Data as of Nov 4, 2026.

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Buffer ETFs

DDFL vs JULW: Cap, Buffer & Days Left

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As of Nov 4, 2026 JULW can fall 3.1% before its buffer engages and DDFL 2.8%.

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Net assets: $160m on Nov 4, 2026 for Innovator Equity Dual Directional 15 Buffer ETF - Jul, and $254m on Nov 3, 2026 for AllianzIM U.S. Equity Buffer20 ETF - Jul.

At a glance
2.8%
DDFL can fall this far before its buffer
3.1%
JULW can fall this far before its buffer
7.8%
DDFL can still gain
8.8%
JULW can still gain
DDFL Between buffer and cap
Between buffer and capDDFL: reference +2.6% since period start, fund +2.6%; buffer 0 to −15; cap +10.9%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.15 pts of buffer+2.6%+8.3% more to the cap−15.0% floor0% period start+10.9% capTODAY · SPY +2.6%Between buffer and capDDFL: reference +2.6% since period start, fund +2.6%; buffer 0 to −15; cap +10.9%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.15 pts−15.0% floor0% start+10.9% cap+2.6% gain captured+8.3% more to the capTODAY · SPY +2.6%

DDFL: reference +2.6% since period start, fund +2.6%; buffer 0 to −15; cap +10.9%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.

DDFL: reference +2.6% since period start, fund +2.6%; buffer 0 to −15; cap +10.9%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.
JULW Between buffer and cap
Between buffer and capJULW: reference +2.7% since period start, fund +2.4%; buffer 0 to −20; cap +12.2%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.20 pts of buffer+2.7%+9.5% more to the cap−20.0% floor0% period start+12.2% capTODAY · SPY +2.7%Between buffer and capJULW: reference +2.7% since period start, fund +2.4%; buffer 0 to −20; cap +12.2%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.20 pts of buffer−20.0% floor0% start+12.2% cap+2.7% gain captured+9.5% more to the capTODAY · SPY +2.7%

JULW: reference +2.7% since period start, fund +2.4%; buffer 0 to −20; cap +12.2%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.

JULW: reference +2.7% since period start, fund +2.4%; buffer 0 to −20; cap +12.2%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.

Pair scorecard

JULW costs 0.05 points a year less; their one-year returns differ by 1.0 point; JULW is 1.6 times larger.

Points (pts) are percentage points.

DDFL vs JULW: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
MeasureDDFLJULW
Return
Total return, 1 year+7.3%+8.3%
Drawdown
Index fall to the buffer2.6%
Benchmark
What it tracksSPYSPY
Cost and size
Expense ratio0.79%0.74%
Net assets, as of Nov 3, 2026$159m$254m
Holdings
Holdings in commonnot published

Method

Risk and return

Jul 11, 2025 to Oct 30, 2026 · 68 weekly returns · each against SPY
DDFL JULW
Return
Total return edge JULW +9.6% +11.2%
Annualized edge JULW +7.3% +8.5%
Price return edge JULW +9.6% +11.2%
Risk
Volatility edge DDFL 2.9% 3.9%
Max drawdown edge DDFL −1.4% −2.7%
Downside capture 19.7% 31.0%
Beta 0.21 0.30
Risk-adjusted
Sharpe edge Tie 1.10 1.12
Sortino edge DDFL (slight) 1.99 1.92
Treynor 0.151 0.143
Calmar edge DDFL 5.18 3.15
Against the benchmark
Alpha +0.5% a year +0.5% a year
Alpha t-stat 0.39 0.36
Information ratio −1.01 −1.00
Tracking error 9.3% 8.2%
Reading

From Jul 2025 to Oct 2026, JULW returned more: +11.2% to +9.6%. DDFL swung less: 2.9% to 3.9%. DDFL fell less at its worst: −1.4% to −2.7%.

