FT Vest Laddered Buffer ETF (BUFR) Performance
BUFR total return
Distributions reinvested · as of Oct 23, 2026- YTD
- +9.5% since Dec 31, 2025
- 1 year
- +11.6% total return
- 5 years
- +9.7% a year
- Since first price
- +10.7% a year since 2020
BUFR trailing returns vs SPY, QQQ, AGG
| Period | BUFR 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 | +2.8% | +2.8% | +3.2% | +1.9% | −0.4% |
| 6 months | +5.8% | +5.8% | +7.8% | +8.4% | −1.5% |
| YTD | +9.5% | +9.5% | +12.3% | +15.1% | −1.0% |
| 1 year | +11.6% | +11.6% | +14.4% | +15.9% | −1.1% |
| 3 years | +55.1%+15.8%/yr | +55.1% | +87.4%+23.3%/yr | +101.4%+26.3%/yr | +16.6%+5.2%/yr |
| 5 years | +59.1%+9.7%/yr | +59.1% | +79.3%+12.4%/yr | +94.0%+14.2%/yr | −0.8%−0.2%/yr |
| Since inceptionAug 11, 2020 | +87.8%+10.7%/yr | +87.8% | — | — | — |
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: BUFR vs SPY
From Aug 11, 2020: BUFR grew to $18,780, SPY to $24,858.
Year-end values with distributions reinvested, no taxes or trading costs. Start: first common trading day of both funds.
BUFR returns by calendar year
4 of 5 full years positive. Best 2023 (+19.6%), worst 2022 (−7.6%). 2026 is year to date.
BUFR annual returns table
| Year | BUFR | Largest drop | SPY | QQQ | AGG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026YTD | +9.5% | −4.6% | +12.3% | +15.1% | −1.0% |
| 2025 | +12.4% | −12.8% | +17.7% | +20.8% | +7.2% |
| 2024 | +14.7% | −4.1% | +24.9% | +25.6% | +1.3% |
| 2023 | +19.6% | −7.5% | +26.2% | +54.9% | +5.7% |
| 2022 | −7.6% | −13.7% | −18.2% | −32.6% | −13.0% |
| 2021 | +11.9% | −2.4% | +28.7% | +27.4% | −1.8% |
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.
BUFR largest drawdowns
Now 1.2% below the high| Peak | Decline | Bottom | Recovered | Fall | Underwater |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 3, 2022 | −13.7% | Oct 12, 2022 | Jun 2, 2023 | 9 months | 1.4 years |
| Feb 19, 2025 | −12.8% | 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.
BUFR risk statistics
| Statistic | 3 years | 5 years | Since 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annualized return | +15.2% | +10.3% | +10.5% |
| Volatility (annualized) | 7.2% | 9.7% | 9.4% |
| Sharpe ratio | 1.41 | 0.70 | 0.81 |
| Sortino ratio | 3.02 | 1.13 | 1.36 |
| Best month | +7.0% | +7.0% | +7.0% |
| Worst month | −3.7% | −6.2% | −6.2% |
| Best 12 months | +23.7% | +23.7% | +23.7% |
| Worst 12 months | +6.2% | −9.2% | −9.2% |
| Positive months | 75% | 67% | 67% |
| Beta vs S&P 500 | 0.56 | 0.61 | — |
| Correlation with S&P 500 | 0.97 | 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.
BUFR rolling returns
| Holding period | Periods | Worst | Median | Best | Positive |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1-year | 63 | −9.2% | +12.0% | +23.7% | 81% |
| 3-year (a year) | 39 | +6.8% | +9.6% | +17.0% | 100% |
| 5-year (a year) | 15 | +8.8% | +9.9% | +11.3% | 100% |
Every holding period starting at a month-end since 2020. Returns for 3 years and longer are annualized.
BUFR performance overview
FT Vest Laddered Buffer ETF (BUFR) returned +11.6% over the past year and +9.7% a year over five years, with distributions reinvested. Since its first recorded price in 2020 it has returned +10.7% a year, turning $10,000 into about $18,780. Over the same year S&P 500 (SPY) returned +14.4%.
The deepest decline was −13.7%, from Jan 3, 2022 to Oct 12, 2022, and it took 8 months to get back to the old high. BUFR finished 4 of its 5 full calendar years with a gain; the best year was 2023 (+19.6%) and the worst 2022 (−7.6%). Volatility has been 9.4% a year.
Related: BUFR chart, BUFR holdings. See the BUFR overview for the latest quote and fund facts.
BUFR performance FAQ
What is the BUFR return over the past year?
BUFR returned +11.6% over the 12 months to October 23, 2026, including reinvested distributions. On price alone it rose 11.6%.
What is the average annual return of BUFR?
BUFR has returned +9.7% a year over 5 years, +10.7% a year since August 11, 2020 (total return, distributions reinvested).
How much would $10,000 invested in BUFR be worth?
$10,000 invested in BUFR at its first recorded close on August 11, 2020 would be worth about $18,780 on October 23, 2026 with distributions reinvested.
What was the worst year for BUFR?
The worst calendar year was 2022, with a total return of −7.6%. The best was 2023 at +19.6%.
What is the biggest drawdown of BUFR?
The largest peak-to-trough decline was −13.7% between January 3, 2022 and October 12, 2022. It recovered to the old high on June 2, 2023, 8 months after the bottom.
How volatile is BUFR?
Over the past 3 years BUFR had an annualized volatility of 7.2% and a Sharpe ratio of 1.41 (excess return over 1–3 month T-bills per unit of risk).