Description

The investment seeks investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield (before the fund's fees and expenses) of an equity index called the IPOX®-100 U.S. Index. The fund will normally invest at least 90% of its net assets (including investment borrowings) in the common stocks that comprise the index. The index seeks to measure the performance of the equity securities of the 100 largest and typically most liquid initial public offerings (IPOs) (including spin-offs and equity carve-outs) of U.S. companies. It is non-diversified.

Statistics (YTD)

What do these metrics mean? [Read More] [Hide]

TotalReturn:

'Total return is the amount of value an investor earns from a security over a specific period, typically one year, when all distributions are reinvested. Total return is expressed as a percentage of the amount invested. For example, a total return of 20% means the security increased by 20% of its original value due to a price increase, distribution of dividends (if a stock), coupons (if a bond) or capital gains (if a fund). Total return is a strong measure of an investment’s overall performance.'

Using this definition on our asset we see for example:
  • The total return, or increase in value over 5 years of First Trust US Equity Opportunities ETF is 53.7%, which is lower, thus worse compared to the benchmark SPY (101.3%) in the same period.
  • Compared with SPY (75.7%) in the period of the last 3 years, the total return, or increase in value of 83% is higher, thus better.

CAGR:

'Compound annual growth rate (CAGR) is a business and investing specific term for the geometric progression ratio that provides a constant rate of return over the time period. CAGR is not an accounting term, but it is often used to describe some element of the business, for example revenue, units delivered, registered users, etc. CAGR dampens the effect of volatility of periodic returns that can render arithmetic means irrelevant. It is particularly useful to compare growth rates from various data sets of common domain such as revenue growth of companies in the same industry.'

Applying this definition to our asset in some examples:
  • Looking at the annual performance (CAGR) of 9% in the last 5 years of First Trust US Equity Opportunities ETF, we see it is relatively smaller, thus worse in comparison to the benchmark SPY (15.1%)
  • During the last 3 years, the compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) is 22.4%, which is higher, thus better than the value of 20.8% from the benchmark.

Volatility:

'In finance, volatility (symbol σ) is the degree of variation of a trading price series over time as measured by the standard deviation of logarithmic returns. Historic volatility measures a time series of past market prices. Implied volatility looks forward in time, being derived from the market price of a market-traded derivative (in particular, an option). Commonly, the higher the volatility, the riskier the security.'

Applying this definition to our asset in some examples:
  • Compared with the benchmark SPY (17.1%) in the period of the last 5 years, the volatility of 26.7% of First Trust US Equity Opportunities ETF is greater, thus worse.
  • Looking at 30 days standard deviation in of 25.4% in the period of the last 3 years, we see it is relatively higher, thus worse in comparison to SPY (15.6%).

DownVol:

'Risk measures typically quantify the downside risk, whereas the standard deviation (an example of a deviation risk measure) measures both the upside and downside risk. Specifically, downside risk in our definition is the semi-deviation, that is the standard deviation of all negative returns.'

Using this definition on our asset we see for example:
  • The downside risk over 5 years of First Trust US Equity Opportunities ETF is 19%, which is greater, thus worse compared to the benchmark SPY (11.8%) in the same period.
  • Looking at downside risk in of 17.6% in the period of the last 3 years, we see it is relatively greater, thus worse in comparison to SPY (10.4%).

Sharpe:

'The Sharpe ratio was developed by Nobel laureate William F. Sharpe, and is used to help investors understand the return of an investment compared to its risk. The ratio is the average return earned in excess of the risk-free rate per unit of volatility or total risk. Subtracting the risk-free rate from the mean return allows an investor to better isolate the profits associated with risk-taking activities. One intuition of this calculation is that a portfolio engaging in 'zero risk' investments, such as the purchase of U.S. Treasury bills (for which the expected return is the risk-free rate), has a Sharpe ratio of exactly zero. Generally, the greater the value of the Sharpe ratio, the more attractive the risk-adjusted return.'

Applying this definition to our asset in some examples:
  • The risk / return profile (Sharpe) over 5 years of First Trust US Equity Opportunities ETF is 0.24, which is lower, thus worse compared to the benchmark SPY (0.74) in the same period.
  • Looking at Sharpe Ratio in of 0.78 in the period of the last 3 years, we see it is relatively lower, thus worse in comparison to SPY (1.17).

