485BPOS 1 etf6_485b.htm POST-EFFECTIVE AMENDMENT

As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on January 29, 2018

 

1933 Act Registration No. 333-182308

1940 Act Registration No. 811-22717

 

United States

Securities and Exchange Commission

Washington, D.C. 20549

Form N-1A
 

Registration Statement Under the Securities Act of 1933 [   ]
Pre-Effective Amendment No. __ [   ]
Post-Effective Amendment No. 88 [X]
and/or
Registration Statement Under the Investment Company Act of 1940 [   ]
Amendment No. 90 [X]

First Trust Exchange-Traded Fund VI

(Exact name of registrant as specified in charter)

120 East Liberty Drive, Suite 400

Wheaton, Illinois 60187

(Address of Principal Executive Offices) (Zip Code)

Registrant’s Telephone Number, including Area Code: (800) 621-1675

W. Scott Jardine, Esq., Secretary

First Trust Exchange-Traded Fund VI

First Trust Advisors L.P.

120 East Liberty Drive, Suite 400

Wheaton, Illinois 60187

(Name and Address of Agent for Service)

Copy to:

Eric F. Fess, Esq.

Chapman and Cutler LLP

111 West Monroe Street

Chicago, Illinois 60603

It is proposed that this filing will become effective (check appropriate box):

[   ] immediately upon filing pursuant to paragraph (b)

[X] on February 1, 2018 pursuant to paragraph (b)

[   ] 60 days after filing pursuant to paragraph (a)(1)

[   ] on (date) pursuant to paragraph (a)(1)

[   ] 75 days after filing pursuant to paragraph (a)(2)

[   ] on (date) pursuant to paragraph (a)(2) of Rule 485.

If appropriate, check the following box:

[   ] this post-effective amendment designates a new effective date for a previously filed post-effective amendment.

 
 

Contents of Post-Effective Amendment No. 88

This Registration Statement comprises the following papers and contents:

The Facing Sheet

Part A - Prospectus for First Trust Dorsey Wright Focus 5 ETF, First Trust Dorsey Wright International Focus 5 ETF, First Trust Dorsey Wright Dynamic Focus 5 ETF, First Trust NASDAQ Technology Dividend Index Fund, First Trust RBA American Industrial Renaissance® ETF, First Trust RBA Quality Income ETF, First Trust Rising Dividend Achievers ETF, International Multi-Asset Diversified Income Index Fund and Multi-Asset Diversified Income Index Fund; Prospectus for First Trust BuyWrite Income ETF and First Trust Hedged BuyWrite Income ETF

Part B - Statement of Additional Information for First Trust Dorsey Wright Focus 5 ETF, First Trust Dorsey Wright International Focus 5 ETF, First Trust Dorsey Wright Dynamic Focus 5 ETF, First Trust NASDAQ Technology Dividend Index Fund, First Trust RBA American Industrial Renaissance® ETF, First Trust RBA Quality Income ETF, First Trust Rising Dividend Achievers ETF, International Multi-Asset Diversified Income Index Fund and Multi-Asset Diversified Income Index Fund; Statement of Additional Information for First Trust BuyWrite Income ETF and First Trust Hedged BuyWrite Income ETF

Part C - Other Information

Signatures

Index to Exhibits

Exhibits

 

First Trust
Exchange-Traded Fund VI

Prospectus
FUND NAME TICKER SYMBOL EXCHANGE
First Trust Dorsey Wright Dynamic Focus 5 ETF FVC Nasdaq
First Trust Dorsey Wright Focus 5 ETF FV Nasdaq
First Trust Dorsey Wright International Focus 5 ETF IFV Nasdaq
First Trust Rising Dividend Achievers ETF RDVY Nasdaq
First Trust NASDAQ Technology Dividend Index Fund TDIV Nasdaq
First Trust RBA American Industrial Renaissance® ETF AIRR Nasdaq
First Trust RBA Quality Income ETF QINC Nasdaq
International Multi-Asset Diversified Income Index Fund YDIV Nasdaq
Multi-Asset Diversified Income Index Fund MDIV Nasdaq
Each of the funds listed above (each a “Fund, and collectively, the “Funds”) lists and principally trades its shares on The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC (“Nasdaq” or the “Exchange”). Market prices may differ to some degree from the net asset value of the shares. Unlike mutual funds, each Fund issues and redeems shares at net asset value, only in large specified blocks each consisting of 50,000 shares (each such block of shares called a “Creation Unit, and collectively, the “Creation Units”). Each Fund’s Creation Units are generally issued and redeemed in-kind for securities in which the Fund invests and, in certain circumstances, for cash, and only to and from broker-dealers and large institutional investors that have entered into participation agreements.
Each Fund is a series of First Trust Exchange-Traded Fund VI (the “Trust”) and an exchange-traded index fund organized as a separate series of a registered management investment company.
Except when aggregated in Creation Units, the shares are not redeemable securities of the Funds.
The Securities and Exchange Commission has not approved or disapproved of these securities or passed upon the adequacy or accuracy of this prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
NOT FDIC INSURED    MAY LOSE VALUE    NO BANK GUARANTEE
February 1, 2018

Table of Contents
Summary Information  

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Summary Information
First Trust Dorsey Wright Dynamic Focus 5 ETF (FVC)
Investment Objective
The First Trust Dorsey Wright Dynamic Focus 5 ETF (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 Dorsey Wright Dynamic Focus Five Index (the “Index”).
Fees and Expenses of the Fund
The following table describes the fees and expenses you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the Fund. Investors purchasing and selling shares may be subject to costs (including customary brokerage commissions) charged by their broker, which are not reflected in the table below.
Shareholder Fees
(fees paid directly from your investment)
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Purchases (as a percentage of offering price) None
    
