What this ETF is trying to do

The Guinness Atkinson Real Assets Income ETF (ticker: GARA) is designed to invest in real assets to provide income. It trades on the NYSE. The fund holds a variety of different companies, including those in infrastructure and real estate.

What the numbers show

As of October 9, 2026, the current price of GARA is $25.73. When looking at how the fund has performed this year (Year-to-Date or YTD), there are two important numbers to see:

• YTD Price Return: Approximately 1.44%. This number only shows how much the share price itself has moved.

• YTD Total Return: Approximately 3.87%. This number is higher because it includes both the change in the share price and the distributions (cash payments) made to investors.

Income and distribution explanation

GARA provides a distribution yield of approximately 2.45%. Over the last year, the trailing distributions were $0.63 per share.

It is important for new investors to understand that these payments are described as "irregular" or "less frequent." In the last 12 months, there were only 3 payouts. Because the payments do not happen on a regular schedule like every month, investors should plan accordingly. Also, remember that a distribution yield shows the cash paid out relative to the price, but it is not the same thing as the total return.

NAV erosion explanation

The supplied data is sufficient to evaluate price erosion, but it does not include enough historical NAV-per-share data to confirm or rule out NAV erosion.

Currently, the erosion score is withheld because there is not enough verified price history available. However, there is no "severe erosion-risk flag" for this ETF, which means the specific screening rules used by StockValueFinder did not detect a major warning regarding price deterioration.

Pros

• Positive Total Return: The YTD total return of approximately 3.87% shows that the combination of price changes and distributions has been positive so far this year.

• Diversified Exposure: The fund holds 40 different assets. Top Holdings include Infratil Ltd (3.58%), Welltower Inc (3.54%), Equinix Inc (3.46%), and Greencoat UK Wind (3.42%).

Cons

• Irregular Income: The distribution frequency is not consistent, which may make it harder to predict when cash will arrive.

• Limited History: There is not enough verified price history to provide a long-term erosion score.

Beginner takeaway

When researching GARA, pay close attention to the difference between the share price and the total return. While the share price has grown slightly, the total return is higher because of the cash distributions. Also, keep in mind that the income from this ETF does not arrive on a regular monthly schedule.