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Is First Trust Energy AlphaDEX ETF (FXN) a Strong ETF Right Now?
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The First Trust Energy AlphaDEX ETF (FXN - Free Report) was launched on 05/08/2007, and is a smart beta exchange traded fund designed to offer broad exposure to the Energy ETFs category of the market.
What Are Smart Beta ETFs?
For a long time now, the ETF industry has been flooded with products based on market capitalization weighted indexes, which are designed to represent the broader market or a particular market segment.
Investors who believe in market efficiency should consider market cap indexes, as they replicate market returns in a low-cost, convenient, and transparent way.
On the other hand, some investors who believe that it is possible to beat the market by superior stock selection opt to invest in another class of funds that track non-cap weighted strategies--popularly known as smart beta.
Based on specific fundamental characteristics, or a combination of such, these indexes attempt to pick stocks that have a better chance of risk-return performance.
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
The fund is sponsored by First Trust Advisors. It has amassed assets over $652.49 million, making it one of the larger ETFs in the Energy ETFs. Before fees and expenses, FXN seeks to match the performance of the StrataQuant Energy Index.
The StrataQuant Energy Index is a modified equal-dollar weighted index designed by the AMEX to objectively identify and select stocks from the Russell 1000 Index that may generate positive alpha relative to traditional passive style indices through the use of the AlphaDEX screening methodology.
Cost & Other Expenses
Expense ratios are an important factor in the return of an ETF and in the long-term, cheaper funds can significantly outperform their more expensive cousins, other things remaining the same.
Annual operating expenses for this ETF are 0.62%, making it on par with most peer products in the space.
It has a 12-month trailing dividend yield of 1.95%.
Sector Exposure and Top Holdings
While ETFs offer diversified exposure, which minimizes single stock risk, a deep look into a fund's holdings is a valuable exercise. And, most ETFs are very transparent products that disclose their holdings on a daily basis.
Representing 98% of the portfolio, the fund has heaviest allocation to the Energy sector.
When you look at individual holdings, Valero Energy Corporation (VLO - Free Report) accounts for about 4.91% of the fund's total assets, followed by Ovintiv Inc. (OVV - Free Report) and Marathon Oil Corporation (MRO - Free Report) .
Its top 10 holdings account for approximately 42.06% of FXN's total assets under management.
Performance and Risk
The ETF has added about 10.61% and is up about 20.50% so far this year and in the past one year (as of 05/01/2024), respectively. FXN has traded between $14.30 and $19.35 during this last 52-week period.
The fund has a beta of 1.68 and standard deviation of 29.81% for the trailing three-year period, which makes FXN a high risk choice in this particular space. With about 41 holdings, it has more concentrated exposure than peers.
Alternatives
First Trust Energy AlphaDEX ETF is not a suitable option for investors seeking to outperform the Energy ETFs segment of the market. Instead, there are other ETFs in the space which investors should consider.
Vanguard Energy ETF (VDE - Free Report) tracks MSCI US Investable Market Energy 25/50 Index and the Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLE - Free Report) tracks Energy Select Sector Index. Vanguard Energy ETF has $8.70 billion in assets, Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF has $39.87 billion. VDE has an expense ratio of 0.10% and XLE 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 Energy ETFs.
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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Is First Trust Energy AlphaDEX ETF (FXN) a Strong ETF Right Now?
The First Trust Energy AlphaDEX ETF (FXN - Free Report) was launched on 05/08/2007, and is a smart beta exchange traded fund designed to offer broad exposure to the Energy ETFs category of the market.
What Are Smart Beta ETFs?
For a long time now, the ETF industry has been flooded with products based on market capitalization weighted indexes, which are designed to represent the broader market or a particular market segment.
Investors who believe in market efficiency should consider market cap indexes, as they replicate market returns in a low-cost, convenient, and transparent way.
On the other hand, some investors who believe that it is possible to beat the market by superior stock selection opt to invest in another class of funds that track non-cap weighted strategies--popularly known as smart beta.
Based on specific fundamental characteristics, or a combination of such, these indexes attempt to pick stocks that have a better chance of risk-return performance.
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
The fund is sponsored by First Trust Advisors. It has amassed assets over $652.49 million, making it one of the larger ETFs in the Energy ETFs. Before fees and expenses, FXN seeks to match the performance of the StrataQuant Energy Index.
The StrataQuant Energy Index is a modified equal-dollar weighted index designed by the AMEX to objectively identify and select stocks from the Russell 1000 Index that may generate positive alpha relative to traditional passive style indices through the use of the AlphaDEX screening methodology.
Cost & Other Expenses
Expense ratios are an important factor in the return of an ETF and in the long-term, cheaper funds can significantly outperform their more expensive cousins, other things remaining the same.
Annual operating expenses for this ETF are 0.62%, making it on par with most peer products in the space.
It has a 12-month trailing dividend yield of 1.95%.
Sector Exposure and Top Holdings
While ETFs offer diversified exposure, which minimizes single stock risk, a deep look into a fund's holdings is a valuable exercise. And, most ETFs are very transparent products that disclose their holdings on a daily basis.
Representing 98% of the portfolio, the fund has heaviest allocation to the Energy sector.
When you look at individual holdings, Valero Energy Corporation (VLO - Free Report) accounts for about 4.91% of the fund's total assets, followed by Ovintiv Inc. (OVV - Free Report) and Marathon Oil Corporation (MRO - Free Report) .
Its top 10 holdings account for approximately 42.06% of FXN's total assets under management.
Performance and Risk
The ETF has added about 10.61% and is up about 20.50% so far this year and in the past one year (as of 05/01/2024), respectively. FXN has traded between $14.30 and $19.35 during this last 52-week period.
The fund has a beta of 1.68 and standard deviation of 29.81% for the trailing three-year period, which makes FXN a high risk choice in this particular space. With about 41 holdings, it has more concentrated exposure than peers.
Alternatives
First Trust Energy AlphaDEX ETF is not a suitable option for investors seeking to outperform the Energy ETFs segment of the market. Instead, there are other ETFs in the space which investors should consider.
Vanguard Energy ETF (VDE - Free Report) tracks MSCI US Investable Market Energy 25/50 Index and the Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLE - Free Report) tracks Energy Select Sector Index. Vanguard Energy ETF has $8.70 billion in assets, Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF has $39.87 billion. VDE has an expense ratio of 0.10% and XLE 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 Energy ETFs.
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.