Annual Fund Operating Expenses
(expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
Management Fees 0.30%
Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fees(1) 0.00%
Other Expenses 0.00%
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses 0.59%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses 0.89%
(1) Although the Fund has adopted a 12b-1 plan that permits it to pay up to 0.25% per annum, it will not pay 12b-1 fees at any time before January 31, 2019.
Example
The example below is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other funds. This example does not take into account customary brokerage commissions that you pay when purchasing or selling shares of the Fund in the secondary market.
The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain at current levels until January 31, 2019, and thereafter at 1.14% to represent the imposition of the 12b-1 fee of 0.25% per annum of the Fund’s average daily net assets. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
1 Year 3 Years 5 Years 10 Years
$91 $337 $603 $1,364
Portfolio Turnover
The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 54% of the average value of its portfolio.
Principal Investment Strategies
The Fund will normally invest at least 80% of its total assets (including investment borrowings) in the exchange-traded funds (“ETFs”) and cash equivalents that comprise the Index. The ETFs in which the Fund invests are advised by First Trust Advisors L.P., the Fund’s investment advisor (“First Trust” or the “Advisor”). The cash equivalents in which the Fund may invest (the “Cash Proxy”) are 1- to 3-month U.S. Treasury Bills representing the component securities of a cash equivalent index (the Nasdaq US T-Bill Index (the “Cash Index”)) that is a component of the Index. The Fund, using an indexing investment approach, attempts to replicate, before fees and expenses, the performance of the Index. First Trust, the Fund’s investment advisor,
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First Trust Dorsey Wright Dynamic Focus 5 ETF (FVC)
seeks a correlation of 0.95 or better (before fees and expenses) between the Fund’s performance and the performance of the Index; a figure of 1.00 would represent perfect correlation. First Trust will regularly monitor the Fund’s tracking accuracy and will seek to maintain an appropriate correlation.
The Index is owned and was developed by Dorsey, Wright & Associates (the “Index Provider”). The Index is constructed pursuant to the Index Provider’s proprietary methodology, which takes into account the performance of each of the First Trust sector and industry-based ETFs relative to one another. The Index is designed to provide targeted exposure to the five First Trust sector and industry-based ETFs that the Index determines offer the greatest potential to outperform the other First Trust sector and industry-based ETFs and that satisfy certain trading volume and liquidity requirements. The Cash Index is also evaluated and its inclusion and weight in the Index is adjusted based upon its rank relative to the selection universe of sector and industry-based ETFs chosen by the Index. The Index Provider has retained Nasdaq, Inc., to calculate and maintain the Index.
Relative strength measures the price performance of a security versus a market average, another security or universe of securities. A security’s relative strength can improve if it rises more than the market in an uptrend, or goes down less than the market in a downtrend. The Index uses relative strength to evaluate the momentum of each First Trust sector and industry-based ETF to determine the five ETFs that have the highest level of momentum, which the Index determines have the greatest probability of outperforming the other First Trust sector and industry-based ETFs and that satisfy certain trading volume and liquidity requirements. The Index uses the price data of the selected First Trust sector and industry-based ETFs to perform the relative strength analysis. When determining relative strength, the Index takes into account a variety of factors to track movements and trends of securities prices over various time periods. The Index Provider has constructed the Index to identify longer term trends though a series of observations, which are used to determine the inputs for the relative strength analysis.
Security selection for the Index will be conducted in the following manner:
1. The selection universe of the Index begins with all of the First Trust ETFs and the Cash Index.
2. The Index then identifies the First Trust ETFs that are designed to target a specific sector or industry group, or that have a significant overweight towards a particular sector or industry group. The selected ETFs must also satisfy certain trading volume and liquidity requirements.
3. The sector and industry-based First Trust ETFs are then ranked using a relative strength methodology that is based upon each ETF’s market performance. Relative strength is a momentum technique that relies on unbiased, unemotional and objective data, rather than biased forecasting and subjective research. Relative strength is a way of recording historic performance patterns, and the Index uses relative strength signals as a trend indicator for current momentum trends of a security versus another security.
4. The Index then selects the five top-ranking First Trust sector and industry-based ETFs according to the proprietary relative strength methodology for inclusion in the Index.
5. The Index is evaluated on a bi-monthly basis (occurring in the second and fourth weeks of the month containing a Friday with the exception of the month of December wherein the Index holdings are evaluated once, in the second week of the month containing a Friday), and the five positions within the Index are held as long as those positions continue to suggest that they will outperform the majority of the inventory of other potential First Trust ETFs on a relative basis. An ETF included in the Index will only be removed if it falls to the bottom half of the universe of First Trust sector and industry-based ETFs according to the Index’s relative strength methodology. A new ETF is only added to the Index when a current member is removed. The Index will always be comprised of five First Trust sector and industry-based ETFs. The relative strength analysis is conducted on weeks containing the second and fourth Friday of the month with the exception of the week between Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. When a sector or industry ETF addition or deletion is made, the portfolio is rebalanced so each position is equally weighted.
6. In instances where the relative strength begins to diminish among more than one-third of the potential First Trust sector and industry-based ETFs relative to the Cash Index, the Index allocates to the Cash Index. The target allocation to the Cash Index is equal to the percentile rank of the Cash Index within the Index’s relative strength rankings. The Cash Index may constitute between 0% and 95% of the Index; however, the maximum level that the Cash Index can be increased or decreased during an evaluation week is limited to 33% per evaluation. Changes in the Cash Index allocation within the Index will not cause the five First Trust sector and industry-based ETFs in the Index to be rebalanced back to equally weighted. For more information regarding the Index, please refer to the “Index Information” section of the prospectus.
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First Trust Dorsey Wright Dynamic Focus 5 ETF (FVC)
As of December 31, 2017 the Index was comprised of the Cash Index and the following First Trust ETFs:
1. First Trust Dow Jones Internet Index Fund (FDN)
2. First Trust Nasdaq Bank ETF (FTXO)
3. First Trust Industrials/Producer Durables AlphaDEX® Fund (FXR)
4. First Trust NASDAQ-100-Technology Sector Index Fund (QTEC)
5. First Trust Technology AlphaDEX® ETF (FXL)
The Fund is classified as “non-diversified” under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”).
The Fund intends to invest in each ETF and the Cash Proxy (in lieu of investing in the Cash Index) as selected by the Index. However, there may also be instances in which the Fund may be underweighted or overweighted in certain securities in the Index, not invested in certain securities included in the Index, may purchase securities not in the Index that are appropriate to substitute for certain securities in the Index or utilize various combinations of the above techniques in seeking to track the Index.
Principal Risks
You could lose money by investing in the Fund. An investment in the Fund is not a deposit of a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other governmental agency. There can be no assurance that the Fund’s investment objective will be achieved.
AUTHORIZED PARTICIPANT CONCENTRATION RISK. Only an authorized participant (as defined in the “Frequent Purchases and Redemptions” Section) may engage in creation or redemption transactions directly with the Fund. The Fund has a limited number of institutions that act as authorized participants. To the extent that these institutions exit the business or are unable to proceed with creation and/or redemption orders with respect to the Fund and no other authorized participant is able to step forward to create or redeem, in either of these cases, Fund shares may trade at a discount to the Fund’s net asset value and possibly face delisting.
CYBER SECURITY RISK. As the use of Internet technology has become more prevalent in the course of business, the Fund has become more susceptible to potential operational risks through breaches in cyber security. A breach in cyber security refers to both intentional and unintentional events that may cause the Fund to lose proprietary information, suffer data corruption or lose operational capacity. Such events could cause the Fund to incur regulatory penalties, reputational damage, additional compliance costs associated with corrective measures and/or financial loss. Cyber security breaches may involve unauthorized access to the Fund’s digital information systems through “hacking” or malicious software coding, but may also result from outside attacks such as denial-of-service attacks through efforts to make network services unavailable to intended users. In addition, cyber security breaches of the Fund’s third party service providers, such as its administrator, transfer agent, custodian, or sub-advisor, as applicable, or issuers in which the Fund invests, can also subject the Fund to many of the same risks associated with direct cyber security breaches. The Fund has established risk management systems designed to reduce the risks associated with cyber security. However, there is no guarantee that such efforts will succeed, especially because the Fund does not directly control the cyber security systems of issuers or third party service providers.
EQUITY SECURITIES RISK. Because the ETFs in which the Fund invests invest in equity securities, the value of the Fund’s shares will fluctuate with changes in the value of these equity securities. Equity securities prices fluctuate for several reasons, including changes in investors’ perceptions of the financial condition of an issuer or the general condition of the relevant stock market, such as market volatility, or when political or economic events affecting the issuers occur. In addition, common stock prices may be particularly sensitive to rising interest rates, as the cost of capital rises and borrowing costs increase.
ETF RISK. The Fund will invest in five First Trust sector and industry-based ETFs. The shares of an ETF trade like common stock and represent a portfolio of securities. The risks of owning an ETF generally reflect the risks of owning the underlying securities, although lack of liquidity in an ETF could result in it being more volatile and ETFs have management fees that increase their costs.
FLUCTUATION OF NET ASSET VALUE RISK. The net asset value of shares of the Fund will generally fluctuate with changes in the market value of the Fund’s holdings. The market prices of shares will generally fluctuate in accordance with changes in net asset value as well as the relative supply of and demand for shares on the Exchange. The Fund’s investment advisor cannot predict whether shares will trade below, at or above their net asset value because the shares trade on the Exchange at market prices and not at net asset value. Price differences may be due, in large part, to the fact that supply and demand forces at work in the secondary trading market for shares will be closely related to, but not identical to, the same forces influencing
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First Trust Dorsey Wright Dynamic Focus 5 ETF (FVC)
the prices of the holdings of the Fund trading individually or in the aggregate at any point in time. However, given that shares can only be purchased and redeemed either in-kind or for cash in Creation Units, and only to and from broker-dealers and large institutional investors that have entered into participation agreements (unlike shares of closed-end funds, which frequently trade at appreciable discounts from, and sometimes at premiums to, their net asset value), the Fund’s investment advisor believes that large discounts or premiums to the net asset value of shares should not be sustained.
FUND OF FUNDS RISK. The Fund invests in securities of other ETFs, which involves additional expenses that would not be present in a direct investment in such ETFs. Furthermore, the Fund’s investment performance and risks are directly related to the investment performance and risks of the underlying ETFs in which the Fund invests.
INCOME RISK. Income from the Fund’s investment in the Cash Proxy could decline during periods of falling interest rates.
INDEX REBALANCING RISK. Pursuant to the methodology that the Index Provider uses to calculate and maintain the Index, the Fund may own a significant portion of the First Trust ETFs included in the Fund. Any such ETF may be removed from the Index in the event that it does not comply with the eligibility requirements of the Index. As a result, the Fund may be forced to sell shares of certain First Trust ETFs at inopportune times or for prices other than at current market values or may elect not to sell such shares on the day that they are removed from the Index, due to market conditions or otherwise. Due to these factors, the variation between the Fund’s annual return and the return of the Index may increase significantly. Apart from scheduled rebalances, the Index Provider may carry out additional ad hoc rebalances to the Index to, for example, correct an error in the selection of constituents. When the Fund in turn rebalances its portfolio, any transaction costs and market exposure arising from such portfolio rebalancing will be borne by the Fund and its shareholders. Unscheduled rebalances may also expose the Fund to additional tracking error risk. Therefore, errors and additional ad hoc rebalances carried out by the Index Provider may increase the Fund’s costs and market exposure.
INTEREST RATE RISK. Interest rate risk is the risk that the value of the Cash Proxy in the Fund’s portfolio will decline because of rising market interest rates. Interest rate risk is generally lower for shorter term debt securities and higher for longer term debt securities. Duration is a measure of the expected price volatility of a debt security as a result of changes in market rates of interest, based on, among other factors, the weighted average timing of the debt security’s expected principal and interest payments. In general, duration represents the expected percentage change in the value of a security for an immediate 1% change in interest rates. Therefore, prices of debt securities with shorter durations tend to be less sensitive to interest rate changes than debt securities with longer durations. As the value of a debt security changes over time, so will its duration.
MARKET MAKER RISK. If the Fund has lower average daily trading volumes, it may rely on a small number of third-party market makers to provide a market for the purchase and sale of shares. Any trading halt or other problem relating to the trading activity of these market makers could result in a dramatic change in the spread between the Fund’s net asset value and the price at which the Fund’s shares are trading on the Exchange which could result in a decrease in value of the Fund’s shares. In addition, decisions by market makers or authorized participants to reduce their role or step away from these activities in times of market stress could inhibit the effectiveness of the arbitrage process in maintaining the relationship between the underlying values of the Fund’s portfolio securities and the Fund’s market price. This reduced effectiveness could result in Fund shares trading at a discount to net asset value and also in greater than normal intraday bid-ask spreads for Fund shares.
MARKET RISK. Market risk is the risk that a particular security owned by the Fund or shares of the Fund in general may fall in value. Securities are subject to market fluctuations caused by such factors as economic, political, regulatory or market developments, changes in interest rates and perceived trends in securities prices. Shares of the Fund could decline in value or underperform other investments.
MOMENTUM INVESTING RISK. The Index employs a “momentum” style methodology that emphasizes selecting ETFs that have had higher recent price performance compared to other ETFs and, at certain times, allocating to the Cash Index. The Fund may be subject to more risk because ETFs in which the Fund invests may be more volatile than a broad cross-section of ETFs or the returns on ETFs that have previously exhibited price momentum are less than returns on other styles of investing or the overall stock market. Additionally, during periods of positive stock market performance, the returns of the Fund may be lower when a significant portion of the Fund’s net assets are allocated to the Cash Proxy. Momentum can turn quickly and cause significant variation from other types of investments.
NON-CORRELATION RISK. The Fund’s return may not match the return of the Index for a number of reasons. For example, the Fund incurs operating expenses not applicable to the Index, and may incur costs in buying and selling securities, especially
6

First Trust Dorsey Wright Dynamic Focus 5 ETF (FVC)
when rebalancing the Fund’s portfolio holdings to reflect changes in the composition of the Index. In addition, the Fund’s portfolio holdings may not exactly replicate the securities included in the Index or the ratios between the securities included in the Index.
NON-DIVERSIFICATION RISK. The Fund is classified as “non-diversified” under the 1940 Act. As a result, the Fund is only limited as to the percentage of its assets which may be invested in the securities of any one issuer by the diversification requirements imposed by the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended. The Fund may invest a relatively high percentage of its assets in a limited number of issuers. As a result, the Fund may be more susceptible to a single adverse economic or regulatory occurrence affecting one or more of these issuers, experience increased volatility and be highly invested in certain issuers.
REPLICATION MANAGEMENT RISK. The Fund is exposed to additional market risk due to its policy of investing principally in the securities included in the Index. As a result of this policy, securities held by the Fund will generally not be bought or sold in response to market fluctuations.
TRADING ISSUES RISK. Although the shares of the Fund are listed for trading on the Exchange, there can be no assurance that an active trading market for such shares will develop or be maintained. Trading in shares on the Exchange may be halted due to market conditions or for reasons that, in the view of the Exchange, make trading in shares inadvisable. In addition, trading in shares on the Exchange is subject to trading halts caused by extraordinary market volatility pursuant to the Exchange’s “circuit breaker” rules. Market makers are under no obligation to make a market in the Fund’s shares, and authorized participants are not obligated to submit purchase or redemption orders for Creation Units. There can be no assurance that the requirements of the Exchange necessary to maintain the listing of the Fund will continue to be met or will remain unchanged. The Fund may have difficulty maintaining its listing on the Exchange in the event the Fund’s assets are small or the Fund does not have enough shareholders.
U.S. GOVERNMENT AND AGENCY SECURITIES RISK. The Fund may invest in U.S. government obligations. U.S. government obligations include U.S. Treasury obligations and securities issued or guaranteed by various agencies of the U.S. government or by various instrumentalities, which have been established or sponsored by the U.S. government. U.S. Treasury obligations are backed by the “full faith and credit” of the U.S. government. Securities issued or guaranteed by federal agencies and U.S. government sponsored instrumentalities may or may not be backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government.
Annual Total Return
The bar chart and table below illustrate the annual calendar year returns of the Fund based on net asset value as well as the average annual Fund and Index returns. The bar chart and table provide an indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the Fund’s performance from year-to-year and by showing how the Fund’s average annual total returns based on net asset value compared to those of the Index and a broad-based market index. See “Total Return Information” for additional performance information regarding the Fund. The Fund’s performance information is accessible on the Fund’s website at www.ftportfolios.com.
Returns before taxes do not reflect the effects of any income or capital gains taxes. All after-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of any state or local tax. Returns after taxes on distributions reflect the taxed return on the payment of dividends and capital gains. Returns after taxes on distributions and sale of shares assume you sold your shares at period end, and, therefore, are also adjusted for any capital gains or losses incurred. Returns for the market indices do not include expenses, which are deducted from Fund returns, or taxes.
Your own actual after-tax returns will depend on your specific tax situation and may differ from what is shown here. After-tax returns are not relevant to investors who hold Fund shares in tax-deferred accounts such as individual retirement accounts (IRAs) or employee-sponsored retirement plans.
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First Trust Dorsey Wright Dynamic Focus 5 ETF (FVC)
First Trust Dorsey Wright Dynamic Focus 5 ETF
Calendar Year Total Returns as of 12/31
During the periods shown in the chart above:
Best Quarter Worst Quarter
5.79% December 31, 2017 3.29% June 30, 2017
The Fund’s past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future.
Average Annual Total Returns for the Periods Ended December 31, 2017
  1 Year Since
Inception
Inception
Date
Return Before Taxes 19.84% 15.73% 3/17/2016
Return After Taxes On Distributions 19.50% 15.36%  
Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares 11.22% 11.96%  
Dorsey Wright Dynamic Focus Five Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) 20.25% 16.15%  
S&P 500®Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) 21.83% 18.68%  
Management
Investment Advisor
First Trust Advisors L.P. (“First Trust” or the “Advisor”)
Portfolio Managers
The Fund’s portfolio is managed by a team (the “Investment Committee”) consisting of:
Daniel J. Lindquist, Chairman of the Investment Committee and Managing Director of First Trust
Jon C. Erickson, Senior Vice President of First Trust
David G. McGarel, Chief Investment Officer, Chief Operating Officer and Managing Director of First Trust
Roger F. Testin, Senior Vice President of First Trust
Stan Ueland, Senior Vice President of First Trust
Chris A. Peterson, Senior Vice President of First Trust
The Investment Committee members are primarily and jointly responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund. Each Investment Committee member has served as a part of the portfolio management team of the Fund since 2016.
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First Trust Dorsey Wright Dynamic Focus 5 ETF (FVC)
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares
The Fund issues and redeems shares on a continuous basis, at net asset value, only in Creation Units consisting of 50,000 shares. The Fund’s Creation Units are generally issued and redeemed in-kind for securities in which the Fund invests and, in certain circumstances, for cash, and only to and from broker-dealers and large institutional investors that have entered into participation agreements. Individual shares of the Fund may only be purchased and sold on Nasdaq and other eligible securities exchanges through a broker-dealer. Shares of the Fund trade on Nasdaq at market prices rather than net asset value, which may cause the shares to trade at a price greater than net asset value (premium) or less than net asset value (discount).
Tax Information
The Fund’s distributions are taxable and will generally be taxed as ordinary income or capital gains. Distributions on shares held in a tax-deferred account, while not immediately taxable, will be subject to tax when the shares are no longer held in a tax-deferred account.
Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries
If you purchase shares of the Fund through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), First Trust and First Trust Portfolios L.P., the Fund’s distributor, may pay the intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealer or other intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary’s website for more information.
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Summary Information
First Trust Dorsey Wright Focus 5 ETF (FV)
Investment Objective
The First Trust Dorsey Wright Focus 5 ETF (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 Dorsey Wright Focus Five Index (the “Index”).
Fees and Expenses of the Fund
The following table describes the fees and expenses you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the Fund. Investors purchasing and selling shares may be subject to costs (including customary brokerage commissions) charged by their broker, which are not reflected in the table below.
Shareholder Fees
(fees paid directly from your investment)
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Purchases (as a percentage of offering price) None
    
