Data as of Oct 28, 2026.

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Buffer ETFs

DJAN vs PNOV: Cap, Buffer & Days Left

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As of Oct 28, 2026 DJAN can fall 12.6% before its buffer engages and PNOV 11.4%, and PNOV resets 76 days sooner.

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Net assets: $462m on Oct 27, 2026 for FT Vest U.S. Equity Deep Buffer ETF - January, and $836m on Oct 28, 2026 for Innovator U.S. Equity Power Buffer ETF - Nov.

At a glance
12.6%
DJAN can fall this far before its buffer
11.4%
PNOV can fall this far before its buffer
2.9%
DJAN can still gain
0.4%
PNOV can still gain
DJAN At its cap
At its capDJAN: reference +11.7% since period start, fund +7.7%; buffer −5 to −30; cap +11.6%; At its cap. Data to Oct 28, 2026.25 pts of buffer+11.6% gain captured−30.0% floor−5.0% buffer start0% period start+11.6% capfirst 5 pts are yours to loseTODAY · SPY +11.7%At its capDJAN: reference +11.7% since period start, fund +7.7%; buffer −5 to −30; cap +11.6%; At its cap. Data to Oct 28, 2026.25 pts of buffer+11.6%−30.0% floor−5.0% buffer start0% start+11.6% capfirst 5 pts are yours to loseTODAY · SPY +11.7%

DJAN: reference +11.7% since period start, fund +7.7%; buffer −5 to −30; cap +11.6%; At its cap. Data to Oct 28, 2026.

DJAN: reference +11.7% since period start, fund +7.7%; buffer −5 to −30; cap +11.6%; At its cap. Data to Oct 28, 2026.
PNOV Between buffer and cap
Between buffer and capPNOV: reference +13.2% since period start, fund +11.9%; buffer 0 to −15; cap +13.3%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Oct 28, 2026.15 pts of buffer+13.2% gain captured−15.0% floor0% period start+13.3% cap+0.1% more to the capTODAY · SPY +13.2%Between buffer and capPNOV: reference +13.2% since period start, fund +11.9%; buffer 0 to −15; cap +13.3%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Oct 28, 2026.15 pts+13.2%−15.0% floor0% start+13.3% cap+0.1% more to the capTODAY · SPY +13.2%

PNOV: reference +13.2% since period start, fund +11.9%; buffer 0 to −15; cap +13.3%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Oct 28, 2026.

PNOV: reference +13.2% since period start, fund +11.9%; buffer 0 to −15; cap +13.3%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Oct 28, 2026.

Pair scorecard

PNOV costs 0.06 points a year less; their one-year returns differ by 1.8 points; PNOV is 1.8 times larger.

Points (pts) are percentage points.

DJAN vs PNOV: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
MeasureDJANPNOV
Return
Total return, 1 year+10.3%+12.1%
Drawdown
Index fall to the buffer14.9%11.6%
Benchmark
What it tracksSPYSPY
Cost and size
Expense ratio0.85%0.79%
Net assets, as of Oct 27, 2026$462m$834m
Holdings
Holdings in commonnot published
ETFIQ Downside Cover Score · PNOV scores higher If the market falls into a bear market from here, how much does the buffer absorb?
IQ Buffer Score9.1DJAN16.6PNOV

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

Jan 29, 2021 to Oct 23, 2026 · 299 weekly returns · each against SPY
DJAN PNOV
Return
Total return edge PNOV (slight) +56.5% +59.5%
Annualized edge PNOV (slight) +8.1% +8.5%
Price return edge PNOV (slight) +56.5% +59.5%
Risk
Volatility edge DJAN 6.7% 8.1%
Max drawdown edge DJAN −8.7% −10.3%
Downside capture 45.6% 53.1%
Beta 0.39 0.48
Risk-adjusted
Sharpe edge DJAN (slight) 0.69 0.62
Sortino edge DJAN (slight) 1.04 0.95
Treynor 0.117 0.105
Calmar edge DJAN 0.93 0.82
Against the benchmark
Alpha 0.0% a year −0.6% a year
Alpha t-stat 0.00 −0.46
Information ratio −0.72 −0.77
Tracking error 9.8% 8.7%
Reading

PNOV returned slightly more: +59.5% to +56.5%. DJAN swung less: 6.7% to 8.1%. DJAN fell less at its worst: −8.7% to −10.3%.

