Core Insights - The First Trust Consumer Discretionary AlphaDEX ETF (FXD) is a smart beta ETF launched on May 8, 2007, providing broad exposure to the Consumer Discretionary sector [1] - FXD is managed by First Trust Advisors and has accumulated over $334.25 million in assets, making it one of the larger ETFs in its category [5] - The fund aims to match the performance of the StrataQuant Consumer Discretionary Index using the AlphaDEX stock selection methodology [5] Fund Characteristics - FXD has an annual operating expense ratio of 0.61%, which is competitive within its peer group, and a 12-month trailing dividend yield of 1.10% [6] - The ETF has a significant allocation of approximately 75.6% in the Consumer Discretionary sector, with Telecom and Industrials also represented [7] - The top three holdings include Carvana Co. (CVNA) at 2.07%, Five Below, Inc. (FIVE), and Spotify Technology S.a. (SPOT), with the top 10 holdings comprising about 15.9% of total assets [8] Performance Metrics - As of July 14, 2025, FXD has returned approximately 1.78% year-to-date and 9.79% over the past year, with a trading range between $50.42 and $68.52 in the last 52 weeks [10] - The fund has a beta of 1.20 and a standard deviation of 22.04% over the trailing three-year period, indicating a medium risk profile [10] Alternatives - Investors seeking to outperform the Consumer Discretionary ETFs segment may consider alternatives such as the Vanguard Consumer Discretionary ETF (VCR) and the Consumer Discretionary Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLY), which have significantly larger asset bases of $6.17 billion and $22.66 billion respectively [12] - VCR has a lower expense ratio of 0.09% compared to FXD, while XLY has an expense ratio of 0.08% [12]

Core Insights - The FlexShares Quality Dividend Defensive ETF (QDEF) is a smart beta ETF launched on December 14, 2012, providing broad exposure to the Style Box - All Cap Blend category [1] - QDEF aims to match the performance of the Northern Trust Quality Dividend Defensive Index, focusing on high-quality, income-oriented U.S. equity securities [5][6] Fund Management and Performance - Managed by Flexshares, QDEF has accumulated assets of over $445.48 million, positioning it as an average-sized ETF in its category [5] - The ETF has gained approximately 7.36% year-to-date and 13.87% over the past year, with a trading range between $62.50 and $75.33 in the last 52 weeks [10] Cost Structure - QDEF has an annual operating expense ratio of 0.37%, which is competitive within its peer group, and a 12-month trailing dividend yield of 1.77% [7] Sector Allocation and Holdings - The ETF's largest sector allocation is in Information Technology, comprising about 29.5% of the portfolio, followed by Healthcare and Financials [8] - Top holdings include Apple Inc (6.32%), Nvidia Corp, and Microsoft Corp, with the top 10 holdings accounting for approximately 37.02% of total assets [9] Risk Profile - QDEF has a beta of 0.84 and a standard deviation of 13.90% over the trailing three-year period, indicating a medium risk profile [10] Alternatives - While QDEF is a viable option for investors seeking to outperform the Style Box - All Cap Blend segment, alternatives such as iShares Core S&P Total U.S. Stock Market ETF (ITOT) and Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF (VTI) are also available [11][12]

Core Insights - The Invesco S&P 500 Quality ETF (SPHQ) is a smart beta ETF launched on December 6, 2005, designed to provide broad exposure to the large-cap blend category of the market [1] Fund Overview - SPHQ is managed by Invesco and has accumulated over $14.16 billion in assets, making it one of the largest ETFs in its category [5] - The ETF aims to match the performance of the S&P 500 Quality Index, which tracks stocks in the S&P 500 with the highest quality scores based on return on equity, accruals ratio, and financial leverage ratio [5] Cost Structure - The annual operating expenses for SPHQ are 0.15%, positioning it as one of the cheaper options in the ETF space [6] - The fund has a 12-month trailing dividend yield of 1.05% [6] Sector Exposure and Holdings - The Information Technology sector represents 24.6% of the portfolio, followed by Industrials and Financials [7] - Visa Inc accounts for approximately 5.88% of the fund's total assets, with the top 10 holdings making up about 48.04% of total assets under management [8] Performance Metrics - As of July 14, 2025, SPHQ has increased by approximately 6.76% year-to-date and around 12% over the past year [10] - The fund has traded between $59.24 and $72.11 in the last 52 weeks, with a beta of 0.92 and a standard deviation of 15.97% over the trailing three-year period, indicating medium risk [10] Alternatives - Other ETFs in the same space include iShares Core Dividend Growth ETF (DGRO) and Vanguard Dividend Appreciation ETF (VIG), with assets of $32.48 billion and $92.92 billion respectively [12] - DGRO has an expense ratio of 0.08% and VIG has an expense ratio of 0.05% [12]

