Innovator Defined Wealth Shield ETF (BALT) Performance
BALT total return
Distributions reinvested · as of Oct 23, 2026- YTD
- +4.3% since Dec 31, 2025
- 1 year
- +6.2% total return
- 5 years
- +6.2% a year
- Since first price
- +6.0% a year since 2021
BALT trailing returns vs SPY, QQQ, AGG
| Period | BALT total return | Price only | S&P 500 (SPY) | Nasdaq-100 (QQQ) | U.S. bonds (AGG) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 month | +0.2% | +0.2% | −1.0% | −5.0% | +0.9% |
| 3 months | +2.0% | +2.0% | +3.2% | +1.9% | −0.4% |
| 6 months | +3.1% | +3.1% | +7.8% | +8.4% | −1.5% |
| YTD | +4.3% | +4.3% | +12.3% | +15.1% | −1.0% |
| 1 year | +6.2% | +6.2% | +14.4% | +15.9% | −1.1% |
| 3 years | +25.7%+7.9%/yr | +25.7% | +87.4%+23.3%/yr | +101.4%+26.3%/yr | +16.6%+5.2%/yr |
| 5 years | +35.2%+6.2%/yr | +35.2% | +79.3%+12.4%/yr | +94.0%+14.2%/yr | −0.8%−0.2%/yr |
| Since inceptionJul 1, 2021 | +35.9%+6.0%/yr | +35.9% | — | — | — |
Total return from adjusted closes (distributions reinvested, before tax). Periods of 3 years or more are also shown annualized. Price only excludes distributions.
Growth of $10,000: BALT vs SPY
From Jul 1, 2021: BALT grew to $13,594, SPY to $18,938.
Year-end values with distributions reinvested, no taxes or trading costs. Start: first common trading day of both funds.
BALT returns by calendar year
4 of 4 full years positive. Best 2024 (+10.0%), worst 2022 (+2.5%). 2026 is year to date.
BALT annual returns table
| Year | BALT | Largest drop | SPY | QQQ | AGG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026YTD | +4.3% | −1.2% | +12.3% | +15.1% | −1.0% |
| 2025 | +6.7% | −4.9% | +17.7% | +20.8% | +7.2% |
| 2024 | +10.0% | −1.8% | +24.9% | +25.6% | +1.3% |
| 2023 | +7.5% | −1.8% | +26.2% | +54.9% | +5.7% |
| 2022 | +2.5% | −2.2% | −18.2% | −32.6% | −13.0% |
Largest drop = deepest fall from a high within that calendar year.
Calendar-year return vs largest drop within the year
Most years include a sizable fall at some point even when the year ends higher.
BALT risk statistics
| Statistic | 3 years | 5 years | Since 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annualized return | +7.9% | +6.2% | +6.1% |
| Volatility (annualized) | 2.4% | 2.6% | 2.6% |
| Sharpe ratio | 1.39 | 1.00 | 1.00 |
| Sortino ratio | 2.51 | 1.58 | 1.58 |
| Best month | +2.3% | +2.3% | +2.3% |
| Worst month | −1.1% | −1.5% | −1.5% |
| Best 12 months | +11.2% | +11.2% | +11.2% |
| Worst 12 months | +5.7% | −0.1% | −0.1% |
| Positive months | 89% | 85% | 84% |
| Beta vs S&P 500 | 0.17 | 0.14 | — |
| Correlation with S&P 500 | 0.87 | 0.82 | — |
From monthly total returns. Sharpe and Sortino use 1–3 month T-bills (BIL) as the risk-free rate, so they need history from 2007 on.
BALT rolling returns
| Holding period | Periods | Worst | Median | Best | Positive |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1-year | 52 | −0.1% | +6.9% | +11.2% | 98% |
| 3-year (a year) | 28 | +5.5% | +7.3% | +8.4% | 100% |
| 5-year (a year) | 4 | +6.0% | +6.2% | +6.2% | 100% |
Every holding period starting at a month-end since 2021. Returns for 3 years and longer are annualized.
BALT performance overview
Innovator Defined Wealth Shield ETF (BALT) returned +6.2% over the past year and +6.2% a year over five years, with distributions reinvested. Since its first recorded price in 2021 it has returned +6.0% a year, turning $10,000 into about $13,594. Over the same year S&P 500 (SPY) returned +14.4%.
Related: BALT chart. See the BALT overview for the latest quote and fund facts.
BALT performance FAQ
What is the BALT return over the past year?
BALT returned +6.2% over the 12 months to October 23, 2026, including reinvested distributions. On price alone it rose 6.2%.
What is the average annual return of BALT?
BALT has returned +6.2% a year over 5 years, +6.0% a year since July 1, 2021 (total return, distributions reinvested).
How much would $10,000 invested in BALT be worth?
$10,000 invested in BALT at its first recorded close on July 1, 2021 would be worth about $13,594 on October 23, 2026 with distributions reinvested.
What was the worst year for BALT?
The worst calendar year was 2022, with a total return of +2.5%. The best was 2024 at +10.0%.
How volatile is BALT?
Over the past 3 years BALT had an annualized volatility of 2.4% and a Sharpe ratio of 1.39 (excess return over 1–3 month T-bills per unit of risk).