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LJUL Innovator Premium Income 15 Buffer ETF - July

Buffer with income on SPY, paying monthly

Over the year to Sep 11, 2026, LJUL paid 5.2% in cash and still finished 12.4 points behind SPY.

Innovator · Income ETFs · data as of

Key facts

5.2%Cash paid, 1 year, on its starting price
+5.1%Total return, 1 year
−12.4 ptsAgainst SPY
5.3%Latest payout, annualized

Method

ETFIQ Return Stability Score

37.8121st of 161

LJUL paid 5.2% in cash. Its price fell 0.2%, so 4% of what you were paid came back out of your own capital.

Was the payout funded by returns, or by your own capital?

Against its benchmark
MLPD −38.1 ptsMDST −30.2 ptsSLTY −29.1 ptsBLOX −27.8 ptsEIPI −27.8 ptsYQQQ −27.6 ptsULTY −23.3 ptsGDXY −22.0 ptsHIGH −20.8 ptsTOPW −18.6 ptsTDVI −18.3 ptsYMAX −18.1 ptsHISF −17.3 ptsACKY −17.2 ptsWEEI −16.9 ptsNDIV −16.6 ptsLQDW −16.2 ptsOARK −15.8 ptsFDND −15.5 ptsTCAL −15.0 ptsQRMI −14.8 ptsSDVD −14.8 ptsLFGY −14.5 ptsSLJY −14.5 ptsSCLZ −14.1 ptsYFYA −13.9 ptsQUSA −13.5 ptsHYGW −13.0 ptsJULH −13.0 ptsXLRI −13.0 ptsMAGY −12.9 ptsYYY −12.7 ptsXLKI −12.6 ptsJULJ −12.4 ptsJANJ −12.3 ptsLJAN −12.3 ptsFGSI −12.2 ptsLOCT −12.1 ptsRNTY −12.1 ptsAIPI −12.0 ptsIWMY −12.0 ptsOCTJ −11.9 ptsHIPS −11.7 ptsJUCY −11.6 ptsXLEI −11.6 ptsAPRJ −11.3 ptsLAPR −11.3 ptsXISE −11.3 ptsXIJN −11.1 ptsCVRD −11.0 ptsJANH −11.0 ptsAPRH −10.9 ptsXBTY −10.7 ptsXIDE −10.7 ptsOCTH −10.6 ptsJEPI −10.3 ptsXIMR −10.1 ptsSRHR −9.7 ptsXRMI −8.7 ptsVEGA −8.3 ptsBUYW −8.2 ptsIAUI −7.9 ptsBAGY −7.7 ptsXV −7.5 ptsKHPI −7.3 ptsYBTC −7.3 ptsFTHI −7.0 ptsYLDE −6.8 ptsIGLD −6.1 ptsQQQI −6.1 ptsRDVI −6.0 ptsSPIN −5.9 ptsFEPI −5.8 ptsIWMW −5.8 ptsTYLG −5.7 ptsBITY −5.6 ptsSPUT −5.4 ptsWTPI −5.2 ptsPAPI −4.7 ptsXLVI −4.7 ptsETCO −4.3 ptsJEPQ −4.1 ptsCAIE −4.0 ptsFTKI −3.9 ptsGPTY −3.7 ptsIQQQ −3.7 ptsGIAX −3.4 ptsBIGY −3.3 ptsISPY −3.1 ptsRYLD −3.1 ptsWEEL −2.9 ptsYMAG −2.9 ptsRDTY −2.6 ptsXLBI −2.5 ptsNBOS −1.8 ptsRYLG −1.8 ptsSPYI −1.7 ptsFTQI −1.6 ptsKNG −1.6 ptsTSPY −1.6 ptsTHTA −1.5 ptsQQQY −1.3 ptsRDTE −1.3 ptsDIVO −1.2 ptsSIXH −1.2 ptsXYLD −1.2 ptsDFII −1.1 ptsGPIQ −1.1 ptsQDTY −1.1 ptsXYLG −1.1 ptsXDTE −0.9 ptsQDTE −0.7 ptsQYLD −0.7 ptsXLII −0.7 ptsXPAY −0.7 ptsEGGY −0.6 ptsJOYT −0.6 ptsSDTY −0.6 ptsWDTE −0.4 ptsBTCC −0.3 ptsQYLG −0.3 ptsGPIX 0.0 ptsDJIA +0.1 ptsDYLG +0.3 ptsIWMI +0.3 ptsKGLD +0.3 ptsXLFI +0.3 ptsIVVW +0.4 ptsLTTI +0.5 ptsLQTI +0.6 ptsPBP +0.6 ptsHYTI +0.9 ptsTDAQ +0.9 ptsCSHI +1.3 ptsBALI +1.4 ptsYETH +1.5 ptsHYBL +1.6 ptsXLUI +1.6 ptsCHPY +1.9 ptsBTCI +2.1 ptsSOXY +2.3 ptsITWO +2.5 ptsDOGG +2.7 ptsCEPI +2.9 ptsXLYI +2.9 ptsYBIT +2.9 ptsTLTP +3.4 ptsDUBS +4.0 ptsSEPI +4.7 ptsXLCI +5.2 ptsIDVO +5.4 ptsTLTW +5.4 ptsBCCC +6.3 ptsOMAH +6.5 ptsIDUB +6.9 ptsXLSI +8.8 ptsUSOY +10.5 ptsBUCK +10.9 ptsKLIP +20.9 ptsNVYY +24.6 ptsLJUL −12.4 ptsLJUL −12.4 pts−38.1 pts+24.6 pts