Core Insights - The iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF (QUAL) is a smart beta ETF launched on July 16, 2013, designed to provide broad exposure to the Style Box - All Cap Blend category of the market [1] Fund Overview - QUAL is managed by Blackrock and has amassed over $53.52 billion in assets, making it one of the largest ETFs in its category [5] - The fund aims to match the performance of the MSCI USA Sector Neutral Quality Index, which is based on the MSCI USA Index that includes U.S. large and mid-cap stocks [5] Cost Structure - QUAL has an annual operating expense ratio of 0.15%, positioning it as one of the cheaper options in the ETF space [6] - The fund offers a 12-month trailing dividend yield of 1.01% [6] Sector Exposure and Holdings - The Information Technology sector represents 33% of QUAL's portfolio, followed by Financials and Consumer Discretionary [7] - Nvidia Corp (NVDA) constitutes approximately 6.4% of the fund's total assets, with Microsoft Corp (MSFT) and Apple Inc (AAPL) also among the top holdings [8] - The top 10 holdings account for about 41.43% of QUAL's total assets under management [8] Performance Metrics - As of July 11, 2025, QUAL has gained approximately 4.28% year-to-date and is up roughly 6.95% over the past year [9] - The ETF has traded between $152.42 and $186.85 in the past 52 weeks and has a beta of 1.04 with a standard deviation of 17.21% over the trailing three-year period, indicating medium risk [9] Alternatives - Other ETFs in the same space include iShares Core S&P Total U.S. Stock Market ETF (ITOT) with $72.02 billion in assets and Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF (VTI) with $506.04 billion [11] - ITOT and VTI both have an expense ratio of 0.03%, offering lower-cost alternatives for investors [11]

Core Insights - The Franklin U.S. Equity Index ETF (USPX) is a smart beta ETF that debuted on June 1, 2016, providing broad exposure to the Style Box - All Cap Blend category of the market [1] - Smart beta ETFs track non-cap weighted strategies, appealing to investors who prefer selecting stocks based on fundamental characteristics to outperform the market [3] - The fund is sponsored by Franklin Templeton Investments and has assets exceeding $1.28 billion, targeting large and mid-cap U.S. stocks representing the top 85% of the U.S. equity market by float-adjusted market capitalization [5] Fund Details - The ETF has an annual operating expense ratio of 0.03%, making it one of the least expensive options in its category, with a 12-month trailing dividend yield of 1.16% [6] - The fund's largest sector allocation is in Information Technology, comprising approximately 33.3% of the portfolio, followed by Financials and Consumer Discretionary [7] - Microsoft Corp (MSFT) is the largest holding at about 6.74% of total assets, with the top 10 holdings accounting for approximately 34.89% of USPX's total assets [8] Performance Metrics - As of July 11, 2025, the ETF has gained about 7.63% year-to-date and 13.15% over the past year, with a trading range between $43.36 and $55.00 in the past 52 weeks [10] - The ETF has a beta of 0.90 and a standard deviation of 17.62% over the trailing three-year period, indicating effective diversification of company-specific risk with around 563 holdings [10] Alternatives - The Franklin U.S. Equity Index ETF is a viable option for investors looking to outperform the Style Box - All Cap Blend segment, but there are alternative ETFs such as iShares Core S&P Total U.S. Stock Market ETF (ITOT) and Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF (VTI) [11][12] - Both ITOT and VTI have significantly larger asset bases, with $72.02 billion and $506.04 billion respectively, and maintain an expense ratio of 0.03% [12]

