At a glance
IDUB charges 0.44% a year, below the 0.86% average of the 7 funds most like it (the cheapest of 8). It has $498.5M in assets, the 8th largest of that group; it paid 4.92% of its price in distributions over the past 12 months, quarterly. Over the past year it returned +16.9% with distributions reinvested (S&P 500: +11.5%), the best of those 8 funds; over three years it returned +20.0% a year.
The short version
Aptus International Enhanced Yield (IDUB) is an actively managed fund of funds. As of July 31, 2026, it held nearly 98% of its assets in Vanguard Total International Stock ETF (VXUS), plus total return swaps that run an options-and-futures trading strategy. What sets it apart from a plain international index fund is income: it aims for quarterly payouts about double the MSCI AC World Index ex USA's rate, and those payouts can include return of capital.
Price history
The interactive chart needs JavaScript.
IDUB +16.9% 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IDUB official prospectus, to Dec 31, 2025 | — | +27.83% | — | — | — | +3.58% |
| IDUB price data to Oct 27, 2026 | +14.6% | +16.9% | +20.0% | — | — | +14.6% |
- Over the year to Oct 27, 2026, IDUB returned +16.9%, 1st of 8 among similar funds.
- Its worst full calendar year was 2024 (+6.1%); its best was 2025 (+27.5%).
- The deepest fall in its price history was 12.9% (Sep 26, 2024 to Apr 8, 2025), recovered by May 2, 2025.
Show as a table
| Year | Price data | Prospectus (official) |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 (to date) | +14.6% | — |
| 2025 | +27.5% | +27.83% |
| 2024 | +6.1% | +5.64% |
| 2023 | — | +9.22% |
| 2022 | — | -19.59% |
| 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 | Not in the price data, which starts May 1, 2023 |
Dividends and income
Show as a table
| Year | Per share | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 (to date) | $1.0100 | |
| 2025 | $1.1900 | +5.3% |
| 2024 | $1.1300 |
What's inside
As of Jul 31, 2026, the fund held 2 securities; the ten largest made up 98.12% of assets.
| Fund held | Weight | |
|---|---|---|
| Vanguard Total International Stock ETF | 97.63% | |
| TREASURY BILL Bonds and notes | 0.48% |
By country
United States 98.12%By asset type
Stocks 97.63%Bonds and notes 0.48%What changed recently
- Over the three months to Jul 31, 2026, investors added a net $21.8M (creations minus redemptions, per the N-PORT report).
- Monthly total returns reported for that quarter: +3.89%, -0.01%, -0.70%.
How it works
IDUB does not track an index. Its adviser, Aptus Capital Advisors, picks the holdings and may trade often. Portfolio turnover was 151% in the latest prospectus. Under normal conditions, at least 80% of assets go into other ETFs that own mid- and large-company stocks outside the US, in both developed and emerging markets. Aptus picks those ETFs by the regions they cover, their trading cost and their size. It may also add individual stocks or depositary receipts (US-listed certificates for foreign shares) chosen for their fundamentals and momentum. As of July 31, 2026, the stock side was essentially one fund: VXUS, at 97.6% of assets.
The rest goes into total return swaps. These are contracts in which a bank pays the fund the return of a rules-based trading strategy. That strategy can buy or sell put and call options and take long or short futures positions on stock, bond and volatility indexes such as the VIX. The swaps were valued at about 1.8% of assets. But derivatives can create exposure larger than their cost, and the fund relies on the bank to pay what it owes. Treasury bills, about 0.5% of assets, earn interest on the cash posted as collateral.
Aptus targets steady quarterly payouts at about twice the distribution rate of the MSCI AC World Index ex USA (Net). When income falls short, part of a payout may be return of capital (your own investment paid back). Payouts are not guaranteed.
What it really costs
- IDUB charges 0.44% a year, versus an average of 0.86% for the similar funds below (1st of 8, cheapest first).
- Of that, 0.39% is the management fee; the rest covers other fund expenses.
