Data as of Nov 4, 2026.

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Buffer ETFs

PNOV vs UNOV: Cap, Buffer & Days Left

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As of Nov 4, 2026 UNOV can fall 5.7% before its buffer engages and PNOV 0.9%.

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Net assets on Nov 4, 2026: $857m for Innovator U.S. Equity Power Buffer ETF - Nov and $112m for Innovator U.S. Equity Ultra Buffer ETF - Nov.

At a glance
0.9%
PNOV can fall this far before its buffer
5.7%
UNOV can fall this far before its buffer
14.3%
PNOV can still gain
13.6%
UNOV can still gain
PNOV Between buffer and cap
Between buffer and capPNOV: reference +1.4% since period start, fund +0.9%; buffer 0 to −15; cap +15.3%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.15 pts of buffer+13.9% more to the cap−15.0% floor0% period start+15.3% cap+1.4% gain capturedTODAY · SPY +1.4%Between buffer and capPNOV: reference +1.4% since period start, fund +0.9%; buffer 0 to −15; cap +15.3%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.15 pts−15.0% floor0% start+15.3% cap+1.4% gain captured+13.9% more to the capTODAY · SPY +1.4%

PNOV: reference +1.4% since period start, fund +0.9%; buffer 0 to −15; cap +15.3%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.

PNOV: reference +1.4% since period start, fund +0.9%; buffer 0 to −15; cap +15.3%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.
UNOV Between buffer and cap
Between buffer and capUNOV: reference +1.4% since period start, fund +0.7%; buffer −5 to −35; cap +14.5%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.30 pts of buffer+13% more to the cap−35.0% floor−5.0% buffer start0% period start+14.5% capfirst 5 pts are yours to lose+1.4% gain capturedTODAY · SPY +1.4%Between buffer and capUNOV: reference +1.4% since period start, fund +0.7%; buffer −5 to −35; cap +14.5%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.30 pts of buffer−35.0% floor−5.0% buffer start0% start+14.5% capfirst 5 pts are yours to lose+1.4% gain captured+13% more to the capTODAY · SPY +1.4%

UNOV: reference +1.4% since period start, fund +0.7%; buffer −5 to −35; cap +14.5%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.

UNOV: reference +1.4% since period start, fund +0.7%; buffer −5 to −35; cap +14.5%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.

Pair scorecard

Both cost 0.79% a year; their one-year returns differ by 0.2 points; PNOV is 7.7 times larger.

Points (pts) are percentage points.

PNOV vs UNOV: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
MeasurePNOVUNOV
Return
Total return, 1 year+11.5%+11.3%
Drawdown
Index fall to the buffer1.4%6.3%
Benchmark
What it tracksSPYSPY
Cost and size
Expense ratio0.79%0.79%
Net assets$857m$112m
Holdings
Holdings in commonnot published
ETFIQ Downside Cover Score · PNOV scores higher If the market falls into a bear market from here, how much does the buffer absorb?
IQ Buffer Score83.2PNOV71.7UNOV

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

Nov 8, 2019 to Oct 30, 2026 · 364 weekly returns · each against SPY
PNOV UNOV
Return
Total return edge PNOV +77.3% +61.7%
Annualized edge PNOV +8.5% +7.1%
Price return edge PNOV +77.3% +61.7%
Risk
Volatility edge UNOV 9.7% 7.4%
Max drawdown edge UNOV −18.4% −13.7%
Downside capture 54.2% 42.9%
Beta 0.49 0.36
Risk-adjusted
Sharpe edge PNOV (slight) 0.59 0.57
Sortino edge PNOV (slight) 0.85 0.81
Treynor 0.117 0.118
Calmar edge UNOV 0.46 0.52
Against the benchmark
Alpha −0.7% a year −0.5% a year
Alpha t-stat −0.57 −0.39
Information ratio −0.73 −0.72
Tracking error 10.0% 12.3%
Reading

From Nov 2019 to Oct 2026, PNOV returned more: +77.3% to +61.7%. UNOV swung less: 7.4% to 9.7%. UNOV fell less at its worst: −13.7% to −18.4%.

