I updated my tracking sheet for the TappAlpha funds this month. The sample size is still small, so I would read this as a snapshot rather than a final judgment.
What I’m mainly checking here is not just headline yield. I’m looking at the same combination I use for other income ETFs: Dividend TTM, Price CAGR, Total Return CAGR, payout support risk, stability, and month-over-month movement.
| Fund Ticker | Dividend TTM | Price CAGR | Total Return CAGR | Payout Support Risk | Stability | Dividend TTM (MoM) | Price Growth (MoM) | Total Return CAGR (MoM) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TDAQ | 10.17% | 22.21% | 42.53% | Low | LOW | 0.52pp | 12.56pp | 14.91pp |
| TDAX | 7.01% | 31.47% | 62.24% | Low | LOW | 0.75pp | 34.27pp | 41.62pp |
| TSPY | 13.50% | 3.92% | 19.14% | Low | LOW | -0.44pp | 1.93pp | 2.25pp |
What stands out
TDAQ shows 10.17% Dividend TTM with 22.21% Price CAGR and 42.53% Total Return CAGR. That is a fairly strong combination for a high-income fund snapshot, especially because the month-over-month movement is also positive: Dividend TTM is up 0.52pp, Price Growth is up 12.56pp, and Total Return CAGR is up 14.91pp.
TDAX has the lowest Dividend TTM in this small group at 7.01%, but it has the strongest price and total-return profile. Its Price CAGR is 31.47%, and Total Return CAGR is 62.24%. The monthly change also looks strong, with Price Growth up 34.27pp and Total Return CAGR up 41.62pp.
TSPY looks more income-heavy than the other two. It has the highest Dividend TTM at 13.50%, but its Price CAGR is only 3.92%, and Total Return CAGR is 19.14%. That is still positive in this snapshot, but it is less growth-heavy than TDAQ or TDAX.
All three funds are marked Low for payout support risk, but stability is still LOW across the group. I would not read that as “safe.” For my own screening process, it means the payout currently looks better supported by recent return behavior than some more aggressive high-yield funds, but the stability profile still needs caution.
Practical summary
This TappAlpha group looks less extreme than many very high-yield issuer groups in this snapshot. The headline yields are lower, but the price and total-return behavior look cleaner, especially for TDAQ and TDAX.
The useful question is not which fund is “best.” It is what job each fund is supposed to do. TDAQ and TDAX look more balanced between income and growth behavior in this snapshot, while TSPY looks more tilted toward income.
Note: Metrics are exported from Dividend Decoder as a partial snapshot; not investment advice.