What this ETF is trying to do

The Gabelli Dividend & Income Trust (GDV) is an ETF designed to provide investors with a combination of income and growth. It focuses on paying out regular distributions to people who want a steady stream of cash from their investments.

What the numbers show

As of October 9, 2026, the share price of GDV is $28.58. To understand how it has performed, we look at two different types of returns: price return (the change in the share price) and total return (which includes the share price change plus the distributions paid out).

• Year-to-Date (YTD): The price return is approximately 2.92%, while the total return is approximately 7.80%.

• One Year: The price return is approximately 5.62%, and the total return is approximately 12.37%.

• Three Years: The price return is approximately 47.09%, and the total return is approximately 77.10%.

For example, if you had invested $10,000 exactly one year ago at the estimated price of $27.06, the price-only growth would have increased that amount to approximately $10,562.

Income and distribution explanation

GDV pays distributions usually every month. Over the last 12 months, it has made 12 payments totaling $1.77 per share. This results in a distribution yield of approximately 6.19%.

It is important for beginners to remember that a high distribution yield alone can be misleading. A yield tells you how much cash the ETF is paying out relative to its price, but it does not guarantee that the overall value of your investment is growing.

NAV erosion explanation

"NAV erosion" happens when the actual value of the fund's assets drops over time, often because the fund pays out more than it earns. StockValueFinder uses an erosion-risk score to measure this.

GDV has an erosion score of 100, and the erosion label states "No price erosion detected." The erosion severity is listed as "good," and there is no severe erosion-risk flag for this ETF.

Pros

• Consistent Income: The ETF pays distributions on a monthly basis.

• Strong Total Returns: The total returns over one and three years are higher than the price returns, showing the impact of the distributions.

• Stability: No price erosion was detected according to the risk score.

Cons

• No Holdings Data: There is currently no specific information available regarding which companies or assets the ETF holds.

Beginner takeaway

GDV is an income-focused ETF that has shown growth in both its share price and its total return over the last three years. While it offers a steady monthly distribution, investors should always look at the total return—not just the yield—to see the full picture of how an investment is performing.