OCTQ vs. BUFF

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

OCTQ (Innovator Premium Income 40 Barrier ETF - October) and BUFF (Innovator Laddered Allocation Power Buffer ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - OCTQ is a Options Trading fund actively managed by Innovator, while BUFF is a Defined Outcome fund tracking the Refinitiv Laddered Power Buffer Strategy Index. OCTQ is actively managed, while BUFF is passively managed. OCTQ charges 0.79%/yr vs 0.89%/yr for BUFF.

Performance

OCTQ vs. BUFF - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Innovator Premium Income 40 Barrier ETF - October (OCTQ) and Innovator Laddered Allocation Power Buffer ETF (BUFF). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

OCTQ

• 1D: 0.00%
• 1M: 0.00%
• YTD: —
• 6M: —
• 1Y: —
• 3Y*: —
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

BUFF

• 1D: -0.27%
• 1M: 1.68%
• YTD: 5.42%
• 6M: 5.90%
• 1Y: 14.36%
• 3Y*: 12.47%
• 5Y*: 8.71%
• 10Y*: —

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

OCTQ vs. BUFF - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)
OCTQ Innovator Premium Income 40 Barrier ETF - October	0.00%
BUFF Innovator Laddered Allocation Power Buffer ETF	4.42%

OCTQ vs. BUFF - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors	OCTQ	BUFF
Technology	35.3%	36.2%
Financial Services	13.4%	11.9%
Consumer Cyclical	10.6%	10.1%
Communication Services	9.9%	10.9%
Healthcare	8.8%	8.4%
Industrials	7.8%	8.1%
Consumer Defensive	5.2%	4.9%
Energy	3.0%	3.5%
Utilities	2.5%	2.3%
Real Estate	2.0%	1.9%
Basic Materials	1.6%	1.8%

Return for Risk

OCTQ vs. BUFF — Risk / Return Rank

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

BUFF

BUFF Risk / Return Rank: 86
BUFF Sharpe Ratio Rank: 84
BUFF Sortino Ratio Rank: 90
BUFF Omega Ratio Rank: 89
BUFF Calmar Ratio Rank: 78
BUFF Martin Ratio Rank: 90

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.

OCTQ vs. BUFF - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Innovator Premium Income 40 Barrier ETF - October (OCTQ) and Innovator Laddered Allocation Power Buffer ETF (BUFF). 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.

Risk / return metrics aren't available yet — we need at least 12 months of trading data to calculate them.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	OCTQ	BUFF	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	—	2.80	—
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	—	1.04	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	—	0.49	—

Drawdowns

OCTQ vs. BUFF - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum OCTQ drawdown since its inception was 0.00%, smaller than the maximum BUFF drawdown of -46.23%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for OCTQ and BUFF.

Drawdown Indicators

	OCTQ	BUFF	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	0.00%	-46.23%	+46.23%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	—	-3.58%	—
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	—	-10.24%	—
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	—	-10.24%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	0.00%	-0.27%	+0.27%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	0.00%	-6.18%	+6.18%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	—	0.67%	—

Volatility

Volatility by Period

	OCTQ	BUFF	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	—	1.02%	—
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	—	3.83%	—
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.00%	5.15%	-5.15%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	0.00%	8.41%	-8.41%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	0.00%	17.67%	-17.67%

OCTQ vs. BUFF - Expense Ratio Comparison

OCTQ has a 0.79% expense ratio, which is lower than BUFF's 0.89% expense ratio.

Dividends

OCTQ vs. BUFF - Dividend Comparison

Neither OCTQ nor BUFF has paid dividends to shareholders.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016
BUFF Innovator Laddered Allocation Power Buffer ETF	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	1.78%	1.26%	1.74%	1.55%	0.18%
OCTQ Innovator Premium Income 40 Barrier ETF - October	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%

Frequently Asked Questions

Which ETF is better, OCTQ or BUFF?

On fees, OCTQ is cheaper at 0.79% per year. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF is cheaper, OCTQ or BUFF?

OCTQ is cheaper with a 0.79% expense ratio, compared with 0.89% for BUFF.

Which ETF pays a higher dividend yield, OCTQ or BUFF?

OCTQ and BUFF have nearly identical dividend yields, around 0.00%.

What is the main difference between OCTQ and BUFF?

OCTQ is categorized as Options Trading, while BUFF is Defined Outcome. Their fees differ too: 0.79% for OCTQ and 0.89% for BUFF.