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During my time as a fighter pilot, a one-versus-one dogfight was one of the most challenging types of flights: a mission pitting one pilot’s skills against his opponent. This air combat training was not the type of mission where you wanted to come home second best.

The new category of single stock covered-call ETFs now has two sponsors offering competing funds covering the same underlying stocks. This type of ETF is new in the market, with the oldest funds operating for just over a year. Many have track records that are only a few months in length; however, the funds have been trading long enough to compare returns for covered call ETFs with the same underlying stock.

The YieldMax ETFs were the first mover with this type of ETF, launching their first funds in November 2022. Currently, YieldMax offers 25 single-stock ETFs, with more on the way. These funds have caught the attention of investors with eye-popping distribution yields. 

The six Kurv single-stock covered call ETFs, on the other hand, launched at the end of October 2023. These funds have lower distribution yields, but the stock price charts for the last four-plus months have very positive slopes. 

With over ten months of track records, I want to compare the returns of the YieldMax and Kurv funds covering the same stocks. More specifically, I want to compare the two Apple, Inc. (AAPL) covered- call ETF returns since November 1, 2023. 

The current quoted yield for the YieldMax AAPL Option Income Strategy ETF (APLY) is 31.44%. Since November 1, 2023, the APLY share price has declined by 7.49%. With the covered call strategy dividends, the APLY total return jumps to a positive 16.91%. 

The Kurv Yield Premium Strategy Apple (AAPL) ETF (AAPY) shows a current distribution rate of 12.74%. That’s less than half the current yield quote for APLY. From November 1 through September 9, AAPY’’s share price gained 3.71%. Over the period, including the dividends, AAPY put up a total return of 14.61%. AAPY produces a positive share price and a total return that mirrors the share price gain plus the current yield. 

Those returns are surprisingly close—or maybe not surprisingly, since the two ETF sponsors use a covered call strategy on the same stock. AAPL moved nicely higher over the period, and using a covered call strategy left some money on the table. The benefit of covered call trading is the nice monthly cash income no matter whether the underlying stocks are going up, down, or sideways. 

Over the next couple of months, I will do the same calculations for the other five Kurv funds against their YieldMax counterparts and publish my findings here.

I will also track comparisons over the longer term, which I’ll share with subscribers of my ETF Income Edge service.

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