Data as of Nov 4, 2026.

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Buffer ETFs

FJAN vs JANM: Cap, Buffer & Days Left

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As of Nov 4, 2026 FJAN can fall 9.1% before its buffer engages and JANM 5.2%.

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Net assets on Nov 3, 2026: $1.5bn for FT Vest U.S. Equity Buffer ETF - January and $37m for FT Vest U.S. Equity Max Buffer ETF - January.

At a glance
9.1%
FJAN can fall this far before its buffer
5.2%
JANM can fall this far before its buffer
4.3%
FJAN can still gain
1.5%
JANM can still gain
FJAN Between buffer and cap
Between buffer and capFJAN: reference +10.8% since period start, fund +9.1%; buffer 0 to −10; cap +14.5%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.10 pts+10.8% gained−10.0% floor0% period start+14.5% cap+3.7% more to the capTODAY · SPY +10.8%Between buffer and capFJAN: reference +10.8% since period start, fund +9.1%; buffer 0 to −10; cap +14.5%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.−10.0% floor0% start+14.5% cap10 pts of buffer+10.8% gain captured+3.7% more to the capTODAY · SPY +10.8%

FJAN: reference +10.8% since period start, fund +9.1%; buffer 0 to −10; cap +14.5%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.

FJAN: reference +10.8% since period start, fund +9.1%; buffer 0 to −10; cap +14.5%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.
JANM At its cap
At its capJANM: reference +10.8% since period start, fund +4.6%; buffer 0 to −46; cap +7.0%; At its cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.45.8 pts of buffer+7%−45.8% floor0% period start+7.0% capTODAY · SPY +10.8%At its capJANM: reference +10.8% since period start, fund +4.6%; buffer 0 to −46; cap +7.0%; At its cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.45.8 pts of buffer−45.8% floor0% start+7.0% cap+7% gain capturedTODAY · SPY +10.8%

JANM: reference +10.8% since period start, fund +4.6%; buffer 0 to −46; cap +7.0%; At its cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.

JANM: reference +10.8% since period start, fund +4.6%; buffer 0 to −46; cap +7.0%; At its cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.

Pair scorecard

Both cost 0.85% a year; their one-year returns differ by 6.6 points; FJAN is far larger, $1.5bn against $37m.

Points (pts) are percentage points.

FJAN vs JANM: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
MeasureFJANJANM
Return
Total return, 1 year+12.9%+6.3%
Drawdown
Index fall to the buffer9.8%
Benchmark
What it tracksSPYSPY
Cost and size
Expense ratio0.85%0.85%
Net assets, as of Nov 3, 2026$1.5bn$37m
Holdings
Holdings in commonnot published
ETFIQ Downside Cover Score · JANM scores higher If the market falls into a bear market from here, how much does the buffer absorb?
IQ Buffer Score38.7FJAN73.8JANM

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

Jan 31, 2025 to Oct 30, 2026 · 91 weekly returns · each against SPY
FJAN JANM
Return
Total return edge FJAN +21.9% +10.6%
Annualized edge FJAN +12.0% +5.9%
Price return edge FJAN +21.9% +10.6%
Risk
Volatility edge JANM 9.6% 2.6%
Max drawdown edge JANM −11.7% −2.7%
Downside capture 62.6% 17.3%
Beta 0.63 0.17
Risk-adjusted
Sharpe edge FJAN 0.81 0.69
Sortino edge FJAN (slight) 1.18 1.08
Treynor 0.124 0.109
Calmar edge JANM 1.03 2.19
Against the benchmark
Alpha +0.7% a year −0.1% a year
Alpha t-stat 0.52 −0.12
Information ratio −0.59 −0.75
Tracking error 5.9% 12.6%
Reading

From Jan 2025 to Oct 2026, FJAN returned more: +21.9% to +10.6%. JANM swung less: 2.6% to 9.6%. JANM fell less at its worst: −2.7% to −11.7%.

