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By the Numbers

Why Starting Yields Matter

Starting yields have historically been one of the strongest indicators of future bond returns. With yields still elevated relative to recent history, today’s fixed income market may offer investors a more compelling entry point, combining income potential with a greater cushion against interest rate volatility.

 

This chart highlights how today’s starting yields can support total return potential across a range of 12-month rate scenarios.

 

12-Month Forward Total Return Potential (%)

bythenumbers_June2026

Source: TCW, based on Bloomberg data as of June 18, 2026. It is not possible to invest directly in an index.
Past performance is not a guarantee of future results.

 

Why it matters:

  • Starting yields have historically been a meaningful predictor of future bond returns
  • If rates move higher, higher income can help create a yield buffer
  • If rates decline, bonds may benefit from both coupon income and price appreciation

For investors reassessing fixed income allocations, today’s yield environment underscores the importance of active sector, duration, and credit positioning. The TCW Flexible Income ETF (FLXR) is designed to pursue attractive income and total return potential across changing market conditions.

 

Learn more from David Vick, CFA, Managing Director and Co-Head of Fixed Income Portfolio Specialists, in his recent webinar: Fixed Income Outlook: Building a More Resilient Income Sleeve in a Volatile Market with FLXR

5-19-26-FLXR-Webinar-still

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For Investment Professionals Only

The performance data quoted represents past performance. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. The investment return and principal value of an investment will fluctuate so that an investor’s shares, when sold or redeemed, may be worth more or less than their original cost and current performance may be lower or higher than the performance quoted. For FLXR standardized performance https://www.tcw.com/products/etfs/tcw-flexible-income-etf/flxr.

 

Disclosures

Investors should consider the investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses of a Fund carefully before investing. A Fund’s Prospectus and, if available, Summary Prospectus contain this and other information about the Fund. To receive a Prospectus and, if available, Summary Prospectus, please call 877-829-4768 or you may download the Prospectus and, if available, Summary Prospectus from the Funds’ website at tcw.com. Please read it carefully.

 

INVESTMENT RISKS

As with any investment, you could lose all or part of your investment in the Fund, and the Fund’s performance could trail that of other investments. The Fund is subject to certain risks, including the principal risks noted below, any of which may adversely affect the Fund’s net asset value (“NAV”) per share, trading price, yield, total return and ability to meet its investment objective. The description of TCW ETF’s investment strategy is intended to be representative but may be changed from time to time by TCW, and TCW may alter the information at its discretion. TCW intends to be focused and directed in the selection of opportunities to actively engage with portfolio companies of the Fund. As we seek to deliver on our client’s financial objectives, engagement and active ownership are integral components of TCW’s research and investment process. Our data-informed engagement and active ownership practices achieve several objectives. The information elicited from these practices not only helps improve our fundamental research, but our engagement and active ownership practices may also have positive impacts on the company or other entities by suggesting best practices in addressing critical, financially material issues in areas of sustainability, corporate governance, or executive compensation. In TCW’s view, active ownership improves value and informs future investment decisions.

 

TCW Flexible Income ETF (FLXR) seeks to invest in the companies that the Adviser believes will benefit from transformation as a result of technological innovations, market dynamics, and/or changes in client preferences. The Fund’s investment objective seeks a high level of current income with a secondary objective of long-term capital appreciation. The Fund is actively managed and may be susceptible to an increased risk of loss, including losses due to adverse events that affect the Funds’ investments more than the market as a whole, to the extent that the Funds’ investments are concentrated in the securities of a particular issuer or issuers, country, group of countries, region, market, industry, group of industries, sector or asset class. The Funds may purchase and write put and call options on futures contracts that are traded on an exchange as a hedge against changes in value of its portfolio securities, or in anticipation of the purchase of securities, and may enter into closing transactions with respect to such options to terminate existing positions. There is no guarantee that such closing transactions can be effected. TCW Flexible Income ETF (FLXR) is subject to the following risks: High yield securities may be subject to greater fluctuations in value and risk of loss of income and principal than higher-rated securities. It is important to note that the Fund is not guaranteed by the U.S. Government. Fixed income investments entail interest rate risk, the risk of issuer default, issuer credit risk, and price volatility risk. Funds investing in bonds can lose their value as interest rates rise and an investor can lose principal. The Fund’s investments denominated in foreign currencies will decline in value if the foreign currency declines in value relative to the U.S. dollar. Fund share prices and returns will fluctuate with market conditions, currencies, and the economic and political climates where the investments are made. The securities markets of emerging market countries can be extremely volatile. Mortgage-backed and other asset-backed securities often involve risks that are different from or more acute than risks associated with other types of debt instruments. MBS related to floating rate loans may exhibit greater price volatility than a fixed rate obligation of similar credit quality. With respect to non-agency MBS, there are no direct or indirect government or agency guarantees of payments in pools created by nongovernmental issuers. Non-agency MBS are also not subject to the same underwriting requirements for the underlying mortgages that are applicable to those mortgage-related securities that have a government or government-sponsored entity guarantee. Liquidity Risk. Lack of a ready market or restrictions on resale may limit the ability of the Fund to sell a security at an advantageous time or price. The liquidity of the Fund’s assets may change over time. Derivatives Risk. A derivative is a financial contract, the value of which depends on or is derived from, the value of an underlying asset such as a security or an index. All investing involves risk including the potential loss of principal. Market volatility may significantly impact the value of your investments. Recent tariff announcements may add to this volatility, creating additional economic uncertainty and potentially affecting the value of certain investments. Tariffs can impact various sectors differently, leading to changes in market dynamics and investment performance.

 

Please see the Fund’s Prospectus for more information on these and other risks. The TCW, TCW MetWest Funds, and the TCW Private Asset Income Fund are offered through TCW Funds Distributors LLC, member FINRA and SIPC. The TCW and TCW Transform ETFs are distributed by Foreside Financial Services, LLC

 

NOT FDIC INSURED | NO BANK GUARANTEE | MAY LOSE VALUE

 

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