At a glance
YJUN charges 0.9% a year, above the 0.86% average of the 7 funds most like it (the 6th cheapest of 8). It has $145.6M in assets, the 8th largest of that group. Over the past year it returned +6.5% with distributions reinvested (S&P 500: +11.5%), the weakest of those 8 funds; over three years it returned +11.8% a year. At its worst it fell 20.4% in the 2022 bear market (S&P 500: 24.5%), and was back at its earlier high 7 months after the low.
The short version
FT Vest International Equity Moderate Buffer ETF – June (YJUN) holds options on the iShares MSCI EAFE ETF, which tracks large and mid-sized companies in developed markets outside the US and Canada. Over each one-year period starting in June, it aims to absorb the first 15% of that fund's price losses. In exchange, gains are capped (12.94% before fees for June 2025 to June 2026). It costs 0.90% a year and pays no dividends.
Price history
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YJUN +6.5% 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| YJUN official prospectus, to Dec 31, 2024 | — | +1.46% | — | — | — | +2.25% |
| YJUN price data to Oct 27, 2026 | +5.0% | +6.5% | +11.8% | +5.8% | — | +5.6% |
- Over the year to Oct 27, 2026, YJUN returned +6.5%, 8th of 8 among similar funds.
- Its 5-year annualized return was +5.8%.
- Its worst full calendar year was 2022 (-8.1%); its best was 2025 (+18.8%).
- The deepest fall in its price history was 21.5% (Sep 7, 2021 to Sep 27, 2022), recovered by Jun 15, 2023.
Show as a table
| Year | Price data | Prospectus (official) |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 (to date) | +5.0% | — |
| 2025 | +18.8% | — |
| 2024 | +1.6% | +1.46% |
| 2023 | +14.8% | +15.04% |
| 2022 | -8.1% | -8.47% |
| 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 | Lost 20% over that stretch · deepest drop along the way 20.4%, back to its old high 6.5 months after the low |
What's inside
As of Aug 31, 2026, the fund held 0 securities; the ten largest made up 0% of assets.
| Holding | Weight |
|---|
By country
By asset type
What changed recently
- Over the three months to Aug 31, 2026, investors added a net $14.9M (creations minus redemptions, per the N-PORT report).
- Monthly total returns reported for that quarter: -0.86%, +1.69%, +1.59%.
How it works
YJUN does not own stocks directly. Nearly all of its money is in FLEX Options, which are exchange-traded option contracts whose strike prices and expiration dates can be customized. They are tied to the iShares MSCI EAFE ETF, which BlackRock Fund Advisors runs to track the MSCI EAFE Index. As of August 31, 2026, the fund held 12 option positions on that ETF, making up about 99% of assets, plus about 1% cash. First Trust is the issuer and Vest Financial is the sub-advisor.
Together, the options aim for a set result over a roughly one-year "outcome period." For June 23, 2025 to June 18, 2026, the targets were as follows. If the EAFE ETF's price rose, the fund would match that gain up to a 12.94% cap. If the price fell, the fund would absorb the first 15% of the loss. Losses beyond 15% pass through one-for-one, so a 20% drop means roughly a 5% loss. After fees, the cap was 12.04% and the buffer 14.11%. Returns follow price only, so holders miss the EAFE ETF's dividends.
Each June the fund buys a new set of options. The buffer stays at 15%, but the cap is reset based on market conditions. These targets apply only to shares bought on the first day of a period and held to the end. Buying partway through can leave less buffer or less upside.
What it really costs
- YJUN charges 0.9% a year, versus an average of 0.86% for the similar funds below (6th of 8, cheapest first).
Structure and tax notes
- Uses options to limit losses within a range (the buffer) in exchange for a cap on gains over each outcome period; results depend on when you buy relative to the period start.
In a retirement portfolio
It offers exposure to developed-market stocks outside the US with smaller swings than owning those stocks outright, but it gives up dividends and some upside.
YJUN launched in June 2021, so it missed the 2008 and 2020 crashes. In the 2022 bear market it still fell about 20% from January 4 to September 27, 2022, and recovered by April 13, 2023. Its deepest drop was 21.5%, from September 2021 to September 2022, and took about 8.6 months to recover. That shows the buffer only fully applies at the end of an outcome period. Someone selling shares in the middle of a bad year could lock in a loss well beyond what the buffer suggests. Its worst calendar year was 2022, at -8.47%. The fund pays no income, so any cash for spending would come from selling shares. It costs 0.90% a year, against a 0.86% average for similar buffer 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 exposure to developed-market stocks outside the US, such as those in Europe, while giving up some upside to cushion the first 15% of yearly losses.
- Holders who can buy near the June reset and hold through a full outcome period, which is the only way the stated buffer and cap apply.
- Those with US-heavy portfolios who want a lower-volatility international sleeve: one-year volatility was 6.5% as of October 27, 2026.
Look elsewhere if
- Income seekers: the fund recorded no distributions and its returns exclude the EAFE ETF's dividends.
- Cost-conscious investors: at 0.90%, it ranks 6th of 8 similar buffer funds on cost, above the 0.86% average.
- Investors wanting strong upside: its one-year (6.5%) and three-year returns ranked last of 8 similar funds as of October 27, 2026.
Close alternatives
Matched by other buffer (defined-outcome) funds, largest first.
| Fund | Cost | Net assets | 1 yr | 3 yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| YJUN this fund | 0.9% | $145.6M | +6.5% | +11.8% |
| 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 YJUN pay dividends?
No. The fund has no recorded distributions. It holds options rather than stocks, and its results track only the price of the iShares MSCI EAFE ETF. That means the dividends that ETF pays to its own holders don't reach YJUN shareholders. Over time, missing dividends can be a real gap against owning the EAFE ETF directly, since foreign developed-market stocks often pay meaningful dividends. Anyone needing cash from YJUN would have to sell shares.
Can you lose more than 15% in YJUN?
Yes. The buffer covers only the first 15% of the EAFE ETF's price losses over a full outcome period, before fees. After fees, it was 14.11% for June 2025 to June 2026. Losses beyond that pass through one-for-one. The buffer also doesn't apply partway through a period. YJUN fell 21.5% from September 7, 2021 to September 27, 2022, before recovering by June 15, 2023. Shares bought or sold mid-period can do much better or much worse than the stated targets.
What happens if I buy YJUN in the middle of the outcome period?
The results will likely differ from the stated cap and buffer. Both are set from prices on the first day of each period, which starts in late June. If the fund has already risen, less upside remains before the cap and the buffer may not start until prices fall further. If it has fallen, more upside may remain. About a week before each reset, the fund's website posts the expected cap range for the next period.
What's the difference between YJUN and FDEC?
Both are First Trust buffer ETFs sub-advised by Vest, but they track different markets. FDEC, the FT Vest US Equity Buffer ETF – December, is linked to US stocks and resets in December. YJUN is linked to developed markets outside the US and Canada and resets in June. FDEC costs 0.85% against YJUN's 0.90%. As of October 27, 2026, FDEC returned 12.9% over one year and 18.5% a year over three years. YJUN returned 6.5% and 11.8%.
How has YJUN performed since it launched?
Its returns have been modest. As of December 31, 2024, the prospectus shows a 1.46% one-year return and 2.25% a year since its June 2021 launch. Calendar-year results were -8.47% in 2022, 15.04% in 2023 and 1.46% in 2024. Based on share prices, it returned 18.77% in 2025. Because each outcome period runs from June to June, a calendar year spans two periods. As of October 27, 2026, its five-year return was 5.8% a year.