UNOV vs. FAUG

Last updated Aug 2, 2026

UNOV (Innovator U.S. Equity Ultra Buffer ETF - November) and FAUG (FT Cboe Vest U.S. Equity Buffer ETF - August) are both Defined Outcome funds - UNOV tracks the Cboe S&P 500 30% (-5% to -35%) Buffer Protect November Series Index while FAUG tracks the Cboe S&P 500 Buffer Protect Index August. Both are passively managed. Over the past 5 years, UNOV returned 6.76%/yr vs 9.04%/yr for FAUG. Their correlation of 0.85 means they have usually moved in the same direction. UNOV charges 0.79%/yr vs 0.85%/yr for FAUG.

Performance

UNOV vs. FAUG - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Innovator U.S. Equity Ultra Buffer ETF - November (UNOV) and FT Cboe Vest U.S. Equity Buffer ETF - August (FAUG). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, UNOV achieves a 6.21% return, which is significantly lower than FAUG's 7.82% return.

UNOV

• 1D: 0.47%
• 1M: 0.70%
• 6M: 5.32%
• YTD: 6.21%
• 1Y: 11.32%
• 3Y*: 9.02%
• 5Y*: 6.76%
• 10Y*: —
• ALL TIME*: 6.98%

FAUG

• 1D: 0.42%
• 1M: 1.06%
• 6M: 6.84%
• YTD: 7.82%
• 1Y: 15.31%
• 3Y*: 12.97%
• 5Y*: 9.04%
• 10Y*: —
• ALL TIME*: 9.89%

*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)
FAUG FT Cboe Vest U.S. Equity Buffer ETF - August	$759.98K	$698.39K	$1.47M
UNOV Innovator U.S. Equity Ultra Buffer ETF - November	$195.76K	$176.12K	$1.52M

UNOV vs. FAUG - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019
UNOV Innovator U.S. Equity Ultra Buffer ETF - November	6.21%	9.92%	9.42%	14.18%	-6.23%	4.45%	8.31%	1.71%
FAUG FT Cboe Vest U.S. Equity Buffer ETF - August	7.82%	13.77%	14.55%	17.24%	-10.52%	11.54%	12.43%	2.03%

Correlation

The correlation between UNOV and FAUG is 0.91, meaning they have usually moved in the same direction, including during past declines.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Focuses on recent behavior, but can change the most.	0.91
Correlation (3Y) Balances recent behavior with more history.	0.90
Correlation (5Y) Shows whether the relationship held over a longer period.	0.87
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Nov 7, 2019	0.85

The correlation between UNOV and FAUG has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.85 to 0.91 - a consistent structural relationship.

UNOV vs. FAUG - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors	UNOV	FAUG
Technology	37.9%	38.5%
Financial Services	11.7%	11.6%
Communication Services	10.0%	9.9%
Consumer Cyclical	9.6%	9.5%
Healthcare	9.1%	8.9%
Industrials	8.4%	8.4%
Consumer Defensive	4.6%	4.5%
Energy	3.0%	3.0%
Utilities	2.3%	2.2%
Real Estate	1.9%	1.8%
Basic Materials	1.7%	1.7%

Return for Risk

UNOV vs. FAUG — Risk / Return Rank

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

UNOV

UNOV Risk / Return Rank: 77
UNOV Sharpe Ratio Rank: 78
UNOV Sortino Ratio Rank: 78
UNOV Omega Ratio Rank: 81
UNOV Calmar Ratio Rank: 67
UNOV Martin Ratio Rank: 82

FAUG

FAUG Risk / Return Rank: 85
FAUG Sharpe Ratio Rank: 85
FAUG Sortino Ratio Rank: 85
FAUG Omega Ratio Rank: 87
FAUG Calmar Ratio Rank: 77
FAUG Martin Ratio Rank: 89

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.

UNOV vs. FAUG - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Innovator U.S. Equity Ultra Buffer ETF - November (UNOV) and FT Cboe Vest U.S. Equity Buffer ETF - August (FAUG). 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.

	UNOV	FAUG	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	1.77	2.00	-0.22
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	2.54	2.86	-0.32
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.34	1.39	-0.05
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	2.35	2.72	-0.37
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	11.07	13.68	-2.61

UNOV vs. FAUG - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current UNOV Sharpe Ratio is 1.77, which is comparable to the FAUG Sharpe Ratio of 2.00. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of UNOV and FAUG, 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

UNOV vs. FAUG - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum UNOV drawdown since its inception was -13.84%, smaller than the maximum FAUG drawdown of -22.33%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for UNOV and FAUG.

Drawdown Indicators

	UNOV	FAUG	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-13.84%	-22.33%	+8.49%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-4.52%	-5.26%	+0.74%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-9.10%	-12.81%	+3.71%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-9.10%	-15.91%	+6.81%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-0.11%	0.00%	-0.11%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-1.63%	-2.77%	+1.14%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	0.96%	1.05%	-0.09%

Volatility

UNOV vs. FAUG - Volatility Comparison

Innovator U.S. Equity Ultra Buffer ETF - November (UNOV) has a higher volatility of 1.92% compared to FT Cboe Vest U.S. Equity Buffer ETF - August (FAUG) at 1.49%. This indicates that UNOV's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than FAUG based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	UNOV	FAUG	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	1.92%	1.49%	+0.43%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	5.10%	5.51%	-0.41%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	6.01%	7.16%	-1.15%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	6.93%	10.81%	-3.88%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	7.70%	12.63%	-4.93%

UNOV vs. FAUG - Expense Ratio Comparison

UNOV has a 0.79% expense ratio, which is lower than FAUG's 0.85% expense ratio.

Dividends

UNOV vs. FAUG - Dividend Comparison

Neither UNOV nor FAUG has paid dividends to shareholders.

Tickers have no history of dividend payments

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both UNOV and FAUG in my portfolio?

With a correlation of 0.91, UNOV and FAUG move almost identically. Holding both adds very little diversification - you're essentially doubling your position in the same market segment. Choosing one is usually more capital-efficient.

Which is riskier, UNOV or FAUG?

UNOV has higher volatility (1.92%) compared to FAUG (1.49%). In terms of maximum drawdown, UNOV dropped -13.84% vs FAUG's -22.33%.

Which ETF is better, UNOV or FAUG?

On 5-year performance, FAUG leads with 9.04% vs 6.76% for UNOV. On fees, UNOV is cheaper at 0.79% per year. On volatility, FAUG has been the lower-risk option at 1.49%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF has performed better, UNOV or FAUG?

Over the 5-year period, FAUG has performed better with a 9.04% return vs 6.76%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.

Which ETF is cheaper, UNOV or FAUG?

UNOV is cheaper with a 0.79% expense ratio, compared with 0.85% for FAUG.

Which ETF pays a higher dividend yield, UNOV or FAUG?

UNOV and FAUG have nearly identical dividend yields, around 0.00%.

What is the main difference between UNOV and FAUG?

UNOV tracks Cboe S&P 500 30% (-5% to -35%) Buffer Protect November Series Index, while FAUG tracks Cboe S&P 500 Buffer Protect Index August. They also come from different issuers: Innovator and First Trust. Their fees differ too: 0.79% for UNOV and 0.85% for FAUG.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

FAUG currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.00 vs 1.77), 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.