RND: FIRST TRUST BLOOMBERG R&D LEADERS ETF
What this ETF is trying to do
The First Trust Bloomberg R&D Leaders ETF (RND) focuses on companies that invest heavily in research and development (R&D). These are typically companies trying to create new technology or medicines to grow their businesses.
What the numbers show
As of October 5, 2026, the share price was $34.02.
Looking at the performance:
• Year-to-Date (YTD): The price return was 11.92%. The total return was also 11.92%.
• One Year: The price return was 14.13%. The total return was also 14.13%.
The "price return" tells us how much the share price moved. The "total return" includes both the price movement and any distributions. In this case, they are the same.
To put this in perspective, if you had invested $10,000 in this ETF roughly one year ago (when the estimated price was $29.80), your investment would have grown to approximately $11,413 based on the one-year price return.
Top Holdings
This ETF holds 50 different companies. Because the list is partial, we only see the Top Holdings. As of October 7, 2026, the largest holdings included:
• Microsoft Corp: 10.08%
• Amazon.com Inc: 8.66%
• Apple Inc: 8.50%
• Nvidia Corp: 8.44%
• Alphabet Inc Class A: 7.49%
Income and distribution explanation
Some investors look for ETFs that pay them cash regularly. However, this ETF has a distribution yield of 0%. No distributions were detected over the last 12 months. This means the ETF does not currently provide cash income to its shareholders.
NAV erosion explanation
"NAV erosion" happens when the actual value of the assets inside an ETF drops significantly over time. StockValueFinder uses an erosion-risk score to track this.
RND has an erosion score of 100, and the label says "No price erosion detected." The erosion severity is rated as "good," and there is no severe erosion-risk flag.
Pros
• Positive Growth: The ETF has shown positive price and total returns over the last year and year-to-date.
• Low Erosion Risk: The data indicates no detected price erosion.
Cons
• No Income: There are no cash distributions for investors seeking regular income.
• Concentration: A large portion of the fund is held in just a few big tech companies.
Beginner takeaway
RND is designed for investors who want exposure to companies that spend a lot on research and development. While it has seen price growth recently, it does not pay a dividend. For beginners, it is important to remember that a high yield is not the only way to make money, but if you need regular cash payments, this ETF does not provide them.
Top Holdings
Structured portfolio holdings supplied by the ETF data provider. These figures are not generated by the AI article.
| # | Holding | Ticker | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | MICROSOFT CORP | MSFT | 10.08% |
| 2 | AMAZON.COM INC | AMZN | 8.66% |
| 3 | APPLE INC | AAPL | 8.50% |
| 4 | NVIDIA CORP | NVDA | 8.44% |
| 5 | ALPHABET INC CLASS A | GOOGL | 7.49% |
| 6 | AMGEN INC | AMGN | 4.20% |
| 7 | ELI LILLY AND CO | LLY | 4.15% |
| 8 | META PLATFORMS INC CLASS A | META | 3.76% |
| 9 | BROADCOM INC | AVGO | 3.73% |
| 10 | AMPHENOL CORP CLASS A | APH | 3.36% |