Data as of Nov 4, 2026.

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Buffer ETFs

UOCT vs XSEP: Cap, Buffer & Days Left

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As of Nov 4, 2026 UOCT can fall 5.7% before its buffer engages and XSEP 1.7%, and XSEP resets 13 days sooner.

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Net assets: $271m on Nov 4, 2026 for Innovator U.S. Equity Ultra Buffer ETF - Oct, and $99m on Nov 3, 2026 for FT Vest U.S. Equity Enhance & Moderate Buffer ETF - September.

At a glance
5.7%
UOCT can fall this far before its buffer
1.7%
XSEP can fall this far before its buffer
14.4%
UOCT can still gain
9.4%
XSEP can still gain
UOCT Between buffer and cap
Between buffer and capUOCT: reference +0.5% since period start, fund +0.7%; buffer −5 to −35; cap +15.3%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.30 pts of buffer+14.8% more to the cap−35.0% floor−5.0% buffer start0% period start+15.3% capfirst 5 pts are yours to lose+0.5% gain capturedTODAY · SPY +0.5%Between buffer and capUOCT: reference +0.5% since period start, fund +0.7%; buffer −5 to −35; cap +15.3%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.30 pts of buffer−35.0% floor−5.0% buffer start0% start+15.3% capfirst 5 pts are yours to lose+0.5% gain captured+14.8% more to the capTODAY · SPY +0.5%

UOCT: reference +0.5% since period start, fund +0.7%; buffer −5 to −35; cap +15.3%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.

UOCT: reference +0.5% since period start, fund +0.7%; buffer −5 to −35; cap +15.3%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.
XSEP Between buffer and cap
Between buffer and capXSEP: reference +0.7% since period start, fund +0.9%; buffer 0 to −15; cap +11.2%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.15 pts of buffer+10.5% to cap−15.0% floor0% period start+11.2% cap+0.7% gain capturedTODAY · SPY +0.7%Between buffer and capXSEP: reference +0.7% since period start, fund +0.9%; buffer 0 to −15; cap +11.2%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.15 pts−15.0% floor0% start+11.2% cap+0.7% gain captured+10.5% more to the capTODAY · SPY +0.7%

XSEP: reference +0.7% since period start, fund +0.9%; buffer 0 to −15; cap +11.2%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.

XSEP: reference +0.7% since period start, fund +0.9%; buffer 0 to −15; cap +11.2%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.

Pair scorecard

UOCT costs 0.06 points a year less; their one-year returns differ by 1.0 point; UOCT is 2.7 times larger.

Points (pts) are percentage points.

UOCT vs XSEP: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
MeasureUOCTXSEP
Return
Total return, 1 year+10.3%+9.3%
Drawdown
Index fall to the buffer5.5%0.6%
Benchmark
What it tracksSPYSPY
Cost and size
Expense ratio0.79%0.85%
Net assets, as of Nov 3, 2026$267m$99m
Holdings
Holdings in commonnot published

Method

Window by window

Window by window: UOCT vs XSEP: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
Total returnGap to the reference's price return
WindowUOCTXSEPUOCTXSEP
3 months+1.9%+1.6%+2.3 pts+1.9 pts
6 months+5.1%+4.1%+0.6 pts−0.4 pts
1 year+10.3%+9.3%−3.3 pts−4.3 pts
3 years+37.9%+32.5%−38.5 pts−44.0 pts
Since launchNot the same days: UOCT Oct 2018 · XSEP Sep 2022+77.5%+51.6%−85.4 pts−53.3 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

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 XSEP FT Vest U.S. Equity Enhance & Moderate Buffer ETF - September · Absorbs the first 0% to 15% of loss on SPY and caps the gain at 11.2%, over a period ending Sep 17, 2027
Reference index SPY SPY
Buffer 5% to 35% 0% to 15%
Outcome period Sep 30, 2026 to Sep 30, 2027 Sep 21, 2026 to Sep 17, 2027
Days left 330 317
Starting cap +15.3% +11.2%
Can still gain 14.4% 9.4%
Fall before buffer 5.7% 1.7%
Protection left, index points 30.0% of 30.0% 15.0% of 15.0%
Index return this period +0.5% +0.7%
Fund return this period +0.7% +0.9%
State today Open Open
Expense ratio 0.79% 0.85%
Net assets, UOCT as of Nov 4, 2026 and XSEP as of Nov 3, 2026 $271m $99m

As of Nov 4, 2026. Source: ETFIQ.

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

Where each one stands today

XSEP resets first, on Sep 17, 2027, 317 days from now; UOCT runs to Sep 30, 2027, 330 days. UOCT can still gain 14.4% before its cap, XSEP 9.4%. A fall from here reaches UOCT’s buffer after 5.7% and XSEP’s after 1.7%. Both track SPY, so what separates them is where each is in its own period.

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About each fund
UOCT

From its price on Nov 4, 2026, the fund can gain about 14.4% 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 5.5% 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. 330 days remained on Nov 4, 2026. On Sep 30, 2027 the period ends and a new cap is set.

XSEP

From its price on Nov 4, 2026, the fund can gain about 9.4% more before it reaches its cap. The fund's price can fall 1.7% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's number. In index terms, SPY can fall 0.6% 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. 317 days remained on Nov 4, 2026. On Sep 17, 2027 the period ends and a new cap is set.

Questions people ask

Which has more room to gain, UOCT or XSEP?
From their prices on Nov 4, 2026, UOCT can gain about 14.4% before its cap and XSEP about 9.4%, so UOCT has more room left this period.
Which resets first, UOCT or XSEP?
UOCT ends its outcome period on Sep 30, 2027 and XSEP on Sep 17, 2027. A new cap is set the day after each.
Which is cheaper, UOCT or XSEP?
UOCT charges 0.79% a year and XSEP charges 0.85%, so UOCT 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

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, UOCT against XSEP, data as of Nov 4, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/buffer/uoct-vs-xsep

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