Data as of Oct 28, 2026.

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Buffer ETFs

PNOV vs UJUL: Cap, Buffer & Days Left

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As of Oct 28, 2026 PNOV can fall 11.4% before its buffer engages and UJUL 7.6%, and PNOV resets 242 days sooner.

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Net assets on Oct 28, 2026: $836m for Innovator U.S. Equity Power Buffer ETF - Nov and $307m for Innovator U.S. Equity Ultra Buffer ETF - Jul.

At a glance
11.4%
PNOV can fall this far before its buffer
7.6%
UJUL can fall this far before its buffer
0.4%
PNOV can still gain
11.1%
UJUL can still gain
PNOV Between buffer and cap
Between buffer and capPNOV: reference +13.2% since period start, fund +11.9%; buffer 0 to −15; cap +13.3%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Oct 28, 2026.15 pts of buffer+13.2% gain captured−15.0% floor0% period start+13.3% cap+0.1% more to the capTODAY · SPY +13.2%Between buffer and capPNOV: reference +13.2% since period start, fund +11.9%; buffer 0 to −15; cap +13.3%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Oct 28, 2026.15 pts+13.2%−15.0% floor0% start+13.3% cap+0.1% more to the capTODAY · SPY +13.2%

PNOV: reference +13.2% since period start, fund +11.9%; buffer 0 to −15; cap +13.3%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Oct 28, 2026.

PNOV: reference +13.2% since period start, fund +11.9%; buffer 0 to −15; cap +13.3%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Oct 28, 2026.
UJUL Between buffer and cap
Between buffer and capUJUL: reference +3.3% since period start, fund +2.5%; buffer −5 to −35; cap +14.2%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Oct 28, 2026.30 pts of buffer+10.9% to cap−35.0% floor−5.0% buffer start0% period start+14.2% capfirst 5 pts are yours to lose+3.3% gain capturedTODAY · SPY +3.3%Between buffer and capUJUL: reference +3.3% since period start, fund +2.5%; buffer −5 to −35; cap +14.2%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Oct 28, 2026.30 pts of buffer−35.0% floor−5.0% buffer start0% start+14.2% capfirst 5 pts are yours to lose+3.3% gain captured+10.9% more to the capTODAY · SPY +3.3%

UJUL: reference +3.3% since period start, fund +2.5%; buffer −5 to −35; cap +14.2%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Oct 28, 2026.

UJUL: reference +3.3% since period start, fund +2.5%; buffer −5 to −35; cap +14.2%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Oct 28, 2026.

Pair scorecard

Both cost 0.79% a year; their one-year returns differ by 3.7 points; PNOV is 2.7 times larger.

Points (pts) are percentage points.

PNOV vs UJUL: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
MeasurePNOVUJUL
Return
Total return, 1 year+12.1%+8.4%
Drawdown
Index fall to the buffer11.6%8.1%
Benchmark
What it tracksSPYSPY
Cost and size
Expense ratio0.79%0.79%
Net assets$836m$307m
Holdings
Holdings in commonnot published
ETFIQ Downside Cover Score · UJUL scores higher If the market falls into a bear market from here, how much does the buffer absorb?
IQ Buffer Score16.6PNOV62.8UJUL

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

Nov 8, 2019 to Oct 23, 2026 · 363 weekly returns · each against SPY
PNOV UJUL
Return
Total return edge PNOV +77.5% +66.4%
Annualized edge PNOV +8.6% +7.6%
Price return edge PNOV +77.5% +56.2%
Risk
Volatility edge UJUL 9.7% 8.6%
Max drawdown edge UJUL −18.4% −13.9%
Downside capture 54.3% 51.4%
Beta 0.49 0.42
Risk-adjusted
Sharpe edge PNOV (slight) 0.60 0.55
Sortino edge PNOV (slight) 0.86 0.79
Treynor 0.118 0.112
Calmar edge UJUL 0.46 0.54
Against the benchmark
Alpha −0.7% a year −0.8% a year
Alpha t-stat −0.58 −0.64
Information ratio −0.74 −0.75
Tracking error 10.0% 11.3%
Reading

PNOV returned more: +77.5% to +66.4%. UJUL swung less: 8.6% to 9.7%. UJUL fell less at its worst: −13.9% to −18.4%.