Full scorecard

19 measures, with how each is measured
Open ↓
Risk and return: PNOV vs UNOV: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
MeasurePNOVUNOVSPYEdgeHow it is measured
Return
Total return+77.3%+61.7%+170.5%PNOVPrice change plus distributions, reinvested.
Annualized+8.5%+7.1%+15.3%PNOVTotal return as a yearly rate.
Price return+77.3%+61.7%+144.6%PNOVPrice change alone, distributions left out.
Risk
Volatility9.7%7.4%18.6%UNOVSpread of weekly returns, annualized. Lower is steadier.
Downside deviation6.7%5.2%12.8%UNOVLike volatility, counting only weeks below the Treasury bill rate.
Max drawdown−18.4%−13.7%−31.8%UNOVDeepest fall from a high to the low after it.
Upside capture34.8%25.8%100.0%PNOVShare of its benchmark's rise caught in the weeks it rose.
Downside capture54.2%42.9%100.0%UNOVShare of its benchmark's fall taken in the weeks it fell. Lower is better.
Beta0.490.361.00UNOV lowerHow far it moves for each 1% its benchmark moves.
R squared0.890.821.00Not an edgeShare of its weekly moves its benchmark explains.
Risk-adjusted
Sharpe0.590.570.70PNOV (slight)Return above Treasury bills per unit of volatility.
Sortino0.850.811.02PNOV (slight)Return above Treasury bills per unit of downside deviation.
Treynor0.1170.1180.131TieReturn above Treasury bills per unit of beta.
Calmar0.460.520.48UNOVAnnualized return divided by the max drawdown.
Against the benchmark
BenchmarkSPYSPYSPYThe ETF each fund is measured against.
Alpha−0.7% a year−0.5% a year0.0%Not significantYearly return beyond what its beta to the benchmark predicts.
Alpha t-stat−0.57−0.39Not an edgeHow sure the alpha is. Below 2, it could be chance.
Alpha range−3.0% to +1.7%−2.8% to +1.9%Both include zeroThe 95% range for the yearly alpha.
Information ratio−0.73−0.72UNOV (slight)Return against its benchmark per unit of tracking error.
Tracking error10.0%12.3%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, 364 weekly returns. Cash rate: the 13-week Treasury bill.

Window by window

Window by window: PNOV vs UNOV: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
Total returnGap to the reference's price return
WindowPNOVUNOVPNOVUNOV
3 months+1.9%+2.6%+2.3 pts+3.0 pts
6 months+5.3%+5.7%+0.8 pts+1.2 pts
1 year+11.5%+11.3%−2.0 pts−2.2 pts
3 years+39.4%+38.3%−37.0 pts−38.1 pts
Since launchPNOV Nov 2019 · UNOV Nov 2019+79.5%+63.5%−71.0 pts−87.0 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 15.3%, over a period ending Oct 31, 2027 UNOV Innovator U.S. Equity Ultra Buffer ETF - Nov · Absorbs losses from 5.0% to 35.0% on SPY and caps the gain at 14.5%, over a period ending Oct 31, 2027
Reference index SPY SPY
Buffer 15% 5% to 35%
Outcome period Oct 31, 2026 to Oct 31, 2027 Oct 31, 2026 to Oct 31, 2027
Days left 361 361
Starting cap +15.3% +14.5%
Can still gain 14.3% 13.6%
Fall before buffer 0.9% 5.7%
Protection left, index points 15.0% of 15.0% 30.0% of 30.0%
Index return this period +1.4% +1.4%
Fund return this period +0.9% +0.7%
State today Open Open
Expense ratio 0.79% 0.79%
Net assets $857m $112m

As of Nov 4, 2026. Source: ETFIQ.

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, 2027, 361 days from now; UNOV runs to Oct 31, 2027, 361 days. PNOV can still gain 14.3% before its cap, UNOV 13.6%. A fall from here reaches PNOV’s buffer after 0.9% and UNOV’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
PNOV

From its price on Nov 4, 2026, the fund can gain about 14.3% more before it reaches its cap. The fund's price can fall 0.9% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's number. In index terms, SPY can fall 1.4% 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. 361 days remained on Nov 4, 2026. On Oct 31, 2027 the period ends and a new cap is set.

UNOV

From its price on Nov 4, 2026, the fund can gain about 13.6% 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 6.3% 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, PNOV or UNOV?
From their prices on Nov 4, 2026, PNOV can gain about 14.3% before its cap and UNOV about 13.6%, so PNOV has more room left this period.
Which resets first, PNOV or UNOV?
PNOV ends its outcome period on Oct 31, 2027 and UNOV on Oct 31, 2027. A new cap is set the day after each.
Which is cheaper, PNOV or UNOV?
PNOV and UNOV 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.

Cite this pageCitation, APA and Markdown

ETFIQ, PNOV against UNOV, data as of Nov 4, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/buffer/pnov-vs-unov

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