Full scorecard

19 measures, with how each is measured
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Risk and return: DDFL vs JULW: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
MeasureDDFLJULWSPYEdgeHow it is measured
Return
Total return+9.6%+11.2%JULWPrice change plus distributions, reinvested.
Annualized+7.3%+8.5%JULWTotal return as a yearly rate.
Price return+9.6%+11.2%JULWPrice change alone, distributions left out.
Risk
Volatility2.9%3.9%DDFLSpread of weekly returns, annualized. Lower is steadier.
Downside deviation1.6%2.3%DDFLLike volatility, counting only weeks below the Treasury bill rate.
Max drawdown−1.4%−2.7%DDFLDeepest fall from a high to the low after it.
Upside capture20.2%27.5%100.0%JULWShare of its benchmark's rise caught in the weeks it rose.
Downside capture19.7%31.0%100.0%DDFLShare of its benchmark's fall taken in the weeks it fell. Lower is better.
Beta0.210.301.00DDFL lowerHow far it moves for each 1% its benchmark moves.
R squared0.710.821.00Not an edgeShare of its weekly moves its benchmark explains.
Risk-adjusted
Sharpe1.101.12TieReturn above Treasury bills per unit of volatility.
Sortino1.991.92DDFL (slight)Return above Treasury bills per unit of downside deviation.
Treynor0.1510.1430.125DDFL (slight)Return above Treasury bills per unit of beta.
Calmar5.183.15DDFLAnnualized return divided by the max drawdown.
Against the benchmark
BenchmarkSPYSPYSPYThe ETF each fund is measured against.
Alpha+0.5% a year+0.5% a year0.0%Not significantYearly return beyond what its beta to the benchmark predicts.
Alpha t-stat0.390.36Not an edgeHow sure the alpha is. Below 2, it could be chance.
Alpha range−2.2% to +3.3%−2.4% to +3.5%Both include zeroThe 95% range for the yearly alpha.
Information ratio−1.01−1.00TieReturn against its benchmark per unit of tracking error.
Tracking error9.3%8.2%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, 68 weekly returns. Cash rate: the 13-week Treasury bill.

Window by window

Window by window: DDFL vs JULW: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
Total returnGap to the reference's price return
WindowDDFLJULWDDFLJULW
3 months+1.1%+0.8%+1.5 pts+1.1 pts
6 months+3.5%+3.4%−1.0 pts−1.1 pts
1 year+7.3%+8.3%−6.2 pts−5.2 pts
3 years–+40.4%–−36.0 pts
Since launchNot the same days: DDFL Jul 2025 · JULW Jul 2020+10.8%+71.7%−13.3 pts−75.3 pts

Each fund's gap is to its reference's price return, dividends left out: the basis the outcome period uses. – means no data for this window. Open this comparison in the app →

Side by side

DDFL Innovator Equity Dual Directional 15 Buffer ETF - Jul · Absorbs the first 15% of loss on SPY and caps the gain at 10.9%, over a period ending Jun 30, 2027 JULW AllianzIM U.S. Equity Buffer20 ETF - Jul · Absorbs the first 20% of loss on SPY and caps the gain at 12.2%, over a period ending Jun 30, 2027
Reference index SPY SPY
Buffer 15% 20%
Outcome period Jun 30, 2026 to Jun 30, 2027 Jul 1, 2026 to Jun 30, 2027
Days left 238 238
Starting cap +10.9% +12.2%
Can still gain 7.8% 8.8%
Fall before buffer 2.8% 3.1%
Protection left, index points 15.0% of 15.0% 20.0% of 20.0%
Index return this period +2.6% +2.7%
Fund return this period +2.6% +2.4%
State today Open Open
Expense ratio 0.79% 0.74%
Net assets, DDFL as of Nov 4, 2026 and JULW as of Nov 3, 2026 $160m $254m

As of Nov 4, 2026. Source: ETFIQ.

These are two different products. JULW is a floor fund, which caps how far a holder can fall. DDFL is a buffer fund, which absorbs the first part of a fall and leaves everything below it with the holder.

Where each one stands today

DDFL resets first, on Jun 30, 2027, 238 days from now; JULW runs to Jun 30, 2027, 238 days. DDFL can still gain 7.8% before its cap, JULW 8.8%. A fall from here reaches DDFL’s buffer after 2.8% and JULW’s after 3.1%. Both track SPY, so what separates them is where each is in its own period.

Client brief:

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About each fund
DDFL

From its price on Nov 4, 2026, the fund can gain about 7.8% more before it reaches its cap. The fund's price can fall 2.8% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's number. In index terms, SPY can fall 2.6% 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. 238 days remained on Nov 4, 2026. On Jun 30, 2027 the period ends and a new cap is set.

JULW

From its price on Nov 4, 2026, the fund can gain about 8.8% more before it reaches its cap. The fund's price can fall 3.1% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's number. 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, DDFL or JULW?
From their prices on Nov 4, 2026, DDFL can gain about 7.8% before its cap and JULW about 8.8%, so JULW has more room left this period.
Which resets first, DDFL or JULW?
DDFL ends its outcome period on Jun 30, 2027 and JULW on Jun 30, 2027. A new cap is set the day after each.
Which is cheaper, DDFL or JULW?
DDFL charges 0.79% a year and JULW charges 0.74%, so JULW is cheaper. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.
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Sources and dates

Links are sources, not endorsements. A comparison is not a recommendation.

How this is computed

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, DDFL against JULW, data as of Nov 4, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/buffer/ddfl-vs-julw

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