Data as of Nov 4, 2026.

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Buffer ETFs

AUGW vs ZAUG: Cap, Buffer & Days Left

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As of Nov 4, 2026 AUGW can fall 2.7% before its buffer engages and ZAUG 1.5%.

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Net assets: $127m on Nov 3, 2026 for AllianzIM U.S. Equity Buffer20 ETF - Aug, and $160m on Nov 4, 2026 for Innovator Equity Defined Protection ETF - 1 Yr August.

At a glance
2.7%
AUGW can fall this far before its buffer
1.5%
ZAUG can fall this far before its buffer
9.1%
AUGW can still gain
6.7%
ZAUG can still gain
AUGW Between buffer and cap
Between buffer and capAUGW: reference +2.6% since period start, fund +2.0%; buffer 0 to −20; cap +12.1%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.20 pts of buffer+9.5% to cap−20.0% floor0% period start+12.1% cap+2.6% gain capturedTODAY · SPY +2.6%Between buffer and capAUGW: reference +2.6% since period start, fund +2.0%; buffer 0 to −20; cap +12.1%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.20 pts−20.0% floor0% start+12.1% cap+2.6% gain captured+9.5% more to the capTODAY · SPY +2.6%

AUGW: reference +2.6% since period start, fund +2.0%; buffer 0 to −20; cap +12.1%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.

AUGW: reference +2.6% since period start, fund +2.0%; buffer 0 to −20; cap +12.1%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.
ZAUG Full floor
Full floorZAUG: reference +2.6% since period start, fund +1.3%; buffer Floor; cap +8.4%; Full floor. Data to Nov 4, 2026.full floor beneathfull floor0% period start+8.4% cap+2.6% gain captured+5.8% more to the capTODAY · SPY +2.6%Full floorZAUG: reference +2.6% since period start, fund +1.3%; buffer Floor; cap +8.4%; Full floor. Data to Nov 4, 2026.full floor beneathfull floor0% start+8.4% cap+2.6% gain captured+5.8% more to the capTODAY · SPY +2.6%

ZAUG: reference +2.6% since period start, fund +1.3%; buffer Floor; cap +8.4%; Full floor. Data to Nov 4, 2026.

Data to Nov 4, 2026.

Pair scorecard

AUGW costs 0.05 points a year less; their one-year returns differ by 3.3 points; ZAUG is 1.3 times larger.

Points (pts) are percentage points.

AUGW vs ZAUG: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
MeasureAUGWZAUG
Return
Total return, 1 year+9.0%+5.7%
Drawdown
Index fall to the buffer2.6%2.5%
Benchmark
What it tracksSPYSPY
Cost and size
Expense ratio0.74%0.79%
Net assets, as of Nov 3, 2026$127m$159m
Holdings
Holdings in commonnot published

Method

Risk and return

Aug 9, 2024 to Oct 30, 2026 · 116 weekly returns · each against SPY
AUGW ZAUG
Return
Total return edge AUGW +25.2% +16.4%
Annualized edge AUGW +10.6% +7.0%
Price return edge AUGW +25.2% +16.4%
Risk
Volatility edge ZAUG 6.4% 3.9%
Max drawdown edge ZAUG −7.7% −4.6%
Downside capture 40.8% 23.1%
Beta 0.41 0.24
Risk-adjusted
Sharpe edge AUGW 0.97 0.71
Sortino edge AUGW 1.49 1.08
Treynor 0.151 0.114
Calmar edge ZAUG 1.38 1.53
Against the benchmark
Alpha +0.5% a year −0.6% a year
Alpha t-stat 0.43 −0.63
Information ratio −0.84 −0.96
Tracking error 9.1% 11.5%
Reading

From Aug 2024 to Oct 2026, AUGW returned more: +25.2% to +16.4%. ZAUG swung less: 3.9% to 6.4%. ZAUG fell less at its worst: −4.6% to −7.7%.

