Data as of Oct 28, 2026.

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Buffer ETFs

BOCT vs PJUL: Cap, Buffer & Days Left

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As of Oct 28, 2026 PJUL can fall 3.0% before its buffer engages and BOCT 1.0%, and PJUL resets 92 days sooner.

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Net assets on Oct 28, 2026: $362m for Innovator U.S. Equity Buffer ETF - Oct and $1.3bn for Innovator U.S. Equity Power Buffer ETF - Jul.

At a glance
1.0%
BOCT can fall this far before its buffer
3.0%
PJUL can fall this far before its buffer
18.9%
BOCT can still gain
10.7%
PJUL can still gain
BOCT Between buffer and cap
Between buffer and capBOCT: reference +1.2% since period start, fund +1.0%; buffer 0 to −9; cap +20.2%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Oct 28, 2026.9 pts of buffer+19% more to the cap−9.0% floor0% period start+20.2% cap+1.2% gain capturedTODAY · SPY +1.2%Between buffer and capBOCT: reference +1.2% since period start, fund +1.0%; buffer 0 to −9; cap +20.2%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Oct 28, 2026.9 pts+19% to cap−9.0% floor0% start+20.2% cap+1.2% gain capturedTODAY · SPY +1.2%

BOCT: reference +1.2% since period start, fund +1.0%; buffer 0 to −9; cap +20.2%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Oct 28, 2026.

BOCT: reference +1.2% since period start, fund +1.0%; buffer 0 to −9; cap +20.2%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Oct 28, 2026.
PJUL Between buffer and cap
Between buffer and capPJUL: reference +3.3% since period start, fund +2.8%; buffer 0 to −15; cap +14.0%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Oct 28, 2026.15 pts of buffer+3.3%+10.6% more to the cap−15.0% floor0% period start+14.0% capTODAY · SPY +3.3%Between buffer and capPJUL: reference +3.3% since period start, fund +2.8%; buffer 0 to −15; cap +14.0%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Oct 28, 2026.15 pts−15.0% floor0% start+14.0% cap+3.3% gain captured+10.6% more to the capTODAY · SPY +3.3%

PJUL: reference +3.3% since period start, fund +2.8%; buffer 0 to −15; cap +14.0%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Oct 28, 2026.

PJUL: reference +3.3% since period start, fund +2.8%; buffer 0 to −15; cap +14.0%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Oct 28, 2026.

Pair scorecard

Both cost 0.79% a year; their one-year returns differ by 3.8 points; PJUL is 3.6 times larger.

Points (pts) are percentage points.

BOCT vs PJUL: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
MeasureBOCTPJUL
Return
Total return, 1 year+12.7%+8.9%
Drawdown
Index fall to the buffer1.2%3.2%
Benchmark
What it tracksSPYSPY
Cost and size
Expense ratio0.79%0.79%
Net assets$362m$1.3bn
Holdings
Holdings in commonnot published
ETFIQ Downside Cover Score · PJUL scores higher If the market falls into a bear market from here, how much does the buffer absorb?
IQ Buffer Score20.4BOCT86.1PJUL

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

Oct 12, 2018 to Oct 23, 2026 · 419 weekly returns · each against SPY
BOCT PJUL
Return
Total return edge BOCT +130.7% +101.5%
Annualized edge BOCT +10.9% +9.1%
Price return edge BOCT +130.2% +99.8%
Risk
Volatility edge PJUL 12.4% 8.9%
Max drawdown edge PJUL −23.7% −16.4%
Downside capture 70.6% 53.7%
Beta 0.66 0.46
Risk-adjusted
Sharpe edge PJUL (slight) 0.67 0.70
Sortino edge PJUL (slight) 0.96 1.02
Treynor 0.127 0.136
Calmar edge PJUL 0.46 0.55
Against the benchmark
Alpha −0.2% a year +0.3% a year
Alpha t-stat −0.14 0.29
Information ratio −0.65 −0.65
Tracking error 7.1% 10.2%
Reading

BOCT returned more: +130.7% to +101.5%. PJUL swung less: 8.9% to 12.4%. PJUL fell less at its worst: −16.4% to −23.7%.

