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First Trust Dorsey Wright Tactical Core Portfolio
Investment Objective/Strategy - The First Trust Dorsey Wright Tactical Core Portfolio (the “Fund”) seeks to provide total return.
There can be no assurance that the Fund's investment objectives will be achieved.
The Fund seeks to achieve its investment objective by investing, under normal market conditions, at least 80% of its net assets (plus any investment borrowings) in exchange-traded funds ("ETFs") and cash and cash equivalents that comprise the Dorsey Wright Tactical Tilt Moderate Core™ Index (the "Index"). It is expected that a majority of the ETFs in which the Fund invests will be advised by First Trust.
The Index is owned and was developed by Dorsey, Wright & Associates (the "Index Provider"). The Index is constructed pursuant to the Index Provider's proprietary methodology, which takes into account the performance of four distinct assets classes relative to one another. The Index is designed to strategically allocate its investments among (i) domestic equity securities; (ii) international equity securities; (iii) fixed income securities; and (iv) cash and cash equivalents (represented by the First Trust Enhanced Short Maturity ETF ("FTSM") which is not a money market fund, but an ultra-short duration ETF that the Index allocates to for this asset class.). The Index will generally gain exposure to these asset classes by investing in ETFs. The Index Provider has retained Nasdaq, Inc. ("Nasdaq"), to calculate and maintain the Index.
The Index will utilize the Dynamic Asset Level Investing ("DALI") asset allocation process developed by the Index Provider in order to allocate assets over the four asset classes. The asset class allocations are determined using a relative strength methodology that is based upon each asset class's market performance and characteristics that offer the greatest potential to outperform the other asset classes at a given time. Relative strength is a momentum technique that relies on unbiased, unemotional and objective data, rather than biased forecasting and subjective research. Relative strength is a way of recording historic performance patterns, and the Index Provider uses relative strength signals as a trend indicator for current momentum trends of each asset class against the others.
The Fund offers its shares only to separate accounts of insurance companies that offer variable annuity and variable life insurance products.
Fund Overview
Fiscal Year-End12/31
Inception Date10/30/2015
Inception NAV$10.00
Gross Expense Ratio
(5/1/2023)
1.68%
Net Expense Ratio1.30%
Expenses are capped contractually at 1.30% per year, at least through May 01, 2024.
Current Fund Data (as of 3/15/2024)
Net Asset Value1$12.07
Dividend FrequencySemi-Annual
NAV 52-Week High/Low$12.31 / $9.83
Asset Class Allocation (as of 2/29/2024)2
  Asset Class Percent
Domestic Equity ETFs 75.66%
Fixed-Income ETFs 18.55%
International Equity ETFs 4.78%
Cash & Cash Equivalents 1.01%
NAV History (Since Inception)
Past performance is not indicative of future results.
Month End Performance (as of 2/29/2024)
  3 Month YTD 1 Year 3 Year 5 Year 10 Year Since
Fund
Inception3
Fund Performance *
Fund Performance 12.48% 5.51% 15.97% 1.59% 5.56% N/A 5.92%
Index Performance **
Bloomberg US Aggregate Bond Index 2.08% -1.68% 3.33% -3.16% 0.56% N/A 1.12%
S&P 500® Index 11.98% 7.11% 30.45% 11.91% 14.76% N/A 13.43%
Blended Benchmark 7.97% 3.56% 19.03% 5.88% 9.22% N/A 8.63%
Quarter End Performance (as of 12/29/2023)
  3 Month YTD 1 Year 3 Year 5 Year 10 Year Since
Fund
Inception3
Fund Performance *
Fund Performance 11.44% 11.28% 11.28% 1.67% 7.15% N/A 5.35%
Index Performance **
Bloomberg US Aggregate Bond Index 6.82% 5.53% 5.53% -3.31% 1.10% N/A 1.36%
S&P 500® Index 11.69% 26.29% 26.29% 10.00% 15.69% N/A 12.76%
Blended Benchmark 9.74% 17.67% 17.67% 4.71% 9.98% N/A 8.34%

*Performance data quoted represents past performance. Past performance is not a guarantee of future results and current performance may be higher or lower than performance quoted. Investment returns and principal value will fluctuate and shares when sold or redeemed, may be worth more or less than their original cost. Returns are average annualized total returns, except those for periods of less than one year, which are cumulative.

