THE THREE PRIMARY ISSUERS OF BUFFER ETFS, Innovator, First Trust and Allianz, offer a mix of reference assets that can be tracked with Buffer ETFs. PGIM has also recently entered the Buffer ETF space. Innovator offers the deepest lineup.
Here are the reference assets that can be tracked for each provider:
Innovator Buffer ETFs
Emerging Markets Buffer – EEM
Buffer: 15%, Outcome Period: 12 Months, Expense Ratio: 0.89%
EJAN Emerging Markets Power Buffer ETF – January
EAPR Emerging Markets Power Buffer ETF – April
EOCT Emerging Markets Power Buffer ETF – October
EJUL Emerging Markets Power Buffer ETF – July
International Developed Markets Buffer – EFA
Buffer: 15%, Outcome Period: 12 Months, Expense Ratio: 0.85%
IJAN Intl Developed Power Buffer ETF – January
INOV Intl Developed Power Buffer ETF – November
IAPR Intl Developed Power Buffer ETF – April
ISEP Intl Developed Power Buffer ETF – September
IDEC Intl Developed Power Buffer ETF – December
IOCT Intl Developed Power Buffer ETF – October
IJUL Intl Developed Power Buffer ETF – July
U.S. Small Caps Buffer – IWM
Buffer: 15%, Outcome Period: 12 Months, Expense Ratio: 0.79%
KJAN U.S. Small Cap Power Buffer ETF – January
KAPR U.S. Small Cap Power Buffer ETF – April
KOCT U.S. Small Cap Power Buffer ETF – October
KJUL U.S. Small Cap Power Buffer ETF – July
Nasdaq 100 Index Buffer – QQQ
Buffer: 15%, Outcome Period: 12 Months, Expense Ratio: 0.79%
NJAN Growth-100 Power Buffer ETF – January
NAPR Growth-100 Power Buffer ETF – April
NOCT Growth-100 Power Buffer ETF – October
NJUL Growth-100 Power Buffer ETF – July
S&P 500 Innovator U.S. Equity Buffer – SPY
Buffer: 9%, Outcome Period: 12 Months, Expense Ratio: 0.79%
BJAN Buffer 9% – January
BFEB Buffer 9% – February
BMAR Buffer 9% – March
BAPR Buffer 9% – April
BMAY Buffer 9% – May
BJUN Buffer 9% – June
BJUL Buffer 9% – July
BAUG Buffer 9% – August
BSEP Buffer 9% – September
BOCT Buffer 9% – October
BNOV Buffer 9% – November
BDEC Buffer 9% – December
S&P 500 Innovator U.S. Equity Power Buffer – SPY
Buffer: 15%, Outcome Period: 12 Months, Expense Ratio: 0.79%
PJAN Power Buffer 15% – January
PFEB Power Buffer 15% – February
PMAR Power Buffer 15% – March
PAPR Power Buffer 15% – April
PMAY Power Buffer 15% – May
PJUN Power Buffer 15% – June
PJUL Power Buffer 15% – July
PAUG Power Buffer 15% – August
PSEP Power Buffer 15% – September
POCT Power Buffer 15% – October
PNOV Power Buffer 15% – November
PDEC Power Buffer 15% – December
S&P 500 Innovator U.S. Equity Ultra Buffer – SPY
Buffer: 30% (-5% to -35%), Outcome Period: 12 Months, Expense Ratio: 0.79%
UJAN Ultra Buffer 30% – January
UFEB Ultra Buffer 30% – February
UMAR Ultra Buffer 30% – March
UAPR Ultra Buffer 30% – April
UMAY Ultra Buffer 30% – May
UJUN Ultra Buffer 30% – June
UJUL Ultra Buffer 30% – July
UAUG Ultra Buffer 30% – August
USEP Ultra Buffer 30% – September
UOCT Ultra Buffer 30% – October
UNOV Ultra Buffer 30% – November
UDEC Ultra Buffer 30% – December
S&P 500 Innovator Equity Defined Protection Buffer – SPY
Buffer: 100%, Outcome Period: 24 Months, Expense Ratio: 0.79%
TJUL Equity Defined Protection 100% – July 2025 (7/18/2023 – 6/30/2025)
AJAN Equity Defined Protection 100% – January 2026 (1/1/2024) – 12/31/2025)
AAPR Equity Defined Protection 100% – April 2026 (4/1/2024 – 3/31/2026)
FT Vest Target Outcome ETFs
International Developed Markets Buffer – EFA