Annual Fund Operating Expenses
(expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
Management Fees 0.30%
Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fees(1) 0.00%
Other Expenses 0.00%
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses 0.59%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses 0.89%
(1) Although the Fund has adopted a 12b-1 plan that permits it to pay up to 0.25% per annum, it will not pay 12b-1 fees at any time before January 31, 2019.
Example
The example below is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other funds. This example does not take into account customary brokerage commissions that you pay when purchasing or selling shares of the Fund in the secondary market.
The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain at current levels until January 31, 2019, and thereafter at 1.14% to represent the imposition of the 12b-1 fee of 0.25% per annum of the Fund’s average daily net assets. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
1 Year 3 Years 5 Years 10 Years
$91 $337 $603 $1,364
Portfolio Turnover
The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 66% of the average value of its portfolio.
Principal Investment Strategies
The Fund will normally invest at least 90% of its net assets (including investment borrowings) in the exchange-traded funds (“ETFs”) that comprise the Index. The ETFs in which the Fund invests are advised by First Trust Advisors L.P., the Fund’s investment advisor.
The Fund, using an indexing investment approach, attempts to replicate, before fees and expenses, the performance of the Index. The Fund’s investment advisor seeks a correlation of 0.95 or better (before fees and expenses) between the Fund’s performance and the performance of the Index; a figure of 1.00 would represent perfect correlation.
10

