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RND

First Trust Bloomberg R&D Leaders ETF (RND)

Rating:76Outperform
Price Target:$37.00â–²(14.12% Upside)

RND, the First Trust Bloomberg R&D Leaders ETF, earns a solid overall rating largely because it is heavily invested in innovation leaders like Apple, Microsoft, Alphabet, Nvidia, and Micron, all of which show strong financial performance, positive earnings commentary, and promising growth in areas like AI, cloud, and data centers. Some holdings such as Amazon, Tesla, Eli Lilly, AMD, and Broadcom face risks from high valuations, leverage, or mixed technical signals, which can limit upside and add volatility. The main risk factor is the fund’s concentration in a relatively small group of large, growth-focused tech and AI-related companies, making it sensitive to shifts in sentiment or regulation around these sectors.

Positive Factors
Strong Year-to-Date PerformanceThe ETF has delivered solid gains so far this year, showing that its strategy has worked well in the current market.
Leading Technology and Healthcare HoldingsTop positions in well-known technology and healthcare companies with generally strong recent performance help support the fund’s returns.
Focused Innovation ExposureBy concentrating on research-and-development leaders, the ETF gives investors targeted exposure to companies driving innovation and long-term growth trends.
Negative Factors
High Expense RatioThe fund’s relatively high fee means more of your potential return is eaten up by costs compared with cheaper index ETFs.
Concentration in a Few Large StocksA small group of big technology and consumer companies makes up a large share of the portfolio, increasing the impact if any of them struggle.
Mixed Performance Among Top HoldingsWhile several major positions have performed strongly, a few key holdings have shown weak or negative recent performance, which can drag on overall results.

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

AUM
9.94M
Region
North America
Expense Ratio
0.60%
Beta
1.26
Issuer
First Trust
Inception Date
Apr 30, 2024
Dividend Yield
0.03%
Asset Class
Equity
Index Tracked
Bloomberg R&D Leaders Select TR

RND Summary

The First Trust Bloomberg R&D Leaders ETF (RND) follows the Bloomberg R&D Leaders Select index, focusing on companies that spend heavily on research and development to drive future innovation. It mainly holds large U.S. firms in technology and health care, including well-known names like Apple and Microsoft, along with other major tech and pharma leaders. Someone might invest in RND to gain diversified exposure to innovative companies that could benefit from long-term growth driven by new products and technologies. A key risk is that it is heavily tilted toward tech and other growth stocks, so its price can rise and fall sharply with market swings and changes in investor sentiment.

How much will it cost me?

This ETF has an expense ratio of 0.60%, which means you’ll pay about $6 per year for every $1,000 you invest. That’s higher than the average cost for broad, passively managed index ETFs because this fund follows a more specialized strategy focused on R&D leaders, which typically requires more active research and management.

What would affect this ETF?

RND is heavily invested in innovative U.S. technology and health care companies like Amazon, Microsoft, Apple, and Nvidia, so it could benefit if demand for new digital tools, artificial intelligence, and medical breakthroughs stays strong and the U.S. economy remains healthy. On the downside, the fund could be hurt by rising interest rates that pressure growth stocks, tighter regulations on big tech or drug makers, or an economic slowdown that reduces spending on research and development and consumer services.

RND Top 10 Holdings

RND is leaning heavily into U.S. Big Tech and chipmakers, with Apple and Microsoft acting as steady anchors and helping keep the fund on a generally upward path. Amazon has been more of a wobbling wheel lately, with recent trading weakness dulling its impact. Nvidia, AMD, and Micron form the fund’s high-octane semiconductor engine, where AMD and Micron are rising while Nvidia’s momentum looks a bit mixed. Eli Lilly adds a powerful health care growth kicker, while Tesla’s rebound is helping offset earlier drag, all within a U.S.-centric innovation story.

RND top ten holdings
NameCompany NameWeight %Market ValueMarket CapYearly GainOverall Rating
AAPLAAPLApple8.56%$832.97K$5.03T26.98%79Outperform
MSFTMSFTMicrosoft8.42%$819.40K$3.88T-0.73%79Outperform
AMZNAMZNAmazon7.98%$776.57K$2.59T7.85%71Outperform
NVDANVDANvidia7.41%$721.36K$4.93T0.86%76Outperform
GOOGLGOOGLAlphabet Class A6.73%$654.83K$3.41T-0.58%85Outperform
LLYLLYEli Lilly & Co5.07%$493.30K$1.33T67.86%72Outperform
TSLATSLATesla4.66%$453.38K$1.58T-9.15%73Outperform
AVGOAVGOBroadcom3.84%$373.69K$1.56T-13.38%76Outperform
AMDAMDAdvanced Micro Devices3.41%$332.16K$824.07B98.09%73Outperform
MUMUMicron3.44%$334.43K$1.00T294.96%79Outperform

RND Technical Analysis

Technical Analysis SentimentNegative
Last Price32.42

Price Trends

50DMA33.25Negative
100DMA32.60Negative
200DMA31.22Positive

Market Momentum

MACD-0.14Positive
RSI38.89Neutral
STOCH44.07Neutral

Evaluating momentum and price trends is crucial in ETF analysis to make informed investment decisions. For RND, the sentiment is Negative. The current price of 32.42 is below the 20-day moving average (MA) of 33.52, below the 50-day MA of 33.25, and above the 200-day MA of 31.22, indicating a neutral trend. The MACD of -0.14 indicates Positive momentum. The RSI at 38.89 is Neutral, neither overbought nor oversold. The STOCH value of 44.07 is Neutral, not indicating any strong overbought or oversold conditions. Overall, these indicators collectively point to a Negative sentiment for RND.

RND Peer Comparison

Comparison Results

RND against its peer funds
NamePricePrice TargetAUMExpense RatioOverall Rating
RNDRND$32.42$37.00(14.12% Upside)$9.94M0.60%76Outperform
BUZZBUZZ$32.98$51.61(56.49% Upside)$91.89M0.76%65Neutral
STNCSTNC$37.32$42.62(14.20% 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$42.55(17.18% Upside)$87.92M0.65%63Neutral

Performance Comparison

-20%-10%0%10%RNDBUZZSTNCSOVFPFOEVAMODec '25Jan '26Feb '26Mar '26Apr '26May '26Jun '26Jul '26Aug '26Sep '26Oct '26
RND and its peers over the selected period
Show on chartTickerCompany NamePriceChange% Change
RNDFirst Trust Bloomberg R&D Leaders ETF32.421.284.11%
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.