FT Cboe Vest U.S. Small Cap Moderate Buffer… (SAUG) Performance
SAUG total return
Distributions reinvested · as of Oct 23, 2026- YTD
- +5.9% since Dec 31, 2025
- 1 year
- +7.1% total return
- 3 years
- +12.7% a year
- Since first price
- +10.0% a year since 2023
SAUG trailing returns vs SPY, QQQ, AGG
| Period | SAUG total return | Price only | S&P 500 (SPY) | Nasdaq-100 (QQQ) | U.S. bonds (AGG) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 month | −1.2% | −1.2% | −1.0% | −5.0% | +0.9% |
| 3 months | −3.1% | −3.1% | +3.2% | +1.9% | −0.4% |
| 6 months | +0.4% | +0.4% | +7.8% | +8.4% | −1.5% |
| YTD | +5.9% | +5.9% | +12.3% | +15.1% | −1.0% |
| 1 year | +7.1% | +7.1% | +14.4% | +15.9% | −1.1% |
| 3 years | +43.0%+12.7%/yr | +43.0% | +87.4%+23.3%/yr | +101.4%+26.3%/yr | +16.6%+5.2%/yr |
| Since inceptionAug 21, 2023 | +35.3%+10.0%/yr | +35.3% | — | — | — |
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: SAUG vs SPY
From Aug 21, 2023: SAUG grew to $13,530, SPY to $18,000.
Year-end values with distributions reinvested, no taxes or trading costs. Start: first common trading day of both funds.
SAUG returns by calendar year
2 of 2 full years positive. Best 2024 (+11.1%), worst 2025 (+8.2%). 2026 is year to date.
SAUG annual returns table
| Year | SAUG | Largest drop | SPY | QQQ | AGG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026YTD | +5.9% | −4.8% | +12.3% | +15.1% | −1.0% |
| 2025 | +8.2% | −13.8% | +17.7% | +20.8% | +7.2% |
| 2024 | +11.1% | −6.6% | +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.
SAUG largest drawdowns
Now 3.8% below the high| Peak | Decline | Bottom | Recovered | Fall | Underwater |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 2, 2024 | −14.6% | Apr 8, 2025 | Aug 13, 2025 | 4 months | 8 months |
Declines from a closing high (distributions reinvested) of 10% or more. Underwater = time from the peak until the old high was regained.
SAUG risk statistics
| Statistic | 3 years | Since 2023 |
|---|---|---|
| Annualized return | +11.4% | +9.9% |
| Volatility (annualized) | 10.0% | 10.2% |
| Sharpe ratio | 0.70 | 0.55 |
| Sortino ratio | 1.22 | 0.94 |
| Best month | +7.0% | +7.0% |
| Worst month | −4.1% | −4.1% |
| Best 12 months | +23.6% | +23.6% |
| Worst 12 months | +1.4% | +1.4% |
| Positive months | 64% | 62% |
| Beta vs S&P 500 | 0.61 | — |
| Correlation with S&P 500 | 0.75 | — |
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.
SAUG rolling returns
| Holding period | Periods | Worst | Median | Best | Positive |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1-year | 27 | +1.4% | +8.9% | +23.6% | 100% |
| 3-year (a year) | 3 | +11.1% | +11.4% | +12.8% | 100% |
Every holding period starting at a month-end since 2023. Returns for 3 years and longer are annualized.
SAUG performance overview
FT Cboe Vest U.S. Small Cap Moderate Buffer… (SAUG) returned +7.1% over the past year, with distributions reinvested. Since its first recorded price in 2023 it has returned +10.0% a year, turning $10,000 into about $13,530. Over the same year S&P 500 (SPY) returned +14.4%.
The deepest decline was −14.6%, from Dec 2, 2024 to Apr 8, 2025, and it took 4 months to get back to the old high. Volatility has been 10.2% a year.
Related: SAUG chart. See the SAUG overview for the latest quote and fund facts.
SAUG performance FAQ
What is the SAUG return over the past year?
SAUG returned +7.1% over the 12 months to October 23, 2026, including reinvested distributions. On price alone it rose 7.1%.
How much would $10,000 invested in SAUG be worth?
$10,000 invested in SAUG at its first recorded close on August 21, 2023 would be worth about $13,530 on October 23, 2026 with distributions reinvested.
What was the worst year for SAUG?
The worst calendar year was 2025, with a total return of +8.2%. The best was 2024 at +11.1%.
What is the biggest drawdown of SAUG?
The largest peak-to-trough decline was −14.6% between December 2, 2024 and April 8, 2025. It recovered to the old high on August 13, 2025, 4 months after the bottom.
How volatile is SAUG?
Over the past 3 years SAUG had an annualized volatility of 10.0% and a Sharpe ratio of 0.70 (excess return over 1–3 month T-bills per unit of risk).