At a glance
BAMY charges 1.2% a year, above the 0.86% average of the 7 funds most like it (the most expensive of 8). It has $43.3M in assets, the 8th largest of that group; it paid 7.07% of its price in distributions over the past 12 months, quarterly. Over the past year it returned +1.9% with distributions reinvested (S&P 500: +11.5%), the weakest of those 8 funds; over three years it returned +10.7% a year.
The short version
Brookstone Yield ETF (BAMY) is an actively managed fund of funds. Instead of buying bonds or stocks directly, it buys other income-focused funds. As of August 31, 2026, it held five ETFs from iShares, Schwab and SPDR in roughly equal weights, mostly high-yield bond funds. The main draw is its 7.07% trailing yield as of October 27, 2026. The main trade-off is its 1.20% expense ratio, which is high for a fund that holds other funds.
Price history
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BAMY +1.9% over the year to Oct 27, 2026, total return with distributions reinvested.
How it has behaved
| YTD | 1 yr | 3 yr | 5 yr | 10 yr | Since start | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BAMY official prospectus, to Dec 31, 2025 | — | +12.85% | — | — | — | +13.13% |
| Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Bond Index index, same period | — | +7.30% | — | — | — | +6.91% |
| Bloomberg U.S. Corporate High Yield Index index, same period | — | +8.62% | — | — | — | +10.85% |
| BAMY price data to Oct 27, 2026 | +0.2% | +1.9% | +10.7% | — | — | +9.4% |
- Over the year to Oct 27, 2026, BAMY returned +1.9%, 8th of 8 among similar funds.
- Its worst full calendar year was 2024 (+10.6%); its best was 2025 (+13.0%).
- The deepest fall in its price history was 6% (Feb 19, 2025 to Apr 8, 2025), recovered by May 8, 2025.
Show as a table
| Year | Price data | Prospectus (official) |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 (to date) | +0.2% | — |
| 2025 | +13.0% | +12.85% |
| 2024 | +10.6% | +10.71% |
| 2008 financial crisis stocks fell Oct 9, 2007 – Mar 9, 2009 | Before this security existed |
|---|---|
| 2020 COVID crash stocks fell Feb 19, 2020 – Mar 23, 2020 | Before this security existed |
| 2022 bear market stocks fell Jan 3, 2022 – Oct 12, 2022 | Before this security existed |
Dividends and income
Show as a table
| Year | Per share | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 (to date) | $1.1500 | |
| 2025 | $2.0000 | -8.3% |
| 2024 | $2.1800 |
What's inside
As of Aug 31, 2026, the fund held 5 securities; the ten largest made up 100.02% of assets.
| Fund held | Weight | |
|---|---|---|
| ISHARES BROAD US | 20.22% | |
| SCHWAB HY BD ETF | 20.22% | |
| SPDR PORT HY BD | 20.20% | |
| ISHARES HIGH YIE | 20.15% | |
| ISHARES 0-5 HY C | 19.23% |
By country
United States 100.02%By asset type
Stocks 100.02%What changed recently
- Over the three months to Aug 31, 2026, investors withdrew a net $1.9M (creations minus redemptions, per the N-PORT report).
- Monthly total returns reported for that quarter: +0.07%, -0.22%, +0.88%.
How it works
BAMY does not track an index. Its adviser picks underlying funds that produce income. These can hold dividend-paying stocks, preferred stocks, junk bonds (bonds from less creditworthy companies that pay higher interest) and other fixed income. The underlying funds can be closed-end funds or ETFs bought on the open market, including ETFs that use put and call options. The prospectus says funds are chosen for their strategy, management style, yield or distribution, expense ratio and liquidity.
The fund has no fixed mix. The adviser can change how much goes into each asset type at any time, based on market conditions. Portfolio turnover was 138%, which means it traded more than the full value of its holdings in a year. As of August 31, 2026, it held five ETFs at about 19% to 20% each: one listed as "iShares Broad US," a Schwab high-yield bond ETF, an SPDR Portfolio high-yield bond ETF, an iShares high-yield ETF and an iShares 0-5 year high-yield ETF. Cash was 1.65%, and it held no derivatives directly.
Two mechanics matter. First, the underlying funds charge their own fees, which BAMY pays indirectly on top of its own. Second, BAMY trades on the Cboe BZX Exchange at market prices, which can drift above or below the value of what it holds.
What it really costs
- BAMY charges 1.2% a year, versus an average of 0.86% for the similar funds below (8th of 8, cheapest first).
- Of that, 0.65% is the management fee; the rest covers other fund expenses.
- The fee includes a 0.06% waiver from the adviser, which may end.
- Using the prospectus's standard example, $10,000 invested would cost about $122 in the first year and $1,517 over 10 years (assuming a 5% annual return).
| Cost of $10,000 (SEC example) | 1 yr | 3 yrs | 5 yrs | 10 yrs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BAMY | $122 | $394 | $686 | $1,517 |
Structure and tax notes
- Invests in other funds rather than directly in stocks or bonds, so its holdings are those funds.