Buffer: 15%, Outcome Period: 12 Months, Expense Ratio: 0.90%
YDEC Moderate Buffer 15% – December
YJUN Moderate Buffer 15% – June
YMAR Moderate Buffer 15% – March
YSEP Moderate Buffer 15% – September
U.S. Small Caps Buffer – IWM
Buffer: 15%, Outcome Period: 12 Months, Expense Ratio: 0.90%
SAUG Moderate Buffer 15% – August
SMAY Moderate Buffer 15% – May
SNOV Moderate Buffer 15% – November
Nasdaq 100 Index Buffer – QQQ
Buffer: 10%, Outcome Period: 12 Months, Expense Ratio: 0.90%
QDEC Buffer 10% – December
QJUN Buffer 10% – June
QMAR Buffer 10% – March
QSPT Buffer 10% – September
S&P 500 FT Vest U.S. Equity Buffer – SPY
Buffer: 10%, Outcome Period: 12 Months, Expense Ratio: 0.85%
FJAN Buffer 10% – January
FFEB Buffer 10% – February
FMAR Buffer 10% – March
FAPR Buffer 10% – April
FMAY Buffer 10% – May
FJUN Buffer 10% – June
FJUL Buffer 10% – July
FAUG Buffer 10% – August
FSEP Buffer 10% – September
FOCT Buffer 10% – October
FNOV Buffer 10% – November
FDEC Buffer 10% – December
S&P 500 FT Vest U.S. Equity Moderate Buffer – SPY
Buffer: 15%, Outcome Period: 12 Months, Expense Ratio: 0.85%
GJAN Moderate Buffer 15% – January
GFEB Moderate Buffer 15% – February
GMAR Moderate Buffer 15% – March
GAPR Moderate Buffer 15% – April
GMAY Moderate Buffer 15% – May
GJUN Moderate Buffer 15% – June
GJUL Moderate Buffer 15% – July
GAUG Moderate Buffer 15% – August
GSEP Moderate Buffer 15% – September
GOCT Moderate Buffer 15% – October
GNOV Moderate Buffer 15% – November
GDEC Moderate Buffer 15% – December
S&P 500 FT Vest U.S. Equity Deep Buffer – SPY
Buffer: 25% (-5% to -30%), Outcome Period: 12 Months, Expense Ratio: 0.85%
DJAN Deep Buffer 25% – January
DFEB Deep Buffer 25% – February
DMAR Deep Buffer 25% – March
DAPR Deep Buffer 25% – April
DMAY Deep Buffer 25% – May
DJUN Deep Buffer 25% – June
DJUL Deep Buffer 25% – July
DAUG Deep Buffer 25% – August
DSEP Deep Buffer 25% – September
DOCT Deep Buffer 25% – October
DNOV Deep Buffer 25% – November
DDEC Deep Buffer 25% – December
AllianzIM Buffered ETFs
S&P 500 AllianzIM Buffer 10 Series – SPY
Buffer: 10%, Outcome Period: 12 Months, Expense Ratio: 0.74%
JANT Buffer 10% – January
FEBT Buffer 10% – February
MART Buffer 10% – March
APRT Buffer 10% – April
MAYT Buffer 10% – May
JUNT Buffer 10% – June
JULT Buffer 10% – July
AUGT Buffer 10% – August
SEPT Buffer 10% – September
OCTT Buffer 10% – October
NOVT Buffer 10% – November
DECT Buffer 10% – December
S&P 500 AllianzIM Buffer 20 Series – SPY
Buffer: 20%, Outcome Period: 12 Months, Expense Ratio: 0.74%
JANW Buffer 20% – January
FEBW Buffer 20% – February
MARW Buffer 20% – March
APRW Buffer 20% – April
MAYW Buffer 20% – May
JUNW Buffer 20% – June
JULW Buffer 20% – July
AUGW Buffer 20% – August
SEPW Buffer 20% – September
OCTW Buffer 20% – October
NVBW Buffer 20% – November
DECW Buffer 20% – December
S&P 500 AllianzIM 6-Month Buffer 10 Series – SPY
Buffer: 10%, Outcome Period: 6 Months, Expense Ratio: 0.74%
SIXJ AllianzIM U.S. Large Cap 6-Month Buffer 10 Jan/Jul
SIXF AllianzIM U.S. Large Cap 6-Month Buffer 10 Feb/Aug
SIXP AllianzIM U.S. Large Cap 6-month Buffer 10 Mar/Sep
SIXO AllianzIM U.S. Large Cap 6-Month Buffer 10 Apr/Oct
SIXZ AllianzIM U.S. Large Cap 6-Month Buffer 10 May/Nov*
SIXD AllianzIM U.S. Large Cap 6-Month Buffer 10 June/Dec*
*SIXZ and SIXD are anticipated to launch in May and June 2024.
