Yahoo Finance Should You Invest in the First Trust Energy AlphaDEX ETF (FXN)?
If you're interested in broad exposure to the Energy - Broad segment of the equity market, look no further than the First Trust Energy AlphaDEX ETF (FXN), a passively managed exchange traded fund launched on 05/08/2007.
Passively managed ETFs are becoming increasingly popular with institutional as well as retail investors due to their low cost, transparency, flexibility and tax efficiency. They are excellent vehicles for long term investors.
Sector ETFs also provide investors access to a broad group of companies in particular sectors that offer low risk and diversified exposure. Energy - Broad is one of the 16 broad Zacks sectors within the Zacks Industry classification. It is currently ranked 11, placing it in bottom 31%.
Index Details
The fund is sponsored by First Trust Advisors. It has amassed assets over $605.25 million, making it one of the larger ETFs attempting to match the performance of the Energy - Broad segment of the equity market. FXN seeks to match the performance of the StrataQuant Energy Index before fees and expenses.
The StrataQuant Energy Index is a modified equal-dollar weighted index designed by the AMEX to objectively identify and select stocks from the Russell 1000 Index that may generate positive alpha relative to traditional passive style indices through the use of the AlphaDEX screening methodology.
Costs
When considering an ETF's total return, expense ratios are an important factor, and cheaper funds can significantly outperform their more expensive counterparts in the long term if all other factors remain equal.
Annual operating expenses for this ETF are 0.62%, making it on par with most peer products in the space.
It has a 12-month trailing dividend yield of 1.99%.
Sector Exposure and Top Holdings
Even though ETFs offer diversified exposure which minimizes single stock risk, it is still important to look into a fund's holdings before investing. Luckily, most ETFs are very transparent products that disclose their holdings on a daily basis.
This ETF has heaviest allocation in the Energy sector--about 96% of the portfolio.
Looking at individual holdings, Valero Energy Corporation (VLO) accounts for about 4.91% of total assets, followed by Ovintiv Inc. (OVV) and Marathon Oil Corporation (MRO).
The top 10 holdings account for about 42.06% of total assets under management.
Performance and Risk
So far this year, FXN has gained about 8.28%, and was up about 19.84% in the last one year (as of 06/24/2024). During this past 52-week period, the fund has traded between $15.13 and $19.35.
The ETF has a beta of 1.64 and standard deviation of 29.41% for the trailing three-year period, making it a high risk choice in the space. With about 41 holdings, it has more concentrated exposure than peers.
Alternatives
First Trust Energy AlphaDEX ETF holds a Zacks ETF Rank of 2 (Buy), which is based on expected asset class return, expense ratio, and momentum, among other factors. Because of this, FXN is a great option for investors seeking exposure to the Energy ETFs segment of the market. There are other additional ETFs in the space that investors could consider as well.
Vanguard Energy ETF (VDE) tracks MSCI US Investable Market Energy 25/50 Index and the Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLE) tracks Energy Select Sector Index. Vanguard Energy ETF has $8.43 billion in assets, Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF has $37.22 billion. VDE has an expense ratio of 0.10% and XLE charges 0.09%.
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.
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First Trust Energy AlphaDEX ETF (FXN): ETF Research Reports
Marathon Oil Corporation (MRO) : Free Stock Analysis Report
Valero Energy Corporation (VLO) : Free Stock Analysis Report
Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLE): ETF Research Reports
Vanguard Energy ETF (VDE): ETF Research Reports
Ovintiv Inc. (OVV) : Free Stock Analysis Report
