DSEP uses options in an effort to moderate losses on shares of SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (ticker: SPY) over a one-year period, starting in September. In exchange for preventing realization of the first 5% to 30% of the losses, the fund foregoes some upside return as well as the dividend component of SPY because the options are written on the price (not total) return version of the shares. Should the shares of SPY decline greater than 30%, investors participate in the downside performance on a $1 for $1 basis.
