Data as of Nov 4, 2026.

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Buffer ETFs

FOCT vs UNOV: Cap, Buffer & Days Left

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As of Nov 4, 2026 UNOV can fall 5.7% before its buffer engages and FOCT 1.3%, and FOCT resets 16 days sooner.

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Net assets: $1.3bn on Nov 3, 2026 for FT Vest U.S. Equity Buffer ETF - October, and $112m on Nov 4, 2026 for Innovator U.S. Equity Ultra Buffer ETF - Nov.

At a glance
1.3%
FOCT can fall this far before its buffer
5.7%
UNOV can fall this far before its buffer
15.8%
FOCT can still gain
13.6%
UNOV 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.−10.0% floor0% start+17.2% cap10 pts of buffer+0.5% gain captured+16.7% more to the capTODAY · 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.
UNOV Between buffer and cap
Between buffer and capUNOV: reference +1.4% since period start, fund +0.7%; buffer −5 to −35; cap +14.5%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.30 pts of buffer+13% more to the cap−35.0% floor−5.0% buffer start0% period start+14.5% capfirst 5 pts are yours to lose+1.4% gain capturedTODAY · SPY +1.4%Between buffer and capUNOV: reference +1.4% since period start, fund +0.7%; buffer −5 to −35; cap +14.5%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.30 pts of buffer−35.0% floor−5.0% buffer start0% start+14.5% capfirst 5 pts are yours to lose+1.4% gain captured+13% more to the capTODAY · SPY +1.4%

UNOV: reference +1.4% since period start, fund +0.7%; buffer −5 to −35; cap +14.5%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.

UNOV: reference +1.4% since period start, fund +0.7%; buffer −5 to −35; cap +14.5%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.

Pair scorecard

UNOV costs 0.06 points a year less; their one-year returns differ by 2.4 points; FOCT is 12.1 times larger.

Points (pts) are percentage points.

FOCT vs UNOV: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
MeasureFOCTUNOV
Return
Total return, 1 year+13.7%+11.3%
Drawdown
Index fall to the buffer0.5%6.3%
Benchmark
What it tracksSPYSPY
Cost and size
Expense ratio0.85%0.79%
Net assets, as of Nov 3, 2026$1.3bn$107m
Holdings
Holdings in commonnot published
ETFIQ Downside Cover Score · UNOV scores higher If the market falls into a bear market from here, how much does the buffer absorb?
IQ Buffer Score38.7FOCT71.7UNOV

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

Risk and return

Oct 30, 2020 to Oct 30, 2026 · 313 weekly returns · each against SPY
FOCT UNOV
Return
Total return edge FOCT +89.9% +52.0%
Annualized edge FOCT +11.2% +7.2%
Price return edge FOCT +89.9% +52.0%
Risk
Volatility edge UNOV 10.0% 6.3%
Max drawdown edge UNOV −13.7% −8.3%
Downside capture 66.0% 41.8%
Beta 0.61 0.35
Risk-adjusted
Sharpe edge FOCT 0.79 0.61
Sortino edge FOCT 1.22 0.92
Treynor 0.130 0.111
Calmar edge UNOV (slight) 0.82 0.87
Against the benchmark
Alpha −0.2% a year −0.8% a year
Alpha t-stat −0.15 −0.59
Information ratio −0.79 −0.87
Tracking error 6.8% 10.7%
Reading

From Oct 2020 to Oct 2026, FOCT returned more: +89.9% to +52.0%. UNOV swung less: 6.3% to 10.0%. UNOV fell less at its worst: −8.3% to −13.7%.