PGIM Buffer ETFs
PGIM U.S. Large-Cap Buffer 12 Series – SPY
Buffer: 12%, Outcome Period: 12 Months, Expense Ratio: 0.50%
JANP Buffer 12% – January
FEBP Buffer 12% – February
MRCP Buffer 12% – March
APRP Buffer 12% – April*
MAYP Buffer 12% – May*
JUNP Buffer 12% – June*
JULP Buffer 12% – July*
AUGP Buffer 12% – August*
SEPP Buffer 12% – September*
OCTP Buffer 12% – October*
NOVP Buffer 12% – November*
DECP Buffer 12% – December*
PGIM U.S. Large-Cap Buffer 20 Series – SPY
Buffer: 20%, Outcome Period: 12 Months, Expense Ratio: 0.50%
PBJA Buffer 20% – January
PBFB Buffer 20% – February
PBMR Buffer 20% – March
PBAP Buffer 20% – April*
PBMY Buffer 20% – May*
PBJN Buffer 20% – June*
PBJL Buffer 20% – July*
PBAU Buffer 20% – August*
PBSE Buffer 20% – September*
PBOC Buffer 20% – October*
PBNV Buffer 20% – November*
PBDE Buffer 20% – December*
*April – December series will be launched throughout 2024.
Others:
BlackRock iShares Buffer ETFs – IVV (S&P 500)
IVVM: iShares Large Cap Moderate Buffer ETF
Quarterly Buffer: 5%, Expense Ratio: 0.50%,
IVVB: iShares Large Cap Deep Buffer ETF
Quarterly Buffer: 15% (-5% to -20%), Expense Ratio: 0.50%
Innovator – SPY
BALT: Defined Wealth Shield
Quarterly Buffer: 20%, Expense Ratio: 0.69%
ZALT: Defined Wealth Shield
Quarterly Buffer: 10%, Expense Ratio: 0.69%
Innovator Managed Buffer Step-Up Strategy ETFs
Expense Ratio: 0.89%
BSTP 9% Managed Buffer Step-Up Strategy
PSTP 15% Managed Buffer Step-Up Strategy
Innovator Laddered Buffer ETFs
Expense ratio: 0.89%
BUFB 9% Laddered Buffer Strategy
BUFF 15% Laddered Buffer Strategy
FT Vest Laddered Buffer ETF
Expense ratio: 1.05%
BUFR 10% FT Vest Fund of Buffer ETFs
Accelerated Buffer ETFs
FT Vest U.S. Equity Enhance & Moderate Buffer ETF – SPY
Buffer: 15%, Outcome Period: 12 Months, Expense Ratio: 0.85%
XJAN 15% Enhance & Moderate Buffer – January
XFEB 15% Enhance & Moderate Buffer – February
XMAR 15% Enhance & Moderate Buffer – March
XAPR 15% Enhance & Moderate Buffer – April
XMAY 15% Enhance & Moderate Buffer – May
XJUN 15% Enhance & Moderate Buffer – June
XJUL 15% Enhance & Moderate Buffer – July
XAUG 15% Enhance & Moderate Buffer – August
XSEP 15% Enhance & Moderate Buffer – September
XOCT 15% Enhance & Moderate Buffer – October
XNOV 15% Enhance & Moderate Buffer – November
XDEC 15% Enhance & Moderate Buffer – December
Innovator U.S. Equity Accelerated 9 Buffer ETF – SPY
Buffer: 9%, Outcome Period: 12 Months, Expense Ratio: 0.79%
XBJA 9% Buffer – January
XBAP 9% Buffer – April
XBJL 9% Buffer – July
XBOC 9% Buffer – October
AllianzIM Uncapped Buffered ETFs
Buffer: 15%, Outcome Period: 12 Months, Expense Ratio: 0.74%
ARLU 15% Buffer – U.S. Equity Buffer 15 Uncapped – April*
*Allianz will soon offer an Uncapped Buffer ETF for every month of the year.