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RND

First Trust Bloomberg R&D Leaders ETF (RND)

Rating:76Outperform
Price Target:$38.00â–²(13.66% Upside)

RND, the First Trust Bloomberg R&D Leaders ETF, earns a solid overall rating thanks to its heavy exposure to innovative tech leaders like Microsoft and Alphabet, whose strong financial performance, growth in cloud and AI, and generally supportive technical trends provide a powerful foundation for the fund. Additional strength comes from major positions in Apple, Nvidia, and Broadcom, which benefit from robust profitability and strategic focus on AI and data centers, though their premium valuations and occasional technical or geopolitical risks can limit upside. The main risk factor is the fund’s concentration in high-valuation, R&D-heavy technology and semiconductor names, which could make it more sensitive to market pullbacks or shifts in sentiment toward growth stocks.

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
9.87M
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 essentially an innovation engine powered by U.S. Big Tech and chipmakers. Nvidia and AMD have been the fund’s turbochargers, with their AI-focused businesses rising and giving performance a strong lift. Apple and Meta are also pulling their weight, staying firmly in the growth lane. On the other side, Amazon and Alphabet have been more mixed lately, occasionally tapping the brakes, while Broadcom has lost a bit of momentum. With heavy exposure to U.S. technology and health care, this ETF is a concentrated bet on R&D-driven disruption.

RND top ten holdings
NameCompany NameWeight %Market ValueMarket CapYearly GainOverall Rating
MSFTMSFTMicrosoft8.36%$834.19K$3.95T-2.04%79Outperform
AAPLAAPLApple8.40%$838.94K$5.07T27.82%79Outperform
AMZNAMZNAmazon8.19%$817.77K$2.73T11.06%71Outperform
NVDANVDANvidia7.69%$768.24K$5.25T7.14%76Outperform
GOOGLGOOGLAlphabet Class A7.51%$750.16K$3.90T21.47%85Outperform
LLYLLYEli Lilly & Co4.47%$446.10K$1.21T57.09%72Outperform
TSLATSLATesla4.63%$462.06K$1.61T-12.23%73Outperform
AVGOAVGOBroadcom3.93%$392.31K$1.63T-5.67%76Outperform
METAMETAMeta Platforms3.45%$344.21K$1.59T-18.49%76Outperform
AMDAMDAdvanced Micro Devices3.69%$368.65K$914.61B124.19%73Outperform

RND Technical Analysis

Technical Analysis SentimentPositive
Last Price33.43

Price Trends

50DMA33.25Positive
100DMA32.57Positive
200DMA31.19Positive

Market Momentum

MACD-0.07Positive
RSI50.84Neutral
STOCH53.04Neutral

Evaluating momentum and price trends is crucial in ETF analysis to make informed investment decisions. For RND, the sentiment is Positive. The current price of 33.43 is below the 20-day moving average (MA) of 33.60, above the 50-day MA of 33.25, and above the 200-day MA of 31.19, indicating a neutral trend. The MACD of -0.07 indicates Positive momentum. The RSI at 50.84 is Neutral, neither overbought nor oversold. The STOCH value of 53.04 is Neutral, not indicating any strong overbought or oversold conditions. Overall, these indicators collectively point to a Positive sentiment for RND.

RND Peer Comparison

Comparison Results

RND against its peer funds
NamePricePrice TargetAUMExpense RatioOverall Rating
RNDRND$33.43$38.00(13.66% Upside)$9.87M0.60%76Outperform
BAMDBAMD$34.36$37.91(10.34% Upside)$100.25M0.87%70Outperform
STNCSTNC$36.86$42.50(15.29% Upside)$92.52M0.85%68Neutral
SOVFSOVF$31.89$37.51(17.61% Upside)$91.03M0.75%70Neutral
BUZZBUZZ$35.99$50.76(41.04% Upside)$89.93M0.76%65Neutral
PFOEPFOE$22.21$28.85(29.87% Upside)$88.08M0.59%75Outperform

Performance Comparison

-20%-10%0%10%20%RNDBAMDSTNCSOVFBUZZPFOENov '25Dec '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 ETF33.432.698.75%
BAMDBrookstone Dividend Stock ETF34.365.4618.89%
STNCStance Equity ESG Large Cap Core ETF36.864.3513.39%
SOVFSovereign's Capital Flourish Fund31.893.2511.37%
BUZZVanEck Social Sentiment ETF35.99-1.25-3.36%
PFOEPathfinder Focused Opportunities ETF22.21-2.64-10.64%
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.