Small-cap stocks are poised for a decent 2025. Helped by 3% over the past month, one aided by the Federal Reserve lowering interest rates in September, the Russell 2000 Index is higher by 12.67% YTD.
NEOS Russell 2000 High Income ETF offers a 14.4% yield by writing covered calls on small-cap equities, targeting monthly income. IWMI's actively managed options strategy distinguishes it from passive index funds, aiming to optimize income opportunities from the volatile Russell 2000. While IWMI's total returns lag the index and SPYI, it provides higher yield and defensive qualities during market downturns, suiting income-focused investors.
IWMI offers small-cap exposure with high income via call writing, balancing yield and drawdown management, but expect long-term underperformance versus the index. IWMI's tax efficiency using Section 1256 contracts and ROC distributions makes it preferable for taxable accounts over RYLD, despite similar strategy outcomes. Yield management is key: IWMI targets stable payouts, but NAV erosion is a risk in adverse markets due to capped upside and maintained distributions.
| BATS Exchange | US Country |
The fund described is an actively-managed Exchange-Traded Fund (ETF) with a primary goal of achieving its investment objectives through a two-fold strategy. Initially, the fund focuses on investments in one or more ETFs that aim to mirror the performance of the Russell 2000® Index, a renowned small-cap stock index representing approximately the smallest 2000 stocks in the Russell 3000 Index. It encompasses a comprehensive portfolio of stocks that are part of the Russell 2000® Index or a combination that aligns with it. Furthermore, this fund employs a call options strategy, focusing on generating high monthly income. This is primarily achieved by writing (or selling) call options on the Russell 2000®, thereby leveraging the underlying securities' volatility and market movements to provide returns to the investors. This innovative approach combines direct index investment with an options strategy, aiming to offer investors both growth through index tracking and income through options premiums.
The fund focuses on the following primary products and services: