FSGSvsFADETF Comparison
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First Trust SMID Growth Strength ETF (FSGS) and First Trust Multi Cap Growth AlphaDEX Fund ETF (FAD) belong to the same industry segment: US Multi-Factor. FSGS's top 3 sector exposures are Finance, Healthcare and Technology. In contrast, FAD's top sector exposures are Technology, Industrials and Healthcare. FSGS is less expensive with a Total Expense Ratio (TER) of 0.6%, versus 0.63% for FAD. FSGS is up 8.41% year-to-date (YTD) with +$2M in YTD flows. FAD performs better with 11.34% YTD performance, and +$172M in YTD flows. Run a side-by-side ETF comparison of FSGS and FAD 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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FSGS vs FAD performance and flow charts
Performance
Cumulative Flows
Historic performance and flows
Data as of 09/14/2026
| 1M | 3M | YTD | 1Y | 3Y | 5Y | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Perf. | FSGS FAD | -3.17%-7.18% | +5.29%-7.18% | +8.41%+11.34% | +5.15%+13.24% | +29.81%+73.82% | +27.60%+50.73% |
| Flows | FSGS FAD | -+$18M | +$2M+$75M | +$2M+$172M | +$107K+$197M | -$3M+$267M | +$11M+$227M |
Volatility and drawdown
| 3M | 1Y | 3Y | 5Y | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Volatility | FSGS FAD | +13.49%+19.84% | +14.75%+20.81% | +18.71%+20.06% | +19.94%+21.47% |
| Max drawdown | FSGS FAD | -4.62%-10.67% | -11.35%-10.70% | -23.71%-23.51% | -23.71%-31.99% |
| Max drawdown duration | FSGS FAD | 32d76d | 160d81d | 585d230d | 585d967d |
Trading data
FSGS | FAD | |
Last sale 9/15/2026 at 1:30 PM | $32.64 | $178.58 |
| Previous close 09/15/2026 | $32.99 | $180.05 |
| Consolidated volume 09/15/2026 | ||
| Average volume 30 days | ||
| Average discount or premium 30 days | ||
| Average Bid/Ask spread 30 days |
Replication quality
Data as of August 31, 2026
1-year trailing difference
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FSGS | FAD | |
|---|---|---|
| Tracking error | ||
| Tracking difference | ||
| 1 year cumulative return difference | ||
| Best | ||
| Worst | ||
| Daily return difference | ||
| Average | ||
| Worst | ||
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Main metrics
Last update 9/15/2026 at 1:30 PM
Live
Closed
FSGS | FAD | |
|---|---|---|
| Last price | $32.64 | $178.58 |
| 1D performance | -1.05% | -0.82% |
| AuM | $31.33 M | $585.13 M |
| E/R | 0.6% | 0.63% |
Characteristics
FSGS | FAD | |
|---|---|---|
| Management strategy | Passive | Passive |
| Provider | First Trust | First Trust |
| Benchmark | The SMID Growth Strength Index | NASDAQ AlphaDEX Multi Cap Growth Index |
| N° of holdings | 99 | 666 |
| Asset class | - | Equities |
| Trailing 12m distribution yield | Join | Join |
| Inception date | June 20, 2017 | May 8, 2007 |
| ESG | No | No |
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Exposure
Countries
FSGS
USA
96.74%
Other
3.26%
FAD
USA
96.26%
Other
3.74%
Sectors
FSGS
Finance
29.35%
Healthcare
19.13%
Technology
15.82%
Industrials
12.85%
Other
22.85%
FAD
Technology
23.83%
Industrials
20.02%
Healthcare
17.73%
Finance
14.43%
Other
23.99%
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Diversification
FSGS
Total weight of top 15 holdings out of 15
18.21%
FAD
Total weight of top 15 holdings out of 15
7.04%
Top 15 holdings
Data as of July 31, 2026
FSGS
Elastic NV
1.33%
Halozyme Therapeutics, Inc.
1.30%
InterDigital, Inc.
1.25%
UiPath, Inc.
1.25%
Manhattan Associates, Inc.
1.23%
Paymentus Holdings, Inc.
1.23%
Veeva Systems, Inc.
1.22%
Tidewater, Inc.
1.21%
Cactus, Inc.
1.20%
Heritage Insurance Holdings, Inc.
1.18%
Oceaneering International, Inc.
1.18%
PTC, Inc.
1.17%
AppFolio, Inc.
1.16%
Paylocity Holding Corp.
1.15%
Inspire Medical Systems, Inc.
1.15%
FAD
Incyte Corp.
0.53%
Everpure, Inc.
0.53%
Lumentum Holdings, Inc.
0.49%
Interactive Brokers Group, Inc.
0.49%
Dell Technologies, Inc.
0.48%
Fortinet, Inc.
0.47%
Morgan Stanley
0.47%
Illumina, Inc.
0.46%
United Rentals, Inc.
0.46%
Natera, Inc.
0.45%
EMCOR Group, Inc.
0.45%
eBay, Inc.
0.44%
Medpace Holdings, Inc.
0.44%
Quanta Services, Inc.
0.44%
Analog Devices, Inc.
0.44%
Frequently asked questions about FSGS and FAD
How have the FSGS and FAD ETFs performed in 2026?
As of September 14, 2026, FSGS is up 8.41% year-to-date (YTD), while FAD has returned 11.34%. That puts FAD better performer ahead so far this year.
Which ETF is attracting more investor money: FSGS or FAD?
Year-to-date, the FSGS ETF saw +$2M in flows, compared to +$172M for FAD.
Which ETF is more volatile: FSGS or FAD?
Over the past year, FSGS had a volatility of 14.75%, while FAD experienced 20.81%.
Which ETF is bigger: FSGS or FAD?
As of September 14, 2026, FSGS holds $31.33 M in assets under management (AUM), while FAD manages $585.13 M.
What sectors do the FSGS and FAD ETFs invest in?
FSGS leans toward sectors like Finance, Healthcare and Technology. Meanwhile, FAD focuses on Technology, Industrials and Healthcare.
What are the top holdings of the FSGS ETF and FAD ETF?
FSGS top holdings include Elastic NV, Halozyme Therapeutics, Inc. and InterDigital, Inc.. FAD holds in its top three: Incyte Corp., Everpure, Inc. and Lumentum Holdings, Inc..
Which ETF is more diversified: FSGS or FAD?
FSGS holds 99 securities with 18.21% of its assets in the top 15. FAD has 666 securities and a top 15 weight of 7.04%.
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