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FTDS

First Trust Total US Market AlphaDEX ETF (FTDS)

Rating:74Outperform
Price Target:$71.00â–²(5.32% Upside)

FTDS, the First Trust Total US Market AlphaDEX ETF, earns a solid overall rating thanks to several strong, diversified holdings like Cognizant, Devon Energy, Quest Diagnostics, and Broadridge, which all show healthy financial performance, supportive earnings calls, and generally favorable technical or valuation profiles. The fund is somewhat held back by names such as Garmin and Allegion, where bearish or cautious technical signals and only moderate valuation appeal introduce short-term uncertainty. The main risk factor is that several top holdings face specific operational or sector challenges (such as energy cash flow pressures or healthcare margin issues), which could increase volatility even though the overall mix remains broadly diversified across industries.

Positive Factors
Solid Recent PerformanceThe ETF has shown strong gains so far this year and in recent months, indicating positive momentum.
Broad Sector DiversificationHoldings spread across financials, energy, industrials, technology, and several other sectors help reduce the impact of weakness in any single industry.
Focused U.S. ExposureAlmost all assets are invested in U.S. companies, giving investors targeted exposure to the U.S. market.
Negative Factors
High Expense RatioThe fund’s fees are relatively high for an ETF, which can eat into long-term returns for investors.
Sector Concentration RiskLarge weights in financial and energy stocks mean the fund can be more sensitive to downturns in those sectors.
Several Weak Top HoldingsMany of the largest positions have delivered weak performance this year, which could drag on future returns if the trend continues.

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

AUM
40.35M
Region
North America
Expense Ratio
0.70%
Beta
0.56
Issuer
First Trust
Inception Date
Dec 05, 2006
Dividend Yield
1.57%
Asset Class
Equity
Index Tracked
The Dividend Strength Index

FTDS Summary

FTDS, the First Trust Total US Market AlphaDEX ETF, is a fund that follows a total U.S. market theme using the Dividend Strength Index. It aims to give you broad exposure to many American companies across sectors like financials, energy, technology, and industrials. The ETF holds well-known names such as Intuit and Northrop Grumman, along with many mid-sized firms, which can help with diversification and long-term growth potential. A key risk is that the fund can go up and down with the overall U.S. stock market, and its strategy may underperform simpler index funds at times.

How much will it cost me?

This ETF has an expense ratio of 0.70%, which means you’ll pay about $7 per year for every $1,000 invested. That’s higher than the average ETF because it uses an active, rules-based AlphaDEX strategy instead of simple passive index tracking.

What would affect this ETF?

Because FTDS focuses on the U.S. market with heavy exposure to financials and energy, it could benefit from a strong U.S. economy, rising corporate profits, and higher interest rates that can help banks, as well as stable or rising oil prices that support energy companies. On the other hand, economic slowdowns, falling energy prices, tighter regulations on financial firms, or market volatility that hurts its top holdings in technology and industrials could weigh on future performance, and its rules-based stock selection may lag if those factors fall out of favor.

FTDS Top 10 Holdings

FTDS is leaning heavily into U.S. financials and industrials, and that’s where the story starts. Cincinnati Financial is quietly steady, helping anchor returns, while Houlihan Lokey has been lagging and acting like a small brake on the fund. On the industrial side, Oshkosh and Toro are rising, giving the portfolio some cyclical punch. In tech, Qualcomm and NXP Semiconductors add a growth tilt, with Qualcomm’s recent momentum helping offset mixed signals elsewhere. With all holdings U.S.-based, this ETF is a domestically focused, sector-tilted play on financial and industrial strength.

FTDS top ten holdings
NameCompany NameWeight %Market ValueMarket CapYearly GainOverall Rating
NXPINXPINXP Semiconductors2.19%$889.16K$65.44B25.79%70Neutral
EFXEFXEquifax2.22%$899.37K$21.60B-12.72%71Outperform
CDWCDWCDW1.98%$802.78K$19.23B-1.92%62Neutral
TXRHTXRHTexas Roadhouse2.10%$851.46K$11.98B10.34%72Outperform
NOCNOCNorthrop Grumman2.08%$842.44K$79.21B-3.64%76Outperform
QCOMQCOMQualcomm1.86%$752.10K$175.97B-7.03%80Outperform
GDGDGeneral Dynamics2.10%$850.25K$100.81B8.10%80Outperform
HLIHLIHoulihan Lokey2.07%$836.83K$9.60B-30.75%70Outperform
HALHALHalliburton2.09%$848.15K$29.92B34.16%72Outperform
TTCTTCThe Toro Company2.08%$843.17K$10.22B43.79%69Neutral

FTDS Technical Analysis

Technical Analysis SentimentPositive
Last Price67.42

Price Trends

50DMA64.77Positive
100DMA63.80Positive
200DMA61.92Positive

Market Momentum

MACD0.92Negative
RSI69.12Neutral
STOCH85.64Negative

Evaluating momentum and price trends is crucial in ETF analysis to make informed investment decisions. For FTDS, the sentiment is Positive. The current price of 67.42 is above the 20-day moving average (MA) of 65.05, above the 50-day MA of 64.77, and above the 200-day MA of 61.92, indicating a bullish trend. The MACD of 0.92 indicates Negative momentum. The RSI at 69.12 is Neutral, neither overbought nor oversold. The STOCH value of 85.64 is Negative, not indicating any strong overbought or oversold conditions. Overall, these indicators collectively point to a Positive sentiment for FTDS.

FTDS Peer Comparison

Comparison Results

FTDS against its peer funds
NamePricePrice TargetAUMExpense RatioOverall Rating
FTDSFTDS$67.42$71.00(5.32% Upside)$40.35M0.70%74Outperform
BUZZBUZZ$32.98$51.61(56.49% Upside)$91.89M0.76%65Neutral
STNCSTNC$37.32$42.63(14.24% Upside)$93.14M0.85%68Neutral
SOVFSOVF$31.63$37.40(18.24% Upside)$90.20M0.75%70Neutral
PFOEPFOE$21.63$29.13(34.68% Upside)$88.71M0.59%75Outperform
VAMOVAMO$36.31$42.56(17.21% Upside)$87.92M0.65%63Neutral

Performance Comparison

-20%0%20%FTDSBUZZSTNCSOVFPFOEVAMODec '25Jan '26Feb '26Mar '26Apr '26May '26Jun '26Jul '26Aug '26Sep '26Oct '26
FTDS and its peers over the selected period
Show on chartTickerCompany NamePriceChange% Change
FTDSFirst Trust Total US Market AlphaDEX ETF67.4214.4827.36%
BUZZVanEck Social Sentiment ETF32.98-4.64-12.33%
STNCStance Equity ESG Large Cap Core ETF37.325.0015.49%
SOVFSovereign's Capital Flourish Fund31.633.2111.29%
PFOEPathfinder Focused Opportunities ETF21.63-3.23-13.00%
VAMOCambria Value & Momentum ETF36.313.7111.37%
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.