At a glance
RIGS charges 0.46% a year, above the 0.12% average of the 7 funds most like it (the 7th cheapest of 8). It has $62.8M in assets, the 8th largest of that group; it paid 5.09% of its price in distributions over the past 12 months, monthly. Over the past year it returned +0.0% with distributions reinvested, 5th of those 8 funds; over three years it returned +5.5% a year. At its worst it fell 15.2% in the 2020 crash (S&P 500: 33.7%) and 8.4% in the 2022 bear market (S&P 500: 24.5%), and was back at its earlier high 3 months and 15 months after the lows. Its ten largest positions make up 28.3% of the fund, out of 83 in all.
The short version
RiverFront Strategic Income Fund (RIGS) is an actively managed bond ETF. RiverFront Investment Group picks a mix of corporate bonds, U.S. Treasuries and other debt instead of tracking an index, and the fund can own junk bonds and foreign debt with no minimum credit rating. It pays income monthly, with a trailing yield of 5.09% as of October 27, 2026. Its 0.46% expense ratio is well above the 0.12% average of the funds it was compared with.
Price history
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RIGS 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RIGS official prospectus, to Dec 31, 2025 | — | +6.84% | — | +2.23% | +3.52% | — |
| Bloomberg US Aggregate Bond Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) index, same period | — | +7.30% | — | -0.36% | +2.01% | — |
| RIGS price data to Oct 27, 2026 | +0.3% | 0.0% | +5.5% | +1.9% | +2.7% | +3.1% |
- Over the year to Oct 27, 2026, RIGS returned 0.0%, 5th of 8 among similar funds.
- Its 5-year annualized return was +1.9% and its 10-year +2.7%.
- In the 2020 COVID crash it fell 15.2% and regained its old high 2.5 months after the low.
- Its worst full calendar year was 2022 (-5.7%); its best was 2016 (+8.8%).
- The deepest fall in its price history was 15.3% (Jan 16, 2020 to Mar 23, 2020), recovered by Jun 8, 2020.
Show as a table
| Year | Price data | Prospectus (official) |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 (to date) | +0.3% | — |
| 2025 | +4.6% | +16.82% |
| 2024 | +4.5% | +23.33% |
| 2023 | +6.0% | +19.56% |
| 2022 | -5.7% | -14.56% |
| 2021 | +1.9% | +22.31% |
| 2020 | +3.5% | +11.75% |
| 2019 | +7.7% | +24.53% |
| 2018 | -0.1% | -9.66% |
| 2017 | +4.5% | +20.81% |
| 2016 | +8.8% | +8.77% |
| 2015 | +0.8% | — |
| 2014 | +2.5% | — |
| 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 15.2% over that stretch · deepest drop along the way 15.2%, back to its old high 2.5 months after the low |
| 2022 bear market stocks fell Jan 3, 2022 – Oct 12, 2022 | Lost 8.1% over that stretch · deepest drop along the way 8.4%, back to its old high 14.8 months after the low |
Dividends and income
Show as a table
| Year | Per share | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 (to date) | $0.9300 | |
| 2025 | $1.1000 | +5.8% |
| 2024 | $1.0400 | +30.0% |
| 2023 | $0.8000 | +31.1% |
| 2022 | $0.6100 | +1.7% |
| 2021 | $0.6000 | -34.8% |
| 2020 | $0.9200 | -6.1% |
| 2019 | $0.9800 | -10.1% |
| 2018 | $1.0900 | -2.7% |
| 2017 | $1.1200 | 0.0% |
| 2016 | $1.1200 | +31.8% |
| 2015 | $0.8500 | +3.7% |
| 2014 | $0.8200 |
What's inside
As of Aug 31, 2026, the fund held 83 securities; the ten largest made up 28.27% of assets.
