AFSMvsPSCETF Comparison
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First Trust Active Factor Small Cap ETF (AFSM) and Principal U.S. Small-Cap ETF (PSC) belong to the same industry segment: US Multi-Factor. AFSM's top 3 sector exposures are Technology, Finance and Healthcare. In contrast, PSC's top sector exposures are Finance, Technology and Healthcare. AFSM is more expensive with a Total Expense Ratio (TER) of 0.75%, versus 0.38% for PSC. AFSM is up 21.04% year-to-date (YTD) with +$37M in YTD flows. PSC performs worse with 17.36% YTD performance, and +$375M in YTD flows. Run a side-by-side ETF comparison of AFSM and PSC below, and assess how they stack up in performance, liquidity, risk, exposure, holdings, and more, helping you select the best ETF for your investments.
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AFSM vs PSC performance and flow charts
Performance
Cumulative Flows
Historic performance and flows
Data as of 07/24/2026
| 1M | 3M | YTD | 1Y | 3Y | 5Y | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Perf. | AFSM PSC | -0.12%-0.98% | +8.29%+6.66% | +21.04%+17.36% | +31.97%+27.72% | +57.49%+57.18% | +60.59%+56.77% |
| Flows | AFSM PSC | +$14M-$25M | +$21M+$86M | +$37M+$375M | +$60M+$1.04B | +$95M+$1.49B | +$98M+$171M |
Volatility and drawdown
| 3M | 1Y | 3Y | 5Y | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Volatility | AFSM PSC | +17.48%+16.36% | +17.97%+17.64% | +19.73%+19.60% | +21.09%+20.65% |
| Max drawdown | AFSM PSC | -4.08%-3.74% | -9.36%-9.87% | -24.90%-23.69% | -28.44%-25.73% |
| Max drawdown duration | AFSM PSC | 19d24d | 46d84d | 303d284d | 815d844d |
Trading data
AFSM | PSC | |
Last sale 7/27/2026 at 6:04 PM | $39.74 | $68.00 |
| Previous close 07/24/2026 | $39.68 | $67.46 |
| Consolidated volume 07/24/2026 | ||
| Average volume 30 days | ||
| Average discount or premium 30 days | ||
| Average Bid/Ask spread 30 days |
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Main metrics
Last update 7/27/2026 at 6:04 PM
Live
Closed
AFSM | PSC | |
|---|---|---|
| Last price | $39.74 | $68.00 |
| 1D performance | +0.15% | +0.81% |
| AuM | $118.94 M | $2.21 B |
| E/R | 0.75% | 0.38% |
Characteristics
AFSM | PSC | |
|---|---|---|
| Management strategy | Active | Active |
| Provider | First Trust | Principal Global Investors |
| Benchmark | - | - |
| N° of holdings | 331 | 506 |
| Asset class | - | - |
| Trailing 12m distribution yield | Join | Join |
| Inception date | December 3, 2019 | September 21, 2016 |
| ESG | No | No |
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Exposure
Countries
AFSM
USA
90.5%
Other
9.5%
PSC
USA
92.64%
Other
7.36%
Sectors
AFSM
Technology
20.19%
Finance
19.34%
Healthcare
18.63%
Industrials
10.53%
Consumer Non-Cycl.
7.31%
Other
24%
PSC
Finance
22.18%
Technology
20.03%
Healthcare
16.89%
Industrials
14.07%
Other
26.83%
Diversification
AFSM
Total weight of top 15 holdings out of 15
11.65%
PSC
Total weight of top 15 holdings out of 15
14.5%
Top 15 holdings
Data as of June 30, 2026
AFSM
National HealthCare Corp.
0.94%
Blue Bird Corp.
0.94%
Penguin Solutions, Inc.
0.91%
Kulicke & Soffa Industries, Inc.
0.87%
Par Pacific Holdings, Inc.
0.80%
Ames National Corp.
0.78%
Matson, Inc.
0.77%
Sphere Entertainment Co.
0.74%
Liquidia Corp.
0.74%
TrustCo Bank Corp. NY
0.71%
Axcelis Technologies, Inc.
0.70%
Lincoln Educational Services Corp.
0.69%
Carpenter Technology Corp.
0.69%
Bloom Energy Corp.
0.69%
Bel Fuse, Inc.
0.68%
PSC
Sezzle, Inc.
1.31%
Hims & Hers Health, Inc.
1.30%
Credo Technology Group Holding Ltd.
1.22%
Sterling Infrastructure, Inc.
1.14%
DigitalOcean Holdings, Inc.
1.07%
TTM Technologies, Inc.
1.07%
Argan, Inc.
1.00%
Vicor Corp.
0.92%
Bread Financial Holdings, Inc.
0.92%
Guardant Health, Inc.
0.88%
Zeta Global Holdings Corp.
0.77%
Powell Industries, Inc.
0.75%
Enova International, Inc.
0.74%
Dycom Industries, Inc.
0.71%
Planet Labs PBC
0.70%
Frequently asked questions about AFSM and PSC
How have the AFSM and PSC ETFs performed in 2026?
As of July 24, 2026, AFSM is up 21.04% year-to-date (YTD), while PSC has returned 17.36%. That puts AFSM better performer ahead so far this year.
Which ETF is attracting more investor money: AFSM or PSC?
Year-to-date, the AFSM ETF saw +$37M in flows, compared to +$375M for PSC.
Which ETF is more volatile: AFSM or PSC?
Over the past year, AFSM had a volatility of 17.97%, while PSC experienced 17.64%.
Which ETF is bigger: AFSM or PSC?
As of July 24, 2026, AFSM holds $118.94 M in assets under management (AUM), while PSC manages $2.21 B.
What sectors do the AFSM and PSC ETFs invest in?
AFSM leans toward sectors like Technology, Finance and Healthcare. Meanwhile, PSC focuses on Finance, Technology and Healthcare.
What are the top holdings of the AFSM ETF and PSC ETF?
AFSM top holdings include National HealthCare Corp., Blue Bird Corp. and Penguin Solutions, Inc.. PSC holds in its top three: Sezzle, Inc., Hims & Hers Health, Inc. and Credo Technology Group Holding Ltd..
Which ETF is more diversified: AFSM or PSC?
AFSM holds 332 securities with 11.65% of its assets in the top 15. PSC has 507 securities and a top 15 weight of 14.5%.
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