Data as of Nov 4, 2026.

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Buffer ETFs

APOC vs SEPM: Cap, Buffer & Days Left

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As of Nov 4, 2026 SEPM can fall 1.4% before its buffer engages and APOC 0.6%, and APOC resets 170 days sooner.

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Net assets: $86m on Nov 4, 2026 for Innovator Equity Defined Protection ETF - 6 Mo Apr/Oct, and $38m on Nov 3, 2026 for FT Vest U.S. Equity Max Buffer ETF - September.

At a glance
0.6%
APOC can fall this far before its buffer
1.4%
SEPM can fall this far before its buffer
3.6%
APOC can still gain
6.8%
SEPM can still gain
APOC Full floor
Full floorAPOC: reference +0.5% since period start, fund +0.5%; buffer Floor; cap +4.3%; Full floor. Data to Nov 4, 2026.full floor beneathfull floor0% period start+4.3% cap+0.5% gain captured+3.8% more to the capTODAY · SPY +0.5%Full floorAPOC: reference +0.5% since period start, fund +0.5%; buffer Floor; cap +4.3%; Full floor. Data to Nov 4, 2026.full floor beneathfull floor0% start+4.3% cap+0.5% gain captured+3.8% more to the capTODAY · SPY +0.5%

APOC: reference +0.5% since period start, fund +0.5%; buffer Floor; cap +4.3%; Full floor. Data to Nov 4, 2026.

Data to Nov 4, 2026.
SEPM Full floor
Full floorSEPM: reference +0.7% since period start, fund +0.6%; buffer −0 to floor; cap +8.2%; Full floor. Data to Nov 4, 2026.full floor beneath+7.6% to capfull floor0.0% buffer start0% period start+8.2% capfirst 0 pts are yours to lose+0.7% gain capturedTODAY · SPY +0.7%Full floorSEPM: reference +0.7% since period start, fund +0.6%; buffer −0 to floor; cap +8.2%; Full floor. Data to Nov 4, 2026.full floor beneathfull floor0.0% buffer start0% start+8.2% capfirst 0 pts are yours to lose+0.7% gain captured+7.6% more to the capTODAY · SPY +0.7%

SEPM: reference +0.7% since period start, fund +0.6%; buffer −0 to floor; cap +8.2%; Full floor. Data to Nov 4, 2026.

SEPM: reference +0.7% since period start, fund +0.6%; buffer −0 to floor; cap +8.2%; Full floor. Data to Nov 4, 2026.

Pair scorecard

APOC costs 0.06 points a year less; their one-year returns differ by 3.3 points; APOC is 2.2 times larger.

Points (pts) are percentage points.

APOC vs SEPM: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
MeasureAPOCSEPM
Return
Total return, 1 year+3.1%+6.4%
Drawdown
Index fall to the buffer0.5%0.7%
Benchmark
What it tracksSPYSPY
Cost and size
Expense ratio0.79%0.85%
Net assets, as of Nov 3, 2026$85m$38m
Holdings
Holdings in commonnot published

Method

Window by window

Window by window: APOC vs SEPM: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
Total returnGap to the reference's price return
WindowAPOCSEPMAPOCSEPM
3 months+1.3%+1.3%+1.6 pts+1.6 pts
6 months+2.5%+3.0%−2.0 pts−1.5 pts
1 year+3.1%+6.4%−10.4 pts−7.2 pts
Since launchNot the same days: APOC Oct 2024 · SEPM Sep 2024+6.4%+13.3%−28.5 pts−21.3 pts

Each fund's gap is to its reference's price return, dividends left out: the basis the outcome period uses. Open this comparison in the app →

Side by side

APOC Innovator Equity Defined Protection ETF - 6 Mo Apr/Oct · Absorbs the whole loss on SPY and caps the gain at 4.3%, over a period ending Mar 31, 2027 SEPM FT Vest U.S. Equity Max Buffer ETF - September · Absorbs losses from 0.0% to 100.0% on SPY and caps the gain at 8.2%, over a period ending Sep 17, 2027
Reference index SPY SPY
Buffer 100% 0% to 100%
Outcome period Sep 30, 2026 to Mar 31, 2027 Sep 21, 2026 to Sep 17, 2027
Days left 147 317
Starting cap +4.3% +8.2%
Can still gain 3.6% 6.8%
Fall before buffer 0.6% 1.4%
Protection left, index points 100.0% of 100.0% 100.0% of 100.0%
Index return this period +0.5% +0.7%
Fund return this period +0.5% +0.6%
State today Open Open
Expense ratio 0.79% 0.85%
Net assets, APOC as of Nov 4, 2026 and SEPM as of Nov 3, 2026 $86m $38m

As of Nov 4, 2026. Source: ETFIQ.

They do not reset together. APOC has 147 days of its period left and SEPM has 317, so the two are not the same bet on the same months.

Where each one stands today

APOC resets first, on Mar 31, 2027, 147 days from now; SEPM runs to Sep 17, 2027, 317 days. APOC can still gain 3.6% before its cap, SEPM 6.8%. A fall from here reaches APOC’s buffer after 0.6% and SEPM’s after 1.4%. Both track SPY, so what separates them is where each is in its own period.

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About each fund
APOC

From its price on Nov 4, 2026, the fund can gain about 3.6% more before it reaches its cap. The fund's price can fall 0.6% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's number. In index terms, SPY can fall 0.5% from today's level to the point where the buffer begins. Protection left, in index points: 100.0% of the 100.0% buffer still sits below today's SPY level. 147 days remained on Nov 4, 2026. On Mar 31, 2027 the period ends and a new cap is set.

SEPM

From its price on Nov 4, 2026, the fund can gain about 6.8% more before it reaches its cap. The fund's price can fall 1.4% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's number. In index terms, SPY can fall 0.7% from today's level to the point where the buffer begins. 317 days remained on Nov 4, 2026. On Sep 17, 2027 the period ends and a new cap is set.

Questions people ask

Which has more room to gain, APOC or SEPM?
From their prices on Nov 4, 2026, APOC can gain about 3.6% before its cap and SEPM about 6.8%, so SEPM has more room left this period.
Which resets first, APOC or SEPM?
APOC ends its outcome period on Mar 31, 2027 and SEPM on Sep 17, 2027. A new cap is set the day after each.
Which is cheaper, APOC or SEPM?
APOC charges 0.79% a year and SEPM charges 0.85%, so APOC is cheaper. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.
Other comparisons
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Sources and dates

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

How this is computed

ETFIQ calculates every number from each issuer’s published outcome-period terms. Buffer ETFs hold options on an index, not shares, so there is no holdings overlap to report.

Every number is an ETFIQ calculation with distributions reinvested.

Cite this pageCitation, APA and Markdown

ETFIQ, APOC against SEPM, data as of Nov 4, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/buffer/apoc-vs-sepm

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Free to use with attribution for data ETFIQ computes; issuer data stays under its owner's terms.