Data as of Nov 4, 2026.

vsOpen in the appCompare their flowsaskIQ about these two fundsAsk the committee about these two funds
Buffer ETFs

DLNV vs PMDE: Cap, Buffer & Days Left

Share
Share on XDownload as PDF

As of Nov 4, 2026 DLNV can fall 11.8% before its buffer engages and PMDE 5.9%, and DLNV resets 10 days sooner.

askIQ about this page

askIQ about DLNV and PMDE

Net assets: $20m on Nov 3, 2026 for FT Vest U.S. Equity Dual Directional Buffer ETF - November, and $9.2m on Nov 4, 2026 for PGIM S&P 500 Max Buffer ETF - December.

At a glance
11.8%
DLNV can fall this far before its buffer
5.9%
PMDE can fall this far before its buffer
0.6%
DLNV can still gain
0.7%
PMDE can still gain
DLNV At its cap
At its capDLNV: reference +16.3% since period start, fund +12.5%; buffer 0 to −10; cap +14.0%; At its cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.10 pts of buffer+14% gain captured−10.0% floor0% period start+14.0% capTODAY · SPY +16.3%At its capDLNV: reference +16.3% since period start, fund +12.5%; buffer 0 to −10; cap +14.0%; At its cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.+14%−10.0% floor0% start+14.0% cap10 pts of bufferTODAY · SPY +16.3%

DLNV: reference +16.3% since period start, fund +12.5%; buffer 0 to −10; cap +14.0%; At its cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.

DLNV: reference +16.3% since period start, fund +12.5%; buffer 0 to −10; cap +14.0%; At its cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.
PMDE At its cap
At its capPMDE: reference +12.2% since period start, fund +5.7%; buffer Floor; cap +7.0%; At its cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.full floor beneath+7% gainedfull floor0% period start+7.0% capTODAY · SPY +12.2%At its capPMDE: reference +12.2% since period start, fund +5.7%; buffer Floor; cap +7.0%; At its cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.full floor beneathfull floor0% start+7.0% cap+7% gain capturedTODAY · SPY +12.2%

PMDE: reference +12.2% since period start, fund +5.7%; buffer Floor; cap +7.0%; At its cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.

Data to Nov 4, 2026.

Pair scorecard

PMDE costs 0.35 points a year less; DLNV is 2.2 times larger.

Points (pts) are percentage points.

DLNV vs PMDE: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
MeasureDLNVPMDE
Drawdown
Index fall to the buffer14.0%10.9%
Benchmark
What it tracksSPYSPY
Cost and size
Expense ratio0.85%0.50%
Net assets, as of Nov 3, 2026$20m$9.2m
Holdings
Holdings in commonnot published

Method

Window by window

Window by window: DLNV vs PMDE: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
Total returnGap to the reference's price return
WindowDLNVPMDEDLNVPMDE
3 months+2.0%+1.4%+2.4 pts+1.8 pts
6 months+5.1%+3.1%+0.6 pts−1.4 pts
Since launchNot the same days: DLNV Nov 2025 · PMDE Dec 2025+11.3%+5.8%−3.3 pts−7.0 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

DLNV FT Vest U.S. Equity Dual Directional Buffer ETF - November · Absorbs the first 10% of loss on SPY and caps the gain at 14.0%, over a period ending Nov 20, 2026 PMDE PGIM S&P 500 Max Buffer ETF - December · Absorbs the whole loss on SPY and caps the gain at 7.0%, over a period ending Nov 30, 2026
Reference index SPY SPY
Buffer 10% 100%
Outcome period Nov 24, 2025 to Nov 20, 2026 Dec 1, 2025 to Nov 30, 2026
Days left 16 26
Starting cap +14.0% +7.0%
Can still gain 0.6% 0.7%
Fall before buffer 11.8% 5.9%
Protection left, index points 10.0% of 10.0% 100.0% of 100.0%
Index return this period +16.3% +12.2%
Fund return this period +12.5% +5.7%
State today At cap At cap
Expense ratio 0.85% 0.50%
Net assets, DLNV as of Nov 3, 2026 and PMDE as of Nov 4, 2026 $20m $9.2m

As of Nov 4, 2026. Source: ETFIQ.

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

Both are already at their cap, so neither gains from more rise in the index before the period ends.

Where each one stands today

DLNV resets first, on Nov 20, 2026, 16 days from now; PMDE runs to Nov 30, 2026, 26 days. DLNV can still gain 0.6% before its cap, PMDE 0.7%. A fall from here reaches DLNV’s buffer after 11.8% and PMDE’s after 5.9%. Both track SPY, so what separates them is where each is in its own period.

Alert

DLNV and PMDE flows, by email on Sundays.

One-click unsubscribe. See Privacy.

About each fund
DLNV

SPY had already risen past this fund's cap of +14.0% for the period on Nov 4, 2026, so in index terms there is no more upside to collect. The fund's own price can still drift up to about 0.6% as the period runs out. The fund's price can fall 11.8% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's number. In index terms, SPY can fall 14.0% from today's level to the point where the buffer begins. Protection left, in index points: 10.0% of the 10.0% buffer still sits below today's SPY level. 16 days remained on Nov 4, 2026. On Nov 20, 2026 the period ends and a new cap is set.

PMDE

SPY had already risen past this fund's cap of +7.0% for the period on Nov 4, 2026, so in index terms there is no more upside to collect. The fund's own price can still drift up to about 0.7% as the period runs out. The fund's price can fall 5.9% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's number. In index terms, SPY can fall 10.9% from today's level to the point where the buffer begins. Protection left, in index points: 100.0% of the 100.0% buffer still sits below today's SPY level. 26 days remained on Nov 4, 2026. On Nov 30, 2026 the period ends and a new cap is set.

Questions people ask

Which has more room to gain, DLNV or PMDE?
From their prices on Nov 4, 2026, DLNV can gain about 0.6% before its cap and PMDE about 0.7%, so PMDE has more room left this period.
Which resets first, DLNV or PMDE?
DLNV ends its outcome period on Nov 20, 2026 and PMDE on Nov 30, 2026. A new cap is set the day after each.
Which is cheaper, DLNV or PMDE?
DLNV charges 0.85% a year and PMDE charges 0.50%, so PMDE 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

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, DLNV against PMDE, data as of Nov 4, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/buffer/dlnv-vs-pmde

Open data →

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