FT Cboe Vest Buffered Allocation Growth ETF (BUFG) Performance
BUFG total return
Distributions reinvested · as of Oct 23, 2026- YTD
- +8.5% since Dec 31, 2025
- 1 year
- +10.3% total return
- 3 years
- +15.4% a year
- Since first price
- +8.4% a year since 2021
BUFG trailing returns vs SPY, QQQ, AGG
| Period | BUFG total return | Price only | S&P 500 (SPY) | Nasdaq-100 (QQQ) | U.S. bonds (AGG) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 month | −0.5% | −0.5% | −1.0% | −5.0% | +0.9% |
| 3 months | +2.4% | +2.4% | +3.2% | +1.9% | −0.4% |
| 6 months | +5.3% | +5.3% | +7.8% | +8.4% | −1.5% |
| YTD | +8.5% | +8.5% | +12.3% | +15.1% | −1.0% |
| 1 year | +10.3% | +10.3% | +14.4% | +15.9% | −1.1% |
| 3 years | +53.8%+15.4%/yr | +53.8% | +87.4%+23.3%/yr | +101.4%+26.3%/yr | +16.6%+5.2%/yr |
| Since inceptionOct 26, 2021 | +49.2%+8.4%/yr | +49.2% | — | — | — |
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: BUFG vs SPY
From Oct 26, 2021: BUFG grew to $14,923, SPY to $17,821.
Year-end values with distributions reinvested, no taxes or trading costs. Start: first common trading day of both funds.
BUFG returns by calendar year
3 of 4 full years positive. Best 2023 (+18.5%), worst 2022 (−11.6%). 2026 is year to date.
BUFG annual returns table
| Year | BUFG | Largest drop | SPY | QQQ | AGG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026YTD | +8.5% | −5.7% | +12.3% | +15.1% | −1.0% |
| 2025 | +12.3% | −13.2% | +17.7% | +20.8% | +7.2% |
| 2024 | +15.1% | −5.0% | +24.9% | +25.6% | +1.3% |
| 2023 | +18.5% | −7.8% | +26.2% | +54.9% | +5.7% |
| 2022 | −11.6% | −17.6% | −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.
BUFG largest drawdowns
Now 1.4% below the high| Peak | Decline | Bottom | Recovered | Fall | Underwater |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 4, 2022 | −17.6% | Oct 12, 2022 | Jul 13, 2023 | 9 months | 1.5 years |
| Feb 19, 2025 | −13.2% | 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.
BUFG risk statistics
| Statistic | 3 years | Since 2021 |
|---|---|---|
| Annualized return | +15.0% | +8.4% |
| Volatility (annualized) | 7.8% | 10.5% |
| Sharpe ratio | 1.28 | 0.48 |
| Sortino ratio | 2.56 | 0.73 |
| Best month | +6.7% | +6.7% |
| Worst month | −4.1% | −7.3% |
| Best 12 months | +23.4% | +23.4% |
| Worst 12 months | +5.6% | −11.6% |
| Positive months | 72% | 64% |
| Beta vs S&P 500 | 0.62 | — |
| Correlation with S&P 500 | 0.98 | — |
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.
BUFG rolling returns
| Holding period | Periods | Worst | Median | Best | Positive |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1-year | 49 | −11.6% | +12.3% | +23.4% | 88% |
| 3-year (a year) | 25 | +6.0% | +13.2% | +16.9% | 100% |
| 5-year (a year) | 1 | +8.3% | +8.3% | +8.3% | 100% |
Every holding period starting at a month-end since 2021. Returns for 3 years and longer are annualized.
BUFG performance overview
FT Cboe Vest Buffered Allocation Growth ETF (BUFG) returned +10.3% over the past year, with distributions reinvested. Since its first recorded price in 2021 it has returned +8.4% a year, turning $10,000 into about $14,923. Over the same year S&P 500 (SPY) returned +14.4%.
The deepest decline was −17.6%, from Jan 4, 2022 to Oct 12, 2022, and it took 9 months to get back to the old high. BUFG finished 3 of its 4 full calendar years with a gain; the best year was 2023 (+18.5%) and the worst 2022 (−11.6%). Volatility has been 10.5% a year.
Related: BUFG chart. See the BUFG overview for the latest quote and fund facts.
BUFG performance FAQ
What is the BUFG return over the past year?
BUFG returned +10.3% over the 12 months to October 23, 2026, including reinvested distributions. On price alone it rose 10.3%.
How much would $10,000 invested in BUFG be worth?
$10,000 invested in BUFG at its first recorded close on October 26, 2021 would be worth about $14,923 on October 23, 2026 with distributions reinvested.
What was the worst year for BUFG?
The worst calendar year was 2022, with a total return of −11.6%. The best was 2023 at +18.5%.
What is the biggest drawdown of BUFG?
The largest peak-to-trough decline was −17.6% between January 4, 2022 and October 12, 2022. It recovered to the old high on July 13, 2023, 9 months after the bottom.
How volatile is BUFG?
Over the past 3 years BUFG had an annualized volatility of 7.8% and a Sharpe ratio of 1.28 (excess return over 1–3 month T-bills per unit of risk).