FT Cboe Vest U.S. Equity Buffer ETF - December (FDEC) Performance
FDEC total return
Distributions reinvested · as of Oct 23, 2026- YTD
- +9.4% since Dec 31, 2025
- 1 year
- +13.0% total return
- 5 years
- +10.4% a year
- Since first price
- +11.1% a year since 2020
FDEC trailing returns vs SPY, QQQ, AGG
| Period | FDEC total return | Price only | S&P 500 (SPY) | Nasdaq-100 (QQQ) | U.S. bonds (AGG) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 month | −0.0% | −0.0% | −1.0% | −5.0% | +0.9% |
| 3 months | +3.1% | +3.1% | +3.2% | +1.9% | −0.4% |
| 6 months | +6.5% | +6.5% | +7.8% | +8.4% | −1.5% |
| YTD | +9.4% | +9.4% | +12.3% | +15.1% | −1.0% |
| 1 year | +13.0% | +13.0% | +14.4% | +15.9% | −1.1% |
| 3 years | +61.7%+17.4%/yr | +61.7% | +87.4%+23.3%/yr | +101.4%+26.3%/yr | +16.6%+5.2%/yr |
| 5 years | +64.3%+10.4%/yr | +64.3% | +79.3%+12.4%/yr | +94.0%+14.2%/yr | −0.8%−0.2%/yr |
| Since inceptionDec 21, 2020 | +85.2%+11.1%/yr | +85.2% | — | — | — |
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: FDEC vs SPY
From Dec 21, 2020: FDEC grew to $18,525, SPY to $22,305.
Year-end values with distributions reinvested, no taxes or trading costs. Start: first common trading day of both funds.
FDEC returns by calendar year
4 of 5 full years positive. Best 2023 (+22.8%), worst 2022 (−9.2%). 2026 is year to date.
FDEC annual returns table
| Year | FDEC | Largest drop | SPY | QQQ | AGG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026YTD | +9.4% | −5.8% | +12.3% | +15.1% | −1.0% |
| 2025 | +14.8% | −13.0% | +17.7% | +20.8% | +7.2% |
| 2024 | +14.3% | −4.1% | +24.9% | +25.6% | +1.3% |
| 2023 | +22.8% | −7.8% | +26.2% | +54.9% | +5.7% |
| 2022 | −9.2% | −15.7% | −18.2% | −32.6% | −13.0% |
| 2021 | +14.1% | −2.6% | +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.
FDEC largest drawdowns
Now 1.1% below the high| Peak | Decline | Bottom | Recovered | Fall | Underwater |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 4, 2022 | −15.7% | Oct 12, 2022 | Jun 12, 2023 | 9 months | 1.4 years |
| Feb 19, 2025 | −13.0% | 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.
FDEC risk statistics
| Statistic | 3 years | 5 years | Since 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annualized return | +16.8% | +10.9% | +11.1% |
| Volatility (annualized) | 8.3% | 10.7% | 10.1% |
| Sharpe ratio | 1.40 | 0.69 | 0.79 |
| Sortino ratio | 3.08 | 1.12 | 1.29 |
| Best month | +8.6% | +8.6% | +8.6% |
| Worst month | −3.7% | −6.6% | −6.6% |
| Best 12 months | +27.4% | +27.4% | +27.4% |
| Worst 12 months | +5.3% | −11.4% | −11.4% |
| Positive months | 75% | 68% | 70% |
| Beta vs S&P 500 | 0.62 | 0.66 | — |
| Correlation with S&P 500 | 0.94 | 0.96 | — |
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.
FDEC rolling returns
| Holding period | Periods | Worst | Median | Best | Positive |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1-year | 59 | −11.4% | +13.3% | +27.4% | 80% |
| 3-year (a year) | 35 | +7.6% | +11.9% | +18.4% | 100% |
| 5-year (a year) | 11 | +9.3% | +10.6% | +11.2% | 100% |
Every holding period starting at a month-end since 2020. Returns for 3 years and longer are annualized.
FDEC performance overview
FT Cboe Vest U.S. Equity Buffer ETF - December (FDEC) returned +13.0% over the past year and +10.4% a year over five years, with distributions reinvested. Since its first recorded price in 2020 it has returned +11.1% a year, turning $10,000 into about $18,525. Over the same year S&P 500 (SPY) returned +14.4%.
The deepest decline was −15.7%, from Jan 4, 2022 to Oct 12, 2022, and it took 8 months to get back to the old high. FDEC finished 4 of its 5 full calendar years with a gain; the best year was 2023 (+22.8%) and the worst 2022 (−9.2%). Volatility has been 10.1% a year.
Related: FDEC chart. See the FDEC overview for the latest quote and fund facts.
FDEC performance FAQ
What is the FDEC return over the past year?
FDEC returned +13.0% over the 12 months to October 23, 2026, including reinvested distributions. On price alone it rose 13.0%.
What is the average annual return of FDEC?
FDEC has returned +10.4% a year over 5 years, +11.1% a year since December 21, 2020 (total return, distributions reinvested).
How much would $10,000 invested in FDEC be worth?
$10,000 invested in FDEC at its first recorded close on December 21, 2020 would be worth about $18,525 on October 23, 2026 with distributions reinvested.
What was the worst year for FDEC?
The worst calendar year was 2022, with a total return of −9.2%. The best was 2023 at +22.8%.
What is the biggest drawdown of FDEC?
The largest peak-to-trough decline was −15.7% between January 4, 2022 and October 12, 2022. It recovered to the old high on June 12, 2023, 8 months after the bottom.
How volatile is FDEC?
Over the past 3 years FDEC had an annualized volatility of 8.3% and a Sharpe ratio of 1.40 (excess return over 1–3 month T-bills per unit of risk).