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CTAU vs XSEP

Corgi U.S. Equities 30% Structured Buffer ETF - August Series

CTAUCCboe

FT Vest U.S. Equity Enhance & Moderate Buffer ETF - September

XSEPCCboe

Overlap

0.0%by weight

Expense ratio

CTAU −0.55pt a year

CTAU0.30%XSEP0.85%

Avg volume · 30D

XSEP 14.2×the volume

CTAU947XSEP13.4K

CTAU vs XSEP Performance

Sep 30, 2026 – Oct 30, 2026

−0.4%CTAU−0.1%XSEP

Sep 30, 2026 to Oct 30, 2026. CTAU −0.4%. XSEP −0.1%. Use the arrow keys to read each point.0.25%0.5%0.75%1%1.25%Sep 30Oct 15Oct 30
Expense ratio
CTAU 0.30%, better
XSEP 0.85%
Fund size
CTAU $1M
XSEP $99M
1Y total return
CTAU No data
XSEP +8.2%
Holdings
CTAU 4
XSEP 4
Avg volume (30D)
CTAU 947 sh
XSEP 13.4K sh, better
NAV per share
CTAU $25.14
XSEP $45.38
52W range

ETF.net Grade

CTAU: Cost 92, Risk 45, Mission not scored, Tradability 10, Holdings not scored, Durability 8. XSEP: Cost 40, Risk 44, Mission 91, Tradability 75, Holdings 53, Durability 66.
Pillar letters and Scores for CTAU, XSEP, with each pillar’s weight
PillarCTAUXSEP
Cost30% weightA92HigherC40
Mission25% weightNot scoredA91
Risk15% weightC45HigherC44
Tradability15% weightF10A75Higher
Holdings10% weightNot scoredC53
Durability5% weightF8B66Higher

Rank among S&P 500 Accelerated, 15% Buffer funds

How we build Categories ›
Same Category. Both funds are graded against the same funds, so their Grades compare head to head.

Same Category. CTAU and XSEP are both graded against the same 7 S&P 500 Accelerated, 15% Buffer funds, so their Grades compare head to head.

S&P 500 Accelerated, 15% Buffer⁠

Category · 7 funds
See all 7 ›

XSEP ranks 3rd and CTAU 7th of 7 funds in the S&P 500 Accelerated, 15% Buffer Category.

  1. Rank 1BXMARFT Vest U.S. Equity Enhance & Moderate Buffer ETF - MarchScore 54
  2. Rank 2CXNOVFT Vest U.S. Equity Enhance & Moderate Buffer ETF - NovemberScore 52
  3. Rank 3CXSEPFT Vest U.S. Equity Enhance & Moderate Buffer ETF - SeptemberScore 51
  4. Rank 4CXJANFT Vest U.S. Equity Enhance & Moderate Buffer ETF - JanuaryScore 50
  5. Rank 6CXDECFT Vest U.S. Equity Enhance & Moderate Buffer ETF - DecemberScore 44
  6. Rank 7CCTAUCorgi U.S. Equities 30% Structured Buffer ETF - August SeriesScore 40

Our read on each fund

ETF.net Research

CTAUCCorgi U.S. Equities 30% Structured Buffer ETF - August Series

XSEPCFT Vest U.S. Equity Enhance & Moderate Buffer ETF - September

In short

CTAU No data

XSEP Most buffer ETFs trade away upside for protection. XSEP doubles it: about 2x the price move of the S&P 500 ETF it references, up to a yearly cap, with the first 15% of losses absorbed.

Stated mandate

CTAU No data

XSEP The Fund seeks about twice the positive price return of the State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust, subject to a 9.58% upside cap, while protecting the first 15% of losses during the September 22, 2025–September 18, 2026 outcome period.

Why people hold it

CTAU No data

  • XSEP The "enhance" is literal: the fund aims for roughly 2x any positive price move in the S&P 500 ETF it references, up to a cap set when each September period starts.ftportfolios.com
  • Downside first: it absorbs the reference ETF's first 15% of losses, before fees, across the one-year outcome period.sec.gov
  • A 1940 Act ETF built on FLEX options rather than a bank-issued note, so no issuer credit risk, and you can trade it any market day.sec.gov
  • One of twelve monthly-dated siblings in First Trust's Enhance & Moderate lineup, so a fresh cap and a reset 15% buffer arrive every September.ftportfolios.com

Worth knowing

CTAU No data

  • XSEP The doubled upside is paid for with a ceiling: above the cap you stop participating. Cap and buffer are calibrated for holders of the full September-to-September period.sec.gov
  • It follows price return only, so the S&P 500's dividends sit outside the math.sec.gov
  • The 0.85% expense ratio prices above the median of its buffer-ETF peer group, and the fund is thinly traded, so limit orders earn their keep.

Full CTAU profile⁠

Full XSEP profile⁠

CTAU vs XSEP Holdings

How CTAU and XSEP differ

Overlap by weight

0.0%

Shared holdings make up 0.0% of CTAU and 0.0% of XSEP.

Level by level

  • Holdings0 in both0.0%

Sector

No Sector split for CTAU.