First Trust Dorsey Wright Focus 5 ETF (FV)
The Index is owned and was developed by Dorsey, Wright & Associates, LLC (the “Index Provider”). The Index is constructed pursuant to the Index Provider’s proprietary methodology, which takes into account the performance of each of the First Trust sector-based ETFs relative to one another. The Index is designed to provide targeted exposure to the five First Trust sector-based ETFs that the Index Provider believes offer the greatest potential to outperform the other ETFs in the selection universe and that satisfy certain trading volume and liquidity requirements. The Index Provider has retained Nasdaq, Inc. to calculate and maintain the Index.
The Index Provider believes that the most adaptive tool to achieve the goal of discerning the strongest trends versus that of the weakest is relative strength. Relative strength measures the price performance of a security versus a market average, another security or a universe of securities. A security’s relative strength can improve if it rises more than the market in an uptrend, or goes down less than the market in a downtrend. With respect to the Index, the Index Provider uses relative strength to evaluate the momentum of each First Trust sector-based ETF to determine the five ETFs that have the highest level of momentum, which the Index Provider considers to have the greatest probability of outperforming the other First Trust sector-based ETFs. The Index Provider selects the Index’s potential inventory and uses the price data of the selected First Trust ETFs to perform relative strength analysis. When determining relative strength, the Index Provider does not perform the analysis within a finite time period, rather the Index Provider takes into account a variety of factors to track movements and trends of securities prices over various time periods. The Index Provider has constructed the Index to identify longer term trends though a series of observations, which are used to determine the inputs for the relative strength analysis.
Security selection for the Index will be conducted in the following manner:
1. The selection universe of the Index begins with all of the First Trust ETFs.
2. The Index Provider then identifies the First Trust ETFs that are designed to target a specific sector or industry group, or that have a significant overweight towards a particular sector or industry group.
3. The components are then ranked using a relative strength methodology that is based upon each ETF’s market performance and characteristics that the Index Provider believes offer the greatest potential to outperform the other ETFs in the selection universe. Relative strength is a momentum technique that relies on unbiased, unemotional and objective data, rather than biased forecasting and subjective research. Relative strength is a way of recording historic performance patterns, and the Index Provider uses relative strength signals as a trend indicator for current momentum trends of a security versus another security.
4. The Index Provider then uses its proprietary relative strength methodology to select the five top-ranking First Trust ETFs that satisfy trading volume and liquidity requirements for inclusion in the Index.
5. The Index is evaluated on a bi-monthly basis (occurring in the second and fourth weeks of the month containing a Friday with the exception of the month of December wherein the Index holdings are evaluated once, in the second week of the month containing a Friday), and the five positions within the Index are held as long as those positions continue to suggest that they will outperform the majority of the inventory of other potential First Trust ETFs on a relative basis. An Index component will only be removed if it falls to the bottom half of the universe of First Trust ETFs according to the Index Provider’s proprietary relative strength methodology. An ETF is only added to the Index when a current member is removed. The Index will always be comprised of five First Trust ETFs. On the day that an addition or deletion is made to the Index, the Index is rebalanced so that the components are equally weighted. For more information regarding the Index, please refer to the “Index Information” section of the prospectus.
As of December 31, 2017, the Index was comprised of the following First Trust ETFs:
1. First Trust Dow Jones Internet Index Fund (FDN)
2. First Trust Technology AlphaDEX® Fund (FXL)
3. First Trust Industrials/Producer Durables AlphaDEX® Fund (FXR)
4. First Trust NASDAQ-100-Technolody Sector Index Fund (QTEC)
5. First Trust Nasdaq Bank ETF (FTXO)
Certain of the ETFs in which the Fund invests may invest in non-U.S. equity securities. The non-U.S. equity securities may include American depositary receipts (“ADRs”), global depositary receipts (“GDRs”) or other depositary receipts.
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First Trust Dorsey Wright Focus 5 ETF (FV)
Principal Risks
You could lose money by investing in the Fund. An investment in the Fund is not a deposit of a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other governmental agency. There can be no assurance that the Fund’s investment objective will be achieved.
BIOTECHNOLOGY/PHARMACEUTICAL COMPANIES RISK. The ETFs in which the Fund may invest are invested in biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies are subject to changing government regulation which could have a negative effect on the price, profitability and availability of their products and services. Regulations have been proposed to increase the availability and affordability of prescription drugs including proposals to increase access to generic drugs and to increase the rebates paid by drug manufacturers in exchange for Medicaid coverage of their products. Whether such proposals will be adopted cannot be predicted. In addition, such companies face increasing competition from existing generic drugs, the termination of their patent protection for certain drugs and technological advances which render their products or services obsolete. The research and development costs required to bring a drug to market are substantial and may include a lengthy review by the government, with no guarantee that the product will ever be brought to market or show a profit. In addition, the potential for an increased amount of required disclosure of proprietary scientific information could negatively impact the competitive position of these companies. Many of these companies may not offer certain drugs or products for several years, and as a result, may have significant losses of revenue and earnings.
CYBER SECURITY RISK. As the use of Internet technology has become more prevalent in the course of business, the Fund has become more susceptible to potential operational risks through breaches in cyber security. A breach in cyber security refers to both intentional and unintentional events that may cause the Fund to lose proprietary information, suffer data corruption or lose operational capacity. Such events could cause the Fund to incur regulatory penalties, reputational damage, additional compliance costs associated with corrective measures and/or financial loss. Cyber security breaches may involve unauthorized access to the Fund’s digital information systems through “hacking” or malicious software coding, but may also result from outside attacks such as denial-of-service attacks through efforts to make network services unavailable to intended users. In addition, cyber security breaches of the Fund’s third party service providers, such as its administrator, transfer agent, custodian, or sub-advisor, as applicable, or issuers in which the Fund invests, can also subject the Fund to many of the same risks associated with direct cyber security breaches. The Fund has established risk management systems designed to reduce the risks associated with cyber security. However, there is no guarantee that such efforts will succeed, especially because the Fund does not directly control the cyber security systems of issuers or third party service providers.
DEPOSITARY RECEIPTS RISK. The ETFs in which the Fund invests may invest in depositary receipts, which may be less liquid than the underlying shares in their primary trading market. Any distributions paid to the holders of depositary receipts are usually subject to a fee charged by the depositary. Holders of depositary receipts may have limited voting rights, and investment restrictions in certain countries may adversely impact the value of depositary receipts because such restrictions may limit the ability to convert the equity shares into depositary receipts and vice versa. Such restrictions may cause the equity shares of the underlying issuer to trade at a discount or premium to the market price of the depositary receipts.
ENERGY COMPANIES RISK. The Fund invests in the securities of energy companies. Energy companies include integrated oil companies that are involved in the exploration, production and refining process, gas distributors and pipeline-related companies and other energy companies involved with mining, producing and delivering energy-related services and drilling. General problems of energy companies include volatile fluctuations in price and supply of energy fuels, international politics, terrorist attacks, reduced demand, the success of exploration projects, clean-up and litigation costs relating to oil spills and environmental damage, and tax and other regulatory policies of various governments. Natural disasters such as hurricanes in the Gulf of Mexico also impact the petroleum industry. Oil production and refining companies are subject to extensive federal, state and local environmental laws and regulations regarding air emissions and the disposal of hazardous materials. In addition, oil prices are generally subject to extreme volatility.
EQUITY SECURITIES RISK. Because the Fund and the ETFs in which the Fund invests hold equity securities, the value of the Fund’s shares will fluctuate with changes in the value of these equity securities. Equity securities prices fluctuate for several reasons, including changes in investors’ perceptions of the financial condition of an issuer or the general condition of the relevant stock market, such as market volatility, or when political or economic events affecting the issuers occur. In addition, common stock prices may be particularly sensitive to rising interest rates, as the cost of capital rises and borrowing costs increase.
ETF RISK. The Fund will invest in five First Trust sector-based ETFs. The shares of an ETF trade like common stock and represents a portfolio of securities. The risks of owning an ETF generally reflect the risks of owning the underlying securities, although
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First Trust Dorsey Wright Focus 5 ETF (FV)
lack of liquidity in an ETF could result in it being more volatile and ETFs have management fees and other operating expenses that increase their costs.
FLUCTUATION OF NET ASSET VALUE RISK. The net asset value of shares of the Fund will generally fluctuate with changes in the market value of the Fund’s holdings. The market prices of shares will generally fluctuate in accordance with changes in net asset value as well as the relative supply of and demand for shares on the Exchange. The Fund’s investment advisor cannot predict whether shares will trade below, at or above their net asset value because the shares trade on the Exchange at market prices and not at net asset value. Price differences may be due, in large part, to the fact that supply and demand forces at work in the secondary trading market for shares will be closely related to, but not identical to, the same forces influencing the prices of the holdings of the Fund trading individually or in the aggregate at any point in time. However, given that shares can only be purchased and redeemed either in-kind or for cash in Creation Units, and only to and from broker-dealers and large institutional investors that have entered into participation agreements (unlike shares of closed-end funds, which frequently trade at appreciable discounts from, and sometimes at premiums to, their net asset value), the Fund’s investment advisor believes that large discounts or premiums to the net asset value of shares should not be sustained.
FUND OF FUNDS RISK. The Fund invests in securities of other ETFs, which involves additional expenses that would not be present in a direct investment in such ETFs. Furthermore, the Fund’s investment performance and risks are directly related to the investment performance and risks of the underlying ETFs in which the Fund invests.
HEALTH CARE COMPANIES RISK. The ETFs in which the Fund may invest are invested in health care companies, which are companies involved in medical services or health care, including biotechnology research and production, drugs and pharmaceuticals and health care facilities and services. These companies are subject to extensive competition, generic drug sales or the loss of patent protection, product liability litigation and increased government regulation. Research and development costs of bringing new drugs to market are substantial, and there is no guarantee that the product will ever come to market. Health care facility operators may be affected by the demand for services, efforts by government or insurers to limit rates, restriction of government financial assistance and competition from other providers.
INDEX REBALANCE RISK. Pursuant to the methodology that the Index Provider uses to calculate and maintain the Index, the Fund may own a significant portion of the First Trust ETFs included in the Fund. Any such ETF may be removed from the Index in the event that it does not comply with the eligibility requirements of the Index. As a result, the Fund may be forced to sell shares of certain First Trust ETFs at inopportune times or for prices other than at current market values or may elect not to sell such shares on the day that they are removed from the Index, due to market conditions or otherwise. Due to these factors, the variation between the Fund’s annual return and the return of the Index may increase significantly. Apart from scheduled rebalances, the Index Provider may carry out additional ad hoc rebalances to the Index to, for example, correct an error in the selection of constituents. When the Fund in turn rebalances its portfolio, any transaction costs and market exposure arising from such portfolio rebalancing will be borne by the Fund and its shareholders. Unscheduled rebalances may also expose the Fund to additional tracking error risk. Therefore, errors and additional ad hoc rebalances carried out by the Index Provider may increase the Fund’s costs and market exposure.
INDUSTRIALS COMPANIES RISK. Industrials companies convert unfinished goods into finished durables used to manufacture other goods or provide services. Some industrials companies are involved in electrical equipment and components, industrial products, manufactured housing and telecommunications equipment. General risks of industrials companies include the general state of the economy, intense competition, consolidation, domestic and international politics, excess capacity and consumer demand and spending trends. In addition, they may also be significantly affected by overall capital spending levels, economic cycles, technical obsolescence, delays in modernization, labor relations, government regulations and e-commerce initiatives.
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY COMPANIES RISK. The ETFs in which the Fund may invest are invested in information technology companies. Information technology companies are generally subject to the risks of rapidly changing technologies, short product life cycles, fierce competition, aggressive pricing and reduced profit margins, loss of patent, copyright and trademark protections, cyclical market patterns, evolving industry standards, and frequent new product introductions. Information technology companies may be smaller and less experienced companies, with limited product lines, markets or financial resources and fewer experienced management or marketing personnel.
INTERNET COMPANIES RISK. The ETFs in which the Fund may invest are invested in the securities of Internet companies. Internet companies are subject to rapid changes in technology, worldwide competition, rapid obsolescence of products and services, loss of patent protections, cyclical market patterns, evolving industry standards and frequent new product introductions. The Fund's investment in Internet companies may also be subject to the considerable risk of owning small capitalization companies that have recently begun operations.
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First Trust Dorsey Wright Focus 5 ETF (FV)
MARKET MAKER RISK. If the Fund has lower average daily trading volumes, it may rely on a small number of third-party market makers to provide a market for the purchase and sale of shares. Any trading halt or other problem relating to the trading activity of these market makers could result in a dramatic change in the spread between the Fund’s net asset value and the price at which the Fund’s shares are trading on the Exchange which could result in a decrease in value of the Fund’s shares. In addition, decisions by market makers or authorized participants to reduce their role or step away from these activities in times of market stress could inhibit the effectiveness of the arbitrage process in maintaining the relationship between the underlying values of the Fund’s portfolio securities and the Fund’s market price. This reduced effectiveness could result in Fund shares trading at a discount to net asset value and also in greater than normal intraday bid-ask spreads for Fund shares.
MARKET RISK. Market risk is the risk that a particular ETF owned by the Fund, the underlying securities in which the ETFs invest, or shares of the Fund in general may fall in value. Securities are subject to market fluctuations caused by such factors as economic, political, regulatory or market developments, changes in interest rates and perceived trends in securities prices. Shares of the Fund could decline in value or underperform other investments.
MOMENTUM INVESTING RISK. The Index employs a “momentum” style methodology that emphasizes selecting ETFs that have had higher recent price performance compared to other ETFs. The Fund may be subject to more risk because ETFs in which the Fund invests may be more volatile than a broad cross-section of ETFs or the returns on ETFs that have previously exhibited price momentum are less than returns on other styles of investing or the overall stock market. Momentum can turn quickly and cause significant variation from other types of investments.
NON-CORRELATION RISK. The Fund’s return may not match the return of the Index for a number of reasons. For example, the Fund incurs operating expenses not applicable to the Index, and may incur costs in buying and selling securities, especially when rebalancing the Fund’s portfolio holdings to reflect changes in the composition of the Index. In addition, the Fund’s portfolio holdings may not exactly replicate the securities included in the Index or the ratios between the securities included in the Index.
NON-DIVERSIFICATION RISK. The Fund is classified as “non-diversified” under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "1940 Act"). As a result, the Fund is only limited as to the percentage of its assets which may be invested in the securities of any one issuer by the diversification requirements imposed by the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended. The Fund may invest a relatively high percentage of its assets in a limited number of issuers. As a result, the Fund may be more susceptible to a single adverse economic or regulatory occurrence affecting one or more of these issuers, experience increased volatility and be highly invested in certain issuers.
NON-U.S. SECURITIES AND EMERGING MARKETS RISK. The ETFs in which the Fund invests may invest in securities of non-U.S. issuers, including U.S. dollar-denominated securities of non-U.S. issuers traded in the United States. Non-U.S. securities are subject to higher volatility than securities of domestic issuers due to possible adverse political, social or economic developments; restrictions on foreign investment or exchange of securities; lack of liquidity; currency exchange rates; excessive taxation; government seizure of assets; different legal or accounting standards; and less government supervision and regulation of exchanges in foreign countries. These risks may be heightened for securities of companies located in, or with significant operations in, emerging market countries.
REPLICATION MANAGEMENT RISK. The Fund is exposed to additional market risk due to its policy of investing principally in the securities included in the Index. As a result of this policy, the ETFs held by the Fund will generally not be bought or sold in response to market fluctuations.
SMALLER COMPANIES RISK. The ETFs in which the Fund may invest are invested in small and/or mid capitalization companies. Such companies may be more vulnerable to adverse general market or economic developments, and their securities may be less liquid and may experience greater price volatility than larger, more established companies as a result of several factors, including limited trading volumes, products or financial resources, management inexperience and less publicly available information. Accordingly, such companies are generally subject to greater market risk than larger, more established companies.
TRADING ISSUES RISK. Although the shares of the Fund are listed for trading on the Exchange, there can be no assurance that an active trading market for such shares will develop or be maintained. Trading in shares on the Exchange may be halted due to market conditions or for reasons that, in the view of the Exchange, make trading in shares inadvisable. In addition, trading in shares on the Exchange is subject to trading halts caused by extraordinary market volatility pursuant to the Exchange’s “circuit breaker” rules. Market makers are under no obligation to make a market in the Fund’s shares, and authorized participants are not obligated to submit purchase or redemption orders for Creation Units. There can be no assurance that the requirements of the Exchange necessary to maintain the listing of the Fund will continue to be met or will remain unchanged. The Fund
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First Trust Dorsey Wright Focus 5 ETF (FV)
may have difficulty maintaining its listing on the Exchange in the event the Fund’s assets are small or the Fund does not have enough shareholders.
UTILITIES COMPANIES RISK. The Fund invests in the securities of utilities companies. General problems of utilities companies include the imposition of rate caps, increased competition due to deregulation, the difficulty in obtaining an adequate return on invested capital or in financing large construction projects, the limitations on operations and increased costs and delays attributable to environmental considerations and the capital market’s ability to absorb utility debt. In addition, taxes, government regulation, international politics, price and supply fluctuations, volatile interest rates and energy conservation may cause difficulties for utilities. All of such issuers have been experiencing certain of these problems in varying degrees.
Annual Total Return
The bar chart and table below illustrate the annual calendar year returns of the Fund based on net asset value as well as the average annual Fund and Index returns. The bar chart and table provide an indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the Fund’s performance from year-to-year and by showing how the Fund’s average annual total returns based on net asset value compared to those of the Index and a broad-based market index. See “Total Return Information” for additional performance information regarding the Fund. The Fund’s performance information is accessible on the Fund’s website at www.ftportfolios.com.
Returns before taxes do not reflect the effects of any income or capital gains taxes. All after-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of any state or local tax. Returns after taxes on distributions reflect the taxed return on the payment of dividends and capital gains. Returns after taxes on distributions and sale of shares assume you sold your shares at period end, and, therefore, are also adjusted for any capital gains or losses incurred. Returns for the market indices do not include expenses, which are deducted from Fund returns, or taxes.
Your own actual after-tax returns will depend on your specific tax situation and may differ from what is shown here. After-tax returns are not relevant to investors who hold Fund shares in tax-deferred accounts such as individual retirement accounts (IRAs) or employee-sponsored retirement plans.
First Trust Dorsey Wright Focus 5 ETF
Calendar Year Total Returns as of 12/31
During the periods shown in the chart above:
Best Quarter Worst Quarter
9.05% March 31, 2015 -10.31% September 30, 2015
The Fund’s past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future.
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First Trust Dorsey Wright Focus 5 ETF (FV)
Average Annual Total Returns for the Periods Ended December 31, 2017
  1 Year Since
Inception
Inception
Date
Return Before Taxes 19.86% 9.26% 3/5/2014
Return After Taxes On Distributions 19.51% 9.03%  
Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares 11.24% 7.14%  
Dorsey Wright Focus Five Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) 20.25% 9.72%  
S&P 500®Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) 21.83% 12.05%  
Management
Investment Advisor
First Trust Advisors L.P. (“First Trust” or the “Advisor”)
Portfolio Managers
The Fund’s portfolio is managed by a team (the “Investment Committee”) consisting of:
Daniel J. Lindquist, Chairman of the Investment Committee and Managing Director of First Trust
Jon C. Erickson, Senior Vice President of First Trust
David G. McGarel, Chief Investment Officer, Chief Operating Officer and Managing Director of First Trust
Roger F. Testin, Senior Vice President of First Trust
Stan Ueland, Senior Vice President of First Trust
Chris A. Peterson, Senior Vice President of First Trust
The Investment Committee members are primarily and jointly responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund. Each Investment Committee member has served as a part of the portfolio management team of the Fund since 2014, except for Chris A. Peterson, who has served as a member of the portfolio management team since 2016.
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares
The Fund issues and redeems shares on a continuous basis, at net asset value, only in Creation Units consisting of 50,000 shares. The Fund’s Creation Units are generally issued and redeemed in-kind for securities in which the Fund invests and, in certain circumstances, for cash, and only to and from broker-dealers and large institutional investors that have entered into participation agreements. Individual shares of the Fund may only be purchased and sold on Nasdaq and other eligible securities exchanges through a broker-dealer. Shares of the Fund trade on Nasdaq at market prices rather than net asset value, which may cause the shares to trade at a price greater than net asset value (premium) or less than net asset value (discount).
Tax Information
The Fund’s distributions are taxable and will generally be taxed as ordinary income or capital gains. Distributions on shares held in a tax-deferred account, while not immediately taxable, will be subject to tax when the shares are no longer held in a tax-deferred account.
Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries
If you purchase shares of the Fund through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), First Trust and First Trust Portfolios L.P., the Fund’s distributor, may pay the intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealer or other intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary’s website for more information.
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Summary Information
First Trust Dorsey Wright International Focus 5 ETF (IFV)
Investment Objective
The First Trust Dorsey Wright International Focus 5 ETF (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 Dorsey Wright International Focus Five Index (the “Index”).
Fees and Expenses of the Fund
The following table describes the fees and expenses you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the Fund. Investors purchasing and selling shares may be subject to costs (including customary brokerage commissions) charged by their broker, which are not reflected in the table below.
Shareholder Fees
(fees paid directly from your investment)
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Purchases (as a percentage of offering price) None
    
