SMAY vs. CAOS

Last updated Jun 23, 2026

SMAY (FT Vest U.S. Small Cap Moderate Buffer ETF - May) and CAOS (Alpha Architect Tail Risk ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - SMAY is a Defined Outcome fund actively managed by First Trust, while CAOS is a Options Trading fund actively managed by Alpha Architect. Both are actively managed. Over the past 3 years, SMAY returned 11.38%/yr vs 3.95%/yr for CAOS. At a correlation of -0.04, they often move in opposite directions. SMAY charges 0.90%/yr vs 0.63%/yr for CAOS.

Performance

SMAY vs. CAOS - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in FT Vest U.S. Small Cap Moderate Buffer ETF - May (SMAY) and Alpha Architect Tail Risk ETF (CAOS). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, SMAY achieves a 8.76% return, which is significantly higher than CAOS's 0.75% return.

SMAY

• 1D: 0.43%
• 1M: 2.40%
• YTD: 8.76%
• 6M: 8.27%
• 1Y: 20.13%
• 3Y*: 11.38%
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

CAOS

• 1D: 0.11%
• 1M: -0.08%
• YTD: 0.75%
• 6M: 0.67%
• 1Y: 1.64%
• 3Y*: 3.95%
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

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

SMAY vs. CAOS - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023
SMAY FT Vest U.S. Small Cap Moderate Buffer ETF - May	8.76%	4.75%	12.60%	9.21%
CAOS Alpha Architect Tail Risk ETF	0.75%	2.55%	5.33%	5.34%

Correlation

The correlation between SMAY and CAOS is -0.24, meaning they tend to move in opposite directions. This is especially valuable for risk management - when one declines, the other has historically tended to hold steady or rise.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	-0.24
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	-0.06
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since May 22, 2023	-0.04

Over the past year, the inverse relationship between SMAY and CAOS has strengthened: their correlation has moved from -0.04 to -0.24, meaning they now move in opposite directions more often than their long-term average.

Return for Risk

SMAY vs. CAOS — Risk / Return Rank

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

SMAY

SMAY Risk / Return Rank: 90
SMAY Sharpe Ratio Rank: 86
SMAY Sortino Ratio Rank: 90
SMAY Omega Ratio Rank: 88
SMAY Calmar Ratio Rank: 94
SMAY Martin Ratio Rank: 94

CAOS

CAOS Risk / Return Rank: 36
CAOS Sharpe Ratio Rank: 31
CAOS Sortino Ratio Rank: 34
CAOS Omega Ratio Rank: 35
CAOS Calmar Ratio Rank: 45
CAOS Martin Ratio Rank: 36

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.

SMAY vs. CAOS - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for FT Vest U.S. Small Cap Moderate Buffer ETF - May (SMAY) and Alpha Architect Tail Risk ETF (CAOS). 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.

	SMAY	CAOS	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	2.66	1.10	+1.56
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	3.98	1.75	+2.23
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.52	1.23	+0.30
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	6.73	2.17	+4.56
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	26.93	5.23	+21.70

SMAY vs. CAOS - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current SMAY Sharpe Ratio is 2.66, which is higher than the CAOS Sharpe Ratio of 1.10. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of SMAY and CAOS, 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

SMAY vs. CAOS - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum SMAY drawdown since its inception was -14.44%, which is greater than CAOS's maximum drawdown of -3.89%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for SMAY and CAOS.

Drawdown Indicators

	SMAY	CAOS	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-14.44%	-3.89%	-10.55%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-3.00%	-0.76%	-2.24%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-14.44%	-3.60%	-10.84%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	0.00%	-1.14%	+1.14%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-2.52%	-0.92%	-1.60%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	0.75%	0.32%	+0.43%

Volatility

SMAY vs. CAOS - Volatility Comparison

FT Vest U.S. Small Cap Moderate Buffer ETF - May (SMAY) has a higher volatility of 3.33% compared to Alpha Architect Tail Risk ETF (CAOS) at 0.32%. This indicates that SMAY's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than CAOS based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	SMAY	CAOS	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	3.33%	0.32%	+3.01%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	5.23%	1.05%	+4.18%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	7.61%	1.50%	+6.11%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	10.23%	4.23%	+6.00%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	10.23%	4.23%	+6.00%

SMAY vs. CAOS - Expense Ratio Comparison

SMAY has a 0.90% expense ratio, which is higher than CAOS's 0.63% expense ratio.

Dividends

SMAY vs. CAOS - Dividend Comparison

Neither SMAY nor CAOS has paid dividends to shareholders.

Tickers have no history of dividend payments

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both SMAY and CAOS in my portfolio?

SMAY and CAOS have a correlation of -0.24, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, SMAY or CAOS?

SMAY has higher volatility (3.33%) compared to CAOS (0.32%). In terms of maximum drawdown, SMAY dropped -14.44% vs CAOS's -3.89%.

Which ETF is better, SMAY or CAOS?

On 3-year performance, SMAY leads with 11.38% vs 3.95% for CAOS. On fees, CAOS is cheaper at 0.63% per year. On volatility, CAOS has been the lower-risk option at 0.32%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF has performed better, SMAY or CAOS?

Over the 3-year period, SMAY has performed better with a 11.38% return vs 3.95%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.

Which ETF is cheaper, SMAY or CAOS?

CAOS is cheaper with a 0.63% expense ratio, compared with 0.90% for SMAY.

Which ETF pays a higher dividend yield, SMAY or CAOS?

SMAY and CAOS have nearly identical dividend yields, around 0.00%.

What is the main difference between SMAY and CAOS?

SMAY is categorized as Defined Outcome, while CAOS is Options Trading. They also come from different issuers: First Trust and Alpha Architect. Their fees differ too: 0.90% for SMAY and 0.63% for CAOS.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

SMAY currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.66 vs 1.10), 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.