Data as of Oct 28, 2026.

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Buffer ETFs

PJUL vs UJAN: Cap, Buffer & Days Left

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As of Oct 28, 2026 UJAN can fall 12.9% before its buffer engages and PJUL 3.0%, and UJAN resets 181 days sooner.

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Net assets on Oct 28, 2026: $1.3bn for Innovator U.S. Equity Power Buffer ETF - Jul and $252m for Innovator U.S. Equity Ultra Buffer ETF - Jan.

At a glance
3.0%
PJUL can fall this far before its buffer
12.9%
UJAN can fall this far before its buffer
10.7%
PJUL can still gain
2.2%
UJAN can still gain
PJUL Between buffer and cap
Between buffer and capPJUL: reference +3.3% since period start, fund +2.8%; buffer 0 to −15; cap +14.0%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Oct 28, 2026.15 pts of buffer+10.6% to cap−15.0% floor0% period start+14.0% cap+3.3% gain capturedTODAY · SPY +3.3%Between buffer and capPJUL: reference +3.3% since period start, fund +2.8%; buffer 0 to −15; cap +14.0%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Oct 28, 2026.15 pts−15.0% floor0% start+14.0% cap+3.3% gain captured+10.6% more to the capTODAY · SPY +3.3%

PJUL: reference +3.3% since period start, fund +2.8%; buffer 0 to −15; cap +14.0%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Oct 28, 2026.

PJUL: reference +3.3% since period start, fund +2.8%; buffer 0 to −15; cap +14.0%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Oct 28, 2026.
UJAN At its cap
At its capUJAN: reference +13.2% since period start, fund +8.3%; buffer −5 to −35; cap +11.4%; At its cap. Data to Oct 28, 2026.30 pts of buffer+11.4% gain captured−35.0% floor−5.0% buffer start0% period start+11.4% capfirst 5 pts are yours to loseTODAY · SPY +13.2%At its capUJAN: reference +13.2% since period start, fund +8.3%; buffer −5 to −35; cap +11.4%; At its cap. Data to Oct 28, 2026.30 pts of buffer+11.4%−35.0% floor−5.0% buffer start0% start+11.4% capfirst 5 pts are yours to loseTODAY · SPY +13.2%

UJAN: reference +13.2% since period start, fund +8.3%; buffer −5 to −35; cap +11.4%; At its cap. Data to Oct 28, 2026.

UJAN: reference +13.2% since period start, fund +8.3%; buffer −5 to −35; cap +11.4%; At its cap. Data to Oct 28, 2026.

Pair scorecard

Both cost 0.79% a year; their one-year returns differ by 1.1 points; PJUL is 5.2 times larger.

Points (pts) are percentage points.

PJUL vs UJAN: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
MeasurePJULUJAN
Return
Total return, 1 year+8.9%+10.0%
Drawdown
Index fall to the buffer3.2%16.1%
Benchmark
What it tracksSPYSPY
Cost and size
Expense ratio0.79%0.79%
Net assets$1.3bn$252m
Holdings
Holdings in commonnot published
ETFIQ Downside Cover Score · PJUL scores higher If the market falls into a bear market from here, how much does the buffer absorb?
IQ Buffer Score86.1PJUL6.7UJAN

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

0.2, the lowest in this set 99.8, the highest

A percentile among the 292 buffer ETFs on stocks with a live outcome period. 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

Jan 11, 2019 to Oct 23, 2026 · 406 weekly returns · each against SPY
PJUL UJAN
Return
Total return edge PJUL +104.8% +81.5%
Annualized edge PJUL +9.6% +7.9%
Price return edge PJUL +103.2% +81.5%
Risk
Volatility edge UJAN 8.8% 6.8%
Max drawdown edge UJAN −16.4% −13.5%
Downside capture 52.9% 40.9%
Beta 0.46 0.35
Risk-adjusted
Sharpe edge PJUL (slight) 0.77 0.74
Sortino edge PJUL (slight) 1.13 1.07
Treynor 0.146 0.145
Calmar edge Tie 0.59 0.59
Against the benchmark
Alpha +0.2% a year +0.2% a year
Alpha t-stat 0.24 0.16
Information ratio −0.72 −0.75
Tracking error 10.1% 12.1%
Reading

PJUL returned more: +104.8% to +81.5%. UJAN swung less: 6.8% to 8.8%. UJAN fell less at its worst: −13.5% to −16.4%.

