QTJL vs. BUFF
QTJL (Innovator Growth Accelerated Plus ETF - July) and BUFF (Innovator Laddered Allocation Power Buffer ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - QTJL is a Leveraged Equities fund actively managed by Innovator, while BUFF is a Defined Outcome fund tracking the FTSE Laddered Power Buffer Strategy Index. QTJL is actively managed, while BUFF is passively managed. Over the past 5 years, QTJL returned 9.12%/yr vs 8.73%/yr for BUFF. Their correlation of 0.86 means they have usually moved in the same direction. QTJL charges 0.79%/yr vs 0.89%/yr for BUFF.
Performance
QTJL vs. BUFF - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, QTJL achieves a 4.03% return, which is significantly lower than BUFF's 6.78% return.
QTJL
- 1D
- 1.43%
- 1M
- -0.57%
- 6M
- 2.72%
- YTD
- 4.03%
- 1Y
- 13.57%
- 3Y*
- 17.40%
- 5Y*
- 9.12%
- 10Y*
- —
- ALL TIME*
- 9.62%
BUFF
- 1D
- 0.49%
- 1M
- 1.16%
- 6M
- 5.55%
- YTD
- 6.78%
- 1Y
- 12.58%
- 3Y*
- 11.80%
- 5Y*
- 8.73%
- 10Y*
- —
- ALL TIME*
- 8.67%
Liquidity Comparison
| Position | Avg. Volume Value (2W) | Avg. Volume Value (1M) | Avg. Volume Value (3M) |
|---|---|---|---|
| $5.94M | $5.18M | $4.36M | |
| $205.17K | $322.53K | $250.53K |
QTJL vs. BUFF - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
QTJL Innovator Growth Accelerated Plus ETF - July | 4.03% | 21.07% | 16.50% | 42.39% | -30.16% | 9.36% |
BUFF Innovator Laddered Allocation Power Buffer ETF | 6.78% | 11.02% | 12.05% | 16.51% | -4.44% | 3.28% |
Correlation
The correlation between QTJL and BUFF is 0.80, meaning they have usually moved in the same direction, including during past declines.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Focuses on recent behavior, but can change the most. | 0.80 |
Correlation (3Y) Balances recent behavior with more history. | 0.83 |
Correlation (5Y) Shows whether the relationship held over a longer period. | 0.86 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jul 1, 2021 | 0.86 |
The correlation between QTJL and BUFF has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.80 to 0.86 - a consistent structural relationship.
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Return for Risk
QTJL vs. BUFF — Risk / Return Rank
QTJL
BUFF
QTJL vs. BUFF - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Innovator Growth Accelerated Plus ETF - July (QTJL) 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.
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.
| QTJL | BUFF | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -1.23 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -1.91 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.24 | 1.48 | -0.24 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.61 | 3.53 | -1.92 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 7.83 | 18.02 | -10.19 |
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Drawdowns
QTJL vs. BUFF - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum QTJL drawdown since its inception was -33.40%, smaller than the maximum BUFF drawdown of -46.23%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for QTJL and BUFF.
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Drawdown Indicators
| QTJL | BUFF | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -33.40% | -46.23% | +12.83% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -8.48% | -3.58% | -4.90% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -22.43% | -10.24% | -12.19% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -33.40% | -10.24% | -23.16% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -3.26% | 0.00% | -3.26% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -7.74% | -6.08% | -1.66% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 1.74% | 0.70% | +1.04% |
Volatility
QTJL vs. BUFF - Volatility Comparison
Innovator Growth Accelerated Plus ETF - July (QTJL) has a higher volatility of 6.50% compared to Innovator Laddered Allocation Power Buffer ETF (BUFF) at 1.54%. This indicates that QTJL's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than BUFF based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| QTJL | BUFF | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 6.50% | 1.54% | +4.96% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 9.72% | 4.25% | +5.47% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 11.73% | 5.28% | +6.45% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 20.45% | 8.46% | +11.99% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 20.30% | 17.54% | +2.76% |
QTJL vs. BUFF - Expense Ratio Comparison
QTJL has a 0.79% expense ratio, which is lower than BUFF's 0.89% expense ratio.
Dividends
QTJL vs. BUFF - Dividend Comparison
Neither QTJL 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% |
QTJL Innovator Growth Accelerated Plus ETF - July | 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
QTJL and BUFF have a correlation of 0.80, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
QTJL has higher volatility (6.50%) compared to BUFF (1.54%). In terms of maximum drawdown, QTJL dropped -33.40% vs BUFF's -46.23%.
On 5-year performance, QTJL leads with 9.12% vs 8.73% for BUFF. On fees, QTJL is cheaper at 0.79% per year. On volatility, BUFF has been the lower-risk option at 1.54%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 5-year period, QTJL has performed better with a 9.12% return vs 8.73%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
QTJL is cheaper with a 0.79% expense ratio, compared with 0.89% for BUFF.
QTJL and BUFF have nearly identical dividend yields, around 0.00%.
QTJL is categorized as Leveraged Equities, while BUFF is Defined Outcome. Their fees differ too: 0.79% for QTJL and 0.89% for BUFF.
BUFF currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.40 vs 1.16), 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.
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