FT Cboe Vest International Equity Buffer ETF… (YSEP) Performance
YSEP total return
Distributions reinvested · as of Oct 23, 2026- YTD
- +8.2% since Dec 31, 2025
- 1 year
- +9.9% total return
- 5 years
- +7.0% a year
- Since first price
- +6.9% a year since 2021
YSEP trailing returns vs SPY, QQQ, AGG
| Period | YSEP 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 | +2.2% | +2.2% | +3.2% | +1.9% | −0.4% |
| 6 months | +5.2% | +5.2% | +7.8% | +8.4% | −1.5% |
| YTD | +8.2% | +8.2% | +12.3% | +15.1% | −1.0% |
| 1 year | +9.9% | +9.9% | +14.4% | +15.9% | −1.1% |
| 3 years | +49.9%+14.5%/yr | +49.9% | +87.4%+23.3%/yr | +101.4%+26.3%/yr | +16.6%+5.2%/yr |
| 5 years | +40.5%+7.0%/yr | +40.5% | +79.3%+12.4%/yr | +94.0%+14.2%/yr | −0.8%−0.2%/yr |
| Since inceptionSep 20, 2021 | +40.7%+6.9%/yr | +40.7% | — | — | — |
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: YSEP vs SPY
From Sep 20, 2021: YSEP grew to $14,072, SPY to $18,721.
Year-end values with distributions reinvested, no taxes or trading costs. Start: first common trading day of both funds.
YSEP returns by calendar year
3 of 4 full years positive. Best 2025 (+19.9%), worst 2022 (−9.8%). 2026 is year to date.
YSEP annual returns table
| Year | YSEP | Largest drop | SPY | QQQ | AGG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026YTD | +8.2% | −5.4% | +12.3% | +15.1% | −1.0% |
| 2025 | +19.9% | −7.4% | +17.7% | +20.8% | +7.2% |
| 2024 | +4.6% | −6.6% | +24.9% | +25.6% | +1.3% |
| 2023 | +15.5% | −8.8% | +26.2% | +54.9% | +5.7% |
| 2022 | −9.8% | −21.7% | −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.
YSEP largest drawdowns
Now 2.1% below the high| Peak | Decline | Bottom | Recovered | Fall | Underwater |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 5, 2021 | −22.6% | Sep 27, 2022 | Jul 26, 2023 | 11 months | 1.7 years |
Declines from a closing high (distributions reinvested) of 10% or more. Underwater = time from the peak until the old high was regained.
YSEP risk statistics
| Statistic | 3 years | 5 years |
|---|---|---|
| Annualized return | +13.8% | +7.6% |
| Volatility (annualized) | 7.5% | 11.1% |
| Sharpe ratio | 1.19 | 0.40 |
| Sortino ratio | 2.10 | 0.59 |
| Best month | +5.6% | +9.6% |
| Worst month | −3.5% | −8.1% |
| Best 12 months | +19.9% | +21.9% |
| Worst 12 months | +4.6% | −19.7% |
| Positive months | 69% | 62% |
| Beta vs S&P 500 | 0.37 | 0.55 |
| Correlation with S&P 500 | 0.61 | 0.78 |
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.
YSEP rolling returns
| Holding period | Periods | Worst | Median | Best | Positive |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1-year | 50 | −19.7% | +11.4% | +21.9% | 88% |
| 3-year (a year) | 26 | +2.9% | +11.3% | +17.4% | 100% |
| 5-year (a year) | 2 | +7.0% | +7.3% | +7.6% | 100% |
Every holding period starting at a month-end since 2021. Returns for 3 years and longer are annualized.
YSEP performance overview
FT Cboe Vest International Equity Buffer ETF… (YSEP) returned +9.9% over the past year and +7.0% a year over five years, with distributions reinvested. Since its first recorded price in 2021 it has returned +6.9% a year, turning $10,000 into about $14,072. Over the same year S&P 500 (SPY) returned +14.4%.
The deepest decline was −22.6%, from Nov 5, 2021 to Sep 27, 2022, and it took 10 months to get back to the old high. YSEP finished 3 of its 4 full calendar years with a gain; the best year was 2025 (+19.9%) and the worst 2022 (−9.8%). Volatility has been 11.1% a year.
Related: YSEP chart. See the YSEP overview for the latest quote and fund facts.
YSEP performance FAQ
What is the YSEP return over the past year?
YSEP returned +9.9% over the 12 months to October 23, 2026, including reinvested distributions. On price alone it rose 9.9%.
What is the average annual return of YSEP?
YSEP has returned +7.0% a year over 5 years, +6.9% a year since September 20, 2021 (total return, distributions reinvested).
How much would $10,000 invested in YSEP be worth?
$10,000 invested in YSEP at its first recorded close on September 20, 2021 would be worth about $14,072 on October 23, 2026 with distributions reinvested.
What was the worst year for YSEP?
The worst calendar year was 2022, with a total return of −9.8%. The best was 2025 at +19.9%.
What is the biggest drawdown of YSEP?
The largest peak-to-trough decline was −22.6% between November 5, 2021 and September 27, 2022. It recovered to the old high on July 26, 2023, 10 months after the bottom.
How volatile is YSEP?
Over the past 3 years YSEP had an annualized volatility of 7.5% and a Sharpe ratio of 1.19 (excess return over 1–3 month T-bills per unit of risk).