Fund expenses and return figures do not reflect the deduction of sales charges or other expenses associated with variable products. If such fees were included, expenses would be higher and the performance would be lower. The Fund's performance reflects fee waivers and expense reimbursements, absent which performance would have been lower.

**Indexes are unmanaged and an investor cannot invest directly in an index. Any Benchmarks or Indexes shown reflect no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes.

Bloomberg US Aggregate Bond Index - The Index covers the investment-grade, U.S. dollar-denominated, fixed-rate taxable bond market, including Treasuries, government-related and corporate securities, MBS, ABS, and CMBS.

S&P 500® Index - The Index is an unmanaged index of 500 companies used to measure large-cap U.S. stock market performance.

Blended Benchmark - The Benchmark return is split between the Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Bond Index (40%) and the S&P 500 Index (60%). Broad Blended Benchmark returns are calculated by using the monthly return of the two indices during each period shown above. At the beginning of each month the two indices are rebalanced to a 60-40 ratio to account for divergence from that ratio that occurred during the course of each month. The monthly returns are then compounded for each period shown above, giving the performance for the Broad Blended Benchmark for each period shown above.

Footnotes
1 The NAV represents the fund's net assets (assets less liabilities) divided by the fund's outstanding shares.
2 Holdings are subject to change.
3 Inception Date is 10/30/2015

You should consider the fund's investment objectives, risks, and charges and expenses carefully before investing. You can download a prospectus or contact First Trust Portfolios, L.P. at 1-800-621-1675 to request a prospectus, which contains this and other information about the fund. Read it carefully before you invest.

Risk Considerations

The Fund’s shares will change in value and you could lose money by investing in the Fund. An investment in the Fund is not a deposit of a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other governmental agency. There can be no assurance that the Fund’s investment objective will be achieved.

