First Trust Active Factor Small Cap ETF

Frequently Asked Questions About AFSM

What does AFSM invest in?

First Trust Exchange-Traded Fund VIII - First Trust Active Factor Small Cap ETF is an exchange traded fund launched and managed by First Trust Advisors L.P. It invests in public equity markets of the United States. It invests in stocks of companies operating across diversified sectors. The fund invests in growth and value stocks of small-cap companies. The fund employs quantitative analysis to create its portfolio. It seeks to benchmark the performance of its portfolio against the Russell 2000 Index and the Russell 3000 Index. First Trust Exchange-Traded Fund VIII - First Trust Active Factor Small Cap ETF was formed on December 3, 2019 and is domiciled in the United States.

What is the expense ratio of AFSM?

First Trust Active Factor Small Cap ETF (AFSM) charges an expense ratio of 0.75%. This is the annual fee deducted from fund assets to cover management and operations.

How big is AFSM?

First Trust Active Factor Small Cap ETF (AFSM) manages $112.9M in total assets. AUM determines bid-ask liquidity and the fund's vulnerability to closure — funds below ~$50M are at higher risk of liquidation.

Is AFSM actively managed or an index fund?

AFSM is a passive index fund — it tracks a published benchmark by holding the constituents in their published weights. Index funds typically charge low expense ratios (AFSM's is 0.75%) because there's no security selection cost.

When was AFSM launched?

First Trust Active Factor Small Cap ETF (AFSM) launched in December 2019 and is managed by First Trust.

How has AFSM performed?

AFSM's total return — price change plus reinvested distributions — is charted at the top of this page. Switch the price chart to Total Return and pick a 1-year, 3-year, 5-year, or 10-year window to read the compound annual growth rate (CAGR) over each horizon.