Full scorecard

19 measures, with how each is measured
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Risk and return: AUGW vs ZAUG: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
MeasureAUGWZAUGSPYEdgeHow it is measured
Return
Total return+25.2%+16.4%AUGWPrice change plus distributions, reinvested.
Annualized+10.6%+7.0%AUGWTotal return as a yearly rate.
Price return+25.2%+16.4%AUGWPrice change alone, distributions left out.
Risk
Volatility6.4%3.9%ZAUGSpread of weekly returns, annualized. Lower is steadier.
Downside deviation4.1%2.6%ZAUGLike volatility, counting only weeks below the Treasury bill rate.
Max drawdown−7.7%−4.6%ZAUGDeepest fall from a high to the low after it.
Upside capture31.6%17.7%100.0%AUGWShare of its benchmark's rise caught in the weeks it rose.
Downside capture40.8%23.1%100.0%ZAUGShare of its benchmark's fall taken in the weeks it fell. Lower is better.
Beta0.410.241.00ZAUG lowerHow far it moves for each 1% its benchmark moves.
R squared0.920.871.00Not an edgeShare of its weekly moves its benchmark explains.
Risk-adjusted
Sharpe0.970.71AUGWReturn above Treasury bills per unit of volatility.
Sortino1.491.08AUGWReturn above Treasury bills per unit of downside deviation.
Treynor0.1510.1140.138AUGWReturn above Treasury bills per unit of beta.
Calmar1.381.53ZAUGAnnualized return divided by the max drawdown.
Against the benchmark
BenchmarkSPYSPYSPYThe ETF each fund is measured against.
Alpha+0.5% a year−0.6% a year0.0%Not significantYearly return beyond what its beta to the benchmark predicts.
Alpha t-stat0.43−0.63Not an edgeHow sure the alpha is. Below 2, it could be chance.
Alpha range−1.9% to +2.9%−2.4% to +1.3%Both include zeroThe 95% range for the yearly alpha.
Information ratio−0.84−0.96AUGWReturn against its benchmark per unit of tracking error.
Tracking error9.1%11.5%0.0%Not an edgeHow far weekly returns stray from the benchmark, annualized.

Computed by ETFIQ from Tiingo daily prices and ETFIQ's distribution records, 116 weekly returns. Cash rate: the 13-week Treasury bill.

Window by window

Window by window: AUGW vs ZAUG: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
Total returnGap to the reference's price return
WindowAUGWZAUGAUGWZAUG
3 months+0.8%+0.5%+1.2 pts+0.9 pts
6 months+4.1%+2.6%−0.4 pts−1.9 pts
1 year+9.0%+5.7%−4.5 pts−7.9 pts
3 years+42.3%–−34.1 pts–
Since launchNot the same days: AUGW Aug 2023 · ZAUG Aug 2024+39.7%+16.6%−28.3 pts−24.6 pts

Each fund's gap is to its reference's price return, dividends left out: the basis the outcome period uses. – means no data for this window. Open this comparison in the app →

Side by side

AUGW AllianzIM U.S. Equity Buffer20 ETF - Aug · Absorbs the first 20% of loss on SPY and caps the gain at 12.1%, over a period ending Jul 31, 2027 ZAUG Innovator Equity Defined Protection ETF - 1 Yr August · Absorbs the whole loss on SPY and caps the gain at 8.4%, over a period ending Jul 31, 2027
Reference index SPY SPY
Buffer 20% 100%
Outcome period Aug 1, 2026 to Jul 31, 2027 Jul 31, 2026 to Jul 31, 2027
Days left 269 269
Starting cap +12.1% +8.4%
Can still gain 9.1% 6.7%
Fall before buffer 2.7% 1.5%
Protection left, index points 20.0% of 20.0% 100.0% of 100.0%
Index return this period +2.6% +2.6%
Fund return this period +2.0% +1.3%
State today Open Open
Expense ratio 0.74% 0.79%
Net assets, AUGW as of Nov 3, 2026 and ZAUG as of Nov 4, 2026 $127m $160m

As of Nov 4, 2026. Source: ETFIQ.

These are two different products. ZAUG is a floor fund, which caps how far a holder can fall. AUGW is a buffer fund, which absorbs the first part of a fall and leaves everything below it with the holder.

Where each one stands today

AUGW resets first, on Jul 31, 2027, 269 days from now; ZAUG runs to Jul 31, 2027, 269 days. AUGW can still gain 9.1% before its cap, ZAUG 6.7%. A fall from here reaches AUGW’s buffer after 2.7% and ZAUG’s after 1.5%. Both track SPY, so what separates them is where each is in its own period.

Client brief:

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About each fund
AUGW

From its price on Nov 4, 2026, the fund can gain about 9.1% more before it reaches its cap. The fund's price can fall 2.7% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's number. In index terms, SPY can fall 2.6% from today's level to the point where the buffer begins. Protection left, in index points: 20.0% of the 20.0% buffer still sits below today's SPY level. 269 days remained on Nov 4, 2026. On Jul 31, 2027 the period ends and a new cap is set.

ZAUG

From its price on Nov 4, 2026, the fund can gain about 6.7% more before it reaches its cap. The fund's price can fall 1.5% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's number. In index terms, SPY can fall 2.5% 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.

Questions people ask

Which has more room to gain, AUGW or ZAUG?
From their prices on Nov 4, 2026, AUGW can gain about 9.1% before its cap and ZAUG about 6.7%, so AUGW has more room left this period.
Which resets first, AUGW or ZAUG?
AUGW ends its outcome period on Jul 31, 2027 and ZAUG on Jul 31, 2027. A new cap is set the day after each.
Which is cheaper, AUGW or ZAUG?
AUGW charges 0.74% a year and ZAUG charges 0.79%, so AUGW is cheaper. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.
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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, AUGW against ZAUG, data as of Nov 4, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/buffer/augw-vs-zaug

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