Data as of Nov 4, 2026.

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Buffer ETFs

PBOC vs UOCT: Cap, Buffer & Days Left

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As of Nov 4, 2026 UOCT can fall 5.7% before its buffer engages and PBOC 1.2%.

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Net assets on Nov 4, 2026: $64m for PGIM S&P 500 Buffer 20 ETF - October and $271m for Innovator U.S. Equity Ultra Buffer ETF - Oct.

At a glance
1.2%
PBOC can fall this far before its buffer
5.7%
UOCT can fall this far before its buffer
11.6%
PBOC can still gain
14.4%
UOCT can still gain
PBOC Between buffer and cap
Between buffer and capPBOC: reference +0.6% since period start, fund +0.7%; buffer 0 to −20; cap +12.8%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.20 pts of buffer+12.3% more to the cap−20.0% floor0% period start+12.8% cap+0.6% gain capturedTODAY · SPY +0.6%Between buffer and capPBOC: reference +0.6% since period start, fund +0.7%; buffer 0 to −20; cap +12.8%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.20 pts−20.0% floor0% start+12.8% cap+0.6% gain captured+12.3% more to the capTODAY · SPY +0.6%

PBOC: reference +0.6% since period start, fund +0.7%; buffer 0 to −20; cap +12.8%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.

PBOC: reference +0.6% since period start, fund +0.7%; buffer 0 to −20; cap +12.8%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.
UOCT Between buffer and cap
Between buffer and capUOCT: reference +0.5% since period start, fund +0.7%; buffer −5 to −35; cap +15.3%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.30 pts of buffer+14.8% more to the cap−35.0% floor−5.0% buffer start0% period start+15.3% capfirst 5 pts are yours to lose+0.5% gain capturedTODAY · SPY +0.5%Between buffer and capUOCT: reference +0.5% since period start, fund +0.7%; buffer −5 to −35; cap +15.3%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.30 pts of buffer−35.0% floor−5.0% buffer start0% start+15.3% capfirst 5 pts are yours to lose+0.5% gain captured+14.8% more to the capTODAY · SPY +0.5%

UOCT: reference +0.5% since period start, fund +0.7%; buffer −5 to −35; cap +15.3%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.

UOCT: reference +0.5% since period start, fund +0.7%; buffer −5 to −35; cap +15.3%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.

Pair scorecard

PBOC costs 0.29 points a year less; their one-year returns differ by 0.3 points; UOCT is 4.2 times larger.

Points (pts) are percentage points.

PBOC vs UOCT: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
MeasurePBOCUOCT
Return
Total return, 1 year+10.0%+10.3%
Drawdown
Index fall to the buffer0.5%5.5%
Benchmark
What it tracksSPYSPY
Cost and size
Expense ratio0.50%0.79%
Net assets$64m$271m
Holdings
Holdings in commonnot published
ETFIQ Downside Cover Score · PBOC scores higher If the market falls into a bear market from here, how much does the buffer absorb?
IQ Buffer Score98.1PBOC72.1UOCT

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

May 24, 2024 to Oct 30, 2026 · 127 weekly returns · each against SPY
PBOC UOCT
Return
Total return edge PBOC (slight) +25.5% +24.3%
Annualized edge PBOC (slight) +9.7% +9.3%
Price return edge PBOC (slight) +25.5% +24.3%
Risk
Volatility edge PBOC (slight) 5.9% 6.3%
Max drawdown edge PBOC −7.1% −8.3%
Downside capture 40.8% 43.0%
Beta 0.39 0.40
Risk-adjusted
Sharpe edge PBOC 0.90 0.77
Sortino edge PBOC 1.35 1.19
Treynor 0.135 0.123
Calmar edge PBOC 1.38 1.12
Against the benchmark
Alpha +0.3% a year −0.1% a year
Alpha t-stat 0.40 −0.09
Information ratio −0.82 −0.85
Tracking error 9.0% 9.1%
Reading

From May 2024 to Oct 2026, PBOC returned slightly more: +25.5% to +24.3%. PBOC swung slightly less: 5.9% to 6.3%. PBOC fell less at its worst: −7.1% to −8.3%.

