At a glance
TUG charges 0.65% a year, above the 0.2% average of the 4 funds most like it (the most expensive of 5). It has $34.3M in assets, the 4th largest of that group; it paid 1.43% of its price in distributions over the past 12 months, semiannual. Over the past year it returned +16.4% with distributions reinvested (S&P 500: +11.5%), the best of those 5 funds; over three years it returned +25.0% a year. Its ten largest positions make up 47.3% of the fund, out of 102 in all.
The short version
STF Tactical Growth ETF (TUG) is an actively managed fund. It uses a mostly quantitative model to move money between large Nasdaq-listed stocks, long-term US Treasury bonds and cash. As of June 30, 2026, it was almost entirely in stocks, led by NVIDIA, Apple and Micron Technology. Its 0.65% annual fee is more than three times the 0.20% charged by Invesco QQQ Trust, a fund whose holdings overlapped about 91% with TUG's.
Price history
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TUG +16.4% 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TUG official prospectus, to Dec 31, 2025 | — | +20.30% | — | — | — | +16.33% |
| TUG price data to Oct 27, 2026 | +18.5% | +16.4% | +25.0% | — | — | +20.8% |
- Over the year to Oct 27, 2026, TUG returned +16.4%, 1st of 5 among similar funds.
- Its worst full calendar year was 2024 (+19.4%); its best was 2023 (+38.3%).
- The deepest fall in its price history was 22.3% (Feb 19, 2025 to Apr 8, 2025), recovered by Jun 24, 2025.
Show as a table
| Year | Price data | Prospectus (official) |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 (to date) | +18.5% | — |
| 2025 | +20.4% | +20.30% |
| 2024 | +19.4% | +19.70% |
| 2023 | +38.3% | +37.12% |
| 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) | $0.0010 | |
| 2025 | $0.6940 | -58.4% |
| 2024 | $1.6700 | +317.5% |
| 2023 | $0.4000 |
What's inside
As of Jun 30, 2026, the fund held 102 securities; the ten largest made up 47.31% of assets.
| Holding | Weight | |
|---|---|---|
| NVIDIA Corp | 7.95% | |
| Apple Inc | 7.26% | |
| Micron Technology Inc | 6.30% | |
| Microsoft Corp | 4.69% | |
| Advanced Micro Devices Inc | 4.37% | |
| Amazon.com Inc | 4.22% | |
| Alphabet Inc | 3.49% | |
| Alphabet Inc | 3.20% | |
| Broadcom Inc | 3.00% | |
| Applied Materials Inc | 2.81% | |
| Lam Research Corp | 2.76% | |
| Tesla Inc | 2.74% | |
| KLA Corp | 2.44% | |
| Walmart Inc | 2.42% | |
| Cisco Systems Inc | 2.23% |
By country
United States 95.87%Netherlands 1.53%Canada 0.66%United Kingdom 0.5%Uruguay 0.41%By asset type
Stocks 99.18%By sector
Sectors of the companies held, for the 91.6% of the fund in companies that have a stock page here; other holdings and cash aren't classified. Source: N-PORT holdings report as of Jun 30, 2026. Cash, money-market funds and derivatives are shown separately from the securities list.What changed recently
- Over the three months to Jun 30, 2026, investors withdrew a net $4.2M (creations minus redemptions, per the N-PORT report).
- Monthly total returns reported for that quarter: +15.10%, +10.60%, -0.10%.
How it works
TUG does not track an index. Its adviser, Shelton Capital Management (the trade name of CCM Partners LP), runs it with its own system called the TUG Model, which is mostly quantitative. The model watches price trends, volatility and changing correlations across stocks, bonds and commodities. It also tracks several moving averages (average prices over set periods, used to spot trends) for large Nasdaq-listed companies. The fund defines large as worth $5 billion or more at the time of purchase.
Based on those signals, the adviser moves money among three buckets. The first is large Nasdaq stocks, held directly or through ETFs. The second is long-duration US Treasuries, whose prices swing sharply when interest rates change. The third is Treasury bills, money market funds and cash. When the stock signal weakens or markets turn indecisive, part or all of the fund can shift into bonds or cash. There is no fixed rebalancing schedule. The prospectus allows frequent trading, but reported portfolio turnover was 4%.
As of June 30, 2026, the fund was 99.18% in stocks across 102 positions, and its report showed no derivatives. The ten largest holdings made up 47.31% of assets. The fund is non-diversified, which means it may put more of its money into fewer companies. Its strategy does not call for leverage or options.
What it really costs
- TUG charges 0.65% a year, versus an average of 0.2% for the similar funds below (5th of 5, cheapest first).
