ETF Education Report: GraniteShares YieldBoost Single Stock Universe ETF (YBST)

What this ETF is trying to do

The GraniteShares YieldBoost Single Stock Universe ETF (YBST) is a type of fund known as a single-stock ETF. It uses options to try and generate income for investors. Instead of just holding one company, this fund holds a variety of different single-stock ETFs. Its goal is to provide frequent cash payments to its holders.

What the numbers show

As of September 23, 2026, the current price of YBST is $12.07. When looking at how the fund has performed this year, it is important to look at two different numbers:

• Year-to-Date (YTD) Price Return: This measures only the change in the share price. The price return for YBST so far this year is approximately -47.98%.

• Year-to-Date (YTD) Total Return: This measures the change in value including the cash distributions paid out. The total return for YBST so far this year is approximately -19.92%.

Because the total return is a higher number than the price return, it shows that the cash payments helped offset some of the share-price decline.

Income and distribution explanation

This ETF is designed for frequent payouts. Over the last 12 months, it has made 40 distributions, which is a very frequent, almost weekly-like schedule. Most of these payments happen on Mondays.

The distribution yield is approximately 65.27%. This number represents the cash distributions relative to the ETF's price. It is very important for new investors to remember that a high distribution yield does not mean the investor earned that same percentage as a total return. High yields can sometimes exist even when the share price is falling.

Top Holdings

The fund holds 20 different assets. Because these are single-stock ETFs, the holdings represent exposure to various companies. Some of the top holdings include:

• GRANITESHARES YIELDBOOST META ETF (4.97%)

• GRANITESHARES YIELDBOOST AMZN ETF (4.93%)

• GRANITESHARES YIELDBOOST TSM ETF (4.84%)

• GRANITESHARES YIELDBOOST AMD ETF (4.80%)

• GRANITESHARES YIELDBOOST MSTR ETF (4.76%)

*Note: Holdings can change over time.*

Pros

• Provides very frequent cash distributions (weekly-like).

• Offers exposure to a wide variety of single-stock ETFs in one fund.

Cons

• The share price has seen a significant decline this year (-47.98% YTD).

• The total return is still negative despite the high distributions.

Beginner takeaway

When you see an ETF with a very high distribution yield, it is important to look at the total return. While frequent cash payments can be attractive, they do not guarantee that your original investment will stay the same value. In the case of YBST, the share price has dropped significantly this year, even though the cash payments helped improve the total return slightly.