Data as of Nov 4, 2026.

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Buffer ETFs

FEBW vs ZFEB: Cap, Buffer & Days Left

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As of Nov 4, 2026 FEBW can fall 7.2% before its buffer engages and ZFEB 4.3%.

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Net assets: $203m on Nov 3, 2026 for AllianzIM U.S. Equity Buffer20 ETF - Feb, and $146m on Nov 4, 2026 for Innovator Equity Defined Protection ETF - 1 Yr February.

At a glance
7.2%
FEBW can fall this far before its buffer
4.3%
ZFEB can fall this far before its buffer
2.8%
FEBW can still gain
1.8%
ZFEB can still gain
FEBW At its cap
At its capFEBW: reference +10.8% since period start, fund +6.9%; buffer 0 to −20; cap +10.6%; At its cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.20 pts of buffer+10.6% gained−20.0% floor0% period start+10.6% capTODAY · SPY +10.8%At its capFEBW: reference +10.8% since period start, fund +6.9%; buffer 0 to −20; cap +10.6%; At its cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.20 pts−20.0% floor0% start+10.6% cap+10.6% gain capturedTODAY · SPY +10.8%

FEBW: reference +10.8% since period start, fund +6.9%; buffer 0 to −20; cap +10.6%; At its cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.

FEBW: reference +10.8% since period start, fund +6.9%; buffer 0 to −20; cap +10.6%; At its cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.
ZFEB At its cap
At its capZFEB: reference +10.8% since period start, fund +3.9%; buffer Floor; cap +6.4%; At its cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.full floor beneath+6.4%full floor0% period start+6.4% capTODAY · SPY +10.8%At its capZFEB: reference +10.8% since period start, fund +3.9%; buffer Floor; cap +6.4%; At its cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.full floor beneathfull floor0% start+6.4% cap+6.4% gain capturedTODAY · SPY +10.8%

ZFEB: reference +10.8% since period start, fund +3.9%; buffer Floor; cap +6.4%; At its cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.

Data to Nov 4, 2026.

Pair scorecard

FEBW costs 0.05 points a year less; their one-year returns differ by 4.1 points; FEBW is 1.4 times larger.

Points (pts) are percentage points.

FEBW vs ZFEB: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
MeasureFEBWZFEB
Return
Total return, 1 year+9.9%+5.8%
Drawdown
Index fall to the buffer9.8%9.7%
Benchmark
What it tracksSPYSPY
Cost and size
Expense ratio0.74%0.79%
Net assets, as of Nov 3, 2026$203m$145m
Holdings
Holdings in commonnot published

Method

Risk and return

Feb 14, 2025 to Oct 30, 2026 · 89 weekly returns · each against SPY
FEBW ZFEB
Return
Total return edge FEBW +15.7% +10.0%
Annualized edge FEBW +8.9% +5.7%
Price return edge FEBW +15.7% +10.0%
Risk
Volatility edge ZFEB 6.3% 2.5%
Max drawdown edge ZFEB −7.6% −2.9%
Downside capture 41.7% 15.9%
Beta 0.40 0.16
Risk-adjusted
Sharpe edge FEBW 0.75 0.65
Sortino edge FEBW (slight) 1.08 0.99
Treynor 0.117 0.105
Calmar edge ZFEB 1.16 2.02
Against the benchmark
Alpha +0.3% a year −0.1% a year
Alpha t-stat 0.32 −0.10
Information ratio −0.67 −0.72
Tracking error 9.2% 12.9%
Reading

From Feb 2025 to Oct 2026, FEBW returned more: +15.7% to +10.0%. ZFEB swung less: 2.5% to 6.3%. ZFEB fell less at its worst: −2.9% to −7.6%.

