First Trust Launches First Trust Bloomberg R&D Leaders ETF

First Trust Advisors L.P. (“First Trust”), a leading exchange-traded fund (“ETF”) provider and asset manager, announced today that it has launched a new ETF, the First Trust Bloomberg R&D Leaders ETF (NYSE Arca: RND) (the “fund”). The fund seeks investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield (before the fund’s fees and expenses) of an index called the Bloomberg R&D Leaders Select Index (the “Index”).

RND provides exposure to companies that seek to return implicit value to shareholders by reinvesting in their own growth. The fund aims to include companies that have consistently increased their research and development (“R&D”) expenditures for at least three consecutive years and that have a meaningful portion of their sales devoted to R&D expenditures.

“Innovation is the critical engine of growth that powers the U.S. economy,” said Ryan Issakainen, CFA, Senior Vice President and ETF Strategist at First Trust. “A common thread running through the most innovative companies is a commitment to research and development.” To harness these waves of innovation, companies frequently invest resources to enhance existing products or processes in order to generate a future economic benefit. Over time, the continual growth of R&D expenditures may contribute to greater sales and net income growth for these businesses as compared to the market.

“We built the Bloomberg R&D Leaders Select Index to provide investors with the opportunity to explore the specific theme of companies committed to growth through research & development prioritization. We are excited to grow our relationship with First Trust as they continue to deliver differentiated products for their clients,” said Allison Stone, Head of Multi-Asset Product, Bloomberg Index Services Limited.

For more information about First Trust, please contact Ryan Issakainen at [phone] or [e-mail].

About First Trust

First Trust is a federally registered investment advisor and serves as the fund’s investment advisor. First Trust and its affiliate First Trust Portfolios L.P. (“FTP”), a FINRA registered broker-dealer, are privately held companies that provide a variety of investment services. First Trust has collective assets under management or supervision of approximately $226 billion as of March 28, 2024 through unit investment trusts, exchange-traded funds, closed-end funds, mutual funds and separate managed accounts. First Trust is the supervisor of the First Trust unit investment trusts, while FTP is the sponsor. FTP is also a distributor of mutual fund shares and exchange-traded fund creation units. First Trust and FTP are based in Wheaton, Illinois. For more information, visit https://www.ftportfolios.com.