Data as of Nov 4, 2026.

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Buffer ETFs

EALT vs UOCT: Cap, Buffer & Days Left

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As of Nov 4, 2026 UOCT can fall 5.7% before its buffer engages and EALT 5.6%, and EALT resets 273 days sooner.

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Net assets on Nov 4, 2026: $189m for Innovator U.S. Equity 5 to 15 Buffer ETF - Quarterly and $271m for Innovator U.S. Equity Ultra Buffer ETF - Oct.

At a glance
5.6%
EALT can fall this far before its buffer
5.7%
UOCT can fall this far before its buffer
6.4%
EALT can still gain
14.4%
UOCT can still gain
EALT Between buffer and cap
Between buffer and capEALT: reference +0.5% since period start, fund +0.5%; buffer −5 to −15; cap +7.0%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.10 pts of buffer−15.0% floor−5.0% buffer start0% period start+7.0% capfirst 5 pts are yours to lose+0.5% gain captured+6.5% more to the capTODAY · SPY +0.5%Between buffer and capEALT: reference +0.5% since period start, fund +0.5%; buffer −5 to −15; cap +7.0%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.−15.0% floor−5.0% buffer start0% start+7.0% cap10 pts of bufferfirst 5 pts are yours to lose+0.5% gain captured+6.5% more to the capTODAY · SPY +0.5%

EALT: reference +0.5% since period start, fund +0.5%; buffer −5 to −15; cap +7.0%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.

EALT: reference +0.5% since period start, fund +0.5%; buffer −5 to −15; cap +7.0%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.
UOCT Between buffer and cap
Between buffer and capUOCT: reference +0.5% since period start, fund +0.7%; buffer −5 to −35; cap +15.3%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.30 pts of buffer+14.8% more to the cap−35.0% floor−5.0% buffer start0% period start+15.3% capfirst 5 pts are yours to lose+0.5% gain capturedTODAY · SPY +0.5%Between buffer and capUOCT: reference +0.5% since period start, fund +0.7%; buffer −5 to −35; cap +15.3%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.30 pts of buffer−35.0% floor−5.0% buffer start0% start+15.3% capfirst 5 pts are yours to lose+0.5% gain captured+14.8% more to the capTODAY · SPY +0.5%

UOCT: reference +0.5% since period start, fund +0.7%; buffer −5 to −35; cap +15.3%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.

UOCT: reference +0.5% since period start, fund +0.7%; buffer −5 to −35; cap +15.3%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.

Pair scorecard

EALT costs 0.10 points a year less; their one-year returns differ by 5.3 points; UOCT is 1.4 times larger.

Points (pts) are percentage points.

EALT vs UOCT: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
MeasureEALTUOCT
Return
Total return, 1 year+5.0%+10.3%
Drawdown
Index fall to the buffer5.5%
Benchmark
What it tracksSPYSPY
Cost and size
Expense ratio0.69%0.79%
Net assets$189m$271m
Holdings
Holdings in commonnot published
ETFIQ Downside Cover Score · UOCT scores higher If the market falls into a bear market from here, how much does the buffer absorb?
IQ Buffer Score38.7EALT72.1UOCT

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

Oct 13, 2023 to Oct 30, 2026 · 159 weekly returns · each against SPY
EALT UOCT
Return
Total return edge EALT (slight) +40.6% +38.0%
Annualized edge EALT (slight) +11.8% +11.1%
Price return edge EALT (slight) +40.6% +38.0%
Risk
Volatility edge UOCT 9.6% 6.2%
Max drawdown edge UOCT −13.6% −8.3%
Downside capture 73.3% 42.8%
Beta 0.64 0.41
Risk-adjusted
Sharpe edge UOCT 0.75 1.01
Sortino edge UOCT 1.09 1.61
Treynor 0.112 0.155
Calmar edge UOCT 0.87 1.34
Against the benchmark
Alpha −3.1% a year −0.2% a year
Alpha t-stat −1.79 −0.19
Information ratio −1.50 −1.12
Tracking error 6.0% 8.8%
Reading

From Oct 2023 to Oct 2026, EALT returned slightly more: +40.6% to +38.0%. UOCT swung less: 6.2% to 9.6%. UOCT fell less at its worst: −8.3% to −13.6%.

