Data as of Oct 28, 2026.

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

GJAN vs POCT: Cap, Buffer & Days Left

Share
Share on XDownload as PDF

As of Oct 28, 2026 GJAN can fall 8.2% before its buffer engages and POCT 1.1%, and GJAN resets 258 days sooner.

askIQ about this page

askIQ about GJAN and POCT

Net assets: $438m on Oct 27, 2026 for FT Vest U.S. Equity Moderate Buffer ETF - January, and $1.1bn on Oct 28, 2026 for Innovator U.S. Equity Power Buffer ETF - Oct.

At a glance
8.2%
GJAN can fall this far before its buffer
1.1%
POCT can fall this far before its buffer
2.8%
GJAN can still gain
14.4%
POCT can still gain
GJAN Between buffer and cap
Between buffer and capGJAN: reference +11.7% since period start, fund +8.0%; buffer 0 to −15; cap +11.8%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Oct 28, 2026.15 pts of buffer+11.7% gain captured−15.0% floor0% period start+11.8% cap+0.2% more to the capTODAY · SPY +11.7%Between buffer and capGJAN: reference +11.7% since period start, fund +8.0%; buffer 0 to −15; cap +11.8%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Oct 28, 2026.15 pts+11.7%−15.0% floor0% start+11.8% cap+0.2% more to the capTODAY · SPY +11.7%

GJAN: reference +11.7% since period start, fund +8.0%; buffer 0 to −15; cap +11.8%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Oct 28, 2026.

GJAN: reference +11.7% since period start, fund +8.0%; buffer 0 to −15; cap +11.8%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Oct 28, 2026.
POCT Between buffer and cap
Between buffer and capPOCT: reference +1.2% since period start, fund +1.0%; buffer 0 to −15; cap +15.6%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Oct 28, 2026.15 pts of buffer+14.4% more to the cap−15.0% floor0% period start+15.6% cap+1.2% gain capturedTODAY · SPY +1.2%Between buffer and capPOCT: reference +1.2% since period start, fund +1.0%; buffer 0 to −15; cap +15.6%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Oct 28, 2026.15 pts+14.4% to cap−15.0% floor0% start+15.6% cap+1.2% gain capturedTODAY · SPY +1.2%

POCT: reference +1.2% since period start, fund +1.0%; buffer 0 to −15; cap +15.6%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Oct 28, 2026.

Data to Oct 28, 2026.

Pair scorecard

POCT costs 0.06 points a year less; their one-year returns differ by 0.2 points; POCT is 2.5 times larger.

Points (pts) are percentage points.

GJAN vs POCT: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
MeasureGJANPOCT
Return
Total return, 1 year+10.5%+10.7%
Drawdown
Index fall to the buffer10.4%1.2%
Benchmark
What it tracksSPYSPY
Cost and size
Expense ratio0.85%0.79%
Net assets, as of Oct 27, 2026$438m$1.1bn
Holdings
Holdings in commonnot published
ETFIQ Downside Cover Score · POCT scores higher If the market falls into a bear market from here, how much does the buffer absorb?
IQ Buffer Score56.3GJAN86.1POCT

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

0.2, the lowest in this set 99.8, the highest

A percentile among the 292 buffer ETFs on stocks with a live outcome period. 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

Feb 3, 2023 to Oct 23, 2026 · 194 weekly returns · each against SPY
GJAN POCT
Return
Total return edge POCT (slight) +49.9% +52.1%
Annualized edge POCT (slight) +11.5% +11.9%
Price return edge POCT (slight) +49.9% +52.1%
Risk
Volatility edge POCT (slight) 6.9% 6.6%
Max drawdown edge POCT (slight) −9.3% −9.1%
Downside capture 46.7% 43.4%
Beta 0.46 0.44
Risk-adjusted
Sharpe edge POCT (slight) 0.94 1.04
Sortino edge POCT 1.41 1.58
Treynor 0.140 0.155
Calmar edge POCT (slight) 1.23 1.30
Against the benchmark
Alpha 0.0% a year +0.7% a year
Alpha t-stat −0.02 0.52
Information ratio −0.96 −0.88
Tracking error 7.9% 8.2%
Reading

POCT returned slightly more: +52.1% to +49.9%. POCT swung slightly less: 6.6% to 6.9%. POCT fell slightly less at its worst: −9.1% to −9.3%.

Full scorecard

19 measures, with how each is measured
Open ↓
Risk and return: GJAN vs POCT: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
MeasureGJANPOCTSPYEdgeHow it is measured
Return
Total return+49.9%+52.1%POCT (slight)Price change plus distributions, reinvested.
Annualized+11.5%+11.9%POCT (slight)Total return as a yearly rate.
Price return+49.9%+52.1%POCT (slight)Price change alone, distributions left out.
Risk
Volatility6.9%6.6%POCT (slight)Spread of weekly returns, annualized. Lower is steadier.
Downside deviation4.6%4.3%POCT (slight)Like volatility, counting only weeks below the Treasury bill rate.
Max drawdown−9.3%−9.1%POCT (slight)Deepest fall from a high to the low after it.
Upside capture36.8%35.8%100.0%GJAN (slight)Share of its benchmark's rise caught in the weeks it rose.
Downside capture46.7%43.4%100.0%POCT (slight)Share of its benchmark's fall taken in the weeks it fell. Lower is better.
Beta0.460.441.00POCT lowerHow far it moves for each 1% its benchmark moves.
R squared0.890.871.00Not an edgeShare of its weekly moves its benchmark explains.
Risk-adjusted
Sharpe0.941.04POCT (slight)Return above Treasury bills per unit of volatility.
Sortino1.411.58POCTReturn above Treasury bills per unit of downside deviation.
Treynor0.1400.1550.141POCT (slight)Return above Treasury bills per unit of beta.
Calmar1.231.30POCT (slight)Annualized return divided by the max drawdown.
Against the benchmark
BenchmarkSPYSPYSPYThe ETF each fund is measured against.
Alpha0.0% a year+0.7% a year0.0%Not significantYearly return beyond what its beta to the benchmark predicts.
Alpha t-stat−0.020.52Not an edgeHow sure the alpha is. Below 2, it could be chance.
Alpha range−2.4% to +2.4%−1.8% to +3.1%Both include zeroThe 95% range for the yearly alpha.
Information ratio−0.96−0.88POCT (slight)Return against its benchmark per unit of tracking error.
Tracking error7.9%8.2%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, 194 weekly returns. Cash rate: the 13-week Treasury bill.

