First Trust, the ninth-largest U.S. ETF issuer, will introduce three new dividend exchange traded funds in early 2014.
Illinois-based First Trust said it expects to introduce the the First Trust High Income ETF (NasdaqGS: FTHI), the First Trust Low Beta Income ETF (NasdaqGS: FTLB) and the First Trust NASDAQ Rising Dividend Achievers ETF (NasdaqGS: RDVY) on Jan. 7, according to a statement.
The NASDAQ Rising Dividend Achievers Index “is designed to provide access to a diversified portfolio of companies with a history of paying dividends. The Index methodology also considers each company’s earnings growth and compares the level of cash held by the company with its debt profile,” according to an SEC filing.
“The Index is comprised of 50 companies with a history of raising their dividends and that exhibit the characteristics to potentially continue doing so in the future. The index construction process considers a company’s earnings growth, levels of cash compared to debt and the amount of earnings that are paid out as dividends. Sector weights differ from traditional dividend paying strategies and are currently tilted toward those with the best dividend growth rates, such as the technology sector,” according to the First Trust statement.
“The First Trust High Income ETF and the First Trust Low Beta Income ETF will combine an equity portfolio that is focused on dividend-paying stocks with an index option strategy to provide an overall portfolio that is tactical, transparent and actively managed,” the issuer said in the statement.
NASDAQ indices are used for popular dividend ETFs such as the PowerShares High Yield Equity Dividend Achievers Portfolio (NYSEArca: PEY) and the PowerShares Dividend Achievers Portfolio (NYSEArca: PFM).
Well-known First Trust Dividend ETFs include the First Trust NASDAQ Technology Dividend Index Fund (NasdaqGS: TDIV) and the First Trust Value Line Dividend Index Fund (NYSEArca: FVD). FVD had $791.5 million in assets under management while TDIV has $281.4 million.
ETF Trends editorial team contributed to this post.