Full scorecard

19 measures, with how each is measured
Open ↓
Risk and return: PBOC vs UOCT: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
MeasurePBOCUOCTSPYEdgeHow it is measured
Return
Total return+25.5%+24.3%PBOC (slight)Price change plus distributions, reinvested.
Annualized+9.7%+9.3%PBOC (slight)Total return as a yearly rate.
Price return+25.5%+24.3%PBOC (slight)Price change alone, distributions left out.
Risk
Volatility5.9%6.3%PBOC (slight)Spread of weekly returns, annualized. Lower is steadier.
Downside deviation3.9%4.1%PBOC (slight)Like volatility, counting only weeks below the Treasury bill rate.
Max drawdown−7.1%−8.3%PBOCDeepest fall from a high to the low after it.
Upside capture31.5%32.0%100.0%TieShare of its benchmark's rise caught in the weeks it rose.
Downside capture40.8%43.0%100.0%PBOC (slight)Share of its benchmark's fall taken in the weeks it fell. Lower is better.
Beta0.390.401.00TieHow far it moves for each 1% its benchmark moves.
R squared0.950.861.00Not an edgeShare of its weekly moves its benchmark explains.
Risk-adjusted
Sharpe0.900.77PBOCReturn above Treasury bills per unit of volatility.
Sortino1.351.19PBOCReturn above Treasury bills per unit of downside deviation.
Treynor0.1350.1230.126PBOC (slight)Return above Treasury bills per unit of beta.
Calmar1.381.12PBOCAnnualized return divided by the max drawdown.
Against the benchmark
BenchmarkSPYSPYSPYThe ETF each fund is measured against.
Alpha+0.3% a year−0.1% a year0.0%Not significantYearly return beyond what its beta to the benchmark predicts.
Alpha t-stat0.40−0.09Not an edgeHow sure the alpha is. Below 2, it could be chance.
Alpha range−1.3% to +1.9%−3.2% to +2.9%Both include zeroThe 95% range for the yearly alpha.
Information ratio−0.82−0.85PBOC (slight)Return against its benchmark per unit of tracking error.
Tracking error9.0%9.1%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, 127 weekly returns. Cash rate: the 13-week Treasury bill.

Window by window

Window by window: PBOC vs UOCT: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
Total returnGap to the reference's price return
WindowPBOCUOCTPBOCUOCT
3 months+1.9%+1.9%+2.3 pts+2.3 pts
6 months+4.7%+5.1%+0.2 pts+0.6 pts
1 year+10.0%+10.3%−3.5 pts−3.3 pts
3 years–+37.9%–−38.5 pts
Since launchNot the same days: PBOC May 2024 · UOCT Oct 2018+26.4%+77.5%−18.4 pts−85.4 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

PBOC PGIM S&P 500 Buffer 20 ETF - October · Absorbs the first 20% of loss on SPY and caps the gain at 12.8%, over a period ending Sep 30, 2027 UOCT Innovator U.S. Equity Ultra Buffer ETF - Oct · Absorbs losses from 5.0% to 35.0% on SPY and caps the gain at 15.3%, over a period ending Sep 30, 2027
Reference index SPY SPY
Buffer 20% 5% to 35%
Outcome period Oct 1, 2026 to Sep 30, 2027 Sep 30, 2026 to Sep 30, 2027
Days left 330 330
Starting cap +12.8% +15.3%
Can still gain 11.6% 14.4%
Fall before buffer 1.2% 5.7%
Protection left, index points 20.0% of 20.0% 30.0% of 30.0%
Index return this period +0.6% +0.5%
Fund return this period +0.7% +0.7%
State today Open Open
Expense ratio 0.50% 0.79%
Net assets $64m $271m

As of Nov 4, 2026. Source: ETFIQ.

Where each one stands today

PBOC resets first, on Sep 30, 2027, 330 days from now; UOCT runs to Sep 30, 2027, 330 days. PBOC can still gain 11.6% before its cap, UOCT 14.4%. A fall from here reaches PBOC’s buffer after 1.2% and UOCT’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
PBOC

From its price on Nov 4, 2026, the fund can gain about 11.6% 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 0.5% 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. 330 days remained on Nov 4, 2026. On Sep 30, 2027 the period ends and a new cap is set.

UOCT

From its price on Nov 4, 2026, the fund can gain about 14.4% 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 5.5% 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, PBOC or UOCT?
From their prices on Nov 4, 2026, PBOC can gain about 11.6% before its cap and UOCT about 14.4%, so UOCT has more room left this period.
Which resets first, PBOC or UOCT?
PBOC ends its outcome period on Sep 30, 2027 and UOCT on Sep 30, 2027. A new cap is set the day after each.
Which is cheaper, PBOC or UOCT?
PBOC charges 0.50% a year and UOCT charges 0.79%, so PBOC is cheaper. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.
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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, PBOC against UOCT, data as of Nov 4, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/buffer/pboc-vs-uoct

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