Data as of Oct 28, 2026.

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Buffer ETFs

DJUL vs PMAR: Cap, Buffer & Days Left

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As of Oct 28, 2026 DJUL can fall 8.2% before its buffer engages and PMAR 7.8%, and PMAR resets 138 days sooner.

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Net assets: $496m on Oct 27, 2026 for FT Vest U.S. Equity Deep Buffer ETF - July, and $748m on Oct 28, 2026 for Innovator U.S. Equity Power Buffer ETF - Mar.

At a glance
8.2%
DJUL can fall this far before its buffer
7.8%
PMAR can fall this far before its buffer
9.9%
DJUL can still gain
4.0%
PMAR can still gain
DJUL Between buffer and cap
Between buffer and capDJUL: reference +3.9% since period start, fund +2.6%; buffer −5 to −30; cap +13.6%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Oct 28, 2026.25 pts of buffer+3.9%+9.7% to cap−30.0% floor−5.0% buffer start0% period start+13.6% capfirst 5 pts are yours to loseTODAY · SPY +3.9%Between buffer and capDJUL: reference +3.9% since period start, fund +2.6%; buffer −5 to −30; cap +13.6%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Oct 28, 2026.25 pts of buffer−30.0% floor−5.0% buffer start0% start+13.6% capfirst 5 pts are yours to lose+3.9% gain captured+9.7% more to the capTODAY · SPY +3.9%

DJUL: reference +3.9% since period start, fund +2.6%; buffer −5 to −30; cap +13.6%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Oct 28, 2026.

DJUL: reference +3.9% since period start, fund +2.6%; buffer −5 to −30; cap +13.6%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Oct 28, 2026.
PMAR Between buffer and cap
Between buffer and capPMAR: reference +12.5% since period start, fund +7.9%; buffer 0 to −15; cap +12.8%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Oct 28, 2026.15 pts of buffer+12.5% gain captured−15.0% floor0% period start+12.8% cap+0.3% more to the capTODAY · SPY +12.5%Between buffer and capPMAR: reference +12.5% since period start, fund +7.9%; buffer 0 to −15; cap +12.8%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Oct 28, 2026.15 pts+12.5%−15.0% floor0% start+12.8% cap+0.3% more to the capTODAY · SPY +12.5%

PMAR: reference +12.5% since period start, fund +7.9%; buffer 0 to −15; cap +12.8%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Oct 28, 2026.

PMAR: reference +12.5% since period start, fund +7.9%; buffer 0 to −15; cap +12.8%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Oct 28, 2026.

Pair scorecard

PMAR costs 0.06 points a year less; their one-year returns differ by 1.8 points; PMAR is 1.5 times larger.

Points (pts) are percentage points.

DJUL vs PMAR: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
MeasureDJULPMAR
Return
Total return, 1 year+9.3%+11.1%
Drawdown
Index fall to the buffer8.6%11.1%
Benchmark
What it tracksSPYSPY
Cost and size
Expense ratio0.85%0.79%
Net assets, as of Oct 27, 2026$496m$747m
Holdings
Holdings in commonnot published
ETFIQ Downside Cover Score · PMAR scores higher If the market falls into a bear market from here, how much does the buffer absorb?
IQ Buffer Score55.3DJUL61.5PMAR

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

Jul 31, 2020 to Oct 23, 2026 · 325 weekly returns · each against SPY
DJUL PMAR
Return
Total return edge PMAR +68.5% +80.1%
Annualized edge PMAR +8.7% +9.9%
Price return edge PMAR +68.5% +80.1%
Risk
Volatility edge PMAR (slight) 7.6% 7.3%
Max drawdown edge PMAR −12.2% −9.9%
Downside capture 51.5% 45.6%
Beta 0.44 0.43
Risk-adjusted
Sharpe edge PMAR 0.72 0.89
Sortino edge PMAR 1.10 1.34
Treynor 0.124 0.150
Calmar edge PMAR 0.71 1.00
Against the benchmark
Alpha −0.3% a year +0.9% a year
Alpha t-stat −0.24 0.87
Information ratio −0.81 −0.69
Tracking error 9.3% 9.3%
Reading

PMAR returned more: +80.1% to +68.5%. PMAR swung slightly less: 7.3% to 7.6%. PMAR fell less at its worst: −9.9% to −12.2%.

