UJAN vs. BALT

Last updated Aug 2, 2026

UJAN (Innovator U.S. Equity Ultra Buffer ETF - January) and BALT (Innovator Defined Wealth Shield ETF) are both Defined Outcome funds from Innovator - UJAN tracks the S&P 500 Index while BALT tracks the S&P 500. Both are passively managed. Over the past 5 years, UJAN returned 7.95%/yr vs 5.98%/yr for BALT. Their 0.72 correlation means they have sometimes moved together and sometimes differently. UJAN charges 0.79%/yr vs 0.69%/yr for BALT.

Performance

UJAN vs. BALT - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Innovator U.S. Equity Ultra Buffer ETF - January (UJAN) 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, UJAN achieves a 5.46% return, which is significantly higher than BALT's 2.78% return.

UJAN

• 1D: 0.35%
• 1M: 0.68%
• 6M: 4.75%
• YTD: 5.46%
• 1Y: 12.18%
• 3Y*: 11.34%
• 5Y*: 7.95%
• 10Y*: —
• ALL TIME*: 8.25%

BALT

• 1D: 0.17%
• 1M: 0.45%
• 6M: 2.21%
• YTD: 2.78%
• 1Y: 6.82%
• 3Y*: 6.98%
• 5Y*: 5.98%
• 10Y*: —
• ALL TIME*: 5.93%

*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)
BALT Innovator Defined Wealth Shield ETF	$14.85M	$18.00M	$16.07M
UJAN Innovator U.S. Equity Ultra Buffer ETF - January	$1.24M	$3.73M	$2.00M

UJAN vs. BALT - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021
UJAN Innovator U.S. Equity Ultra Buffer ETF - January	5.46%	11.07%	13.13%	15.89%	-5.95%	2.00%
BALT Innovator Defined Wealth Shield ETF	2.78%	6.65%	9.98%	7.45%	2.54%	0.91%

Correlation

The correlation between UJAN and BALT is 0.73, 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.	0.73
Correlation (3Y) Balances recent behavior with more history.	0.76
Correlation (5Y) Shows whether the relationship held over a longer period.	0.72
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jul 1, 2021	0.72

The correlation between UJAN and BALT has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.72 to 0.76 - a consistent structural relationship.

UJAN vs. BALT - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors	UJAN	BALT
Technology	37.9%	37.9%
Financial Services	11.7%	11.7%
Communication Services	10.0%	10.0%
Consumer Cyclical	9.6%	9.6%
Healthcare	9.1%	9.1%
Industrials	8.4%	8.4%
Consumer Defensive	4.6%	4.6%
Energy	3.0%	3.0%
Utilities	2.3%	2.3%
Real Estate	1.9%	1.9%
Basic Materials	1.7%	1.7%

Return for Risk

UJAN vs. BALT — Risk / Return Rank

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

UJAN

UJAN Risk / Return Rank: 87
UJAN Sharpe Ratio Rank: 88
UJAN Sortino Ratio Rank: 89
UJAN Omega Ratio Rank: 90
UJAN Calmar Ratio Rank: 79
UJAN Martin Ratio Rank: 91

BALT

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

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.

UJAN vs. BALT - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Innovator U.S. Equity Ultra Buffer ETF - January (UJAN) 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.

	UJAN	BALT	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	2.10	2.91	-0.82
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	3.05	4.41	-1.35
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.42	1.62	-0.20
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	2.84	5.71	-2.87
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	14.78	21.02	-6.25

UJAN vs. BALT - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current UJAN Sharpe Ratio is 2.10, which is comparable to the BALT Sharpe Ratio of 2.91. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of UJAN 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

UJAN vs. BALT - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum UJAN drawdown since its inception was -13.69%, which is greater than BALT's maximum drawdown of -4.89%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for UJAN and BALT.

Drawdown Indicators

	UJAN	BALT	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-13.69%	-4.89%	-8.80%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-3.98%	-1.15%	-2.83%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-9.03%	-4.89%	-4.14%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-9.03%	-4.89%	-4.14%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-1.54%	-0.34%	-1.20%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	0.77%	0.31%	+0.46%

Volatility

UJAN vs. BALT - Volatility Comparison

Innovator U.S. Equity Ultra Buffer ETF - January (UJAN) has a higher volatility of 1.47% compared to Innovator Defined Wealth Shield ETF (BALT) at 0.80%. This indicates that UJAN'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

	UJAN	BALT	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	1.47%	0.80%	+0.67%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	4.43%	1.49%	+2.94%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	5.39%	2.27%	+3.12%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	6.39%	3.30%	+3.09%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	7.06%	3.28%	+3.78%

UJAN vs. BALT - Expense Ratio Comparison

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

Dividends

UJAN vs. BALT - Dividend Comparison

Neither UJAN nor BALT has paid dividends to shareholders.

Tickers have no history of dividend payments

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both UJAN and BALT in my portfolio?

UJAN and BALT have a correlation of 0.73, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, UJAN or BALT?

UJAN has higher volatility (1.47%) compared to BALT (0.80%). In terms of maximum drawdown, UJAN dropped -13.69% vs BALT's -4.89%.

Which ETF is better, UJAN or BALT?

On 5-year performance, UJAN leads with 7.95% vs 5.98% for BALT. On fees, BALT is cheaper at 0.69% per year. On volatility, BALT has been the lower-risk option at 0.80%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF has performed better, UJAN or BALT?

Over the 5-year period, UJAN has performed better with a 7.95% return vs 5.98%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.

Which ETF is cheaper, UJAN or BALT?

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

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

UJAN and BALT have nearly identical dividend yields, around 0.00%.

What is the main difference between UJAN and BALT?

UJAN tracks S&P 500 Index, while BALT tracks S&P 500. Their fees differ too: 0.79% for UJAN and 0.69% for BALT.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

BALT currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.91 vs 2.10), 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.