Data as of Nov 4, 2026.

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

PBNV vs ZNOV: Cap, Buffer & Days Left

Share
Share on XDownload as PDF

As of Nov 4, 2026 PBNV can fall 1.2% before its buffer engages and ZNOV 0.4%.

askIQ about this page

askIQ about PBNV and ZNOV

Net assets on Nov 4, 2026: $42m for PGIM S&P 500 Buffer 20 ETF - November and $152m for Innovator Equity Defined Protection ETF - 1 Yr November.

At a glance
1.2%
PBNV can fall this far before its buffer
0.4%
ZNOV can fall this far before its buffer
11.5%
PBNV can still gain
8.3%
ZNOV can still gain
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% to 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−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.
ZNOV Full floor
Full floorZNOV: reference +1.4% since period start, fund +0.4%; buffer Floor; cap +8.7%; Full floor. Data to Nov 4, 2026.full floor beneath+7.3% to capfull floor0% period start+8.7% cap+1.4% gain capturedTODAY · SPY +1.4%Full floorZNOV: reference +1.4% since period start, fund +0.4%; buffer Floor; cap +8.7%; Full floor. Data to Nov 4, 2026.full floor beneathfull floor0% start+8.7% cap+1.4% gain captured+7.3% more to the capTODAY · SPY +1.4%

ZNOV: reference +1.4% since period start, fund +0.4%; buffer Floor; cap +8.7%; Full floor. Data to Nov 4, 2026.

Data to Nov 4, 2026.

Pair scorecard

PBNV costs 0.29 points a year less; their one-year returns differ by 4.7 points; ZNOV is 3.6 times larger.

Points (pts) are percentage points.

PBNV vs ZNOV: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
MeasurePBNVZNOV
Return
Total return, 1 year+11.2%+6.5%
Drawdown
Index fall to the buffer1.4%
Benchmark
What it tracksSPYSPY
Cost and size
Expense ratio0.50%0.79%
Net assets$42m$152m
Holdings
Holdings in commonnot published

Method

Risk and return

Nov 8, 2024 to Oct 30, 2026 · 103 weekly returns · each against SPY
PBNV ZNOV
Return
Total return edge PBNV +19.5% +12.3%
Annualized edge PBNV +9.4% +6.0%
Price return edge PBNV +19.5% +12.3%
Risk
Volatility edge ZNOV 6.2% 3.0%
Max drawdown edge ZNOV −7.2% −3.1%
Downside capture 40.9% 17.0%
Beta 0.41 0.19
Risk-adjusted
Sharpe edge PBNV 0.83 0.63
Sortino edge PBNV 1.25 0.94
Treynor 0.125 0.100
Calmar edge ZNOV 1.30 1.97
Against the benchmark
Alpha +1.0% a year 0.0% a year
Alpha t-stat 1.06 −0.01
Information ratio −0.55 −0.68
Tracking error 8.8% 12.0%
Reading

From Nov 2024 to Oct 2026, PBNV returned more: +19.5% to +12.3%. ZNOV swung less: 3.0% to 6.2%. ZNOV fell less at its worst: −3.1% to −7.2%.

