ZFEB vs. OCTB

Last updated Aug 4, 2026

ZFEB (Innovator Equity Defined Protection ETF - 1 Yr February) and OCTB (Aptus October Buffer ETF) are both Defined Outcome funds. Both are actively managed. Their correlation of 0.86 means they have usually moved in the same direction. ZFEB charges 0.79%/yr vs 0.25%/yr for OCTB.

Performance

ZFEB vs. OCTB - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Innovator Equity Defined Protection ETF - 1 Yr February (ZFEB) and Aptus October Buffer ETF (OCTB). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, ZFEB achieves a 3.03% return, which is significantly lower than OCTB's 7.75% return.

ZFEB

• 1D: 0.17%
• 1M: 0.60%
• 6M: 2.27%
• YTD: 3.03%
• 1Y: 6.81%
• 3Y*: —
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —
• ALL TIME*: 6.20%

OCTB

• 1D: 0.45%
• 1M: 1.30%
• 6M: 6.50%
• YTD: 7.75%
• 1Y: —
• 3Y*: —
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —
• ALL TIME*: —

*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)
OCTB Aptus October Buffer ETF	$69.66K	$87.45K	$69.55K
ZFEB Innovator Equity Defined Protection ETF - 1 Yr February	$77.83K	$235.95K	$414.31K

ZFEB vs. OCTB - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025
ZFEB Innovator Equity Defined Protection ETF - 1 Yr February	3.03%	1.74%
OCTB Aptus October Buffer ETF	7.75%	2.37%

Correlation

The correlation between ZFEB and OCTB is 0.86, meaning they have usually moved in the same direction, including during past declines.

	Correlation
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Oct 14, 2025	0.86

Return for Risk

ZFEB vs. OCTB — Risk / Return Rank

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

ZFEB

ZFEB Risk / Return Rank: 96
ZFEB Sharpe Ratio Rank: 96
ZFEB Sortino Ratio Rank: 97
ZFEB Omega Ratio Rank: 96
ZFEB Calmar Ratio Rank: 94
ZFEB Martin Ratio Rank: 96

OCTB

Risk / return metrics aren't available yet — we need at least 12 months of trading data to calculate them.

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.

ZFEB vs. OCTB - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Innovator Equity Defined Protection ETF - 1 Yr February (ZFEB) and Aptus October Buffer ETF (OCTB). 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.

	ZFEB	OCTB	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	3.20	—	—
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	5.10	—	—
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.69	—	—
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	5.07	—	—
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	24.33	—	—

Drawdowns

ZFEB vs. OCTB - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum ZFEB drawdown since its inception was -3.00%, smaller than the maximum OCTB drawdown of -4.79%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for ZFEB and OCTB.

Drawdown Indicators

	ZFEB	OCTB	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-3.00%	-4.79%	+1.79%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-1.35%	—	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-0.34%	-0.65%	+0.31%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	0.28%	—	—

Volatility

Volatility by Period

	ZFEB	OCTB	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	0.55%	—	—
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	1.55%	—	—
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	2.14%	7.15%	-5.01%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	2.79%	7.15%	-4.36%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	2.79%	7.15%	-4.36%

ZFEB vs. OCTB - Expense Ratio Comparison

ZFEB has a 0.79% expense ratio, which is higher than OCTB's 0.25% expense ratio.

Dividends

ZFEB vs. OCTB - Dividend Comparison

Neither ZFEB nor OCTB has paid dividends to shareholders.

Tickers have no history of dividend payments

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both ZFEB and OCTB in my portfolio?

ZFEB and OCTB have a correlation of 0.86, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which ETF is better, ZFEB or OCTB?

On fees, OCTB is cheaper at 0.25% per year. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF is cheaper, ZFEB or OCTB?

OCTB is cheaper with a 0.25% expense ratio, compared with 0.79% for ZFEB.

Which ETF pays a higher dividend yield, ZFEB or OCTB?

ZFEB and OCTB have nearly identical dividend yields, around 0.00%.

What is the main difference between ZFEB and OCTB?

They also come from different issuers: Innovator and Aptus. Their fees differ too: 0.79% for ZFEB and 0.25% for OCTB.