Data as of Nov 4, 2026.

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Buffer ETFs

BMAY vs MAYW: Cap, Buffer & Days Left

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As of Nov 4, 2026 BMAY can fall 5.9% before its buffer engages and MAYW 5.0%.

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Net assets: $182m on Nov 4, 2026 for Innovator U.S. Equity Buffer ETF - May, and $457m on Nov 3, 2026 for AllianzIM U.S. Equity Buffer20 ETF - May.

At a glance
5.9%
BMAY can fall this far before its buffer
5.0%
MAYW can fall this far before its buffer
10.1%
BMAY can still gain
5.8%
MAYW can still gain
BMAY Between buffer and cap
Between buffer and capBMAY: reference +6.7% since period start, fund +5.8%; buffer 0 to −9; cap +16.9%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.9 pts of buffer+6.7% gained+10.3% more to the cap−9.0% floor0% period start+16.9% capTODAY · SPY +6.7%Between buffer and capBMAY: reference +6.7% since period start, fund +5.8%; buffer 0 to −9; cap +16.9%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.9 pts−9.0% floor0% start+16.9% cap+6.7% gain captured+10.3% more to the capTODAY · SPY +6.7%

BMAY: reference +6.7% since period start, fund +5.8%; buffer 0 to −9; cap +16.9%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.

BMAY: reference +6.7% since period start, fund +5.8%; buffer 0 to −9; cap +16.9%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.
MAYW Between buffer and cap
Between buffer and capMAYW: reference +6.7% since period start, fund +4.4%; buffer 0 to −20; cap +11.2%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.20 pts of buffer+6.7% gained−20.0% floor0% period start+11.2% cap+4.5% more to the capTODAY · SPY +6.7%Between buffer and capMAYW: reference +6.7% since period start, fund +4.4%; buffer 0 to −20; cap +11.2%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.20 pts of buffer−20.0% floor0% start+11.2% cap+6.7% gain captured+4.5% more to the capTODAY · SPY +6.7%

MAYW: reference +6.7% since period start, fund +4.4%; buffer 0 to −20; cap +11.2%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.

MAYW: reference +6.7% since period start, fund +4.4%; buffer 0 to −20; cap +11.2%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.

Pair scorecard

MAYW costs 0.05 points a year less; their one-year returns differ by 2.9 points; MAYW is 2.5 times larger.

Points (pts) are percentage points.

BMAY vs MAYW: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
MeasureBMAYMAYW
Return
Total return, 1 year+10.9%+8.0%
Drawdown
Index fall to the buffer6.2%6.3%
Benchmark
What it tracksSPYSPY
Cost and size
Expense ratio0.79%0.74%
Net assets, as of Nov 3, 2026$180m$457m
Holdings
Holdings in commonnot published
ETFIQ Downside Cover Score · MAYW scores higher If the market falls into a bear market from here, how much does the buffer absorb?
IQ Buffer Score20.5BMAY91.6MAYW

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

0.3, the lowest in this set 99.7, the highest

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

May 12, 2023 to Oct 30, 2026 · 181 weekly returns · each against SPY
BMAY MAYW
Return
Total return edge BMAY +61.2% +41.9%
Annualized edge BMAY +14.7% +10.6%
Price return edge BMAY +61.2% +41.9%
Risk
Volatility edge MAYW 8.8% 5.9%
Max drawdown edge MAYW −11.3% −7.0%
Downside capture 58.9% 32.7%
Beta 0.59 0.37
Risk-adjusted
Sharpe edge BMAY 1.09 0.96
Sortino edge BMAY 1.64 1.45
Treynor 0.161 0.153
Calmar edge MAYW 1.30 1.51
Against the benchmark
Alpha +0.6% a year +0.1% a year
Alpha t-stat 0.37 0.04
Information ratio −0.88 −1.03
Tracking error 6.4% 9.2%
Reading

From May 2023 to Oct 2026, BMAY returned more: +61.2% to +41.9%. MAYW swung less: 5.9% to 8.8%. MAYW fell less at its worst: −7.0% to −11.3%.

