Data as of Nov 4, 2026.

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Buffer ETFs

PBSE vs SEPW: Cap, Buffer & Days Left

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As of Nov 4, 2026 SEPW can fall 1.4% before its buffer engages and PBSE 1.2%.

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Net assets: $50m on Nov 4, 2026 for PGIM S&P 500 Buffer 20 ETF - September , and $211m on Nov 3, 2026 for AllianzIM U.S. Equity Buffer20 ETF - Sep.

At a glance
1.2%
PBSE can fall this far before its buffer
1.4%
SEPW can fall this far before its buffer
11.1%
PBSE can still gain
10.9%
SEPW can still gain
PBSE Buffer working
Buffer workingPBSE: reference 0.0% since period start, fund +0.7%; buffer 0 to −20; cap +12.3%; Buffer working. Data to Nov 4, 2026.20 of 20 pts of buffer left+12.3% more to the cap−20.0% floor0% period start+12.3% capTODAY · SPY 0.0%Buffer workingPBSE: reference 0.0% since period start, fund +0.7%; buffer 0 to −20; cap +12.3%; Buffer working. Data to Nov 4, 2026.20 of 20 pts left−20.0% floor0% start+12.3% cap+12.3% more to the capTODAY · SPY 0.0%

PBSE: reference 0.0% since period start, fund +0.7%; buffer 0 to −20; cap +12.3%; Buffer working. Data to Nov 4, 2026.

PBSE: reference 0.0% since period start, fund +0.7%; buffer 0 to −20; cap +12.3%; Buffer working. Data to Nov 4, 2026.
SEPW Buffer working
Buffer workingSEPW: reference 0.0% since period start, fund +0.6%; buffer 0 to −20; cap +12.3%; Buffer working. Data to Nov 4, 2026.20 of 20 pts of buffer left+12.3% more to the cap−20.0% floor0% period start+12.3% capTODAY · SPY 0.0%Buffer workingSEPW: reference 0.0% since period start, fund +0.6%; buffer 0 to −20; cap +12.3%; Buffer working. Data to Nov 4, 2026.20 of 20 pts left−20.0% floor0% start+12.3% cap+12.3% more to the capTODAY · SPY 0.0%

SEPW: reference 0.0% since period start, fund +0.6%; buffer 0 to −20; cap +12.3%; Buffer working. Data to Nov 4, 2026.

Data to Nov 4, 2026.

Pair scorecard

PBSE costs 0.24 points a year less; their one-year returns differ by 0.4 points; SEPW is 4.2 times larger.

Points (pts) are percentage points.

PBSE vs SEPW: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
MeasurePBSESEPW
Return
Total return, 1 year+8.5%+8.1%
Benchmark
What it tracksSPYSPY
Cost and size
Expense ratio0.50%0.74%
Net assets, as of Nov 3, 2026$50m$211m
Holdings
Holdings in commonnot published
ETFIQ Downside Cover Score · PBSE scores higher If the market falls into a bear market from here, how much does the buffer absorb?
IQ Buffer Score97.8PBSE97.1SEPW

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: PBSE vs SEPW: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
Total returnGap to the reference's price return
WindowPBSESEPWPBSESEPW
3 months+1.0%+1.0%+1.4 pts+1.4 pts
6 months+3.5%+3.4%−1.0 pts−1.0 pts
1 year+8.5%+8.1%−5.0 pts−5.4 pts
3 years–+37.7%–−38.7 pts
Since launchNot the same days: PBSE May 2024 · SEPW Sep 2023+25.5%+35.9%−19.2 pts−34.1 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

PBSE PGIM S&P 500 Buffer 20 ETF - September · Absorbs the first 20% of loss on SPY and caps the gain at 12.3%, over a period ending Aug 31, 2027 SEPW AllianzIM U.S. Equity Buffer20 ETF - Sep · Absorbs the first 20% of loss on SPY and caps the gain at 12.3%, over a period ending Aug 31, 2027
Reference index SPY SPY
Buffer 20% 20%
Outcome period Sep 1, 2026 to Aug 31, 2027 Sep 1, 2026 to Aug 31, 2027
Days left 300 300
Starting cap +12.3% +12.3%
Can still gain 11.1% 10.9%
Fall before buffer 1.2% 1.4%
Protection left, index points 20.0% of 20.0% 20.0% of 20.0%
Index return this period 0.0% 0.0%
Fund return this period +0.7% +0.6%
State today Buffer working Buffer working
Expense ratio 0.50% 0.74%
Net assets, PBSE as of Nov 4, 2026 and SEPW as of Nov 3, 2026 $50m $211m

As of Nov 4, 2026. Source: ETFIQ.

Where each one stands today

PBSE resets first, on Aug 31, 2027, 300 days from now; SEPW runs to Aug 31, 2027, 300 days. PBSE can still gain 11.1% before its cap, SEPW 10.9%. A fall from here reaches PBSE’s buffer after 1.2% and SEPW’s after 1.4%. Both track SPY, so what separates them is where each is in its own period.

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About each fund
PBSE

From its price on Nov 4, 2026, the fund can gain about 11.1% 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 0.0% 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. 300 days remained on Nov 4, 2026. On Aug 31, 2027 the period ends and a new cap is set.

SEPW

From its price on Nov 4, 2026, the fund can gain about 10.9% more before it reaches its cap. The fund's price can fall 1.4% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's number.

Questions people ask

Which has more room to gain, PBSE or SEPW?
From their prices on Nov 4, 2026, PBSE can gain about 11.1% before its cap and SEPW about 10.9%, so PBSE has more room left this period.
Which resets first, PBSE or SEPW?
PBSE ends its outcome period on Aug 31, 2027 and SEPW on Aug 31, 2027. A new cap is set the day after each.
Which is cheaper, PBSE or SEPW?
PBSE charges 0.50% a year and SEPW charges 0.74%, so PBSE is cheaper. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.
Other comparisons
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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.

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ETFIQ, PBSE against SEPW, data as of Nov 4, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/buffer/pbse-vs-sepw

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