ETF distributions

How and when ETFs pay out income — dates, frequency, and what the yield numbers mean.

ETFs pass through the income their holdings generate — dividends, bond interest, option premium — as distributions, typically monthly or quarterly. Four dates matter: declaration (announced), ex-dividend (buy before this date to receive it), record, and payment.

Yield figures need labels. Trailing distribution yield = the last 12 months of cash ÷ current price (backward-looking, what this site shows as 'Yield TTM'). SEC 30-day yield = a standardized forward-looking measure of portfolio income after expenses. Distribution rate = most recent payment annualized. These can differ substantially, especially for option-income funds.

Distributions are never guaranteed — they follow what the portfolio earns. A history of growing distributions tells you more than a single high figure, which is why distribution-growth rates appear on fund pages here.