Full scorecard

19 measures, with how each is measured
Open ↓
Risk and return: BOCT vs PJUL: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
MeasureBOCTPJULSPYEdgeHow it is measured
Return
Total return+130.7%+101.5%BOCTPrice change plus distributions, reinvested.
Annualized+10.9%+9.1%BOCTTotal return as a yearly rate.
Price return+130.2%+99.8%BOCTPrice change alone, distributions left out.
Risk
Volatility12.4%8.9%PJULSpread of weekly returns, annualized. Lower is steadier.
Downside deviation8.7%6.1%PJULLike volatility, counting only weeks below the Treasury bill rate.
Max drawdown−23.7%−16.4%PJULDeepest fall from a high to the low after it.
Upside capture52.0%35.7%100.0%BOCTShare of its benchmark's rise caught in the weeks it rose.
Downside capture70.6%53.7%100.0%PJULShare of its benchmark's fall taken in the weeks it fell. Lower is better.
Beta0.660.461.00PJUL 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
Sharpe0.670.70PJUL (slight)Return above Treasury bills per unit of volatility.
Sortino0.961.02PJUL (slight)Return above Treasury bills per unit of downside deviation.
Treynor0.1270.1360.129PJUL (slight)Return above Treasury bills per unit of beta.
Calmar0.460.55PJULAnnualized return divided by the max drawdown.
Against the benchmark
BenchmarkSPYSPYSPYThe ETF each fund is measured against.
Alpha−0.2% a year+0.3% a year0.0%Not significantYearly return beyond what its beta to the benchmark predicts.
Alpha t-stat−0.140.29Not an edgeHow sure the alpha is. Below 2, it could be chance.
Alpha range−2.4% to +2.1%−1.7% to +2.3%Both include zeroThe 95% range for the yearly alpha.
Information ratio−0.65−0.65TieReturn against its benchmark per unit of tracking error.
Tracking error7.1%10.2%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, 419 weekly returns. Cash rate: the 13-week Treasury bill.

Window by window

Window by window: BOCT vs PJUL: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
Total returnGap to the reference's price return
WindowBOCTPJULBOCTPJUL
3 months+5.7%+3.6%−0.2 pts−2.3 pts
6 months+8.5%+4.9%0.0 pts−3.7 pts
1 year+12.7%+8.9%+0.3 pts−3.5 pts
3 years+61.2%+52.0%−26.9 pts−36.0 pts
Since launchNot the same days: BOCT Oct 2018 · PJUL Aug 2018+126.2%+101.2%−38.5 pts−69.4 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

BOCT Innovator U.S. Equity Buffer ETF - Oct · Absorbs the first 9% of loss on SPY and caps the gain at 20.2%, over a period ending Sep 30, 2027 PJUL Innovator U.S. Equity Power Buffer ETF - Jul · Absorbs the first 15% of loss on SPY and caps the gain at 14.0%, over a period ending Jun 30, 2027
Reference index SPY SPY
Buffer 9% 15%
Outcome period Sep 30, 2026 to Sep 30, 2027 Jun 30, 2026 to Jun 30, 2027
Days left 337 245
Starting cap +20.2% +14.0%
Can still gain 18.9% 10.7%
Fall before buffer 1.0% 3.0%
Protection left, index points 9.0% of 9.0% 15.0% of 15.0%
Index return this period +1.2% +3.3%
Fund return this period +1.0% +2.8%
State today Open Open
Expense ratio 0.79% 0.79%
Net assets $362m $1.3bn

As of Oct 28, 2026. Source: ETFIQ.

They do not reset together. PJUL has 245 days of its period left and BOCT has 337, 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

PJUL resets first, on Jun 30, 2027, 245 days from now; BOCT runs to Sep 30, 2027, 337 days. BOCT can still gain 18.9% before its cap, PJUL 10.7%. A fall from here reaches BOCT’s buffer after 1.0% and PJUL’s after 3.0%. Both track SPY, so what separates them is where each is in its own period.

Client brief · page 1 of 2 Report BR-736513809D

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

  1. Protection and cap. BOCT: Absorbs the first 9% of loss on SPY and caps the gain at 20.2%, over a period ending Sep 30, 2027. PJUL: Absorbs the first 15% of loss on SPY and caps the gain at 14.0%, over a period ending Jun 30, 2027. The starting caps are 6.2 points apart.
  2. Outcome period. BOCT runs Sep 30, 2026 to Sep 30, 2027 with 337 days left; PJUL runs Jun 30, 2026 to Jun 30, 2027 with 245 days left.
  3. One-year total return. Over 1 year to Oct 28, 2026 BOCT returned +12.7% and PJUL +8.9% with distributions reinvested, a gap of 3.8 points.

Data as of Oct 28, 2026.

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About each fund
BOCT

From its price on Oct 28, 2026, the fund can gain about 18.9% more before it reaches its cap. The fund's price can fall 1.0% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's number. In index terms, SPY can fall 1.2% 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. 337 days remained on Oct 28, 2026. On Sep 30, 2027 the period ends and a new cap is set.

PJUL

From its price on Oct 28, 2026, the fund can gain about 10.7% more before it reaches its cap. The fund's price can fall 3.0% 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: 15.0% of the 15.0% 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.

Questions people ask

Which has more room to gain, BOCT or PJUL?
From their prices on Oct 28, 2026, BOCT can gain about 18.9% before its cap and PJUL about 10.7%, so BOCT has more room left this period.
Which resets first, BOCT or PJUL?
BOCT ends its outcome period on Sep 30, 2027 and PJUL on Jun 30, 2027. A new cap is set the day after each.
Which is cheaper, BOCT or PJUL?
BOCT and PJUL 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, BOCT against PJUL, data as of Oct 28, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/buffer/boct-vs-pjul

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