Full scorecard

19 measures, with how each is measured
Open ↓
Risk and return: BMAY vs MAYW: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
MeasureBMAYMAYWSPYEdgeHow it is measured
Return
Total return+61.2%+41.9%BMAYPrice change plus distributions, reinvested.
Annualized+14.7%+10.6%BMAYTotal return as a yearly rate.
Price return+61.2%+41.9%BMAYPrice change alone, distributions left out.
Risk
Volatility8.8%5.9%MAYWSpread of weekly returns, annualized. Lower is steadier.
Downside deviation5.8%3.9%MAYWLike volatility, counting only weeks below the Treasury bill rate.
Max drawdown−11.3%−7.0%MAYWDeepest fall from a high to the low after it.
Upside capture49.1%27.5%100.0%BMAYShare of its benchmark's rise caught in the weeks it rose.
Downside capture58.9%32.7%100.0%MAYWShare of its benchmark's fall taken in the weeks it fell. Lower is better.
Beta0.590.371.00MAYW lowerHow far it moves for each 1% its benchmark moves.
R squared0.890.771.00Not an edgeShare of its weekly moves its benchmark explains.
Risk-adjusted
Sharpe1.090.96BMAYReturn above Treasury bills per unit of volatility.
Sortino1.641.45BMAYReturn above Treasury bills per unit of downside deviation.
Treynor0.1610.1530.151BMAY (slight)Return above Treasury bills per unit of beta.
Calmar1.301.51MAYWAnnualized return divided by the max drawdown.
Against the benchmark
BenchmarkSPYSPYSPYThe ETF each fund is measured against.
Alpha+0.6% a year+0.1% a year0.0%Not significantYearly return beyond what its beta to the benchmark predicts.
Alpha t-stat0.370.04Not an edgeHow sure the alpha is. Below 2, it could be chance.
Alpha range−2.5% to +3.7%−3.0% to +3.1%Both include zeroThe 95% range for the yearly alpha.
Information ratio−0.88−1.03BMAYReturn against its benchmark per unit of tracking error.
Tracking error6.4%9.2%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, 181 weekly returns. Cash rate: the 13-week Treasury bill.

Window by window

Window by window: BMAY vs MAYW: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
Total returnGap to the reference's price return
WindowBMAYMAYWBMAYMAYW
3 months+0.8%+1.3%+1.2 pts+1.7 pts
6 months+4.5%+3.6%0.0 pts−0.9 pts
1 year+10.9%+8.0%−2.6 pts−5.6 pts
3 years+54.8%+37.1%−21.6 pts−39.3 pts
Since launchNot the same days: BMAY May 2020 · MAYW May 2023+93.8%+42.2%−77.4 pts−42.3 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

BMAY Innovator U.S. Equity Buffer ETF - May · Absorbs the first 9% of loss on SPY and caps the gain at 16.9%, over a period ending Apr 30, 2027 MAYW AllianzIM U.S. Equity Buffer20 ETF - May · Absorbs the first 20% of loss on SPY and caps the gain at 11.2%, over a period ending Apr 30, 2027
Reference index SPY SPY
Buffer 9% 20%
Outcome period Apr 30, 2026 to Apr 30, 2027 May 1, 2026 to Apr 30, 2027
Days left 177 177
Starting cap +16.9% +11.2%
Can still gain 10.1% 5.8%
Fall before buffer 5.9% 5.0%
Protection left, index points 9.0% of 9.0% 20.0% of 20.0%
Index return this period +6.7% +6.7%
Fund return this period +5.8% +4.4%
State today Open Open
Expense ratio 0.79% 0.74%
Net assets, BMAY as of Nov 4, 2026 and MAYW as of Nov 3, 2026 $182m $457m

As of Nov 4, 2026. Source: ETFIQ.

Where each one stands today

BMAY resets first, on Apr 30, 2027, 177 days from now; MAYW runs to Apr 30, 2027, 177 days. BMAY can still gain 10.1% before its cap, MAYW 5.8%. A fall from here reaches BMAY’s buffer after 5.9% and MAYW’s after 5.0%. Both track SPY, so what separates them is where each is in its own period.

Client brief:

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About each fund
BMAY

From its price on Nov 4, 2026, the fund can gain about 10.1% more before it reaches its cap. The fund's price can fall 5.9% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's number. In index terms, SPY can fall 6.2% 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. 177 days remained on Nov 4, 2026. On Apr 30, 2027 the period ends and a new cap is set.

MAYW

From its price on Nov 4, 2026, the fund can gain about 5.8% more before it reaches its cap. The fund's price can fall 5.0% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's number. In index terms, SPY can fall 6.3% 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.

Questions people ask

Which has more room to gain, BMAY or MAYW?
From their prices on Nov 4, 2026, BMAY can gain about 10.1% before its cap and MAYW about 5.8%, so BMAY has more room left this period.
Which resets first, BMAY or MAYW?
BMAY ends its outcome period on Apr 30, 2027 and MAYW on Apr 30, 2027. A new cap is set the day after each.
Which is cheaper, BMAY or MAYW?
BMAY charges 0.79% a year and MAYW charges 0.74%, so MAYW 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, BMAY against MAYW, data as of Nov 4, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/buffer/bmay-vs-mayw

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