Annual Fund Operating Expenses
(expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
Management Fees 0.30%
Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fees(1) 0.00%
Other Expenses 0.00%
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses 0.76%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses 1.06%
(1) Although the Fund has adopted a 12b-1 plan that permits it to pay up to 0.25% per annum, it will not pay 12b-1 fees at any time before January 31, 2019.
Example
The example below is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other funds. This example does not take into account customary brokerage commissions that you pay when purchasing or selling shares of the Fund in the secondary market.
The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain at current levels until January 31, 2019, and thereafter at 1.31% to represent the imposition of the 12b-1 fee of 0.25% per annum of the Fund’s average daily net assets. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
1 Year 3 Years 5 Years 10 Years
$108 $391 $694 $1,557
Portfolio Turnover
The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 49% of the average value of its portfolio.
Principal Investment Strategies
The Fund will normally invest at least 90% of its net assets (including investment borrowings) in the exchange-traded funds (“ETFs”) that comprise the Index. The ETFs in which the Fund invests are advised by First Trust Advisors L.P., the Fund’s investment advisor. The Fund, using an indexing investment approach, attempts to replicate, before fees and expenses, the performance of the Index. First Trust seeks a correlation of 0.95 or better (before fees and expenses) between the Fund’s performance and the performance of the Index; a figure of 1.00 would represent perfect correlation.
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First Trust Dorsey Wright International Focus 5 ETF (IFV)
The Index is owned and was developed by Dorsey, Wright & Associates, LLC (the “Index Provider”). The Index is constructed pursuant to the Index Provider’s proprietary methodology, which takes into account the performance of certain First Trust international ETFs relative to one another. The Index is designed to provide targeted exposure to the five First Trust country/region-based ETFs that the Index Provider believes offer the greatest potential to outperform the other ETFs in the selection universe. The Index Provider has retained Nasdaq, Inc. to calculate and maintain the Index.
The Index Provider believes that the most adaptive tool to achieve the goal of discerning the strongest trends versus that of the weakest is relative strength. Relative strength measures the price performance of a security versus a market average, another security or universe of securities. A security’s relative strength can improve if it rises more than the market in an uptrend, or goes down less than the market in a downtrend. With respect to the Index, the Index Provider uses relative strength to evaluate the momentum of certain First Trust country/region-based ETFs to determine the five ETFs that have the highest level of momentum, which the Index Provider considers to have the greatest probability of outperforming the other First Trust country/region-based ETFs. The Index Provider selects the Index’s potential inventory and uses the price data of the selected First Trust ETFs to perform relative strength analysis.
Security selection for the Index will be conducted in the following manner:
1. The selection universe of the Index begins with all of the First Trust ETFs.
2. The Index Provider then identifies the First Trust ETFs that are designed to target a specific country or region, or that have a significant overweight towards a particular country or region.
3. The components of the Index’s potential inventory are then ranked using a relative strength methodology that is based upon each ETF’s market performance and characteristics that the Index Provider believes offer the greatest potential to outperform the other ETFs in the selection universe. Relative strength is a momentum technique that relies on unbiased, unemotional and objective data, rather than biased forecasting and subjective research. Relative strength is a way of recording historic performance patterns, and the Index Provider uses relative strength signals as a trend indicator for current momentum trends of a security versus another security.
4. The Index Provider then selects the five top-ranking First Trust ETFs according to the proprietary relative strength methodology for inclusion in the Index.
5. The Index is evaluated on a bi-monthly basis, and the five positions within the Index are held as long as those positions continue to suggest that they will outperform the majority of the inventory of other potential First Trust ETFs on a relative basis. An Index component will only be removed if it falls to the bottom half of the universe of First Trust ETFs according to the Index Provider’s proprietary relative strength methodology. An ETF is only added to the Index when a current member is removed. The Index will always be comprised of five First Trust ETFs. When an addition or deletion is made to the Index, the Index is rebalanced so that each position is equally weighted.
For more information regarding the Index, please refer to the “Index Information” section of the prospectus. As of December 31, 2017, the Index was comprised of the following First Trust ETFs:
1. First Trust Developed Markets ex-US AlphaDEX® Fund (FDT)
2. First Trust Chindia ETF (FNI)
3. First Trust Germany AlphaDEX® Fund (FGM)
4. First Trust BICK Index Fund (BICK)
5. First Trust Switzerland AlphaDEX® Fund (FSZ)
The ETFs in which the Fund invests hold non-U.S. equity securities of all market capitalization ranges. In general, “non-U.S.” shall mean securities issued or guaranteed by companies organized under the laws of countries other than the United States (including emerging markets). The non-U.S. equity securities may include American depositary receipts (“ADRs”), global depositary receipts (“GDRs”), American depositary shares (“ADSs”) or other depositary receipts.
Principal Risks
You could lose money by investing in the Fund. An investment in the Fund is not a deposit of a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other governmental agency. There can be no assurance that the Fund’s investment objective will be achieved.
AUTHORIZED PARTICIPANT CONCENTRATION RISK. Only an authorized participant (as defined in the “Frequent Purchases and Redemptions” Section) may engage in creation or redemption transactions directly with the Fund. The Fund has a limited
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First Trust Dorsey Wright International Focus 5 ETF (IFV)
number of institutions that act as authorized participants. To the extent that these institutions exit the business or are unable to proceed with creation and/or redemption orders with respect to the Fund and no other authorized participant is able to step forward to create or redeem, in either of these cases, Fund shares may trade at a discount to the Fund’s net asset value and possibly face delisting.
CHINA RISK. Some Chinese companies are listed on both the Hong Kong Stock Exchange with H shares and the Shanghai Stock Exchange with A shares. Price differentials between H shares and A shares of the same company may be significant. Also, price fluctuations of A shares are limited to either 5% or 10% per trading day, while no such limitations exist for H shares. Investing in securities of companies in China involves additional risks, including, but not limited to: the economy of China differs, often unfavorably, from the economy in such respects as structure, general development, government involvement, wealth distribution, rate of inflation, growth rate, allocation of resources and capital reinvestment. The central government has historically exercised substantial control over virtually every sector of the Chinese economy through administrative regulation and/or state ownership and actions of the Chinese central and local government authorities continue to have a substantial effect on economic conditions in China. Furthermore, China’s economy is dependent on the economies of other Asian countries and can be significantly affected by currency fluctuations and increasing competition from Asia’s other emerging economies.
CURRENCY RISK. The ETFs in which the Fund invests may hold investments that are denominated in non-U.S. currencies, or in securities that provide exposure to such currencies, currency exchange rates or interest rates denominated in such currencies. Changes in currency exchange rates and the relative value of non-U.S. currencies will affect the value of the Fund’s investments and the value of Fund shares. Currency exchange rates can be very volatile and can change quickly and unpredictably. As a result, the value of an investment in the Fund may change quickly and without warning and you may lose money.
CYBER SECURITY RISK. As the use of Internet technology has become more prevalent in the course of business, the Fund has become more susceptible to potential operational risks through breaches in cyber security. A breach in cyber security refers to both intentional and unintentional events that may cause the Fund to lose proprietary information, suffer data corruption or lose operational capacity. Such events could cause the Fund to incur regulatory penalties, reputational damage, additional compliance costs associated with corrective measures and/or financial loss. Cyber security breaches may involve unauthorized access to the Fund’s digital information systems through “hacking” or malicious software coding, but may also result from outside attacks such as denial-of-service attacks through efforts to make network services unavailable to intended users. In addition, cyber security breaches of the Fund’s third party service providers, such as its administrator, transfer agent, custodian, or sub-advisor, as applicable, or issuers in which the Fund invests, can also subject the Fund to many of the same risks associated with direct cyber security breaches. The Fund has established risk management systems designed to reduce the risks associated with cyber security. However, there is no guarantee that such efforts will succeed, especially because the Fund does not directly control the cyber security systems of issuers or third party service providers.
DEPOSITARY RECEIPTS RISK. The ETFs in which the Fund invests may hold depositary receipts, which may be less liquid than the underlying shares in their primary trading market. Any distributions paid to the holders of depositary receipts are usually subject to a fee charged by the depositary. Holders of depositary receipts may have limited voting rights, and investment restrictions in certain countries may adversely impact the value of depositary receipts because such restrictions may limit the ability to convert the equity shares into depositary receipts and vice versa. Such restrictions may cause the equity shares of the underlying issuer to trade at a discount or premium to the market price of the depositary receipts.
EQUITY SECURITIES RISK. Because the Fund and the ETFs in which the fund invests hold equity securities, the value of the Fund’s shares will fluctuate with changes in the value of these equity securities. Equity securities prices fluctuate for several reasons, including changes in investors’ perceptions of the financial condition of an issuer or the general condition of the relevant stock market, such as market volatility, or when political or economic events affecting the issuers occur. In addition, common stock prices may be particularly sensitive to rising interest rates, as the cost of capital rises and borrowing costs increase.
ETF RISK. The Fund will invest in five First Trust country/region based exchange-traded funds. The shares of an ETF trade like common stock and represents a portfolio of securities. The risks of owning an ETF generally reflect the risks of owning the underlying securities, although lack of liquidity in an ETF could result in it being more volatile and ETFs have management fees and other operating expenses that increase their costs.
FLUCTUATION OF NET ASSET VALUE RISK. The net asset value of shares of the Fund will generally fluctuate with changes in the market value of the Fund’s holdings. The market prices of shares will generally fluctuate in accordance with changes in net asset value as well as the relative supply of and demand for shares on the Exchange. The Fund’s investment advisor cannot predict whether shares will trade below, at or above their net asset value because the shares trade on the Exchange at market
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First Trust Dorsey Wright International Focus 5 ETF (IFV)
prices and not at net asset value. Price differences may be due, in large part, to the fact that supply and demand forces at work in the secondary trading market for shares will be closely related to, but not identical to, the same forces influencing the prices of the holdings of the Fund trading individually or in the aggregate at any point in time. However, given that shares can only be purchased and redeemed either in-kind or for cash in Creation Units, and only to and from broker-dealers and large institutional investors that have entered into participation agreements (unlike shares of closed-end funds, which frequently trade at appreciable discounts from, and sometimes at premiums to, their net asset value), the Fund’s investment advisor believes that large discounts or premiums to the net asset value of shares should not be sustained.
FUND OF FUNDS RISK. The Fund invests in securities of other ETFs, which involves additional expenses that would not be present in a direct investment in such ETFs. Furthermore, the Fund’s investment performance and risks are directly related to the investment performance and risks of the underlying ETFs in which the Fund invests.
GERMANY RISK. Investing in securities of German companies involves additional risks, including, but not limited to: significant demographic challenges to sustained long-term growth; low fertility rates and declining net immigration putting pressure on the country’s social welfare system; and the costly and time-consuming modernization and integration of the eastern German economy. Additionally, the European sovereign-debt crisis has resulted in a weakened Euro and has put into question the future financial prospects of Germany and the surrounding region.
INDEX REBALANCE RISK. Pursuant to the methodology that the Index Provider uses to calculate and maintain the Index, the Fund may own a significant portion of the First Trust ETFs included in the Fund. Any such ETF may be removed from the Index in the event that it does not comply with the eligibility requirements of the Index. As a result, the Fund may be forced to sell shares of certain First Trust ETFs at inopportune times or for prices other than at current market values or may elect not to sell such shares on the day that they are removed from the Index, due to market conditions or otherwise. Due to these factors, the variation between the Fund’s annual return and the return of the Index may increase significantly. Apart from scheduled rebalances, the Index Provider may carry out additional ad hoc rebalances to the Index to, for example, correct an error in the selection of constituents. When the Fund in turn rebalances its portfolio, any transaction costs and market exposure arising from such portfolio rebalancing will be borne by the Fund and its shareholders. Unscheduled rebalances may also expose the Fund to additional tracking error risk. Therefore, errors and additional ad hoc rebalances carried out by the Index Provider may increase the Fund’s costs and market exposure.
INDIA RISK. Investment restrictions in India may limit the ability to convert the equity shares into depositary receipts and vice versa. These restrictions may cause the equity shares of the underlying issuer to trade at a premium or discount to the market price of the depositary receipt. Investing in securities of Indian companies involves additional risks, including, but not limited to: greater price volatility; substantially less liquidity and significantly smaller market capitalization of securities markets; more substantial governmental involvement in the economy; higher rates of inflation; and greater political, economic and social uncertainty. Government controls have been reduced on imports and foreign investment and privatization of domestic output has proceeded slowly. The rapid economic growth of the last few years has put heavy stress on India’s infrastructural facilities. Furthermore, although the Indian government is well aware of the need for reform and is pushing ahead in this area, businesses still have to deal with an inefficient and sometimes slow-moving bureaucracy.
LATIN AMERICA RISK. The Fund is subject to certain risks associated specifically with this region. The value of Fund shares may be adversely affected by political, economic, and social instability; inadequate investor protection; changes in laws or regulations of countries within Latin America; international relations with other nations; natural disasters; corruption and military activity. The economies of many Latin American countries differ from the economies of more developed countries in many respects. Certain Latin American countries are highly dependent upon and may be affected by developments in the United States, Europe and other Latin American economies.
MARKET MAKER RISK. If the Fund has lower average daily trading volumes, it may rely on a small number of third-party market makers to provide a market for the purchase and sale of shares. Any trading halt or other problem relating to the trading activity of these market makers could result in a dramatic change in the spread between the Fund’s net asset value and the price at which the Fund’s shares are trading on the Exchange which could result in a decrease in value of the Fund’s shares. In addition, decisions by market makers or authorized participants to reduce their role or step away from these activities in times of market stress could inhibit the effectiveness of the arbitrage process in maintaining the relationship between the underlying values of the Fund’s portfolio securities and the Fund’s market price. This reduced effectiveness could result in Fund shares trading at a discount to net asset value and also in greater than normal intraday bid-ask spreads for Fund shares.
MARKET RISK. Market risk is the risk that a particular ETF owned by the Fund, the underlying securities in which the ETFs invest, or shares of the Fund in general may fall in value. Securities are subject to market fluctuations caused by such factors
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First Trust Dorsey Wright International Focus 5 ETF (IFV)
as economic, political, regulatory or market developments, changes in interest rates and perceived trends in securities prices. Shares of the Fund could decline in value or underperform other investments.
MOMENTUM INVESTING RISK. The Index employs a “momentum” style methodology that emphasizes selecting ETFs that have had higher recent price performance compared to other ETFs. The Fund may be subject to more risk because ETFs in which the Fund invests may be more volatile than a broad cross-section of ETFs or the returns on ETFs that have previously exhibited price momentum are less than returns on other styles of investing or the overall stock market. Momentum can turn quickly and cause significant variation from other types of investments.
NON-CORRELATION RISK. The Fund’s return may not match the return of the Index for a number of reasons. For example, the Fund incurs operating expenses not applicable to the Index, and may incur costs in buying and selling securities, especially when rebalancing the Fund’s portfolio holdings to reflect changes in the composition of the Index. In addition, the Fund’s portfolio holdings may not exactly replicate the securities included in the Index or the ratios between the securities included in the Index.
NON-DIVERSIFICATION RISK. The Fund is classified as “non-diversified” under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "1940 Act"). As a result, the Fund is only limited as to the percentage of its assets which may be invested in the securities of any one issuer by the diversification requirements imposed by the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended. The Fund may invest a relatively high percentage of its assets in a limited number of issuers. As a result, the Fund may be more susceptible to a single adverse economic or regulatory occurrence affecting one or more of these issuers, experience increased volatility and be highly invested in certain issuers.
NON-U.S. SECURITIES AND EMERGING MARKETS RISK. The ETFs in which the Fund invests hold securities of non-U.S. issuers, including non U.S. dollar-denominated securities traded outside of the United States and U.S. dollar-denominated securities of non-U.S. issuers traded in the United States. Non-U.S. securities are subject to higher volatility than securities of domestic issuers due to possible adverse political, social or economic developments; restrictions on foreign investment or exchange of securities; lack of liquidity; currency exchange rates; excessive taxation; government seizure of assets; different legal or accounting standards; and less government supervision and regulation of exchanges in foreign countries. These risks may be heightened for securities of companies located in, or with significant operations in, emerging market countries.
REPLICATION MANAGEMENT RISK. The Fund is exposed to additional market risk due to its policy of investing principally in the securities included in the Index. As a result of this policy, the ETFs held by the Fund will generally not be bought or sold in response to market fluctuations.
SMALLER COMPANIES RISK. The ETFs in which the Fund invests hold securities of small and/or mid capitalization companies. Such companies may be more vulnerable to adverse general market or economic developments, and their securities may be less liquid and may experience greater price volatility than larger, more established companies as a result of several factors, including limited trading volumes, products or financial resources, management inexperience and less publicly available information. Accordingly, such companies are generally subject to greater market risk than larger, more established companies.
SWITZERLAND RISK. The Fund is subject to certain risks associated with Switzerland and Europe as a whole. Although Switzerland is not a member of the EU, the Swiss economy is dependent on the economies of other European nations as key trading partners. Any reduction in spending by other European countries could have a negative effect on the Swiss economy. Additionally, the European sovereign-debt crisis has resulted in a weakened Euro and has put into question the future financial prospects of the surrounding region. The ongoing implementation of the EU provisions and Euro conversion process may materially impact revenues, expenses or income and increase competition for other European companies, which could have an effect on the Swiss economy, and in turn, the securities in which the Fund invests.
TRADING ISSUES RISK. Although the shares of the Fund are listed for trading on the Exchange, there can be no assurance that an active trading market for such shares will develop or be maintained. Trading in shares on the Exchange may be halted due to market conditions or for reasons that, in the view of the Exchange, make trading in shares inadvisable. In addition, trading in shares on the Exchange is subject to trading halts caused by extraordinary market volatility pursuant to the Exchange’s “circuit breaker” rules. Market makers are under no obligation to make a market in the Fund’s shares, and authorized participants are not obligated to submit purchase or redemption orders for Creation Units. There can be no assurance that the requirements of the Exchange necessary to maintain the listing of the Fund will continue to be met or will remain unchanged. The Fund may have difficulty maintaining its listing on the Exchange in the event the Fund’s assets are small or the Fund does not have enough shareholders.
21

