First Trust Tactical High Yield ETF
$39.49−0.14 (−0.35%)
- 0.69%
- $1.6B
- +1.6%
- 6.84%
- 0.2M sh
- $39.47
- low $39.01high $42.40
The ETF.net HYLS Grade
B
Score 55 out of 100
- 48 of 85
Score 55 of 100 falls in the B band. A is 70 or higher, B 55 to under 70, C 40 to under 55, D 25 to under 40, F under 25.
Cost
The fund’s net expense ratio, ranked against its category.F12 out of 100Rank 74 of 85Mission
Whether the fund did what it promised, tested against its stated mandate.A89 out of 100Rank 41 of 74Risk
How the fund held up when markets fell: downside volatility, drawdowns and tail loss.C43 out of 100Rank 66 of 85Tradability
How easy the fund is to trade: daily volume, and how far its price strays from net asset value.A84 out of 100Rank 6 of 85Holdings
How concentrated the fund is, and how complete and current its disclosed holdings are.B64 out of 100Rank 38 of 85Durability
Whether the fund is likely to stay open, judged by its age, its assets and its issuer’s assets.A85 out of 100Rank 9 of 85
Our read on HYLS
BMost high-yield bond ETFs just own the index. HYLS, actively run since 2013, can also short the credits it expects to lag and stretch its long book past 100% of assets. The 0.79% fee is the price of that flexibility.
The Fund seeks current income and secondarily capital appreciation through active management. It normally invests at least 80% of net assets in below-investment-grade or comparably rated high-yield debt securities.
Why people hold it
- Rare toolkit for a junk-bond ETF: it can short issues it expects to underperform and hold long positions above 100% of assets, so the manager can lean against weak credits.stockanalysis.com
- Running since 2013 and now a multi-billion-dollar fund, with about 300 positions and at least 80% of net assets in below-investment-grade debt.
- Income on a monthly schedule, and the shares see moderate daily trading volume.
- The portfolio stays close to the brief it publishes: current income first, capital appreciation second, through active security selection.
Worth knowing
- The 0.79% expense ratio sits well above index-tracking rivals such as SCYB, SPHY and USHY, which charge a small fraction of that.
- Shorting and leveraged long exposure bring borrowing and hedging costs on top of the stated fee, and outcomes hinge on the manager's calls.stockanalysis.com
- This is the riskier end of the bond market: below-investment-grade issuers can default, and leverage magnifies moves in both directions.stockanalysis.com
HYLS Holdings
- Other
- 359
- 12%
- US Dollar
Geography
- United States90.74%
- Canada2.71%
- United Kingdom1.28%
- Ireland1.25%
- Bermuda1.09%
- Cayman Islands0.75%
- Luxembourg0.61%
- Netherlands0.56%
- 1.01%
HYLS Performance
Shows how $10,000 changes over the selected period, with cash distributions reinvested at the closing price on each ex-dividend date.
HYLS$10,160
Returns run to the Oct 12, 2026 close, with cash distributions reinvested. Each period starts on the same date that many months or years earlier. Periods over one year show the average yearly return.
| Period | HYLS |
|---|---|
| Year to date | −0.5% |
| 1 month | −0.9% |
| 3 months | −1.1% |
| 1 year | +1.6% |
| 3 years | +7.2% |
| 5 years | +2.7% |
| 10 years | +3.9% |
Calendar-year total return with cash distributions hypothetically reinvested at the ex-dividend date’s closing price. The current year shows year to date.
| Year | Return bar | HYLS |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 YTD | −0.5% | |
| 2025 | +8.0% | |
| 2024 | +5.8% | |
| 2023 | +13.6% | |
| 2022 | −12.8% | |
| 2021 | +3.7% | |
| 2020 | +4.9% |
HYLS in the news
HYLS Dividends
- 6.84%
- $2.71
- $0.22 per share
- Monthly
Distribution history
HYLS Risk
- 5.2%
How it’s calculated: standard deviation
The sample standard deviation of monthly total returns, multiplied by the square root of 12.
Uses up to 36 complete months, with at least 12 required. Total returns include reinvested distributions.
- 0.42
How it’s calculated: Sharpe ratio
Subtract each month’s Treasury-bill return from the fund’s monthly total return.
Divide the average of those excess returns by their sample standard deviation, then multiply by the square root of 12.
Uses up to 36 complete months, with at least 12 required. Each month uses the Treasury yield quoted at the end of the previous month.
- −15.8%
How it’s calculated: maximum drawdown
The largest percentage decline from an earlier peak, using total returns with reinvested distributions.
Uses up to five years through the last close, with at least 12 months required.
- 0.67
How it’s calculated: beta
The beta figure is supplied by FMP. The comparison index depends on the fund’s broad asset class.
HYLS Cost
0.69%
HYLS0.69%
- The middle half of US High Yield funds
- Median 0.43%
73 of the 85 US High Yield funds charge less.
Other funds in US High Yield
- BBRHYiShares High Yield Active ETFExpense ratio 0.45%1 year return +3.3%
- BVSHYVirtus Newfleet Short Duration High Yield Bond ETFExpense ratio 0.39%1 year return +4.1%
- CIQHINYLI MacKay High Income ETFExpense ratio 0.40%1 year return +2.7%
- CIFLNInvesco Bloomberg Enhanced Fallen Angels ETFExpense ratio 0.23%1 year return —
- CFSYDFidelity Sustainable High Yield ETFExpense ratio 0.55%1 year return +3.6%