Data as of Oct 28, 2026.

vsOpen in the appCompare their flowsaskIQ about these two fundsAsk the committee about these two funds
Buffer ETFs

FJUL vs UOCT: Cap, Buffer & Days Left

Share
Share on XDownload as PDF

As of Oct 28, 2026 UOCT can fall 6.0% before its buffer engages and FJUL 3.9%, and FJUL resets 76 days sooner.

askIQ about this page

askIQ about FJUL and UOCT

Net assets: $1.4bn on Oct 27, 2026 for FT Vest U.S. Equity Buffer ETF - July, and $269m on Oct 28, 2026 for Innovator U.S. Equity Ultra Buffer ETF - Oct.

At a glance
3.9%
FJUL can fall this far before its buffer
6.0%
UOCT can fall this far before its buffer
12.4%
FJUL can still gain
14.1%
UOCT 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.−10.0% floor0% start+16.8% cap10 pts of buffer+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.
UOCT Between buffer and cap
Between buffer and capUOCT: reference +1.2% since period start, fund +1.0%; buffer −5 to −35; cap +15.3%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Oct 28, 2026.30 pts of buffer+14.1% more to the cap−35.0% floor−5.0% buffer start0% period start+15.3% capfirst 5 pts are yours to lose+1.2% gain capturedTODAY · SPY +1.2%Between buffer and capUOCT: reference +1.2% since period start, fund +1.0%; buffer −5 to −35; cap +15.3%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Oct 28, 2026.30 pts of buffer−35.0% floor−5.0% buffer start0% start+15.3% capfirst 5 pts are yours to lose+1.2% gain captured+14.1% more to the capTODAY · SPY +1.2%

UOCT: reference +1.2% since period start, fund +1.0%; buffer −5 to −35; cap +15.3%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Oct 28, 2026.

UOCT: reference +1.2% since period start, fund +1.0%; buffer −5 to −35; cap +15.3%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Oct 28, 2026.

Pair scorecard

UOCT costs 0.06 points a year less; their one-year returns differ by 1.4 points; FJUL is 5.2 times larger.

Points (pts) are percentage points.

FJUL vs UOCT: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
MeasureFJULUOCT
Return
Total return, 1 year+11.4%+10.0%
Drawdown
Index fall to the buffer3.8%6.1%
Benchmark
What it tracksSPYSPY
Cost and size
Expense ratio0.85%0.79%
Net assets, as of Oct 27, 2026$1.4bn$269m
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 Score37FJUL73.8UOCT

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 UOCT
Return
Total return edge FJUL +100.2% +66.8%
Annualized edge FJUL +11.8% +8.5%
Price return edge FJUL +100.2% +66.8%
Risk
Volatility edge UOCT 9.9% 6.1%
Max drawdown edge UOCT −11.7% −8.3%
Downside capture 65.1% 37.6%
Beta 0.60 0.35
Risk-adjusted
Sharpe edge Tie 0.86 0.86
Sortino edge Tie 1.31 1.33
Treynor 0.140 0.150
Calmar edge UOCT (slight) 1.00 1.03
Against the benchmark
Alpha +0.6% a year +0.7% a year
Alpha t-stat 0.62 0.69
Information ratio −0.67 −0.73
Tracking error 6.8% 10.7%
Reading

FJUL returned more: +100.2% to +66.8%. UOCT swung less: 6.1% to 9.9%. UOCT fell less at its worst: −8.3% to −11.7%.