First Trust Dorsey Wright International Focus 5 ETF (IFV)
Annual Total Return
The bar chart and table below illustrate the annual calendar year returns of the Fund based on net asset value as well as the average annual Fund and Index returns. The bar chart and table provide an indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the Fund’s performance from year-to-year and by showing how the Fund’s average annual total returns based on net asset value compared to those of the Index and a broad-based market index. See “Total Return Information” for additional performance information regarding the Fund. The Fund’s performance information is accessible on the Fund’s website at www.ftportfolios.com.
Returns before taxes do not reflect the effects of any income or capital gains taxes. All after-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of any state or local tax. Returns after taxes on distributions reflect the taxed return on the payment of dividends and capital gains. Returns after taxes on distributions and sale of shares assume you sold your shares at period end, and, therefore, are also adjusted for any capital gains or losses incurred. Returns for the market indices do not include expenses, which are deducted from Fund returns, or taxes.
Your own actual after-tax returns will depend on your specific tax situation and may differ from what is shown here. After-tax returns are not relevant to investors who hold Fund shares in tax-deferred accounts such as individual retirement accounts (IRAs) or employee-sponsored retirement plans.
First Trust Dorsey Wright International Focus 5 ETF
Calendar Year Total Returns as of 12/31
During the periods shown in the chart above:
Best Quarter Worst Quarter
12.42% March 31, 2017 -11.61% September 30, 2015
The Fund’s past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future.
Average Annual Total Returns for the Periods Ended December 31, 2017
  1 Year Since
Inception
Inception
Date
Return Before Taxes 32.26% 4.30% 7/22/2014
Return After Taxes On Distributions 31.43% 3.74%  
Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares 18.25% 3.03%  
Dorsey Wright International Focus Five Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) 32.66% 4.61%  
MSCI All Country World Ex-US Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) 27.19% 3.84%  
22

First Trust Dorsey Wright International Focus 5 ETF (IFV)
Management
Investment Advisor
First Trust Advisors L.P. (“First Trust” or the “Advisor”)
Portfolio Managers
The Fund’s portfolio is managed by a team (the “Investment Committee”) consisting of:
Daniel J. Lindquist, Chairman of the Investment Committee and Managing Director of First Trust
Jon C. Erickson, Senior Vice President of First Trust
David G. McGarel, Chief Investment Officer, Chief Operating Officer and Managing Director of First Trust
Roger F. Testin, Senior Vice President of First Trust
Stan Ueland, Senior Vice President of First Trust
Chris A. Peterson, Senior Vice President of First Trust
The Investment Committee members are primarily and jointly responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund. Each Investment Committee member has served as a part of the portfolio management team of the Fund since 2014, except for Chris A. Peterson, who has served as a member of the portfolio management team since 2016.
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares
The Fund issues and redeems shares on a continuous basis, at net asset value, only in Creation Units consisting of 50,000 shares. The Fund’s Creation Units are generally issued and redeemed in-kind for securities in which the Fund invests and, in certain circumstances, for cash, and only to and from broker-dealers and large institutional investors that have entered into participation agreements. Individual shares of the Fund may only be purchased and sold on Nasdaq and other eligible securities exchanges through a broker-dealer. Shares of the Fund trade on Nasdaq at market prices rather than net asset value, which may cause the shares to trade at a price greater than net asset value (premium) or less than net asset value (discount).
Tax Information
The Fund’s distributions are taxable and will generally be taxed as ordinary income or capital gains. Distributions on shares held in a tax-deferred account, while not immediately taxable, will be subject to tax when the shares are no longer held in a tax-deferred account.
Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries
If you purchase shares of the Fund through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), First Trust and First Trust Portfolios L.P., the Fund’s distributor, may pay the intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealer or other intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary’s website for more information.
23

Summary Information
First Trust Rising Dividend Achievers ETF (RDVY)
Investment Objective
The First Trust Rising Dividend Achievers ETF (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 NASDAQ US Rising Dividend Achievers Index (the “Index”).
Fees and Expenses of the Fund
The following table describes the fees and expenses you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the Fund. Investors purchasing and selling shares may be subject to costs (including customary brokerage commissions) charged by their broker, which are not reflected in the table below.
Shareholder Fees
(fees paid directly from your investment)
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Purchases (as a percentage of offering price) None
    
Annual Fund Operating Expenses
(expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
Management Fees 0.50%
Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fees(1) 0.00%
Other Expenses 0.00%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses 0.50%
(1) Although the Fund has adopted a 12b-1 plan that permits it to pay up to 0.25% per annum, it will not pay 12b-1 fees at any time before January 31, 2019.
Example
The example below is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other funds. This example does not take into account customary brokerage commissions that you pay when purchasing or selling shares of the Fund in the secondary market.
The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain at current levels until January 31, 2019, and thereafter at 0.75% to represent the imposition of the 12b-1 fee of 0.25% per annum of the Fund’s average daily net assets. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
1 Year 3 Years 5 Years 10 Years
$51 $215 $392 $907
Portfolio Turnover
The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 46% of the average value of its portfolio.
Principal Investment Strategies
The Fund will normally invest at least 90% of its net assets (including investment borrowings) in securities that comprise the Index. The Index is composed of the securities of 50 companies with a history of raising their dividends and exhibit the characteristics to continue to do so in the future (“Index Securities”). The Index is designed to provide access to a diversified portfolio of small, mid and large capitalization income producing securities.
24