Full scorecard

19 measures, with how each is measured
Open ↓
Risk and return: EALT vs UOCT: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
MeasureEALTUOCTSPYEdgeHow it is measured
Return
Total return+40.6%+38.0%EALT (slight)Price change plus distributions, reinvested.
Annualized+11.8%+11.1%EALT (slight)Total return as a yearly rate.
Price return+40.6%+38.0%EALT (slight)Price change alone, distributions left out.
Risk
Volatility9.6%6.2%UOCTSpread of weekly returns, annualized. Lower is steadier.
Downside deviation6.5%3.9%UOCTLike volatility, counting only weeks below the Treasury bill rate.
Max drawdown−13.6%−8.3%UOCTDeepest fall from a high to the low after it.
Upside capture52.2%32.4%100.0%EALTShare of its benchmark's rise caught in the weeks it rose.
Downside capture73.3%42.8%100.0%UOCTShare of its benchmark's fall taken in the weeks it fell. Lower is better.
Beta0.640.411.00UOCT lowerHow far it moves for each 1% its benchmark moves.
R squared0.900.861.00Not an edgeShare of its weekly moves its benchmark explains.
Risk-adjusted
Sharpe0.751.01UOCTReturn above Treasury bills per unit of volatility.
Sortino1.091.61UOCTReturn above Treasury bills per unit of downside deviation.
Treynor0.1120.1550.161UOCTReturn above Treasury bills per unit of beta.
Calmar0.871.34UOCTAnnualized return divided by the max drawdown.
Against the benchmark
BenchmarkSPYSPYSPYThe ETF each fund is measured against.
Alpha−3.1% a year−0.2% a year0.0%Not significantYearly return beyond what its beta to the benchmark predicts.
Alpha t-stat−1.79−0.19Not an edgeHow sure the alpha is. Below 2, it could be chance.
Alpha range−6.6% to +0.3%−2.9% to +2.4%Both include zeroThe 95% range for the yearly alpha.
Information ratio−1.50−1.12UOCTReturn against its benchmark per unit of tracking error.
Tracking error6.0%8.8%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, 159 weekly returns. Cash rate: the 13-week Treasury bill.

Window by window

Window by window: EALT vs UOCT: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
Total returnGap to the reference's price return
WindowEALTUOCTEALTUOCT
3 months0.0%+1.9%+0.4 pts+2.3 pts
6 months+3.9%+5.1%−0.6 pts+0.6 pts
1 year+5.0%+10.3%−8.6 pts−3.3 pts
3 years+40.9%+37.9%−35.5 pts−38.5 pts
Since launchNot the same days: EALT Oct 2023 · UOCT Oct 2018+43.3%+77.5%−36.1 pts−85.4 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

EALT Innovator U.S. Equity 5 to 15 Buffer ETF - Quarterly · Absorbs losses from 5.0% to 15.0% on SPY and caps the gain at 7.0%, over a period ending Dec 31, 2026 UOCT Innovator U.S. Equity Ultra Buffer ETF - Oct · Absorbs losses from 5.0% to 35.0% on SPY and caps the gain at 15.3%, over a period ending Sep 30, 2027
Reference index SPY SPY
Buffer 5% to 15% 5% to 35%
Outcome period Sep 30, 2026 to Dec 31, 2026 Sep 30, 2026 to Sep 30, 2027
Days left 57 330
Starting cap +7.0% +15.3%
Can still gain 6.4% 14.4%
Fall before buffer 5.6% 5.7%
Protection left, index points 10.0% of 10.0% 30.0% of 30.0%
Index return this period +0.5% +0.5%
Fund return this period +0.5% +0.7%
State today Open Open
Expense ratio 0.69% 0.79%
Net assets $189m $271m

As of Nov 4, 2026. Source: ETFIQ.

They do not reset together. EALT has 57 days of its period left and UOCT has 330, so the two are not the same bet on the same months.

Both are Innovator funds, so the difference between them is the terms rather than the house.

Where each one stands today

EALT resets first, on Dec 31, 2026, 57 days from now; UOCT runs to Sep 30, 2027, 330 days. EALT can still gain 6.4% before its cap, UOCT 14.4%. A fall from here reaches EALT’s buffer after 5.6% and UOCT’s after 5.7%. Both track SPY, so what separates them is where each is in its own period.

Client brief:

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About each fund
EALT

From its price on Nov 4, 2026, the fund can gain about 6.4% more before it reaches its cap. The fund's price can fall 5.6% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's number. In index terms, SPY can fall 5.5% 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. 57 days remained on Nov 4, 2026. On Dec 31, 2026 the period ends and a new cap is set.

UOCT

From its price on Nov 4, 2026, the fund can gain about 14.4% more before it reaches its cap. The fund's price can fall 5.7% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's number. Protection left, in index points: 30.0% of the 30.0% 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.

Questions people ask

Which has more room to gain, EALT or UOCT?
From their prices on Nov 4, 2026, EALT can gain about 6.4% before its cap and UOCT about 14.4%, so UOCT has more room left this period.
Which resets first, EALT or UOCT?
EALT ends its outcome period on Dec 31, 2026 and UOCT on Sep 30, 2027. A new cap is set the day after each.
Which is cheaper, EALT or UOCT?
EALT charges 0.69% a year and UOCT charges 0.79%, so EALT 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, EALT against UOCT, data as of Nov 4, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/buffer/ealt-vs-uoct

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