Data as of Nov 4, 2026.

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Buffer ETFs

FNOV vs ZDEK: Cap, Buffer & Days Left

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As of Nov 4, 2026 FNOV can fall 13.3% before its buffer engages and ZDEK 6.0%, and FNOV resets 10 days sooner.

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Net assets: $1.3bn on Nov 3, 2026 for FT Vest U.S. Equity Buffer ETF - November, and $105m on Nov 4, 2026 for Innovator Equity Defined Protection ETF - 1 Yr December.

At a glance
13.3%
FNOV can fall this far before its buffer
6.0%
ZDEK can fall this far before its buffer
1.2%
FNOV can still gain
0.5%
ZDEK 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.
ZDEK At its cap
At its capZDEK: reference +12.2% since period start, fund +5.5%; buffer Floor; cap +6.8%; At its cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.full floor beneath+6.8%full floor0% period start+6.8% capTODAY · SPY +12.2%At its capZDEK: reference +12.2% since period start, fund +5.5%; buffer Floor; cap +6.8%; At its cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.full floor beneathfull floor0% start+6.8% cap+6.8% gain capturedTODAY · SPY +12.2%

ZDEK: reference +12.2% since period start, fund +5.5%; buffer Floor; cap +6.8%; At its cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.

Data to Nov 4, 2026.

Pair scorecard

ZDEK costs 0.06 points a year less; their one-year returns differ by 7.2 points; FNOV is 12.5 times larger.

Points (pts) are percentage points.

FNOV vs ZDEK: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
MeasureFNOVZDEK
Return
Total return, 1 year+13.6%+6.4%
Drawdown
Index fall to the buffer14.0%10.8%
Benchmark
What it tracksSPYSPY
Cost and size
Expense ratio0.85%0.79%
Net assets, as of Nov 3, 2026$1.3bn$104m
Holdings
Holdings in commonnot published

Method

Risk and return

Dec 13, 2024 to Oct 30, 2026 · 98 weekly returns · each against SPY
FNOV ZDEK
Return
Total return edge FNOV +24.0% +12.2%
Annualized edge FNOV +12.1% +6.3%
Price return edge FNOV +24.0% +12.2%
Risk
Volatility edge ZDEK 9.5% 2.9%
Max drawdown edge ZDEK −11.6% −3.1%
Downside capture 63.5% 19.0%
Beta 0.62 0.18
Risk-adjusted
Sharpe edge FNOV 0.83 0.74
Sortino edge FNOV (slight) 1.22 1.18
Treynor 0.126 0.120
Calmar edge ZDEK 1.04 2.06
Against the benchmark
Alpha +1.5% a year +0.3% a year
Alpha t-stat 1.18 0.40
Information ratio −0.40 −0.65
Tracking error 5.9% 12.3%
Reading

From Dec 2024 to Oct 2026, FNOV returned more: +24.0% to +12.2%. ZDEK swung less: 2.9% to 9.5%. ZDEK fell less at its worst: −3.1% to −11.6%.

Full scorecard

19 measures, with how each is measured
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Risk and return: FNOV vs ZDEK: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
MeasureFNOVZDEKSPYEdgeHow it is measured
Return
Total return+24.0%+12.2%FNOVPrice change plus distributions, reinvested.
Annualized+12.1%+6.3%FNOVTotal return as a yearly rate.
Price return+24.0%+12.2%FNOVPrice change alone, distributions left out.
Risk
Volatility9.5%2.9%ZDEKSpread of weekly returns, annualized. Lower is steadier.
Downside deviation6.4%1.8%ZDEKLike volatility, counting only weeks below the Treasury bill rate.
Max drawdown−11.6%−3.1%ZDEKDeepest fall from a high to the low after it.
Upside capture53.7%16.3%100.0%FNOVShare of its benchmark's rise caught in the weeks it rose.
Downside capture63.5%19.0%100.0%ZDEKShare of its benchmark's fall taken in the weeks it fell. Lower is better.
Beta0.620.181.00ZDEK lowerHow far it moves for each 1% its benchmark moves.
R squared0.970.851.00Not an edgeShare of its weekly moves its benchmark explains.
Risk-adjusted
Sharpe0.830.74FNOVReturn above Treasury bills per unit of volatility.
Sortino1.221.18FNOV (slight)Return above Treasury bills per unit of downside deviation.
Treynor0.1260.1200.102FNOV (slight)Return above Treasury bills per unit of beta.
Calmar1.042.06ZDEKAnnualized return divided by the max drawdown.
Against the benchmark
BenchmarkSPYSPYSPYThe ETF each fund is measured against.
Alpha+1.5% a year+0.3% a year0.0%Not significantYearly return beyond what its beta to the benchmark predicts.
Alpha t-stat1.180.40Not an edgeHow sure the alpha is. Below 2, it could be chance.
Alpha range−1.0% to +4.0%−1.3% to +2.0%Both include zeroThe 95% range for the yearly alpha.
Information ratio−0.40−0.65FNOVReturn against its benchmark per unit of tracking error.
Tracking error5.9%12.3%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, 98 weekly returns. Cash rate: the 13-week Treasury bill.

Window by window

Window by window: FNOV vs ZDEK: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
Total returnGap to the reference's price return
WindowFNOVZDEKFNOVZDEK
3 months+2.2%+1.4%+2.6 pts+1.8 pts
6 months+5.8%+3.0%+1.3 pts−1.5 pts
1 year+13.6%+6.4%+0.1 pts−7.2 pts
3 years+54.4%–−22.0 pts–
Since launchNot the same days: FNOV Nov 2019 · ZDEK Dec 2024+98.7%+12.8%−47.1 pts−14.2 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 ZDEK Innovator Equity Defined Protection ETF - 1 Yr December · Absorbs the whole loss on SPY and caps the gain at 6.8%, over a period ending Nov 30, 2026
Reference index SPY SPY
Buffer 10% 100%
Outcome period Nov 24, 2025 to Nov 20, 2026 Nov 30, 2025 to Nov 30, 2026
Days left 16 26
Starting cap +16.6% +6.8%
Can still gain 1.2% 0.5%
Fall before buffer 13.3% 6.0%
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% +5.5%
State today Open At cap
Expense ratio 0.85% 0.79%
Net assets, FNOV as of Nov 3, 2026 and ZDEK as of Nov 4, 2026 $1.3bn $105m

As of Nov 4, 2026. Source: ETFIQ.

These are two different products. ZDEK 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.

ZDEK 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; ZDEK runs to Nov 30, 2026, 26 days. FNOV can still gain 1.2% before its cap, ZDEK 0.5%. A fall from here reaches FNOV’s buffer after 13.3% and ZDEK’s after 6.0%. Both track SPY, so what separates them is where each is in its own period.

Client brief:

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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.

ZDEK

SPY had already risen past this fund's cap of +6.8% 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 0.5% as the period runs out. 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 10.8% 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 ZDEK?
From their prices on Nov 4, 2026, FNOV can gain about 1.2% before its cap and ZDEK about 0.5%, so FNOV has more room left this period.
Which resets first, FNOV or ZDEK?
FNOV ends its outcome period on Nov 20, 2026 and ZDEK on Nov 30, 2026. A new cap is set the day after each.
Which is cheaper, FNOV or ZDEK?
FNOV charges 0.85% a year and ZDEK charges 0.79%, so ZDEK 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, FNOV against ZDEK, data as of Nov 4, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/buffer/fnov-vs-zdek

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