Data as of Oct 28, 2026.

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Buffer ETFs

BJUL vs FJAN: Cap, Buffer & Days Left

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As of Oct 28, 2026 FJAN can fall 9.3% before its buffer engages and BJUL 3.2%, and FJAN resets 166 days sooner.

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Net assets: $362m on Oct 28, 2026 for Innovator U.S. Equity Buffer ETF - Jul, and $1.5bn on Oct 27, 2026 for FT Vest U.S. Equity Buffer ETF - January.

At a glance
3.2%
BJUL can fall this far before its buffer
9.3%
FJAN can fall this far before its buffer
14.4%
BJUL can still gain
4.0%
FJAN can still gain
BJUL Between buffer and cap
Between buffer and capBJUL: reference +3.3% since period start, fund +3.0%; buffer 0 to −9; cap +18.1%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Oct 28, 2026.9 pts of buffer+3.3%+14.8% more to the cap−9.0% floor0% period start+18.1% capTODAY · SPY +3.3%Between buffer and capBJUL: reference +3.3% since period start, fund +3.0%; buffer 0 to −9; cap +18.1%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Oct 28, 2026.9 pts+14.8% to cap−9.0% floor0% start+18.1% cap+3.3% gain capturedTODAY · SPY +3.3%

BJUL: reference +3.3% since period start, fund +3.0%; buffer 0 to −9; cap +18.1%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Oct 28, 2026.

BJUL: reference +3.3% since period start, fund +3.0%; buffer 0 to −9; cap +18.1%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Oct 28, 2026.
FJAN Between buffer and cap
Between buffer and capFJAN: reference +11.7% since period start, fund +9.3%; buffer 0 to −10; cap +14.5%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Oct 28, 2026.10 pts of buffer+11.7% gain captured−10.0% floor0% period start+14.5% cap+2.9% more to the capTODAY · SPY +11.7%Between buffer and capFJAN: reference +11.7% since period start, fund +9.3%; buffer 0 to −10; cap +14.5%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Oct 28, 2026.10 pts+11.7%−10.0% floor0% start+14.5% cap+2.9% more to the capTODAY · SPY +11.7%

FJAN: reference +11.7% since period start, fund +9.3%; buffer 0 to −10; cap +14.5%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Oct 28, 2026.

FJAN: reference +11.7% since period start, fund +9.3%; buffer 0 to −10; cap +14.5%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Oct 28, 2026.

Pair scorecard

BJUL costs 0.06 points a year less; their one-year returns differ by 1.4 points; FJAN is 4.2 times larger.

Points (pts) are percentage points.

BJUL vs FJAN: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
MeasureBJULFJAN
Return
Total return, 1 year+11.0%+12.4%
Drawdown
Index fall to the buffer3.2%10.4%
Benchmark
What it tracksSPYSPY
Cost and size
Expense ratio0.79%0.85%
Net assets, as of Oct 27, 2026$361m$1.5bn
Holdings
Holdings in commonnot published
ETFIQ Downside Cover Score · FJAN scores higher If the market falls into a bear market from here, how much does the buffer absorb?
IQ Buffer Score20.4BJUL37FJAN

How much of a bear-market fall the buffer would absorb from today's level, ranked against 292 buffer ETFs on stocks with a live outcome period. 100 is best. How it is computed

0.2, the lowest in this set 99.8, the highest

A percentile among the 292 buffer ETFs on stocks with a live outcome period. Today's position against one 20% fall; it ignores smaller falls, and stock buffers are never ranked against bond or commodity ones. All buffer ETFs ranked by it →

Method

Risk and return

Jan 29, 2021 to Oct 23, 2026 · 299 weekly returns · each against SPY
BJUL FJAN
Return
Total return edge FJAN (slight) +85.5% +90.2%
Annualized edge FJAN (slight) +11.3% +11.8%
Price return edge FJAN (slight) +85.5% +90.2%
Risk
Volatility edge FJAN (slight) 10.5% 9.5%
Max drawdown edge FJAN (slight) −13.0% −12.7%
Downside capture 69.8% 60.2%
Beta 0.65 0.58
Risk-adjusted
Sharpe edge FJAN 0.75 0.87
Sortino edge FJAN 1.15 1.32
Treynor 0.122 0.143
Calmar edge FJAN (slight) 0.88 0.93
Against the benchmark
Alpha +0.4% a year +1.5% a year
Alpha t-stat 0.29 1.21
Information ratio −0.61 −0.47
Tracking error 6.3% 7.3%
Reading

FJAN returned slightly more: +90.2% to +85.5%. FJAN swung slightly less: 9.5% to 10.5%. FJAN fell slightly less at its worst: −12.7% to −13.0%.

