UOCT vs. CAOS

Last updated Aug 1, 2026

UOCT (Innovator U.S. Equity Ultra Buffer ETF October) and CAOS (Alpha Architect Tail Risk ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - UOCT is a Defined Outcome fund tracking the S&P 500 Index, while CAOS is a Options Trading fund actively managed by Alpha Architect. UOCT is passively managed, while CAOS is actively managed. Over the past 3 years, UOCT returned 11.31%/yr vs 3.48%/yr for CAOS. Their 0.05 correlation means their historical movements had little consistent relationship. UOCT charges 0.79%/yr vs 0.63%/yr for CAOS.

Performance

UOCT vs. CAOS - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Innovator U.S. Equity Ultra Buffer ETF October (UOCT) 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, UOCT achieves a 6.37% return, which is significantly higher than CAOS's 0.76% return.

UOCT

• 1D: 0.51%
• 1M: 0.93%
• 6M: 5.62%
• YTD: 6.37%
• 1Y: 12.03%
• 3Y*: 11.31%
• 5Y*: 8.40%
• 10Y*: —
• ALL TIME*: 7.23%

CAOS

• 1D: -0.06%
• 1M: -0.01%
• 6M: 0.16%
• YTD: 0.76%
• 1Y: 1.73%
• 3Y*: 3.48%
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —
• ALL TIME*: 4.70%

*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)
CAOS Alpha Architect Tail Risk ETF	$6.81M	$5.39M	$5.09M
UOCT Innovator U.S. Equity Ultra Buffer ETF October	$230.60K	$267.21K	$357.00K

UOCT vs. CAOS - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023
UOCT Innovator U.S. Equity Ultra Buffer ETF October	6.37%	10.67%	8.98%	14.75%
CAOS Alpha Architect Tail Risk ETF	0.76%	2.55%	5.33%	7.43%

Correlation

The correlation between UOCT and CAOS is -0.37, 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.	-0.37
Correlation (3Y) Balances recent behavior with more history.	-0.10
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Mar 6, 2023	0.05

The correlation between UOCT and CAOS shifts across timeframes, from -0.37 (1 year) to 0.05 (all time), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

Return for Risk

UOCT vs. CAOS — Risk / Return Rank

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

UOCT

UOCT Risk / Return Rank: 83
UOCT Sharpe Ratio Rank: 83
UOCT Sortino Ratio Rank: 83
UOCT Omega Ratio Rank: 85
UOCT Calmar Ratio Rank: 75
UOCT Martin Ratio Rank: 87

CAOS

CAOS Risk / Return Rank: 56
CAOS Sharpe Ratio Rank: 49
CAOS Sortino Ratio Rank: 55
CAOS Omega Ratio Rank: 54
CAOS Calmar Ratio Rank: 72
CAOS Martin Ratio Rank: 48

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.

UOCT vs. CAOS - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

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

	UOCT	CAOS	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	1.95	1.19	+0.75
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	2.73	1.89	+0.84
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.37	1.24	+0.13
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	2.63	2.47	+0.16
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	12.75	5.45	+7.30

UOCT vs. CAOS - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current UOCT Sharpe Ratio is 1.95, which is higher than the CAOS Sharpe Ratio of 1.19. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of UOCT 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

UOCT vs. CAOS - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum UOCT drawdown since its inception was -13.68%, which is greater than CAOS's maximum drawdown of -3.89%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for UOCT and CAOS.

Drawdown Indicators

	UOCT	CAOS	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-13.68%	-3.89%	-9.79%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-4.24%	-0.76%	-3.48%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-9.21%	-3.60%	-5.61%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-9.21%	—	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	0.00%	-1.13%	+1.13%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-1.50%	-0.92%	-0.58%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	0.87%	0.34%	+0.53%

Volatility

UOCT vs. CAOS - Volatility Comparison

Innovator U.S. Equity Ultra Buffer ETF October (UOCT) has a higher volatility of 1.47% compared to Alpha Architect Tail Risk ETF (CAOS) at 0.51%. This indicates that UOCT'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

	UOCT	CAOS	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	1.47%	0.51%	+0.96%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	4.42%	1.07%	+3.35%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	5.73%	1.57%	+4.16%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	6.76%	4.18%	+2.58%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	7.62%	4.18%	+3.44%

UOCT vs. CAOS - Expense Ratio Comparison

UOCT has a 0.79% expense ratio, which is higher than CAOS's 0.63% expense ratio.

Dividends

UOCT vs. CAOS - Dividend Comparison

Neither UOCT nor CAOS has paid dividends to shareholders.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019
CAOS Alpha Architect Tail Risk ETF	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
UOCT Innovator U.S. Equity Ultra Buffer ETF October	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	2.33%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both UOCT and CAOS in my portfolio?

UOCT and CAOS have a correlation of -0.37, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, UOCT or CAOS?

UOCT has higher volatility (1.47%) compared to CAOS (0.51%). In terms of maximum drawdown, UOCT dropped -13.68% vs CAOS's -3.89%.

Which ETF is better, UOCT or CAOS?

On 3-year performance, UOCT leads with 11.31% vs 3.48% for CAOS. On fees, CAOS is cheaper at 0.63% per year. On volatility, CAOS has been the lower-risk option at 0.51%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF has performed better, UOCT or CAOS?

Over the 3-year period, UOCT has performed better with a 11.31% return vs 3.48%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.

Which ETF is cheaper, UOCT or CAOS?

CAOS is cheaper with a 0.63% expense ratio, compared with 0.79% for UOCT.

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

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

What is the main difference between UOCT and CAOS?

UOCT is categorized as Defined Outcome, while CAOS is Options Trading. They also come from different issuers: Innovator and Alpha Architect. Their fees differ too: 0.79% for UOCT and 0.63% for CAOS.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

UOCT currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.95 vs 1.19), 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.