What this ETF is trying to do

The First Trust Core Investment Grade ETF (FTCB) is an exchange-traded fund that focuses on investment-grade assets. Its goal is to provide investors with a way to hold a diversified group of high-quality investments in a single fund.

What the numbers show

As of October 9, 2026, the share price of FTCB was $19.83. To understand how the price has changed, we can look at the price return and the total return.

• Price Return: This measures only the change in the share price. The one-year price return was -7.16%, and the year-to-date (YTD) price return was -6.59%.

• Total Return: This is a different measure that includes both the share-price movement and the distributions paid out. The one-year total return was -2.10%, and the YTD total return was -3.11%.

For example, if you had invested $10,000 based on the estimated price from roughly one year ago ($21.36), the price-only decline of -7.16% would mean your shares are now worth approximately $9,284, regardless of any cash payments you received.

Income and distribution explanation

FTCB pays out cash to investors, usually on a monthly basis. Over the last 12 months, it made 12 payouts totaling $1.11 per share. This results in a distribution yield of approximately 5.62%.

It is important for beginners to know that a high distribution yield alone can be misleading. A fund can pay out a high percentage of cash while the share price is still falling.

NAV erosion explanation

"NAV erosion" happens when the underlying value of a fund's assets declines over time. StockValueFinder uses an erosion-risk score to measure this risk. FTCB has an erosion score of 75, which is labeled as "Mild price erosion." This is a measurement of risk, not a guarantee that the fund's value has collapsed.

Pros

• Regular Income: The fund provides monthly cash distributions.

• Investment Grade: It focuses on investment-grade assets.

Cons

• Negative Returns: Both the price return and total return have been negative over the last year.

• Price Decline: The share price has dropped recently.

• Income Grade: The fund has an income rating grade of "D."

Beginner takeaway

FTCB provides regular monthly income, but the share price has declined over the past year. While the total return is higher than the price return because of the distributions, both numbers are currently negative. Investors often care about "principal stability," which means they want their original investment amount to stay steady even while they collect income. In this case, the mild erosion-risk score and the negative price returns show that the share price has not remained steady.