21.4% of the 161 sit at or below LJUL on this measure.

What happened to the principal
ETCO −75.0%XBTY −74.7%YETH −67.4%YBTC −61.4%BTCC −59.9%YBIT −58.9%BAGY −58.0%SLTY −54.4%ULTY −53.3%NVYY −52.4%BITY −51.9%BCCC −49.4%BTCI −46.9%DFII −44.8%LFGY −43.0%YMAX −41.0%BLOX −38.8%TOPW −36.6%OARK −33.3%KLIP −32.8%GDXY −32.5%YMAG −27.1%YQQQ −26.3%MAGY −25.8%IWMY −23.1%CEPI −21.0%RDTY −19.9%RDTE −19.4%QDTE −18.5%EGGY −15.1%TLTP −14.5%XLYI −14.1%LTTI −13.8%ACKY −13.7%WDTE −13.7%QQQY −13.0%QDTY −12.8%XDTE −12.8%AIPI −12.2%QUSA −11.8%LQTI −10.4%TLTW −10.3%SDTY −9.9%GIAX −9.8%XLUI −9.5%HIGH −9.3%LQDW −9.3%TCAL −9.0%FEPI −8.5%XV −8.4%IGLD −8.1%XLRI −8.0%XLCI −7.9%FDND −7.6%YYY −7.5%XLSI −7.3%RNTY −6.5%HYTI −6.3%GPTY −6.0%OMAH −6.0%XLBI −5.7%HYGW −5.6%IWMW −5.3%HIPS −5.2%XPAY −4.9%HISF −4.7%QRMI −4.2%USOY −4.0%XLFI −3.8%FGSI −3.2%BUCK −2.5%HYBL −2.5%JUCY −2.3%XRMI −2.3%MLPD −1.7%CAIE −1.6%IAUI −1.6%YFYA −1.6%IVVW −1.4%CVRD −1.3%JEPI −1.1%KNG −0.9%XIJN −0.7%JULJ −0.6%WTPI −0.5%CSHI −0.4%JULH −0.3%XISE 0.0%JANH +0.1%JANJ +0.1%LAPR +0.1%LOCT +0.1%LJAN +0.2%OCTJ +0.2%XLII +0.2%APRJ +0.3%OCTH +0.3%XIDE +0.3%XIMR +0.4%APRH +0.5%TSPY +0.6%KHPI +0.7%BIGY +0.8%WEEL +0.9%SRHR +1.0%FTHI +1.1%QQQI +1.5%XLVI +2.1%SPYI +2.6%QYLG +2.8%YLDE +2.8%BUYW +2.9%SDVD +3.0%XYLG +3.4%KGLD +3.8%THTA +3.9%DJIA +4.2%FTKI +4.3%SCLZ +4.4%PAPI +4.5%RYLD +4.7%XLKI +5.0%PBP +5.1%IWMI +5.3%DYLG +5.4%TDAQ +5.9%XYLD +5.9%JEPQ +6.0%SPIN +6.1%NBOS +6.5%SPUT +6.5%RYLG +7.1%GPIX +7.9%FTQI +8.0%DOGG +8.2%ISPY +8.4%QYLD +8.4%DIVO +8.9%MDST +9.3%VEGA +9.4%BALI +9.5%GPIQ +9.8%SLJY +11.0%RDVI +11.7%TDVI +11.7%IQQQ +12.3%SEPI +13.8%XLEI +13.8%SIXH +14.1%ITWO +14.3%EIPI +14.6%JOYT +16.1%IDVO +16.4%DUBS +18.9%WEEI +18.9%IDUB +19.0%TYLG +21.2%NDIV +22.9%CHPY +24.9%SOXY +68.6%LJUL −0.2%LJUL −0.2%−75.0%+68.6%

