Amplify YieldShares Senior Loan and Income ETF (YESR) is an exchange-traded fund that seeks investment results corresponding generally to the price and yield performance, before fees and expenses, of the Prime Senior Loan CEF Index. The fund provides targeted exposure to senior loan and floating rate closed-end funds (CEFs), investing in a portfolio of CEFs focused on senior loans, which are typically below-investment-grade floating-rate debt instruments issued by corporations. It offers investors high current income through distributions from these underlying CEF holdings, which emphasize leveraged loans with variable interest rates tied to benchmarks like SOFR or LIBOR.
The ETF's core offerings include passive tracking of an index comprising senior loan CEFs ranked by yield, discount to net asset value, and liquidity, with holdings diversified across approximately 30-60 CEFs to mitigate concentration risk. Amplify Investments LLC serves as the investment adviser, with Penserra Capital Management LLC acting as sub-adviser for portfolio management; the fund is part of the Amplify ETF Trust series and lists on NYSE Arca. Geographically, it targets U.S.-based investors with exposure to domestic and global senior loan markets through CEF intermediaries, serving income-focused retail and institutional clients seeking floating-rate debt alternatives amid rising interest rates.
Launched on September 21, 2016, the ETF was headquartered in Lisle, Illinois, under Amplify ETFs, a sponsor established in 2015 specializing in thematic and income-oriented exchange-traded products. In a significant operational change, Amplify ETFs announced the scheduled liquidation of YESR, halting creations after market close in late 2018 and ceasing trading thereafter, with final distributions completed as the fund delisted and ceased active operations. This closure reflects Amplify's portfolio optimization strategy, amid low assets under management for the product, with no subsequent relaunches or reorganizations reported.