At a glance
RSMR charges 0.85% a year, below the 0.86% average of the 7 funds most like it (the 3rd cheapest of 8). It has $10.9M in assets, the 8th largest of that group.
The short version
FT Vest U.S. Equity Equal Weight Buffer ETF – March (RSMR) uses FLEX options on the Invesco S&P 500 Equal Weight ETF instead of owning stocks. From March 23, 2026 to March 19, 2027, it aims to absorb the first 10% of that ETF's price losses and cap gains at 17.80%, before fees. It costs 0.85% a year, has no distributions on record and held just $10.9 million as of August 31, 2026.
Price history
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RSMR — over the year to Oct 27, 2026, total return with distributions reinvested.
How it has behaved
| YTD | 1 yr | 3 yr | 5 yr | 10 yr | Since start | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RSMR price data to Oct 27, 2026 | +4.4% | — | — | — | — | — |
- The deepest fall in its price history was 2.4% (Aug 26, 2026 to Sep 30, 2026), recovered by Oct 21, 2026.
| 2008 financial crisis stocks fell Oct 9, 2007 – Mar 9, 2009 | Before this security existed |
|---|---|
| 2020 COVID crash stocks fell Feb 19, 2020 – Mar 23, 2020 | Before this security existed |
| 2022 bear market stocks fell Jan 3, 2022 – Oct 12, 2022 | Before this security existed |
What's inside
As of Aug 31, 2026, the fund held 0 securities; the ten largest made up 0% of assets.
| Holding | Weight |
|---|
By country
By asset type
What changed recently
- Over the three months to Aug 31, 2026, investors withdrew a net $4K (creations minus redemptions, per the N-PORT report).
- Monthly total returns reported for that quarter: +1.46%, +0.68%, +1.38%.
How it works
Instead of owning stocks, RSMR puts almost all its money in FLEX options. These are option contracts that trade on an exchange but have customizable terms, such as expiration dates. They reference the Invesco S&P 500 Equal Weight ETF (RSP), which holds the companies in the S&P 500 Equal Weight Index at similar weights, not by company size. As of August 31, 2026, 16 option positions made up 99.35% of net assets. Vest Financial manages them as sub-advisor to First Trust Advisors.
The options cover a “target outcome period” of about one year. The September 2026 prospectus describes one running March 23, 2026 through March 19, 2027. Before fees, if RSP's price rises over the period, the fund aims to match the gain up to a 17.80% cap. If RSP falls, it aims to absorb the first 10% of the loss. Deeper losses pass through one for one, so a 20% drop means about a 10% fund loss. After fees, the cap is 16.95% and the buffer 9.15%. RSP's dividends aren't captured.
Each new period starts with fresh options. The 10% buffer stays, but the cap resets based on market conditions. The targets assume shares are bought on day one and held to the end. Investors who join later or exit early may see very different results, since the fund can move less than RSP partway through a period.
What it really costs
- RSMR charges 0.85% a year, versus an average of 0.86% for the similar funds below (3rd of 8, cheapest first).
Structure and tax notes
- Uses options to limit losses within a range (the buffer) in exchange for a cap on gains over each outcome period; results depend on when you buy relative to the period start.
In a retirement portfolio
Its FLEX options aim to absorb the first 10% of price losses in the Invesco S&P 500 Equal Weight ETF over each outcome period, in exchange for capped gains.
RSMR could temper the stock side of a portfolio by cushioning moderate drops in an equal-weight S&P 500 fund. Its record is thin. It launched March 21, 2025, after the 2008, 2020 and 2022 downturns, and the price history here begins June 9, 2026, with no full calendar year. Its deepest drop in that window was 2.4%, from August 26 to September 30, 2026, recovered by October 21, 2026. Someone who may need to sell in a bad year should know the buffer is built for shares held through a full March-to-March period. Selling partway through can give different results, and losses beyond 10% aren't cushioned.
It has no distributions on record, so it isn't an income source. It costs 0.85% a year, near the 0.86% average for similar buffer funds. Past results don't predict future ones, and a plan should look at the whole portfolio, not one fund.