| Holding | Weight | |
|---|---|---|
| Us Treasury N/b Bonds and notes | 4.82% | |
| Us Treasury N/b Bonds and notes | 4.76% | |
| Us Treasury N/b Bonds and notes | 4.56% | |
| Us Treasury N/b Bonds and notes | 4.12% | |
| Us Treasury N/b Bonds and notes | 2.57% | |
| Murphy Oil Corp Bonds and notes | 1.84% | |
| Us Treasury N/b Bonds and notes | 1.51% | |
| Textron Inc Bonds and notes | 1.43% | |
| Concentrix Corp Bonds and notes | 1.37% | |
| Booz Allen Hamilton Inc Bonds and notes | 1.30% | |
| Hilton Domestic Operatin Bonds and notes | 1.28% | |
| Citigroup Inc Bonds and notes | 1.27% | |
| American Express Co Bonds and notes | 1.25% | |
| Accenture Capital Inc Bonds and notes | 1.23% | |
| United Rentals North Am Bonds and notes | 1.22% |
By country
United States 88.13%United Kingdom 3.39%Singapore 1.13%Mexico 0.99%Netherlands 0.98%By issuer
Companies 74.95%US Treasury 22.33%Foreign governments 0.99%The bonds mature in 108.5 years on average (weighted by size), with an average coupon of 5.63%.
Source: N-PORT holdings report as of Aug 31, 2026. Cash, money-market funds and derivatives are shown separately from the securities list.What changed recently
- Over the three months to Aug 31, 2026, investors withdrew a net $26K (creations minus redemptions, per the N-PORT report).
- Monthly total returns reported for that quarter: +0.25%, -0.91%, +0.58%.
How it works
RIGS does not follow an index. Its sub-adviser, RiverFront Investment Group, builds the portfolio in two steps. First, it sets a long-range mix across short-, medium- and long-term investment-grade bonds, short- and long-term high-yield bonds and emerging-market debt. That mix aims to balance upside against downside for investors with a three- to five-year horizon, and RiverFront reviews it at least once a year. Second, it shifts the weights as conditions change and chooses the individual bonds.
The manager has wide latitude. The fund can hold corporate bonds, convertibles, preferred stock, government and supranational debt, and other bond ETFs or closed-end funds. It has no minimum credit rating, so it could hold only junk bonds, which are bonds rated below investment grade and more likely to default. Up to 50% of assets can be in non-dollar bonds and up to 50% in emerging markets. RiverFront may hedge currency risk with forward contracts or swaps, but says it does not normally plan to. It aims for an average duration of two to ten years. Duration measures rate sensitivity: with a three-year duration, a 1% rise in rates would cut the price by about 3%.
As of August 31, 2026, the fund held 83 securities. About 75% was corporate debt, 22% was U.S. Treasuries and 88% was in U.S. issuers, with no derivatives. Portfolio turnover was 18%.
What it really costs
- RIGS charges 0.46% a year, versus an average of 0.12% for the similar funds below (7th of 8, cheapest first).
- Using the prospectus's standard example, $10,000 invested would cost about $47 in the first year and $579 over 10 years (assuming a 5% annual return).
| Cost of $10,000 (SEC example) | 1 yr | 3 yrs | 5 yrs | 10 yrs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RIGS | $47 | $148 | $258 | $579 |
Structure and tax notes
- 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
RIGS pays monthly and had a trailing yield of 5.09% as of October 27, 2026, from a mix of corporate bonds and Treasuries.
RIGS could add a monthly income stream that pays more than many investment-grade bond funds, but it carries more credit risk. It launched in October 2013, so it has no 2008 record. Its deepest drop was 15.3%, in early 2020. During the COVID crash itself it fell 15.2%, then recovered by June 8, 2020, about 2.5 months later. From January to September 2022 it fell 8.4%, and recovering took about 14.8 months. Its worst calendar year was 2022, at -5.7%. Anyone who had to sell shares near those lows would have locked in losses.
The fund costs 0.46% a year. In the SEC's standard example, that is $47 in the first year on $10,000. Most index-based corporate bond ETFs in its comparison group charge 0.03% to 0.14%. Past results don't predict future ones, 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 monthly bond income; the trailing yield was 5.09% as of October 27, 2026, and the average coupon 5.63%.
