UAPR vs. CPST

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

UAPR (Innovator U.S. Equity Ultra Buffer ETF - April) and CPST (Calamos S&P 500 Structured Alt Protection ETF - September) are both Defined Outcome funds - UAPR tracks the S&P 500 while CPST tracks the MerQube Cap Protect US Lrg Cap PR Index - Sep. Both are passively managed. Over the past year, UAPR returned 14.02% vs 7.61% for CPST. A 0.78 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined. UAPR charges 0.79%/yr vs 0.69%/yr for CPST.

Performance

UAPR vs. CPST - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Innovator U.S. Equity Ultra Buffer ETF - April (UAPR) and Calamos S&P 500 Structured Alt Protection ETF - September (CPST). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, UAPR achieves a 6.99% return, which is significantly higher than CPST's 2.67% return.

UAPR

• 1D: -0.10%
• 1M: 1.43%
• YTD: 6.99%
• 6M: 7.70%
• 1Y: 14.02%
• 3Y*: 11.14%
• 5Y*: 6.54%
• 10Y*: —

CPST

• 1D: 0.00%
• 1M: 0.87%
• YTD: 2.67%
• 6M: 2.98%
• 1Y: 7.61%
• 3Y*: —
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

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

UAPR vs. CPST - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024
UAPR Innovator U.S. Equity Ultra Buffer ETF - April	6.99%	6.27%	4.82%
CPST Calamos S&P 500 Structured Alt Protection ETF - September	2.67%	6.73%	2.30%

Correlation

The correlation between UAPR and CPST is 0.75, which is moderate. They share some common price drivers but move independently often enough to provide real diversification benefit when combined.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.75
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Sep 4, 2024	0.78

The correlation between UAPR and CPST has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.75 to 0.78 - a consistent structural relationship.

Return for Risk

UAPR vs. CPST — Risk / Return Rank

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

UAPR

UAPR Risk / Return Rank: 98
UAPR Sharpe Ratio Rank: 96
UAPR Sortino Ratio Rank: 98
UAPR Omega Ratio Rank: 98
UAPR Calmar Ratio Rank: 98
UAPR Martin Ratio Rank: 98

CPST

CPST Risk / Return Rank: 94
CPST Sharpe Ratio Rank: 94
CPST Sortino Ratio Rank: 97
CPST Omega Ratio Rank: 96
CPST Calmar Ratio Rank: 89
CPST 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.

UAPR vs. CPST - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Innovator U.S. Equity Ultra Buffer ETF - April (UAPR) and Calamos S&P 500 Structured Alt Protection ETF - September (CPST). 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.

	UAPR	CPST	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	4.40	3.56	+0.83
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	7.63	5.91	+1.72
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	2.06	1.82	+0.25
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	14.51	5.38	+9.14
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	71.55	28.97	+42.58
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

UAPR vs. CPST - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current UAPR Sharpe Ratio is 4.40, which is comparable to the CPST Sharpe Ratio of 3.56. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of UAPR and CPST, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	UAPR	CPST	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	4.40	3.56	+0.83
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.96	—	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.60	2.02	-1.42

Drawdowns

UAPR vs. CPST - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum UAPR drawdown since its inception was -14.61%, which is greater than CPST's maximum drawdown of -3.79%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for UAPR and CPST.

Drawdown Indicators

	UAPR	CPST	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-14.61%	-3.79%	-10.82%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-0.97%	-1.42%	+0.45%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-10.84%	—	—
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-10.84%	—	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-0.10%	0.00%	-0.10%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-3.31%	-0.35%	-2.96%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	0.20%	0.26%	-0.06%

Volatility

UAPR vs. CPST - Volatility Comparison

Innovator U.S. Equity Ultra Buffer ETF - April (UAPR) has a higher volatility of 0.78% compared to Calamos S&P 500 Structured Alt Protection ETF - September (CPST) at 0.30%. This indicates that UAPR's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than CPST based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	UAPR	CPST	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	0.78%	0.30%	+0.48%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	2.26%	1.60%	+0.66%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	3.20%	2.15%	+1.05%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	6.88%	3.37%	+3.51%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	8.42%	3.37%	+5.05%

UAPR vs. CPST - Expense Ratio Comparison

UAPR has a 0.79% expense ratio, which is higher than CPST's 0.69% expense ratio.

Dividends

UAPR vs. CPST - Dividend Comparison

Neither UAPR nor CPST has paid dividends to shareholders.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019
CPST Calamos S&P 500 Structured Alt Protection ETF - September	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
UAPR Innovator U.S. Equity Ultra Buffer ETF - April	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	2.17%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both UAPR and CPST in my portfolio?

UAPR and CPST 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.

Which is riskier, UAPR or CPST?

UAPR has higher volatility (0.78%) compared to CPST (0.30%). In terms of maximum drawdown, UAPR dropped -14.61% vs CPST's -3.79%.

Which ETF is better, UAPR or CPST?

On 1-year performance, UAPR leads with 14.02% vs 7.61% for CPST. On fees, CPST is cheaper at 0.69% per year. On volatility, CPST has been the lower-risk option at 0.30%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF has performed better, UAPR or CPST?

Over the 1-year period, UAPR has performed better with a 14.02% return vs 7.61%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.

Which ETF is cheaper, UAPR or CPST?

CPST is cheaper with a 0.69% expense ratio, compared with 0.79% for UAPR.

Which ETF pays a higher dividend yield, UAPR or CPST?

UAPR and CPST have nearly identical dividend yields, around 0.00%.

What is the main difference between UAPR and CPST?

UAPR tracks S&P 500, while CPST tracks MerQube Cap Protect US Lrg Cap PR Index - Sep. They also come from different issuers: Innovator and Calamos. Their fees differ too: 0.79% for UAPR and 0.69% for CPST.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

UAPR currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (4.40 vs 3.56), 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.