Data as of Nov 4, 2026.

vsOpen in the appCompare their flowsaskIQ about these two fundsAsk the committee about these two funds
Buffer ETFs

SIXJ vs ZJAN: Cap, Buffer & Days Left

Share
Share on XDownload as PDF

As of Nov 4, 2026 ZJAN can fall 5.0% before its buffer engages and SIXJ 3.0%.

askIQ about this page

askIQ about SIXJ and ZJAN

Net assets: $148m on Nov 3, 2026 for AllianzIM U.S. Equity Buffer10 ETF - Jan, and $106m on Nov 4, 2026 for Innovator Equity Defined Protection ETF - 1 Yr January.

At a glance
3.0%
SIXJ can fall this far before its buffer
5.0%
ZJAN can fall this far before its buffer
5.0%
SIXJ can still gain
1.2%
ZJAN can still gain
SIXJ Between buffer and cap
Between buffer and capSIXJ: reference +2.7% since period start, fund +2.7%; buffer 0 to −10; cap +8.2%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.10 pts of buffer−10.0% floor0% period start+8.2% cap+2.7% gain captured+5.5% more to the capTODAY · SPY +2.7%Between buffer and capSIXJ: reference +2.7% since period start, fund +2.7%; buffer 0 to −10; cap +8.2%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.−10.0% floor0% start+8.2% cap10 pts of buffer+2.7% gain captured+5.5% more to the capTODAY · SPY +2.7%

SIXJ: reference +2.7% since period start, fund +2.7%; buffer 0 to −10; cap +8.2%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.

SIXJ: reference +2.7% since period start, fund +2.7%; buffer 0 to −10; cap +8.2%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.
ZJAN At its cap
At its capZJAN: reference +12.4% since period start, fund +4.6%; buffer Floor; cap +6.5%; At its cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.full floor beneath+6.5%full floor0% period start+6.5% capTODAY · SPY +12.4%At its capZJAN: reference +12.4% since period start, fund +4.6%; buffer Floor; cap +6.5%; At its cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.full floor beneathfull floor0% start+6.5% cap+6.5% gain capturedTODAY · SPY +12.4%

ZJAN: reference +12.4% since period start, fund +4.6%; buffer Floor; cap +6.5%; At its cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.

Data to Nov 4, 2026.

Pair scorecard

SIXJ costs 0.05 points a year less; their one-year returns differ by 5.9 points; SIXJ is 1.4 times larger.

Points (pts) are percentage points.

SIXJ vs ZJAN: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
MeasureSIXJZJAN
Return
Total return, 1 year+11.7%+5.8%
Drawdown
Index fall to the buffer2.6%11.0%
Benchmark
What it tracksSPYSPY
Cost and size
Expense ratio0.74%0.79%
Net assets, as of Nov 3, 2026$148m$106m
Holdings
Holdings in commonnot published

Method

Risk and return

Jan 10, 2025 to Oct 30, 2026 · 94 weekly returns · each against SPY
SIXJ ZJAN
Return
Total return edge SIXJ +22.5% +11.3%
Annualized edge SIXJ +11.9% +6.1%
Price return edge SIXJ +22.5% +11.3%
Risk
Volatility edge ZJAN 7.9% 2.7%
Max drawdown edge ZJAN −9.2% −3.0%
Downside capture 50.2% 16.1%
Beta 0.51 0.17
Risk-adjusted
Sharpe edge SIXJ 0.96 0.73
Sortino edge SIXJ 1.44 1.13
Treynor 0.150 0.116
Calmar edge ZJAN 1.29 2.03
Against the benchmark
Alpha +1.1% a year −0.2% a year
Alpha t-stat 0.72 −0.32
Information ratio −0.68 −0.86
Tracking error 7.7% 12.6%
Reading

From Jan 2025 to Oct 2026, SIXJ returned more: +22.5% to +11.3%. ZJAN swung less: 2.7% to 7.9%. ZJAN fell less at its worst: −3.0% to −9.2%.

