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Data as of Nov 4, 2026.

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Buffer ETFs

GOCT vs NOVP: Cap, Buffer & Days Left

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As of Nov 4, 2026 NOVP can fall 1.5% before its buffer engages and GOCT 1.3%, and GOCT resets 16 days sooner.

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Net assets: $453m on Nov 3, 2026 for FT Vest U.S. Equity Moderate Buffer ETF - October, and $43m on Nov 4, 2026 for PGIM S&P 500 Buffer 12 ETF - November.

GOCT on its own →NOVP on its own →
At a glance
1.3%
GOCT can fall this far before its buffer
1.5%
NOVP can fall this far before its buffer
12.7%
GOCT can still gain
14.8%
NOVP can still gain
GOCT Between buffer and cap
Between buffer and capGOCT: reference +0.5% since period start, fund +0.5%; buffer 0 to −15; cap +14.1%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.15 pts of buffer+13.6% more to the cap−15.0% floor0% period start+14.1% cap+0.5% gain capturedTODAY · SPY +0.5%Between buffer and capGOCT: reference +0.5% since period start, fund +0.5%; buffer 0 to −15; cap +14.1%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.15 pts−15.0% floor0% start+14.1% cap+0.5% gain captured+13.6% more to the capTODAY · SPY +0.5%

GOCT: reference +0.5% since period start, fund +0.5%; buffer 0 to −15; cap +14.1%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.

GOCT: reference +0.5% since period start, fund +0.5%; buffer 0 to −15; cap +14.1%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.
NOVP Between buffer and cap
Between buffer and capNOVP: reference +1.5% since period start, fund +1.0%; buffer 0 to −12; cap +16.4%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.12 pts of buffer+14.9% more to the cap−12.0% floor0% period start+16.4% cap+1.5% gain capturedTODAY · SPY +1.5%Between buffer and capNOVP: reference +1.5% since period start, fund +1.0%; buffer 0 to −12; cap +16.4%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.12 pts+14.9% to cap−12.0% floor0% start+16.4% cap+1.5% gain capturedTODAY · SPY +1.5%

NOVP: reference +1.5% since period start, fund +1.0%; buffer 0 to −12; cap +16.4%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.

NOVP: reference +1.5% since period start, fund +1.0%; buffer 0 to −12; cap +16.4%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.

Pair scorecard

NOVP costs 0.35 points a year less; their one-year returns differ by 0.7 points; GOCT is 11.0 times larger.

Points (pts) are percentage points.

GOCT vs NOVP: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
MeasureGOCTNOVP
Return
Total return, 1 year+11.2%+11.9%
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$453m$41m
Holdings
Holdings in commonnot published
ETFIQ Downside Cover Score · GOCT scores higher If the market falls into a bear market from here, how much does the buffer absorb?
IQ Buffer Score83.2GOCT57.5NOVP

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: GOCT vs NOVP: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
Total returnGap to the reference's price return
WindowGOCTNOVPGOCTNOVP
3 months+2.3%+0.9%+2.7 pts+1.2 pts
6 months+5.4%+4.7%+1.0 pts+0.2 pts
1 year+11.2%+11.9%−2.4 pts−1.7 pts
3 years+39.4%–−37.0 pts–
Since launchNot the same days: GOCT Oct 2023 · NOVP May 2024+42.2%+34.3%−40.2 pts−10.4 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

GOCT FT Vest U.S. Equity Moderate Buffer ETF - October · Absorbs the first 15% of loss on SPY and caps the gain at 14.1%, over a period ending Oct 15, 2027 NOVP PGIM S&P 500 Buffer 12 ETF - November · Absorbs the first 12% of loss on SPY and caps the gain at 16.4%, over a period ending Oct 31, 2027
Issuer First Trust PGIM
Reference index SPY SPY
Buffer 15% 12%
Outcome period Oct 19, 2026 to Oct 15, 2027 Nov 1, 2026 to Oct 31, 2027
Days left 345 361
Starting cap +14.1% +16.4%
Can still gain 12.7% 14.8%
Fall before buffer 1.3% 1.5%
Protection left, index points 15.0% of 15.0% 12.0% of 12.0%
Index return this period +0.5% +1.5%
Fund return this period +0.5% +1.0%
State today Open Open
Expense ratio 0.85% 0.50%
Net assets, GOCT as of Nov 3, 2026 and NOVP as of Nov 4, 2026 $453m $43m

As of Nov 4, 2026. Source: ETFIQ.

Where each one stands today

GOCT resets first, on Oct 15, 2027, 345 days from now; NOVP runs to Oct 31, 2027, 361 days. GOCT can still gain 12.7% before its cap, NOVP 14.8%. A fall from here reaches GOCT’s buffer after 1.3% and NOVP’s after 1.5%. Both track SPY, so what separates them is where each is in its own period.

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About each fund
GOCT

From its price on Nov 4, 2026, the fund can gain about 12.7% 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: 15.0% of the 15.0% 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.

NOVP

From its price on Nov 4, 2026, the fund can gain about 14.8% more before it reaches its cap. The fund's price can fall 1.5% 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: 12.0% of the 12.0% 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, GOCT or NOVP?
From their prices on Nov 4, 2026, GOCT can gain about 12.7% before its cap and NOVP about 14.8%, so NOVP has more room left this period.
Which resets first, GOCT or NOVP?
GOCT ends its outcome period on Oct 15, 2027 and NOVP on Oct 31, 2027. A new cap is set the day after each.
Which is cheaper, GOCT or NOVP?
GOCT charges 0.85% a year and NOVP charges 0.50%, so NOVP is cheaper. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.
Other comparisons
GOCT vs CPSNGOCT vs NVBUGOCT vs CPSOGOCT vs NVBTNOVP vs OCTMNOVP vs PBNVNOVP vs CPSNNOVP vs NVBU
Where to next
State Street® SPDR® S&P 500® ETF Trust →GOCT on its own →NOVP on its own →Method →Standards and sources →
Sources and dates
GOCT filings on SEC EDGAR ↗
First Trust page for GOCT ↗
NOVP filings on SEC EDGAR ↗
PGIM website ↗

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, GOCT against NOVP, data as of Nov 4, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/buffer/goct-vs-novp

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