FTHIFirst Trust BuyWrite Income ETF
Seeks to provide current income and capital appreciation.
First Trust · Since 2014 (12 years)
0.76%
#3689 out of 5,332 ETFs
$2.0B
#654 out of 5,332 ETFs
8.99%
12 years
#1164 out of 5,332 ETFs
Performance
1 Year
+20.2%
3 Years
+15.8%
5 Years
+10.8%
What's inside
Top holdings
Risk profile
9.0%
Moderate
-32.6%
Worst peak-to-trough loss
1.02
Excellent risk-adjusted returns
1.49
Good downside protection
Similar ETFs
Our take
Structural notes on how this fund behaves. Read our guide on the 6 warning signs.
Covered call ETF — yield ≠ total return
The high distribution yield is not free income — it comes from selling upside via call options. Research finds these strategies systematically underperform their underlying index over full cycles, typically by 100–300 basis points per year depending on the option-overlay design. The monthly distributions make the shortfall hard to see in return summaries.
Source: Israelov & Ndong, 'A Devil's Bargain: When Generating Income Undermines Investment Returns' (NDVR, 2023)
Why we flagged this: strategy=option_income + option_income_strategy
Educational analysis of structural product characteristics. Not investment advice. Always read the fund prospectus and consult a qualified advisor before investing. More
Data updated on 2026-05-05