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FESC

First Eagle Small Cap Equity ETF (FESC)

Rating:65Neutral
Price Target:$24.50â–²(5.15% Upside)

FESC, the First Eagle Small Cap Equity ETF, earns a solid overall rating thanks to strong contributions from financial names like Old National Bancorp and Ameris Bancorp, which show healthy performance, supportive technical trends, and shareholder-friendly actions such as dividends and buybacks. Growth-focused holdings like Braze and Pennant Group also help by delivering strong business momentum, though their higher valuations and profitability challenges, along with weaker names like Quaker Chemical that face declining profitability and cash flow issues, keep the fund from a higher rating. The main risk factor is its exposure to smaller companies where high valuations, operational challenges, and sector-specific issues can make returns more volatile.

Positive Factors
Strong Top HoldingsMany of the ETF’s largest positions have shown strong year-to-date performance, helping support the fund despite recent weakness.
Broad Sector DiversificationThe fund spreads its investments across many different sectors, which can help reduce the impact if any single industry struggles.
Focused U.S. ExposureWith almost all holdings in U.S. companies, investors get targeted access to the U.S. small-cap market without added foreign currency risk.
Negative Factors
Weak Recent PerformanceThe ETF has shown negative returns over both the year-to-date and one-month periods, signaling recent performance challenges.
Higher Expense RatioThe fund’s expense ratio is relatively high for an ETF, which means more of the returns are eaten up by fees over time.
Limited International DiversificationBecause the ETF is almost entirely invested in U.S. stocks, investors are more exposed to U.S.-specific economic and market risks.

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

-10%-5%0%5%10%15%20%SPY+14.30%FESC-5.86%Aug '26Sep '26Oct '26Nov '26
AUM
5.10M
Region
North America
Expense Ratio
0.55%
Beta
0.78
Issuer
First Eagle
Inception Date
Jun 30, 2026
Dividend Yield
N/A
Asset Class
Equity
Index Tracked
No Underlying Index

FESC Summary

First Eagle Small Cap Equity ETF (FESC) is an actively managed fund that focuses on smaller U.S. companies the managers believe are undervalued and have clear events that could boost their stock prices over time. It doesn’t track a fixed index, but instead looks for opportunities across many sectors, including industrials, technology, and health care. Well-known holdings include Ameris Bancorp and Brookdale Senior Living. Someone might invest in FESC for long-term growth and diversification into small-company stocks. A key risk is that small-cap shares can be more volatile, so the ETF’s value can move up and down sharply with the market.

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 actively managed, with a team selecting small‑cap value stocks rather than simply tracking an index.

What would affect this ETF?

This ETF focuses on smaller U.S. companies in areas like industrials, technology, health care, financials, and energy, so it could benefit if the U.S. economy grows steadily, business turnarounds succeed, and investor interest in undervalued small caps increases. On the downside, it may be hurt by economic slowdowns, rising interest rates that make borrowing more expensive for small firms, or company‑specific setbacks in key holdings such as banks, health care providers, and energy producers.

FESC Top 10 Holdings

FESC is a U.S.-focused small-cap value fund where a handful of catalysts are doing the heavy lifting. Rising names like Braze and Remitly Global give the portfolio a tech-enabled growth tilt, while Hinge Health and Pennant Group add momentum from the health care side. On the flip side, Ameris Bancorp and Old National Bancorp have been lagging, so the financials sleeve is more of a slow burn than a spark. With exposure spread across industrials, tech, health care, and energy rather than one dominant sector, the fund leans on stock picking more than any single theme.

FESC top ten holdings
NameCompany NameWeight %Market ValueMarket CapYearly GainOverall Rating
BRZEBRZEBraze1.40%$71.26K$5.25B62.69%76Outperform
LPXLPXLouisiana-Pacific1.03%$52.57K$5.28B-2.20%68Neutral
ABCBABCBAmeris Bancorp1.04%$52.92K$5.56B10.75%78Outperform
CONCONConcentra Group Holdings Parent, Inc.1.03%$52.65K$5.40B121.91%66Neutral
HRIHRIHerc Holdings1.12%$56.78K$5.51B23.31%67Neutral
DORMDORMDorman Products0.96%$49.02K$4.01B1.01%75Outperform
PNTGPNTGPennant Group0.89%$45.30K$1.29B45.68%73Outperform
LPGLPGDorian LPG0.97%$49.14K$2.00B78.46%66Neutral
HNGEHNGEHinge Health, Inc. Class A1.01%$51.51K$9.60B174.70%70Outperform
ONBONBOld National Bancorp Capital0.94%$47.79K$9.55B20.34%80Outperform

FESC Technical Analysis

Technical Analysis SentimentPositive
Last Price23.30

Price Trends

50DMA23.01Positive

Market Momentum

MACD0.03Negative
RSI55.10Neutral
STOCH64.08Neutral

Evaluating momentum and price trends is crucial in ETF analysis to make informed investment decisions. For FESC, the sentiment is Positive. The current price of 23.30 is above the 20-day moving average (MA) of 22.91, above the 50-day MA of 23.01, and compared to the 200-day MA of , indicating a neutral trend. The MACD of 0.03 indicates Negative momentum. The RSI at 55.10 is Neutral, neither overbought nor oversold. The STOCH value of 64.08 is Neutral, not indicating any strong overbought or oversold conditions. Overall, these indicators collectively point to a Positive sentiment for FESC.

FESC Peer Comparison

Comparison Results

FESC against its peer funds
NamePricePrice TargetAUMExpense RatioOverall Rating
FESCFESC$23.30$24.50(5.15% Upside)$5.10M0.55%65Neutral
SQLVSQLV$53.06$61.98(16.81% Upside)$39.61M0.60%66Neutral
JPSVJPSV$71.17$80.67(13.36% Upside)$29.09M0.55%66Neutral
ACSVACSV$48.88$59.37(21.46% Upside)$25.50M0.49%70Neutral
FSEVFSEV$26.38$32.36(22.63% Upside)$7.86M0.28%65Neutral
AESLAESL$19.77$22.95(16.10% Upside)$2.46M0.40%66Neutral

Performance Comparison

-10%0%10%20%30%FESCSQLVJPSVACSVFSEVAESLAug '26Sep '26Oct '26Nov '26
FESC and its peers over the selected period
Show on chartTickerCompany NamePriceChange% Change
FESCFirst Eagle Small Cap Equity ETF23.30-1.45-5.86%
SQLVLegg Mason Small-Cap Quality Value ETF53.0612.0429.36%
JPSVJPMorgan Active Small Cap Value ETF71.1714.9426.58%
ACSVAmerican Century Small Cap Value Insights ETF48.889.8025.06%
FSEVFidelity Enhanced Small Cap Value ETF26.381.375.46%
AESLHarbor AlphaEdge Small Cap Value ETF19.77-0.27-1.34%
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.