One of the principal risks of investing in the fund is market risk. Market risk is the risk that a particular stock owned by the fund, fund shares or stocks in general may fall in value. Ongoing armed conflicts between Russia and Ukraine in Europe and among Israel, Hamas and other militant groups in the Middle East, have caused and could continue to cause significant market disruptions and volatility within the markets in Russia, Europe, the Middle East and the United States. The hostilities and sanctions resulting from those hostilities could have a significant impact on certain fund investments as well as fund performance. The COVID-19 global pandemic and the ensuing policies enacted by governments and central banks have caused and may continue to cause significant volatility and uncertainty in global financial markets. While vaccines have been developed, there is no guarantee that vaccines will be effective against future variants of the disease. Recent and potential future bank failures could result in disruption to the broader banking industry or markets generally and reduce confidence in financial institutions and the economy as a whole, which may also heighten market volatility and reduce liquidity. Equity securities fluctuate for a variety of reasons including investors’ perceptions of the financial condition of an issuer or the general condition of the relevant stock market. To the extent that the Fund has significant exposure to a single asset class, industry or sector, an adverse economic business or political development may affect the value of the Fund's investments more than if the Fund were more broadly diversified. The Fund invests in ETFs which invest in small-capitalization and mid-capitalization companies. Such companies may experience greater price volatility than larger, more established companies. Certain securities held by certain ETFs in the Fund are subject to call risk, credit risk, income risk, inflation risk, interest rate risk, extension risk, and prepayment risk. Call risk is the risk that, during periods of falling interest rates, performance could be adversely impacted if an issuer calls higher-yielding debt instruments earlier than their scheduled maturity. Credit risk is the risk that an issuer may default on its obligation to make principal and/or interest payments when due. Credit risk is heightened for high-yield securities and bank loans. Income risk is the risk that income from the Fund’s fixed-income investments could decline during periods of falling interest rates. Inflation risk is the risk that the value of assets of income from investments will be less in the future as inflation decreases the value of money. Interest rate risk is the risk that the value of debt securities will decline because of rising interest rates. Extension risk is the risk that when interest rates rise, certain obligations will be paid off by the issuer (or obligor) more slowly than anticipated, causing the value of these securities to fall. Prepayment risk is the risk that, during periods of falling interest rates, an issuer may exercise its right to pay principal on an obligation earlier than expected. This may result in a decline in the Fund’s income. Each of these risks may have an adverse effect on the Fund’s total return. There is no guarantee that the issuers of the Fund's securities will declare dividends in the future or that, if declared, they will either remain at current levels or increase over time. The Fund employs a "momentum" style methodology that emphasizes selecting stocks that have had higher recent price performance compared to other stocks. Momentum can turn quickly and cause significant variation from other types of investments. The values of municipal securities held by the Fund may be adversely affected by local political and economic conditions and developments. Adverse conditions in an industry significant to a local economy could have a correspondingly adverse effect on the financial condition of local issuers. The Fund contains ETFs which invest in securities of non-U.S. issuers and is subject to additional risks, including currency fluctuations, political risks, withholding, the lack of adequate financial information, and exchange control restrictions impacting non-U.S. issuers. These risks may be heightened for securities of companies located in, or with significant operations in, emerging market countries. The Fund is a passive investment and not actively managed. The Fund invests in securities included in or representative of the index regardless of investment merit. The Fund generally will not attempt to take defensive positions in declining markets. Floating rate loans are subject to heightened credit risk because companies that issue such loans tend to be highly leveraged and thus are more susceptible to the risks of interest deferral, default and/or bankruptcy. Any specific collateral used to secure a loan may decline in value or become illiquid which would adversely affect the loan’s value. Floating rate loans may not be considered “securities” under the 1940 Act and therefore prevent the Fund from relying on the anti-fraud provisions of the Act. Changes in currency exchange rates and the relative value of non-US currencies will affect the value of the Fund's investments and the value of the Fund's shares. Depositary receipts may be less liquid than the underlying shares in their primary trading market. As the use of Internet technology has become more prevalent in the course of business, the Fund has become more susceptible to potential operational risks through breaches in cyber security. The risks of owning an exchange-traded fund (ETF) generally reflect the risks of owning the underlying securities, although lack of liquidity in an ETF could result in it being more volatile and ETFs have management fees that increase their costs. There is no assurance that the Index Provider will compile the Index accurately, or that the Index will be determined, maintained, constructed, reconstituted, rebalanced, composed, calculated or disseminated accurately. To the extent a fund invests in floating or variable rate obligations that use the London Interbank Offered Rate (“LIBOR”) as a reference interest rate, it is subject to LIBOR Risk. The United Kingdom’s Financial Conduct Authority, which regulates LIBOR, will cease making LIBOR available as a reference rate over a phase-out period that will begin immediately after December 31, 2021. The unavailability or replacement of LIBOR may affect the value, liquidity or return on certain fund investments and may result in costs incurred in connection with closing out positions and entering into new trades. Any potential effects of the transition away from LIBOR on the fund or on certain instruments in which the fund invests can be difficult to ascertain, and they may vary depending on a variety of factors, and they could result in losses to the fund. Mortgage-related securities, including mortgage-backed securities, are more susceptible to adverse economic, political or regulatory events that affect the value of real estate. Mortgage-related securities are subject to the risk that the rate of mortgage prepayments decreases, which extends the average life of a security and increases the interest rate exposure. An index fund’s return may not match the return of the of the applicable index. Debt securities generally do not trade on a securities exchange making them generally less liquid and more difficult to value than common stock. Portfolio holdings that are valued using techniques other than market quotations, including "fair valued" assets or securities, may be subject to greater fluctuation in their valuations from one day to the next than if market quotations were used. While securities issued or guaranteed by U.S. federal government agencies are backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Department of the Treasury, securities issued by government sponsored entities are solely the obligation of the issuer and generally do not carry any guarantee from the U.S. government. Asset-backed securities are generally not backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government and are subject to the risk of default on the underlying asset or loan, particularly during periods of economic downturn. Non-agency securities are subject to the credit risks of the issuers and there are no direct or indirect government or agency guarantees of payments in loan pools created by non-agencies. The Fund may hold certain investments that may be subject to restrictions on resale, trade over-the-counter or in limited volume, or lack an active trading market. The Fund may not be able to sell or close out of such investments at favorable times or prices (or at all). Illiquid securities may trade at a discount than more liquid investments and may be subject to wide fluctuations in market value. A counterparty may not be able to fulfill its obligation to the Fund which may result in significant financial loss to the Fund.

