PBFB vs. BSTP

Last updated Apr 2, 2026

Compare and contrast key facts about PGIM US Large-Cap Buffer 20 ETF - February (PBFB) and Innovator Buffer Step-Up Strategy ETF (BSTP).

PBFB and BSTP are both exchange-traded funds (ETFs), meaning they are traded on stock exchanges and can be bought and sold throughout the day. PBFB is an actively managed fund by PGIM. It was launched on Jan 31, 2024. 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

PBFB vs. BSTP - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in PGIM US Large-Cap Buffer 20 ETF - February (PBFB) and Innovator Buffer Step-Up Strategy ETF (BSTP). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

PBFB vs. BSTP - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024
PBFB PGIM US Large-Cap Buffer 20 ETF - February	-0.93%	9.86%	10.00%
BSTP Innovator Buffer Step-Up Strategy ETF	-2.26%	11.80%	14.54%

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, PBFB achieves a -0.93% return, which is significantly higher than BSTP's -2.26% return.

PBFB

• 1D: 0.40%
• 1M: -1.63%
• YTD: -0.93%
• 6M: 1.48%
• 1Y: 10.80%
• 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)

PBFB vs. BSTP - Expense Ratio Comparison

PBFB has a 0.50% expense ratio, which is lower than BSTP's 0.89% expense ratio.

BSTP

Innovator Buffer Step-Up Strategy ETF

PBFB

PGIM US Large-Cap Buffer 20 ETF - February

Return for Risk

PBFB vs. BSTP — Risk / Return Rank

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

PBFB

PBFB Risk / Return Rank: 72
PBFB Sharpe Ratio Rank: 70
PBFB Sortino Ratio Rank: 73
PBFB Omega Ratio Rank: 80
PBFB Calmar Ratio Rank: 60
PBFB Martin Ratio Rank: 79

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.

PBFB vs. BSTP - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for PGIM US Large-Cap Buffer 20 ETF - February (PBFB) 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.

	PBFB	BSTP	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	1.30	0.92	+0.38
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	1.95	1.40	+0.55
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.33	1.22	+0.10
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	1.76	1.34	+0.43
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	9.68	6.85	+2.84
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

PBFB vs. BSTP - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current PBFB Sharpe Ratio is 1.30, which is higher than the BSTP Sharpe Ratio of 0.92. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of PBFB 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

	PBFB	BSTP	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	1.30	0.92	+0.38
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	1.34	0.76	+0.58

Correlation

The correlation between PBFB and BSTP is 0.91, 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

PBFB vs. BSTP - Dividend Comparison

Neither PBFB nor BSTP has paid dividends to shareholders.

Tickers have no history of dividend payments

Drawdowns

PBFB vs. BSTP - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum PBFB drawdown since its inception was -8.65%, smaller than the maximum BSTP drawdown of -16.69%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for PBFB and BSTP.

Drawdown Indicators

	PBFB	BSTP	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-8.65%	-16.69%	+8.04%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-6.16%	-9.11%	+2.95%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-2.08%	-3.59%	+1.51%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-0.63%	-3.65%	+3.02%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	1.12%	1.78%	-0.66%

Volatility

PBFB vs. BSTP - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for PGIM US Large-Cap Buffer 20 ETF - February (PBFB) is 2.56%, while Innovator Buffer Step-Up Strategy ETF (BSTP) has a volatility of 3.95%. This indicates that PBFB 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

	PBFB	BSTP	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	2.56%	3.95%	-1.39%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	3.81%	6.68%	-2.87%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	8.32%	12.96%	-4.64%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	6.54%	12.28%	-5.74%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	6.54%	12.28%	-5.74%