Data as of Nov 4, 2026.

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Buffer ETFs

DOCT vs NVBT: Cap, Buffer & Days Left

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As of Nov 4, 2026 DOCT can fall 6.2% before its buffer engages and NVBT 1.7%, and DOCT resets 16 days sooner.

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Net assets on Nov 3, 2026: $421m for FT Vest U.S. Equity Deep Buffer ETF - October and $28m for AllianzIM U.S. Equity Buffer10 ETF - Nov.

At a glance
6.2%
DOCT can fall this far before its buffer
1.7%
NVBT can fall this far before its buffer
12.9%
DOCT can still gain
16.1%
NVBT can still gain
DOCT Between buffer and cap
Between buffer and capDOCT: reference +0.5% since period start, fund +0.3%; buffer −5 to −30; cap +14.2%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.25 pts of buffer+13.7% more to the cap−30.0% floor−5.0% buffer start0% period start+14.2% capfirst 5 pts are yours to lose+0.5% gain capturedTODAY · SPY +0.5%Between buffer and capDOCT: reference +0.5% since period start, fund +0.3%; buffer −5 to −30; cap +14.2%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.25 pts of buffer−30.0% floor−5.0% buffer start0% start+14.2% capfirst 5 pts are yours to lose+0.5% gain captured+13.7% more to the capTODAY · SPY +0.5%

DOCT: reference +0.5% since period start, fund +0.3%; buffer −5 to −30; cap +14.2%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.

DOCT: reference +0.5% since period start, fund +0.3%; buffer −5 to −30; cap +14.2%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.
NVBT Between buffer and cap
Between buffer and capNVBT: reference +1.5% since period start, fund +0.9%; buffer 0 to −10; cap +18.0%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.10 pts of buffer+16.5% more to the cap−10.0% floor0% period start+18.0% cap+1.5% gain capturedTODAY · SPY +1.5%Between buffer and capNVBT: reference +1.5% since period start, fund +0.9%; buffer 0 to −10; cap +18.0%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.−10.0% floor0% start+18.0% cap10 pts of buffer+1.5% gain captured+16.5% more to the capTODAY · SPY +1.5%

NVBT: reference +1.5% since period start, fund +0.9%; buffer 0 to −10; cap +18.0%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.

NVBT: reference +1.5% since period start, fund +0.9%; buffer 0 to −10; cap +18.0%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.

Pair scorecard

NVBT costs 0.11 points a year less; their one-year returns differ by 1.4 points; DOCT is 15.0 times larger.

Points (pts) are percentage points.

DOCT vs NVBT: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
MeasureDOCTNVBT
Return
Total return, 1 year+10.6%+12.0%
Drawdown
Index fall to the buffer5.4%1.4%
Benchmark
What it tracksSPYSPY
Cost and size
Expense ratio0.85%0.74%
Net assets, as of Nov 3, 2026$421m$28m
Holdings
Holdings in commonnot published
ETFIQ Downside Cover Score · DOCT scores higher If the market falls into a bear market from here, how much does the buffer absorb?
IQ Buffer Score70.4DOCT38.7NVBT

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

0.3, the lowest in this set 99.7, the highest

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

Nov 11, 2022 to Oct 30, 2026 · 207 weekly returns · each against SPY
DOCT NVBT
Return
Total return edge NVBT (slight) +52.2% +57.7%
Annualized edge NVBT (slight) +11.1% +12.1%
Price return edge NVBT (slight) +52.2% +57.7%
Risk
Volatility edge DOCT 6.6% 9.3%
Max drawdown edge DOCT −9.0% −11.4%
Downside capture 47.9% 69.0%
Beta 0.45 0.63
Risk-adjusted
Sharpe edge DOCT 0.93 0.78
Sortino edge DOCT 1.41 1.17
Treynor 0.138 0.115
Calmar edge DOCT 1.23 1.06
Against the benchmark
Alpha 0.0% a year −1.4% a year
Alpha t-stat 0.00 −0.95
Information ratio −0.95 −1.10
Tracking error 8.0% 5.9%
Reading

From Nov 2022 to Oct 2026, NVBT returned slightly more: +57.7% to +52.2%. DOCT swung less: 6.6% to 9.3%. DOCT fell less at its worst: −9.0% to −11.4%.

