HYLS ETF — First Trust Tactical High Yield ETF

First Trust Tactical High Yield ETF (HYLS)

Updated October 16, 2026.

HYLS is an ETF. its distribution rate is 6.71%, its trailing-12-month yield is 7.46%, its expense ratio is 0.69%. Dividend Vision Distribution Safety Score™ is 82/100 (Safe). Total return is 75.5% over the past 13.6 years, 458.8 points behind SPY at 534.3%.

HYLS performance versus SPY

Price and return data through 2026-10-16.

Total return is 75.5% over the past 13.6 years, 458.8 points behind SPY at 534.3%. Over the past year its total return — price change plus distributions reinvested — is 0.7%. Its deepest 1-year drawdown was 3.1%.

HYLS key facts

Distribution Safety Score™

82 · Safe

Safety-Adjusted Yield

5.50%

Issuer

First Trust

Asset type

ETF

Asset class

Fixed Income

Inception date

02/25/2013

Expense ratio

0.69%

Distribution rate

6.71%

Distribution frequency

Monthly

Trailing yield

7.46%

Last close

$39.36 (as of 2026-10-16)

AUM

$1,584,578,300

Average volume

546408.0

Dividend

$0.22

Ex-dividend date

09/24/2026

Payment date

09/30/2026

Beta

0.72

How Dividend Vision calculates yield and returns

Distribution rate (6.71%) uses calculation basis unavailable. Issuer rates can use a different denominator and date, including ex-date NAV. Trailing-12-month yield (7.46%) is the sum of split-adjusted cash distributions with ex-dates in the last 12 months, divided by the published price. It lags a recent raise or cut. Total return uses split-adjusted close with distributions reinvested on the ex-dividend date (a modeling convention, not the cash-settlement date) from the first stored bar on or after inception through the latest bar, compared with the same window on the benchmark. That is the security's total return, not your personal gain/loss.

Yield and safety methodology · Distribution rate methodology · Distribution Safety Score methodology

Sources and review

Primary sources: First Trust or company page; prices and distributions from Dividend Vision, derived from vendor EOD data.

Reviewed by Bert Sweet, CEO and Co-owner of Dividend Vision. Methodology: Distribution Safety Score.

HYLS risks and drawbacks

Total return has trailed SPY over the available window. The deepest 1-year drawdown on record here is 3.1%.

Who may consider HYLS — and who may not

HYLS may suit someone looking for a high Distribution Safety Score. It is a weaker fit for investors whose main goal is matching SPY total return. This is educational context, not a recommendation to buy or sell.

More on HYLS

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Tagged: Bonds.

Frequently asked questions

More securities from First Trust.