What this ETF is trying to do

The Virtus AlphaSimplex Managed Futures ETF (ASMF) is an exchange-traded fund that focuses on managed futures. This means it uses a specific strategy to trade futures contracts rather than just holding a simple list of stocks.

What the numbers show

As of October 2, 2026, the share price of ASMF was $27.54.

When looking at performance, it is important to distinguish between price return and total return. Price return only tracks the change in the share price. Total return includes both the share-price change and any distributions paid out to investors.

• Year-to-Date (YTD): Both the price return and total return are approximately 14.81%.

• One-Year Performance: The one-year price return was approximately 18.15%. The one-year total return was slightly higher at approximately 18.41%.

For a simple example, if you had invested $10,000 in this ETF roughly one year ago at the estimated price of $23.31, the price-only increase would have grown that investment to approximately $11,815.

Income and distribution explanation

ASMF has a distribution yield of approximately 0.19%. Over the last 12 months, it has made one payout. The distribution frequency is listed as irregular or less frequent.

It is important for new investors to remember that a distribution yield is not the same as a total return. While distributions provide cash income, they do not guarantee that the original investment (the principal) will stay the same or grow.

NAV erosion explanation

"NAV erosion" happens when the net asset value of a fund declines over time, which can lead to a falling share price. StockValueFinder uses an erosion-risk score to measure this.

ASMF has an erosion score of 100, and the erosion label states "No price erosion detected." The erosion severity is rated as "good," and the severe erosion-risk flag is false. This means the fund's price trend did not trigger any erosion warnings.

Pros

• The ETF has shown positive price and total returns over the last year and year-to-date.

• There is currently no detected price erosion.

Cons

• The distribution yield is very low compared to funds designed specifically for high income.

• Payouts are irregular, making it less predictable for those seeking steady cash flow.

Beginner takeaway

ASMF is a managed futures ETF that has seen growth in its share price over the past year. While it does pay out distributions, they are infrequent and small. For income investors, it is important to look beyond the yield and check the erosion-risk score to see if the fund's principal is remaining stable.