Data as of Oct 28, 2026.

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Buffer ETFs

BJUL vs PFEB: Cap, Buffer & Days Left

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As of Oct 28, 2026 PFEB can fall 8.0% before its buffer engages and BJUL 3.2%, and PFEB resets 150 days sooner.

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Net assets on Oct 28, 2026: $362m for Innovator U.S. Equity Buffer ETF - Jul and $895m for Innovator U.S. Equity Power Buffer ETF - Feb.

At a glance
3.2%
BJUL can fall this far before its buffer
8.0%
PFEB can fall this far before its buffer
14.4%
BJUL can still gain
3.5%
PFEB 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.
PFEB Between buffer and cap
Between buffer and capPFEB: reference +11.5% since period start, fund +8.0%; buffer 0 to −15; cap +12.4%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Oct 28, 2026.15 pts of buffer+11.5% gain captured−15.0% floor0% period start+12.4% cap+0.9% more to the capTODAY · SPY +11.5%Between buffer and capPFEB: reference +11.5% since period start, fund +8.0%; buffer 0 to −15; cap +12.4%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Oct 28, 2026.15 pts+11.5%−15.0% floor0% start+12.4% cap+0.9% more to the capTODAY · SPY +11.5%

PFEB: reference +11.5% since period start, fund +8.0%; buffer 0 to −15; cap +12.4%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Oct 28, 2026.

PFEB: reference +11.5% since period start, fund +8.0%; buffer 0 to −15; cap +12.4%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Oct 28, 2026.

Pair scorecard

Both cost 0.79% a year; their one-year returns differ by 0.1 points; PFEB is 2.5 times larger.

Points (pts) are percentage points.

BJUL vs PFEB: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
MeasureBJULPFEB
Return
Total return, 1 year+11.0%+10.9%
Drawdown
Index fall to the buffer3.2%10.3%
Benchmark
What it tracksSPYSPY
Cost and size
Expense ratio0.79%0.79%
Net assets$362m$895m
Holdings
Holdings in commonnot published
ETFIQ Downside Cover Score · PFEB scores higher If the market falls into a bear market from here, how much does the buffer absorb?
IQ Buffer Score20.4BJUL60.1PFEB

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

Feb 14, 2020 to Oct 23, 2026 · 349 weekly returns · each against SPY
BJUL PFEB
Return
Total return edge BJUL +95.1% +76.2%
Annualized edge BJUL +10.5% +8.8%
Price return edge BJUL +95.1% +76.2%
Risk
Volatility edge PFEB 13.0% 9.5%
Max drawdown edge PFEB −23.5% −19.1%
Downside capture 72.2% 51.1%
Beta 0.67 0.48
Risk-adjusted
Sharpe edge PFEB (slight) 0.60 0.62
Sortino edge PFEB (slight) 0.87 0.88
Treynor 0.118 0.124
Calmar edge PFEB (slight) 0.45 0.46
Against the benchmark
Alpha −0.4% a year 0.0% a year
Alpha t-stat −0.34 0.01
Information ratio −0.65 −0.63
Tracking error 7.0% 10.3%
Reading

BJUL returned more: +95.1% to +76.2%. PFEB swung less: 9.5% to 13.0%. PFEB fell less at its worst: −19.1% to −23.5%.

Full scorecard

19 measures, with how each is measured
Open ↓
Risk and return: BJUL vs PFEB: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
MeasureBJULPFEBSPYEdgeHow it is measured
Return
Total return+95.1%+76.2%BJULPrice change plus distributions, reinvested.
Annualized+10.5%+8.8%BJULTotal return as a yearly rate.
Price return+95.1%+76.2%BJULPrice change alone, distributions left out.
Risk
Volatility13.0%9.5%PFEBSpread of weekly returns, annualized. Lower is steadier.
Downside deviation9.1%6.7%PFEBLike volatility, counting only weeks below the Treasury bill rate.
Max drawdown−23.5%−19.1%PFEBDeepest fall from a high to the low after it.
Upside capture52.9%33.4%100.0%BJULShare of its benchmark's rise caught in the weeks it rose.
Downside capture72.2%51.1%100.0%PFEBShare of its benchmark's fall taken in the weeks it fell. Lower is better.
Beta0.670.481.00PFEB lowerHow far it moves for each 1% its benchmark moves.
R squared0.940.911.00Not an edgeShare of its weekly moves its benchmark explains.
Risk-adjusted
Sharpe0.600.62PFEB (slight)Return above Treasury bills per unit of volatility.
Sortino0.870.88PFEB (slight)Return above Treasury bills per unit of downside deviation.
Treynor0.1180.1240.124PFEB (slight)Return above Treasury bills per unit of beta.
Calmar0.450.46PFEB (slight)Annualized return divided by the max drawdown.
Against the benchmark
BenchmarkSPYSPYSPYThe ETF each fund is measured against.
Alpha−0.4% a year0.0% a year0.0%Not significantYearly return beyond what its beta to the benchmark predicts.
Alpha t-stat−0.340.01Not an edgeHow sure the alpha is. Below 2, it could be chance.
Alpha range−2.7% to +1.9%−2.2% to +2.2%Both include zeroThe 95% range for the yearly alpha.
Information ratio−0.65−0.63PFEB (slight)Return against its benchmark per unit of tracking error.
Tracking error7.0%10.3%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, 349 weekly returns. Cash rate: the 13-week Treasury bill.