First Trust Rising Dividend Achievers ETF (RDVY)
The Fund, using an indexing investment approach, attempts to replicate, before fees and expenses, the performance of the Index. First Trust Advisors L.P., the Fund’s investment advisor, seeks a correlation of 0.95 or better (before fees and expenses) between the Fund’s performance and the performance of the Index; a figure of 1.00 would represent perfect correlation.
The Index is owned and was developed by Nasdaq, Inc. (the “Index Provider”). The Index Provider also calculates and maintains the Index. The 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. As of December 31, 2017, the Index was comprised of 50 equity securities traded on U.S. exchanges. The equity securities held by the Fund may include non-U.S. securities that are listed on U.S. securities exchanges in the form of American depositary receipts (“ADRs”), global depositary receipts (“GDRs”) or other depositary receipts. As of September 30, 2017, the Fund had significant investments in financial and information technology companies.
To be eligible for inclusion in the Index, a security must meet the following criteria:
be a member of the NASDAQ US Benchmark Index (NQUSB);
not be classified as Real Estate Investment Trust according to the Industry Classification Benchmark (ICB: 8670);
rank in top 500 by market capitalization;
have a minimum three-month average daily dollar trading value of $5 million;
have paid a dividend in the trailing 12 months greater than the dividend paid in the trailing 12-month period three and five years prior;
having earnings per share in the most recent fiscal year greater than the earnings per share the three fiscal years prior;
have a cash-to-debt ratio greater than 50%; and
have a trailing 12-month payout ratio no greater than 65%.
Additional information regarding the Index, including weighting procedures, is described in this prospectus under “Index Information.”
The Index Provider evaluates the Index components annually in March of each year for eligibility, using market data through the end of December. Eligible securities for the Index are identified as such using the eligibility criteria set forth in this prospectus under “Index Information.” The Index is rebalanced quarterly. Rebalancing is effective as of the market close of the third Friday in March, June, September and December. The Index Provider may, from time to time, exercise reasonable discretion as it deems appropriate in order to ensure Index integrity. Ordinarily, a security will be removed from the Index at its last sale price.
The Fund intends to invest entirely in securities included in the Index; however, there may also be instances in which the Fund may be underweighted or overweighted in certain securities in the Index, not invest in certain securities included in the Index, purchase securities not in the Index that are appropriate to substitute for certain securities in the Index or utilize various combinations of the above techniques in seeking to track the Index.
Principal Risks
You could lose money by investing in the Fund. An investment in the Fund is not a deposit of a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other governmental agency. There can be no assurance that the Fund’s investment objective will be achieved.
AUTHORIZED PARTICIPANT CONCENTRATION RISK. Only an authorized participant (as defined in the “Frequent Purchases and Redemptions” Section) may engage in creation or redemption transactions directly with the Fund. The Fund has a limited number of institutions that act as authorized participants. To the extent that these institutions exit the business or are unable to proceed with creation and/or redemption orders with respect to the Fund and no other authorized participant is able to step forward to create or redeem, in either of these cases, Fund shares may trade at a discount to the Fund’s net asset value and possibly face delisting.
CYBER SECURITY RISK. As the use of Internet technology has become more prevalent in the course of business, the Fund has become more susceptible to potential operational risks through breaches in cyber security. A breach in cyber security refers to both intentional and unintentional events that may cause the Fund to lose proprietary information, suffer data corruption or lose operational capacity. Such events could cause the Fund to incur regulatory penalties, reputational damage, additional compliance costs associated with corrective measures and/or financial loss. Cyber security breaches may involve unauthorized access to the Fund’s digital information systems through “hacking” or malicious software coding, but may also
25

First Trust Rising Dividend Achievers ETF (RDVY)
result from outside attacks such as denial-of-service attacks through efforts to make network services unavailable to intended users. In addition, cyber security breaches of the Fund’s third party service providers, such as its administrator, transfer agent, custodian, or sub-advisor, as applicable, or issuers in which the Fund invests, can also subject the Fund to many of the same risks associated with direct cyber security breaches. The Fund has established risk management systems designed to reduce the risks associated with cyber security. However, there is no guarantee that such efforts will succeed, especially because the Fund does not directly control the cyber security systems of issuers or third party service providers.
DEPOSITARY RECEIPTS RISK. Depositary receipts may be less liquid than the underlying shares in their primary trading market. Any distributions paid to the holders of depositary receipts are usually subject to a fee charged by the depositary. Holders of depositary receipts may have limited voting rights, and investment restrictions in certain countries may adversely impact the value of depositary receipts because such restrictions may limit the ability to convert the equity shares into depositary receipts and vice versa. Such restrictions may cause the equity shares of the underlying issuer to trade at a discount or premium to the market price of the depositary receipts.
DIVIDEND RISK. There is no guarantee that the issuers of the Fund’s portfolio securities will declare dividends in the future or that, if declared, they will either remain at current levels or increase over time.
EQUITY SECURITIES RISK. Because the Fund invests in equity securities, the value of the Fund’s shares will fluctuate with changes in the value of these equity securities. Equity securities prices fluctuate for several reasons, including changes in investors’ perceptions of the financial condition of an issuer or the general condition of the relevant stock market, such as market volatility, or when political or economic events affecting the issuers occur. In addition, common stock prices may be particularly sensitive to rising interest rates, as the cost of capital rises and borrowing costs increase.
FINANCIAL COMPANIES RISK. Financial companies are especially subject to the adverse effects of economic recession, currency exchange rates, government regulation, decreases in the availability of capital, volatile interest rates, portfolio concentrations in geographic markets and in commercial and residential real estate loans, and competition from new entrants in their fields of business.
FLUCTUATION OF NET ASSET VALUE RISK. The net asset value of shares of the Fund will generally fluctuate with changes in the market value of the Fund’s holdings. The market prices of shares will generally fluctuate in accordance with changes in net asset value as well as the relative supply of and demand for shares on the Exchange. The Fund’s investment advisor cannot predict whether shares will trade below, at or above their net asset value because the shares trade on the Exchange at market prices and not at net asset value. Price differences may be due, in large part, to the fact that supply and demand forces at work in the secondary trading market for shares will be closely related to, but not identical to, the same forces influencing the prices of the holdings of the Fund trading individually or in the aggregate at any point in time. However, given that shares can only be purchased and redeemed either in-kind or for cash in Creation Units, and only to and from broker-dealers and large institutional investors that have entered into participation agreements (unlike shares of closed-end funds, which frequently trade at appreciable discounts from, and sometimes at premiums to, their net asset value), the Fund’s investment advisor believes that large discounts or premiums to the net asset value of shares should not be sustained.
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY COMPANIES RISK. Information technology companies are generally subject to the following risks: rapidly changing technologies; short product life cycles; fierce competition; aggressive pricing and reduced profit margins; the loss of patent, copyright and trademark protections; cyclical market patterns; evolving industry standards; and frequent new product introductions. Information technology companies may be smaller and less experienced companies, with limited product lines, markets or financial resources and fewer experienced management or marketing personnel. Information technology company stocks, especially those which are Internet related, have experienced extreme price and volume fluctuations that are often unrelated to their operating performance.
MARKET MAKER RISK. If the Fund has lower average daily trading volumes, it may rely on a small number of third-party market makers to provide a market for the purchase and sale of shares. Any trading halt or other problem relating to the trading activity of these market makers could result in a dramatic change in the spread between the Fund’s net asset value and the price at which the Fund’s shares are trading on the Exchange which could result in a decrease in value of the Fund’s shares. In addition, decisions by market makers or authorized participants to reduce their role or step away from these activities in times of market stress could inhibit the effectiveness of the arbitrage process in maintaining the relationship between the underlying values of the Fund’s portfolio securities and the Fund’s market price. This reduced effectiveness could result in Fund shares trading at a discount to net asset value and also in greater than normal intraday bid-ask spreads for Fund shares.
26

First Trust Rising Dividend Achievers ETF (RDVY)
MARKET RISK. Market risk is the risk that a particular security owned by the Fund or shares of the Fund in general may fall in value. Securities are subject to market fluctuations caused by such factors as economic, political, regulatory or market developments, changes in interest rates and perceived trends in securities prices. Shares of the Fund could decline in value or underperform other investments.
NON-CORRELATION RISK. The Fund’s return may not match the return of the Index for a number of reasons. For example, the Fund incurs operating expenses not applicable to the Index, and may incur costs in buying and selling securities, especially when rebalancing the Fund’s portfolio holdings to reflect changes in the composition of the Index. In addition, the Fund’s portfolio holdings may not exactly replicate the securities included in the Index or the ratios between the securities included in the Index.
NON-DIVERSIFICATION RISK. The Fund is classified as “non-diversified” under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "1940 Act"). As a result, the Fund is only limited as to the percentage of its assets which may be invested in the securities of any one issuer by the diversification requirements imposed by the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended. The Fund may invest a relatively high percentage of its assets in a limited number of issuers. As a result, the Fund may be more susceptible to a single adverse economic or regulatory occurrence affecting one or more of these issuers, experience increased volatility and be highly invested in certain issuers.
NON-U.S. SECURITIES RISK. Non-U.S. securities are subject to higher volatility than securities of domestic issuers due to possible adverse political, social or economic developments, restrictions on foreign investment or exchange of securities, lack of liquidity, currency exchange rates, excessive taxation, government seizure of assets, different legal or accounting standards, and less government supervision and regulation of exchanges in foreign countries.
REPLICATION MANAGEMENT RISK. The Fund is exposed to additional market risk due to its policy of investing principally in the securities included in the Index. As a result of this policy, securities held by the Fund will generally not be bought or sold in response to market fluctuations.
SMALLER COMPANIES RISK. Small and/or mid capitalization companies may be more vulnerable to adverse general market or economic developments, and their securities may be less liquid and may experience greater price volatility than larger, more established companies as a result of several factors, including limited trading volumes, products or financial resources, management inexperience and less publicly available information. Accordingly, such companies are generally subject to greater market risk than larger, more established companies.
TRADING ISSUES RISK. Although the shares of the Fund are listed for trading on the Exchange, there can be no assurance that an active trading market for such shares will develop or be maintained. Trading in shares on the Exchange may be halted due to market conditions or for reasons that, in the view of the Exchange, make trading in shares inadvisable. In addition, trading in shares on the Exchange is subject to trading halts caused by extraordinary market volatility pursuant to the Exchange’s “circuit breaker” rules. Market makers are under no obligation to make a market in the Fund’s shares, and authorized participants are not obligated to submit purchase or redemption orders for Creation Units. There can be no assurance that the requirements of the Exchange necessary to maintain the listing of the Fund will continue to be met or will remain unchanged. The Fund may have difficulty maintaining its listing on the Exchange in the event the Fund’s assets are small or the Fund does not have enough shareholders.
Annual Total Return
The bar chart and table below illustrate the annual calendar year returns of the Fund based on net asset value as well as the average annual Fund and Index returns. The bar chart and table provide an indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the Fund’s performance from year-to-year and by showing how the Fund’s average annual total returns based on net asset value compared to those of the Index and a broad based index. See “Total Return Information” for additional performance information regarding the Fund. The Fund’s performance information is accessible on the Fund’s website at www.ftportfolios.com.
Returns before taxes do not reflect the effects of any income or capital gains taxes. All after-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of any state or local tax. Returns after taxes on distributions reflect the taxed return on the payment of dividends and capital gains. Returns after taxes on distributions and sale of shares assume you sold your shares at period end, and, therefore, are also adjusted for any capital gains or losses incurred. Returns for the market indices do not include expenses, which are deducted from Fund returns, or taxes.
27