Core Insights - The American Century U.S. Quality Value ETF (VALQ) debuted on January 11, 2018, and provides broad exposure to the Style Box - All Cap Value category of the market [1] - VALQ is managed by American Century Investments and aims to match the performance of the American Century U.S. Quality Value Index, focusing on undervalued large and mid-cap companies with sustainable income [5] Fund Characteristics - VALQ has accumulated over $251.3 million in assets, making it one of the larger ETFs in its category [5] - The fund has an annual operating expense ratio of 0.29%, which is competitive within its peer group, and a 12-month trailing dividend yield of 1.73% [6] - The fund's portfolio is heavily allocated to the Information Technology sector, which represents 26% of its holdings, followed by Healthcare and Consumer Staples [7] Holdings and Performance - Cisco Systems Inc (CSCO) is the largest individual holding at approximately 2.81% of total assets, with the top 10 holdings accounting for about 25.2% of VALQ's total assets [8] - Year-to-date, VALQ has increased by 4.56% and has risen by 12.57% over the last 12 months as of July 11, 2025, with a trading range between $54.09 and $64.64 in the past 52 weeks [10] - The fund has a beta of 0.87 and a standard deviation of 14.59% over the trailing three-year period, indicating effective diversification of company-specific risk with approximately 231 holdings [10] Alternatives - While VALQ is a viable option for investors looking to outperform the Style Box - All Cap Value segment, there are alternative ETFs such as Fidelity High Dividend ETF (FDVV) and iShares Core S&P U.S. Value ETF (IUSV) that may offer lower expense ratios and different risk profiles [11][12]

Core Viewpoint - The Pacer US Small Cap Cash Cows ETF (CALF) is a smart beta ETF that targets small-cap value stocks with high free cash flow yields, aiming to outperform traditional market cap weighted indexes [1][5]. Fund Overview - CALF was launched on June 16, 2017, and has accumulated over $4.32 billion in assets, positioning it as one of the larger ETFs in the small-cap value category [1][5]. - The ETF seeks to match the performance of the Pacer US Small Cap Cash Cows Index, which employs a rules-based methodology [5]. Cost Structure - The annual operating expenses for CALF are 0.59%, which is relatively high compared to other products in the space [6]. - The fund has a 12-month trailing dividend yield of 1.04% [6]. Sector Exposure and Holdings - The ETF has a significant allocation in the Industrials sector, comprising approximately 21.9% of the portfolio, followed by Consumer Discretionary and Information Technology [7]. - The top holding, Cf Industries Holdings Inc, accounts for about 2.31% of total assets, with the top 10 holdings representing around 20.38% of CALF's total assets [8]. Performance Metrics - As of July 11, 2025, CALF has experienced a year-to-date loss of approximately -4.85% and a decline of about -0.79% over the past year [10]. - The ETF has traded between $32.00 and $48.76 in the past 52 weeks, with a beta of 1.09 and a standard deviation of 23.22% over the trailing three-year period [10]. Alternatives - Other ETFs in the small-cap value space include iShares Russell 2000 Value ETF (IWN) and Vanguard Small-Cap Value ETF (VBR), which have lower expense ratios and larger asset bases [12].

Core Insights - The First Trust Growth Strength ETF (FTGS) was launched on October 25, 2022, and offers broad exposure to the Style Box - Large Cap Growth category of the market [1] Fund Overview - FTGS is managed by First Trust Advisors and has accumulated over $1.16 billion in assets, positioning it as an average-sized ETF in its category [5] - The ETF aims to match the performance of the Growth Strength Index, which focuses on domestic equities filtered for liquidity, return on equity, long-term debt, revenue, and cash flow growth [5] Cost Structure - FTGS has annual operating expenses of 0.60%, making it one of the more expensive options in the smart beta ETF space [6] - The ETF has a 12-month trailing dividend yield of 0.33% [6] Sector Exposure and Holdings - The Information Technology sector represents the largest allocation at 30.7%, followed by Financials and Industrials [7] - Vertiv Holdings Co (VRT) constitutes about 2.62% of total assets, with the top 10 holdings accounting for approximately 24.08% of FTGS's total assets [8] Performance Metrics - As of July 10, 2025, FTGS has gained roughly 10.5% year-to-date and 12.94% over the past year [10] - The ETF has traded between $26.62 and $34.67 in the last 52 weeks, with a beta of 1.13 and a standard deviation of 17.98% over the trailing three-year period [10] Alternatives - Other ETFs in the large-cap growth space include Vanguard Growth ETF (VUG) with $176.96 billion in assets and an expense ratio of 0.04%, and Invesco QQQ (QQQ) with $356.12 billion in assets and an expense ratio of 0.20% [11]

