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Data as of Oct 28, 2026.

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IJR vs KAUG: Differences, Returns & Fees

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Over the year to Oct 28, 2026, IJR returned +17.5% to KAUG's +8.4%, and IJR charges 0.06% to KAUG's 0.79%.

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Net assets: $104.6bn on Oct 27, 2026 for iShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETF, and $67m on Oct 28, 2026 for Innovator U.S. Small Cap Power Buffer ETF - Aug.

IJR on its own →KAUG on its own →
At a glance
+17.5%
IJR total return, 1 year
+8.4%
KAUG total return, 1 year
0.06%
IJR expense ratio
0.79%
KAUG expense ratio

Pair scorecard

IJR costs 0.73 points a year less; their one-year returns differ by 9.1 points; IJR is far larger, $104.6bn against $67m.

IJR vs KAUG: Differences, Returns & Fees
MeasureIJRKAUG
Return
Total return, 1 year+17.5%+8.4%
Drawdown
Below its high6.8%, high on Aug 14, 2026
Benchmark
What it tracksS&P SmallCap 600IWM
The outcome period
Room to the cap19.5%
Buffer left, in index points11.5% of 15.0%
Days left in the period276
Period endsJul 31, 2027
Cost and size
Expense ratio0.06%0.79%
Net assets, as of Oct 27, 2026$104.6bn$67m
Holdings
Holdings in commonnot published
In the S&P 500, by weight0%
Top ten holdings, share of the fund5.3%

Method

Side by side

IJR iShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETF KAUG Innovator U.S. Small Cap Power Buffer ETF - Aug
Where it sits Stock ETF Buffer ETF
Issuer iShares Innovator
What it is Tracks the S&P SmallCap 600 Defined outcome, 15% on IWM
Total return, 1 year +17.5% +8.4%
Its benchmark over the same days +17.6% (SPSM) +13.0% (IWM)
Gap to its benchmark −0.1 pts vs SPSM −4.6 pts vs IWM
Expense ratio 0.06% 0.79%
Holdings 642 not read by ETFIQ
Net assets, IJR as of Oct 27, 2026 and KAUG as of Oct 28, 2026 $104.6bn $67m

IJR and KAUG on the fields both publish, as of Oct 28, 2026. Source: ETFIQ.

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About each fund
IJR

IJR tracks the S&P SmallCap 600. Over the year to Oct 28, 2026 it returned +17.5% with distributions reinvested, against +17.6% for its benchmark, the S&P SmallCap 600. The prospectus expense ratio is 0.06% a year. By its holdings published by its issuer for Oct 27, 2026, 0% of the fund by weight is stocks the S&P 500 also holds, across 642 positions, with the top ten at 5.3%. It sat 6.8% below its high of Aug 14, 2026 on Oct 28, 2026.

KAUG

From its price on Oct 28, 2026, the fund can gain about 19.5% more before it reaches its cap. Protection left, in index points: 11.5% of the 15.0% buffer still sits below today's IWM level. 276 days remained on Oct 28, 2026. On Jul 31, 2027 the period ends and a new cap is set.

Questions people ask

Are IJR and KAUG in the same category?
IJR is a stock ETF and KAUG is a buffer ETF, so they do different jobs. The table compares what both publish: return, cost and holdings.
Which returned more over the last year, IJR or KAUG?
In the year to Oct 28, 2026, with distributions reinvested, IJR returned +17.5% and KAUG +8.4%.
Which is cheaper, IJR or KAUG?
IJR is cheaper, by 0.73 percentage points a year. That is about $73 on $10,000 held for a year. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.
Other comparisons
IJR vs KDECIJR vs KJUNIJR vs KMAYIJR vs KNOVIWM vs KAUGKAUG vs VTWOIJR vs RBUFIJR vs KFEB
Where to next
IWM →IJR on its own →KAUG on its own →Hold both: look the portfolio through →Rankings →IJR dividend history →IJR holdings →Standards and sources →
Sources and dates
IJR filings on SEC EDGAR ↗
IJR prospectus with the expense ratio (SEC) ↗
iShares page for IJR ↗
KAUG filings on SEC EDGAR ↗
Innovator page for KAUG ↗

Links are sources, not endorsements. A comparison is not a recommendation.

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ETFIQ, IJR against KAUG, data as of Oct 28, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/any/ijr-vs-kaug

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