Full scorecard

19 measures, with how each is measured
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Risk and return: DJUL vs PMAR: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
MeasureDJULPMARSPYEdgeHow it is measured
Return
Total return+68.5%+80.1%PMARPrice change plus distributions, reinvested.
Annualized+8.7%+9.9%PMARTotal return as a yearly rate.
Price return+68.5%+80.1%PMARPrice change alone, distributions left out.
Risk
Volatility7.6%7.3%PMAR (slight)Spread of weekly returns, annualized. Lower is steadier.
Downside deviation5.0%4.9%TieLike volatility, counting only weeks below the Treasury bill rate.
Max drawdown−12.2%−9.9%PMARDeepest fall from a high to the low after it.
Upside capture34.6%32.9%100.0%DJUL (slight)Share of its benchmark's rise caught in the weeks it rose.
Downside capture51.5%45.6%100.0%PMARShare of its benchmark's fall taken in the weeks it fell. Lower is better.
Beta0.440.431.00TieHow far it moves for each 1% its benchmark moves.
R squared0.860.881.00Not an edgeShare of its weekly moves its benchmark explains.
Risk-adjusted
Sharpe0.720.89PMARReturn above Treasury bills per unit of volatility.
Sortino1.101.34PMARReturn above Treasury bills per unit of downside deviation.
Treynor0.1240.1500.130PMARReturn above Treasury bills per unit of beta.
Calmar0.711.00PMARAnnualized return divided by the max drawdown.
Against the benchmark
BenchmarkSPYSPYSPYThe ETF each fund is measured against.
Alpha−0.3% a year+0.9% a year0.0%Not significantYearly return beyond what its beta to the benchmark predicts.
Alpha t-stat−0.240.87Not an edgeHow sure the alpha is. Below 2, it could be chance.
Alpha range−2.6% to +2.0%−1.1% to +2.9%Both include zeroThe 95% range for the yearly alpha.
Information ratio−0.81−0.69PMARReturn against its benchmark per unit of tracking error.
Tracking error9.3%9.3%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, 325 weekly returns. Cash rate: the 13-week Treasury bill.

Window by window

Window by window: DJUL vs PMAR: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
Total returnGap to the reference's price return
WindowDJULPMARDJULPMAR
3 months+3.4%+3.4%−2.5 pts−2.4 pts
6 months+5.5%+5.6%−3.0 pts−2.9 pts
1 year+9.3%+11.1%−3.1 pts−1.3 pts
3 years+55.1%+50.2%−32.9 pts−37.9 pts
Since launchNot the same days: DJUL Jul 2020 · PMAR Mar 2020+70.0%+84.6%−68.2 pts−65.3 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

DJUL FT Vest U.S. Equity Deep Buffer ETF - July · Absorbs losses from 5.0% to 30.0% on SPY and caps the gain at 13.6%, over a period ending Jul 16, 2027 PMAR Innovator U.S. Equity Power Buffer ETF - Mar · Absorbs the first 15% of loss on SPY and caps the gain at 12.8%, over a period ending Feb 28, 2027
Reference index SPY SPY
Buffer 5% to 30% 15%
Outcome period Jul 20, 2026 to Jul 16, 2027 Feb 28, 2026 to Feb 28, 2027
Days left 261 123
Starting cap +13.6% +12.8%
Can still gain 9.9% 4.0%
Fall before buffer 8.2% 7.8%
Protection left, index points 25.0% of 25.0% 15.0% of 15.0%
Index return this period +3.9% +12.5%
Fund return this period +2.6% +7.9%
State today Open Open
Expense ratio 0.85% 0.79%
Net assets, DJUL as of Oct 27, 2026 and PMAR as of Oct 28, 2026 $496m $748m

As of Oct 28, 2026. Source: ETFIQ.

They do not reset together. PMAR has 123 days of its period left and DJUL has 261, so the two are not the same bet on the same months.

Where each one stands today

PMAR resets first, on Feb 28, 2027, 123 days from now; DJUL runs to Jul 16, 2027, 261 days. DJUL can still gain 9.9% before its cap, PMAR 4.0%. A fall from here reaches DJUL’s buffer after 8.2% and PMAR’s after 7.8%. Both track SPY, so what separates them is where each is in its own period.

Client brief · page 1 of 2 Report BR-E740999BB0

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

  1. Protection and cap. DJUL: Absorbs losses from 5.0% to 30.0% on SPY and caps the gain at 13.6%, over a period ending Jul 16, 2027. PMAR: Absorbs the first 15% of loss on SPY and caps the gain at 12.8%, over a period ending Feb 28, 2027. The starting caps are 0.8 points apart.
  2. Outcome period. DJUL runs Jul 20, 2026 to Jul 16, 2027 with 261 days left; PMAR runs Feb 28, 2026 to Feb 28, 2027 with 123 days left.
  3. What each follows (similar). Both follow SPY.

Data as of Oct 28, 2026.

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About each fund
DJUL

From its price on Oct 28, 2026, the fund can gain about 9.9% more before it reaches its cap. The fund's price can fall 8.2% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's number. In index terms, SPY can fall 8.6% 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. 261 days remained on Oct 28, 2026. On Jul 16, 2027 the period ends and a new cap is set.

PMAR

From its price on Oct 28, 2026, the fund can gain about 4.0% more before it reaches its cap. The fund's price can fall 7.8% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's number. In index terms, SPY can fall 11.1% 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. 123 days remained on Oct 28, 2026. On Feb 28, 2027 the period ends and a new cap is set.

Questions people ask

Which has more room to gain, DJUL or PMAR?
From their prices on Oct 28, 2026, DJUL can gain about 9.9% before its cap and PMAR about 4.0%, so DJUL has more room left this period.
Which resets first, DJUL or PMAR?
DJUL ends its outcome period on Jul 16, 2027 and PMAR on Feb 28, 2027. A new cap is set the day after each.
Which is cheaper, DJUL or PMAR?
DJUL charges 0.85% a year and PMAR charges 0.79%, so PMAR 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, DJUL against PMAR, data as of Oct 28, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/buffer/djul-vs-pmar

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