We use cookies to understand how you use our site and to improve your experience.
This includes personalizing content and advertising.
By pressing "Accept All" or closing out of this banner, you consent to the use of all cookies and similar technologies and the sharing of information they collect with third parties.
You can reject marketing cookies by pressing "Deny Optional," but we still use essential, performance, and functional cookies.
In addition, whether you "Accept All," Deny Optional," click the X or otherwise continue to use the site, you accept our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service, revised from time to time.
You are being directed to ZacksTrade, a division of LBMZ Securities and licensed broker-dealer. ZacksTrade and Zacks.com are separate companies. The web link between the two companies is not a solicitation or offer to invest in a particular security or type of security. ZacksTrade does not endorse or adopt any particular investment strategy, any analyst opinion/rating/report or any approach to evaluating individual securities.
If you wish to go to ZacksTrade, click OK. If you do not, click Cancel.
Is First Trust Growth Strength ETF (FTGS) a Strong ETF Right Now?
Read MoreHide Full Article
Launched on 10/25/2022, the First Trust Growth Strength ETF (FTGS - Free Report) is a smart beta exchange traded fund offering broad exposure to the Style Box - Large Cap Growth category of the market.
What Are Smart Beta ETFs?
Market cap weighted indexes were created to reflect the market, or a specific segment of the market, and the ETF industry has traditionally been dominated by products based on this strategy.
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.
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.
By attempting to pick stocks that have a better chance of risk-return performance, non-cap weighted indexes are based on certain fundamental characteristics, or a combination of such.
Even though this space provides many choices to investors--think one of the simplest methodologies like equal-weighting and more complicated ones like fundamental and volatility/momentum based weighting--not all have been able to deliver first-rate results.
Fund Sponsor & Index
FTGS is managed by First Trust Advisors, and this fund has amassed over $1.16 billion, which makes it one of the average sized ETFs in the Style Box - Large Cap Growth. Before fees and expenses, FTGS seeks to match the performance of the THE GROWTH STRENGTH INDEX .
The Growth Strength Index provides exposure to a mix of domestic equities with filters for liquidity, return on equity, long-term debt, revenue and cash flow growth.
Cost & Other Expenses
Cost is an important factor in selecting the right ETF, and cheaper funds can significantly outperform their more expensive cousins if all other fundamentals are the same.
With one of the more expensive products in the space, this ETF has annual operating expenses of 0.60%.
It has a 12-month trailing dividend yield of 0.33%.
Sector Exposure and Top Holdings
Even though ETFs offer diversified exposure that minimizes single stock risk, investors should also look at the actual holdings inside the fund. Luckily, most ETFs are very transparent products that disclose their holdings on a daily basis.
Representing 30.7% of the portfolio, the fund has heaviest allocation to the Information Technology sector; Financials and Industrials round out the top three.
Looking at individual holdings, Vertiv Holdings Co (VRT) accounts for about 2.62% of total assets, followed by Broadcom Inc. (AVGO) and The Trade Desk, Inc. (class A) (TTD).
Its top 10 holdings account for approximately 24.08% of FTGS's total assets under management.
Performance and Risk
The ETF has added roughly 10.5% and was up about 12.94% so far this year and in the past one year (as of 07/10/2025), respectively. FTGS has traded between $26.62 and $34.67 during this last 52-week period.
The ETF has a beta of 1.13 and standard deviation of 17.98% for the trailing three-year period. With about 51 holdings, it effectively diversifies company-specific risk .
Alternatives
First Trust Growth Strength ETF is a reasonable option for investors seeking to outperform the Style Box - Large Cap Growth segment of the market. However, there are other ETFs in the space which investors could consider.
Vanguard Growth ETF (VUG) tracks CRSP U.S. Large Cap Growth Index and the Invesco QQQ (QQQ) tracks NASDAQ-100 Index. Vanguard Growth ETF has $176.96 billion in assets, Invesco QQQ has $356.12 billion. VUG has an expense ratio of 0.04% and QQQ changes 0.20%.
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 Growth
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.
See More Zacks Research for These Tickers
Normally $25 each - click below to receive one report FREE:
Image: Bigstock
Is First Trust Growth Strength ETF (FTGS) a Strong ETF Right Now?
Launched on 10/25/2022, the First Trust Growth Strength ETF (FTGS - Free Report) is a smart beta exchange traded fund offering broad exposure to the Style Box - Large Cap Growth category of the market.
What Are Smart Beta ETFs?
Market cap weighted indexes were created to reflect the market, or a specific segment of the market, and the ETF industry has traditionally been dominated by products based on this strategy.
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.
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.
By attempting to pick stocks that have a better chance of risk-return performance, non-cap weighted indexes are based on certain fundamental characteristics, or a combination of such.
Even though this space provides many choices to investors--think one of the simplest methodologies like equal-weighting and more complicated ones like fundamental and volatility/momentum based weighting--not all have been able to deliver first-rate results.
Fund Sponsor & Index
FTGS is managed by First Trust Advisors, and this fund has amassed over $1.16 billion, which makes it one of the average sized ETFs in the Style Box - Large Cap Growth. Before fees and expenses, FTGS seeks to match the performance of the THE GROWTH STRENGTH INDEX .
The Growth Strength Index provides exposure to a mix of domestic equities with filters for liquidity, return on equity, long-term debt, revenue and cash flow growth.
Cost & Other Expenses
Cost is an important factor in selecting the right ETF, and cheaper funds can significantly outperform their more expensive cousins if all other fundamentals are the same.
With one of the more expensive products in the space, this ETF has annual operating expenses of 0.60%.
It has a 12-month trailing dividend yield of 0.33%.
Sector Exposure and Top Holdings
Even though ETFs offer diversified exposure that minimizes single stock risk, investors should also look at the actual holdings inside the fund. Luckily, most ETFs are very transparent products that disclose their holdings on a daily basis.
Representing 30.7% of the portfolio, the fund has heaviest allocation to the Information Technology sector; Financials and Industrials round out the top three.
Looking at individual holdings, Vertiv Holdings Co (VRT) accounts for about 2.62% of total assets, followed by Broadcom Inc. (AVGO) and The Trade Desk, Inc. (class A) (TTD).
Its top 10 holdings account for approximately 24.08% of FTGS's total assets under management.
Performance and Risk
The ETF has added roughly 10.5% and was up about 12.94% so far this year and in the past one year (as of 07/10/2025), respectively. FTGS has traded between $26.62 and $34.67 during this last 52-week period.
The ETF has a beta of 1.13 and standard deviation of 17.98% for the trailing three-year period. With about 51 holdings, it effectively diversifies company-specific risk .
Alternatives
First Trust Growth Strength ETF is a reasonable option for investors seeking to outperform the Style Box - Large Cap Growth segment of the market. However, there are other ETFs in the space which investors could consider.
Vanguard Growth ETF (VUG) tracks CRSP U.S. Large Cap Growth Index and the Invesco QQQ (QQQ) tracks NASDAQ-100 Index. Vanguard Growth ETF has $176.96 billion in assets, Invesco QQQ has $356.12 billion. VUG has an expense ratio of 0.04% and QQQ changes 0.20%.
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 Growth
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.