Data as of Nov 4, 2026.

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

FNOV vs PMDE: Cap, Buffer & Days Left

Share
Share on XDownload as PDF

As of Nov 4, 2026 FNOV can fall 13.3% before its buffer engages and PMDE 5.9%, and FNOV resets 10 days sooner.

askIQ about this page

askIQ about FNOV and PMDE

Net assets: $1.3bn on Nov 3, 2026 for FT Vest U.S. Equity Buffer ETF - November, and $9.2m on Nov 4, 2026 for PGIM S&P 500 Max Buffer ETF - December.

At a glance
13.3%
FNOV can fall this far before its buffer
5.9%
PMDE can fall this far before its buffer
1.2%
FNOV can still gain
0.7%
PMDE can still gain
FNOV Between buffer and cap
Between buffer and capFNOV: reference +16.3% since period start, fund +14.4%; buffer 0 to −10; cap +16.6%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.10 pts+16.3% gain captured−10.0% floor0% period start+16.6% cap+0.3% more to the capTODAY · SPY +16.3%Between buffer and capFNOV: reference +16.3% since period start, fund +14.4%; buffer 0 to −10; cap +16.6%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.+16.3%−10.0% floor0% start+16.6% cap10 pts of buffer+0.3% more to the capTODAY · SPY +16.3%

FNOV: reference +16.3% since period start, fund +14.4%; buffer 0 to −10; cap +16.6%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.

FNOV: reference +16.3% since period start, fund +14.4%; buffer 0 to −10; cap +16.6%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.
PMDE At its cap
At its capPMDE: reference +12.2% since period start, fund +5.7%; buffer Floor; cap +7.0%; At its cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.full floor beneath+7% gainedfull floor0% period start+7.0% capTODAY · SPY +12.2%At its capPMDE: reference +12.2% since period start, fund +5.7%; buffer Floor; cap +7.0%; At its cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.full floor beneathfull floor0% start+7.0% cap+7% gain capturedTODAY · SPY +12.2%

PMDE: reference +12.2% since period start, fund +5.7%; buffer Floor; cap +7.0%; At its cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.

Data to Nov 4, 2026.

Pair scorecard

PMDE costs 0.35 points a year less; FNOV is far larger, $1.3bn against $9.2m.

Points (pts) are percentage points.

FNOV vs PMDE: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
MeasureFNOVPMDE
Return
Total return, 1 year+13.6%not published
Drawdown
Index fall to the buffer14.0%10.9%
Benchmark
What it tracksSPYSPY
Cost and size
Expense ratio0.85%0.50%
Net assets, as of Nov 3, 2026$1.3bn$9.2m
Holdings
Holdings in commonnot published

Method

Window by window

Window by window: FNOV vs PMDE: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
Total returnGap to the reference's price return
WindowFNOVPMDEFNOVPMDE
3 months+2.2%+1.4%+2.6 pts+1.8 pts
6 months+5.8%+3.1%+1.3 pts−1.4 pts
1 year+13.6%–+0.1 pts–
3 years+54.4%–−22.0 pts–
Since launchNot the same days: FNOV Nov 2019 · PMDE Dec 2025+98.7%+5.8%−47.1 pts−7.0 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

FNOV FT Vest U.S. Equity Buffer ETF - November · Absorbs the first 10% of loss on SPY and caps the gain at 16.6%, over a period ending Nov 20, 2026 PMDE PGIM S&P 500 Max Buffer ETF - December · Absorbs the whole loss on SPY and caps the gain at 7.0%, over a period ending Nov 30, 2026
Reference index SPY SPY
Buffer 10% 100%
Outcome period Nov 24, 2025 to Nov 20, 2026 Dec 1, 2025 to Nov 30, 2026
Days left 16 26
Starting cap +16.6% +7.0%
Can still gain 1.2% 0.7%
Fall before buffer 13.3% 5.9%
Protection left, index points 10.0% of 10.0% 100.0% of 100.0%
Index return this period +16.3% +12.2%
Fund return this period +14.4% +5.7%
State today Open At cap
Expense ratio 0.85% 0.50%
Net assets, FNOV as of Nov 3, 2026 and PMDE as of Nov 4, 2026 $1.3bn $9.2m

As of Nov 4, 2026. Source: ETFIQ.

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

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

Where each one stands today

FNOV resets first, on Nov 20, 2026, 16 days from now; PMDE runs to Nov 30, 2026, 26 days. FNOV can still gain 1.2% before its cap, PMDE 0.7%. A fall from here reaches FNOV’s buffer after 13.3% and PMDE’s after 5.9%. Both track SPY, so what separates them is where each is in its own period.

Alert

FNOV and PMDE flows, by email on Sundays.

One-click unsubscribe. See Privacy.

About each fund
FNOV

From its price on Nov 4, 2026, the fund can gain about 1.2% more before it reaches its cap. The fund's price can fall 13.3% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's number. In index terms, SPY can fall 14.0% 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. 16 days remained on Nov 4, 2026. On Nov 20, 2026 the period ends and a new cap is set.

PMDE

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 0.7% as the period runs out. The fund's price can fall 5.9% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's number. In index terms, SPY can fall 10.9% from today's level to the point where the buffer begins. Protection left, in index points: 100.0% of the 100.0% buffer still sits below today's SPY level. 26 days remained on Nov 4, 2026. On Nov 30, 2026 the period ends and a new cap is set.

Questions people ask

Which has more room to gain, FNOV or PMDE?
From their prices on Nov 4, 2026, FNOV can gain about 1.2% before its cap and PMDE about 0.7%, so FNOV has more room left this period.
Which resets first, FNOV or PMDE?
FNOV ends its outcome period on Nov 20, 2026 and PMDE on Nov 30, 2026. A new cap is set the day after each.
Which is cheaper, FNOV or PMDE?
FNOV charges 0.85% a year and PMDE charges 0.50%, so PMDE 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

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, FNOV against PMDE, data as of Nov 4, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/buffer/fnov-vs-pmde

Open data →

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