54.3% of the 161 sit at or below LJUL on this measure.

Weighted evenly, those two positions are what the score combines, across the 161 income ETFs writing on an index or proxy. Neither spread above is the score: a fund can sit further right on one and score lower. A position in this set, not a rating: it moves when the set moves, and it is not a figure to average against another desk's.

What the score is computed from
What it measuresThis fundIts percentileWeight
against its benchmark−12.4 pts21.450%
what happened to the principal−0.2%54.350%

All income ETFs ranked by this score · How it is computed

53rd of 68 income ETFs writing on SPY, by return against it

What a holder got

LJUL against SPYLJUL returned +5.1% with distributions reinvested against +17.5% for S&P 500 (SPY), used as a default proxy, a gap of −12.4 pts. Of that, 5.2% arrived as cash rather than price.+5.1%LJUL total return+17.5%S&P 500 (SPY), used as a default proxy5.2% of it arrived as cash

Over the year to Sep 11, 2026, LJUL returned +5.1% with distributions reinvested and S&P 500 (SPY), used as a default proxy returned +17.5%, so a holder came out behind it by 12.4 points. The lighter segment is the 5.2% that arrived as cash rather than as price.

Method

Period by period

LJUL over each window to Sep 11, 2026. Every figure is an ETFIQ calculation. Source: ETFIQ.
WindowCash paidPriceTotal returnSPYAhead or behind
3 months1.3%+0.2%+1.5%+3.3%−1.8 pts
6 months2.6%+0.4%+3.1%+16.0%−13.0 pts
1 year5.2%−0.2%+5.1%+17.5%−12.4 pts
Since launch11.7%+0.8%+13.2%+43.5%−30.3 pts

Method

When LJUL pays

LJUL pays monthly. The last distribution was $0.1059 a share, which went ex on Aug 31, 2026, with payment about 2 days later. The next has not been declared. On its own cadence of about 31 days the ex-date falls near Oct 1, 2026; that date is an ETFIQ projection, not the issuer’s.

Expected distributions for LJUL. Where the basis is a projection, ETFIQ has carried the fund’s own spacing forward from its last ex-date and held the amount at the last one paid; neither is an issuer statement. Source: ETFIQ.
Ex-datePay dateAmountBasis
Oct 1, 2026Oct 5, 2026$0.1059ETFIQ projection from the fund’s own cadence
Every distribution ETFIQ holds for LJUL (13, most recent first)
Cash distributions per share for LJUL. Source: ETFIQ from Tiingo end-of-day distributions.
Ex-dateAmount
Aug 31, 2026$0.1059
Jul 31, 2026$0.1059
Jun 30, 2026$0.1035
May 29, 2026$0.1035
Apr 30, 2026$0.1035
Mar 31, 2026$0.1035
Feb 27, 2026$0.1035
Jan 30, 2026$0.1035
Dec 31, 2025$0.1035
Nov 28, 2025$0.1035
Oct 31, 2025$0.1035
Sep 30, 2025$0.1035
Aug 29, 2025$0.1035

Every income ETF going ex-dividend in the next fortnight

Method

In plain words

Since it launched on Jul 1, 2024, LJUL has returned +13.2% with distributions reinvested, against +43.5% for S&P 500 (SPY), used as a default proxy, and has paid out 11.7% of its starting value in cash along the way. It pays monthly, and at its current price the latest distribution annualizes to 5.3%. No Rule 19a-1 notice has been published for this fund, so there is no issuer estimate of how much of its distributions was a return of capital.

