Data as of Nov 4, 2026.

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Buffer ETFs

FJUL vs JULM: Cap, Buffer & Days Left

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As of Nov 4, 2026 FJUL can fall 3.6% before its buffer engages and JULM 2.2%.

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Net assets on Nov 3, 2026: $1.4bn for FT Vest U.S. Equity Buffer ETF - July and $36m for FT Vest U.S. Equity Max Buffer ETF - July.

At a glance
3.6%
FJUL can fall this far before its buffer
2.2%
JULM can fall this far before its buffer
12.7%
FJUL can still gain
5.1%
JULM can still gain
FJUL Between buffer and cap
Between buffer and capFJUL: reference +3.1% since period start, fund +2.9%; buffer 0 to −10; cap +16.8%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.10 pts+13.7% more to the cap−10.0% floor0% period start+16.8% cap+3.1% gain capturedTODAY · SPY +3.1%Between buffer and capFJUL: reference +3.1% since period start, fund +2.9%; buffer 0 to −10; cap +16.8%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.−10.0% floor0% start+16.8% cap10 pts of buffer+3.1% gain captured+13.7% more to the capTODAY · SPY +3.1%

FJUL: reference +3.1% since period start, fund +2.9%; buffer 0 to −10; cap +16.8%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.

FJUL: reference +3.1% since period start, fund +2.9%; buffer 0 to −10; cap +16.8%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.
JULM Full floor
Full floorJULM: reference +3.1% since period start, fund +1.4%; buffer Floor; cap +7.3%; Full floor. Data to Nov 4, 2026.full floor beneathfull floor0% period start+7.3% cap+3.1% gain captured+4.2% more to the capTODAY · SPY +3.1%Full floorJULM: reference +3.1% since period start, fund +1.4%; buffer Floor; cap +7.3%; Full floor. Data to Nov 4, 2026.full floor beneathfull floor0% start+7.3% cap+3.1% gain captured+4.2% more to the capTODAY · SPY +3.1%

JULM: reference +3.1% since period start, fund +1.4%; buffer Floor; cap +7.3%; Full floor. Data to Nov 4, 2026.

Data to Nov 4, 2026.

Pair scorecard

Both cost 0.85% a year; their one-year returns differ by 6.7 points; FJUL is far larger, $1.4bn against $36m.

Points (pts) are percentage points.

FJUL vs JULM: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
MeasureFJULJULM
Return
Total return, 1 year+12.2%+5.5%
Drawdown
Index fall to the buffer3.1%
Benchmark
What it tracksSPYSPY
Cost and size
Expense ratio0.85%0.85%
Net assets, as of Nov 3, 2026$1.4bn$36m
Holdings
Holdings in commonnot published

Method

Risk and return

Aug 2, 2024 to Oct 30, 2026 · 117 weekly returns · each against SPY
FJUL JULM
Return
Total return edge FJUL +34.0% +15.4%
Annualized edge FJUL +13.9% +6.6%
Price return edge FJUL +34.0% +15.4%
Risk
Volatility edge JULM 9.5% 3.5%
Max drawdown edge JULM −11.7% −4.2%
Downside capture 63.1% 20.3%
Beta 0.62 0.22
Risk-adjusted
Sharpe edge FJUL 0.98 0.65
Sortino edge FJUL 1.50 0.99
Treynor 0.151 0.106
Calmar edge JULM 1.19 1.55
Against the benchmark
Alpha +0.9% a year −0.7% a year
Alpha t-stat 0.62 −0.74
Information ratio −0.71 −0.96
Tracking error 6.1% 11.8%
Reading

From Aug 2024 to Oct 2026, FJUL returned more: +34.0% to +15.4%. JULM swung less: 3.5% to 9.5%. JULM fell less at its worst: −4.2% to −11.7%.

