Innovator Laddered Allocation Buffer ETF (BUFB) Performance
BUFB total return
Distributions reinvested · as of Oct 23, 2026- YTD
- +9.8% since Dec 31, 2025
- 1 year
- +11.9% total return
- 3 years
- +17.0% a year
- Since first price
- +10.5% a year since 2022
BUFB trailing returns vs SPY, QQQ, AGG
| Period | BUFB total return | Price only | S&P 500 (SPY) | Nasdaq-100 (QQQ) | U.S. bonds (AGG) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 month | −0.4% | −0.4% | −1.0% | −5.0% | +0.9% |
| 3 months | +2.8% | +2.8% | +3.2% | +1.9% | −0.4% |
| 6 months | +5.9% | +5.9% | +7.8% | +8.4% | −1.5% |
| YTD | +9.8% | +9.8% | +12.3% | +15.1% | −1.0% |
| 1 year | +11.9% | +11.9% | +14.4% | +15.9% | −1.1% |
| 3 years | +60.0%+17.0%/yr | +60.0% | +87.4%+23.3%/yr | +101.4%+26.3%/yr | +16.6%+5.2%/yr |
| Since inceptionFeb 9, 2022 | +60.1%+10.5%/yr | +60.1% | — | — | — |
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: BUFB vs SPY
From Feb 9, 2022: BUFB grew to $16,006, SPY to $17,697.
Year-end values with distributions reinvested, no taxes or trading costs. Start: first common trading day of both funds.
BUFB returns by calendar year
3 of 3 full years positive. Best 2023 (+20.5%), worst 2025 (+13.4%). 2026 is year to date.
BUFB annual returns table
| Year | BUFB | Largest drop | SPY | QQQ | AGG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026YTD | +9.8% | −5.1% | +12.3% | +15.1% | −1.0% |
| 2025 | +13.4% | −13.8% | +17.7% | +20.8% | +7.2% |
| 2024 | +16.4% | −4.6% | +24.9% | +25.6% | +1.3% |
| 2023 | +20.5% | −7.4% | +26.2% | +54.9% | +5.7% |
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.
BUFB largest drawdowns
Now 1.6% below the high| Peak | Decline | Bottom | Recovered | Fall | Underwater |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 29, 2022 | −14.9% | Oct 14, 2022 | Jun 9, 2023 | 7 months | 1.2 years |
| Feb 19, 2025 | −13.8% | Apr 8, 2025 | Jun 24, 2025 | 48 days | 4 months |
Declines from a closing high (distributions reinvested) of 10% or more. Underwater = time from the peak until the old high was regained.
BUFB risk statistics
| Statistic | 3 years | Since 2022 |
|---|---|---|
| Annualized return | +16.5% | +11.6% |
| Volatility (annualized) | 7.8% | 10.7% |
| Sharpe ratio | 1.45 | 0.72 |
| Sortino ratio | 3.12 | 1.15 |
| Best month | +7.1% | +7.1% |
| Worst month | −3.9% | −6.8% |
| Best 12 months | +26.2% | +26.2% |
| Worst 12 months | +6.9% | −2.7% |
| Positive months | 72% | 67% |
| Beta vs S&P 500 | 0.61 | — |
| Correlation with S&P 500 | 0.97 | — |
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.
BUFB rolling returns
| Holding period | Periods | Worst | Median | Best | Positive |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1-year | 45 | −2.7% | +14.0% | +26.2% | 96% |
| 3-year (a year) | 21 | +7.8% | +15.0% | +18.2% | 100% |
Every holding period starting at a month-end since 2022. Returns for 3 years and longer are annualized.
BUFB performance overview
Innovator Laddered Allocation Buffer ETF (BUFB) returned +11.9% over the past year, with distributions reinvested. Since its first recorded price in 2022 it has returned +10.5% a year, turning $10,000 into about $16,006. Over the same year S&P 500 (SPY) returned +14.4%.
The deepest decline was −14.9%, from Mar 29, 2022 to Oct 14, 2022, and it took 8 months to get back to the old high. BUFB finished 3 of its 3 full calendar years with a gain; the best year was 2023 (+20.5%) and the worst 2025 (+13.4%). Volatility has been 10.7% a year.
Related: BUFB chart, BUFB holdings. See the BUFB overview for the latest quote and fund facts.
BUFB performance FAQ
What is the BUFB return over the past year?
BUFB returned +11.9% over the 12 months to October 23, 2026, including reinvested distributions. On price alone it rose 11.9%.
How much would $10,000 invested in BUFB be worth?
$10,000 invested in BUFB at its first recorded close on February 9, 2022 would be worth about $16,006 on October 23, 2026 with distributions reinvested.
What was the worst year for BUFB?
The worst calendar year was 2025, with a total return of +13.4%. The best was 2023 at +20.5%.
What is the biggest drawdown of BUFB?
The largest peak-to-trough decline was −14.9% between March 29, 2022 and October 14, 2022. It recovered to the old high on June 9, 2023, 8 months after the bottom.
How volatile is BUFB?
Over the past 3 years BUFB had an annualized volatility of 7.8% and a Sharpe ratio of 1.45 (excess return over 1–3 month T-bills per unit of risk).