At a glance
HYTR charges 0.88% a year, above the 0.86% average of the 7 funds most like it (the 6th cheapest of 8). It has $280.9M in assets, the 8th largest of that group; it paid 5.64% of its price in distributions over the past 12 months, monthly. Over the past year it returned +0.0% with distributions reinvested, the weakest of those 8 funds; over three years it returned +6.5% a year. At its worst it fell 8.0% in the 2020 crash (S&P 500: 33.7%) and 11.9% in the 2022 bear market (S&P 500: 24.5%), and was back at its earlier high 15 months and 22 months after the lows.
The short version
Counterpoint High Yield Trend ETF (HYTR) is a fund of funds: it holds other ETFs, moving between U.S. high yield (junk) corporate bond ETFs and Treasury ETFs based on price trends. Its rules can hold as much as 100% or as little as 20% in junk bonds, with the aim of avoiding part of a high yield slump. That approach costs 0.88% a year and involves heavy trading, with 278% portfolio turnover.
Price history
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HYTR 0.0% 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HYTR official prospectus, to Dec 31, 2025 | — | +6.11% | — | +2.33% | — | +1.83% |
| CP High Yield Trend Index index, same period | — | +6.74% | — | +3.11% | — | +2.59% |
| Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Bond Index index, same period | — | +7.30% | — | -0.36% | — | +0.77% |
| HYTR price data to Oct 27, 2026 | -0.5% | 0.0% | +6.5% | +1.8% | — | +1.5% |
- Over the year to Oct 27, 2026, HYTR returned 0.0%, 8th of 8 among similar funds.
- Its 5-year annualized return was +1.8%.
- In the 2020 COVID crash it fell 8% and regained its old high 14.5 months after the low.
- Its worst full calendar year was 2022 (-11.3%); its best was 2023 (+8.3%).
- The deepest fall in its price history was 13.3% (Sep 16, 2021 to Oct 20, 2022), recovered by Aug 14, 2024.
Show as a table
| Year | Price data | Prospectus (official) |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 (to date) | -0.5% | — |
| 2025 | +6.0% | +6.11% |
| 2024 | +7.4% | +7.26% |
| 2023 | +8.3% | +8.13% |
| 2022 | -11.3% | -11.31% |
| 2021 | +2.8% | +2.79% |
| 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 | Lost 5.9% over that stretch · deepest drop along the way 8%, back to its old high 14.5 months after the low |
| 2022 bear market stocks fell Jan 3, 2022 – Oct 12, 2022 | Lost 11.4% over that stretch · deepest drop along the way 11.9%, back to its old high 21.6 months after the low |
Dividends and income
Show as a table
| Year | Per share | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 (to date) | $0.8500 | |
| 2025 | $1.2600 | +2.4% |
| 2024 | $1.2300 | +6.0% |
| 2023 | $1.1600 | +364.0% |
| 2022 | $0.2500 | -71.7% |
| 2021 | $0.8828 |
What's inside
As of Jun 30, 2026, the fund held 3 securities; the ten largest made up 100.01% of assets.
| Fund held | Weight | |
|---|---|---|
| ISHARES BROAD US | 39.99% | |
| SPDR BLOOMBERG H | 30.03% | |
| ISHARES IBOXX HI | 29.99% |
By country
United States 100.01%By asset type
Stocks 100.01%What changed recently
- Over the three months to Jun 30, 2026, investors added a net $26.2M (creations minus redemptions, per the N-PORT report).
- Monthly total returns reported for that quarter: +1.16%, +0.40%, +0.08%.
How it works
HYTR aims to match or beat the CP High Yield Trend Index, before fees. Counterpoint Mutual Funds, the fund's adviser, created and sponsors the index. Solactive calculates and publishes it. The index holds about four ETFs from two groups. One is U.S. high yield corporate bond ETFs, which hold bonds from companies with lower credit ratings that pay more interest. The other is ETFs holding 3-7 year Treasuries. A stop-loss rule can swap the Treasury ETFs for Treasury bill (very short-term government debt) ETFs.
A model sets the junk bond share at 20%, 40%, 60%, 80% or 100%. The rest goes to Treasury or T-bill ETFs. Three-quarters of the signal compares a high yield ETF's price with its moving averages, meaning its average price over recent periods. The other quarter comes from past momentum returns. The index can rebalance daily, but the junk bond share moves only one 20% step per day.
The fund usually copies the index, but it is actively managed. The adviser can depart from the index if it judges a signal temporary or finds better-priced ETFs. The fund can also use total return swaps, which are contracts that pay out an asset's return. As of June 30, 2026, it held three ETFs: one listed as iShares Broad US (about 40%), one as SPDR Bloomberg H (about 30%) and one as iShares iBoxx HI (about 30%).