Window by window

Window by window: GJAN vs POCT: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
Total returnGap to the reference's price return
WindowGJANPOCTGJANPOCT
3 months+3.9%+4.6%−2.0 pts−1.3 pts
6 months+6.0%+6.8%−2.6 pts−1.7 pts
1 year+10.5%+10.7%−1.9 pts−1.7 pts
3 years+48.3%+45.4%−39.8 pts−42.7 pts
Since launchNot the same days: GJAN Jan 2023 · POCT Oct 2018+52.9%+100.9%−39.9 pts−63.8 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

GJAN FT Vest U.S. Equity Moderate Buffer ETF - January · Absorbs the first 15% of loss on SPY and caps the gain at 11.8%, over a period ending Jan 15, 2027 POCT Innovator U.S. Equity Power Buffer ETF - Oct · Absorbs the first 15% of loss on SPY and caps the gain at 15.6%, over a period ending Sep 30, 2027
Reference index SPY SPY
Buffer 15% 15%
Outcome period Jan 20, 2026 to Jan 15, 2027 Sep 30, 2026 to Sep 30, 2027
Days left 79 337
Starting cap +11.8% +15.6%
Can still gain 2.8% 14.4%
Fall before buffer 8.2% 1.1%
Protection left, index points 15.0% of 15.0% 15.0% of 15.0%
Index return this period +11.7% +1.2%
Fund return this period +8.0% +1.0%
State today Open Open
Expense ratio 0.85% 0.79%
Net assets, GJAN as of Oct 27, 2026 and POCT as of Oct 28, 2026 $438m $1.1bn

As of Oct 28, 2026. Source: ETFIQ.

They do not reset together. GJAN has 79 days of its period left and POCT has 337, so the two are not the same bet on the same months.

Where each one stands today

GJAN resets first, on Jan 15, 2027, 79 days from now; POCT runs to Sep 30, 2027, 337 days. GJAN can still gain 2.8% before its cap, POCT 14.4%. A fall from here reaches GJAN’s buffer after 8.2% and POCT’s after 1.1%. Both track SPY, so what separates them is where each is in its own period.

Client brief · page 1 of 2 Report BR-B2DBDFA47D

GJAN and POCT are built for the same job. How do they differ in cost, holdings and results?

  1. Protection and cap. GJAN: Absorbs the first 15% of loss on SPY and caps the gain at 11.8%, over a period ending Jan 15, 2027. POCT: Absorbs the first 15% of loss on SPY and caps the gain at 15.6%, over a period ending Sep 30, 2027. The starting caps are 3.8 points apart.
  2. Outcome period. GJAN runs Jan 20, 2026 to Jan 15, 2027 with 79 days left; POCT runs Sep 30, 2026 to Sep 30, 2027 with 337 days left.
  3. What each follows (similar). Both follow SPY.

Data as of Oct 28, 2026.

The two-page PDF for this pair is coming. Save the comparison to follow its changes. Free. It needs an email sign-in, once.

Your saved page · Privacy.

Alert

GJAN and POCT flows, by email on Sundays.

One-click unsubscribe. See Privacy.

About each fund
GJAN

From its price on Oct 28, 2026, the fund can gain about 2.8% more before it reaches its cap. The fund's price can fall 8.2% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's number. In index terms, SPY can fall 10.4% from today's level to the point where the buffer begins. Protection left, in index points: 15.0% of the 15.0% buffer still sits below today's SPY level. 79 days remained on Oct 28, 2026. On Jan 15, 2027 the period ends and a new cap is set.

POCT

From its price on Oct 28, 2026, the fund can gain about 14.4% more before it reaches its cap. The fund's price can fall 1.1% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's number. In index terms, SPY can fall 1.2% from today's level to the point where the buffer begins. 337 days remained on Oct 28, 2026. On Sep 30, 2027 the period ends and a new cap is set.

Questions people ask

Which has more room to gain, GJAN or POCT?
From their prices on Oct 28, 2026, GJAN can gain about 2.8% before its cap and POCT about 14.4%, so POCT has more room left this period.
Which resets first, GJAN or POCT?
GJAN ends its outcome period on Jan 15, 2027 and POCT on Sep 30, 2027. A new cap is set the day after each.
Which is cheaper, GJAN or POCT?
GJAN charges 0.85% a year and POCT charges 0.79%, so POCT 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, GJAN against POCT, data as of Oct 28, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/buffer/gjan-vs-poct

Open data →

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