- Using the prospectus's standard example, $10,000 invested would cost about $66 in the first year and $810 over 10 years (assuming a 5% annual return).
| Cost of $10,000 (SEC example) | 1 yr | 3 yrs | 5 yrs | 10 yrs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TUG | $66 | $208 | $362 | $810 |
In a retirement portfolio
It is concentrated in large Nasdaq technology stocks, has moved more than the broad market, and depends on a single adviser's model.
TUG could add a trend-following element: a model that may move out of growth stocks and into Treasuries or cash when trends weaken. The fund launched in May 2022, and its price history starts September 30, 2022. So there is no record of how it behaved in the 2008, 2020 or 2022 sell-offs. Its weakest full calendar year was 2024, a 19.7% gain according to the prospectus. Its deepest drop was 22.3%, from February 19 to April 8, 2025. It recovered by June 24, 2025, about 2.5 months later. Anyone who sold shares near that low would have locked in the loss.
Income is modest: the yield was 1.43% over the 12 months to October 27, 2026, paid twice a year. The 0.65% fee is well above the 0.20% average of similar funds. 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 large Nasdaq growth stocks plus a model that can shift into Treasuries or cash when trends weaken.
- People comfortable with heavy tech exposure: 56.5% technology as of June 30, 2026, led by NVIDIA, Apple and Micron.
- Holders who could sit through drops like the 22.3% fall in early 2025 without needing to sell shares.
Look elsewhere if
- Cost-focused investors: TUG charges 0.65% a year, compared with 0.20% for QQQ and 0.15% for QQQM, both with heavily overlapping holdings.
- Anyone seeking steady income: the yield was 1.43% over the 12 months to October 27, 2026, paid only twice a year.
- Investors who want a long record or a large fund: TUG launched in 2022 and held about $34.3 million as of June 30, 2026.
Close alternatives
Matched by holdings overlap from the latest N-PORT reports.
| Fund | Overlap | Cost | Net assets | 1 yr | 3 yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TUG this fund | — | 0.65% | $34.3M | +16.4% | +25.0% |
| QQQ Invesco QQQ Trust Series I | 91% | 0.2% | $490.10B | +8.8% | +24.0% |
| QTR Global X NASDAQ 100 Tail Risk ETF | 88% | 0.25% | $7.6M | +8.6% | +21.9% |
| QQQM Invesco NASDAQ 100 ETF | 87% | 0.15% | $104.38B | +8.8% | +24.1% |
| NTSX WisdomTree U.S. Efficient Core Fund | 47% | 0.2% | $1.36B | +8.7% | +23.0% |
Questions investors ask
What does TUG ETF invest in?
As of June 30, 2026, TUG held mostly large US technology and growth stocks listed on the Nasdaq. It was 99.18% in stocks across 102 positions. The largest were NVIDIA (7.95%), Apple (7.26%), Micron Technology (6.30%) and Microsoft (4.69%). Technology made up 56.5% of the portfolio. Its model can also move money into long-term US Treasuries, Treasury bills or cash when stock trends weaken. It is not a leveraged fund.
Is TUG a good ETF for retirement?
TUG may fit a small, higher-risk part of a retirement portfolio better than a core role. It is concentrated in Nasdaq tech stocks. Its one-year beta to October 27, 2026 was 1.41, meaning it tended to move about 1.4 times as much as the market. It fell 22.3% between February and April 2025. Its yield was 1.43%, paid twice a year. The fund launched in 2022, so it has no record through the 2008 or 2020 crashes.
TUG vs QQQ: what's the difference?
The main differences are cost, size and approach. Invesco QQQ Trust charges 0.20% a year, compared with 0.65% for TUG. As of June 30, 2026, QQQ held about $490 billion in net assets, compared with TUG's $34.3 million. Their stock holdings overlapped about 91%. QQQ is an index fund that stays in stocks, while TUG's model can shift into Treasuries or cash. Over three years, QQQ returned 26.2% a year to October 30, 2026, slightly ahead of TUG's 25% a year to October 27, 2026.
Does TUG pay dividends?
Yes, but the payouts are small and come only twice a year. Over the 12 months to October 27, 2026, TUG paid about $0.67 per share, a yield of 1.43%. That reflects its focus on growth stocks rather than income. Investors who want regular monthly or quarterly income may find the payments too small and too infrequent.
What is TUG's expense ratio?
TUG's expense ratio is 0.65% a year, all of it management fee, according to its prospectus filed July 30, 2026. The SEC's standard example assumes $10,000 invested, a 5% yearly return, and shares sold at the end of each period. On that basis, total costs would be about $66 after one year, $208 after three, $362 after five and $810 after ten. That was the highest fee among the five funds compared, where similar funds averaged 0.20%.