Data as of Nov 4, 2026.

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

FOCT vs PBNV: Cap, Buffer & Days Left

Share
Share on XDownload as PDF

As of Nov 4, 2026 FOCT can fall 1.3% before its buffer engages and PBNV 1.2%, and FOCT resets 16 days sooner.

askIQ about this page

askIQ about FOCT and PBNV

Net assets: $1.3bn on Nov 3, 2026 for FT Vest U.S. Equity Buffer ETF - October, and $42m on Nov 4, 2026 for PGIM S&P 500 Buffer 20 ETF - November .

At a glance
1.3%
FOCT can fall this far before its buffer
1.2%
PBNV can fall this far before its buffer
15.8%
FOCT can still gain
11.5%
PBNV can still gain
FOCT Between buffer and cap
Between buffer and capFOCT: reference +0.5% since period start, fund +0.5%; buffer 0 to −10; cap +17.2%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.10 pts of buffer+16.7% more to the cap−10.0% floor0% period start+17.2% cap+0.5% gain capturedTODAY · SPY +0.5%Between buffer and capFOCT: reference +0.5% since period start, fund +0.5%; buffer 0 to −10; cap +17.2%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.10 pts+16.7% to cap−10.0% floor0% start+17.2% cap+0.5% gain capturedTODAY · SPY +0.5%

FOCT: reference +0.5% since period start, fund +0.5%; buffer 0 to −10; cap +17.2%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.

FOCT: reference +0.5% since period start, fund +0.5%; buffer 0 to −10; cap +17.2%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.
PBNV Between buffer and cap
Between buffer and capPBNV: reference +1.5% since period start, fund +0.7%; buffer 0 to −20; cap +12.7%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.20 pts of buffer+11.3% more to the cap−20.0% floor0% period start+12.7% cap+1.5% gain capturedTODAY · SPY +1.5%Between buffer and capPBNV: reference +1.5% since period start, fund +0.7%; buffer 0 to −20; cap +12.7%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.20 pts of buffer−20.0% floor0% start+12.7% cap+1.5% gain captured+11.3% more to the capTODAY · SPY +1.5%

PBNV: reference +1.5% since period start, fund +0.7%; buffer 0 to −20; cap +12.7%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.

PBNV: reference +1.5% since period start, fund +0.7%; buffer 0 to −20; cap +12.7%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.

Pair scorecard

PBNV costs 0.35 points a year less; their one-year returns differ by 2.5 points; FOCT is far larger, $1.3bn against $37m.

Points (pts) are percentage points.

FOCT vs PBNV: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
MeasureFOCTPBNV
Return
Total return, 1 year+13.7%+11.2%
Drawdown
Index fall to the buffer0.5%1.4%
Benchmark
What it tracksSPYSPY
Cost and size
Expense ratio0.85%0.50%
Net assets, as of Nov 3, 2026$1.3bn$37m
Holdings
Holdings in commonnot published
ETFIQ Downside Cover Score · PBNV scores higher If the market falls into a bear market from here, how much does the buffer absorb?
IQ Buffer Score38.7FOCT97.4PBNV

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

0.3, the lowest in this set 99.7, the highest

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

Window by window

Window by window: FOCT vs PBNV: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
Total returnGap to the reference's price return
WindowFOCTPBNVFOCTPBNV
3 months+2.9%+2.6%+3.3 pts+3.0 pts
6 months+6.7%+5.7%+2.2 pts+1.2 pts
1 year+13.7%+11.2%+0.1 pts−2.4 pts
3 years+49.2%–−27.2 pts–
Since launchNot the same days: FOCT Oct 2020 · PBNV May 2024+85.0%+29.2%−39.2 pts−15.5 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

FOCT FT Vest U.S. Equity Buffer ETF - October · Absorbs the first 10% of loss on SPY and caps the gain at 17.2%, over a period ending Oct 15, 2027 PBNV PGIM S&P 500 Buffer 20 ETF - November · Absorbs the first 20% of loss on SPY and caps the gain at 12.7%, over a period ending Oct 31, 2027
Reference index SPY SPY
Buffer 10% 20%
Outcome period Oct 19, 2026 to Oct 15, 2027 Nov 1, 2026 to Oct 31, 2027
Days left 345 361
Starting cap +17.2% +12.7%
Can still gain 15.8% 11.5%
Fall before buffer 1.3% 1.2%
Protection left, index points 10.0% of 10.0% 20.0% of 20.0%
Index return this period +0.5% +1.5%
Fund return this period +0.5% +0.7%
State today Open Open
Expense ratio 0.85% 0.50%
Net assets, FOCT as of Nov 3, 2026 and PBNV as of Nov 4, 2026 $1.3bn $42m

As of Nov 4, 2026. Source: ETFIQ.

Where each one stands today

FOCT resets first, on Oct 15, 2027, 345 days from now; PBNV runs to Oct 31, 2027, 361 days. FOCT can still gain 15.8% before its cap, PBNV 11.5%. A fall from here reaches FOCT’s buffer after 1.3% and PBNV’s after 1.2%. Both track SPY, so what separates them is where each is in its own period.

Alert

FOCT and PBNV flows, by email on Sundays.

One-click unsubscribe. See Privacy.

About each fund
FOCT

From its price on Nov 4, 2026, the fund can gain about 15.8% more before it reaches its cap. The fund's price can fall 1.3% 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: 10.0% of the 10.0% buffer still sits below today's SPY level. 345 days remained on Nov 4, 2026. On Oct 15, 2027 the period ends and a new cap is set.

PBNV

From its price on Nov 4, 2026, the fund can gain about 11.5% 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 1.4% 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. 361 days remained on Nov 4, 2026. On Oct 31, 2027 the period ends and a new cap is set.

Questions people ask

Which has more room to gain, FOCT or PBNV?
From their prices on Nov 4, 2026, FOCT can gain about 15.8% before its cap and PBNV about 11.5%, so FOCT has more room left this period.
Which resets first, FOCT or PBNV?
FOCT ends its outcome period on Oct 15, 2027 and PBNV on Oct 31, 2027. A new cap is set the day after each.
Which is cheaper, FOCT or PBNV?
FOCT charges 0.85% a year and PBNV charges 0.50%, so PBNV 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, FOCT against PBNV, data as of Nov 4, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/buffer/foct-vs-pbnv

Open data →

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