AFSM - ETF AI Analysis
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First Trust Active Factor Small Cap ETF (AFSM)
Rating:69Neutral
Price Target:―
Positive Factors
Strong Recent Performance
The ETF has shown strong gains so far this year and over the last few months, indicating positive momentum in its strategy.
Solid Top Holdings
Many of the largest positions, such as Penguin Solutions, Liquidia Technologies, and Kulicke & Soffa, have delivered strong year-to-date performance, helping support the fund’s returns.
Broad Sector Diversification
The fund spreads its investments across many sectors, including technology, health care, financials, and industrials, which helps reduce the impact of weakness in any single industry.
Negative Factors
Higher Expense Ratio
The ETF charges a relatively high fee compared with many index-based funds, which can slightly reduce the net returns investors receive over time.
Single-Country Exposure
Almost all of the fund’s holdings are in U.S. companies, offering little geographic diversification if the U.S. market faces a downturn.
Small-Cap Volatility Risk
Because the ETF focuses on smaller companies, its share price may be more sensitive to market swings and company-specific news than large-cap funds.
AFSM vs. SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY)
AUM118.98M
RegionNorth America
Expense Ratio0.75%
Beta0.97
IssuerFirst Trust
Inception DateDec 03, 2019
Dividend Yield0.5%
Asset ClassEquity
Index TrackedNo Underlying Index
Share Statistics
EPS (TTM)N/A
Shares OutstandingN/A
10 Day Avg. Volume20,561
30 Day Avg. Volume16,942
Financial Highlights & Ratios
PEG RatioN/A
Price to Book (P/B)N/A
Price to Sales (P/S)N/A
P/FCF RatioN/A
Enterprise Value/Market CapN/A
Enterprise Value/RevenueN/A
Enterprise Value/Gross ProfitN/A
Enterprise Value/EbitdaN/A
Forecast
1Y Price Target
47.18Price Target Upside― Downside
Rating ConsensusModerate Buy
Number of Analyst Covering332
EPS Forecast (FY)N/A
Revenue Forecast (FY)N/A
AFSM Summary
AFSM, the First Trust Active Factor Small Cap ETF, focuses on smaller U.S. companies and is actively managed rather than tracking a fixed index. It spreads investments across many sectors like technology, health care, and financials, aiming to find higher-quality small firms with good growth potential. Examples of companies it holds include Par Pacific Holdings and Matson. Someone might invest in AFSM to diversify beyond large, well-known stocks and tap into the long-term growth potential of smaller, more innovative businesses. A key risk is that small-cap stocks can be more volatile, so the ETF’s value can move up and down sharply with the market.
How much will it cost me?The First Trust Active Factor Small Cap ETF (AFSM) has an expense ratio of 0.75%, meaning you’ll pay $7.50 per year for every $1,000 invested. This is higher than average because the fund is actively managed, which involves more research and decision-making compared to passively managed ETFs that track an index.
What would affect this ETF?The First Trust Active Factor Small Cap ETF (AFSM) could benefit from economic growth and innovation in the U.S., particularly in sectors like technology, healthcare, and financials, which make up a significant portion of its holdings. However, it may face challenges from rising interest rates or economic slowdowns, which can negatively impact small-cap companies and sectors like consumer cyclical and real estate. Regulatory changes or shifts in market sentiment could also influence the performance of its top holdings.
AFSM Top 10 Holdings
AFSM is leaning hard into U.S. small caps with a tech-and-health-care tilt, and a few standout names are doing the heavy lifting. Penguin Solutions, Bloom Energy, and TTM Technologies have been on a strong upward march, giving the fund a clear boost from the small-cap tech and clean-energy corner. Kulicke & Soffa and Viavi Solutions add to that momentum, though their gains come with some valuation jitters. On the flip side, Liquidia Technologies is more of a wild card, with exciting drug prospects but choppy financials that can tug at returns.
Name | Company Name | Weight % | Market Value | Market Cap | Yearly Gain | Overall Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Par Pacific Holdings | 1.10% | $1.25M | $4.03B | 149.30% | 67 Neutral | |
| National Healthcare | 1.00% | $1.13M | $3.48B | 131.63% | 74 Outperform | |
| Blue Bird | 0.99% | $1.12M | $2.57B | 76.11% | 69 Neutral | |
| Matson | 0.84% | $952.16K | $6.63B | 107.51% | 77 Outperform | |
| Penguin Solutions | 0.78% | $877.77K | $2.98B | 133.33% | 61 Neutral | |
| Ames National | 0.77% | $870.33K | $262.26M | 58.07% | 70 Outperform | |
| Liquidia Technologies | 0.76% | $861.56K | $7.19B | 390.37% | 57 Neutral | |
| nLIGHT | 0.73% | $825.72K | $4.24B | 271.49% | 61 Neutral | |
| Eton Pharmaceuticals | 0.73% | $823.52K | $1.18B | 196.09% | 56 Neutral | |
| Kulicke & Soffa | 0.72% | $807.97K | $5.68B | 212.08% | 61 Neutral |
AFSM Technical Analysis
Positive
―
Price Trends
38.91
Positive
36.70
Positive
34.93
Positive
Market Momentum
0.31
Positive
53.84
Neutral
56.14
Neutral
Evaluating momentum and price trends is crucial in ETF analysis to make informed investment decisions. For AFSM, the sentiment is Positive. The current price of undefined is equal to the 20-day moving average (MA) of 40.19, equal to the 50-day MA of 38.91, and equal to the 200-day MA of 34.93, indicating a neutral trend. The MACD of 0.31 indicates Positive momentum. The RSI at 53.84 is Neutral, neither overbought nor oversold. The STOCH value of 56.14 is Neutral, not indicating any strong overbought or oversold conditions. Overall, these indicators collectively point to a Positive sentiment for AFSM.
AFSM Peer Comparison
Comparison Results
Performance Comparison
AFSM
First Trust Active Factor Small Cap ETF
40.02
9.85
32.65%
SEIS
SEI Select Small Cap ETF
―
―
―
FSCC
Federated Hermes MDT Small Cap Core ETF
―
―
―
SCDV
Bahl & Gaynor Small Cap Dividend ETF
―
―
―
FSML
Franklin Small Cap Enhanced ETF
―
―
―
SIXS
ETC 6 Meridian Small Cap Equity ETF
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―
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Glossary
BuyAn ETF rated as a "Buy" is expected to perform better than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests the ETF is likely to deliver higher returns compared to other ETFs in the same sector or market index. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
HoldAn ETF rated as a "Hold" s expected to perform in line with the overall market or a specific benchmark. This rating indicates that the ETF is neither particularly compelling nor unfavorable for investment. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
SellAn ETF rated as a "Sell" is expected to perform worse than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests the ETF may deliver lower returns compared to other ETFs in the same sector or market index. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
DisclaimerThis AI Analyst ETF Report is automatically generated by our AI systems using advanced algorithms and publicly available financial, technical, and market data. While the information provided aims to be accurate and insightful, it is intended for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial advice. Any content created by an AI (Artificial Intelligence) system may contain inaccuracies and/or contain errors. Investing in ETFs carries inherent risks, and past performance is not indicative of future results. This report does not account for your personal financial circumstances, objectives, or risk tolerance. Always conduct your own research or consult with a qualified financial advisor before making investment decisions. The analysis and recommendations provided are based on historical and current data and may not fully reflect future market conditions or unexpected developments. Neither the creators of this report nor its affiliated entities guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of the information presented. Use this report at your own discretion and risk.Date of analysis: ―
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