FT Cboe Vest U.S. Equity Moderate Buffer ETF… (GAUG) Performance
GAUG total return
Distributions reinvested · as of Oct 23, 2026- YTD
- +7.1% since Dec 31, 2025
- 1 year
- +8.6% total return
- 3 years
- +12.8% a year
- Since first price
- +11.4% a year since 2023
GAUG trailing returns vs SPY, QQQ, AGG
| Period | GAUG total return | Price only | S&P 500 (SPY) | Nasdaq-100 (QQQ) | U.S. bonds (AGG) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 month | −0.3% | −0.3% | −1.0% | −5.0% | +0.9% |
| 3 months | +1.3% | +1.3% | +3.2% | +1.9% | −0.4% |
| 6 months | +4.3% | +4.3% | +7.8% | +8.4% | −1.5% |
| YTD | +7.1% | +7.1% | +12.3% | +15.1% | −1.0% |
| 1 year | +8.6% | +8.6% | +14.4% | +15.9% | −1.1% |
| 3 years | +43.6%+12.8%/yr | +43.6% | +87.4%+23.3%/yr | +101.4%+26.3%/yr | +16.6%+5.2%/yr |
| Since inceptionAug 21, 2023 | +41.0%+11.4%/yr | +41.0% | — | — | — |
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: GAUG vs SPY
From Aug 21, 2023: GAUG grew to $14,104, SPY to $18,000.
Year-end values with distributions reinvested, no taxes or trading costs. Start: first common trading day of both funds.
GAUG returns by calendar year
2 of 2 full years positive. Best 2024 (+11.8%), worst 2025 (+11.3%). 2026 is year to date.
GAUG annual returns table
| Year | GAUG | Largest drop | SPY | QQQ | AGG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026YTD | +7.1% | −4.0% | +12.3% | +15.1% | −1.0% |
| 2025 | +11.3% | −10.1% | +17.7% | +20.8% | +7.2% |
| 2024 | +11.8% | −2.0% | +24.9% | +25.6% | +1.3% |
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.
GAUG largest drawdowns
Now 1.2% below the high| Peak | Decline | Bottom | Recovered | Fall | Underwater |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 19, 2025 | −10.1% | Apr 8, 2025 | Jun 3, 2025 | 48 days | 3 months |
Declines from a closing high (distributions reinvested) of 10% or more. Underwater = time from the peak until the old high was regained.
GAUG risk statistics
| Statistic | 3 years | Since 2023 |
|---|---|---|
| Annualized return | +12.7% | +11.3% |
| Volatility (annualized) | 5.8% | 6.1% |
| Sharpe ratio | 1.35 | 1.08 |
| Sortino ratio | 2.96 | 2.10 |
| Best month | +5.7% | +5.7% |
| Worst month | −2.7% | −2.7% |
| Best 12 months | +18.7% | +18.7% |
| Worst 12 months | +5.4% | +5.4% |
| Positive months | 75% | 73% |
| Beta vs S&P 500 | 0.44 | — |
| Correlation with S&P 500 | 0.95 | — |
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.
GAUG rolling returns
| Holding period | Periods | Worst | Median | Best | Positive |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1-year | 27 | +5.4% | +11.0% | +18.7% | 100% |
| 3-year (a year) | 3 | +11.6% | +12.7% | +13.0% | 100% |
Every holding period starting at a month-end since 2023. Returns for 3 years and longer are annualized.
GAUG performance overview
FT Cboe Vest U.S. Equity Moderate Buffer ETF… (GAUG) returned +8.6% over the past year, with distributions reinvested. Since its first recorded price in 2023 it has returned +11.4% a year, turning $10,000 into about $14,104. Over the same year S&P 500 (SPY) returned +14.4%.
The deepest decline was −10.1%, from Feb 19, 2025 to Apr 8, 2025, and it took 56 days to get back to the old high. Volatility has been 6.1% a year.
Related: GAUG chart. See the GAUG overview for the latest quote and fund facts.
GAUG performance FAQ
What is the GAUG return over the past year?
GAUG returned +8.6% over the 12 months to October 23, 2026, including reinvested distributions. On price alone it rose 8.6%.
How much would $10,000 invested in GAUG be worth?
$10,000 invested in GAUG at its first recorded close on August 21, 2023 would be worth about $14,104 on October 23, 2026 with distributions reinvested.
What was the worst year for GAUG?
The worst calendar year was 2025, with a total return of +11.3%. The best was 2024 at +11.8%.
What is the biggest drawdown of GAUG?
The largest peak-to-trough decline was −10.1% between February 19, 2025 and April 8, 2025. It recovered to the old high on June 3, 2025, 56 days after the bottom.
How volatile is GAUG?
Over the past 3 years GAUG had an annualized volatility of 5.8% and a Sharpe ratio of 1.35 (excess return over 1–3 month T-bills per unit of risk).