Data as of Oct 28, 2026.

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Buffer ETFs

FJUL vs PNOV: Cap, Buffer & Days Left

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As of Oct 28, 2026 PNOV can fall 11.4% before its buffer engages and FJUL 3.9%, and PNOV resets 258 days sooner.

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Net assets: $1.4bn on Oct 27, 2026 for FT Vest U.S. Equity Buffer ETF - July, and $836m on Oct 28, 2026 for Innovator U.S. Equity Power Buffer ETF - Nov.

At a glance
3.9%
FJUL can fall this far before its buffer
11.4%
PNOV can fall this far before its buffer
12.4%
FJUL can still gain
0.4%
PNOV can still gain
FJUL Between buffer and cap
Between buffer and capFJUL: reference +3.9% since period start, fund +3.2%; buffer 0 to −10; cap +16.8%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Oct 28, 2026.10 pts of buffer+3.9%+12.9% more to the cap−10.0% floor0% period start+16.8% capTODAY · SPY +3.9%Between buffer and capFJUL: reference +3.9% since period start, fund +3.2%; buffer 0 to −10; cap +16.8%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Oct 28, 2026.10 pts−10.0% floor0% start+16.8% cap+3.9% gain captured+12.9% more to the capTODAY · SPY +3.9%

FJUL: reference +3.9% since period start, fund +3.2%; buffer 0 to −10; cap +16.8%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Oct 28, 2026.

FJUL: reference +3.9% since period start, fund +3.2%; buffer 0 to −10; cap +16.8%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Oct 28, 2026.
PNOV Between buffer and cap
Between buffer and capPNOV: reference +13.2% since period start, fund +11.9%; buffer 0 to −15; cap +13.3%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Oct 28, 2026.15 pts of buffer+13.2% gain captured−15.0% floor0% period start+13.3% cap+0.1% more to the capTODAY · SPY +13.2%Between buffer and capPNOV: reference +13.2% since period start, fund +11.9%; buffer 0 to −15; cap +13.3%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Oct 28, 2026.15 pts+13.2%−15.0% floor0% start+13.3% cap+0.1% more to the capTODAY · SPY +13.2%

PNOV: reference +13.2% since period start, fund +11.9%; buffer 0 to −15; cap +13.3%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Oct 28, 2026.

PNOV: reference +13.2% since period start, fund +11.9%; buffer 0 to −15; cap +13.3%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Oct 28, 2026.

Pair scorecard

PNOV costs 0.06 points a year less; their one-year returns differ by 0.7 points; FJUL is 1.7 times larger.

Points (pts) are percentage points.

FJUL vs PNOV: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
MeasureFJULPNOV
Return
Total return, 1 year+11.4%+12.1%
Drawdown
Index fall to the buffer3.8%11.6%
Benchmark
What it tracksSPYSPY
Cost and size
Expense ratio0.85%0.79%
Net assets, as of Oct 27, 2026$1.4bn$834m
Holdings
Holdings in commonnot published
ETFIQ Downside Cover Score · FJUL scores higher If the market falls into a bear market from here, how much does the buffer absorb?
IQ Buffer Score37FJUL16.6PNOV

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

0.2, the lowest in this set 99.8, the highest

A percentile among the 292 buffer ETFs on stocks with a live outcome period. 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

Jul 31, 2020 to Oct 23, 2026 · 325 weekly returns · each against SPY
FJUL PNOV
Return
Total return edge FJUL +100.2% +71.4%
Annualized edge FJUL +11.8% +9.0%
Price return edge FJUL +100.2% +71.4%
Risk
Volatility edge PNOV 9.9% 7.9%
Max drawdown edge PNOV −11.7% −10.3%
Downside capture 65.1% 51.3%
Beta 0.60 0.46
Risk-adjusted
Sharpe edge FJUL 0.86 0.73
Sortino edge FJUL 1.31 1.12
Treynor 0.140 0.125
Calmar edge FJUL 1.00 0.88
Against the benchmark
Alpha +0.6% a year −0.2% a year
Alpha t-stat 0.62 −0.17
Information ratio −0.67 −0.79
Tracking error 6.8% 9.1%
Reading

FJUL returned more: +100.2% to +71.4%. PNOV swung less: 7.9% to 9.9%. PNOV fell less at its worst: −10.3% to −11.7%.

