At a glance
COAL charges 0.85% a year. It has $58.9M in assets; it paid 2.46% of its price in distributions over the past 12 months, annual. Over the past year it returned +11.4% with distributions reinvested (S&P 500: +11.5%). Its ten largest positions make up 63.0% of the fund, out of 29 in all.
The short version
Range Global Coal Index ETF (COAL) is an index fund from Exchange Traded Concepts. It tracks the VettaFi Global Coal Index and held 29 coal miners and coal-related companies worldwide as of August 31, 2026. It is a narrow bet on one industry. Its top 10 holdings made up about 63% of assets, led by Warrior Met Coal and Alpha Metallurgical Resources. It costs 0.85% a year and has swung sharply since launching in January 2024.
Price history
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COAL +11.4% 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| COAL official prospectus, to Dec 31, 2024 | — | -2.43% | — | — | — | — |
| COAL price data to Oct 27, 2026 | +6.8% | +11.4% | — | — | — | +0.4% |
- Over the year to Oct 27, 2026, COAL returned +11.4%.
- Its worst full calendar year was 2025 (+12.7%); its best was 2025 (+12.7%).
- The deepest fall in its price history was 42.3% (Jul 3, 2024 to Apr 7, 2025), recovered by Jan 9, 2026.
Show as a table
| Year | Price data | Prospectus (official) |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 (to date) | +6.8% | — |
| 2025 | +12.7% | +12.63% |
| 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $0.6000 |
What's inside
As of Aug 31, 2026, the fund held 29 securities; the ten largest made up 63.03% of assets.
| Holding | Weight | |
|---|---|---|
| WARRIOR MET COAL, INC. | 12.24% | |
| ALPHA METALLURGICAL RESOURCES, INC. | 8.87% | |
| YANCOAL AUSTRALIA LTD | 6.83% | |
| CORE NATURAL RESOURCES, INC. | 6.38% | |
| WHITEHAVEN COAL LIMITED | 6.07% | |
| BHP GROUP LIMITED | 5.07% | |
| NEW HOPE CORPORATION LIMITED | 4.46% | |
| STANMORE RESOURCES LIMITED | 4.45% | |
| GLENCORE PLC | 4.35% | |
| ALLIANCE RESOURCE PARTNERS, L.P. | 4.32% | |
| NATURAL RESOURCE PARTNERS L.P. | 4.27% | |
| MONGOLIAN MINING CORPORATION | 4.04% | |
| PEABODY ENERGY CORPORATION | 3.75% | |
| AURIZON HOLDINGS LIMITED | 3.55% | |
| EXXARO RESOURCES LIMITED | 3.47% |
By country
United States 51.56%Australia 26.2%South Africa 4.88%United Kingdom 4.35%Hong Kong 4.04%By asset type
Stocks 98.65%What changed recently
- Over the three months to Aug 31, 2026, investors withdrew a net $8.3M (creations minus redemptions, per the N-PORT report).
- Monthly total returns reported for that quarter: +22.91%, -1.57%, -13.55%.
How it works
COAL aims to match the total return of the VettaFi Global Coal Index, formerly the Range Global Coal Index, before fees. VettaFi picks companies in metallurgical coal (used to make steel) and thermal coal (burned for power). That covers mining, exploration, development, transportation and distribution. Each company is sorted as Pure Play (at least 50% of revenue from coal), Pre-Revenue, or Diversified (under 50%). Companies based or listed in China or Russia are excluded. A company needs a market value of at least $100 million to join and $50 million to stay.
Holdings are weighted by market value, with limits. Each Pure Play or Pre-Revenue stock is capped at 10%, and each Diversified stock at 4%. Master limited partnerships (MLPs, which are publicly traded partnerships) are capped at 25% combined. Stocks below 0.5% are dropped. The index is rebalanced at the end of March and September, and weights can drift in between. For example, Warrior Met Coal was about 12.2% of the fund as of August 31, 2026, above the 10% cap.
The fund generally buys every stock in the index at its index weight. It must invest in at least three countries and keep at least 40% outside the US (30% in unfavorable markets). As of August 31, 2026, about 52% was in US companies and 26% in Australian ones. Portfolio turnover was 23%.
What it really costs
- COAL charges 0.85% a year.
