Data as of Oct 28, 2026.

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Buffer ETFs

BSEP vs PJUN: Cap, Buffer & Days Left

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As of Oct 28, 2026 PJUN can fall 2.6% before its buffer engages and BSEP 0.9%, and PJUN resets 92 days sooner.

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Net assets on Oct 28, 2026: $465m for Innovator U.S. Equity Buffer ETF - Sep and $881m for Innovator U.S. Equity Power Buffer ETF - Jun.

At a glance
0.9%
BSEP can fall this far before its buffer
2.6%
PJUN can fall this far before its buffer
18.7%
BSEP can still gain
10.8%
PJUN can still gain
BSEP Between buffer and cap
Between buffer and capBSEP: reference +0.6% since period start, fund +0.8%; buffer 0 to −9; cap +19.8%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Oct 28, 2026.9 pts of buffer+19.1% more to the cap−9.0% floor0% period start+19.8% cap+0.6% gain capturedTODAY · SPY +0.6%Between buffer and capBSEP: reference +0.6% since period start, fund +0.8%; buffer 0 to −9; cap +19.8%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Oct 28, 2026.9 pts+19.1% to cap−9.0% floor0% start+19.8% cap+0.6% gain capturedTODAY · SPY +0.6%

BSEP: reference +0.6% since period start, fund +0.8%; buffer 0 to −9; cap +19.8%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Oct 28, 2026.

BSEP: reference +0.6% since period start, fund +0.8%; buffer 0 to −9; cap +19.8%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Oct 28, 2026.
PJUN Between buffer and cap
Between buffer and capPJUN: reference +2.0% since period start, fund +2.4%; buffer 0 to −15; cap +13.8%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Oct 28, 2026.15 pts of buffer+2%+11.8% more to the cap−15.0% floor0% period start+13.8% capTODAY · SPY +2.0%Between buffer and capPJUN: reference +2.0% since period start, fund +2.4%; buffer 0 to −15; cap +13.8%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Oct 28, 2026.15 pts−15.0% floor0% start+13.8% cap+2% gain captured+11.8% more to the capTODAY · SPY +2.0%

PJUN: reference +2.0% since period start, fund +2.4%; buffer 0 to −15; cap +13.8%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Oct 28, 2026.

PJUN: reference +2.0% since period start, fund +2.4%; buffer 0 to −15; cap +13.8%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Oct 28, 2026.

Pair scorecard

Both cost 0.79% a year; their one-year returns differ by 4.4 points; PJUN is 1.9 times larger.

Points (pts) are percentage points.

BSEP vs PJUN: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
MeasureBSEPPJUN
Return
Total return, 1 year+11.3%+6.9%
Drawdown
Index fall to the buffer0.6%2.0%
Benchmark
What it tracksSPYSPY
Cost and size
Expense ratio0.79%0.79%
Net assets$465m$881m
Holdings
Holdings in commonnot published
ETFIQ Downside Cover Score · PJUN scores higher If the market falls into a bear market from here, how much does the buffer absorb?
IQ Buffer Score20.4BSEP86.1PJUN

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

Sep 13, 2019 to Oct 23, 2026 · 371 weekly returns · each against SPY
BSEP PJUN
Return
Total return edge BSEP +118.1% +65.7%
Annualized edge BSEP +11.5% +7.3%
Price return edge BSEP +115.0% +65.7%
Risk
Volatility edge PJUN 12.8% 9.2%
Max drawdown edge PJUN −22.9% −16.3%
Downside capture 74.4% 52.1%
Beta 0.68 0.47
Risk-adjusted
Sharpe edge BSEP 0.69 0.50
Sortino edge BSEP 1.00 0.72
Treynor 0.130 0.099
Calmar edge BSEP 0.51 0.45
Against the benchmark
Alpha −0.2% a year −1.6% a year
Alpha t-stat −0.21 −1.33
Information ratio −0.70 −0.84
Tracking error 6.3% 10.3%
Reading

BSEP returned more: +118.1% to +65.7%. PJUN swung less: 9.2% to 12.8%. PJUN fell less at its worst: −16.3% to −22.9%.