Who it may suit — and who should look elsewhere
May suit
- Investors who want equal-weight S&P 500 exposure with a cushion against the first 10% of price losses, and accept gains capped at 17.80% before fees.
- Investors who can start at the beginning of a March outcome period and hold to its end, as the cap and buffer assume.
- Cost-aware buffer investors: its 0.85% fee is below the 0.95% of FT Vest's laddered BUFR and BUFD, though Innovator's PJAN and PDEC charge 0.79%.
Look elsewhere if
- Anyone needing income: RSMR has no distributions on record, and its returns exclude dividends paid by the Invesco S&P 500 Equal Weight ETF.
- Those wanting a long track record or a large fund: it held $10.9 million as of August 31, 2026, smallest of eight buffer funds compared.
- Investors wanting full upside or deep-crash protection: gains above the 17.80% cap are forfeited, and losses beyond 10% pass through one for one.
Close alternatives
Matched by other buffer (defined-outcome) funds, largest first.
| Fund | Cost | Net assets | 1 yr | 3 yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RSMR this fund | 0.85% | $10.9M | — | — |
| BUFR FT Vest Laddered Buffer ETF | 0.95% | $10.49B | +11.6% | +16.8% |
| BUFD FT Vest Laddered Deep Buffer ETF | 0.95% | $2.04B | +9.5% | +13.9% |
| PJAN Innovator U.S. Equity Power Buffer ETF - Ja… | 0.79% | $1.44B | +10.5% | +14.8% |
| PDEC Innovator U.S. Equity Power Buffer ETF - De… | 0.79% | $984.1M | +11.6% | +14.9% |
| FDEC FT Vest US Equity Buffer ETF - December | 0.85% | $1.31B | +12.9% | +18.5% |
| FJAN FT Vest US Equity Buffer ETF - January | 0.85% | $1.47B | +12.3% | +17.4% |
| FFEB FT Vest U.S. Equity Buffer Fund - February | 0.85% | $1.42B | +12.9% | +18.6% |
Questions investors ask
What are RSMR's cap and buffer?
For the outcome period from March 23, 2026 to March 19, 2027, RSMR aims to absorb the first 10% of price losses in the Invesco S&P 500 Equal Weight ETF. It also aims to match that ETF's price gains up to a 17.80% cap. Both figures are before fees. After the fund's 0.85% fee, the cap is 16.95% and the buffer 9.15%. Losses beyond 10% pass through one for one. Each new period keeps the 10% buffer, but the cap resets based on market conditions.
Does RSMR pay dividends?
No. RSMR has no distributions on record, which fits its design. The fund holds FLEX options rather than stocks. Its returns follow only the share price of the Invesco S&P 500 Equal Weight ETF, so the dividends that ETF pays are not passed through. That gap means RSMR can trail a direct holding of the equal-weight ETF even when gains stay below the cap. It isn't built as an income fund.
What happens if you invest in RSMR partway through the outcome period?
Your results can differ sharply from the stated 17.80% cap and 10% buffer. Those targets apply only to shares bought on the period's first day and held to the end. For the period ending March 19, 2027, that first day was March 23, 2026. A later investor's remaining upside and protection depend on how far the fund and the Invesco S&P 500 Equal Weight ETF have already moved. The prospectus says to consider the fund's value relative to the cap and buffer before investing.
RSMR vs FFEB: what's the difference?
Both are FT Vest buffer ETFs that charge 0.85% a year. RSMR's options reference the Invesco S&P 500 Equal Weight ETF, which gives each S&P 500 company a similar weight regardless of size. The funds differ sharply in size and history. FFEB held $1.42 billion as of August 31, 2026, against RSMR's $10.9 million. FFEB returned 12.9% over the year to October 27, 2026, and no one-year figure is available for RSMR. Each fund sets its own cap, buffer and period dates, so those are worth comparing.
Is RSMR good for retirement?
It may suit retirees who want equal-weight stock exposure with a cushion against moderate losses, but the limits matter. The 10% buffer (9.15% after fees) is designed for shares held through a full March-to-March period. Selling early can give very different results, and losses beyond 10% pass through. Gains are capped, the fund has no distributions on record and it costs 0.85% a year. It launched in March 2025, so it has no record from the 2008, 2020 or 2022 downturns.