Data as of Oct 28, 2026.

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Buffer ETFs

POCT vs UOCT: Cap, Buffer & Days Left

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As of Oct 28, 2026 UOCT can fall 6.0% before its buffer engages and POCT 1.1%.

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Net assets on Oct 28, 2026: $1.1bn for Innovator U.S. Equity Power Buffer ETF - Oct and $269m for Innovator U.S. Equity Ultra Buffer ETF - Oct.

At a glance
1.1%
POCT can fall this far before its buffer
6.0%
UOCT can fall this far before its buffer
14.4%
POCT can still gain
14.1%
UOCT can still gain
POCT Between buffer and cap
Between buffer and capPOCT: reference +1.2% since period start, fund +1.0%; buffer 0 to −15; cap +15.6%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Oct 28, 2026.15 pts of buffer+14.4% more to the cap−15.0% floor0% period start+15.6% cap+1.2% gain capturedTODAY · SPY +1.2%Between buffer and capPOCT: reference +1.2% since period start, fund +1.0%; buffer 0 to −15; cap +15.6%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Oct 28, 2026.15 pts−15.0% floor0% start+15.6% cap+1.2% gain captured+14.4% more to the capTODAY · SPY +1.2%

POCT: reference +1.2% since period start, fund +1.0%; buffer 0 to −15; cap +15.6%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Oct 28, 2026.

POCT: reference +1.2% since period start, fund +1.0%; buffer 0 to −15; cap +15.6%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Oct 28, 2026.
UOCT Between buffer and cap
Between buffer and capUOCT: reference +1.2% since period start, fund +1.0%; buffer −5 to −35; cap +15.3%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Oct 28, 2026.30 pts of buffer+14.1% more to the cap−35.0% floor−5.0% buffer start0% period start+15.3% capfirst 5 pts are yours to lose+1.2% gain capturedTODAY · SPY +1.2%Between buffer and capUOCT: reference +1.2% since period start, fund +1.0%; buffer −5 to −35; cap +15.3%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Oct 28, 2026.30 pts of buffer−35.0% floor−5.0% buffer start0% start+15.3% capfirst 5 pts are yours to lose+1.2% gain captured+14.1% more to the capTODAY · SPY +1.2%

UOCT: reference +1.2% since period start, fund +1.0%; buffer −5 to −35; cap +15.3%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Oct 28, 2026.

UOCT: reference +1.2% since period start, fund +1.0%; buffer −5 to −35; cap +15.3%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Oct 28, 2026.

Pair scorecard

Both cost 0.79% a year; their one-year returns differ by 0.7 points; POCT is 4.1 times larger.

Points (pts) are percentage points.

POCT vs UOCT: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
MeasurePOCTUOCT
Return
Total return, 1 year+10.7%+10.0%
Drawdown
Index fall to the buffer1.2%6.1%
Benchmark
What it tracksSPYSPY
Cost and size
Expense ratio0.79%0.79%
Net assets$1.1bn$269m
Holdings
Holdings in commonnot published
ETFIQ Downside Cover Score · POCT scores higher If the market falls into a bear market from here, how much does the buffer absorb?
IQ Buffer Score86.1POCT73.8UOCT

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

Oct 12, 2018 to Oct 23, 2026 · 419 weekly returns · each against SPY
POCT UOCT
Return
Total return edge POCT +102.1% +79.9%
Annualized edge POCT +9.1% +7.6%
Price return edge POCT +97.7% +75.8%
Risk
Volatility edge UOCT 8.9% 7.2%
Max drawdown edge UOCT −17.6% −12.2%
Downside capture 49.7% 44.0%
Beta 0.46 0.37
Risk-adjusted
Sharpe edge POCT (slight) 0.71 0.66
Sortino edge POCT (slight) 1.02 0.95
Treynor 0.137 0.129
Calmar edge UOCT 0.52 0.62
Against the benchmark
Alpha +0.4% a year 0.0% a year
Alpha t-stat 0.36 0.00
Information ratio −0.64 −0.69
Tracking error 10.3% 11.9%
Reading

POCT returned more: +102.1% to +79.9%. UOCT swung less: 7.2% to 8.9%. UOCT fell less at its worst: −12.2% to −17.6%.