Full scorecard

19 measures, with how each is measured
Open ↓
Risk and return: FJUL vs PNOV: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
MeasureFJULPNOVSPYEdgeHow it is measured
Return
Total return+100.2%+71.4%FJULPrice change plus distributions, reinvested.
Annualized+11.8%+9.0%FJULTotal return as a yearly rate.
Price return+100.2%+71.4%FJULPrice change alone, distributions left out.
Risk
Volatility9.9%7.9%PNOVSpread of weekly returns, annualized. Lower is steadier.
Downside deviation6.4%5.2%PNOVLike volatility, counting only weeks below the Treasury bill rate.
Max drawdown−11.7%−10.3%PNOVDeepest fall from a high to the low after it.
Upside capture49.6%34.9%100.0%FJULShare of its benchmark's rise caught in the weeks it rose.
Downside capture65.1%51.3%100.0%PNOVShare of its benchmark's fall taken in the weeks it fell. Lower is better.
Beta0.600.461.00PNOV lowerHow far it moves for each 1% its benchmark moves.
R squared0.930.851.00Not an edgeShare of its weekly moves its benchmark explains.
Risk-adjusted
Sharpe0.860.73FJULReturn above Treasury bills per unit of volatility.
Sortino1.311.12FJULReturn above Treasury bills per unit of downside deviation.
Treynor0.1400.1250.130FJULReturn above Treasury bills per unit of beta.
Calmar1.000.88FJULAnnualized return divided by the max drawdown.
Against the benchmark
BenchmarkSPYSPYSPYThe ETF each fund is measured against.
Alpha+0.6% a year−0.2% a year0.0%Not significantYearly return beyond what its beta to the benchmark predicts.
Alpha t-stat0.62−0.17Not an edgeHow sure the alpha is. Below 2, it could be chance.
Alpha range−1.4% to +2.6%−2.7% to +2.2%Both include zeroThe 95% range for the yearly alpha.
Information ratio−0.67−0.79FJULReturn against its benchmark per unit of tracking error.
Tracking error6.8%9.1%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, 325 weekly returns. Cash rate: the 13-week Treasury bill.

Window by window

Window by window: FJUL vs PNOV: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
Total returnGap to the reference's price return
WindowFJULPNOVFJULPNOV
3 months+4.3%+5.3%−1.5 pts−0.6 pts
6 months+6.8%+7.7%−1.7 pts−0.8 pts
1 year+11.4%+12.1%−1.0 pts−0.3 pts
3 years+65.3%+46.6%−22.7 pts−41.4 pts
Since launchNot the same days: FJUL Jul 2020 · PNOV Nov 2019+102.5%+80.9%−35.7 pts−71.3 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

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 PNOV Innovator U.S. Equity Power Buffer ETF - Nov · Absorbs the first 15% of loss on SPY and caps the gain at 13.3%, over a period ending Oct 31, 2026
Reference index SPY SPY
Buffer 10% 15%
Outcome period Jul 20, 2026 to Jul 16, 2027 Oct 31, 2025 to Oct 31, 2026
Days left 261 3
Starting cap +16.8% +13.3%
Can still gain 12.4% 0.4%
Fall before buffer 3.9% 11.4%
Protection left, index points 10.0% of 10.0% 15.0% of 15.0%
Index return this period +3.9% +13.2%
Fund return this period +3.2% +11.9%
State today Open Open
Expense ratio 0.85% 0.79%
Net assets, FJUL as of Oct 27, 2026 and PNOV as of Oct 28, 2026 $1.4bn $836m

As of Oct 28, 2026. Source: ETFIQ.

They do not reset together. PNOV has 3 days of its period left and FJUL has 261, so the two are not the same bet on the same months.

Where each one stands today

PNOV resets first, on Oct 31, 2026, 3 days from now; FJUL runs to Jul 16, 2027, 261 days. FJUL can still gain 12.4% before its cap, PNOV 0.4%. A fall from here reaches FJUL’s buffer after 3.9% and PNOV’s after 11.4%. Both track SPY, so what separates them is where each is in its own period.

Client brief · page 1 of 2 Report BR-9444E2B874

FJUL and PNOV are built for the same job. How do they differ in cost, holdings and results?

  1. Protection and cap. FJUL: Absorbs the first 10% of loss on SPY and caps the gain at 16.8%, over a period ending Jul 16, 2027. PNOV: Absorbs the first 15% of loss on SPY and caps the gain at 13.3%, over a period ending Oct 31, 2026. The starting caps are 3.5 points apart.
  2. Outcome period. FJUL runs Jul 20, 2026 to Jul 16, 2027 with 261 days left; PNOV runs Oct 31, 2025 to Oct 31, 2026 with 3 days left.
  3. What each follows (similar). Both follow SPY.

Data as of Oct 28, 2026.

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About each fund
FJUL

From its price on Oct 28, 2026, the fund can gain about 12.4% more before it reaches its cap. The fund's price can fall 3.9% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's number. In index terms, SPY can fall 3.8% 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. 261 days remained on Oct 28, 2026. On Jul 16, 2027 the period ends and a new cap is set.

PNOV

From its price on Oct 28, 2026, the fund can gain about 0.4% more before it reaches its cap. The fund's price can fall 11.4% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's number. In index terms, SPY can fall 11.6% from today's level to the point where the buffer begins. Protection left, in index points: 15.0% of the 15.0% buffer still sits below today's SPY level. 3 days remained on Oct 28, 2026. On Oct 31, 2026 the period ends and a new cap is set.

Questions people ask

Which has more room to gain, FJUL or PNOV?
From their prices on Oct 28, 2026, FJUL can gain about 12.4% before its cap and PNOV about 0.4%, so FJUL has more room left this period.
Which resets first, FJUL or PNOV?
FJUL ends its outcome period on Jul 16, 2027 and PNOV on Oct 31, 2026. A new cap is set the day after each.
Which is cheaper, FJUL or PNOV?
FJUL charges 0.85% a year and PNOV charges 0.79%, so PNOV 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, FJUL against PNOV, data as of Oct 28, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/buffer/fjul-vs-pnov

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