PSCJ vs. KMAR

Last updated Aug 4, 2026

PSCJ (Pacer Swan SOS Conservative (July) ETF) and KMAR (Innovator U.S. Small Cap Power Buffer ETF - March) are both Defined Outcome funds - PSCJ tracks the SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust while KMAR tracks the iShares Russell 2000 ETF (IWM) Price Return. Both are passively managed. Over the past year, PSCJ returned 12.17% vs 24.41% for KMAR. Their 0.77 correlation means they have sometimes moved together and sometimes differently. PSCJ charges 0.61%/yr vs 0.79%/yr for KMAR.

Performance

PSCJ vs. KMAR - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Pacer Swan SOS Conservative (July) ETF (PSCJ) and Innovator U.S. Small Cap Power Buffer ETF - March (KMAR). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, PSCJ achieves a 6.26% return, which is significantly lower than KMAR's 12.74% return.

PSCJ

• 1D: 0.62%
• 1M: 1.13%
• 6M: 5.60%
• YTD: 6.26%
• 1Y: 12.17%
• 3Y*: 13.02%
• 5Y*: 9.16%
• 10Y*: —
• ALL TIME*: 9.09%

KMAR

• 1D: 0.84%
• 1M: 0.78%
• 6M: 9.45%
• YTD: 12.74%
• 1Y: 24.41%
• 3Y*: —
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —
• ALL TIME*: 17.47%

*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)
KMAR Innovator U.S. Small Cap Power Buffer ETF - March	$120.12K	$77.14K	$163.43K
PSCJ Pacer Swan SOS Conservative (July) ETF	$14.40K	$18.59K	$12.91K

PSCJ vs. KMAR - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025
PSCJ Pacer Swan SOS Conservative (July) ETF	6.26%	11.55%
KMAR Innovator U.S. Small Cap Power Buffer ETF - March	12.74%	11.45%

Correlation

The correlation between PSCJ and KMAR is 0.74, 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.	0.74
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Mar 3, 2025	0.77

The correlation between PSCJ and KMAR has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.74 to 0.77 - a consistent structural relationship.

Return for Risk

PSCJ vs. KMAR — Risk / Return Rank

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

PSCJ

PSCJ Risk / Return Rank: 88
PSCJ Sharpe Ratio Rank: 89
PSCJ Sortino Ratio Rank: 91
PSCJ Omega Ratio Rank: 93
PSCJ Calmar Ratio Rank: 76
PSCJ Martin Ratio Rank: 91

KMAR

KMAR Risk / Return Rank: 94
KMAR Sharpe Ratio Rank: 93
KMAR Sortino Ratio Rank: 94
KMAR Omega Ratio Rank: 93
KMAR Calmar Ratio Rank: 94
KMAR Martin Ratio Rank: 95

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.

PSCJ vs. KMAR - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Pacer Swan SOS Conservative (July) ETF (PSCJ) and Innovator U.S. Small Cap Power Buffer ETF - March (KMAR). 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.

	PSCJ	KMAR	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	2.30	2.68	-0.38
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	3.47	3.94	-0.47
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.49	1.52	-0.02
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	2.94	5.01	-2.07
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	16.17	21.18	-5.01

PSCJ vs. KMAR - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current PSCJ Sharpe Ratio is 2.30, which is comparable to the KMAR Sharpe Ratio of 2.68. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of PSCJ and KMAR, 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

PSCJ vs. KMAR - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum PSCJ drawdown since its inception was -11.87%, roughly equal to the maximum KMAR drawdown of -11.32%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for PSCJ and KMAR.

Drawdown Indicators

	PSCJ	KMAR	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-11.87%	-11.32%	-0.55%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-4.16%	-4.89%	+0.73%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-11.87%	—	—
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-11.87%	—	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-2.13%	-1.26%	-0.87%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	0.75%	1.16%	-0.41%

Volatility

PSCJ vs. KMAR - Volatility Comparison

Pacer Swan SOS Conservative (July) ETF (PSCJ) has a higher volatility of 2.04% compared to Innovator U.S. Small Cap Power Buffer ETF - March (KMAR) at 1.82%. This indicates that PSCJ's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than KMAR based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	PSCJ	KMAR	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	2.04%	1.82%	+0.22%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	4.31%	6.80%	-2.49%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	5.32%	9.17%	-3.85%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	8.68%	11.78%	-3.10%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	8.63%	11.78%	-3.15%

PSCJ vs. KMAR - Expense Ratio Comparison

PSCJ has a 0.61% expense ratio, which is lower than KMAR's 0.79% expense ratio.

Dividends

PSCJ vs. KMAR - Dividend Comparison

Neither PSCJ nor KMAR has paid dividends to shareholders.

Tickers have no history of dividend payments

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both PSCJ and KMAR in my portfolio?

PSCJ and KMAR have a correlation of 0.74, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, PSCJ or KMAR?

PSCJ has higher volatility (2.04%) compared to KMAR (1.82%). In terms of maximum drawdown, PSCJ dropped -11.87% vs KMAR's -11.32%.

Which ETF is better, PSCJ or KMAR?

On 1-year performance, KMAR leads with 24.41% vs 12.17% for PSCJ. On fees, PSCJ is cheaper at 0.61% per year. On volatility, KMAR has been the lower-risk option at 1.82%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF has performed better, PSCJ or KMAR?

Over the 1-year period, KMAR has performed better with a 24.41% return vs 12.17%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.

Which ETF is cheaper, PSCJ or KMAR?

PSCJ is cheaper with a 0.61% expense ratio, compared with 0.79% for KMAR.

Which ETF pays a higher dividend yield, PSCJ or KMAR?

PSCJ and KMAR have nearly identical dividend yields, around 0.00%.

What is the main difference between PSCJ and KMAR?

PSCJ tracks SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust, while KMAR tracks iShares Russell 2000 ETF (IWM) Price Return. They also come from different issuers: Pacer and Innovator. Their fees differ too: 0.61% for PSCJ and 0.79% for KMAR.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

KMAR currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.68 vs 2.30), 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.