Full scorecard

19 measures, with how each is measured
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Risk and return: DOCT vs NVBT: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
MeasureDOCTNVBTSPYEdgeHow it is measured
Return
Total return+52.2%+57.7%NVBT (slight)Price change plus distributions, reinvested.
Annualized+11.1%+12.1%NVBT (slight)Total return as a yearly rate.
Price return+52.2%+57.7%NVBT (slight)Price change alone, distributions left out.
Risk
Volatility6.6%9.3%DOCTSpread of weekly returns, annualized. Lower is steadier.
Downside deviation4.4%6.3%DOCTLike volatility, counting only weeks below the Treasury bill rate.
Max drawdown−9.0%−11.4%DOCTDeepest fall from a high to the low after it.
Upside capture37.2%52.9%100.0%NVBTShare of its benchmark's rise caught in the weeks it rose.
Downside capture47.9%69.0%100.0%DOCTShare of its benchmark's fall taken in the weeks it fell. Lower is better.
Beta0.450.631.00DOCT lowerHow far it moves for each 1% its benchmark moves.
R squared0.880.901.00Not an edgeShare of its weekly moves its benchmark explains.
Risk-adjusted
Sharpe0.930.78DOCTReturn above Treasury bills per unit of volatility.
Sortino1.411.17DOCTReturn above Treasury bills per unit of downside deviation.
Treynor0.1380.1150.138DOCTReturn above Treasury bills per unit of beta.
Calmar1.231.06DOCTAnnualized return divided by the max drawdown.
Against the benchmark
BenchmarkSPYSPYSPYThe ETF each fund is measured against.
Alpha0.0% a year−1.4% a year0.0%Not significantYearly return beyond what its beta to the benchmark predicts.
Alpha t-stat0.00−0.95Not an edgeHow sure the alpha is. Below 2, it could be chance.
Alpha range−2.3% to +2.3%−4.5% to +1.6%Both include zeroThe 95% range for the yearly alpha.
Information ratio−0.95−1.10DOCTReturn against its benchmark per unit of tracking error.
Tracking error8.0%5.9%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, 207 weekly returns. Cash rate: the 13-week Treasury bill.

Window by window

Window by window: DOCT vs NVBT: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
Total returnGap to the reference's price return
WindowDOCTNVBTDOCTNVBT
3 months+2.1%+0.4%+2.5 pts+0.8 pts
6 months+5.2%+4.5%+0.7 pts0.0 pts
1 year+10.6%+12.0%−2.9 pts−1.6 pts
3 years+39.2%+47.3%−37.2 pts−29.1 pts
Since launchNot the same days: DOCT Aug 2020 · NVBT Nov 2022+284.8%+62.6%+157.9 pts−36.8 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

DOCT FT Vest U.S. Equity Deep Buffer ETF - October · Absorbs losses from 5.0% to 30.0% on SPY and caps the gain at 14.2%, over a period ending Oct 15, 2027 NVBT AllianzIM U.S. Equity Buffer10 ETF - Nov · Absorbs the first 10% of loss on SPY and caps the gain at 18.0%, over a period ending Oct 31, 2027
Reference index SPY SPY
Buffer 5% to 30% 10%
Outcome period Oct 19, 2026 to Oct 15, 2027 Nov 1, 2026 to Oct 31, 2027
Days left 345 361
Starting cap +14.2% +18.0%
Can still gain 12.9% 16.1%
Fall before buffer 6.2% 1.7%
Protection left, index points 25.0% of 25.0% 10.0% of 10.0%
Index return this period +0.5% +1.5%
Fund return this period +0.3% +0.9%
State today Open Open
Expense ratio 0.85% 0.74%
Net assets, as of Nov 3, 2026 $421m $28m

As of Nov 4, 2026. Source: ETFIQ.

Where each one stands today

DOCT resets first, on Oct 15, 2027, 345 days from now; NVBT runs to Oct 31, 2027, 361 days. DOCT can still gain 12.9% before its cap, NVBT 16.1%. A fall from here reaches DOCT’s buffer after 6.2% and NVBT’s after 1.7%. Both track SPY, so what separates them is where each is in its own period.

Client brief:

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About each fund
DOCT

From its price on Nov 4, 2026, the fund can gain about 12.9% more before it reaches its cap. The fund's price can fall 6.2% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's number. In index terms, SPY can fall 5.4% 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. 345 days remained on Nov 4, 2026. On Oct 15, 2027 the period ends and a new cap is set.

NVBT

From its price on Nov 4, 2026, the fund can gain about 16.1% more before it reaches its cap. The fund's price can fall 1.7% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's number. In index terms, SPY can fall 1.4% 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. 361 days remained on Nov 4, 2026. On Oct 31, 2027 the period ends and a new cap is set.

Questions people ask

Which has more room to gain, DOCT or NVBT?
From their prices on Nov 4, 2026, DOCT can gain about 12.9% before its cap and NVBT about 16.1%, so NVBT has more room left this period.
Which resets first, DOCT or NVBT?
DOCT ends its outcome period on Oct 15, 2027 and NVBT on Oct 31, 2027. A new cap is set the day after each.
Which is cheaper, DOCT or NVBT?
DOCT charges 0.85% a year and NVBT charges 0.74%, so NVBT 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

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, DOCT against NVBT, data as of Nov 4, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/buffer/doct-vs-nvbt

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