Full scorecard

19 measures, with how each is measured
Open ↓
Risk and return: POCT vs UOCT: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
MeasurePOCTUOCTSPYEdgeHow it is measured
Return
Total return+102.1%+79.9%+210.6%POCTPrice change plus distributions, reinvested.
Annualized+9.1%+7.6%+15.1%POCTTotal return as a yearly rate.
Price return+97.7%+75.8%+175.4%POCTPrice change alone, distributions left out.
Risk
Volatility8.9%7.2%18.3%UOCTSpread of weekly returns, annualized. Lower is steadier.
Downside deviation6.2%5.0%12.6%UOCTLike volatility, counting only weeks below the Treasury bill rate.
Max drawdown−17.6%−12.2%−31.8%UOCTDeepest fall from a high to the low after it.
Upside capture33.1%27.4%100.0%POCTShare of its benchmark's rise caught in the weeks it rose.
Downside capture49.7%44.0%100.0%UOCTShare of its benchmark's fall taken in the weeks it fell. Lower is better.
Beta0.460.371.00UOCT lowerHow far it moves for each 1% its benchmark moves.
R squared0.890.861.00Not an edgeShare of its weekly moves its benchmark explains.
Risk-adjusted
Sharpe0.710.660.71POCT (slight)Return above Treasury bills per unit of volatility.
Sortino1.020.951.02POCT (slight)Return above Treasury bills per unit of downside deviation.
Treynor0.1370.1290.129POCT (slight)Return above Treasury bills per unit of beta.
Calmar0.520.620.47UOCTAnnualized return divided by the max drawdown.
Against the benchmark
BenchmarkSPYSPYSPYThe ETF each fund is measured against.
Alpha+0.4% a year0.0% a year0.0%Not significantYearly return beyond what its beta to the benchmark predicts.
Alpha t-stat0.360.00Not an edgeHow sure the alpha is. Below 2, it could be chance.
Alpha range−1.7% to +2.4%−1.9% to +1.9%Both include zeroThe 95% range for the yearly alpha.
Information ratio−0.64−0.69POCT (slight)Return against its benchmark per unit of tracking error.
Tracking error10.3%11.9%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, 419 weekly returns. Cash rate: the 13-week Treasury bill.

Window by window

Window by window: POCT vs UOCT: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
Total returnGap to the reference's price return
WindowPOCTUOCTPOCTUOCT
3 months+4.6%+4.3%−1.3 pts−1.6 pts
6 months+6.8%+6.8%−1.7 pts−1.7 pts
1 year+10.7%+10.0%−1.7 pts−2.4 pts
3 years+45.4%+43.1%−42.7 pts−44.9 pts
Since launchPOCT Oct 2018 · UOCT Oct 2018+100.9%+78.4%−63.8 pts−86.3 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

POCT Innovator U.S. Equity Power Buffer ETF - Oct · Absorbs the first 15% of loss on SPY and caps the gain at 15.6%, over a period ending Sep 30, 2027 UOCT Innovator U.S. Equity Ultra Buffer ETF - Oct · Absorbs losses from 5.0% to 35.0% on SPY and caps the gain at 15.3%, over a period ending Sep 30, 2027
Reference index SPY SPY
Buffer 15% 5% to 35%
Outcome period Sep 30, 2026 to Sep 30, 2027 Sep 30, 2026 to Sep 30, 2027
Days left 337 337
Starting cap +15.6% +15.3%
Can still gain 14.4% 14.1%
Fall before buffer 1.1% 6.0%
Protection left, index points 15.0% of 15.0% 30.0% of 30.0%
Index return this period +1.2% +1.2%
Fund return this period +1.0% +1.0%
State today Open Open
Expense ratio 0.79% 0.79%
Net assets $1.1bn $269m

As of Oct 28, 2026. Source: ETFIQ.

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

Where each one stands today

POCT resets first, on Sep 30, 2027, 337 days from now; UOCT runs to Sep 30, 2027, 337 days. POCT can still gain 14.4% before its cap, UOCT 14.1%. A fall from here reaches POCT’s buffer after 1.1% and UOCT’s after 6.0%. Both track SPY, so what separates them is where each is in its own period.

Client brief · page 1 of 2 Report BR-723EE30AD6

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

  1. Protection and cap. POCT: Absorbs the first 15% of loss on SPY and caps the gain at 15.6%, over a period ending Sep 30, 2027. UOCT: Absorbs losses from 5.0% to 35.0% on SPY and caps the gain at 15.3%, over a period ending Sep 30, 2027. The starting caps are 0.3 points apart.
  2. Size. POCT has $1.1bn in net assets and UOCT $269m (Net assets); POCT is 4.1 times larger.
  3. Outcome period (similar). POCT runs Sep 30, 2026 to Sep 30, 2027 with 337 days left; UOCT runs Sep 30, 2026 to Sep 30, 2027 with 337 days left.

Data as of Oct 28, 2026.

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About each fund
POCT

From its price on Oct 28, 2026, the fund can gain about 14.4% more before it reaches its cap. The fund's price can fall 1.1% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's number. In index terms, SPY can fall 1.2% 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. 337 days remained on Oct 28, 2026. On Sep 30, 2027 the period ends and a new cap is set.

UOCT

From its price on Oct 28, 2026, the fund can gain about 14.1% more before it reaches its cap. The fund's price can fall 6.0% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's number. In index terms, SPY can fall 6.1% 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.

Questions people ask

Which has more room to gain, POCT or UOCT?
From their prices on Oct 28, 2026, POCT can gain about 14.4% before its cap and UOCT about 14.1%, so POCT has more room left this period.
Which resets first, POCT or UOCT?
POCT ends its outcome period on Sep 30, 2027 and UOCT on Sep 30, 2027. A new cap is set the day after each.
Which is cheaper, POCT or UOCT?
POCT and UOCT 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, POCT against UOCT, data as of Oct 28, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/buffer/poct-vs-uoct

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