USEP vs. BALT
Compare and contrast key facts about Innovator U.S. Equity Ultra Buffer ETF - September (USEP) and Innovator Defined Wealth Shield ETF (BALT).
USEP and BALT are both exchange-traded funds (ETFs), meaning they are traded on stock exchanges and can be bought and sold throughout the day. USEP is a passively managed fund by Innovator that tracks the performance of the S&P 500 Index. It was launched on Aug 30, 2019. BALT is a passively managed fund by Innovator that tracks the performance of the S&P 500. It was launched on Jun 30, 2021. Both USEP and BALT are passive ETFs, meaning that they are not actively managed but aim to replicate the performance of the underlying index as closely as possible.
Performance
USEP vs. BALT - Performance Comparison
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USEP vs. BALT - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
USEP Innovator U.S. Equity Ultra Buffer ETF - September | -1.68% | 11.75% | 12.39% | 18.62% | -7.98% | 1.99% |
BALT Innovator Defined Wealth Shield ETF | -0.13% | 6.65% | 9.98% | 7.45% | 2.54% | 0.82% |
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, USEP achieves a -1.68% return, which is significantly lower than BALT's -0.13% return.
USEP
- 1D
- 1.47%
- 1M
- -2.27%
- YTD
- -1.68%
- 6M
- -0.00%
- 1Y
- 12.37%
- 3Y*
- 12.04%
- 5Y*
- 6.93%
- 10Y*
- —
BALT
- 1D
- 0.10%
- 1M
- -0.87%
- YTD
- -0.13%
- 6M
- 1.97%
- 1Y
- 6.64%
- 3Y*
- 7.11%
- 5Y*
- —
- 10Y*
- —
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USEP vs. BALT - Expense Ratio Comparison
USEP has a 0.79% expense ratio, which is higher than BALT's 0.69% expense ratio.
Return for Risk
USEP vs. BALT — Risk / Return Rank
USEP
BALT
USEP vs. BALT - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Innovator U.S. Equity Ultra Buffer ETF - September (USEP) 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.
| USEP | BALT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | 1.40 | 1.49 | -0.09 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | 2.07 | 2.29 | -0.22 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.33 | 1.43 | -0.10 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.10 | 1.91 | +0.19 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 10.59 | 12.79 | -2.20 |
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month. | |||
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Sharpe Ratios by Period
| USEP | BALT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.40 | 1.49 | -0.09 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.94 | — | — |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.89 | 1.70 | -0.81 |
Correlation
The correlation between USEP and BALT is 0.75, which is considered to be high. That indicates a strong positive relationship between their price movements. Having highly-correlated positions in a portfolio may signal a lack of diversification, potentially leading to increased risk during market downturns.
Dividends
USEP vs. BALT - Dividend Comparison
Neither USEP nor BALT has paid dividends to shareholders.
| TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
USEP Innovator U.S. Equity Ultra Buffer ETF - September | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.64% |
BALT Innovator Defined Wealth Shield ETF | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Drawdowns
USEP vs. BALT - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum USEP drawdown since its inception was -13.37%, which is greater than BALT's maximum drawdown of -4.89%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for USEP and BALT.
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Drawdown Indicators
| USEP | BALT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -13.37% | -4.89% | -8.48% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -6.07% | -3.48% | -2.59% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -11.84% | — | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -2.62% | -1.05% | -1.57% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -1.94% | -0.35% | -1.59% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 1.20% | 0.52% | +0.68% |
Volatility
USEP vs. BALT - Volatility Comparison
Innovator U.S. Equity Ultra Buffer ETF - September (USEP) has a higher volatility of 2.70% compared to Innovator Defined Wealth Shield ETF (BALT) at 0.61%. This indicates that USEP'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.
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Volatility by Period
| USEP | BALT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 2.70% | 0.61% | +2.09% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 4.25% | 1.84% | +2.41% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 8.90% | 4.48% | +4.42% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 7.38% | 3.36% | +4.02% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 8.13% | 3.36% | +4.77% |