Aptus Deferred Income ETF (DEFR) Performance
DEFR total return
Distributions reinvested · as of Oct 23, 2026- YTD
- −1.1% since Dec 31, 2025
- 1 year
- −0.7% total return
- Since first price
- +5.6% since 2025
DEFR trailing returns vs SPY, QQQ, AGG
| Period | DEFR total return | Price only | S&P 500 (SPY) | Nasdaq-100 (QQQ) | U.S. bonds (AGG) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 month | +0.7% | +0.7% | −1.0% | −5.0% | +0.9% |
| 3 months | +0.0% | +0.0% | +3.2% | +1.9% | −0.4% |
| 6 months | −1.1% | −1.1% | +7.8% | +8.4% | −1.5% |
| YTD | −1.1% | −1.1% | +12.3% | +15.1% | −1.0% |
| 1 year | −0.7% | −0.7% | +14.4% | +15.9% | −1.1% |
| Since inceptionMay 14, 2025 | +5.6% | +5.6% | — | — | — |
Total return from adjusted closes (distributions reinvested, before tax). Periods of 3 years or more are also shown annualized. Price only excludes distributions.
Growth of $10,000: DEFR vs SPY
From May 14, 2025: DEFR grew to $10,565, SPY to $13,148.
Year-end values with distributions reinvested, no taxes or trading costs. Start: first common trading day of both funds.
DEFR returns by calendar year
2026 is year to date.
DEFR annual returns table
| Year | DEFR | Largest drop | SPY | QQQ | AGG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026YTD | −1.1% | −5.0% | +12.3% | +15.1% | −1.0% |
Largest drop = deepest fall from a high within that calendar year.
Calendar-year return vs largest drop within the year
Most years include a sizable fall at some point even when the year ends higher.
DEFR risk statistics
| Statistic | Since 2025 |
|---|---|
| Annualized return | +2.3% |
| Volatility (annualized) | 4.8% |
| Sharpe ratio | -0.29 |
| Sortino ratio | -0.37 |
| Best month | +2.3% |
| Worst month | −2.7% |
| Best 12 months | +5.8% |
| Worst 12 months | −1.1% |
| Positive months | 69% |
| Beta vs S&P 500 | — |
| Correlation with S&P 500 | — |
From monthly total returns. Sharpe and Sortino use 1–3 month T-bills (BIL) as the risk-free rate, so they need history from 2007 on.
DEFR rolling returns
| Holding period | Periods | Worst | Median | Best | Positive |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1-year | 6 | −1.1% | +2.8% | +5.8% | 67% |
Every holding period starting at a month-end since 2025. Returns for 3 years and longer are annualized.
DEFR performance overview
Aptus Deferred Income ETF (DEFR) returned −0.7% over the past year, with distributions reinvested. Since its first recorded price on May 14, 2025 it has returned +5.6%. Over the same year S&P 500 (SPY) returned +14.4%.
Related: DEFR chart. See the DEFR overview for the latest quote and fund facts.
DEFR performance FAQ
What is the DEFR return over the past year?
DEFR returned −0.7% over the 12 months to October 23, 2026, including reinvested distributions. On price alone it fell 0.7%.
How much would $10,000 invested in DEFR be worth?
$10,000 invested in DEFR at its first recorded close on May 14, 2025 would be worth about $10,565 on October 23, 2026 with distributions reinvested.
How volatile is DEFR?
Over the past history DEFR had an annualized volatility of 4.8% and a Sharpe ratio of -0.29 (excess return over 1–3 month T-bills per unit of risk).