNO Martin Ratio Rank: 45

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.

SEPM vs. BNO - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for FT Vest U.S. Equity Max Buffer ETF - September (SEPM) and United States Brent Oil Fund LP (BNO). 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.

	SEPM	BNO	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	2.54	1.32	+1.22
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	3.87	1.90	+1.96
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.51	1.24	+0.27
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	3.60	1.70	+1.90
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	18.01	5.15	+12.86

SEPM vs. BNO - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current SEPM Sharpe Ratio is 2.54, which is higher than the BNO Sharpe Ratio of 1.32. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of SEPM and BNO, 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

SEPM vs. BNO - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum SEPM drawdown since its inception was -3.88%, smaller than the maximum BNO drawdown of -87.06%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for SEPM and BNO.

Drawdown Indicators

	SEPM	BNO	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-3.88%	-87.06%	+83.18%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-1.82%	-34.46%	+32.64%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	—	-34.46%	—
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	—	-34.46%	—
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	—	-75.18%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	0.00%	-16.21%	+16.21%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-0.34%	-39.99%	+39.65%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	0.36%	11.86%	-11.50%

Volatility

SEPM vs. BNO - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for FT Vest U.S. Equity Max Buffer ETF - September (SEPM) is 0.64%, while United States Brent Oil Fund LP (BNO) has a volatility of 17.47%. This indicates that SEPM experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than BNO based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	SEPM	BNO	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	0.64%	17.47%	-16.83%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	2.06%	40.96%	-38.90%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	2.58%	44.54%	-41.96%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	3.42%	36.41%	-32.99%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	3.42%	36.98%	-33.56%

SEPM vs. BNO - Expense Ratio Comparison

SEPM has a 0.85% expense ratio, which is lower than BNO's 1.00% expense ratio.

Dividends

SEPM vs. BNO - Dividend Comparison

Neither SEPM nor BNO has paid dividends to shareholders.

Tickers have no history of dividend payments

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both SEPM and BNO in my portfolio?

SEPM and BNO have a correlation of -0.23, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, SEPM or BNO?

BNO has higher volatility (17.47%) compared to SEPM (0.64%). In terms of maximum drawdown, SEPM dropped -3.88% vs BNO's -87.06%.

Which ETF is better, SEPM or BNO?

On 1-year performance, BNO leads with 62.83% vs 6.85% for SEPM. On fees, SEPM is cheaper at 0.85% per year. On volatility, SEPM has been the lower-risk option at 0.64%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF has performed better, SEPM or BNO?

Over the 1-year period, BNO has performed better with a 62.83% return vs 6.85%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.

Which ETF is cheaper, SEPM or BNO?

SEPM is cheaper with a 0.85% expense ratio, compared with 1.00% for BNO.

Which ETF pays a higher dividend yield, SEPM or BNO?

SEPM and BNO have nearly identical dividend yields, around 0.00%.

What is the main difference between SEPM and BNO?

SEPM is categorized as Defined Outcome, while BNO is Oil & Gas. They also come from different issuers: First Trust and USCF. Their fees differ too: 0.85% for SEPM and 1.00% for BNO.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

SEPM currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.54 vs 1.32), 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.