LJUL (Innovator Premium Income 15 Buffer ETF - July), income ETFs fields as of Sep 11, 2026. Source: ETFIQ.
Strategybuffer with income
BenchmarkS&P 500 (SPY), used as a default proxy (proxy)
Paysmonthly
Net assets (issuer page, as of Sep 11, 2026)$9m
Latest payout, annualized (ETFIQ)5.3%
Expense ratio (485BPOS XBRL, Feb 27, 2026)0.79%
Cash paid, last 12 months, over today’s price (ETFIQ)5.2%
LaunchedJul 1, 2024
Paysmonthly
Typical gap between ex-dates31 days
Typical wait from ex-date to payment2 days
Last paid, per share$0.1059 ex Aug 31, 2026
Sum of the last 12 distributions$1.2466

Every figure is an ETFIQ calculation from exchange prices and cash distributions (Tiingo end-of-day), total return with distributions reinvested. Return of capital is the issuer’s estimate. How these figures are computed

Questions people ask

How much has LJUL paid over the last year?
Over the year to Sep 11, 2026, LJUL paid 5.2% of its starting price in cash distributions, while the price fell 0.2%.
Is LJUL ahead of SPY?
Over the year to Sep 11, 2026, with every distribution reinvested, LJUL returned +5.1% against +17.5% for S&P 500 (SPY), used as a default proxy, so a holder was behind it by 12.4 points.
How often does LJUL pay, and how much?
LJUL pays monthly. The latest distribution annualizes to 5.3% at its price on Sep 11, 2026, which is not a promise; the next one can differ.
When does LJUL next pay a distribution?
LJUL pays monthly. The last distribution went ex on Aug 31, 2026 at $0.1059 a share. The next is not declared; on a cadence of about 31 days the ex-date falls near Oct 1, 2026, which is an ETFIQ projection. Payment usually follows the ex-date by 2 days.
What does LJUL cost?
The prospectus expense ratio is 0.79% a year.

The words on this page

Total return
What a holder actually ended up with: price change plus every distribution, reinvested. The only figure that answers whether you came out ahead.
Cash paid
Distributions over the window as a share of what the fund cost at the start. A measure of cash delivered, not of return: a fund can pay a great deal and still lose money.
Ahead or behind
The fund’s total return minus the benchmark’s over exactly the same days, in percentage points. Both sides reinvest.
Return of capital
The issuer’s own estimate, in a Rule 19a-1 notice, of how much of a distribution was your own money returned. An estimate and a tax characterization, not a measure of erosion.
Covered call
Selling call options on shares the fund holds. It collects a premium and gives up the gains above the strike, which is why these funds pay well and lag a rising market.

Every term used here, defined in full on the income ETFs vocabulary page.

Where these figures came from

ETFIQ links to the documents behind every figure. It is not affiliated with any issuer, and a link is not an endorsement.

Funds near this one

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LJUL payout bar, ETFIQ

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<p><a href="https://etfiq.com/funds/ljul">LJUL payout bar, updated daily by ETFIQ</a></p>

Where LJUL is written about

LJUL, Income ETFs, ETFIQ, data as of Sep 11, 2026. Every figure is arithmetic on a named public source; the method is at etfiq.com/methodology. ETFIQ is an independent publisher, is not a fund issuer, broker-dealer or investment adviser, and makes no recommendations.
Use this data, or open the live card

Open LJUL live on ETFIQ, where the figures refresh with the data.

Cite this page. ETFIQ, LJUL, income ETFs, data as of Sep 11, 2026. https://etfiq.com/funds/ljul Free to use with attribution; the underlying files are at Open data.

How these figures are computed · Standards and sources