Full scorecard

19 measures, with how each is measured
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Risk and return: FJUL vs JULM: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
MeasureFJULJULMSPYEdgeHow it is measured
Return
Total return+34.0%+15.4%FJULPrice change plus distributions, reinvested.
Annualized+13.9%+6.6%FJULTotal return as a yearly rate.
Price return+34.0%+15.4%FJULPrice change alone, distributions left out.
Risk
Volatility9.5%3.5%JULMSpread of weekly returns, annualized. Lower is steadier.
Downside deviation6.2%2.3%JULMLike volatility, counting only weeks below the Treasury bill rate.
Max drawdown−11.7%−4.2%JULMDeepest fall from a high to the low after it.
Upside capture52.0%16.1%100.0%FJULShare of its benchmark's rise caught in the weeks it rose.
Downside capture63.1%20.3%100.0%JULMShare of its benchmark's fall taken in the weeks it fell. Lower is better.
Beta0.620.221.00JULM lowerHow far it moves for each 1% its benchmark moves.
R squared0.950.851.00Not an edgeShare of its weekly moves its benchmark explains.
Risk-adjusted
Sharpe0.980.65FJULReturn above Treasury bills per unit of volatility.
Sortino1.500.99FJULReturn above Treasury bills per unit of downside deviation.
Treynor0.1510.1060.137FJULReturn above Treasury bills per unit of beta.
Calmar1.191.55JULMAnnualized return divided by the max drawdown.
Against the benchmark
BenchmarkSPYSPYSPYThe ETF each fund is measured against.
Alpha+0.9% a year−0.7% a year0.0%Not significantYearly return beyond what its beta to the benchmark predicts.
Alpha t-stat0.62−0.74Not an edgeHow sure the alpha is. Below 2, it could be chance.
Alpha range−1.9% to +3.7%−2.5% to +1.1%Both include zeroThe 95% range for the yearly alpha.
Information ratio−0.71−0.96FJULReturn against its benchmark per unit of tracking error.
Tracking error6.1%11.8%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, 117 weekly returns. Cash rate: the 13-week Treasury bill.

Window by window

Window by window: FJUL vs JULM: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
Total returnGap to the reference's price return
WindowFJULJULMFJULJULM
3 months+0.8%+0.6%+1.2 pts+1.0 pts
6 months+5.5%+2.4%+1.0 pts−2.1 pts
1 year+12.2%+5.5%−1.3 pts−8.1 pts
3 years+59.0%–−17.4 pts–
Since launchNot the same days: FJUL Jul 2020 · JULM Jul 2024+102.2%+15.8%−34.2 pts−26.7 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

FJUL FT Vest U.S. Equity Buffer ETF - July · Absorbs the first 10% of loss on SPY and caps the gain at 16.8%, over a period ending Jul 16, 2027 JULM FT Vest U.S. Equity Max Buffer ETF - July · Absorbs the whole loss on SPY and caps the gain at 7.3%, over a period ending Jul 16, 2027
Reference index SPY SPY
Buffer 10% 100%
Outcome period Jul 20, 2026 to Jul 16, 2027 Jul 20, 2026 to Jul 16, 2027
Days left 254 254
Starting cap +16.8% +7.3%
Can still gain 12.7% 5.1%
Fall before buffer 3.6% 2.2%
Protection left, index points 10.0% of 10.0% 100.0% of 100.0%
Index return this period +3.1% +3.1%
Fund return this period +2.9% +1.4%
State today Open Open
Expense ratio 0.85% 0.85%
Net assets, as of Nov 3, 2026 $1.4bn $36m

As of Nov 4, 2026. Source: ETFIQ.

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

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

Where each one stands today

FJUL resets first, on Jul 16, 2027, 254 days from now; JULM runs to Jul 16, 2027, 254 days. FJUL can still gain 12.7% before its cap, JULM 5.1%. A fall from here reaches FJUL’s buffer after 3.6% and JULM’s after 2.2%. Both track SPY, so what separates them is where each is in its own period.

Client brief:

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About each fund
FJUL

From its price on Nov 4, 2026, the fund can gain about 12.7% more before it reaches its cap. The fund's price can fall 3.6% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's number. In index terms, SPY can fall 3.1% 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. 254 days remained on Nov 4, 2026. On Jul 16, 2027 the period ends and a new cap is set.

JULM

From its price on Nov 4, 2026, the fund can gain about 5.1% more before it reaches its cap. The fund's price can fall 2.2% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's number. 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, FJUL or JULM?
From their prices on Nov 4, 2026, FJUL can gain about 12.7% before its cap and JULM about 5.1%, so FJUL has more room left this period.
Which resets first, FJUL or JULM?
FJUL ends its outcome period on Jul 16, 2027 and JULM on Jul 16, 2027. A new cap is set the day after each.
Which is cheaper, FJUL or JULM?
FJUL and JULM both charge 0.85% a year, so neither is cheaper. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.
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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, FJUL against JULM, data as of Nov 4, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/buffer/fjul-vs-julm

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