Country, concentration and asset class

Country by domicile

No country split for XSEP.

Concentration

Weight in the 10 largest Holdings

  • CTAU101.6%
  • XSEP111.5%

Securities held

  • CTAU3
  • XSEP3

Asset class

CTAU
Alternatives
XSEP
Multi-Asset

Holdings

  • Only in CTAU3
  • In both0
  • Only in XSEP3

Only in CTAU

3 securities, 100% of CTAU by weight

  • Spy 07/30/2027 151.53 C78.39%
  • United States Treasury Note/Bond 2.75% 07/31/202718.58%
  • Spy 07/30/2027 719.79 P3.35%

Only in XSEP

3 securities, 100% of XSEP by weight

  • 2027-09-17 State Street® SPDR® S&P 500® ETF Trust C 7.6997.32%
  • 2027-09-17 State Street® SPDR® S&P 500® ETF Trust C 761.697.91%
  • 2027-09-17 State Street® SPDR® S&P 500® ETF Trust P 761.775.18%

Weight gaps

CTAU and XSEP share no securities.

All CTAU holdings⁠All 5 XSEP holdings⁠

How we measure overlap

Each holding counts at its smaller weight in the two funds, summed over the full Holdings. Sector, country and asset class use the same rule on each fund’s split. Cash, FX and derivative lines stay out of the counts. Two bond funds get no overlap figure.

CTAU vs XSEP Cost

Overpaying XSEP vs CTAU

$10,050

On $10,000 over 30 years. 7% growth a year before fees, expense ratio only.

  • CTAU 0.30%

    $6,149

  • XSEP 0.85%

    $16,199

$10,000
30 years

Cost over time

  • CTAU 0.30%
  • XSEP 0.85%
  • Overpaying
One line per fund, from year 0 to year 30. Use the arrow keys to read each point.$0$5K$10K$15K$20K051015202530XSEP $16,199CTAU $6,149

Year by year

YearCTAUXSEPOverpaying
10$545$1,508$963
20$2,113$5,706$3,593
30$6,149$16,199$10,050

Expense ratio

  • 0.30%CTAU, cheaper
  • 0.85%XSEP
  • Middle half of S&P 500 Accelerated, 15% Buffer funds
  • Median 0.85%

CTAU cheapest of 7 funds

XSEP 2nd cheapest of 7 funds

CTAU vs XSEP Dividends

Last 12 months to Oct 30, 2026
Payout (12M)
CTAU None
XSEP None

Distribution history

CTAUAll CTAU payments⁠

No distribution history available.

XSEPAll XSEP payments⁠

No distribution history available.

CTAU vs XSEP Risk

Fall from peak · 5 years

This chart needs five years of history for both funds.

Risk facts

VolatilityStd dev, 3 years
CTAU No dataXSEP 4.6%
Return per unit of riskSharpe ratio, 3 years
CTAU No dataXSEP 1.23
Worst fallMax drawdown, 5 years
CTAU No dataXSEP −9.2%since Sep 2022
Market sensitivityBeta, 5 years
CTAU 0.00XSEP 0.35

CTAU and XSEP in the news

All news⁠

Popular comparisons

  • CTAUCvsXMARB

    Corgi U.S. Equities 30% Structured Buffer ETF - August Series · FT Vest U.S. Equity Enhance & Moderate Buffer ETF - March

    Expense ratio
    0.30% · 0.85%
    Category
    Same Category. Both funds are graded against the same funds, so their Grades compare head to head.

  • XSEPCvsXMARB

    FT Vest U.S. Equity Enhance & Moderate Buffer ETF - September · FT Vest U.S. Equity Enhance & Moderate Buffer ETF - March

    Expense ratio
    0.85% · 0.85%
    Category
    Same Category. Both funds are graded against the same funds, so their Grades compare head to head.

  • CTAUCvsXNOVC

    Corgi U.S. Equities 30% Structured Buffer ETF - August Series · FT Vest U.S. Equity Enhance & Moderate Buffer ETF - November

    Expense ratio
    0.30% · 0.85%
    Category
    Same Category. Both funds are graded against the same funds, so their Grades compare head to head.

  • XSEPCvsXNOVC

    FT Vest U.S. Equity Enhance & Moderate Buffer ETF - September · FT Vest U.S. Equity Enhance & Moderate Buffer ETF - November

    Expense ratio
    0.85% · 0.85%
    Category
    Same Category. Both funds are graded against the same funds, so their Grades compare head to head.

  • CTAUCvsXJANC

    Corgi U.S. Equities 30% Structured Buffer ETF - August Series · FT Vest U.S. Equity Enhance & Moderate Buffer ETF - January

    Expense ratio
    0.30% · 0.85%
    Category
    Same Category. Both funds are graded against the same funds, so their Grades compare head to head.

  • XSEPCvsXJANC

    FT Vest U.S. Equity Enhance & Moderate Buffer ETF - September · FT Vest U.S. Equity Enhance & Moderate Buffer ETF - January

    Expense ratio
    0.85% · 0.85%
    Category
    Same Category. Both funds are graded against the same funds, so their Grades compare head to head.