Data as of Nov 4, 2026.

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Buffer ETFs

FLAO vs PBOC: Cap, Buffer & Days Left

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As of Nov 4, 2026 FLAO can fall 5.8% before its buffer engages and PBOC 1.2%, and FLAO resets 183 days sooner.

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Net assets: $8.6m on Nov 3, 2026 for AllianzIM U.S. Equity 6 Month Floor5 Apr/Oct ETF - Apr, and $64m on Nov 4, 2026 for PGIM S&P 500 Buffer 20 ETF - October .

At a glance
5.8%
FLAO can fall this far before its buffer
1.2%
PBOC can fall this far before its buffer
6.2%
FLAO can still gain
11.6%
PBOC can still gain
FLAO Full floor
Full floorFLAO: reference +0.5% since period start, fund +0.5%; buffer −5 to floor; cap +7.1%; Full floor. Data to Nov 4, 2026.full floor beneathfull floor−5.0% buffer start0% period start+7.1% capfirst 5 pts are yours to lose+0.5% gain captured+6.5% more to the capTODAY · SPY +0.5%Full floorFLAO: reference +0.5% since period start, fund +0.5%; buffer −5 to floor; cap +7.1%; Full floor. Data to Nov 4, 2026.full floor beneathfull floor−5.0% buffer start0% start+7.1% capfirst 5 pts are yours to lose+0.5% gain captured+6.5% more to the capTODAY · SPY +0.5%

FLAO: reference +0.5% since period start, fund +0.5%; buffer −5 to floor; cap +7.1%; Full floor. Data to Nov 4, 2026.

FLAO: reference +0.5% since period start, fund +0.5%; buffer −5 to floor; cap +7.1%; Full floor. Data to Nov 4, 2026.
PBOC Between buffer and cap
Between buffer and capPBOC: reference +0.6% since period start, fund +0.7%; buffer 0 to −20; cap +12.8%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.20 pts of buffer+12.3% to cap−20.0% floor0% period start+12.8% cap+0.6% gain capturedTODAY · SPY +0.6%Between buffer and capPBOC: reference +0.6% since period start, fund +0.7%; buffer 0 to −20; cap +12.8%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.20 pts−20.0% floor0% start+12.8% cap+0.6% gain captured+12.3% more to the capTODAY · SPY +0.6%

PBOC: reference +0.6% since period start, fund +0.7%; buffer 0 to −20; cap +12.8%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.

PBOC: reference +0.6% since period start, fund +0.7%; buffer 0 to −20; cap +12.8%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.

Pair scorecard

PBOC costs 0.24 points a year less; their one-year returns differ by 7.3 points; PBOC is 7.4 times larger.

Points (pts) are percentage points.

FLAO vs PBOC: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
MeasureFLAOPBOC
Return
Total return, 1 year+2.7%+10.0%
Drawdown
Index fall to the buffer5.5%0.5%
Benchmark
What it tracksSPYSPY
Cost and size
Expense ratio0.74%0.50%
Net assets, as of Nov 3, 2026$8.6m$64m
Holdings
Holdings in commonnot published

Method

Window by window

Window by window: FLAO vs PBOC: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
Total returnGap to the reference's price return
WindowFLAOPBOCFLAOPBOC
3 months+1.2%+1.9%+1.6 pts+2.3 pts
6 months+3.1%+4.7%−1.4 pts+0.2 pts
1 year+2.7%+10.0%−10.8 pts−3.5 pts
Since launchNot the same days: FLAO Apr 2024 · PBOC May 2024+15.5%+26.4%−31.4 pts−18.4 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

FLAO AllianzIM U.S. Equity 6 Month Floor5 Apr/Oct ETF - Apr · Absorbs losses from 5.0% to 100.0% on SPY and caps the gain at 7.1%, over a period ending Mar 31, 2027 PBOC PGIM S&P 500 Buffer 20 ETF - October · Absorbs the first 20% of loss on SPY and caps the gain at 12.8%, over a period ending Sep 30, 2027
Reference index SPY SPY
Buffer 5% to 100% 20%
Outcome period Oct 1, 2026 to Mar 31, 2027 Oct 1, 2026 to Sep 30, 2027
Days left 147 330
Starting cap +7.1% +12.8%
Can still gain 6.2% 11.6%
Fall before buffer 5.8% 1.2%
Protection left, index points 95.0% of 95.0% 20.0% of 20.0%
Index return this period +0.5% +0.6%
Fund return this period +0.5% +0.7%
State today Open Open
Expense ratio 0.74% 0.50%
Net assets, FLAO as of Nov 3, 2026 and PBOC as of Nov 4, 2026 $8.6m $64m

As of Nov 4, 2026. Source: ETFIQ.

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

They do not reset together. FLAO has 147 days of its period left and PBOC has 330, so the two are not the same bet on the same months.

Where each one stands today

FLAO resets first, on Mar 31, 2027, 147 days from now; PBOC runs to Sep 30, 2027, 330 days. FLAO can still gain 6.2% before its cap, PBOC 11.6%. A fall from here reaches FLAO’s buffer after 5.8% and PBOC’s after 1.2%. Both track SPY, so what separates them is where each is in its own period.

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About each fund
FLAO

From its price on Nov 4, 2026, the fund can gain about 6.2% more before it reaches its cap. The fund's price can fall 5.8% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's number. In index terms, SPY can fall 5.5% from today's level to the point where the buffer begins. Protection left, in index points: 95.0% of the 95.0% buffer still sits below today's SPY level. 147 days remained on Nov 4, 2026. On Mar 31, 2027 the period ends and a new cap is set.

PBOC

From its price on Nov 4, 2026, the fund can gain about 11.6% more before it reaches its cap. The fund's price can fall 1.2% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's number. In index terms, SPY can fall 0.5% 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. 330 days remained on Nov 4, 2026. On Sep 30, 2027 the period ends and a new cap is set.

Questions people ask

Which has more room to gain, FLAO or PBOC?
From their prices on Nov 4, 2026, FLAO can gain about 6.2% before its cap and PBOC about 11.6%, so PBOC has more room left this period.
Which resets first, FLAO or PBOC?
FLAO ends its outcome period on Mar 31, 2027 and PBOC on Sep 30, 2027. A new cap is set the day after each.
Which is cheaper, FLAO or PBOC?
FLAO charges 0.74% a year and PBOC charges 0.50%, so PBOC 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.

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ETFIQ, FLAO against PBOC, data as of Nov 4, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/buffer/flao-vs-pboc

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