What it really costs
- HYTR charges 0.88% a year, versus an average of 0.86% for the similar funds below (6th of 8, cheapest first).
- Of that, 0.5% is the management fee; the rest covers other fund expenses.
- The fee includes a 0.12% waiver from the adviser, which may end.
- Using the prospectus's standard example, $10,000 invested would cost about $90 in the first year and $1,214 over 10 years (assuming a 5% annual return).
| Cost of $10,000 (SEC example) | 1 yr | 3 yrs | 5 yrs | 10 yrs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HYTR | $90 | $306 | $541 | $1,214 |
Structure and tax notes
- Invests in other funds rather than directly in stocks or bonds, so its holdings are those funds.
- Bond prices move opposite to interest rates; the longer the maturities it holds, the more its price reacts to rate changes.
In a retirement portfolio
It pays monthly from a mix of high yield bond and Treasury ETFs, and its trend rule is meant to reduce junk bond losses, not remove them.
HYTR paid $1.17 a share in the 12 months to October 27, 2026, a 5.64% yield, in monthly payments. Its trend rule did not prevent sizable drops. It fell 8% in the 2020 COVID crash and took about 14.5 months to recover. In the 2022 bear market it lost 11.9%. That year rising interest rates pushed down both junk bonds and Treasuries, and 2022 was its worst calendar year at -11.3%. Its deepest drop, 13.3% from September 2021 to October 2022, took about 22 months to recover. Anyone who had to sell shares for cash during that stretch would have sold at a loss. The fund launched in January 2020, so there is no record for 2008. It costs 0.88% a year, or $90 in the first year 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 wanting monthly income from high yield bonds, with rules that can move up to 80% into Treasury or T-bill ETFs.
- People willing to pay a 0.88% expense ratio and accept 278% turnover for a rules-based, trend-following approach to junk bonds.
- Those wanting a smaller-swing bond holding: its price volatility was 3.3% a year over the 12 months to October 27, 2026.
Look elsewhere if
- Investors wanting a low-cost core bond fund: HYTR charges 0.88% a year, or $90 on $10,000 in year one.
- Anyone expecting the trend rule to avoid big losses: it fell 13.3% in 2021–2022 and needed about 22 months to recover.
- Buyers wanting a fixed, transparent mix: the adviser can override the index, and the junk bond share can change daily.
Close alternatives
Matched by other buffer (defined-outcome) funds, largest first.
| Fund | Cost | Net assets | 1 yr | 3 yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HYTR this fund | 0.88% | $280.9M | 0.0% | +6.5% |
| 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 HYTR pay monthly dividends?
Yes. HYTR pays distributions every month. Over the 12 months to October 27, 2026, it paid $1.17 a share, a trailing yield of 5.64%. The income comes from the high yield bond and Treasury ETFs it owns, so it can change as the mix shifts. The prospectus warns that income may also fall when interest rates drop and the underlying funds buy lower-yielding bonds.
What does HYTR invest in?
HYTR owns other ETFs, not individual bonds. It splits its money between U.S. high yield corporate bond ETFs and ETFs holding 3-7 year Treasuries or Treasury bills, following the CP High Yield Trend Index. As of June 30, 2026, its June filing listed three ETFs: one shown as iShares Broad US (about 40%), one as SPDR Bloomberg H (about 30%) and one as iShares iBoxx HI (about 30%). Net assets were about $281 million.
How did HYTR do in 2022?
Poorly. HYTR lost 11.31% in 2022, its worst calendar year, according to its prospectus. Its weakest quarter was the one ending March 31, 2022, at -5.49%. In 2022, rising interest rates hurt both junk bonds and medium-term Treasuries, so the fund's defensive side offered limited protection. Its drop from the 2021 high reached 13.3% and did not fully recover until August 2024.
How does HYTR compare with a regular bond index fund?
Results have been mixed. As of December 31, 2025, HYTR returned 2.33% a year over five years, compared with -0.36% for the Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Bond Index. Over one year it trailed, 6.11% against 7.30%. It also lagged its own CP High Yield Trend Index, which returned 3.11% a year over five years. HYTR takes on junk bond credit risk and costs 0.88% a year, which is more than a typical broad bond index fund.
What is HYTR's expense ratio?
HYTR's expense ratio is 0.88% a year, according to its prospectus filed January 27, 2026. That includes a 0.50% management fee and reflects a 0.12% fee waiver. Under the SEC's standard example, which assumes $10,000 invested and a 5% annual return, costs would be about $90 after one year, $306 after three, $541 after five and $1,214 after ten. Its 278% turnover may also add trading costs that the expense ratio doesn't show.