For additional risk factors see the Fund’s prospectus.

The Fund offers its shares only to separate accounts of insurance companies that offer variable annuity and variable life insurance products

“AlphaDEX®” is a registered trademark of First Trust Portfolios L.P. First Trust Portfolios L.P. has obtained a patent for the AlphaDEX® stock selection methodology from the United States Patent and Trademark Office.

Nasdaq®, Nasdaq AlphaDEX® Developed Markets Ex-US Index and Nasdaq AlphaDEX® Emerging Markets Index are registered trademarks and service marks of Nasdaq, Inc. (together with its affiliates hereinafter referred to as the “Corporations”) and are licensed for use by First Trust. AlphaDEX® is a registered trademark owned by First Trust that has been licensed to Nasdaq, Inc. for use in the name of the Index. The funds have not been passed on by the Corporations as to their legality or suitability. The funds are not issued, endorsed, sold or promoted by the Corporations. THE CORPORATIONS MAKE NO WARRANTIES AND BEAR NO LIABILITY WITH RESPECT TO THE FUNDS.

The Fund is not sponsored, endorsed, sold or promoted by the Dorsey, Wright & Associates or its affiliates, LLC ("Dorsey Wright"). Dorsey Wright makes no representation or warranty, express or implied, to the owners of the Fund or any member of the public regarding the advisability of trading in the Fund. Dorsey Wright's only relationship to First Trust is the licensing of certain trademarks and trade names of Dorsey Wright and of the Index which is determined, composed and calculated by Dorsey Wright, or its agent, without regard to First Trust or the Fund, Dorsey Wright has no obligation to take the needs of First Trust or the owners of the Fund into consideration in determining, composing or calculating the Index. Dorsey Wright is not responsible for and has not participated in the determination of the timing of, prices at, or quantities of the Fund to be listed or in the determination or calculation of the equation by which the Fund are to be converted into cash. Dorsey Wright has no obligation or liability in connection with the administration, marketing or trading of the Fund.

CUSIP identifiers have been provided by CUSIP Global Services, managed on behalf of the American Bankers Association by FactSet Research Systems Inc. and are not for use or dissemination in a manner that would serve as a substitute for any CUSIP service. The CUSIP Database, ©2024 CUSIP Global Services. "CUSIP" is a registered trademark of the American Bankers Association.

Not FDIC Insured • Not Bank Guaranteed • May Lose Value
 
The information presented is not intended to constitute an investment recommendation for, or advice to, any specific person. By providing this information, First Trust is not undertaking to give advice in any fiduciary capacity within the meaning of ERISA, the Internal Revenue Code or any other regulatory framework. Financial professionals are responsible for evaluating investment risks independently and for exercising independent judgment in determining whether investments are appropriate for their clients.
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First Trust Portfolios L.P.  Member SIPC and FINRA. (Form CRS)   •  First Trust Advisors L.P. (Form CRS)
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