Skip to content

DFEBFT Vest U.S. Equity Deep Buffer ETF - February

Grow my money6y track recordRanked #1,576 of 2,992 in this goal

Seeks to provide returns that match the price return of the SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust with a buffer against losses between -5% and -30%.

By First Trust · Launched 2020

Annual Cost

0.85%

#4,507 of 5,854 · expensive

Fund Size

$461M

#1,651 of 5,854 · large

Return (1Y)Goal

+12.2%

Track Record

6 years

#2,010 of 5,854 · seasoned

Performance

Total-return NAV · USD
Growth of $10,000
$11,239+12.4%

Total-return NAV, USD. Net of fund fees, before tax.

What's inside

How Beacon categorizes this fund

Asset class

Alternative

Strategy

Structured outcome

Index tracked

S&P 500 Index

What it actually holds

By weight

Concentration

Top 10 holdings = 103.6% of fundconcentrated

CBOE GLOBAL MARKETS, INC.SPY 2 C6.88
96.1%
CBOE GLOBAL MARKETS, INC.SPY 2 P654.96
4.6%
Dreyfus Government Cash Management Funds
1.2%
CBOE GLOBAL MARKETS, INC.SPY 2 C6.88
0.9%
CBOE GLOBAL MARKETS, INC.SPY 2 C6.88
0.9%
CBOE GLOBAL MARKETS, INC.SPY 2 P654.96
0.0%
CBOE GLOBAL MARKETS, INC.SPY 2 P654.96
0.0%
CBOE GLOBAL MARKETS, INC.SPY 2 P482.6
-0.0%
CBOE GLOBAL MARKETS, INC.SPY 2 P482.6
-0.0%
CBOE GLOBAL MARKETS, INC.SPY 2 C771.27
-0.0%

Asset allocation

Stocks
99.0%
Cash
1.1%

Risk profile

Last 12 months · Sharpe & Sortino need 3+ years
Volatility (1Y)
5.5%Low

Year-on-year price swings

Max drawdown
-14.1%Mild

Worst peak-to-trough loss

Sharpe (3Y)
1.18Strong risk-adjusted returns
Sortino (3Y)
1.74Good downside protection

Listing

Exchange
Cboe BZX

Full fund details

Objective
Seeks to provide returns that match the price return of the SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust with a buffer against losses between -5% and -30%.
Strategy
Invests in FLEX Options referencing the SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust to provide a buffer against losses between -5% and -30% while targeting a cap of 11.87%. The strategy aims to deliver returns matching the Underlying ETF's performance up to the cap.
Inception date
February 21, 2020
Fund family
First Trust

Our take

Structural notes on how this fund behaves. Read our guide on the 6 warning signs.

Buffer
Warning

You can build this cheaper yourself

Defined-outcome funds cap your gains (often 8% to 20%) in exchange for cushioning losses by 9% to 30%, priced with options. The fee runs about 0.70% or more, against 0.03% to 0.10% for a plain index fund. For most investors, a simple stock-and-bond mix gives similar protection for far less.

Sources: Morningstar, 'Buffer Funds Are on the Rise, but They May Not Make Sense for Most Investors' (2025)

Educational analysis of structural product characteristics. Not investment advice. Always read the fund prospectus and consult a qualified advisor before investing. More

What's next?

You've looked at DFEB. Save it to your watchlist to weigh it against other funds, then turn your shortlist into a portfolio.

Data updated on 2026-08-03