- Using the prospectus's standard example, $10,000 invested would cost about $45 in the first year and $555 over 10 years (assuming a 5% annual return).
| Cost of $10,000 (SEC example) | 1 yr | 3 yrs | 5 yrs | 10 yrs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| IDUB | $45 | $141 | $246 | $555 |
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
It pairs broad international stock exposure with a target of quarterly payouts about double those of the MSCI AC World Index ex USA.
IDUB adds non-US stocks with a higher payout. Its trailing 12-month yield was 4.92% ($1.32 per share) as of October 27, 2026, paid quarterly. Some payouts may be return of capital, so a high yield does not mean high earnings. It behaves like a stock fund. It launched in July 2021, after the 2008 and 2020 crashes. Its prospectus shows a 19.59% loss in 2022, its worst calendar year. In price data starting May 2023, its deepest drop was 12.9%, from September 2024 to April 2025, and it recovered in under a month. Someone drawing income in a year like 2022 may have had to sell shares well below their earlier price. The 0.44% expense ratio works out to $45 in the first year in the SEC's standard $10,000 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 broad non-US stock exposure, held mostly through VXUS, with a target of quarterly payouts about double the MSCI AC World ex USA rate.
- Income seekers comfortable with stock-like swings, such as the 19.59% loss in 2022, in exchange for a 4.92% trailing yield as of October 27, 2026.
- People who prefer one fund that handles both international stocks and an income overlay, at a 0.44% expense ratio ($45 per $10,000 in year one).
Look elsewhere if
- Those who want only plain international index exposure; nearly all of IDUB's assets sat in VXUS as of July 31, 2026, with swaps added.
- Investors uneasy with over-the-counter swaps running options, futures and VIX strategies, or with relying on a bank counterparty to pay what it owes.
- Anyone who needs payouts that reflect only earned income; distributions may include return of capital and are not guaranteed to stay stable.
Close alternatives
Matched by other buffer (defined-outcome) funds, largest first.
| Fund | Cost | Net assets | 1 yr | 3 yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| IDUB this fund | 0.44% | $498.5M | +16.9% | +20.0% |
| 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 IDUB pay monthly dividends?
No. IDUB pays quarterly. Its trailing 12-month yield was 4.92%, or $1.32 per share, as of October 27, 2026. Aptus aims to keep quarterly payouts fairly stable, at about double the distribution rate of the MSCI AC World Index ex USA (Net). The money comes from dividends, gains on its stock holdings and interest on Treasury bills. If those fall short, part of a payout can be return of capital. The fund does not guarantee any payout level.
What's the difference between IDUB and VXUS?
IDUB mostly owns VXUS. As of July 31, 2026, Vanguard Total International Stock ETF made up 97.6% of IDUB's assets. The difference is what Aptus adds on top: total return swaps that run an options-and-futures strategy, a target of quarterly payouts about twice the MSCI AC World ex USA rate, active trading (151% turnover) and a 0.44% expense ratio. The swaps add counterparty and derivatives risk, and the payout target can lead to return of capital.
Is IDUB a buffer ETF?
No. IDUB has no buffer or cap and does not promise to limit losses. Its prospectus shows a 19.59% drop in 2022. It is sometimes compared with buffer funds such as FT Vest Laddered Buffer ETF (BUFR), which charges 0.95% against IDUB's 0.44%. Buffer funds try to cushion a set range of losses over a defined period, so they work differently. As of October 27, 2026, IDUB's 1-year price return was 16.9% and BUFR's was 11.6%, but the two carry different risks.
Is IDUB good for retirement income?
It may suit retirees who want international stocks with a higher payout, but it is still a stock fund. Its trailing yield was 4.92% as of October 27, 2026, paid quarterly. Its prospectus shows a 19.59% loss in 2022 and a 27.83% gain in 2025. From its July 2021 launch through December 31, 2025, it returned 3.58% a year on average. Payouts can include return of capital and are not guaranteed.
How much does IDUB cost?
IDUB's expense ratio is 0.44%, according to its prospectus filed August 26, 2026. That includes a 0.39% management fee. In the SEC's standard example, $10,000 earning 5% a year would cost about $45 over one year, $141 over three, $246 over five and $555 over ten. That is below the 0.86% average of the buffer funds it is often compared with, though those follow a different strategy. Its 151% turnover can add trading costs that the expense ratio does not include.