Full scorecard

19 measures, with how each is measured
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Risk and return: BJUL vs FJAN: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
MeasureBJULFJANSPYEdgeHow it is measured
Return
Total return+85.5%+90.2%FJAN (slight)Price change plus distributions, reinvested.
Annualized+11.3%+11.8%FJAN (slight)Total return as a yearly rate.
Price return+85.5%+90.2%FJAN (slight)Price change alone, distributions left out.
Risk
Volatility10.5%9.5%FJAN (slight)Spread of weekly returns, annualized. Lower is steadier.
Downside deviation6.8%6.2%FJAN (slight)Like volatility, counting only weeks below the Treasury bill rate.
Max drawdown−13.0%−12.7%FJAN (slight)Deepest fall from a high to the low after it.
Upside capture54.5%47.4%100.0%BJULShare of its benchmark's rise caught in the weeks it rose.
Downside capture69.8%60.2%100.0%FJANShare of its benchmark's fall taken in the weeks it fell. Lower is better.
Beta0.650.581.00FJAN lowerHow far it moves for each 1% its benchmark moves.
R squared0.930.901.00Not an edgeShare of its weekly moves its benchmark explains.
Risk-adjusted
Sharpe0.750.87FJANReturn above Treasury bills per unit of volatility.
Sortino1.151.32FJANReturn above Treasury bills per unit of downside deviation.
Treynor0.1220.1430.117FJANReturn above Treasury bills per unit of beta.
Calmar0.880.93FJAN (slight)Annualized return divided by the max drawdown.
Against the benchmark
BenchmarkSPYSPYSPYThe ETF each fund is measured against.
Alpha+0.4% a year+1.5% a year0.0%Not significantYearly return beyond what its beta to the benchmark predicts.
Alpha t-stat0.291.21Not an edgeHow sure the alpha is. Below 2, it could be chance.
Alpha range−2.0% to +2.7%−0.9% to +3.9%Both include zeroThe 95% range for the yearly alpha.
Information ratio−0.61−0.47FJANReturn against its benchmark per unit of tracking error.
Tracking error6.3%7.3%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, 299 weekly returns. Cash rate: the 13-week Treasury bill.

Window by window

Window by window: BJUL vs FJAN: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
Total returnGap to the reference's price return
WindowBJULFJANBJULFJAN
3 months+4.4%+4.4%−1.5 pts−1.5 pts
6 months+6.2%+6.9%−2.3 pts−1.7 pts
1 year+11.0%+12.4%−1.4 pts0.0 pts
3 years+67.2%+61.7%−20.9 pts−26.3 pts
Since launchNot the same days: BJUL Aug 2018 · FJAN Jan 2021+118.1%+88.5%−46.9 pts−15.4 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

BJUL Innovator U.S. Equity Buffer ETF - Jul · Absorbs the first 9% of loss on SPY and caps the gain at 18.1%, over a period ending Jun 30, 2027 FJAN FT Vest U.S. Equity Buffer ETF - January · Absorbs the first 10% of loss on SPY and caps the gain at 14.5%, over a period ending Jan 15, 2027
Reference index SPY SPY
Buffer 9% 10%
Outcome period Jun 30, 2026 to Jun 30, 2027 Jan 20, 2026 to Jan 15, 2027
Days left 245 79
Starting cap +18.1% +14.5%
Can still gain 14.4% 4.0%
Fall before buffer 3.2% 9.3%
Protection left, index points 9.0% of 9.0% 10.0% of 10.0%
Index return this period +3.3% +11.7%
Fund return this period +3.0% +9.3%
State today Open Open
Expense ratio 0.79% 0.85%
Net assets, BJUL as of Oct 28, 2026 and FJAN as of Oct 27, 2026 $362m $1.5bn

As of Oct 28, 2026. Source: ETFIQ.

They do not reset together. FJAN has 79 days of its period left and BJUL has 245, so the two are not the same bet on the same months.

Where each one stands today

FJAN resets first, on Jan 15, 2027, 79 days from now; BJUL runs to Jun 30, 2027, 245 days. BJUL can still gain 14.4% before its cap, FJAN 4.0%. A fall from here reaches BJUL’s buffer after 3.2% and FJAN’s after 9.3%. Both track SPY, so what separates them is where each is in its own period.

Client brief · page 1 of 2 Report BR-E6C63465C8

BJUL and FJAN are built for the same job. How do they differ in cost, holdings and results?

  1. Protection and cap. BJUL: Absorbs the first 9% of loss on SPY and caps the gain at 18.1%, over a period ending Jun 30, 2027. FJAN: Absorbs the first 10% of loss on SPY and caps the gain at 14.5%, over a period ending Jan 15, 2027. The starting caps are 3.6 points apart.
  2. Outcome period. BJUL runs Jun 30, 2026 to Jun 30, 2027 with 245 days left; FJAN runs Jan 20, 2026 to Jan 15, 2027 with 79 days left.
  3. Size. BJUL has $361m in net assets and FJAN $1.5bn (net assets, as of Oct 27, 2026); FJAN is 4.2 times larger.

Data as of Oct 28, 2026.

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About each fund
BJUL

From its price on Oct 28, 2026, the fund can gain about 14.4% more before it reaches its cap. The fund's price can fall 3.2% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's number. In index terms, SPY can fall 3.2% from today's level to the point where the buffer begins. Protection left, in index points: 9.0% of the 9.0% buffer still sits below today's SPY level. 245 days remained on Oct 28, 2026. On Jun 30, 2027 the period ends and a new cap is set.

FJAN

From its price on Oct 28, 2026, the fund can gain about 4.0% more before it reaches its cap. The fund's price can fall 9.3% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's number. In index terms, SPY can fall 10.4% from today's level to the point where the buffer begins. Protection left, in index points: 10.0% of the 10.0% buffer still sits below today's SPY level. 79 days remained on Oct 28, 2026. On Jan 15, 2027 the period ends and a new cap is set.

Questions people ask

Which has more room to gain, BJUL or FJAN?
From their prices on Oct 28, 2026, BJUL can gain about 14.4% before its cap and FJAN about 4.0%, so BJUL has more room left this period.
Which resets first, BJUL or FJAN?
BJUL ends its outcome period on Jun 30, 2027 and FJAN on Jan 15, 2027. A new cap is set the day after each.
Which is cheaper, BJUL or FJAN?
BJUL charges 0.79% a year and FJAN charges 0.85%, so BJUL 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

It is a place in a set, not a rating or a recommendation.

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.

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ETFIQ, BJUL against FJAN, data as of Oct 28, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/buffer/bjul-vs-fjan

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