- As of Nov 4, 2026, the median income ETF has a 12-month yield of 16.5%, against 1.6% for stock ETFs and 4.4% for bond ETFs.
In plain words
A 12-month yield is the cash a fund paid over the past year divided by its price: $2 paid on a $50 fund is 4%. It looks back, so it says what was paid, not what will be paid.
A high yield says nothing about total return. If the price fell by more than the cash paid, the fund lost value. The SEC yield differs: it is the income earned over the last 30 days after costs, as a yearly rate, and can sit below what a fund pays out. ETFIQ shows cash paid, price change and total return side by side over the same window.
Questions
- What is the difference between yield and total return?
Yield counts only the cash paid. Total return adds the change in price. A fund can pay a high yield and still lose value.
- Is the 12-month yield a forecast?
No. It is what was paid over the past year.
- Why do income ETFs yield more?
Many write options, which earns cash now at the cost of giving up some gain.