AJAN vs. PJUL

Last updated Aug 5, 2026

AJAN (Innovator Equity Defined Protection ETF - 2 Yr To January 2026) and PJUL (Innovator U.S. Equity Power Buffer ETF - July) are both exchange-traded funds - AJAN is a Options Trading fund actively managed by Innovator, while PJUL is a Defined Outcome fund tracking the Cboe S&P 500 Buffer Protect Index July. AJAN is actively managed, while PJUL is passively managed. Over the past year, AJAN returned 4.98% vs 12.03% for PJUL. Their 0.75 correlation means they have sometimes moved together and sometimes differently. Both charge a 0.79% expense ratio.

Performance

AJAN vs. PJUL - 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 U.S. Equity Power Buffer ETF - July (PJUL). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, AJAN achieves a 2.59% return, which is significantly lower than PJUL's 7.09% return.

AJAN

• 1D: 0.30%
• 1M: 0.61%
• 6M: 2.18%
• YTD: 2.59%
• 1Y: 4.98%
• 3Y*: —
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —
• ALL TIME*: 6.30%

PJUL

• 1D: 0.85%
• 1M: 2.09%
• 6M: 6.41%
• YTD: 7.09%
• 1Y: 12.03%
• 3Y*: 13.04%
• 5Y*: 10.71%
• 10Y*: —
• ALL TIME*: 8.91%

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

Liquidity Comparison

Position	Avg. Volume Value (2W)	Avg. Volume Value (1M)	Avg. Volume Value (3M)
AJAN Innovator Equity Defined Protection ETF - 2 Yr To January 2026	$92.46K	$76.38K	$85.38K
PJUL Innovator U.S. Equity Power Buffer ETF - July	$6.52M	$10.86M	$7.30M

AJAN vs. PJUL - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024
AJAN Innovator Equity Defined Protection ETF - 2 Yr To January 2026	2.59%	6.12%	7.61%
PJUL Innovator U.S. Equity Power Buffer ETF - July	7.09%	12.78%	13.76%

Correlation

The correlation between AJAN and PJUL is 0.69, which is moderate. They have sometimes moved together and sometimes differently, sharing some price drivers without tracking each other closely.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Focuses on recent behavior, but can change the most.	0.69
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jan 2, 2024	0.75

The correlation between AJAN and PJUL has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.69 to 0.75 - a consistent structural relationship.

Return for Risk

AJAN vs. PJUL — Risk / Return Rank

Compare historical risk-adjusted metric ranks over the past 12 months.

AJAN

AJAN Risk / Return Rank: 75
AJAN Sharpe Ratio Rank: 76
AJAN Sortino Ratio Rank: 81
AJAN Omega Ratio Rank: 87
AJAN Calmar Ratio Rank: 55
AJAN Martin Ratio Rank: 75

PJUL

PJUL Risk / Return Rank: 89
PJUL Sharpe Ratio Rank: 88
PJUL Sortino Ratio Rank: 90
PJUL Omega Ratio Rank: 92
PJUL Calmar Ratio Rank: 81
PJUL Martin Ratio Rank: 93

The rank (0–100) uses a weighted average of the Sharpe, Sortino, Omega, Calmar, and Martin percentile ranks for the trailing 12 months. Higher means stronger historical risk-adjusted performance within the peer group.

AJAN vs. PJUL - 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 U.S. Equity Power Buffer ETF - July (PJUL). 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.

Values are calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. Risk-adjusted metrics are more stable over longer periods — use the period switch above to explore them.

	AJAN	PJUL	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	1.95	2.31	-0.36
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	2.92	3.44	-0.53
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.42	1.48	-0.06
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	2.23	3.32	-1.09
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	10.69	18.10	-7.40

AJAN vs. PJUL - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current AJAN Sharpe Ratio is 1.95, which is comparable to the PJUL Sharpe Ratio of 2.31. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of AJAN and PJUL, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Drawdowns

AJAN vs. PJUL - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum AJAN drawdown since its inception was -4.11%, smaller than the maximum PJUL drawdown of -18.17%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for AJAN and PJUL.

Drawdown Indicators

	AJAN	PJUL	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-4.11%	-18.17%	+14.06%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-2.24%	-3.64%	+1.40%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	—	-10.69%	—
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	—	-10.69%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-0.30%	-1.45%	+1.15%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	0.47%	0.67%	-0.20%

Volatility

AJAN vs. PJUL - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for Innovator Equity Defined Protection ETF - 2 Yr To January 2026 (AJAN) is 0.88%, while Innovator U.S. Equity Power Buffer ETF - July (PJUL) has a volatility of 2.17%. This indicates that AJAN experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than PJUL based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	AJAN	PJUL	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	0.88%	2.17%	-1.29%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	2.40%	4.26%	-1.86%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	2.57%	5.27%	-2.70%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	3.77%	8.64%	-4.87%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	3.77%	9.96%	-6.19%

AJAN vs. PJUL - Expense Ratio Comparison

Both AJAN and PJUL have an expense ratio of 0.79%.

Dividends

AJAN vs. PJUL - Dividend Comparison

Neither AJAN nor PJUL has paid dividends to shareholders.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019
AJAN Innovator Equity Defined Protection ETF - 2 Yr To January 2026	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
PJUL Innovator U.S. Equity Power Buffer ETF - July	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.82%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both AJAN and PJUL in my portfolio?

AJAN and PJUL have a correlation of 0.69, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, AJAN or PJUL?

PJUL has higher volatility (2.17%) compared to AJAN (0.88%). In terms of maximum drawdown, AJAN dropped -4.11% vs PJUL's -18.17%.

Which ETF is better, AJAN or PJUL?

On 1-year performance, PJUL leads with 12.03% vs 4.98% for AJAN. Both ETFs have the same 0.79% expense ratio. On volatility, AJAN has been the lower-risk option at 0.88%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF has performed better, AJAN or PJUL?

Over the 1-year period, PJUL has performed better with a 12.03% return vs 4.98%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.

Which ETF is cheaper, AJAN or PJUL?

AJAN and PJUL have the same expense ratio: 0.79% per year.

Which ETF pays a higher dividend yield, AJAN or PJUL?

AJAN and PJUL have nearly identical dividend yields, around 0.00%.

What is the main difference between AJAN and PJUL?

AJAN is categorized as Options Trading, while PJUL is Defined Outcome.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

PJUL currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.31 vs 1.95), meaning it's delivered slightly more return per unit of risk over the trailing 12 months. However, this ranking shifts over time - use the Risk/Return Score above for a more comprehensive view that combines Sharpe, Sortino, and other measures used by quantitative funds.