ZALT vs. USOY

Last updated Aug 5, 2026

ZALT (Innovator U.S. Equity 10 Buffer ETF - Quarterly) and USOY (Defiance Oil Enhanced Options Income ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - ZALT is a Options Trading fund actively managed by Innovator, while USOY is a Derivative Income fund actively managed by Defiance. Both are actively managed. Over the past year, ZALT returned 10.12% vs 30.47% for USOY. Their -0.02 correlation means they have often moved in opposite directions in the past. ZALT charges 0.69%/yr vs 1.22%/yr for USOY.

Performance

ZALT vs. USOY - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Innovator U.S. Equity 10 Buffer ETF - Quarterly (ZALT) and Defiance Oil Enhanced Options Income ETF (USOY). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, ZALT achieves a 5.55% return, which is significantly lower than USOY's 37.86% return.

ZALT

• 1D: 0.40%
• 1M: 1.53%
• 6M: 4.81%
• YTD: 5.55%
• 1Y: 10.12%
• 3Y*: —
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —
• ALL TIME*: 10.91%

USOY

• 1D: -4.43%
• 1M: 7.60%
• 6M: 26.60%
• YTD: 37.86%
• 1Y: 30.47%
• 3Y*: —
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —
• ALL TIME*: 14.27%

*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)
USOY Defiance Oil Enhanced Options Income ETF	$3.17M	$3.29M	$3.40M
ZALT Innovator U.S. Equity 10 Buffer ETF - Quarterly	$4.29M	$6.88M	$4.71M

ZALT vs. USOY - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024
ZALT Innovator U.S. Equity 10 Buffer ETF - Quarterly	5.55%	9.44%	8.53%
USOY Defiance Oil Enhanced Options Income ETF	37.86%	-7.93%	6.13%

Correlation

The correlation between ZALT and USOY is -0.15, 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.	-0.15
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since May 10, 2024	-0.02

The correlation between ZALT and USOY shifts across timeframes, from -0.15 (1 year) to -0.02 (all time), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

Return for Risk

ZALT vs. USOY — Risk / Return Rank

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

ZALT

ZALT Risk / Return Rank: 93
ZALT Sharpe Ratio Rank: 90
ZALT Sortino Ratio Rank: 91
ZALT Omega Ratio Rank: 93
ZALT Calmar Ratio Rank: 95
ZALT Martin Ratio Rank: 95

USOY

USOY Risk / Return Rank: 32
USOY Sharpe Ratio Rank: 32
USOY Sortino Ratio Rank: 31
USOY Omega Ratio Rank: 33
USOY Calmar Ratio Rank: 33
USOY Martin Ratio Rank: 34

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.

ZALT vs. USOY - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Innovator U.S. Equity 10 Buffer ETF - Quarterly (ZALT) and Defiance Oil Enhanced Options Income ETF (USOY). 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.

	ZALT	USOY	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	2.43	0.86	+1.57
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	3.46	1.30	+2.16
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.52	1.18	+0.34
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	5.95	1.20	+4.75
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	20.83	3.50	+17.33

ZALT vs. USOY - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current ZALT Sharpe Ratio is 2.43, which is higher than the USOY Sharpe Ratio of 0.86. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of ZALT and USOY, 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

ZALT vs. USOY - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum ZALT drawdown since its inception was -8.19%, smaller than the maximum USOY drawdown of -25.51%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for ZALT and USOY.

Drawdown Indicators

	ZALT	USOY	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-8.19%	-25.51%	+17.32%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-1.71%	-25.51%	+23.80%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	0.00%	-19.34%	+19.34%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-0.46%	-7.20%	+6.74%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	0.49%	8.72%	-8.23%

Volatility

ZALT vs. USOY - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for Innovator U.S. Equity 10 Buffer ETF - Quarterly (ZALT) is 1.44%, while Defiance Oil Enhanced Options Income ETF (USOY) has a volatility of 17.04%. This indicates that ZALT experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than USOY based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	ZALT	USOY	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	1.44%	17.04%	-15.60%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	2.72%	32.89%	-30.17%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	4.21%	35.44%	-31.23%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	6.24%	28.49%	-22.25%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	6.24%	28.49%	-22.25%

ZALT vs. USOY - Expense Ratio Comparison

ZALT has a 0.69% expense ratio, which is lower than USOY's 1.22% expense ratio.

Dividends

ZALT vs. USOY - Dividend Comparison

ZALT has not paid dividends to shareholders, while USOY's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 62.08%.

Position	TTM	2025	2024
USOY Defiance Oil Enhanced Options Income ETF	62.08%	104.32%	48.60%
ZALT Innovator U.S. Equity 10 Buffer ETF - Quarterly	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both ZALT and USOY in my portfolio?

ZALT and USOY have a correlation of -0.15, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, ZALT or USOY?

USOY has higher volatility (17.04%) compared to ZALT (1.44%). In terms of maximum drawdown, ZALT dropped -8.19% vs USOY's -25.51%.

Which ETF is better, ZALT or USOY?

On 1-year performance, USOY leads with 30.47% vs 10.12% for ZALT. On fees, ZALT is cheaper at 0.69% per year. On volatility, ZALT has been the lower-risk option at 1.44%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF has performed better, ZALT or USOY?

Over the 1-year period, USOY has performed better with a 30.47% return vs 10.12%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.

Which ETF is cheaper, ZALT or USOY?

ZALT is cheaper with a 0.69% expense ratio, compared with 1.22% for USOY.

Which ETF pays a higher dividend yield, ZALT or USOY?

USOY has the higher dividend yield at 62.08%, compared with 0.00% for ZALT.

What is the main difference between ZALT and USOY?

ZALT is categorized as Options Trading, while USOY is Derivative Income. They also come from different issuers: Innovator and Defiance. Their fees differ too: 0.69% for ZALT and 1.22% for USOY.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

ZALT currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.43 vs 0.86), 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.