Full scorecard

19 measures, with how each is measured
Open ↓
Risk and return: PJUL vs UJAN: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
MeasurePJULUJANSPYEdgeHow it is measured
Return
Total return+104.8%+81.5%PJULPrice change plus distributions, reinvested.
Annualized+9.6%+7.9%PJULTotal return as a yearly rate.
Price return+103.2%+81.5%PJULPrice change alone, distributions left out.
Risk
Volatility8.8%6.8%UJANSpread of weekly returns, annualized. Lower is steadier.
Downside deviation6.0%4.7%UJANLike volatility, counting only weeks below the Treasury bill rate.
Max drawdown−16.4%−13.5%UJANDeepest fall from a high to the low after it.
Upside capture35.5%26.0%100.0%PJULShare of its benchmark's rise caught in the weeks it rose.
Downside capture52.9%40.9%100.0%UJANShare of its benchmark's fall taken in the weeks it fell. Lower is better.
Beta0.460.351.00UJAN lowerHow far it moves for each 1% its benchmark moves.
R squared0.890.851.00Not an edgeShare of its weekly moves its benchmark explains.
Risk-adjusted
Sharpe0.770.74PJUL (slight)Return above Treasury bills per unit of volatility.
Sortino1.131.07PJUL (slight)Return above Treasury bills per unit of downside deviation.
Treynor0.1460.1450.141TieReturn above Treasury bills per unit of beta.
Calmar0.590.59TieAnnualized return divided by the max drawdown.
Against the benchmark
BenchmarkSPYSPYSPYThe ETF each fund is measured against.
Alpha+0.2% a year+0.2% a year0.0%Not significantYearly return beyond what its beta to the benchmark predicts.
Alpha t-stat0.240.16Not an edgeHow sure the alpha is. Below 2, it could be chance.
Alpha range−1.8% to +2.3%−1.7% to +2.0%Both include zeroThe 95% range for the yearly alpha.
Information ratio−0.72−0.75PJUL (slight)Return against its benchmark per unit of tracking error.
Tracking error10.1%12.1%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, 406 weekly returns. Cash rate: the 13-week Treasury bill.

Window by window

Window by window: PJUL vs UJAN: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
Total returnGap to the reference's price return
WindowPJULUJANPJULUJAN
3 months+3.6%+3.6%−2.3 pts−2.3 pts
6 months+4.9%+5.6%−3.7 pts−2.9 pts
1 year+8.9%+10.0%−3.5 pts−2.4 pts
3 years+52.0%+47.8%−36.0 pts−40.2 pts
Since launchNot the same days: PJUL Aug 2018 · UJAN Jan 2019+101.2%+85.4%−69.4 pts−123.3 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

PJUL Innovator U.S. Equity Power Buffer ETF - Jul · Absorbs the first 15% of loss on SPY and caps the gain at 14.0%, over a period ending Jun 30, 2027 UJAN Innovator U.S. Equity Ultra Buffer ETF - Jan · Absorbs losses from 5.0% to 35.0% on SPY and caps the gain at 11.4%, over a period ending Dec 31, 2026
Reference index SPY SPY
Buffer 15% 5% to 35%
Outcome period Jun 30, 2026 to Jun 30, 2027 Dec 31, 2025 to Dec 31, 2026
Days left 245 64
Starting cap +14.0% +11.4%
Can still gain 10.7% 2.2%
Fall before buffer 3.0% 12.9%
Protection left, index points 15.0% of 15.0% 30.0% of 30.0%
Index return this period +3.3% +13.2%
Fund return this period +2.8% +8.3%
State today Open At cap
Expense ratio 0.79% 0.79%
Net assets $1.3bn $252m

As of Oct 28, 2026. Source: ETFIQ.

UJAN is already at its cap, so more rise in the index adds nothing to it before the period ends.

They do not reset together. UJAN has 64 days of its period left and PJUL has 245, so the two are not the same bet on the same months.

Both are Innovator funds, so the difference between them is the terms rather than the house.

Where each one stands today

UJAN resets first, on Dec 31, 2026, 64 days from now; PJUL runs to Jun 30, 2027, 245 days. PJUL can still gain 10.7% before its cap, UJAN 2.2%. A fall from here reaches PJUL’s buffer after 3.0% and UJAN’s after 12.9%. Both track SPY, so what separates them is where each is in its own period.

Client brief · page 1 of 2 Report BR-C258C88B6F

PJUL and UJAN are built for the same job. How do they differ in cost, holdings and results?

  1. Protection and cap. PJUL: Absorbs the first 15% of loss on SPY and caps the gain at 14.0%, over a period ending Jun 30, 2027. UJAN: Absorbs losses from 5.0% to 35.0% on SPY and caps the gain at 11.4%, over a period ending Dec 31, 2026. The starting caps are 2.6 points apart.
  2. Outcome period. PJUL runs Jun 30, 2026 to Jun 30, 2027 with 245 days left; UJAN runs Dec 31, 2025 to Dec 31, 2026 with 64 days left.
  3. Size. PJUL has $1.3bn in net assets and UJAN $252m (Net assets); PJUL is 5.2 times larger.

Data as of Oct 28, 2026.

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About each fund
PJUL

From its price on Oct 28, 2026, the fund can gain about 10.7% more before it reaches its cap. The fund's price can fall 3.0% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's number. In index terms, SPY can fall 3.2% 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. 245 days remained on Oct 28, 2026. On Jun 30, 2027 the period ends and a new cap is set.

UJAN

SPY had already risen past this fund's cap of +11.4% for the period on Oct 28, 2026, so in index terms there is no more upside to collect. The fund's own price can still drift up to about 2.2% as the period runs out. The fund's price can fall 12.9% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's number. In index terms, SPY can fall 16.1% 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. 64 days remained on Oct 28, 2026. On Dec 31, 2026 the period ends and a new cap is set.

Questions people ask

Which has more room to gain, PJUL or UJAN?
From their prices on Oct 28, 2026, PJUL can gain about 10.7% before its cap and UJAN about 2.2%, so PJUL has more room left this period.
Which resets first, PJUL or UJAN?
PJUL ends its outcome period on Jun 30, 2027 and UJAN on Dec 31, 2026. A new cap is set the day after each.
Which is cheaper, PJUL or UJAN?
PJUL and UJAN both charge 0.79% a year, so neither 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, PJUL against UJAN, data as of Oct 28, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/buffer/pjul-vs-ujan

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