Full scorecard

19 measures, with how each is measured
Open ↓
Risk and return: SIXJ vs ZJAN: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
MeasureSIXJZJANSPYEdgeHow it is measured
Return
Total return+22.5%+11.3%SIXJPrice change plus distributions, reinvested.
Annualized+11.9%+6.1%SIXJTotal return as a yearly rate.
Price return+22.5%+11.3%SIXJPrice change alone, distributions left out.
Risk
Volatility7.9%2.7%ZJANSpread of weekly returns, annualized. Lower is steadier.
Downside deviation5.3%1.7%ZJANLike volatility, counting only weeks below the Treasury bill rate.
Max drawdown−9.2%−3.0%ZJANDeepest fall from a high to the low after it.
Upside capture40.5%13.9%100.0%SIXJShare of its benchmark's rise caught in the weeks it rose.
Downside capture50.2%16.1%100.0%ZJANShare of its benchmark's fall taken in the weeks it fell. Lower is better.
Beta0.510.171.00ZJAN lowerHow far it moves for each 1% its benchmark moves.
R squared0.940.901.00Not an edgeShare of its weekly moves its benchmark explains.
Risk-adjusted
Sharpe0.960.73SIXJReturn above Treasury bills per unit of volatility.
Sortino1.441.13SIXJReturn above Treasury bills per unit of downside deviation.
Treynor0.1500.1160.128SIXJReturn above Treasury bills per unit of beta.
Calmar1.292.03ZJANAnnualized return divided by the max drawdown.
Against the benchmark
BenchmarkSPYSPYSPYThe ETF each fund is measured against.
Alpha+1.1% a year−0.2% a year0.0%Not significantYearly return beyond what its beta to the benchmark predicts.
Alpha t-stat0.72−0.32Not an edgeHow sure the alpha is. Below 2, it could be chance.
Alpha range−1.9% to +4.0%−1.4% to +1.0%Both include zeroThe 95% range for the yearly alpha.
Information ratio−0.68−0.86SIXJReturn against its benchmark per unit of tracking error.
Tracking error7.7%12.6%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, 94 weekly returns. Cash rate: the 13-week Treasury bill.

Window by window

Window by window: SIXJ vs ZJAN: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
Total returnGap to the reference's price return
WindowSIXJZJANSIXJZJAN
3 months+0.8%+1.2%+1.2 pts+1.6 pts
6 months+4.7%+2.6%+0.2 pts−1.9 pts
1 year+11.7%+5.8%−1.8 pts−7.8 pts
3 years+51.3%–−25.1 pts–
Since launchNot the same days: SIXJ Jan 2022 · ZJAN Jan 2025+48.9%+11.6%−11.7 pts−19.6 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

SIXJ AllianzIM U.S. Equity Buffer10 ETF - Jan · Absorbs the first 10% of loss on SPY and caps the gain at 8.2%, over a period ending Dec 31, 2026 ZJAN Innovator Equity Defined Protection ETF - 1 Yr January · Absorbs the whole loss on SPY and caps the gain at 6.5%, over a period ending Dec 31, 2026
Reference index SPY SPY
Buffer 10% 100%
Outcome period Jul 1, 2026 to Dec 31, 2026 Dec 31, 2025 to Dec 31, 2026
Days left 57 57
Starting cap +8.2% +6.5%
Can still gain 5.0% 1.2%
Fall before buffer 3.0% 5.0%
Protection left, index points 10.0% of 10.0% 100.0% of 100.0%
Index return this period +2.7% +12.4%
Fund return this period +2.7% +4.6%
State today Open At cap
Expense ratio 0.74% 0.79%
Net assets, SIXJ as of Nov 3, 2026 and ZJAN as of Nov 4, 2026 $148m $106m

As of Nov 4, 2026. Source: ETFIQ.

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

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

Where each one stands today

SIXJ resets first, on Dec 31, 2026, 57 days from now; ZJAN runs to Dec 31, 2026, 57 days. SIXJ can still gain 5.0% before its cap, ZJAN 1.2%. A fall from here reaches SIXJ’s buffer after 3.0% and ZJAN’s after 5.0%. Both track SPY, so what separates them is where each is in its own period.

Client brief:

The two-page PDF for this pair is coming. Save the comparison to follow its changes. Free. It needs an email sign-in, once.

Your saved page · Privacy.

Alert

ZJAN flows, by email on Sundays.

One-click unsubscribe. See Privacy.

About each fund
SIXJ

From its price on Nov 4, 2026, the fund can gain about 5.0% 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 2.6% from today's level to the point where the buffer begins. Protection left, in index points: 10.0% of the 10.0% 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.

ZJAN

SPY had already risen past this fund's cap of +6.5% 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 1.2% as the period runs out. The fund's price can fall 5.0% 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: 100.0% of the 100.0% buffer still sits below today's SPY level.

Questions people ask

Which has more room to gain, SIXJ or ZJAN?
From their prices on Nov 4, 2026, SIXJ can gain about 5.0% before its cap and ZJAN about 1.2%, so SIXJ has more room left this period.
Which resets first, SIXJ or ZJAN?
SIXJ ends its outcome period on Dec 31, 2026 and ZJAN on Dec 31, 2026. A new cap is set the day after each.
Which is cheaper, SIXJ or ZJAN?
SIXJ charges 0.74% a year and ZJAN charges 0.79%, so SIXJ 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

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, SIXJ against ZJAN, data as of Nov 4, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/buffer/sixj-vs-zjan

Open data →

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