KJAN vs. QMAR

Last updated Aug 4, 2026

KJAN (Innovator U.S. Small Cap Power Buffer ETF - January) and QMAR (FT Cboe Vest Nasdaq-100 Buffer ETF - March) are both exchange-traded funds - KJAN is a Defined Outcome fund tracking the iShares Russell 2000 ETF, while QMAR is a Nasdaq-100 fund actively managed by First Trust. KJAN is passively managed, while QMAR is actively managed. Over the past 5 years, KJAN returned 8.34%/yr vs 11.18%/yr for QMAR. Their 0.69 correlation means they have sometimes moved together and sometimes differently. KJAN charges 0.79%/yr vs 0.90%/yr for QMAR.

Performance

KJAN vs. QMAR - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Innovator U.S. Small Cap Power Buffer ETF - January (KJAN) and FT Cboe Vest Nasdaq-100 Buffer ETF - March (QMAR). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, KJAN achieves a 11.06% return, which is significantly lower than QMAR's 12.60% return.

KJAN

• 1D: 0.60%
• 1M: 0.88%
• 6M: 7.88%
• YTD: 11.06%
• 1Y: 22.78%
• 3Y*: 12.01%
• 5Y*: 8.34%
• 10Y*: —
• ALL TIME*: 8.59%

QMAR

• 1D: 0.62%
• 1M: 0.65%
• 6M: 11.79%
• YTD: 12.60%
• 1Y: 19.26%
• 3Y*: 15.58%
• 5Y*: 11.18%
• 10Y*: —
• ALL TIME*: 12.14%

*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)
KJAN Innovator U.S. Small Cap Power Buffer ETF - January	$265.04K	$245.27K	$454.88K
QMAR FT Cboe Vest Nasdaq-100 Buffer ETF - March	$331.81K	$318.22K	$438.70K

KJAN vs. QMAR - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021
KJAN Innovator U.S. Small Cap Power Buffer ETF - January	11.06%	10.90%	8.86%	14.71%	-7.69%	6.40%
QMAR FT Cboe Vest Nasdaq-100 Buffer ETF - March	12.60%	10.89%	16.11%	35.47%	-16.56%	12.87%

Correlation

The correlation between KJAN and QMAR is 0.67, 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.	0.67
Correlation (3Y) Balances recent behavior with more history.	0.61
Correlation (5Y) Shows whether the relationship held over a longer period.	0.70
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Mar 22, 2021	0.69

The correlation between KJAN and QMAR has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.61 to 0.70 - a consistent structural relationship.

KJAN vs. QMAR - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors	KJAN	QMAR
Healthcare	20.3%	3.6%
Financial Services	17.6%	0.2%
Technology	14.5%	60.2%
Industrials	14.1%	2.7%
Consumer Cyclical	9.2%	10.9%
Real Estate	6.7%	0.1%
Energy	5.5%	0.5%
Basic Materials	4.4%	1.0%
Utilities	2.8%	1.2%
Consumer Defensive	2.6%	6.5%
Communication Services	2.2%	13.3%

Return for Risk

KJAN vs. QMAR — Risk / Return Rank

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

KJAN

KJAN Risk / Return Rank: 89
KJAN Sharpe Ratio Rank: 86
KJAN Sortino Ratio Rank: 89
KJAN Omega Ratio Rank: 87
KJAN Calmar Ratio Rank: 91
KJAN Martin Ratio Rank: 90

QMAR

QMAR Risk / Return Rank: 96
QMAR Sharpe Ratio Rank: 95
QMAR Sortino Ratio Rank: 95
QMAR Omega Ratio Rank: 96
QMAR Calmar Ratio Rank: 96
QMAR Martin Ratio Rank: 97

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.

KJAN vs. QMAR - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Innovator U.S. Small Cap Power Buffer ETF - January (KJAN) and FT Cboe Vest Nasdaq-100 Buffer ETF - March (QMAR). 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.

	KJAN	QMAR	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	2.19	2.78	-0.58
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	3.25	4.18	-0.92
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.41	1.60	-0.19
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	4.22	6.02	-1.80
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	15.30	28.19	-12.89

KJAN vs. QMAR - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current KJAN Sharpe Ratio is 2.19, which is comparable to the QMAR Sharpe Ratio of 2.78. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of KJAN and QMAR, 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

KJAN vs. QMAR - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum KJAN drawdown since its inception was -28.94%, which is greater than QMAR's maximum drawdown of -19.83%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for KJAN and QMAR.

Drawdown Indicators

	KJAN	QMAR	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-28.94%	-19.83%	-9.11%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-5.42%	-3.21%	-2.21%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-16.83%	-15.91%	-0.92%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-16.83%	-19.83%	+3.00%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	0.00%	-0.59%	+0.59%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-4.01%	-3.22%	-0.79%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	1.49%	0.68%	+0.81%

Volatility

KJAN vs. QMAR - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for Innovator U.S. Small Cap Power Buffer ETF - January (KJAN) is 1.46%, while FT Cboe Vest Nasdaq-100 Buffer ETF - March (QMAR) has a volatility of 2.62%. This indicates that KJAN experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than QMAR based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	KJAN	QMAR	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	1.46%	2.62%	-1.16%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	6.43%	6.18%	+0.25%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	10.45%	6.98%	+3.47%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	13.02%	14.05%	-1.03%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	15.26%	13.74%	+1.52%

KJAN vs. QMAR - Expense Ratio Comparison

KJAN has a 0.79% expense ratio, which is lower than QMAR's 0.90% expense ratio.

Dividends

KJAN vs. QMAR - Dividend Comparison

Neither KJAN nor QMAR has paid dividends to shareholders.

Tickers have no history of dividend payments

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both KJAN and QMAR in my portfolio?

KJAN and QMAR have a correlation of 0.67, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, KJAN or QMAR?

QMAR has higher volatility (2.62%) compared to KJAN (1.46%). In terms of maximum drawdown, KJAN dropped -28.94% vs QMAR's -19.83%.

Which ETF is better, KJAN or QMAR?

On 5-year performance, QMAR leads with 11.18% vs 8.34% for KJAN. On fees, KJAN is cheaper at 0.79% per year. On volatility, KJAN has been the lower-risk option at 1.46%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF has performed better, KJAN or QMAR?

Over the 5-year period, QMAR has performed better with a 11.18% return vs 8.34%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.

Which ETF is cheaper, KJAN or QMAR?

KJAN is cheaper with a 0.79% expense ratio, compared with 0.90% for QMAR.

Which ETF pays a higher dividend yield, KJAN or QMAR?

KJAN and QMAR have nearly identical dividend yields, around 0.00%.

What is the main difference between KJAN and QMAR?

KJAN is categorized as Defined Outcome, while QMAR is Nasdaq-100. They also come from different issuers: Innovator and First Trust. Their fees differ too: 0.79% for KJAN and 0.90% for QMAR.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

QMAR currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.78 vs 2.19), 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.