Full scorecard

19 measures, with how each is measured
Open ↓
Risk and return: PNOV vs UJUL: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
MeasurePNOVUJULSPYEdgeHow it is measured
Return
Total return+77.5%+66.4%PNOVPrice change plus distributions, reinvested.
Annualized+8.6%+7.6%PNOVTotal return as a yearly rate.
Price return+77.5%+56.2%PNOVPrice change alone, distributions left out.
Risk
Volatility9.7%8.6%UJULSpread of weekly returns, annualized. Lower is steadier.
Downside deviation6.7%6.0%UJULLike volatility, counting only weeks below the Treasury bill rate.
Max drawdown−18.4%−13.9%UJULDeepest fall from a high to the low after it.
Upside capture34.8%31.4%100.0%PNOV (slight)Share of its benchmark's rise caught in the weeks it rose.
Downside capture54.3%51.4%100.0%UJUL (slight)Share of its benchmark's fall taken in the weeks it fell. Lower is better.
Beta0.490.421.00UJUL lowerHow far it moves for each 1% its benchmark moves.
R squared0.890.841.00Not an edgeShare of its weekly moves its benchmark explains.
Risk-adjusted
Sharpe0.600.55PNOV (slight)Return above Treasury bills per unit of volatility.
Sortino0.860.79PNOV (slight)Return above Treasury bills per unit of downside deviation.
Treynor0.1180.1120.132PNOV (slight)Return above Treasury bills per unit of beta.
Calmar0.460.54UJULAnnualized return divided by the max drawdown.
Against the benchmark
BenchmarkSPYSPYSPYThe ETF each fund is measured against.
Alpha−0.7% a year−0.8% a year0.0%Not significantYearly return beyond what its beta to the benchmark predicts.
Alpha t-stat−0.58−0.64Not an edgeHow sure the alpha is. Below 2, it could be chance.
Alpha range−3.1% to +1.7%−3.4% to +1.7%Both include zeroThe 95% range for the yearly alpha.
Information ratio−0.74−0.75TieReturn against its benchmark per unit of tracking error.
Tracking error10.0%11.3%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, 363 weekly returns. Cash rate: the 13-week Treasury bill.

Window by window

Window by window: PNOV vs UJUL: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
Total returnGap to the reference's price return
WindowPNOVUJULPNOVUJUL
3 months+5.3%+3.3%−0.6 pts−2.6 pts
6 months+7.7%+4.3%−0.8 pts−4.2 pts
1 year+12.1%+8.4%−0.3 pts−4.0 pts
3 years+46.6%+50.7%−41.4 pts−37.3 pts
Since launchNot the same days: PNOV Nov 2019 · UJUL Aug 2018+80.9%+76.2%−71.3 pts−94.4 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

PNOV Innovator U.S. Equity Power Buffer ETF - Nov · Absorbs the first 15% of loss on SPY and caps the gain at 13.3%, over a period ending Oct 31, 2026 UJUL Innovator U.S. Equity Ultra Buffer ETF - Jul · Absorbs losses from 5.0% to 35.0% on SPY and caps the gain at 14.2%, over a period ending Jun 30, 2027
Reference index SPY SPY
Buffer 15% 5% to 35%
Outcome period Oct 31, 2025 to Oct 31, 2026 Jun 30, 2026 to Jun 30, 2027
Days left 3 245
Starting cap +13.3% +14.2%
Can still gain 0.4% 11.1%
Fall before buffer 11.4% 7.6%
Protection left, index points 15.0% of 15.0% 30.0% of 30.0%
Index return this period +13.2% +3.3%
Fund return this period +11.9% +2.5%
State today Open Open
Expense ratio 0.79% 0.79%
Net assets $836m $307m

As of Oct 28, 2026. Source: ETFIQ.

They do not reset together. PNOV has 3 days of its period left and UJUL 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

PNOV resets first, on Oct 31, 2026, 3 days from now; UJUL runs to Jun 30, 2027, 245 days. PNOV can still gain 0.4% before its cap, UJUL 11.1%. A fall from here reaches PNOV’s buffer after 11.4% and UJUL’s after 7.6%. Both track SPY, so what separates them is where each is in its own period.

Client brief · page 1 of 2 Report BR-48B6B9A5F4

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

  1. Protection and cap. PNOV: Absorbs the first 15% of loss on SPY and caps the gain at 13.3%, over a period ending Oct 31, 2026. UJUL: Absorbs losses from 5.0% to 35.0% on SPY and caps the gain at 14.2%, over a period ending Jun 30, 2027. The starting caps are 0.9 points apart.
  2. Outcome period. PNOV runs Oct 31, 2025 to Oct 31, 2026 with 3 days left; UJUL runs Jun 30, 2026 to Jun 30, 2027 with 245 days left.
  3. One-year total return. Over 1 year to Oct 28, 2026 PNOV returned +12.1% and UJUL +8.4% with distributions reinvested, a gap of 3.7 points.

Data as of Oct 28, 2026.

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About each fund
PNOV

From its price on Oct 28, 2026, the fund can gain about 0.4% more before it reaches its cap. The fund's price can fall 11.4% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's number. In index terms, SPY can fall 11.6% 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. 3 days remained on Oct 28, 2026. On Oct 31, 2026 the period ends and a new cap is set.

UJUL

From its price on Oct 28, 2026, the fund can gain about 11.1% more before it reaches its cap. The fund's price can fall 7.6% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's number. In index terms, SPY can fall 8.1% 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. 245 days remained on Oct 28, 2026. On Jun 30, 2027 the period ends and a new cap is set.

Questions people ask

Which has more room to gain, PNOV or UJUL?
From their prices on Oct 28, 2026, PNOV can gain about 0.4% before its cap and UJUL about 11.1%, so UJUL has more room left this period.
Which resets first, PNOV or UJUL?
PNOV ends its outcome period on Oct 31, 2026 and UJUL on Jun 30, 2027. A new cap is set the day after each.
Which is cheaper, PNOV or UJUL?
PNOV and UJUL both charge 0.79% a year, so neither 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

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.

Cite this pageCitation, APA and Markdown

ETFIQ, PNOV against UJUL, data as of Oct 28, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/buffer/pnov-vs-ujul

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