Data as of Nov 4, 2026.

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Buffer ETFs

XBOC vs XSEP: Cap, Buffer & Days Left

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As of Nov 4, 2026 XSEP can fall 1.7% before its buffer engages and XBOC 0.9%, and XSEP resets 13 days sooner.

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Net assets: $60m on Nov 4, 2026 for Innovator U.S. Equity Accelerated 9 Buffer ETF - Oct, and $99m on Nov 3, 2026 for FT Vest U.S. Equity Enhance & Moderate Buffer ETF - September.

At a glance
0.9%
XBOC can fall this far before its buffer
1.7%
XSEP can fall this far before its buffer
12.7%
XBOC can still gain
9.4%
XSEP can still gain
XBOC Between buffer and cap
Between buffer and capXBOC: reference +0.5% since period start, fund +0.8%; buffer 0 to −9; cap +13.7%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.9 pts of buffer+13.2% more to the cap−9.0% floor0% period start+13.7% cap+0.5% gain capturedTODAY · SPY +0.5%Between buffer and capXBOC: reference +0.5% since period start, fund +0.8%; buffer 0 to −9; cap +13.7%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.9 pts+13.2% to cap−9.0% floor0% start+13.7% cap+0.5% gain capturedTODAY · SPY +0.5%

XBOC: reference +0.5% since period start, fund +0.8%; buffer 0 to −9; cap +13.7%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.

XBOC: reference +0.5% since period start, fund +0.8%; buffer 0 to −9; cap +13.7%; 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% more to the 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

XBOC costs 0.06 points a year less; their one-year returns differ by 2.1 points; XSEP is 1.7 times larger.

Points (pts) are percentage points.

XBOC vs XSEP: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
MeasureXBOCXSEP
Return
Total return, 1 year+11.4%+9.3%
Drawdown
Index fall to the buffer0.5%0.6%
Benchmark
What it tracksSPYSPY
Cost and size
Expense ratio0.79%0.85%
Net assets, as of Nov 3, 2026$59m$99m
Holdings
Holdings in commonnot published

Method

Risk and return

Sep 30, 2022 to Oct 30, 2026 · 213 weekly returns · each against SPY
XBOC XSEP
Return
Total return edge XBOC +65.1% +53.9%
Annualized edge XBOC +13.0% +11.1%
Price return edge XBOC +65.1% +53.9%
Risk
Volatility edge XSEP 7.4% 5.9%
Max drawdown edge XSEP −10.9% −7.8%
Downside capture 40.9% 34.3%
Beta 0.46 0.37
Risk-adjusted
Sharpe edge XBOC (slight) 1.07 1.03
Sortino edge XBOC (slight) 1.65 1.59
Treynor 0.173 0.164
Calmar edge XSEP 1.20 1.42
Against the benchmark
Alpha +0.6% a year +0.1% a year
Alpha t-stat 0.34 0.11
Information ratio −0.95 −1.06
Tracking error 8.5% 9.4%
Reading

From Sep 2022 to Oct 2026, XBOC returned more: +65.1% to +53.9%. XSEP swung less: 5.9% to 7.4%. XSEP fell less at its worst: −7.8% to −10.9%.

Full scorecard

19 measures, with how each is measured
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Risk and return: XBOC vs XSEP: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
MeasureXBOCXSEPSPYEdgeHow it is measured
Return
Total return+65.1%+53.9%XBOCPrice change plus distributions, reinvested.
Annualized+13.0%+11.1%XBOCTotal return as a yearly rate.
Price return+65.1%+53.9%XBOCPrice change alone, distributions left out.
Risk
Volatility7.4%5.9%XSEPSpread of weekly returns, annualized. Lower is steadier.
Downside deviation4.8%3.8%XSEPLike volatility, counting only weeks below the Treasury bill rate.
Max drawdown−10.9%−7.8%XSEPDeepest fall from a high to the low after it.
Upside capture34.2%27.9%100.0%XBOCShare of its benchmark's rise caught in the weeks it rose.
Downside capture40.9%34.3%100.0%XSEPShare of its benchmark's fall taken in the weeks it fell. Lower is better.
Beta0.460.371.00XSEP lowerHow far it moves for each 1% its benchmark moves.
R squared0.780.811.00Not an edgeShare of its weekly moves its benchmark explains.
Risk-adjusted
Sharpe1.071.03XBOC (slight)Return above Treasury bills per unit of volatility.
Sortino1.651.59XBOC (slight)Return above Treasury bills per unit of downside deviation.
Treynor0.1730.1640.161XBOC (slight)Return above Treasury bills per unit of beta.
Calmar1.201.42XSEPAnnualized return divided by the max drawdown.
Against the benchmark
BenchmarkSPYSPYSPYThe ETF each fund is measured against.
Alpha+0.6% a year+0.1% a year0.0%Not significantYearly return beyond what its beta to the benchmark predicts.
Alpha t-stat0.340.11Not an edgeHow sure the alpha is. Below 2, it could be chance.
Alpha range−2.8% to +4.0%−2.4% to +2.7%Both include zeroThe 95% range for the yearly alpha.
Information ratio−0.95−1.06XBOCReturn against its benchmark per unit of tracking error.
Tracking error8.5%9.4%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, 213 weekly returns. Cash rate: the 13-week Treasury bill.

Window by window

Window by window: XBOC vs XSEP: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
Total returnGap to the reference's price return
WindowXBOCXSEPXBOCXSEP
3 months+1.8%+1.6%+2.2 pts+1.9 pts
6 months+4.9%+4.1%+0.4 pts−0.4 pts
1 year+11.4%+9.3%−2.1 pts−4.3 pts
3 years+37.8%+32.5%−38.6 pts−44.0 pts
Since launchNot the same days: XBOC Oct 2021 · XSEP Sep 2022+51.6%+51.6%−25.0 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

XBOC Innovator U.S. Equity Accelerated 9 Buffer ETF - Oct · Absorbs the first 9% of loss on SPY and caps the gain at 13.7%, 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 9% 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 +13.7% +11.2%
Can still gain 12.7% 9.4%
Fall before buffer 0.9% 1.7%
Protection left, index points 9.0% of 9.0% 15.0% of 15.0%
Index return this period +0.5% +0.7%
Fund return this period +0.8% +0.9%
State today Open Open
Expense ratio 0.79% 0.85%
Net assets, XBOC as of Nov 4, 2026 and XSEP as of Nov 3, 2026 $60m $99m

As of Nov 4, 2026. Source: ETFIQ.

Where each one stands today

XSEP resets first, on Sep 17, 2027, 317 days from now; XBOC runs to Sep 30, 2027, 330 days. XBOC can still gain 12.7% before its cap, XSEP 9.4%. A fall from here reaches XBOC’s buffer after 0.9% and XSEP’s after 1.7%. Both track SPY, so what separates them is where each is in its own period.

Client brief:

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About each fund
XBOC

From its price on Nov 4, 2026, the fund can gain about 12.7% 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 0.5% from today's level to the point where the buffer begins. Protection left, in index points: 9.0% of the 9.0% 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, XBOC or XSEP?
From their prices on Nov 4, 2026, XBOC can gain about 12.7% before its cap and XSEP about 9.4%, so XBOC has more room left this period.
Which resets first, XBOC or XSEP?
XBOC 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, XBOC or XSEP?
XBOC charges 0.79% a year and XSEP charges 0.85%, so XBOC 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.

Cite this pageCitation, APA and Markdown

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

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