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FBT

First Trust NYSE Arca Biotechnology Index Fund (FBT)

Rating:71Outperform
Price Target:$293.00â–²(5.19% Upside)

FBT, the First Trust NYSE Arca Biotechnology Index Fund, earns a solid overall rating largely because it is anchored by strong biotech leaders like Gilead Sciences and Amgen, which show robust financial performance, successful product strategies, and generally favorable long-term outlooks. Other holdings such as Genmab, Corcept Therapeutics, and Illumina add to the fund’s quality through solid growth prospects, though names like NeoGenomics and BeOne Medicines, with profitability challenges, bearish momentum, or valuation concerns, slightly weigh on the rating. The main risk factor is the fund’s concentrated exposure to the biotechnology sector, which can make it more volatile and sensitive to industry-specific setbacks.

Positive Factors
Strong Year-to-Date PerformanceThe fund has delivered strong gains so far this year, showing solid momentum in its biotechnology holdings.
Healthy Top Holdings PerformanceMost of the largest positions have posted strong or steady results this year, helping support the ETF’s overall returns.
Focused Exposure to a Single SectorConcentrating almost entirely in health care and biotechnology gives investors targeted access to a specific growth area of the market.
Negative Factors
Single-Sector Concentration RiskWith nearly all assets in health care, the fund is highly sensitive to downturns or regulatory shocks in the biotechnology industry.
Limited Geographic DiversificationThe ETF is almost entirely invested in U.S. companies, offering little protection if the U.S. market or its health care sector weakens.
Moderate Expense RatioThe fund’s fee is higher than many broad market ETFs, which can slightly reduce long-term returns for buy-and-hold investors.

FBT vs. SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY)

AUM
3.14B
Region
North America
Expense Ratio
0.55%
Beta
0.69
Issuer
First Trust
Inception Date
Jun 19, 2006
Dividend Yield
0.42%
Asset Class
Equity
Index Tracked
NYSE Arca Biotechnology Index

FBT Summary

FBT is an exchange-traded fund that follows the NYSE Arca Biotechnology Index, focusing on biotech companies within the health care sector. It holds firms working on new drugs, genetic treatments, and other medical innovations. Well-known names in the fund include Biogen and Regeneron, both leaders in developing therapies for serious diseases. Someone might invest in FBT to tap into the potential growth of cutting-edge medical research while spreading their money across many biotech stocks instead of picking just one. A key risk is that biotech shares can be very volatile, so the fund’s value can rise and fall sharply with news and market sentiment.

How much will it cost me?

This ETF has an expense ratio of 0.55%, which means you’ll pay about $5.50 per year for every $1,000 invested. That’s higher than the average ETF because it’s a more specialized, sector-focused fund rather than a broad, low-cost index tracker.

What would affect this ETF?

FBT could benefit if demand for new drugs and medical treatments grows, major biotech companies like Amgen, Regeneron, and Biogen successfully launch breakthrough therapies, and U.S. health care policies support innovation and pricing power. On the negative side, this U.S.-focused biotech fund could be hurt by tighter drug regulations, changes to health care reimbursement, setbacks in clinical trials, or rising interest rates that make investors less willing to back riskier, research-heavy companies.

FBT Top 10 Holdings

FBT is a pure-play U.S. biotech fund, and its story is all about drug pipelines and lab results rather than broad market trends. Genmab and Halozyme are doing much of the heavy lifting, with rising share prices and solid earnings giving the ETF a healthy boost. Established giants like Amgen, Biogen, and Regeneron are steadier anchors, adding incremental gains without much drama. On the flip side, NeoGenomics is lagging as profitability issues weigh on sentiment, while ADMA Biologics’ mixed year shows how volatile smaller biotech names can be.

FBT top ten holdings
NameCompany NameWeight %Market ValueMarket CapYearly GainOverall Rating
GMABGMABGenmab4.89%$152.76M$34.94B99.02%76Outperform
HALOHALOHalozyme3.77%$117.66M$14.86B102.55%73Outperform
VCYTVCYTVeracyte3.51%$109.73M$4.02B41.55%76Outperform
ADMAADMAADMA Biologics3.50%$109.30M$2.56B-25.28%78Outperform
ALKSALKSAlkermes3.55%$110.80M$7.61B47.11%80Outperform
AMGNAMGNAmgen3.57%$111.48M$251.94B59.59%77Outperform
BIIBBIIBBiogen3.57%$111.52M$37.49B69.52%74Outperform
EXELEXELExelixis3.68%$115.04M$16.93B78.20%78Outperform
REGNREGNRegeneron3.95%$123.35M$95.51B41.87%78Outperform
NEONEONeoGenomics3.38%$105.50M$2.25B79.36%55Neutral

FBT Technical Analysis

Technical Analysis SentimentPositive
Last Price278.55

Price Trends

50DMA269.07Positive
100DMA258.12Positive
200DMA232.97Positive

Market Momentum

MACD2.95Negative
RSI61.06Neutral
STOCH87.98Negative

Evaluating momentum and price trends is crucial in ETF analysis to make informed investment decisions. For FBT, the sentiment is Positive. The current price of 278.55 is above the 20-day moving average (MA) of 268.93, above the 50-day MA of 269.07, and above the 200-day MA of 232.97, indicating a bullish trend. The MACD of 2.95 indicates Negative momentum. The RSI at 61.06 is Neutral, neither overbought nor oversold. The STOCH value of 87.98 is Negative, not indicating any strong overbought or oversold conditions. Overall, these indicators collectively point to a Positive sentiment for FBT.

FBT Peer Comparison

Comparison Results

FBT against its peer funds
NamePricePrice TargetAUMExpense RatioOverall Rating
FBTFBT$278.55$293.00(5.19% Upside)$3.14B0.55%71Outperform
IYHIYH$77.81$84.15(8.15% Upside)$4.63B0.37%73Outperform
FHLCFHLC$88.56$98.29(10.99% Upside)$3.95B0.08%71Outperform
IHIIHI$54.59$60.58(10.97% Upside)$3.73B0.37%74Outperform
IHEIHE$107.61$128.26(19.19% Upside)$1.60B0.37%70Neutral
IHFIHF$59.94$69.34(15.68% Upside)$1.48B0.37%69Neutral

Performance Comparison

-20%0%20%40%FBTIYHFHLCIHIIHEIHFDec '25Jan '26Feb '26Mar '26Apr '26May '26Jun '26Jul '26Aug '26Sep '26Oct '26
FBT and its peers over the selected period
Show on chartTickerCompany NamePriceChange% Change
FBTFirst Trust NYSE Arca Biotechnology Index Fund278.5588.4546.53%
IYHiShares U.S. Healthcare ETF77.8117.5429.10%
FHLCFidelity MSCI Health Care Index ETF88.5619.7028.61%
IHIiShares U.S. Medical Devices ETF54.59-6.14-10.12%
IHEiShares U.S. Pharmaceuticals ETF107.6132.8343.89%
IHFiShares U.S. Healthcare Providers ETF59.9411.7024.26%
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.
Disclaimer

This 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.