Data as of Nov 4, 2026.

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Buffer ETFs

DDFO vs OCTW: Cap, Buffer & Days Left

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As of Nov 4, 2026 OCTW can fall 1.4% before its buffer engages and DDFO 0.7%.

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Net assets: $176m on Nov 4, 2026 for Innovator Equity Dual Directional 15 Buffer ETF - Oct, and $443m on Nov 3, 2026 for AllianzIM U.S. Equity Buffer20 ETF - Oct.

At a glance
0.7%
DDFO can fall this far before its buffer
1.4%
OCTW can fall this far before its buffer
9.9%
DDFO can still gain
11.3%
OCTW can still gain
DDFO Between buffer and cap
Between buffer and capDDFO: reference +0.5% since period start, fund +0.6%; buffer 0 to −15; cap +10.7%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.15 pts of buffer+10.2% more to the cap−15.0% floor0% period start+10.7% cap+0.5% gain capturedTODAY · SPY +0.5%Between buffer and capDDFO: reference +0.5% since period start, fund +0.6%; buffer 0 to −15; cap +10.7%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.15 pts−15.0% floor0% start+10.7% cap+0.5% gain captured+10.2% more to the capTODAY · SPY +0.5%

DDFO: reference +0.5% since period start, fund +0.6%; buffer 0 to −15; cap +10.7%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.

DDFO: reference +0.5% since period start, fund +0.6%; buffer 0 to −15; cap +10.7%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.
OCTW Between buffer and cap
Between buffer and capOCTW: reference +0.5% since period start, fund +0.7%; buffer 0 to −20; cap +12.8%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.20 pts of buffer+12.2% more to the cap−20.0% floor0% period start+12.8% cap+0.5% gain capturedTODAY · SPY +0.5%Between buffer and capOCTW: reference +0.5% since period start, fund +0.7%; buffer 0 to −20; cap +12.8%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.20 pts of buffer−20.0% floor0% start+12.8% cap+0.5% gain captured+12.2% more to the capTODAY · SPY +0.5%

OCTW: reference +0.5% since period start, fund +0.7%; buffer 0 to −20; cap +12.8%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.

OCTW: reference +0.5% since period start, fund +0.7%; buffer 0 to −20; cap +12.8%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.

Pair scorecard

OCTW costs 0.05 points a year less; their one-year returns differ by 1.6 points; OCTW is 2.6 times larger.

Points (pts) are percentage points.

DDFO vs OCTW: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
MeasureDDFOOCTW
Return
Total return, 1 year+8.2%+9.8%
Drawdown
Index fall to the buffer0.5%
Benchmark
What it tracksSPYSPY
Cost and size
Expense ratio0.79%0.74%
Net assets, as of Nov 3, 2026$173m$443m
Holdings
Holdings in commonnot published

Method

Risk and return

Oct 10, 2025 to Oct 30, 2026 · 55 weekly returns · each against SPY
DDFO OCTW
Return
Total return edge OCTW +8.9% +10.4%
Annualized edge OCTW +8.4% +9.8%
Price return edge OCTW +8.9% +10.4%
Risk
Volatility edge DDFO 3.6% 4.5%
Max drawdown edge DDFO −2.5% −3.2%
Downside capture 25.6% 33.5%
Beta 0.28 0.36
Risk-adjusted
Sharpe edge OCTW (slight) 1.19 1.26
Sortino edge OCTW (slight) 2.06 2.22
Treynor 0.154 0.157
Calmar edge DDFO 3.40 3.02
Against the benchmark
Alpha +1.0% a year +1.4% a year
Alpha t-stat 0.72 1.05
Information ratio −0.85 −0.78
Tracking error 8.7% 7.8%
Reading

From Oct 2025 to Oct 2026, OCTW returned more: +10.4% to +8.9%. DDFO swung less: 3.6% to 4.5%. DDFO fell less at its worst: −2.5% to −3.2%.