Full scorecard

19 measures, with how each is measured
Open ↓
Risk and return: DJAN vs PNOV: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
MeasureDJANPNOVSPYEdgeHow it is measured
Return
Total return+56.5%+59.5%PNOV (slight)Price change plus distributions, reinvested.
Annualized+8.1%+8.5%PNOV (slight)Total return as a yearly rate.
Price return+56.5%+59.5%PNOV (slight)Price change alone, distributions left out.
Risk
Volatility6.7%8.1%DJANSpread of weekly returns, annualized. Lower is steadier.
Downside deviation4.4%5.3%DJANLike volatility, counting only weeks below the Treasury bill rate.
Max drawdown−8.7%−10.3%DJANDeepest fall from a high to the low after it.
Upside capture31.0%36.3%100.0%PNOVShare of its benchmark's rise caught in the weeks it rose.
Downside capture45.6%53.1%100.0%DJANShare of its benchmark's fall taken in the weeks it fell. Lower is better.
Beta0.390.481.00DJAN lowerHow far it moves for each 1% its benchmark moves.
R squared0.850.871.00Not an edgeShare of its weekly moves its benchmark explains.
Risk-adjusted
Sharpe0.690.62DJAN (slight)Return above Treasury bills per unit of volatility.
Sortino1.040.95DJAN (slight)Return above Treasury bills per unit of downside deviation.
Treynor0.1170.1050.117DJANReturn above Treasury bills per unit of beta.
Calmar0.930.82DJANAnnualized return divided by the max drawdown.
Against the benchmark
BenchmarkSPYSPYSPYThe ETF each fund is measured against.
Alpha0.0% a year−0.6% a year0.0%Not significantYearly return beyond what its beta to the benchmark predicts.
Alpha t-stat0.00−0.46Not an edgeHow sure the alpha is. Below 2, it could be chance.
Alpha range−2.1% to +2.1%−3.0% to +1.9%Both include zeroThe 95% range for the yearly alpha.
Information ratio−0.72−0.77DJAN (slight)Return against its benchmark per unit of tracking error.
Tracking error9.8%8.7%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, 299 weekly returns. Cash rate: the 13-week Treasury bill.

Window by window

Window by window: DJAN vs PNOV: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
Total returnGap to the reference's price return
WindowDJANPNOVDJANPNOV
3 months+3.8%+5.3%−2.0 pts−0.6 pts
6 months+5.8%+7.7%−2.7 pts−0.8 pts
1 year+10.3%+12.1%−2.1 pts−0.3 pts
3 years+49.5%+46.6%−38.6 pts−41.4 pts
Since launchNot the same days: DJAN Jan 2021 · PNOV Nov 2019+55.8%+80.9%−48.2 pts−71.3 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

DJAN FT Vest U.S. Equity Deep Buffer ETF - January · Absorbs losses from 5.0% to 30.0% on SPY and caps the gain at 11.6%, over a period ending Jan 15, 2027 PNOV Innovator U.S. Equity Power Buffer ETF - Nov · Absorbs the first 15% of loss on SPY and caps the gain at 13.3%, over a period ending Oct 31, 2026
Reference index SPY SPY
Buffer 5% to 30% 15%
Outcome period Jan 20, 2026 to Jan 15, 2027 Oct 31, 2025 to Oct 31, 2026
Days left 79 3
Starting cap +11.6% +13.3%
Can still gain 2.9% 0.4%
Fall before buffer 12.6% 11.4%
Protection left, index points 25.0% of 25.0% 15.0% of 15.0%
Index return this period +11.7% +13.2%
Fund return this period +7.7% +11.9%
State today At cap Open
Expense ratio 0.85% 0.79%
Net assets, DJAN as of Oct 27, 2026 and PNOV as of Oct 28, 2026 $462m $836m

As of Oct 28, 2026. Source: ETFIQ.

DJAN is already at its cap, so more rise in the index adds nothing to it before the period ends.

They do not reset together. PNOV has 3 days of its period left and DJAN has 79, so the two are not the same bet on the same months.

Where each one stands today

PNOV resets first, on Oct 31, 2026, 3 days from now; DJAN runs to Jan 15, 2027, 79 days. DJAN can still gain 2.9% before its cap, PNOV 0.4%. A fall from here reaches DJAN’s buffer after 12.6% and PNOV’s after 11.4%. Both track SPY, so what separates them is where each is in its own period.

Client brief · page 1 of 2 Report BR-0F98BC9AF7

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

  1. Protection and cap. DJAN: Absorbs losses from 5.0% to 30.0% on SPY and caps the gain at 11.6%, over a period ending Jan 15, 2027. PNOV: Absorbs the first 15% of loss on SPY and caps the gain at 13.3%, over a period ending Oct 31, 2026. The starting caps are 1.7 points apart.
  2. Outcome period (similar). DJAN runs Jan 20, 2026 to Jan 15, 2027 with 79 days left; PNOV runs Oct 31, 2025 to Oct 31, 2026 with 3 days left.
  3. What each follows (similar). Both follow SPY.

Data as of Oct 28, 2026.

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About each fund
DJAN

SPY had already risen past this fund's cap of +11.6% for the period on Oct 28, 2026, so in index terms there is no more upside to collect. The fund's own price can still drift up to about 2.9% as the period runs out. The fund's price can fall 12.6% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's number. In index terms, SPY can fall 14.9% from today's level to the point where the buffer begins. Protection left, in index points: 25.0% of the 25.0% buffer still sits below today's SPY level. 79 days remained on Oct 28, 2026. On Jan 15, 2027 the period ends and a new cap is set.

PNOV

From its price on Oct 28, 2026, the fund can gain about 0.4% more before it reaches its cap. The fund's price can fall 11.4% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's number. In index terms, SPY can fall 11.6% 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. 3 days remained on Oct 28, 2026. On Oct 31, 2026 the period ends and a new cap is set.

Questions people ask

Which has more room to gain, DJAN or PNOV?
From their prices on Oct 28, 2026, DJAN can gain about 2.9% before its cap and PNOV about 0.4%, so DJAN has more room left this period.
Which resets first, DJAN or PNOV?
DJAN ends its outcome period on Jan 15, 2027 and PNOV on Oct 31, 2026. A new cap is set the day after each.
Which is cheaper, DJAN or PNOV?
DJAN charges 0.85% a year and PNOV charges 0.79%, so PNOV 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, DJAN against PNOV, data as of Oct 28, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/buffer/djan-vs-pnov

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