First Trust SMID Capital Strength ETF
$37.83+0.71 (+1.92%)
- 0.60%
- $61M
- +7.7%
- 1.23%
- 5.74K sh
- low $34.30high $38.54
The ETF.net FSCS Grade
C
Score 41 out of 100
- 83 of 99
Score 41 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.F15 out of 100Rank 82 of 99Mission
Whether the fund did what it promised, tested against its stated mandate.B64 out of 100Rank 66 of 87Risk
How the fund held up when markets fell: downside volatility, drawdowns and tail loss.C41 out of 100Rank 59 of 99Tradability
How easy the fund is to trade: daily volume, and how far its price strays from net asset value.C44 out of 100Rank 53 of 99Holdings
How concentrated the fund is, and how complete and current its disclosed holdings are.B65 out of 100Rank 33 of 98Durability
Whether the fund is likely to stay open, judged by its age, its assets and its issuer’s assets.D38 out of 100Rank 75 of 99
Our read on FSCS
In short
CFirst Trust pointed its Capital Strength screen at the small and mid cap end of the US market: about 100 names picked by rule, not hunch, filtered for quality, growth and lower volatility.
Stated mandate
The Fund seeks investment results generally corresponding to the price and yield, before fees and expenses, of the SMID Capital Strength Index. It normally invests at least 80% of net assets, plus investment borrowings, in index securities.
Why people hold it
Worth knowing
FSCS Holdings
- Stocks
- 101
- 11%
- HAS
Sectors
- Financials28.9%
- Industrials26.3%
- Consumer Staples13.6%
- Consumer Discretionary9.8%
- Health Care6.6%
- Materials5.6%
- Technology4.1%
- Communication2.2%
- Energy1.9%
- Real Estate0.9%
Geography
- United States93.03%
- Bermuda2.91%
- Ireland2.14%
- Puerto Rico1.92%
FSCS 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.
FSCS$10,769
Returns run to the Oct 30, 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 | FSCS |
|---|---|
| Year to date | +4.8% |
| 1 month | +4.5% |
| 3 months | −0.5% |
| 1 year | +7.7% |
| 3 years | +13.6% |
| 5 years | +6.0% |
| 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 | FSCS |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 YTD | +4.8% | |
| 2025 | +1.8% | |
| 2024 | +15.0% | |
| 2023 | +16.8% | |
| 2022 | −9.1% | |
| 2021 | +26.1% | |
| 2020 | +5.7% |
FSCS in the news
FSCS Dividends
- 1.23%
- $0.46
- $0.14 per share
- Quarterly
FSCS Risk
- 14.7%
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.
- 0.64
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.
- −21.2%
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.
- 0.76
How it’s calculated: beta
The beta figure is supplied by FMP. The comparison index depends on the fund’s broad asset class.
FMP measures it over up to five years of monthly returns.
FSCS Cost
Overpaying vs VYM, tied cheapest in US Multifactor
$10,968
On $10,000 over 30 years. 7% growth a year before fees, expense ratio only.
FSCS 0.60%
$11,817
VYM 0.04% Tied cheapest
$849
Cost over time
Year by year
| Year | FSCS | VYM | Overpaying |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $1,076 | $73 | $1,003 |
| 20 | $4,116 | $288 | $3,828 |
| 30 | $11,817 | $849 | $10,968 |
Other funds in US Multifactor
- CDVLUFirst Trust Dorsey Wright Momentum & Value ETFExpense ratio 0.60%1 year return +17.0%
- CFADFirst Trust Multi Cap Growth AlphaDEX FundExpense ratio 0.63%1 year return +7.8%
- CHQGOHartford US Quality Growth ETFExpense ratio 0.34%1 year return +9.6%
- CTMFEMotley Fool Capital Efficiency 100 Index ETFExpense ratio 0.50%1 year return +2.9%
- DPALCPacer Lunt Large Cap Multi-Factor Alternator ETFExpense ratio 0.60%1 year return +3.0%