Core Viewpoint - The Invesco Pharmaceuticals ETF (PJP) is a smart beta ETF designed to provide broad exposure to the healthcare sector, specifically focusing on U.S. pharmaceutical companies [1][5][6]. Fund Overview - PJP was launched on June 23, 2005, and has accumulated over $239.95 million in assets, categorizing it as an average-sized ETF within the healthcare sector [1][5]. - The fund aims to match the performance of the Dynamic Pharmaceutical Intellidex Index, which evaluates companies based on various investment merit criteria [5][6]. Cost and Expenses - PJP has an annual operating expense ratio of 0.56%, which is competitive with most peer products in the healthcare ETF space [7]. - The fund offers a 12-month trailing dividend yield of 1.16% [7]. Sector Exposure and Holdings - The ETF is fully allocated to the healthcare sector, with approximately 100% of its portfolio dedicated to this area [8]. - Eli Lilly & Co (LLY) constitutes about 5.41% of the fund's total assets, followed by Amgen Inc (AMGN) and Pfizer Inc (PFE). The top 10 holdings represent approximately 46.64% of total assets [9]. Performance Metrics - As of July 10, 2025, PJP has gained roughly 0.8% year-to-date and approximately 2.82% over the past year [11]. - The fund has traded between $74.59 and $89.61 in the last 52 weeks, with a beta of 0.47 and a standard deviation of 15.71% over the trailing three-year period, indicating a higher risk profile compared to peers [11]. Alternatives - Other ETFs in the pharmaceutical space include iShares U.S. Pharmaceuticals ETF (IHE) and VanEck Pharmaceutical ETF (PPH), which have lower expense ratios of 0.39% and 0.36%, respectively [13]. - Investors seeking lower-risk options may consider traditional market cap weighted ETFs that aim to match healthcare sector returns [13].

Core Viewpoint - The First Trust Rising Dividend Achievers ETF (RDVY) is a smart beta ETF that aims to provide broad exposure to the large-cap value segment of the market, focusing on companies with a history of paying dividends [1][5]. Fund Overview - RDVY was launched on January 7, 2014, and has accumulated over $15.23 billion in assets, making it one of the larger ETFs in its category [1][5]. - The fund is managed by First Trust Advisors and seeks to match the performance of the NASDAQ US Rising Dividend Achievers Index [5]. Cost and Performance - The ETF has an annual operating expense ratio of 0.48%, which is competitive within its peer group [6]. - It offers a 12-month trailing dividend yield of 1.43% [6]. - The ETF has returned approximately 8.19% and is up about 18.06% year-to-date as of July 10, 2025 [9]. Sector Exposure and Holdings - RDVY's largest sector allocation is in Financials, comprising approximately 38.6% of the portfolio, followed by Information Technology and Consumer Discretionary [7]. - Ebay Inc. (EBAY) represents about 2.52% of the fund's total assets, with the top 10 holdings accounting for around 23.33% of total assets under management [8]. Risk Profile - The ETF has a beta of 1.07 and a standard deviation of 19.07% over the trailing three-year period, indicating a medium risk profile [9]. - With approximately 77 holdings, RDVY effectively diversifies company-specific risk [9]. Alternatives - Other ETFs in the large-cap value space include Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF (SCHD) and Vanguard Value ETF (VTV), which have significantly larger asset bases and lower expense ratios [11].