Full scorecard

19 measures, with how each is measured
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Risk and return: FEBW vs ZFEB: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
MeasureFEBWZFEBSPYEdgeHow it is measured
Return
Total return+15.7%+10.0%FEBWPrice change plus distributions, reinvested.
Annualized+8.9%+5.7%FEBWTotal return as a yearly rate.
Price return+15.7%+10.0%FEBWPrice change alone, distributions left out.
Risk
Volatility6.3%2.5%ZFEBSpread of weekly returns, annualized. Lower is steadier.
Downside deviation4.4%1.7%ZFEBLike volatility, counting only weeks below the Treasury bill rate.
Max drawdown−7.6%−2.9%ZFEBDeepest fall from a high to the low after it.
Upside capture31.5%13.9%100.0%FEBWShare of its benchmark's rise caught in the weeks it rose.
Downside capture41.7%15.9%100.0%ZFEBShare of its benchmark's fall taken in the weeks it fell. Lower is better.
Beta0.400.161.00ZFEB lowerHow far it moves for each 1% its benchmark moves.
R squared0.950.901.00Not an edgeShare of its weekly moves its benchmark explains.
Risk-adjusted
Sharpe0.750.65FEBWReturn above Treasury bills per unit of volatility.
Sortino1.080.99FEBW (slight)Return above Treasury bills per unit of downside deviation.
Treynor0.1170.1050.109FEBWReturn above Treasury bills per unit of beta.
Calmar1.162.02ZFEBAnnualized return divided by the max drawdown.
Against the benchmark
BenchmarkSPYSPYSPYThe ETF each fund is measured against.
Alpha+0.3% a year−0.1% a year0.0%Not significantYearly return beyond what its beta to the benchmark predicts.
Alpha t-stat0.32−0.10Not an edgeHow sure the alpha is. Below 2, it could be chance.
Alpha range−1.8% to +2.5%−1.3% to +1.1%Both include zeroThe 95% range for the yearly alpha.
Information ratio−0.67−0.72FEBW (slight)Return against its benchmark per unit of tracking error.
Tracking error9.2%12.9%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, 89 weekly returns. Cash rate: the 13-week Treasury bill.

Window by window

Window by window: FEBW vs ZFEB: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
Total returnGap to the reference's price return
WindowFEBWZFEBFEBWZFEB
3 months+1.5%+1.1%+1.9 pts+1.5 pts
6 months+4.2%+2.4%−0.3 pts−2.1 pts
1 year+9.9%+5.8%−3.6 pts−7.7 pts
3 years+38.2%–−38.2 pts–
Since launchNot the same days: FEBW Feb 2023 · ZFEB Feb 2025+45.6%+10.7%−41.1 pts−17.5 pts

Each fund's gap is to its reference's price return, dividends left out: the basis the outcome period uses. – means no data for this window. Open this comparison in the app →

Side by side

FEBW AllianzIM U.S. Equity Buffer20 ETF - Feb · Absorbs the first 20% of loss on SPY and caps the gain at 10.6%, over a period ending Jan 31, 2027 ZFEB Innovator Equity Defined Protection ETF - 1 Yr February · Absorbs the whole loss on SPY and caps the gain at 6.4%, over a period ending Jan 31, 2027
Reference index SPY SPY
Buffer 20% 100%
Outcome period Feb 1, 2026 to Jan 31, 2027 Jan 31, 2026 to Jan 31, 2027
Days left 88 88
Starting cap +10.6% +6.4%
Can still gain 2.8% 1.8%
Fall before buffer 7.2% 4.3%
Protection left, index points 20.0% of 20.0% 100.0% of 100.0%
Index return this period +10.8% +10.8%
Fund return this period +6.9% +3.9%
State today At cap At cap
Expense ratio 0.74% 0.79%
Net assets, FEBW as of Nov 3, 2026 and ZFEB as of Nov 4, 2026 $203m $146m

As of Nov 4, 2026. Source: ETFIQ.

These are two different products. ZFEB is a floor fund, which caps how far a holder can fall. FEBW 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

FEBW resets first, on Jan 31, 2027, 88 days from now; ZFEB runs to Jan 31, 2027, 88 days. FEBW can still gain 2.8% before its cap, ZFEB 1.8%. A fall from here reaches FEBW’s buffer after 7.2% and ZFEB’s after 4.3%. Both track SPY, so what separates them is where each is in its own period.

Client brief:

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About each fund
FEBW

SPY had already risen past this fund's cap of +10.6% 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 2.8% as the period runs out. The fund's price can fall 7.2% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's number. In index terms, SPY can fall 9.8% from today's level to the point where the buffer begins. Protection left, in index points: 20.0% of the 20.0% buffer still sits below today's SPY level. 88 days remained on Nov 4, 2026. On Jan 31, 2027 the period ends and a new cap is set.

ZFEB

SPY had already risen past this fund's cap of +6.4% 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 1.8% as the period runs out. The fund's price can fall 4.3% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's number. In index terms, SPY can fall 9.7% 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.

Questions people ask

Which has more room to gain, FEBW or ZFEB?
From their prices on Nov 4, 2026, FEBW can gain about 2.8% before its cap and ZFEB about 1.8%, so FEBW has more room left this period.
Which resets first, FEBW or ZFEB?
FEBW ends its outcome period on Jan 31, 2027 and ZFEB on Jan 31, 2027. A new cap is set the day after each.
Which is cheaper, FEBW or ZFEB?
FEBW charges 0.74% a year and ZFEB charges 0.79%, so FEBW 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

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, FEBW against ZFEB, data as of Nov 4, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/buffer/febw-vs-zfeb

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