FT Vest High Yield & Target Income ETF (HYTI) is an actively managed exchange-traded fund that seeks current income as its primary objective, with a secondary goal of capital appreciation, through investments in U.S. Treasury securities and an options strategy providing synthetic long exposure to the iShares iBoxx $ High Yield Corporate Bond ETF (HYG); this strategy involves purchasing and writing U.S. exchange-traded call options, including FLEX Options, targeting distributions at an annual rate approximately 5% above HYG's current annual income yield before fees and expenses; the fund employs a target outcome approach managed by First Trust Advisors L.P. and sub-advised by Vest Financial LLC. The ETF's portfolio is concentrated in FLEX call options on HYG, comprising the majority of holdings alongside cash equivalents, with a net expense ratio of 0.65% and assets under management around $21 million as of recent data. HYTI trades on the NYSE Arca exchange and is available to U.S. investors, focusing on the high yield fixed income segment within the derivative income category.
Launched on February 11, 2025, and headquartered with its investment advisor in Wheaton, Illinois, HYTI represents part of First Trust's expanding lineup of Target Outcome ETFs, which collectively manage over $27 billion in assets as of January 31, 2025. In a major recent development, First Trust launched HYTI alongside two companion funds—FT Vest Investment Grade & Target Income ETF (LQTI) and FT Vest 20+ Year Treasury & Target Income ETF (LTTI)—on February 12, 2025, broadening its Target Income ETF suite to address surging demand for enhanced income strategies in core fixed-income markets including high-yield bonds. This expansion strengthens First Trust's ongoing collaboration with sub-advisor Vest Financial LLC, creator of Target Outcome Investments, with no subsequent acquisitions, funding rounds, or reorganizations reported in the past year.