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Should First Trust Value Line Dividend ETF (FVD) Be on Your Investing Radar?

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If you're interested in broad exposure to the Large Cap Value segment of the US equity market, look no further than the First Trust Value Line Dividend ETF (FVD - Free Report) , a passively managed exchange traded fund launched on 08/19/2003.

The fund is sponsored by First Trust Advisors. It has amassed assets over $11.89 billion, making it one of the larger ETFs attempting to match the Large Cap Value segment of the US equity market.

Why Large Cap Value

Large cap companies usually have a market capitalization above $10 billion. Considered a more stable option, large cap companies boast more predictable cash flows and are less volatile than their mid and small cap counterparts.

Value stocks are known for their lower than average price-to-earnings and price-to-book ratios, but investors should also note their lower than average sales and earnings growth rates. Looking at their long-term performance, value stocks have outperformed growth stocks in almost all markets. They are however likely to underperform growth stocks in strong bull markets.

Costs

Investors should also pay attention to an ETF's expense ratio. Lower cost products will produce better results than those with a higher cost, assuming all other metrics remain the same.

Annual operating expenses for this ETF are 0.67%, making it one of the most expensive products in the space.

It has a 12-month trailing dividend yield of 2.68%.

Sector Exposure and Top Holdings

It is important to delve into an ETF's holdings before investing despite the many upsides to these kinds of funds like diversified exposure, which minimizes single stock risk. And, most ETFs are very transparent products that disclose their holdings on a daily basis.

This ETF has heaviest allocation to the Utilities sector--about 21.10% of the portfolio. Consumer Staples and Industrials round out the top three.

Looking at individual holdings, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Ltd. (adr) (TSM - Free Report) accounts for about 0.65% of total assets, followed by Cognizant Technology Solutions Corporation (CTSH - Free Report) and Intel Corporation (INTC - Free Report) .

The top 10 holdings account for about 6.28% of total assets under management.

Performance and Risk

FVD seeks to match the performance of the Value Line Dividend Index before fees and expenses. The Value Line Dividend Index is a modified equal dollar weighted index comprised of U.S. exchange listed securities of companies that pay above-average dividends and have potential for capital appreciation.

The ETF has lost about -2.83% so far this year and is down about -5.44% in the last one year (as of 03/27/2023). In the past 52-week period, it has traded between $35.61 and $43.02.

The ETF has a beta of 0.78 and standard deviation of 18.73% for the trailing three-year period, making it a medium risk choice in the space. With about 175 holdings, it effectively diversifies company-specific risk.

Alternatives

First Trust Value Line Dividend ETF holds a Zacks ETF Rank of 2 (Buy), which is based on expected asset class return, expense ratio, and momentum, among other factors. Because of this, FVD is an excellent option for investors seeking exposure to the Style Box - Large Cap Value segment of the market. There are other additional ETFs in the space that investors could consider as well.

The iShares Russell 1000 Value ETF (IWD - Free Report) and the Vanguard Value ETF (VTV - Free Report) track a similar index. While iShares Russell 1000 Value ETF has $49.10 billion in assets, Vanguard Value ETF has $97.61 billion. IWD has an expense ratio of 0.18% and VTV charges 0.04%.

Bottom-Line

Retail and institutional investors increasingly turn to passively managed ETFs because they offer low costs, transparency, flexibility, and tax efficiency; these kind of funds are also excellent vehicles for long term investors.

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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