Data as of .
PBMY vs UMAY: which one stands where?
As of Sep 21, 2026 UMAY can fall 9.2% before its buffer engages and PBMY 4.4%.
ETFIQ Downside Cover Score: PBMY scores higher
If the market falls into a bear market from here, how much does the buffer absorb?
A percentile among the 293 buffer ETFs with a live outcome period. It is a position in a set, not a rating, and neither end of it is a recommendation. All buffer ETFs ranked by it · How it is computed
Where each one stands today
PBMY resets first, on Apr 30, 2027, 221 days from now; UMAY runs to Apr 30, 2027, 221 days. PBMY can still gain 6.4% before its cap, UMAY 7.6%. A fall from here reaches PBMY’s buffer after 4.4% and UMAY’s after 9.2%. Both track SPY, so what separates them is where each is in its own period.
Every figure is ETFIQ’s own, from the issuer’s published outcome-period terms. A buffer ETF holds FLEX options on its reference index rather than shares, so there is no holdings overlap between two of them to report.
Performance, window by window
| Window | Total return | Gap to the reference | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PBMY | UMAY | PBMY | UMAY | |
| 3 months | +1.9% | +1.9% | −0.4 pts | −0.4 pts |
| 6 months | +5.4% | +5.7% | −12.6 pts | −12.4 pts |
| 1 year | +7.9% | +8.0% | −8.7 pts | −8.6 pts |
| 3 years | not published | +37.6% | not published | −40.8 pts |
| PBMY PGIM S&P 500 Buffer 20 ETF - May Absorbs the first 20% of loss on SPY and caps the gain at 11.3%, over a period ending Apr 30, 2027 | UMAY Innovator U.S. Equity Ultra Buffer ETF - May Absorbs losses from 5.0% to 35.0% on SPY and caps the gain at 12.5%, over a period ending Apr 30, 2027 | |
|---|---|---|
| Issuer | PGIM | Innovator |
| Reference index | SPY | SPY |
| Buffer | 20% | 5% to 35% |
| Outcome period | May 1, 2026 to Apr 30, 2027 | Apr 30, 2026 to Apr 30, 2027 |
| Days left | 221 | 221 |
| Starting cap | +11.3% | +12.5% |
| Can still gain | 6.4% | 7.6% |
| Fall before buffer | 4.4% | 9.2% |
| Protection left, index points | 20.0% of 20.0% | 30.0% of 30.0% |
| Index return this period | +7.7% | +7.7% |
| Fund return this period | +4.1% | +4.3% |
| State today | Open | Open |
| Expense ratio | 0.50% | 0.79% |
| Net assets | $38m | $139m |
PBMY in plain words
From its price on Sep 21, 2026, the fund can gain about 6.4% more before it reaches its cap. The fund's price can fall 4.4% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's figure. In index terms, SPY can fall 7.1% 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. 221 days remained on Sep 21, 2026. On Apr 30, 2027 the period ends and a new cap is set.
UMAY in plain words
From its price on Sep 21, 2026, the fund can gain about 7.6% more before it reaches its cap. The fund's price can fall 9.2% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's figure. In index terms, SPY can fall 11.8% 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.
Questions people ask
- Which has more room to gain, PBMY or UMAY?
- From their prices on Sep 21, 2026, PBMY can gain about 6.4% before its cap and UMAY about 7.6%, so UMAY has more room left this period.
- Which resets first, PBMY or UMAY?
- PBMY ends its outcome period on Apr 30, 2027 and UMAY on Apr 30, 2027. A new cap is set the day after each.
- Which is cheaper, PBMY or UMAY?
- PBMY charges 0.50% a year and UMAY charges 0.79%, so PBMY is cheaper. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.
Other comparisons
Where these figures came from
ETFIQ links to the documents behind every figure. It is not affiliated with any issuer, and a link is not an endorsement.
Cite this page. ETFIQ, PBMY against UMAY, data as of Sep 21, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/buffer/pbmy-vs-umay Free to use with attribution; the underlying files are at Open data.