In a retirement portfolio
The fund's stated goal is current income, and as of August 31, 2026, it was built almost entirely from high-yield bond ETFs.
BAMY launched on September 28, 2023, so it missed the 2008, 2020 and 2022 sell-offs. It has never been through a recession. It gained in both of its full calendar years: 10.71% in 2024 and 12.85% in 2025. Its deepest drop was 6%, from February 19 to April 8, 2025, and it recovered by May 8, 2025. Junk bonds have fallen much harder in past recessions. Anyone who might need to sell shares in a bad year should not treat that 6% as a floor. The trailing yield was 7.07% as of October 27, 2026, paid quarterly rather than monthly. Costs are high. In the SEC's standard example, $10,000 invested would pay $122 in the first year and $1,517 over 10 years. Past results don't predict future returns, and a retirement plan should look at the whole portfolio, not one fund.
Who it may suit — and who should look elsewhere
May suit
- Investors seeking high income in one ticker: the trailing yield was 7.07% as of October 27, 2026, paid quarterly from several high-yield bond ETFs.
- Investors who want a manager to choose and reweight income funds, rather than building their own mix of high-yield bond ETFs.
- Investors who accept junk-bond credit risk and value its fairly calm record so far: 5.6% three-year volatility and a 6% deepest drop.
Look elsewhere if
- Cost-conscious investors: its 1.20% expense ratio sits on top of the underlying ETFs' fees, and those ETFs can be bought directly.
- Anyone who wants a long track record: launched September 2023, it has not yet been through a recession or a major junk-bond sell-off.
- Investors who want monthly income or a large fund. Net assets were about $43 million on August 31, 2026, after recent outflows.
Close alternatives
Matched by other buffer (defined-outcome) funds, largest first.
| Fund | Cost | Net assets | 1 yr | 3 yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BAMY this fund | 1.2% | $43.3M | +1.9% | +10.7% |
| BUFR FT Vest Laddered Buffer ETF | 0.95% | $10.49B | +11.6% | +16.8% |
| BUFD FT Vest Laddered Deep Buffer ETF | 0.95% | $2.04B | +9.5% | +13.9% |
| PJAN Innovator U.S. Equity Power Buffer ETF - Ja… | 0.79% | $1.44B | +10.5% | +14.8% |
| PDEC Innovator U.S. Equity Power Buffer ETF - De… | 0.79% | $984.1M | +11.6% | +14.9% |
| FDEC FT Vest US Equity Buffer ETF - December | 0.85% | $1.31B | +12.9% | +18.5% |
| FJAN FT Vest US Equity Buffer ETF - January | 0.85% | $1.47B | +12.3% | +17.4% |
| FFEB FT Vest U.S. Equity Buffer Fund - February | 0.85% | $1.42B | +12.9% | +18.6% |
Questions investors ask
Does BAMY pay monthly dividends?
No. BAMY pays distributions quarterly, not monthly. Over the 12 months to October 27, 2026, it paid $1.89 per share, a trailing yield of 7.07%. That income comes from the funds it owns, which as of August 31, 2026 were mostly high-yield bond ETFs. Payments can fall if those funds' yields drop, if bond issuers default, or if the adviser moves into lower-yielding holdings.
What does BAMY invest in?
BAMY invests in other funds rather than individual bonds or stocks. As of August 31, 2026, it held five ETFs at about 19% to 20% each: one listed as "iShares Broad US," a Schwab high-yield bond ETF, an SPDR Portfolio high-yield bond ETF, an iShares high-yield ETF and an iShares 0-5 year high-yield ETF. The prospectus also lets it own funds holding dividend stocks, preferred stocks, Treasuries and options strategies, and the mix can change at any time.
What is BAMY's expense ratio?
BAMY's expense ratio is 1.20%, according to its prospectus filed September 24, 2026. That includes a 0.65% management fee, offset by a 0.06% fee waiver. In the SEC's standard example, $10,000 earning 5% a year would pay about $122 in costs after one year, $394 after three, $686 after five and $1,517 after ten. Because BAMY owns other funds, its costs are higher than owning those funds directly.
How has BAMY performed compared with the high-yield bond index?
BAMY has beaten the Bloomberg U.S. Corporate High Yield Index since it launched. In 2025 the fund returned 12.85% and the index returned 8.62%. From launch through December 31, 2025, the fund averaged 13.13% a year against 10.85% for the index. More recent results were weaker: a 1.9% price return over the year to October 27, 2026. The "similar funds" usually shown for BAMY are buffer funds, which follow a different strategy.
Is BAMY good for retirement income?
It may suit retirees who want high, quarterly income and accept junk-bond risk. The trailing yield was 7.07% as of October 27, 2026. The drawbacks are real, though. The 1.20% expense ratio is high, net assets were only about $43 million on August 31, 2026, and the fund launched in September 2023. That means it hasn't been tested in a recession, when high-yield bonds tend to fall hardest.