Full scorecard

19 measures, with how each is measured
Open ↓
Risk and return: BSEP vs PJUN: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
MeasureBSEPPJUNSPYEdgeHow it is measured
Return
Total return+118.1%+65.7%BSEPPrice change plus distributions, reinvested.
Annualized+11.5%+7.3%BSEPTotal return as a yearly rate.
Price return+115.0%+65.7%BSEPPrice change alone, distributions left out.
Risk
Volatility12.8%9.2%PJUNSpread of weekly returns, annualized. Lower is steadier.
Downside deviation8.9%6.4%PJUNLike volatility, counting only weeks below the Treasury bill rate.
Max drawdown−22.9%−16.3%PJUNDeepest fall from a high to the low after it.
Upside capture56.4%31.6%100.0%BSEPShare of its benchmark's rise caught in the weeks it rose.
Downside capture74.4%52.1%100.0%PJUNShare of its benchmark's fall taken in the weeks it fell. Lower is better.
Beta0.680.471.00PJUN lowerHow far it moves for each 1% its benchmark moves.
R squared0.970.881.00Not an edgeShare of its weekly moves its benchmark explains.
Risk-adjusted
Sharpe0.690.50BSEPReturn above Treasury bills per unit of volatility.
Sortino1.000.72BSEPReturn above Treasury bills per unit of downside deviation.
Treynor0.1300.0990.133BSEPReturn above Treasury bills per unit of beta.
Calmar0.510.45BSEPAnnualized return divided by the max drawdown.
Against the benchmark
BenchmarkSPYSPYSPYThe ETF each fund is measured against.
Alpha−0.2% a year−1.6% a year0.0%Not significantYearly return beyond what its beta to the benchmark predicts.
Alpha t-stat−0.21−1.33Not an edgeHow sure the alpha is. Below 2, it could be chance.
Alpha range−2.0% to +1.6%−4.0% to +0.8%Both include zeroThe 95% range for the yearly alpha.
Information ratio−0.70−0.84BSEPReturn against its benchmark per unit of tracking error.
Tracking error6.3%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, 371 weekly returns. Cash rate: the 13-week Treasury bill.

Window by window

Window by window: BSEP vs PJUN: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
Total returnGap to the reference's price return
WindowBSEPPJUNBSEPPJUN
3 months+3.7%+3.6%−2.1 pts−2.3 pts
6 months+6.9%+3.0%−1.7 pts−5.5 pts
1 year+11.3%+6.9%−1.1 pts−5.5 pts
3 years+67.1%+44.7%−21.0 pts−43.4 pts
Since launchNot the same days: BSEP Sep 2019 · PJUN Jun 2019+125.5%+74.5%−40.1 pts−106.7 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

BSEP Innovator U.S. Equity Buffer ETF - Sep · Absorbs the first 9% of loss on SPY and caps the gain at 19.8%, over a period ending Aug 31, 2027 PJUN Innovator U.S. Equity Power Buffer ETF - Jun · Absorbs the first 15% of loss on SPY and caps the gain at 13.8%, over a period ending May 31, 2027
Reference index SPY SPY
Buffer 9% 15%
Outcome period Aug 31, 2026 to Aug 31, 2027 May 31, 2026 to May 31, 2027
Days left 307 215
Starting cap +19.8% +13.8%
Can still gain 18.7% 10.8%
Fall before buffer 0.9% 2.6%
Protection left, index points 9.0% of 9.0% 15.0% of 15.0%
Index return this period +0.6% +2.0%
Fund return this period +0.8% +2.4%
State today Open Open
Expense ratio 0.79% 0.79%
Net assets $465m $881m

As of Oct 28, 2026. Source: ETFIQ.

They do not reset together. PJUN has 215 days of its period left and BSEP has 307, 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

PJUN resets first, on May 31, 2027, 215 days from now; BSEP runs to Aug 31, 2027, 307 days. BSEP can still gain 18.7% before its cap, PJUN 10.8%. A fall from here reaches BSEP’s buffer after 0.9% and PJUN’s after 2.6%. Both track SPY, so what separates them is where each is in its own period.

Client brief · page 1 of 2 Report BR-B5F5CC963F

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

  1. Protection and cap. BSEP: Absorbs the first 9% of loss on SPY and caps the gain at 19.8%, over a period ending Aug 31, 2027. PJUN: Absorbs the first 15% of loss on SPY and caps the gain at 13.8%, over a period ending May 31, 2027. The starting caps are 6.0 points apart.
  2. Outcome period. BSEP runs Aug 31, 2026 to Aug 31, 2027 with 307 days left; PJUN runs May 31, 2026 to May 31, 2027 with 215 days left.
  3. One-year total return. Over 1 year to Oct 28, 2026 BSEP returned +11.3% and PJUN +6.9% with distributions reinvested, a gap of 4.4 points.

Data as of Oct 28, 2026.

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About each fund
BSEP

From its price on Oct 28, 2026, the fund can gain about 18.7% more before it reaches its cap. The fund's price can fall 0.9% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's number. In index terms, SPY can fall 0.6% 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. 307 days remained on Oct 28, 2026. On Aug 31, 2027 the period ends and a new cap is set.

PJUN

From its price on Oct 28, 2026, the fund can gain about 10.8% more before it reaches its cap. The fund's price can fall 2.6% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's number. In index terms, SPY can fall 2.0% 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. 215 days remained on Oct 28, 2026. On May 31, 2027 the period ends and a new cap is set.

Questions people ask

Which has more room to gain, BSEP or PJUN?
From their prices on Oct 28, 2026, BSEP can gain about 18.7% before its cap and PJUN about 10.8%, so BSEP has more room left this period.
Which resets first, BSEP or PJUN?
BSEP ends its outcome period on Aug 31, 2027 and PJUN on May 31, 2027. A new cap is set the day after each.
Which is cheaper, BSEP or PJUN?
BSEP and PJUN both charge 0.79% a year, so neither is cheaper. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.
Other comparisons
Where to next
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.

Cite this pageCitation, APA and Markdown

ETFIQ, BSEP against PJUN, data as of Oct 28, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/buffer/bsep-vs-pjun

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