Core Insights - The First Trust Industrials/Producer Durables AlphaDEX ETF (FXR) offers broad exposure to the Industrials - Broad segment of the equity market, appealing to both retail and institutional investors due to its low costs, transparency, flexibility, and tax efficiency [1][2] Fund Overview - FXR is a passively managed ETF launched on May 8, 2007, with assets exceeding $1.82 billion, making it one of the larger ETFs in its category [3] - The fund aims to match the performance of the StrataQuant Industrials Index, which uses the AlphaDEX screening methodology to select stocks from the Russell 1000 Index [4] Cost Structure - The ETF has an annual operating expense ratio of 0.6%, which is competitive within its peer group, and a 12-month trailing dividend yield of 0.7% [5] Sector Exposure and Holdings - The ETF has a significant allocation in the Industrials sector, comprising approximately 70.8% of the portfolio, with Materials and Financials following [6] - Builders Firstsource, Inc. (BLDR) represents about 1.26% of total assets, with the top 10 holdings accounting for approximately 12.19% of total assets under management [7] Performance Metrics - As of August 4, 2025, FXR has increased by about 1.74% year-to-date and 6.97% over the past year, trading between $60.85 and $83.27 in the last 52 weeks [8] - The ETF has a beta of 1.15 and a standard deviation of 20.39% over the trailing three-year period, indicating medium risk [8] Alternatives - FXR holds a Zacks ETF Rank of 3 (Hold), suggesting it is a viable option for investors seeking exposure to the Industrials ETFs area [9] - Other alternatives include the Vanguard Industrials ETF (VIS) and the Industrial Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLI), with VIS having $5.94 billion in assets and an expense ratio of 0.09%, while XLI has $22.66 billion and charges 0.08% [10]

Core Viewpoint - The First Trust Materials AlphaDEX ETF (FXZ) is a passively managed ETF that provides broad exposure to the Materials - Broad segment of the equity market, appealing to both institutional and retail investors due to its low costs and tax efficiency [1][2]. Group 1: Fund Overview - Launched on May 8, 2007, FXZ has accumulated over $221.67 million in assets, positioning it as an average-sized ETF in its category [3]. - FXZ aims to match the performance of the StrataQuant Materials Index, which uses a modified equal-dollar weighted methodology to select stocks from the Russell 1000 Index [4]. Group 2: Costs and Performance - The ETF has an annual operating expense ratio of 0.61% and a 12-month trailing dividend yield of 1.78%, making it competitive with peer products [5]. - As of July 30, 2025, FXZ has gained approximately 6.47% year-to-date but is down about 8% over the past year, with a trading range between $46.76 and $67.64 [8]. Group 3: Sector Exposure and Holdings - FXZ has a significant allocation in the Materials sector, comprising about 84% of the portfolio, with Eastman Chemical Company (EMN) being the largest holding at approximately 4.84% of total assets [6][7]. - The top 10 holdings represent about 44.65% of total assets under management, indicating a concentrated exposure compared to peers [7][8]. Group 4: Alternatives and Market Position - FXZ carries a Zacks ETF Rank of 3 (Hold), suggesting it is a viable option for investors seeking exposure to the Materials sector [9]. - Other alternatives include the FlexShares Morningstar Global Upstream Natural Resources ETF (GUNR) and the Materials Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLB), which have significantly larger asset bases of $4.86 billion and $5.38 billion, respectively [10].

Core Insights - The First Trust Utilities AlphaDEX ETF (FXU) is a passively managed ETF launched on May 8, 2007, providing broad exposure to the Utilities - Broad segment of the equity market [1] - FXU has gained popularity among retail and institutional investors due to its low costs, transparency, flexibility, and tax efficiency, making it suitable for long-term investment [1] Fund Overview - FXU is sponsored by First Trust Advisors and has assets exceeding $1.68 billion, categorizing it as an average-sized ETF in the Utilities - Broad segment [3] - The ETF aims to match the performance of the StrataQuant Utilities Index, which uses a modified equal-dollar weighted methodology to select stocks from the Russell 1000 Index [4] Cost Structure - The annual operating expenses for FXU are 0.63%, which is relatively high compared to other ETFs in the sector, and it has a 12-month trailing dividend yield of 2.12% [5] Sector Exposure and Holdings - FXU has a significant allocation in the Utilities sector, comprising approximately 97.6% of its portfolio [6] - The top holdings include Edison International (EIX) at 4.23%, followed by Evergy, Inc. (EVRG) and PG&E Corporation (PCG), with the top 10 holdings accounting for about 40.08% of total assets [7] Performance Metrics - As of July 28, 2025, FXU has increased by about 17.43% year-to-date and approximately 32.34% over the past year, with a trading range between $34.34 and $44.12 in the last 52 weeks [8] - The ETF has a beta of 0.64 and a standard deviation of 17.33% over the trailing three-year period, indicating medium risk with more concentrated exposure than its peers [8] Alternatives - FXU has a Zacks ETF Rank of 4 (Sell), suggesting it may not be the best option for investors seeking exposure to the Utilities/Infrastructure ETFs segment [9] - Alternative ETFs include the Vanguard Utilities ETF (VPU) with $7.29 billion in assets and an expense ratio of 0.09%, and the Utilities Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLU) with $20.72 billion in assets and an expense ratio of 0.08% [10]