Sortino:

'The Sortino ratio, a variation of the Sharpe ratio only factors in the downside, or negative volatility, rather than the total volatility used in calculating the Sharpe ratio. The theory behind the Sortino variation is that upside volatility is a plus for the investment, and it, therefore, should not be included in the risk calculation. Therefore, the Sortino ratio takes upside volatility out of the equation and uses only the downside standard deviation in its calculation instead of the total standard deviation that is used in calculating the Sharpe ratio.'

Applying this definition to our asset in some examples:
  • Compared with the benchmark SPY (1.07) in the period of the last 5 years, the ratio of annual return and downside deviation of 0.34 of First Trust US Equity Opportunities ETF is lower, thus worse.
  • During the last 3 years, the excess return divided by the downside deviation is 1.13, which is lower, thus worse than the value of 1.75 from the benchmark.

Ulcer:

'The Ulcer Index is a technical indicator that measures downside risk, in terms of both the depth and duration of price declines. The index increases in value as the price moves farther away from a recent high and falls as the price rises to new highs. The indicator is usually calculated over a 14-day period, with the Ulcer Index showing the percentage drawdown a trader can expect from the high over that period. The greater the value of the Ulcer Index, the longer it takes for a stock to get back to the former high.'

Applying this definition to our asset in some examples:
  • Looking at the Downside risk index of 25 in the last 5 years of First Trust US Equity Opportunities ETF, we see it is relatively higher, thus worse in comparison to the benchmark SPY (8.42 )
  • Looking at Ulcer Ratio in of 8.07 in the period of the last 3 years, we see it is relatively higher, thus worse in comparison to SPY (3.61 ).

MaxDD:

'Maximum drawdown measures the loss in any losing period during a fund’s investment record. It is defined as the percent retrenchment from a fund’s peak value to the fund’s valley value. The drawdown is in effect from the time the fund’s retrenchment begins until a new fund high is reached. The maximum drawdown encompasses both the period from the fund’s peak to the fund’s valley (length), and the time from the fund’s valley to a new fund high (recovery). It measures the largest percentage drawdown that has occurred in any fund’s data record.'

Which means for our asset as example:
  • Compared with the benchmark SPY (-24.5 days) in the period of the last 5 years, the maximum reduction from previous high of -43.1 days of First Trust US Equity Opportunities ETF is lower, thus worse.
  • During the last 3 years, the maximum DrawDown is -30.9 days, which is lower, thus worse than the value of -18.8 days from the benchmark.

MaxDuration:

'The Drawdown Duration is the length of any peak to peak period, or the time between new equity highs. The Max Drawdown Duration is the worst (the maximum/longest) amount of time an investment has seen between peaks (equity highs) in days.'

Using this definition on our asset we see for example:
  • The maximum days below previous high over 5 years of First Trust US Equity Opportunities ETF is 811 days, which is higher, thus worse compared to the benchmark SPY (488 days) in the same period.
  • Compared with SPY (87 days) in the period of the last 3 years, the maximum days under water of 122 days is larger, thus worse.

AveDuration:

'The Average Drawdown Duration is an extension of the Maximum Drawdown. However, this metric does not explain the drawdown in dollars or percentages, rather in days, weeks, or months. The Avg Drawdown Duration is the average amount of time an investment has seen between peaks (equity highs), or in other terms the average of time under water of all drawdowns. So in contrast to the Maximum duration it does not measure only one drawdown event but calculates the average of all.'

Using this definition on our asset we see for example:
  • The average days below previous high over 5 years of First Trust US Equity Opportunities ETF is 295 days, which is higher, thus worse compared to the benchmark SPY (120 days) in the same period.
  • Compared with SPY (21 days) in the period of the last 3 years, the average time in days below previous high water mark of 34 days is greater, thus worse.

Performance (YTD)

Historical returns have been extended using synthetic data.

Allocations ()

Allocations

Returns (%)

  • Note that yearly returns do not equal the sum of monthly returns due to compounding.
  • Performance results of First Trust US Equity Opportunities ETF are hypothetical and do not account for slippage, fees or taxes.