XPND - ETF AI Analysis

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First Trust Expanded Technology ETF (XPND)

Rating:76Outperform

Price Target:―

XPND, the First Trust Expanded Technology ETF, earns a solid overall rating largely because many of its biggest positions—like Alphabet and Apple—combine strong financial performance with bullish outlooks and strategic focus on AI, cloud, and services, supporting long-term growth. Other major holdings such as Lam Research, Cisco, Nvidia, and Applied Materials also add strength through solid earnings and AI-related expansion, though their high valuations and occasional bearish technical signals, along with similar concerns for names like Palantir and Palo Alto Networks, introduce risk. The main risk factor is the fund’s heavy concentration in high-valuation technology and AI-focused companies, which can make it more sensitive to market swings and shifts in sentiment toward the tech sector.

Positive Factors

Strong Semiconductor Exposure

Several major chip-related holdings like Applied Materials, Lam Research, KLA, and Broadcom have shown strong year-to-date performance, helping support the ETF’s returns.

Leading Technology Giants

Top positions in well-known tech names such as Apple, Nvidia, Cisco, Alphabet, and Broadcom provide exposure to companies with solid recent performance and established market positions.

Focused Tech and Communication Mix

The fund’s heavy tilt toward technology and communication services offers concentrated exposure to sectors that have generally been strong drivers of growth over time.

Negative Factors

High Sector Concentration

With most assets in technology and related sectors, the ETF is vulnerable to downturns in the tech industry.

Limited Geographic Diversification

Almost all holdings are U.S.-based, so the fund offers little protection if the U.S. market faces broad weakness.

Relatively High Expense Ratio

The ETF’s fee is on the higher side for a passive fund, which can slightly reduce net returns for long-term investors.

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

AUM38.82M

RegionNorth America

Expense Ratio0.65%

Beta1.32

IssuerFirst Trust

Inception DateJun 14, 2021

Dividend Yield0.08%

Asset ClassEquity

Index TrackedNo Underlying Index

Share Statistics

EPS (TTM)N/A

Shares OutstandingN/A

10 Day Avg. Volume3,085

30 Day Avg. Volume4,393

Financial Highlights & Ratios

PEG RatioN/A

Price to Book (P/B)N/A

Price to Sales (P/S)N/A

P/FCF RatioN/A

Enterprise Value/Market CapN/A

Enterprise Value/RevenueN/A

Enterprise Value/Gross ProfitN/A

Enterprise Value/EbitdaN/A

Forecast

1Y Price Target

49.53

Price Target Upside― Downside

Rating ConsensusStrong Buy

Number of Analyst Covering51

EPS Forecast (FY)N/A

Revenue Forecast (FY)N/A

XPND Summary

First Trust Expanded Technology ETF (XPND) is a fund that focuses on the broad technology theme rather than tracking a specific index. It invests mainly in U.S. companies involved in areas like artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, cloud computing, and the Internet of Things. Well-known holdings include Apple, Nvidia, Alphabet (Google), Visa, and Mastercard, along with other major tech and digital payment firms. Someone might invest in XPND for growth potential and easy diversification across many leading and emerging tech companies. A key risk is that it is heavily tilted toward technology, so its value can rise and fall sharply with the tech sector.

How much will it cost me?The First Trust Expanded Technology ETF (XPND) has an expense ratio of 0.65%, meaning you’ll pay $6.50 per year for every $1,000 invested. This is higher than the average for ETFs because it is actively managed, focusing on a specialized portfolio of technology companies rather than tracking a broad index.

What would affect this ETF?The First Trust Expanded Technology ETF (XPND) could benefit from continued growth in areas like artificial intelligence, cloud computing, and cybersecurity, as these technologies drive innovation and demand across industries. However, rising interest rates or economic slowdowns could negatively impact the technology sector, as higher borrowing costs and reduced consumer spending may affect growth for both established companies like Apple and Microsoft and emerging innovators. Additionally, regulatory scrutiny on major tech firms such as Alphabet and Meta could pose challenges to the ETF's performance.

XPND Top 10 Holdings

XPND is leaning heavily into U.S. tech and digital infrastructure, with a notable tilt toward payment networks and AI-driven names. Mastercard and Visa are quietly powering the fund higher, rising on solid spending trends and steady cash flows. On the more explosive side, Palantir has been a standout riser, giving the portfolio an AI-fueled boost. Chip makers like Applied Materials and Lam Research have also been strong engines, even if they occasionally sputter. Offsetting some of that strength, Netflix has been lagging, acting as a bit of a brake on recent performance.

Name	Company Name	Weight %	Market Value	Market Cap	Yearly Gain	Overall Rating
MA	Mastercard	5.61%	$2.21M	$521.49B	0.00%	75 Outperform
PLTR	Palantir Technologies	5.54%	$2.18M	$447.67B	18.88%	74 Outperform
V	Visa	5.44%	$2.14M	$712.47B	8.48%	70 Outperform
NVDA	Nvidia	4.79%	$1.89M	$5.24T	24.90%	76 Outperform
AMAT	Applied Materials	4.77%	$1.88M	$366.38B	187.18%	77 Outperform
AAPL	Apple	4.77%	$1.88M	$4.67T	37.72%	79 Outperform
NFLX	Netflix	4.42%	$1.74M	$340.28B	-32.36%	73 Outperform
LRCX	Lam Research	4.41%	$1.74M	$377.77B	201.45%	77 Outperform
CSCO	Cisco Systems	4.25%	$1.67M	$433.28B	59.11%	77 Outperform
GOOGL	Alphabet Class A	4.24%	$1.67M	$4.22T	62.79%	85 Outperform

XPND Technical Analysis

Technical Analysis Sentiment

Negative

Last Price―

Price Trends

50DMA

39.26

Negative

100DMA

39.12

Negative

200DMA

37.08

Positive

Market Momentum

MACD

-0.12

Positive

RSI

46.71

Neutral

STOCH

43.13

Neutral

Evaluating momentum and price trends is crucial in ETF analysis to make informed investment decisions. For XPND, the sentiment is Negative. The current price of undefined is equal to the 20-day moving average (MA) of 39.40, equal to the 50-day MA of 39.26, and equal to the 200-day MA of 37.08, indicating a neutral trend. The MACD of -0.12 indicates Positive momentum. The RSI at 46.71 is Neutral, neither overbought nor oversold. The STOCH value of 43.13 is Neutral, not indicating any strong overbought or oversold conditions. Overall, these indicators collectively point to a Negative sentiment for XPND.

XPND Peer Comparison

Comparison Results

Name	Price	Price Target	AUM	Expense Ratio	Overall Rating
XPND	―	―	$38.82M	0.65%	76 Outperform
CCSO	―	―	$48.05M	0.35%	68 Neutral
LRNZ	―	―	$41.05M	0.69%	65 Neutral
GK	―	―	$31.57M	0.77%	72 Outperform
TEC	―	―	$6.74M	0.69%	73 Outperform
USMD	―	―	$315.45K	0.87%	71 Outperform

Performance Comparison

XPND

First Trust Expanded Technology ETF

38.82

4.05

11.65%

CCSO

Carbon Collective Climate Solutions U.S. Equity ETF

―

LRNZ

TrueShares Technology, AI & Deep Learning ETF

―

AdvisorShares Gerber Kawasaki ETF

―

TEC

Harbor Transformative Technologies ETF

―

USMD

CoreValues America First Technology ETF

―

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.

DisclaimerThis 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.Date of analysis: ―

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