- Using the prospectus's standard example, $10,000 invested would cost about $87 in the first year and $1,049 over 10 years (assuming a 5% annual return).
| Cost of $10,000 (SEC example) | 1 yr | 3 yrs | 5 yrs | 10 yrs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| COAL | $87 | $271 | $471 | $1,049 |
In a retirement portfolio
COAL is a volatile, single-industry fund with a short record, so it fits best as a small add-on rather than a foundation.
COAL could add a small slice of coal-industry exposure that has not moved in step with the broad market. Its one-year beta, a measure of how much it moves with the stock market, was 0.23 as of October 27, 2026. But it launched in January 2024, so it has no record in the 2008, 2020 or 2022 downturns. From July 3, 2024 to April 7, 2025 it fell about 42%. It did not recover until January 9, 2026, about nine months later. Anyone forced to sell during that stretch would have locked in deep losses. Its only full calendar year, 2025, returned 12.63%. It yielded about 2.46% over the 12 months to October 27, 2026, paid once a year. It costs 0.85% a year, or $87 in year one on $10,000 under the SEC's standard example. Past results don't predict the future, and a plan should look at the whole portfolio, not one fund.
Who it may suit — and who should look elsewhere
May suit
- Investors who want a small, deliberate bet on coal miners like Warrior Met Coal, Alpha Metallurgical and Whitehaven Coal, sized so a 42% drop is survivable.
- Those seeking global coal exposure, mostly US (about 52%) and Australian (about 26%) companies, with China and Russia excluded.
- Holders comfortable with one annual payout, about 2.46% over the 12 months to October 27, 2026, rather than steady quarterly or monthly income.
Look elsewhere if
- Investors who want a long track record: COAL launched in January 2024 and has never been through a major bear market.
- Anyone avoiding fossil fuels or single-industry risk. The fund stays concentrated in coal, and its top 10 holdings were about 63% of assets.
- Cost-focused investors looking for a core fund. At 0.85% a year, the SEC example shows about $1,049 in costs on $10,000 over 10 years.
Close alternatives
Matched by holdings overlap from the latest N-PORT reports.
No close alternatives found.
Questions investors ask
What does the COAL ETF invest in?
COAL holds stocks of companies that mine, transport or distribute coal around the world. It tracks the VettaFi Global Coal Index. As of August 31, 2026, it held 29 positions. The largest were Warrior Met Coal (about 12.2%), Alpha Metallurgical Resources (8.9%), Yancoal Australia (6.8%), Core Natural Resources (6.4%) and Whitehaven Coal (6.1%). About 52% was in US companies and 26% in Australian ones. The index excludes companies based or listed in China or Russia.
What is the expense ratio of COAL?
COAL's expense ratio is 0.85% a year, according to its prospectus filed March 27, 2026. All of it is the management fee, and there is no fee waiver. In the SEC's standard example, $10,000 earning 5% a year would cost about $87 after one year, $471 after five years and $1,049 after ten. That is much more than broad stock index funds typically charge, which is common for narrow, single-industry funds.
Does COAL pay a dividend?
Yes, but only once a year. COAL paid about $0.60 per share over the 12 months to October 27, 2026, a trailing yield of about 2.46%. The payout depends on dividends from coal companies, which tend to rise and fall with coal prices. So the amount can change a lot from year to year. People who depend on regular monthly or quarterly income may find a single annual payment hard to plan around.
Is COAL a risky ETF?
Yes. It is a high-risk fund focused on one industry. Its one-year volatility, a measure of how widely returns swing, was about 29% as of October 27, 2026. Between July 3, 2024 and April 7, 2025 it fell about 42%, and it did not regain that peak until January 9, 2026. Its worst quarter, the first quarter of 2025, lost 17.27%. Its strongest, the third quarter of 2025, gained 27.61%. It has existed only since January 2024.
Does COAL own MLPs, and how does that affect taxes?
Yes, in part. As of August 31, 2026, it held Alliance Resource Partners and Natural Resource Partners at about 4.3% each. The index caps total MLP exposure at 25%. COAL itself is not set up as a partnership for tax purposes. The prospectus does flag deferred tax liability risk. When MLP payouts are treated as a return of capital, they lower the fund's cost basis, which can mean taxes for the fund when it sells.