Full scorecard

19 measures, with how each is measured
Open ↓
Risk and return: FOCT vs UNOV: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
MeasureFOCTUNOVSPYEdgeHow it is measured
Return
Total return+89.9%+52.0%FOCTPrice change plus distributions, reinvested.
Annualized+11.2%+7.2%FOCTTotal return as a yearly rate.
Price return+89.9%+52.0%FOCTPrice change alone, distributions left out.
Risk
Volatility10.0%6.3%UNOVSpread of weekly returns, annualized. Lower is steadier.
Downside deviation6.4%4.2%UNOVLike volatility, counting only weeks below the Treasury bill rate.
Max drawdown−13.7%−8.3%UNOVDeepest fall from a high to the low after it.
Upside capture49.1%26.4%100.0%FOCTShare of its benchmark's rise caught in the weeks it rose.
Downside capture66.0%41.8%100.0%UNOVShare of its benchmark's fall taken in the weeks it fell. Lower is better.
Beta0.610.351.00UNOV lowerHow far it moves for each 1% its benchmark moves.
R squared0.920.761.00Not an edgeShare of its weekly moves its benchmark explains.
Risk-adjusted
Sharpe0.790.61FOCTReturn above Treasury bills per unit of volatility.
Sortino1.220.92FOCTReturn above Treasury bills per unit of downside deviation.
Treynor0.1300.1110.133FOCTReturn above Treasury bills per unit of beta.
Calmar0.820.87UNOV (slight)Annualized return divided by the max drawdown.
Against the benchmark
BenchmarkSPYSPYSPYThe ETF each fund is measured against.
Alpha−0.2% a year−0.8% a year0.0%Not significantYearly return beyond what its beta to the benchmark predicts.
Alpha t-stat−0.15−0.59Not an edgeHow sure the alpha is. Below 2, it could be chance.
Alpha range−2.5% to +2.2%−3.3% to +1.8%Both include zeroThe 95% range for the yearly alpha.
Information ratio−0.79−0.87FOCTReturn 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, 313 weekly returns. Cash rate: the 13-week Treasury bill.

Window by window

Window by window: FOCT vs UNOV: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
Total returnGap to the reference's price return
WindowFOCTUNOVFOCTUNOV
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%+11.3%+0.1 pts−2.2 pts
3 years+49.2%+38.3%−27.2 pts−38.1 pts
Since launchNot the same days: FOCT Oct 2020 · UNOV Nov 2019+85.0%+63.5%−39.2 pts−87.0 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

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 UNOV Innovator U.S. Equity Ultra Buffer ETF - Nov · Absorbs losses from 5.0% to 35.0% on SPY and caps the gain at 14.5%, over a period ending Oct 31, 2027
Reference index SPY SPY
Buffer 10% 5% to 35%
Outcome period Oct 19, 2026 to Oct 15, 2027 Oct 31, 2026 to Oct 31, 2027
Days left 345 361
Starting cap +17.2% +14.5%
Can still gain 15.8% 13.6%
Fall before buffer 1.3% 5.7%
Protection left, index points 10.0% of 10.0% 30.0% of 30.0%
Index return this period +0.5% +1.4%
Fund return this period +0.5% +0.7%
State today Open Open
Expense ratio 0.85% 0.79%
Net assets, FOCT as of Nov 3, 2026 and UNOV as of Nov 4, 2026 $1.3bn $112m

As of Nov 4, 2026. Source: ETFIQ.

Where each one stands today

FOCT resets first, on Oct 15, 2027, 345 days from now; UNOV runs to Oct 31, 2027, 361 days. FOCT can still gain 15.8% before its cap, UNOV 13.6%. A fall from here reaches FOCT’s buffer after 1.3% and UNOV’s after 5.7%. Both track SPY, so what separates them is where each is in its own period.

Client brief:

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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.

UNOV

From its price on Nov 4, 2026, the fund can gain about 13.6% more before it reaches its cap. The fund's price can fall 5.7% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's number. In index terms, SPY can fall 6.3% 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. 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 UNOV?
From their prices on Nov 4, 2026, FOCT can gain about 15.8% before its cap and UNOV about 13.6%, so FOCT has more room left this period.
Which resets first, FOCT or UNOV?
FOCT ends its outcome period on Oct 15, 2027 and UNOV on Oct 31, 2027. A new cap is set the day after each.
Which is cheaper, FOCT or UNOV?
FOCT charges 0.85% a year and UNOV charges 0.79%, so UNOV 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

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.

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ETFIQ, FOCT against UNOV, data as of Nov 4, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/buffer/foct-vs-unov

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