Data as of Nov 4, 2026.

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Buffer ETFs

PMJA vs XBJA: Cap, Buffer & Days Left

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As of Nov 4, 2026 XBJA can fall 9.3% before its buffer engages and PMJA 4.9%.

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Net assets on Nov 4, 2026: $5.6m for PGIM S&P 500 Max Buffer ETF - January and $95m for Innovator U.S. Equity Accelerated 9 Buffer ETF - Jan.

At a glance
4.9%
PMJA can fall this far before its buffer
9.3%
XBJA can fall this far before its buffer
1.4%
PMJA can still gain
1.6%
XBJA can still gain
PMJA At its cap
At its capPMJA: reference +12.4% since period start, fund +4.7%; buffer Floor; cap +6.6%; At its cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.full floor beneath+6.6%full floor0% period start+6.6% capTODAY · SPY +12.4%At its capPMJA: reference +12.4% since period start, fund +4.7%; buffer Floor; cap +6.6%; At its cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.full floor beneathfull floor0% start+6.6% cap+6.6% gain capturedTODAY · SPY +12.4%

PMJA: reference +12.4% since period start, fund +4.7%; buffer Floor; cap +6.6%; At its cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.

Data to Nov 4, 2026.
XBJA At its cap
At its capXBJA: reference +12.4% since period start, fund +9.4%; buffer 0 to −9; cap +11.9%; At its cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.9 pts of buffer+11.9% gain captured−9.0% floor0% period start+11.9% capTODAY · SPY +12.4%At its capXBJA: reference +12.4% since period start, fund +9.4%; buffer 0 to −9; cap +11.9%; At its cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.+11.9%−9.0% floor0% start+11.9% cap9 pts of bufferTODAY · SPY +12.4%

XBJA: reference +12.4% since period start, fund +9.4%; buffer 0 to −9; cap +11.9%; At its cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.

XBJA: reference +12.4% since period start, fund +9.4%; buffer 0 to −9; cap +11.9%; At its cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.

Pair scorecard

PMJA costs 0.29 points a year less; their one-year returns differ by 5.2 points; XBJA is 17.0 times larger.

Points (pts) are percentage points.

PMJA vs XBJA: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
MeasurePMJAXBJA
Return
Total return, 1 year+5.9%+11.1%
Drawdown
Index fall to the buffer11.1%11.0%
Benchmark
What it tracksSPYSPY
Cost and size
Expense ratio0.50%0.79%
Net assets$5.6m$95m
Holdings
Holdings in commonnot published

Method

Window by window

Window by window: PMJA vs XBJA: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
Total returnGap to the reference's price return
WindowPMJAXBJAPMJAXBJA
3 months+1.2%+1.9%+1.6 pts+2.3 pts
6 months+2.7%+5.1%−1.8 pts+0.6 pts
1 year+5.9%+11.1%−7.7 pts−2.4 pts
3 years–+39.1%–−37.3 pts
Since launchNot the same days: PMJA Jan 2025 · XBJA Jan 2022+11.9%+41.1%−19.3 pts−19.4 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

PMJA PGIM S&P 500 Max Buffer ETF - January · Absorbs the whole loss on SPY and caps the gain at 6.6%, over a period ending Dec 31, 2026 XBJA Innovator U.S. Equity Accelerated 9 Buffer ETF - Jan · Absorbs the first 9% of loss on SPY and caps the gain at 11.9%, over a period ending Dec 31, 2026
Reference index SPY SPY
Buffer 100% 9%
Outcome period Jan 1, 2026 to Dec 31, 2026 Dec 31, 2025 to Dec 31, 2026
Days left 57 57
Starting cap +6.6% +11.9%
Can still gain 1.4% 1.6%
Fall before buffer 4.9% 9.3%
Protection left, index points 100.0% of 100.0% 9.0% of 9.0%
Index return this period +12.4% +12.4%
Fund return this period +4.7% +9.4%
State today At cap At cap
Expense ratio 0.50% 0.79%
Net assets $5.6m $95m

As of Nov 4, 2026. Source: ETFIQ.

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

Both are already at their cap, so neither gains from more rise in the index before the period ends.

Where each one stands today

PMJA resets first, on Dec 31, 2026, 57 days from now; XBJA runs to Dec 31, 2026, 57 days. PMJA can still gain 1.4% before its cap, XBJA 1.6%. A fall from here reaches PMJA’s buffer after 4.9% and XBJA’s after 9.3%. Both track SPY, so what separates them is where each is in its own period.

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About each fund
PMJA

SPY had already risen past this fund's cap of +6.6% for the period on Nov 4, 2026, so in index terms there is no more upside to collect. The fund's own price can still drift up to about 1.4% as the period runs out. The fund's price can fall 4.9% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's number. In index terms, SPY can fall 11.1% from today's level to the point where the buffer begins. Protection left, in index points: 100.0% of the 100.0% buffer still sits below today's SPY level. 57 days remained on Nov 4, 2026. On Dec 31, 2026 the period ends and a new cap is set.

XBJA

SPY had already risen past this fund's cap of +11.9% for the period on Nov 4, 2026, so in index terms there is no more upside to collect. The fund's own price can still drift up to about 1.6% as the period runs out. The fund's price can fall 9.3% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's number. In index terms, SPY can fall 11.0% from today's level to the point where the buffer begins. Protection left, in index points: 9.0% of the 9.0% buffer still sits below today's SPY level.

Questions people ask

Which has more room to gain, PMJA or XBJA?
From their prices on Nov 4, 2026, PMJA can gain about 1.4% before its cap and XBJA about 1.6%, so XBJA has more room left this period.
Which resets first, PMJA or XBJA?
PMJA ends its outcome period on Dec 31, 2026 and XBJA on Dec 31, 2026. A new cap is set the day after each.
Which is cheaper, PMJA or XBJA?
PMJA charges 0.50% a year and XBJA charges 0.79%, so PMJA is cheaper. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.
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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.

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ETFIQ, PMJA against XBJA, data as of Nov 4, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/buffer/pmja-vs-xbja

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