VTI vs. BUFX
VTI (Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF) and BUFX (FT Vest Laddered Enhance & Moderate Buffer ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - VTI is a Large Cap Blend Equities fund tracking the CRSP US Total Market Index, while BUFX is a Defined Outcome fund managed by First Trust. Their correlation of 0.90 suggests significant overlap in exposure. VTI charges 0.03%/yr vs 0.96%/yr for BUFX.
Performance
VTI vs. BUFX - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, VTI achieves a 11.72% return, which is significantly higher than BUFX's 4.26% return.
VTI
- 1D
- 0.47%
- 1M
- 4.59%
- YTD
- 11.72%
- 6M
- 11.43%
- 1Y
- 28.79%
- 3Y*
- 22.37%
- 5Y*
- 12.80%
- 10Y*
- 15.04%
BUFX
- 1D
- 0.16%
- 1M
- 1.26%
- YTD
- 4.26%
- 6M
- 5.03%
- 1Y
- —
- 3Y*
- —
- 5Y*
- —
- 10Y*
- —
VTI vs. BUFX - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | |
|---|---|---|
VTI Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF | 11.72% | 12.97% |
BUFX FT Vest Laddered Enhance & Moderate Buffer ETF | 4.26% | 5.62% |
Correlation
The correlation between VTI and BUFX is 0.90, indicating a strong positive relationship between their price movements. Combining them offers limited diversification - they tend to fall together during downturns.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jun 26, 2025 | 0.90 |
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Return for Risk
VTI vs. BUFX — Risk / Return Rank
VTI
BUFX
VTI vs. BUFX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF (VTI) and FT Vest Laddered Enhance & Moderate Buffer ETF (BUFX). 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.
| VTI | BUFX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | — | — | |
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | — | — | |
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.43 | — | — |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 3.24 | — | — |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 14.94 | — | — |
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
| VTI | BUFX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 2.38 | — | — |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.74 | — | — |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.82 | — | — |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.51 | 2.72 | -2.21 |
Drawdowns
VTI vs. BUFX - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum VTI drawdown since its inception was -55.45%, which is greater than BUFX's maximum drawdown of -2.87%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VTI and BUFX.
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Drawdown Indicators
| VTI | BUFX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -55.45% | -2.87% | -52.58% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -8.92% | — | — |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -19.30% | — | — |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -25.36% | — | — |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -35.00% | — | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -0.26% | 0.00% | -0.26% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -8.03% | -0.24% | -7.79% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 1.93% | — | — |
Volatility
VTI vs. BUFX - Volatility Comparison
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Volatility by Period
| VTI | BUFX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 2.90% | — | — |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 9.13% | — | — |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 12.17% | 3.97% | +8.20% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 17.40% | 3.97% | +13.43% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 18.30% | 3.97% | +14.33% |
VTI vs. BUFX - Expense Ratio Comparison
VTI has a 0.03% expense ratio, which is lower than BUFX's 0.96% expense ratio.
Dividends
VTI vs. BUFX - Dividend Comparison
VTI's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.01%, while BUFX has not paid dividends to shareholders.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
BUFX FT Vest Laddered Enhance & Moderate Buffer ETF | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
VTI Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF | 1.01% | 1.12% | 1.27% | 1.44% | 1.66% | 1.21% | 1.42% | 1.78% | 2.04% | 1.71% | 1.92% | 1.98% |
Frequently Asked Questions
VTI and BUFX have a correlation of 0.90, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
On fees, VTI is cheaper at 0.03% per year. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
VTI is cheaper with a 0.03% expense ratio, compared with 0.96% for BUFX.
VTI has the higher dividend yield at 1.01%, compared with 0.00% for BUFX.
VTI is categorized as Large Cap Blend Equities, while BUFX is Defined Outcome. They also come from different issuers: Vanguard and First Trust. Their fees differ too: 0.03% for VTI and 0.96% for BUFX.
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