- Those who prefer a manager shifting among Treasuries, investment-grade and high-yield bonds instead of a single bond index.
- Investors with a three- to five-year horizon, the time frame RiverFront designs its long-range allocation around.
Look elsewhere if
- Cost-focused investors: the 0.46% expense ratio compares with 0.03% for VCIT and VCSH, which ranks it 7th of 8 on cost.
- Anyone wanting a steady cushion during stock crashes: RIGS fell 15.2% in the 2020 COVID sell-off.
- Investors who prefer large funds; RIGS had about $62.8 million in net assets as of August 31, 2026, the smallest in its comparison group.
Close alternatives
Matched by bond funds with the closest average maturity and issuer mix (N-PORT).
| Fund | Avg. maturity | Cost | Net assets | 1 yr | 3 yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RIGS this fund | 108.5 yrs | 0.46% | $62.8M | 0.0% | +5.5% |
| LQD iShares iBoxx $ Investment Grade Corporate … | 13 yrs | 0.14% | $32.04B | -2.3% | +5.2% |
| VCIT Vanguard Intermediate-Term Corporate Bond E… | 8.2 yrs | 0.03% | $72.04B | -0.6% | +7.1% |
| IGIB iShares 5-10 Year Investment Grade Corporat… | 8.3 yrs | 0.04% | $18.72B | -1.0% | +6.4% |
| HYG iShares iBoxx $ High Yield Corporate Bond E… | 5.4 yrs | 0.49% | $16.19B | +0.9% | +7.4% |
| USHY iShares Broad USD High Yield Corporate Bond… | 5.4 yrs | 0.08% | $28.59B | +1.2% | +7.7% |
| IGSB iShares 1-5 Year Investment Grade Corporate… | 3.7 yrs | 0.04% | $23.46B | +1.5% | +5.4% |
| VCSH Vanguard Short-Term Corporate Bond ETF | 3.5 yrs | 0.03% | $51.74B | +1.9% | +5.7% |
Questions investors ask
Does RIGS pay monthly dividends?
Yes. RIGS pays distributions monthly. Over the 12 months to October 27, 2026, it paid $1.13 per share, a trailing yield of 5.09%. The money comes mostly from interest on the bonds it holds, which had an average coupon of 5.63% as of August 31, 2026. Payments can rise or fall as interest rates change and as the manager changes the holdings, so the amount is not fixed.
Is RIGS a junk bond fund?
Not strictly, but it can be. The prospectus sets no minimum credit rating, and the fund may hold only junk bonds, which are rated below investment grade and are more likely to default. As of August 31, 2026, about 75% was in corporate bonds and 22% in U.S. Treasuries. Large corporate holdings included bonds from Murphy Oil, Textron, Concentrix and Booz Allen Hamilton. The mix can shift as RiverFront's view changes.
How has RIGS performed compared with the bond market?
It has beaten the broad bond index over longer periods and lagged it over one year. As of December 31, 2025, RIGS returned 6.84% over one year, 2.23% a year over five years and 3.52% a year over ten. The Bloomberg US Aggregate Bond Index returned 7.3%, -0.36% and 2.01% over the same periods. Based on price data, its one-year return was roughly 0% as of October 27, 2026.
RIGS vs HYG: what's the difference?
None of the funds in its comparison group follows the same flexible approach. HYG is closest on cost, at 0.49% against 0.46% for RIGS. HYG tracks an iBoxx index of U.S. dollar high-yield corporate bonds and had about $16.2 billion in net assets. RIGS is actively managed and also holds Treasuries. Over three years, HYG returned 8.5% a year as of October 30, 2026, and RIGS returned 5.5% a year as of October 27, 2026.
Is RIGS sensitive to interest rates?
Yes, moderately. The manager aims to keep average duration between two and ten years. Duration is a gauge of rate sensitivity: with a duration of five years, a 1% rise in rates would typically cut the price by about 5%. Because the duration target is a range, the fund's sensitivity can change over time. Between January and September 2022, RIGS fell 8.4%. It took about 14.8 months to recover.