Innovator U.S. Equity Accelerated 9 Buffer… (XBJL) Performance
XBJL total return
Distributions reinvested · as of Oct 23, 2026- YTD
- +7.2% since Dec 31, 2025
- 1 year
- +9.0% total return
- 5 years
- +9.2% a year
- Since first price
- +9.1% a year since 2021
XBJL trailing returns vs SPY, QQQ, AGG
| Period | XBJL total return | Price only | S&P 500 (SPY) | Nasdaq-100 (QQQ) | U.S. bonds (AGG) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 month | −0.1% | −0.1% | −1.0% | −5.0% | +0.9% |
| 3 months | +3.1% | +3.1% | +3.2% | +1.9% | −0.4% |
| 6 months | +4.4% | +4.4% | +7.8% | +8.4% | −1.5% |
| YTD | +7.2% | +7.2% | +12.3% | +15.1% | −1.0% |
| 1 year | +9.0% | +9.0% | +14.4% | +15.9% | −1.1% |
| 3 years | +45.7%+13.4%/yr | +45.7% | +87.4%+23.3%/yr | +101.4%+26.3%/yr | +16.6%+5.2%/yr |
| 5 years | +55.0%+9.2%/yr | +55.0% | +79.3%+12.4%/yr | +94.0%+14.2%/yr | −0.8%−0.2%/yr |
| Since inceptionJul 1, 2021 | +59.1%+9.1%/yr | +59.1% | — | — | — |
Total return from adjusted closes (distributions reinvested, before tax). Periods of 3 years or more are also shown annualized. Price only excludes distributions.
Growth of $10,000: XBJL vs SPY
From Jul 1, 2021: XBJL grew to $15,914, SPY to $18,938.
Year-end values with distributions reinvested, no taxes or trading costs. Start: first common trading day of both funds.
XBJL returns by calendar year
3 of 4 full years positive. Best 2023 (+19.5%), worst 2022 (−5.0%). 2026 is year to date.
XBJL annual returns table
| Year | XBJL | Largest drop | SPY | QQQ | AGG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026YTD | +7.2% | −3.3% | +12.3% | +15.1% | −1.0% |
| 2025 | +12.0% | −11.7% | +17.7% | +20.8% | +7.2% |
| 2024 | +11.5% | −5.0% | +24.9% | +25.6% | +1.3% |
| 2023 | +19.5% | −5.3% | +26.2% | +54.9% | +5.7% |
| 2022 | −5.0% | −11.8% | −18.2% | −32.6% | −13.0% |
Largest drop = deepest fall from a high within that calendar year.
Calendar-year return vs largest drop within the year
Most years include a sizable fall at some point even when the year ends higher.
XBJL largest drawdowns
Now 1.1% below the high| Peak | Decline | Bottom | Recovered | Fall | Underwater |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 29, 2022 | −11.8% | Jun 16, 2022 | Feb 2, 2023 | 3 months | 10 months |
| Feb 19, 2025 | −11.7% | Apr 8, 2025 | May 12, 2025 | 48 days | 3 months |
Declines from a closing high (distributions reinvested) of 10% or more. Underwater = time from the peak until the old high was regained.
XBJL risk statistics
| Statistic | 3 years | 5 years | Since 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annualized return | +13.0% | +9.7% | +9.3% |
| Volatility (annualized) | 5.5% | 8.0% | 8.0% |
| Sharpe ratio | 1.48 | 0.76 | 0.73 |
| Sortino ratio | 3.82 | 1.26 | 1.20 |
| Best month | +6.4% | +6.4% | +6.4% |
| Worst month | −2.3% | −5.6% | −5.6% |
| Best 12 months | +18.9% | +19.5% | +19.5% |
| Worst 12 months | +6.6% | −6.7% | −6.7% |
| Positive months | 81% | 70% | 69% |
| Beta vs S&P 500 | 0.39 | 0.48 | — |
| Correlation with S&P 500 | 0.88 | 0.94 | — |
From monthly total returns. Sharpe and Sortino use 1–3 month T-bills (BIL) as the risk-free rate, so they need history from 2007 on.
XBJL rolling returns
| Holding period | Periods | Worst | Median | Best | Positive |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1-year | 52 | −6.7% | +11.5% | +19.5% | 90% |
| 3-year (a year) | 28 | +7.9% | +11.7% | +15.9% | 100% |
| 5-year (a year) | 4 | +9.1% | +9.2% | +9.7% | 100% |
Every holding period starting at a month-end since 2021. Returns for 3 years and longer are annualized.
XBJL performance overview
Innovator U.S. Equity Accelerated 9 Buffer… (XBJL) returned +9.0% over the past year and +9.2% a year over five years, with distributions reinvested. Since its first recorded price in 2021 it has returned +9.1% a year, turning $10,000 into about $15,914. Over the same year S&P 500 (SPY) returned +14.4%.
The deepest decline was −11.8%, from Mar 29, 2022 to Jun 16, 2022, and it took 8 months to get back to the old high. XBJL finished 3 of its 4 full calendar years with a gain; the best year was 2023 (+19.5%) and the worst 2022 (−5.0%). Volatility has been 8.0% a year.
Related: XBJL chart. See the XBJL overview for the latest quote and fund facts.
XBJL performance FAQ
What is the XBJL return over the past year?
XBJL returned +9.0% over the 12 months to October 23, 2026, including reinvested distributions. On price alone it rose 9.0%.
What is the average annual return of XBJL?
XBJL has returned +9.2% a year over 5 years, +9.1% a year since July 1, 2021 (total return, distributions reinvested).
How much would $10,000 invested in XBJL be worth?
$10,000 invested in XBJL at its first recorded close on July 1, 2021 would be worth about $15,914 on October 23, 2026 with distributions reinvested.
What was the worst year for XBJL?
The worst calendar year was 2022, with a total return of −5.0%. The best was 2023 at +19.5%.
What is the biggest drawdown of XBJL?
The largest peak-to-trough decline was −11.8% between March 29, 2022 and June 16, 2022. It recovered to the old high on February 2, 2023, 8 months after the bottom.
How volatile is XBJL?
Over the past 3 years XBJL had an annualized volatility of 5.5% and a Sharpe ratio of 1.48 (excess return over 1–3 month T-bills per unit of risk).