ZSEP vs. PBFR

Last updated Apr 2, 2026

Compare and contrast key facts about Innovator Equity Defined Protection ETF - 1 Yr September (ZSEP) and PGIM Laddered S&P 500 Buffer 20 ETF (PBFR).

ZSEP and PBFR are both exchange-traded funds (ETFs), meaning they are traded on stock exchanges and can be bought and sold throughout the day. ZSEP is an actively managed fund by Innovator. It was launched on Sep 1, 2024. PBFR is an actively managed fund by PGIM. It was launched on Jun 11, 2024.

Performance

ZSEP vs. PBFR - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Innovator Equity Defined Protection ETF - 1 Yr September (ZSEP) and PGIM Laddered S&P 500 Buffer 20 ETF (PBFR). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

ZSEP vs. PBFR - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024
ZSEP Innovator Equity Defined Protection ETF - 1 Yr September	-0.07%	6.78%	2.12%
PBFR PGIM Laddered S&P 500 Buffer 20 ETF	-0.36%	10.44%	3.57%

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, ZSEP achieves a -0.07% return, which is significantly higher than PBFR's -0.36% return.

ZSEP

• 1D: 0.14%
• 1M: -0.56%
• YTD: -0.07%
• 6M: 0.87%
• 1Y: 7.12%
• 3Y*: —
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

PBFR

• 1D: 0.40%
• 1M: -0.80%
• YTD: -0.36%
• 6M: 1.72%
• 1Y: 11.14%
• 3Y*: —
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

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

ZSEP vs. PBFR - Expense Ratio Comparison

ZSEP has a 0.79% expense ratio, which is higher than PBFR's 0.50% expense ratio.

ZSEP

Innovator Equity Defined Protection ETF - 1 Yr September

PBFR

PGIM Laddered S&P 500 Buffer 20 ETF

Return for Risk

ZSEP vs. PBFR — Risk / Return Rank

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

ZSEP

ZSEP Risk / Return Rank: 91
ZSEP Sharpe Ratio Rank: 88
ZSEP Sortino Ratio Rank: 92
ZSEP Omega Ratio Rank: 93
ZSEP Calmar Ratio Rank: 87
ZSEP Martin Ratio Rank: 94

PBFR

PBFR Risk / Return Rank: 77
PBFR Sharpe Ratio Rank: 72
PBFR Sortino Ratio Rank: 76
PBFR Omega Ratio Rank: 86
PBFR Calmar Ratio Rank: 65
PBFR Martin Ratio Rank: 85

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.

ZSEP vs. PBFR - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Innovator Equity Defined Protection ETF - 1 Yr September (ZSEP) and PGIM Laddered S&P 500 Buffer 20 ETF (PBFR). 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.

	ZSEP	PBFR	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	1.95	1.37	+0.58
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	2.86	2.04	+0.82
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.45	1.36	+0.09
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	2.99	1.84	+1.14
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	15.25	10.85	+4.40
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

ZSEP vs. PBFR - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current ZSEP Sharpe Ratio is 1.95, which is higher than the PBFR Sharpe Ratio of 1.37. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of ZSEP and PBFR, 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

	ZSEP	PBFR	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	1.95	1.37	+0.58
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	1.65	1.23	+0.43

Correlation

The correlation between ZSEP and PBFR is 0.74, 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

ZSEP vs. PBFR - Dividend Comparison

ZSEP has not paid dividends to shareholders, while PBFR's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.01%.

	TTM	2025	2024
ZSEP Innovator Equity Defined Protection ETF - 1 Yr September	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
PBFR PGIM Laddered S&P 500 Buffer 20 ETF	0.01%	0.01%	0.01%

Drawdowns

ZSEP vs. PBFR - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum ZSEP drawdown since its inception was -3.97%, smaller than the maximum PBFR drawdown of -8.50%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for ZSEP and PBFR.

Drawdown Indicators

	ZSEP	PBFR	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-3.97%	-8.50%	+4.53%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-2.46%	-6.15%	+3.69%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-0.74%	-1.17%	+0.43%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-0.39%	-0.68%	+0.29%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	0.48%	1.04%	-0.56%

Volatility

ZSEP vs. PBFR - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for Innovator Equity Defined Protection ETF - 1 Yr September (ZSEP) is 1.17%, while PGIM Laddered S&P 500 Buffer 20 ETF (PBFR) has a volatility of 2.46%. This indicates that ZSEP experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than PBFR based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	ZSEP	PBFR	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	1.17%	2.46%	-1.29%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	1.99%	3.48%	-1.49%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	3.67%	8.18%	-4.51%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	3.41%	7.13%	-3.72%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	3.41%	7.13%	-3.72%