Full scorecard

19 measures, with how each is measured
Open ↓
Risk and return: FJUL vs UOCT: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
MeasureFJULUOCTSPYEdgeHow it is measured
Return
Total return+100.2%+66.8%FJULPrice change plus distributions, reinvested.
Annualized+11.8%+8.5%FJULTotal return as a yearly rate.
Price return+100.2%+66.8%FJULPrice change alone, distributions left out.
Risk
Volatility9.9%6.1%UOCTSpread of weekly returns, annualized. Lower is steadier.
Downside deviation6.4%3.9%UOCTLike volatility, counting only weeks below the Treasury bill rate.
Max drawdown−11.7%−8.3%UOCTDeepest fall from a high to the low after it.
Upside capture49.6%26.3%100.0%FJULShare of its benchmark's rise caught in the weeks it rose.
Downside capture65.1%37.6%100.0%UOCTShare of its benchmark's fall taken in the weeks it fell. Lower is better.
Beta0.600.351.00UOCT lowerHow far it moves for each 1% its benchmark moves.
R squared0.930.831.00Not an edgeShare of its weekly moves its benchmark explains.
Risk-adjusted
Sharpe0.860.86TieReturn above Treasury bills per unit of volatility.
Sortino1.311.33TieReturn above Treasury bills per unit of downside deviation.
Treynor0.1400.1500.130UOCT (slight)Return above Treasury bills per unit of beta.
Calmar1.001.03UOCT (slight)Annualized return divided by the max drawdown.
Against the benchmark
BenchmarkSPYSPYSPYThe ETF each fund is measured against.
Alpha+0.6% a year+0.7% a year0.0%Not significantYearly return beyond what its beta to the benchmark predicts.
Alpha t-stat0.620.69Not an edgeHow sure the alpha is. Below 2, it could be chance.
Alpha range−1.4% to +2.6%−1.3% to +2.7%Both include zeroThe 95% range for the yearly alpha.
Information ratio−0.67−0.73FJUL (slight)Return against its benchmark per unit of tracking error.
Tracking error6.8%10.7%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 UOCT: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
Total returnGap to the reference's price return
WindowFJULUOCTFJULUOCT
3 months+4.3%+4.3%−1.5 pts−1.6 pts
6 months+6.8%+6.8%−1.7 pts−1.7 pts
1 year+11.4%+10.0%−1.0 pts−2.4 pts
3 years+65.3%+43.1%−22.7 pts−44.9 pts
Since launchNot the same days: FJUL Jul 2020 · UOCT Oct 2018+102.5%+78.4%−35.7 pts−86.3 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 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 10% 5% to 35%
Outcome period Jul 20, 2026 to Jul 16, 2027 Sep 30, 2026 to Sep 30, 2027
Days left 261 337
Starting cap +16.8% +15.3%
Can still gain 12.4% 14.1%
Fall before buffer 3.9% 6.0%
Protection left, index points 10.0% of 10.0% 30.0% of 30.0%
Index return this period +3.9% +1.2%
Fund return this period +3.2% +1.0%
State today Open Open
Expense ratio 0.85% 0.79%
Net assets, FJUL as of Oct 27, 2026 and UOCT as of Oct 28, 2026 $1.4bn $269m

As of Oct 28, 2026. Source: ETFIQ.

They do not reset together. FJUL has 261 days of its period left and UOCT has 337, so the two are not the same bet on the same months.

Where each one stands today

FJUL resets first, on Jul 16, 2027, 261 days from now; UOCT runs to Sep 30, 2027, 337 days. FJUL can still gain 12.4% before its cap, UOCT 14.1%. A fall from here reaches FJUL’s buffer after 3.9% and UOCT’s after 6.0%. Both track SPY, so what separates them is where each is in its own period.

Client brief · page 1 of 2 Report BR-A740ADCE36

FJUL and UOCT 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. UOCT: Absorbs losses from 5.0% to 35.0% on SPY and caps the gain at 15.3%, over a period ending Sep 30, 2027. The starting caps are 1.5 points apart.
  2. Size. FJUL has $1.4bn in net assets and UOCT $269m (net assets, as of Oct 27, 2026); FJUL is 5.2 times larger.
  3. Outcome period (similar). FJUL runs Jul 20, 2026 to Jul 16, 2027 with 261 days left; UOCT runs Sep 30, 2026 to Sep 30, 2027 with 337 days left.

Data as of Oct 28, 2026.

The two-page PDF for this pair is coming. Save the comparison to follow its changes. Free. It needs an email sign-in, once.

Your saved page · Privacy.

Alert

FJUL and UOCT flows, by email on Sundays.

One-click unsubscribe. See Privacy.

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.

UOCT

From its price on Oct 28, 2026, the fund can gain about 14.1% more before it reaches its cap. The fund's price can fall 6.0% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's number. In index terms, SPY can fall 6.1% from today's level to the point where the buffer begins. Protection left, in index points: 30.0% of the 30.0% buffer still sits below today's SPY level. 337 days remained on Oct 28, 2026. On Sep 30, 2027 the period ends and a new cap is set.

Questions people ask

Which has more room to gain, FJUL or UOCT?
From their prices on Oct 28, 2026, FJUL can gain about 12.4% before its cap and UOCT about 14.1%, so UOCT has more room left this period.
Which resets first, FJUL or UOCT?
FJUL ends its outcome period on Jul 16, 2027 and UOCT on Sep 30, 2027. A new cap is set the day after each.
Which is cheaper, FJUL or UOCT?
FJUL charges 0.85% a year and UOCT charges 0.79%, so UOCT is cheaper. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.
Other comparisons
Where to next
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 UOCT, data as of Oct 28, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/buffer/fjul-vs-uoct

Open data →

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