Full scorecard

19 measures, with how each is measured
Open ↓
Risk and return: PBNV vs ZNOV: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
MeasurePBNVZNOVSPYEdgeHow it is measured
Return
Total return+19.5%+12.3%PBNVPrice change plus distributions, reinvested.
Annualized+9.4%+6.0%PBNVTotal return as a yearly rate.
Price return+19.5%+12.3%PBNVPrice change alone, distributions left out.
Risk
Volatility6.2%3.0%ZNOVSpread of weekly returns, annualized. Lower is steadier.
Downside deviation4.1%2.0%ZNOVLike volatility, counting only weeks below the Treasury bill rate.
Max drawdown−7.2%−3.1%ZNOVDeepest fall from a high to the low after it.
Upside capture32.9%15.2%100.0%PBNVShare of its benchmark's rise caught in the weeks it rose.
Downside capture40.9%17.0%100.0%ZNOVShare of its benchmark's fall taken in the weeks it fell. Lower is better.
Beta0.410.191.00ZNOV lowerHow far it moves for each 1% its benchmark moves.
R squared0.950.871.00Not an edgeShare of its weekly moves its benchmark explains.
Risk-adjusted
Sharpe0.830.63PBNVReturn above Treasury bills per unit of volatility.
Sortino1.250.94PBNVReturn above Treasury bills per unit of downside deviation.
Treynor0.1250.1000.100PBNVReturn above Treasury bills per unit of beta.
Calmar1.301.97ZNOVAnnualized return divided by the max drawdown.
Against the benchmark
BenchmarkSPYSPYSPYThe ETF each fund is measured against.
Alpha+1.0% a year0.0% a year0.0%Not significantYearly return beyond what its beta to the benchmark predicts.
Alpha t-stat1.06−0.01Not an edgeHow sure the alpha is. Below 2, it could be chance.
Alpha range−0.9% to +2.9%−1.5% to +1.5%Both include zeroThe 95% range for the yearly alpha.
Information ratio−0.55−0.68PBNVReturn against its benchmark per unit of tracking error.
Tracking error8.8%12.0%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, 103 weekly returns. Cash rate: the 13-week Treasury bill.

Window by window

Window by window: PBNV vs ZNOV: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
Total returnGap to the reference's price return
WindowPBNVZNOVPBNVZNOV
3 months+2.6%+1.9%+3.0 pts+2.3 pts
6 months+5.7%+3.6%+1.2 pts−0.9 pts
1 year+11.2%+6.5%−2.4 pts−7.0 pts
Since launchNot the same days: PBNV May 2024 · ZNOV Nov 2024+29.2%+13.4%−15.5 pts−20.9 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

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 ZNOV Innovator Equity Defined Protection ETF - 1 Yr November · Absorbs the whole loss on SPY and caps the gain at 8.7%, over a period ending Oct 31, 2027
Reference index SPY SPY
Buffer 20% 100%
Outcome period Nov 1, 2026 to Oct 31, 2027 Oct 31, 2026 to Oct 31, 2027
Days left 361 361
Starting cap +12.7% +8.7%
Can still gain 11.5% 8.3%
Fall before buffer 1.2% 0.4%
Protection left, index points 20.0% of 20.0% 100.0% of 100.0%
Index return this period +1.5% +1.4%
Fund return this period +0.7% +0.4%
State today Open Open
Expense ratio 0.50% 0.79%
Net assets $42m $152m

As of Nov 4, 2026. Source: ETFIQ.

These are two different products. ZNOV is a floor fund, which caps how far a holder can fall. PBNV is a buffer fund, which absorbs the first part of a fall and leaves everything below it with the holder.

Where each one stands today

PBNV resets first, on Oct 31, 2027, 361 days from now; ZNOV runs to Oct 31, 2027, 361 days. PBNV can still gain 11.5% before its cap, ZNOV 8.3%. A fall from here reaches PBNV’s buffer after 1.2% and ZNOV’s after 0.4%. Both track SPY, so what separates them is where each is in its own period.

Client brief:

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

PBNV and ZNOV flows, by email on Sundays.

One-click unsubscribe. See Privacy.

About each fund
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.

ZNOV

From its price on Nov 4, 2026, the fund can gain about 8.3% more before it reaches its cap. The fund's price can fall 0.4% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's number. Protection left, in index points: 100.0% of the 100.0% buffer still sits below today's SPY level.

Questions people ask

Which has more room to gain, PBNV or ZNOV?
From their prices on Nov 4, 2026, PBNV can gain about 11.5% before its cap and ZNOV about 8.3%, so PBNV has more room left this period.
Which resets first, PBNV or ZNOV?
PBNV ends its outcome period on Oct 31, 2027 and ZNOV on Oct 31, 2027. A new cap is set the day after each.
Which is cheaper, PBNV or ZNOV?
PBNV charges 0.50% a year and ZNOV charges 0.79%, 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

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, PBNV against ZNOV, data as of Nov 4, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/buffer/pbnv-vs-znov

Open data →

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