ZOCT vs. BUFD

Last updated Apr 1, 2026

Compare and contrast key facts about Innovator Equity Defined Protection ETF - 1 Yr October (ZOCT) and FT Vest Laddered Deep Buffer ETF (BUFD).

ZOCT and BUFD are both exchange-traded funds (ETFs), meaning they are traded on stock exchanges and can be bought and sold throughout the day. ZOCT is an actively managed fund by Innovator. It was launched on Oct 1, 2024. BUFD is an actively managed fund by FT Vest. It was launched on Jan 20, 2021.

Performance

ZOCT vs. BUFD - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Innovator Equity Defined Protection ETF - 1 Yr October (ZOCT) and FT Vest Laddered Deep Buffer ETF (BUFD). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

ZOCT vs. BUFD - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024
ZOCT Innovator Equity Defined Protection ETF - 1 Yr October	-0.33%	6.24%	0.68%
BUFD FT Vest Laddered Deep Buffer ETF	-0.60%	10.66%	2.04%

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, ZOCT achieves a -0.33% return, which is significantly higher than BUFD's -0.60% return.

ZOCT

• 1D: 0.52%
• 1M: -0.82%
• YTD: -0.33%
• 6M: 0.63%
• 1Y: 6.35%
• 3Y*: —
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

BUFD

• 1D: 0.25%
• 1M: -1.40%
• YTD: -0.60%
• 6M: 1.46%
• 1Y: 12.41%
• 3Y*: 11.17%
• 5Y*: 6.59%
• 10Y*: —

*Multi-year figures are annualized to reflect compound growth (CAGR)

ZOCT vs. BUFD - Expense Ratio Comparison

ZOCT has a 0.79% expense ratio, which is lower than BUFD's 0.95% expense ratio.

BUFD

FT Vest Laddered Deep Buffer ETF

ZOCT

Innovator Equity Defined Protection ETF - 1 Yr October

Return for Risk

ZOCT vs. BUFD — Risk / Return Rank

Compare risk-adjusted metric ranks to identify better-performing investments over the past 12 months.

ZOCT

ZOCT Risk / Return Rank: 93
ZOCT Sharpe Ratio Rank: 90
ZOCT Sortino Ratio Rank: 94
ZOCT Omega Ratio Rank: 94
ZOCT Calmar Ratio Rank: 92
ZOCT Martin Ratio Rank: 94

BUFD

BUFD Risk / Return Rank: 78
BUFD Sharpe Ratio Rank: 74
BUFD Sortino Ratio Rank: 77
BUFD Omega Ratio Rank: 83
BUFD Calmar Ratio Rank: 70
BUFD Martin Ratio Rank: 84

The rank (0–100) shows how this investment's returns compare to the risk taken. Higher = better. Based on the past 12 months of data, combining Sharpe, Sortino, and other metrics used by quantitative funds and institutional investors.

ZOCT vs. BUFD - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Innovator Equity Defined Protection ETF - 1 Yr October (ZOCT) and FT Vest Laddered Deep Buffer ETF (BUFD). 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.

	ZOCT	BUFD	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	1.99	1.38	+0.61
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	2.94	2.04	+0.90
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.44	1.34	+0.11
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	3.36	1.90	+1.46
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	14.90	10.38	+4.52
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

ZOCT vs. BUFD - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current ZOCT Sharpe Ratio is 1.99, which is higher than the BUFD Sharpe Ratio of 1.38. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of ZOCT and BUFD, offering insights into how both investments have performed under varying market conditions. These values are calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	ZOCT	BUFD	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	1.99	1.38	+0.61
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	—	0.86	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	1.41	0.87	+0.53

Correlation

The correlation between ZOCT and BUFD is 0.84, 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

ZOCT vs. BUFD - Dividend Comparison

Neither ZOCT nor BUFD has paid dividends to shareholders.

Tickers have no history of dividend payments

Drawdowns

ZOCT vs. BUFD - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum ZOCT drawdown since its inception was -3.18%, smaller than the maximum BUFD drawdown of -10.75%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for ZOCT and BUFD.

Drawdown Indicators

	ZOCT	BUFD	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-3.18%	-10.75%	+7.57%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-1.91%	-6.57%	+4.66%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	—	-10.75%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-0.95%	-1.72%	+0.77%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-0.37%	-2.03%	+1.66%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	0.43%	1.20%	-0.77%

Volatility

ZOCT vs. BUFD - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for Innovator Equity Defined Protection ETF - 1 Yr October (ZOCT) is 1.06%, while FT Vest Laddered Deep Buffer ETF (BUFD) has a volatility of 2.68%. This indicates that ZOCT experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than BUFD based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	ZOCT	BUFD	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	1.06%	2.68%	-1.62%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	1.70%	4.10%	-2.40%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	3.20%	9.03%	-5.83%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	3.14%	7.71%	-4.57%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	3.14%	7.63%	-4.49%