Full scorecard

19 measures, with how each is measured
Open ↓
Risk and return: DDFO vs OCTW: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
MeasureDDFOOCTWSPYEdgeHow it is measured
Return
Total return+8.9%+10.4%OCTWPrice change plus distributions, reinvested.
Annualized+8.4%+9.8%OCTWTotal return as a yearly rate.
Price return+8.9%+10.4%OCTWPrice change alone, distributions left out.
Risk
Volatility3.6%4.5%DDFOSpread of weekly returns, annualized. Lower is steadier.
Downside deviation2.1%2.5%DDFOLike volatility, counting only weeks below the Treasury bill rate.
Max drawdown−2.5%−3.2%DDFODeepest fall from a high to the low after it.
Upside capture25.0%31.6%100.0%OCTWShare of its benchmark's rise caught in the weeks it rose.
Downside capture25.6%33.5%100.0%DDFOShare of its benchmark's fall taken in the weeks it fell. Lower is better.
Beta0.280.361.00DDFO lowerHow far it moves for each 1% its benchmark moves.
R squared0.840.911.00Not an edgeShare of its weekly moves its benchmark explains.
Risk-adjusted
Sharpe1.191.26OCTW (slight)Return above Treasury bills per unit of volatility.
Sortino2.062.22OCTW (slight)Return above Treasury bills per unit of downside deviation.
Treynor0.1540.1570.117OCTW (slight)Return above Treasury bills per unit of beta.
Calmar3.403.02DDFOAnnualized return divided by the max drawdown.
Against the benchmark
BenchmarkSPYSPYSPYThe ETF each fund is measured against.
Alpha+1.0% a year+1.4% a year0.0%Not significantYearly return beyond what its beta to the benchmark predicts.
Alpha t-stat0.721.05Not an edgeHow sure the alpha is. Below 2, it could be chance.
Alpha range−1.8% to +3.9%−1.3% to +4.2%Both include zeroThe 95% range for the yearly alpha.
Information ratio−0.85−0.78OCTW (slight)Return against its benchmark per unit of tracking error.
Tracking error8.7%7.8%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, 55 weekly returns. Cash rate: the 13-week Treasury bill.

Window by window

Window by window: DDFO vs OCTW: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
Total returnGap to the reference's price return
WindowDDFOOCTWDDFOOCTW
3 months+1.5%+1.9%+1.9 pts+2.3 pts
6 months+3.5%+4.6%−1.0 pts+0.1 pts
1 year+8.2%+9.8%−5.4 pts−3.7 pts
3 years–+34.4%–−42.0 pts
Since launchNot the same days: DDFO Oct 2025 · OCTW Oct 2020+8.5%+69.2%−6.2 pts−58.3 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

DDFO Innovator Equity Dual Directional 15 Buffer ETF - Oct · Absorbs the first 15% of loss on SPY and caps the gain at 10.7%, over a period ending Sep 30, 2027 OCTW AllianzIM U.S. Equity Buffer20 ETF - Oct · Absorbs the first 20% of loss on SPY and caps the gain at 12.8%, over a period ending Sep 30, 2027
Reference index SPY SPY
Buffer 15% 20%
Outcome period Sep 30, 2026 to Sep 30, 2027 Oct 1, 2026 to Sep 30, 2027
Days left 330 330
Starting cap +10.7% +12.8%
Can still gain 9.9% 11.3%
Fall before buffer 0.7% 1.4%
Protection left, index points 15.0% of 15.0% 20.0% of 20.0%
Index return this period +0.5% +0.5%
Fund return this period +0.6% +0.7%
State today Open Open
Expense ratio 0.79% 0.74%
Net assets, DDFO as of Nov 4, 2026 and OCTW as of Nov 3, 2026 $176m $443m

As of Nov 4, 2026. Source: ETFIQ.

These are two different products. OCTW is a floor fund, which caps how far a holder can fall. DDFO 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

DDFO resets first, on Sep 30, 2027, 330 days from now; OCTW runs to Sep 30, 2027, 330 days. DDFO can still gain 9.9% before its cap, OCTW 11.3%. A fall from here reaches DDFO’s buffer after 0.7% and OCTW’s after 1.4%. Both track SPY, so what separates them is where each is in its own period.

Client brief:

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About each fund
DDFO

From its price on Nov 4, 2026, the fund can gain about 9.9% more before it reaches its cap. The fund's price can fall 0.7% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's number. In index terms, SPY can fall 0.5% 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. 330 days remained on Nov 4, 2026. On Sep 30, 2027 the period ends and a new cap is set.

OCTW

From its price on Nov 4, 2026, the fund can gain about 11.3% more before it reaches its cap. The fund's price can fall 1.4% 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, DDFO or OCTW?
From their prices on Nov 4, 2026, DDFO can gain about 9.9% before its cap and OCTW about 11.3%, so OCTW has more room left this period.
Which resets first, DDFO or OCTW?
DDFO ends its outcome period on Sep 30, 2027 and OCTW on Sep 30, 2027. A new cap is set the day after each.
Which is cheaper, DDFO or OCTW?
DDFO charges 0.79% a year and OCTW charges 0.74%, so OCTW 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

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, DDFO against OCTW, data as of Nov 4, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/buffer/ddfo-vs-octw

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