Full scorecard

19 measures, with how each is measured
Open ↓
Risk and return: FJAN vs JANM: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
MeasureFJANJANMSPYEdgeHow it is measured
Return
Total return+21.9%+10.6%FJANPrice change plus distributions, reinvested.
Annualized+12.0%+5.9%FJANTotal return as a yearly rate.
Price return+21.9%+10.6%FJANPrice change alone, distributions left out.
Risk
Volatility9.6%2.6%JANMSpread of weekly returns, annualized. Lower is steadier.
Downside deviation6.6%1.7%JANMLike volatility, counting only weeks below the Treasury bill rate.
Max drawdown−11.7%−2.7%JANMDeepest fall from a high to the low after it.
Upside capture51.3%14.7%100.0%FJANShare of its benchmark's rise caught in the weeks it rose.
Downside capture62.6%17.3%100.0%JANMShare of its benchmark's fall taken in the weeks it fell. Lower is better.
Beta0.630.171.00JANM lowerHow far it moves for each 1% its benchmark moves.
R squared0.970.921.00Not an edgeShare of its weekly moves its benchmark explains.
Risk-adjusted
Sharpe0.810.69FJANReturn above Treasury bills per unit of volatility.
Sortino1.181.08FJAN (slight)Return above Treasury bills per unit of downside deviation.
Treynor0.1240.1090.113FJANReturn above Treasury bills per unit of beta.
Calmar1.032.19JANMAnnualized return divided by the max drawdown.
Against the benchmark
BenchmarkSPYSPYSPYThe ETF each fund is measured against.
Alpha+0.7% a year−0.1% a year0.0%Not significantYearly return beyond what its beta to the benchmark predicts.
Alpha t-stat0.52−0.12Not an edgeHow sure the alpha is. Below 2, it could be chance.
Alpha range−2.0% to +3.4%−1.2% to +1.1%Both include zeroThe 95% range for the yearly alpha.
Information ratio−0.59−0.75FJANReturn against its benchmark per unit of tracking error.
Tracking error5.9%12.6%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, 91 weekly returns. Cash rate: the 13-week Treasury bill.

Window by window

Window by window: FJAN vs JANM: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
Total returnGap to the reference's price return
WindowFJANJANMFJANJANM
3 months+1.3%+1.3%+1.7 pts+1.6 pts
6 months+4.9%+2.9%+0.4 pts−1.6 pts
1 year+12.9%+6.3%−0.7 pts−7.2 pts
3 years+54.1%–−22.3 pts–
Since launchNot the same days: FJAN Jan 2021 · JANM Jan 2025+88.2%+10.8%−14.3 pts−16.3 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

FJAN FT Vest U.S. Equity Buffer ETF - January · Absorbs the first 10% of loss on SPY and caps the gain at 14.5%, over a period ending Jan 15, 2027 JANM FT Vest U.S. Equity Max Buffer ETF - January · Absorbs the first 46% of loss on SPY and caps the gain at 7.0%, over a period ending Jan 15, 2027
Reference index SPY SPY
Buffer 10% 46%
Outcome period Jan 20, 2026 to Jan 15, 2027 Jan 20, 2026 to Jan 15, 2027
Days left 72 72
Starting cap +14.5% +7.0%
Can still gain 4.3% 1.5%
Fall before buffer 9.1% 5.2%
Protection left, index points 10.0% of 10.0% 45.8% of 45.8%
Index return this period +10.8% +10.8%
Fund return this period +9.1% +4.6%
State today Open At cap
Expense ratio 0.85% 0.85%
Net assets, as of Nov 3, 2026 $1.5bn $37m

As of Nov 4, 2026. Source: ETFIQ.

JANM is already at its cap, so more rise in the index adds nothing to it before the period ends.

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

Where each one stands today

FJAN resets first, on Jan 15, 2027, 72 days from now; JANM runs to Jan 15, 2027, 72 days. FJAN can still gain 4.3% before its cap, JANM 1.5%. A fall from here reaches FJAN’s buffer after 9.1% and JANM’s after 5.2%. Both track SPY, so what separates them is where each is in its own period.

Client brief:

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About each fund
FJAN

From its price on Nov 4, 2026, the fund can gain about 4.3% more before it reaches its cap. The fund's price can fall 9.1% 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: 10.0% of the 10.0% buffer still sits below today's SPY level. 72 days remained on Nov 4, 2026. On Jan 15, 2027 the period ends and a new cap is set.

JANM

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 1.5% as the period runs out. The fund's price can fall 5.2% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's number. Protection left, in index points: 45.8% of the 45.8% buffer still sits below today's SPY level.

Questions people ask

Which has more room to gain, FJAN or JANM?
From their prices on Nov 4, 2026, FJAN can gain about 4.3% before its cap and JANM about 1.5%, so FJAN has more room left this period.
Which resets first, FJAN or JANM?
FJAN ends its outcome period on Jan 15, 2027 and JANM on Jan 15, 2027. A new cap is set the day after each.
Which is cheaper, FJAN or JANM?
FJAN and JANM both charge 0.85% a year, so neither is cheaper. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.
Other comparisons
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Sources and dates

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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, FJAN against JANM, data as of Nov 4, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/buffer/fjan-vs-janm

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