Window by window

Window by window: BJUL vs PFEB: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
Total returnGap to the reference's price return
WindowBJULPFEBBJULPFEB
3 months+4.4%+3.8%−1.5 pts−2.1 pts
6 months+6.2%+6.0%−2.3 pts−2.6 pts
1 year+11.0%+10.9%−1.4 pts−1.5 pts
3 years+67.2%+49.9%−20.9 pts−38.1 pts
Since launchNot the same days: BJUL Aug 2018 · PFEB Feb 2020+118.1%+80.3%−46.9 pts−58.0 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 PFEB Innovator U.S. Equity Power Buffer ETF - Feb · Absorbs the first 15% of loss on SPY and caps the gain at 12.4%, over a period ending Jan 31, 2027
Reference index SPY SPY
Buffer 9% 15%
Outcome period Jun 30, 2026 to Jun 30, 2027 Jan 31, 2026 to Jan 31, 2027
Days left 245 95
Starting cap +18.1% +12.4%
Can still gain 14.4% 3.5%
Fall before buffer 3.2% 8.0%
Protection left, index points 9.0% of 9.0% 15.0% of 15.0%
Index return this period +3.3% +11.5%
Fund return this period +3.0% +8.0%
State today Open Open
Expense ratio 0.79% 0.79%
Net assets $362m $895m

As of Oct 28, 2026. Source: ETFIQ.

They do not reset together. PFEB has 95 days of its period left and BJUL has 245, so the two are not the same bet on the same months.

Both are Innovator funds, so the difference between them is the terms rather than the house.

Where each one stands today

PFEB resets first, on Jan 31, 2027, 95 days from now; BJUL runs to Jun 30, 2027, 245 days. BJUL can still gain 14.4% before its cap, PFEB 3.5%. A fall from here reaches BJUL’s buffer after 3.2% and PFEB’s after 8.0%. Both track SPY, so what separates them is where each is in its own period.

Client brief · page 1 of 2 Report BR-BC14078B68

BJUL and PFEB 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. PFEB: Absorbs the first 15% of loss on SPY and caps the gain at 12.4%, over a period ending Jan 31, 2027. The starting caps are 5.7 points apart.
  2. Outcome period. BJUL runs Jun 30, 2026 to Jun 30, 2027 with 245 days left; PFEB runs Jan 31, 2026 to Jan 31, 2027 with 95 days left.
  3. What each follows (similar). Both follow SPY.

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.

PFEB

From its price on Oct 28, 2026, the fund can gain about 3.5% more before it reaches its cap. The fund's price can fall 8.0% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's number. In index terms, SPY can fall 10.3% from today's level to the point where the buffer begins. Protection left, in index points: 15.0% of the 15.0% buffer still sits below today's SPY level. 95 days remained on Oct 28, 2026. On Jan 31, 2027 the period ends and a new cap is set.

Questions people ask

Which has more room to gain, BJUL or PFEB?
From their prices on Oct 28, 2026, BJUL can gain about 14.4% before its cap and PFEB about 3.5%, so BJUL has more room left this period.
Which resets first, BJUL or PFEB?
BJUL ends its outcome period on Jun 30, 2027 and PFEB on Jan 31, 2027. A new cap is set the day after each.
Which is cheaper, BJUL or PFEB?
BJUL and PFEB both charge 0.79% a year, so neither 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 PFEB, data as of Oct 28, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/buffer/bjul-vs-pfeb

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