A smart beta exchange traded fund, the First Trust Capital Strength ETF (FTCS) debuted on 07/06/2006, and offers broad exposure to the Style Box - Large Cap Blend category of the market.
What Are Smart Beta ETFs?
The ETF industry has traditionally been dominated by products based on market capitalization weighted indexes that are designed to represent the market or a particular segment of the market.
Market cap weighted indexes work great for investors who believe in market efficiency. They provide a low-cost, convenient and transparent way of replicating market returns.
But, there are some investors who would rather invest in smart beta funds; these funds track non-cap weighted strategies, and are a strong option for those who prefer choosing great stocks in order to beat the market.
This kind of index follows this same mindset, as it attempts to pick stocks that have better chances of risk-return performance; non-cap weighted strategies base selection on certain fundamental characteristics, or a mix of such characteristics.
Methodologies like equal-weighting, one of the simplest options out there, fundamental weighting, and volatility/momentum based weighting are all choices offered to investors in this space, but not all of them can deliver superior returns.
Fund Sponsor & Index
Managed by First Trust Advisors, FTCS has amassed assets over $9.01 billion, making it one of the largest ETFs in the Style Box - Large Cap Blend. FTCS, before fees and expenses, seeks to match the performance of the The Capital Strength Index.
The Capital Strength Index is an equal-dollar weighted index which provides exposure to well-capitalized companies with strong market positions based on strong balance sheets, high degree of liquidity, ability to generate earnings growth & record financial strength & profit growth.
Cost & Other Expenses
Since cheaper funds tend to produce better results than more expensive funds, assuming all other factors remain equal, it is important for investors to pay attention to an ETF's expense ratio.
Operating expenses on an annual basis are 0.54% for FTCS, making it on par with most peer products in the space.
It has a 12-month trailing dividend yield of 1.32%.
Sector Exposure and Top Holdings
ETFs offer diversified exposure and thus minimize single stock risk, but it is still important to delve into a fund's holdings before investing. Most ETFs are very transparent products and many disclose their holdings on a daily basis.
This ETF has heaviest allocation in the Financials sector - about 24.80% of the portfolio. Industrials and Consumer Staples round out the top three.
When you look at individual holdings, Lockheed Martin Corporation (LMT) accounts for about 2.28% of the fund's total assets, followed by Aflac Incorporated (AFL) and W.r. Berkley Corporation (WRB).
Its top 10 holdings account for approximately 21.51% of FTCS's total assets under management.
Performance and Risk
The ETF return is roughly 14.15% and was up about 24.30% so far this year and in the past one year (as of 09/30/2024), respectively. FTCS has traded between $71.38 and $90.94 during this last 52-week period.
The ETF has a beta of 0.84 and standard deviation of 13.67% for the trailing three-year period, making it a medium risk choice in the space. With about 51 holdings, it effectively diversifies company-specific risk.
Alternatives
First Trust Capital Strength ETF is a reasonable option for investors seeking to outperform the Style Box - Large Cap Blend segment of the market. However, there are other ETFs in the space which investors could consider.
Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (VOO) tracks S&P 500 Index and the SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY) tracks S&P 500 Index. Vanguard S&P 500 ETF has $515.80 billion in assets, SPDR S&P 500 ETF has $583.64 billion. VOO has an expense ratio of 0.03% and SPY charges 0.09%.
Investors looking for cheaper and lower-risk options should consider traditional market cap weighted ETFs that aim to match the returns of the Style Box - Large Cap Blend.
Bottom Line
To learn more about this product and other ETFs, screen for products that match your investment objectives and read articles on latest developments in the ETF investing universe, please visit Zacks ETF Center.
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Get it free >>First Trust Capital Strength ETF (FTCS): ETF Research Reports
Lockheed Martin Corporation (LMT) : Free Stock Analysis Report
W.R. Berkley Corporation (WRB) : Free Stock Analysis Report
Aflac Incorporated (AFL) : Free Stock Analysis Report
SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY): ETF Research Reports
Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (VOO): ETF Research Reports
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The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
