First Trust International Developed Capital Strength ETF
$40.27+0.40 (+0.99%)
- 0.70%
- $195M
- +6.4%
- 1.95%
- 0M sh
- $39.88
- low $37.65high $43.38
The ETF.net FICS Grade
C
Score 44 out of 100
- 5 of 6
Score 44 of 100 falls in the C band. A is 70 or higher, B 55 to under 70, C 40 to under 55, D 25 to under 40, F under 25.
Cost
The fund’s net expense ratio, ranked against its category.F10 out of 100Rank 6 of 6Mission
Whether the fund did what it promised, tested against its stated mandate.A86 out of 100Rank 2 of 3Risk
How the fund held up when markets fell: downside volatility, drawdowns and tail loss.C50 out of 100Rank 2 of 6Tradability
How easy the fund is to trade: daily volume, and how far its price strays from net asset value.C45 out of 100Rank 4 of 6Holdings
How concentrated the fund is, and how complete and current its disclosed holdings are.D38 out of 100Rank 6 of 6Durability
Whether the fund is likely to stay open, judged by its age, its assets and its issuer’s assets.C41 out of 100Rank 5 of 6
Our read on FICS
CA balance-sheet screen shipped overseas. FICS holds roughly 60 developed-market names filtered for financial strength and lower volatility, and charges 0.70% for the sorting work.
The fund seeks to track, before fees and expenses, the price and yield of The International Developed Capital StrengthTM Index. Normally, it invests at least 90% of net assets in the index’s common stocks and REITs.
Why people hold it
- Rules-based quality and low-volatility screen on developed international stocks, with at least 90% of net assets in the index's own common stocks and REITs.ftportfolios.com
- Roughly 60 holdings, so the screen actually shows up in the portfolio instead of getting diluted into a market-cap blob.
- Pure non-US developed exposure with no home-market overlap, and cash comes back on a quarterly schedule.
- Running since its 2020 launch, tracking a named, published index rather than a manager's discretion.
Worth knowing
- The 0.70% expense ratio sits above what plain index trackers in its cohort typically charge. That is the price of the screen.
- One of the thinner traders in its category, so spreads can widen. Limit orders are the standard defense.
- About 60 stocks with a quality and low-vol tilt means returns can diverge meaningfully from broad developed-market indexes in either direction.
FICS Holdings
- Stocks
- 55
- 24%
- SOON.SW
Sectors
- Financials29.5%
- Industrials26.7%
- Consumer Staples13.8%
- Consumer Discretionary10.1%
- Health Care10.0%
- Materials4.2%
- Communication3.7%
- Technology1.9%
Geography
- Switzerland29.91%
- Canada21.06%
- United Kingdom13.08%
- France6.00%
- Australia4.83%
- Germany4.40%
- Spain4.21%
- Finland4.06%
- 12.45%
Developed 100% · Emerging 0%
FICS Performance
Shows how $10,000 changes over the selected period, with cash distributions reinvested at the closing price on each ex-dividend date.
Not enough history yet.
FICS$10,637
Returns run to the Oct 12, 2026 close, with cash distributions reinvested. Each period starts on the same date that many months or years earlier. Periods over one year show the average yearly return.
| Period | FICS |
|---|---|
| Year to date | +1.2% |
| 1 month | −3.0% |
| 3 months | −5.0% |
| 1 year | +6.4% |
| 3 years | +11.8% |
| 5 years | +5.1% |
| 10 years | — |
Calendar-year total return with cash distributions hypothetically reinvested at the ex-dividend date’s closing price. The current year shows year to date.
| Year | Return bar | FICS |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 YTD | +1.2% | |
| 2025 | +20.4% | |
| 2024 | +2.6% | |
| 2023 | +18.1% | |
| 2022 | −19.5% | |
| 2021 | +19.7% | |
| 2020 | +0.8% |
FICS in the news
FICS Dividends
- 1.95%
- $0.78
- $0.10 per share
- Quarterly
Distribution history
FICS Risk
- 12.3%
How it’s calculated: standard deviation
The sample standard deviation of monthly total returns, multiplied by the square root of 12.
Uses up to 36 complete months, with at least 12 required. Total returns include reinvested distributions.
- 0.63
How it’s calculated: Sharpe ratio
Subtract each month’s Treasury-bill return from the fund’s monthly total return.
Divide the average of those excess returns by their sample standard deviation, then multiply by the square root of 12.
Uses up to 36 complete months, with at least 12 required. Each month uses the Treasury yield quoted at the end of the previous month.
- −29.2%
How it’s calculated: maximum drawdown
The largest percentage decline from an earlier peak, using total returns with reinvested distributions.
Uses up to five years through the last close, with at least 12 months required.
- 0.71
How it’s calculated: beta
The beta figure is supplied by FMP. The comparison index depends on the fund’s broad asset class.
FICS Cost
0.70%
FICS0.70%
- The middle half of International Quality Index funds
- Median 0.29%
Every other International Quality Index fund charges less.
Other funds in International Quality Index
- AQLVDNorthern Trust Developed Markets ex-US Quality Low Volatility ETFExpense ratio 0.15%1 year return +10.9%
- BIDHQInvesco S&P International Developed Quality ETFExpense ratio 0.29%1 year return +32.5%
- BDIHPDimensional International High Profitability ETFExpense ratio 0.27%1 year return +14.8%
- BIQLTiShares MSCI Intl Quality Factor ETFExpense ratio 0.30%1 year return +16.1%
- DEAFGPacer Developed Markets Cash Cows Growth Leaders ETFExpense ratio 0.65%1 year return +14.9%