AJAN vs. BSTP

Last updated Apr 2, 2026

Compare and contrast key facts about Innovator Equity Defined Protection ETF - 2 Yr To January 2026 (AJAN) and Innovator Buffer Step-Up Strategy ETF (BSTP).

AJAN and BSTP are both exchange-traded funds (ETFs), meaning they are traded on stock exchanges and can be bought and sold throughout the day. AJAN is an actively managed fund by Innovator. It was launched on Dec 29, 2023. BSTP is a passively managed fund by Innovator that tracks the performance of the S&P 500. It was launched on Mar 7, 2022.

Performance

AJAN vs. BSTP - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Innovator Equity Defined Protection ETF - 2 Yr To January 2026 (AJAN) and Innovator Buffer Step-Up Strategy ETF (BSTP). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

AJAN vs. BSTP - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024
AJAN Innovator Equity Defined Protection ETF - 2 Yr To January 2026	-0.63%	6.12%	7.78%
BSTP Innovator Buffer Step-Up Strategy ETF	-2.26%	11.80%	17.15%

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, AJAN achieves a -0.63% return, which is significantly higher than BSTP's -2.26% return.

AJAN

• 1D: 0.11%
• 1M: -1.26%
• YTD: -0.63%
• 6M: 0.58%
• 1Y: 5.17%
• 3Y*: —
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

BSTP

• 1D: 0.78%
• 1M: -2.84%
• YTD: -2.26%
• 6M: -0.42%
• 1Y: 11.88%
• 3Y*: 12.63%
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

*Multi-year figures are annualized to reflect compound growth (CAGR)

AJAN vs. BSTP - Expense Ratio Comparison

AJAN has a 0.79% expense ratio, which is lower than BSTP's 0.89% expense ratio.

BSTP

Innovator Buffer Step-Up Strategy ETF

AJAN

Innovator Equity Defined Protection ETF - 2 Yr To January 2026

Return for Risk

AJAN vs. BSTP — Risk / Return Rank

Compare risk-adjusted metric ranks to identify better-performing investments over the past 12 months.

AJAN

AJAN Risk / Return Rank: 68
AJAN Sharpe Ratio Rank: 63
AJAN Sortino Ratio Rank: 67
AJAN Omega Ratio Rank: 83
AJAN Calmar Ratio Rank: 55
AJAN Martin Ratio Rank: 73

BSTP

BSTP Risk / Return Rank: 52
BSTP Sharpe Ratio Rank: 47
BSTP Sortino Ratio Rank: 49
BSTP Omega Ratio Rank: 57
BSTP Calmar Ratio Rank: 45
BSTP Martin Ratio Rank: 61

The rank (0–100) shows how this investment's returns compare to the risk taken. Higher = better. Based on the past 12 months of data, combining Sharpe, Sortino, and other metrics used by quantitative funds and institutional investors.

AJAN vs. BSTP - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Innovator Equity Defined Protection ETF - 2 Yr To January 2026 (AJAN) and Innovator Buffer Step-Up Strategy ETF (BSTP). Risk-adjusted metrics are performance indicators that assess an investment's returns in relation to its risk, enabling a more accurate comparison of different investment options.

	AJAN	BSTP	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	1.18	0.92	+0.26
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	1.77	1.40	+0.37
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.34	1.22	+0.11
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	1.56	1.34	+0.22
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	8.34	6.85	+1.49
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

AJAN vs. BSTP - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current AJAN Sharpe Ratio is 1.18, which is comparable to the BSTP Sharpe Ratio of 0.92. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of AJAN and BSTP, offering insights into how both investments have performed under varying market conditions. These values are calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	AJAN	BSTP	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	1.18	0.92	+0.26
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	1.53	0.76	+0.77

Correlation

The correlation between AJAN and BSTP is 0.77, which is considered to be high. That indicates a strong positive relationship between their price movements. Having highly-correlated positions in a portfolio may signal a lack of diversification, potentially leading to increased risk during market downturns.

Dividends

AJAN vs. BSTP - Dividend Comparison

Neither AJAN nor BSTP has paid dividends to shareholders.

Tickers have no history of dividend payments

Drawdowns

AJAN vs. BSTP - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum AJAN drawdown since its inception was -4.11%, smaller than the maximum BSTP drawdown of -16.69%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for AJAN and BSTP.

Drawdown Indicators

	AJAN	BSTP	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-4.11%	-16.69%	+12.58%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-3.34%	-9.11%	+5.77%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-1.46%	-3.59%	+2.13%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-0.30%	-3.65%	+3.35%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	0.63%	1.78%	-1.15%

Volatility

AJAN vs. BSTP - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for Innovator Equity Defined Protection ETF - 2 Yr To January 2026 (AJAN) is 1.38%, while Innovator Buffer Step-Up Strategy ETF (BSTP) has a volatility of 3.95%. This indicates that AJAN experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than BSTP based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	AJAN	BSTP	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	1.38%	3.95%	-2.57%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	1.72%	6.68%	-4.96%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	4.42%	12.96%	-8.54%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	3.86%	12.28%	-8.42%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	3.86%	12.28%	-8.42%