FTCS: First Trust Capital Strength ETF Report

The First Trust Capital Strength ETF (FTCS) is an exchange-traded fund designed to invest in companies that show specific financial strengths. As of October 9, 2026, the current price of FTCS is $95.72.

What this ETF is trying to do

FTCS focuses on a selection of companies that meet certain criteria. While the specific strategy details are not provided, the fund holds a variety of stocks across different industries. Based on its Top Holdings, the portfolio includes companies like Amgen Inc (2.38%), Garmin Ltd (2.37%), and Merck & Co Inc (2.35%). Because the holdings list is partial, these are only the largest companies in the fund and not all of them. Please note that holdings can change over time.

What the numbers show

When looking at how this ETF has performed, it is important to distinguish between price return (the change in the share price) and total return (which includes distributions).

• Year-to-Date (YTD): The price return is approximately 3.47%, while the total return is approximately 4.45%.

• One-Year: The price return was approximately 2.83%, and the total return was approximately 4.10%.

• Three-Year: The price return was approximately 28.60%, and the total return was approximately 33.68%.

An estimated price from roughly one year ago was $93.08. The data shows that the total return is higher than the price return, which means distributions have added to the overall value.

Income and distribution explanation

FTCS provides cash distributions to investors. The distribution yield is approximately 1.20%. This number describes the cash paid out relative to the ETF's price. The fund usually pays these distributions on a quarterly basis, with 4 payments recorded over the last 12 months.

NAV erosion explanation

"NAV erosion" refers to a decline in the Net Asset Value (the actual value of the assets held by the fund). The supplied data is sufficient to evaluate price erosion, but it does not include enough historical NAV-per-share data to confirm or rule out NAV erosion.

However, the fund has an erosion-risk score of 94, which is labeled as "Stable / sideways." The erosion severity is described as "good," and there is no severe erosion-risk flag present.

Pros

• Positive Returns: The fund has shown positive price and total returns over the one-year and three-year periods.

• Stable Risk Profile: The erosion-risk score suggests the price has been relatively stable rather than steadily declining.

Cons

• Lower Yield: The distribution yield of approximately 1.20% may be considered low for investors specifically seeking high levels of immediate cash income.

Beginner takeaway

FTCS is an ETF that has shown growth in both its share price and its total return over the last three years. It provides a modest amount of quarterly income. While it is important to watch for price declines, the current data shows a stable erosion-risk score. Always remember that a distribution yield tells you about cash payments, but it is not the same as your total return.