First Trust Rising Dividend Achievers ETF (RDVY)
Your own actual after-tax returns will depend on your specific tax situation and may differ from what is shown here. After-tax returns are not relevant to investors who hold Fund shares in tax-deferred accounts such as individual retirement accounts (IRAs) or employee-sponsored retirement plans.
First Trust Rising Dividend Achievers ETF
Calendar Year Total Returns as of 12/31
During the periods shown in the chart above:
Best Quarter Worst Quarter
11.92% December 31, 2016 -6.94% September 30, 2015
The Fund’s past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future.
Average Annual Total Returns for the Periods Ended December 31, 2017
  1 Year Since
Inception
Inception
Date
Return Before Taxes 22.58% 12.84% 1/6/2014
Return After Taxes On Distributions 21.87% 11.89%  
Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares 12.75% 9.62%  
NASDAQ U.S. Rising Dividend Achievers Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) 23.24% 13.44%  
Dow Jones U.S. Select DividendTM Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) 15.44% 12.94%  
Management
Investment Advisor
First Trust Advisors L.P. (“First Trust” or the “Advisor”)
Portfolio Managers
The Fund’s portfolio is managed by a team (the “Investment Committee”) consisting of:
Daniel J. Lindquist, Chairman of the Investment Committee and Managing Director of First Trust
Jon C. Erickson, Senior Vice President of First Trust
David G. McGarel, Chief Investment Officer, Chief Operating Officer and Managing Director of First Trust
Roger F. Testin, Senior Vice President of First Trust
Stan Ueland, Senior Vice President of First Trust
Chris A. Peterson, Senior Vice President of First Trust
28

First Trust Rising Dividend Achievers ETF (RDVY)
The Investment Committee members are primarily and jointly responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund. Each Investment Committee member has served as a part of the portfolio management team of the Fund since 2014, except for Chris A. Peterson, who has served as a member of the portfolio management team since 2016.
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares
The Fund issues and redeems shares on a continuous basis, at net asset value, only in Creation Units consisting of 50,000 shares. The Fund’s Creation Units are generally issued and redeemed in-kind for securities in which the Fund invests and, in certain circumstances, for cash, and only to and from broker-dealers and large institutional investors that have entered into participation agreements. Individual shares of the Fund may only be purchased and sold on Nasdaq and other eligible securities exchanges through a broker-dealer. Shares of the Fund trade on Nasdaq at market prices rather than net asset value, which may cause the shares to trade at a price greater than net asset value (premium) or less than net asset value (discount).
Tax Information
The Fund’s distributions are taxable and will generally be taxed as ordinary income or capital gains. Distributions on shares held in a tax-deferred account, while not immediately taxable, will be subject to tax when the shares are no longer held in a tax-deferred account.
Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries
If you purchase shares of the Fund through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), First Trust and First Trust Portfolios L.P., the Fund’s distributor, may pay the intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealer or other intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary’s website for more information.
29

Summary Information
First Trust NASDAQ Technology Dividend Index Fund (TDIV)
Investment Objective
The First Trust NASDAQ Technology Dividend Index Fund (the “Fund”) seeks investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield (before the Fund’s fees and expenses) of an equity index called the NASDAQ Technology Dividend IndexSM (the “Index”).
Fees and Expenses of the Fund
The following table describes the fees and expenses you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the Fund. Investors purchasing and selling shares may be subject to costs (including customary brokerage commissions) charged by their broker, which are not reflected in the table below.
Shareholder Fees
(fees paid directly from your investment)
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Purchases (as a percentage of offering price) None
    
Annual Fund Operating Expenses
(expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
Management Fees 0.50%
Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fees(1) 0.00%
Other Expenses 0.00%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses 0.50%
(1) Although the Fund has adopted a 12b-1 plan that permits it to pay up to 0.25% per annum, it will not pay 12b-1 fees at any time before January 31, 2019.
Example
The example below is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other funds. This example does not take into account customary brokerage commissions that you pay when purchasing or selling shares of the Fund in the secondary market.
The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain at current levels until January 31, 2019, and thereafter at 0.75% to represent the imposition of the 12b-1 fee of 0.25% per annum of the Fund’s average daily net assets. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
1 Year 3 Years 5 Years 10 Years
$51 $215 $392 $907
Portfolio Turnover
The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 26% of the average value of its portfolio.
Principal Investment Strategies
The Fund will normally invest at least 90% of its net assets (including investment borrowings) in the common stocks and/or depositary receipts included in the Index.
The Fund, using an indexing investment approach, attempts to replicate, before fees and expenses, the performance of the Index. First Trust Advisors L.P., the Fund’s investment advisor, seeks a correlation of 0.95 or better (before fees and expenses) between the Fund’s performance and the performance of the Index; a figure of 1.00 would represent perfect correlation.
30

First Trust NASDAQ Technology Dividend Index Fund (TDIV)
The Index is owned and was developed by Nasdaq, Inc. (the “Index Provider”). The Index is calculated and maintained by the Index Provider. The Index includes up to 100 technology and telecommunications companies that pay a regular or common dividend. To be selected for the Index, a company must be classified as a technology or telecommunications company under the Industry Classification Benchmark (“ICB”) and have a minimum market capitalization of $500 million. Non-U.S. securities in the Index are U.S.-listed securities of non-U.S. companies, some of which may be located in emerging markets. At each quarter, the Index is rebalanced so that the securities of the technology companies are given a collective weight of 80% and the securities of the telecommunications companies are given a collective weight of 20%.
The Index employs a modified market cap weighting methodology in which larger capitalization companies receive a larger Index weighting. The Index weighting methodology includes caps to prevent high concentrations among larger stocks. This methodology is applied to the dividend value of each Index security. The dividend value is calculated by multiplying dividends paid per share within the past 12 months by the current shares outstanding.
The Index Provider evaluates the Index components semi-annually in March and September for eligibility, based on January and July month-end data. Eligible components for the Index are identified as such using the eligibility criteria set forth in this prospectus under “Index Information.” The Index is rebalanced quarterly in March, June, September and December. Rebalancing is effective as of the market close of the third Friday in March, June, September and December. As of December 31, 2017, the Index was comprised of 94 securities. As of September 30, 2017, the Fund had significant investments in information technology and telecommunication companies.
The Fund intends to invest entirely in securities included in the Index; however, there may also be instances in which the Fund may be underweighted or overweighted in certain securities in the Index, not invested in certain securities included in the Index, purchases securities not in the Index that are appropriate to substitute for certain securities in the Index or utilizes various combinations of the above techniques in seeking to track the Index.
Principal Risks
You could lose money by investing in the Fund. An investment in the Fund is not a deposit of a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other governmental agency. There can be no assurance that the Fund’s investment objective will be achieved.
AUTHORIZED PARTICIPANT CONCENTRATION RISK. Only an authorized participant (as defined in the “Frequent Purchases and Redemptions” Section) may engage in creation or redemption transactions directly with the Fund. The Fund has a limited number of institutions that act as authorized participants. To the extent that these institutions exit the business or are unable to proceed with creation and/or redemption orders with respect to the Fund and no other authorized participant is able to step forward to create or redeem, in either of these cases, Fund shares may trade at a discount to the Fund’s net asset value and possibly face delisting.
CONCENTRATION RISK. To the extent that the Index is concentrated in a single industry or sector, the Fund will also be concentrated in such industry or sector. A fund that is concentrated in a single industry or sector presents more risks than a fund that is broadly diversified over several industries or sectors. Compared to the broad market, an individual industry or sector may be more strongly affected by changes in the economic climate, broad market shifts, moves in a particular dominant stock or regulatory changes.
CYBER SECURITY RISK. As the use of Internet technology has become more prevalent in the course of business, the Fund has become more susceptible to potential operational risks through breaches in cyber security. A breach in cyber security refers to both intentional and unintentional events that may cause the Fund to lose proprietary information, suffer data corruption or lose operational capacity. Such events could cause the Fund to incur regulatory penalties, reputational damage, additional compliance costs associated with corrective measures and/or financial loss. Cyber security breaches may involve unauthorized access to the Fund’s digital information systems through “hacking” or malicious software coding, but may also result from outside attacks such as denial-of-service attacks through efforts to make network services unavailable to intended users. In addition, cyber security breaches of the Fund’s third party service providers, such as its administrator, transfer agent, custodian, or sub-advisor, as applicable, or issuers in which the Fund invests, can also subject the Fund to many of the same risks associated with direct cyber security breaches. The Fund has established risk management systems designed to reduce the risks associated with cyber security. However, there is no guarantee that such efforts will succeed, especially because the Fund does not directly control the cyber security systems of issuers or third party service providers.
DEPOSITARY RECEIPTS RISK. Depositary receipts may be less liquid than the underlying shares in their primary trading market. Any distributions paid to the holders of depositary receipts are usually subject to a fee charged by the depositary. Holders of
31

First Trust NASDAQ Technology Dividend Index Fund (TDIV)
depositary receipts may have limited voting rights, and investment restrictions in certain countries may adversely impact the value of depositary receipts because such restrictions may limit the ability to convert the equity shares into depositary receipts and vice versa. Such restrictions may cause the equity shares of the underlying issuer to trade at a discount or premium to the market price of the depositary receipts.
DIVIDEND RISK. There is no guarantee that the issuers of the Fund’s portfolio securities will declare dividends in the future or that, if declared, they will either remain at current levels or increase over time.
EQUITY SECURITIES RISK. Because the Fund invests in equity securities, the value of the Fund’s shares will fluctuate with changes in the value of these equity securities. Equity securities prices fluctuate for several reasons, including changes in investors’ perceptions of the financial condition of an issuer or the general condition of the relevant stock market, such as market volatility, or when political or economic events affecting the issuers occur. In addition, common stock prices may be particularly sensitive to rising interest rates, as the cost of capital rises and borrowing costs increase.
FLUCTUATION OF NET ASSET VALUE RISK. The net asset value of shares of the Fund will generally fluctuate with changes in the market value of the Fund’s holdings. The market prices of shares will generally fluctuate in accordance with changes in net asset value as well as the relative supply of and demand for shares on the Exchange. The Fund’s investment advisor cannot predict whether shares will trade below, at or above their net asset value because the shares trade on the Exchange at market prices and not at net asset value. Price differences may be due, in large part, to the fact that supply and demand forces at work in the secondary trading market for shares will be closely related to, but not identical to, the same forces influencing the prices of the holdings of the Fund trading individually or in the aggregate at any point in time. However, given that shares can only be purchased and redeemed either in-kind or for cash in Creation Units, and only to and from broker-dealers and large institutional investors that have entered into participation agreements (unlike shares of closed-end funds, which frequently trade at appreciable discounts from, and sometimes at premiums to, their net asset value), the Fund’s investment advisor believes that large discounts or premiums to the net asset value of shares should not be sustained.
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY COMPANIES RISK. Information technology companies are generally subject to the risks of rapidly changing technologies, short product life cycles, fierce competition, aggressive pricing and reduced profit margins, loss of patent, copyright and trademark protections, cyclical market patterns, evolving industry standards, and frequent new product introductions. Information technology companies may be smaller and less experienced companies, with limited product lines, markets or financial resources and fewer experienced management or marketing personnel.
MARKET MAKER RISK. If the Fund has lower average daily trading volumes, it may rely on a small number of third-party market makers to provide a market for the purchase and sale of shares. Any trading halt or other problem relating to the trading activity of these market makers could result in a dramatic change in the spread between the Fund’s net asset value and the price at which the Fund’s shares are trading on the Exchange which could result in a decrease in value of the Fund’s shares. In addition, decisions by market makers or authorized participants to reduce their role or step away from these activities in times of market stress could inhibit the effectiveness of the arbitrage process in maintaining the relationship between the underlying values of the Fund’s portfolio securities and the Fund’s market price. This reduced effectiveness could result in Fund shares trading at a discount to net asset value and also in greater than normal intraday bid-ask spreads for Fund shares.
MARKET RISK. Market risk is the risk that a particular security owned by the Fund or shares of the Fund in general may fall in value. Securities are subject to market fluctuations caused by such factors as economic, political, regulatory or market developments, changes in interest rates and perceived trends in securities prices. Shares of the Fund could decline in value or underperform other investments.
NON-CORRELATION RISK. The Fund’s return may not match the return of the Index for a number of reasons. For example, the Fund incurs operating expenses not applicable to the Index, and may incur costs in buying and selling securities, especially when rebalancing the Fund’s portfolio holdings to reflect changes in the composition of the Index. In addition, the Fund’s portfolio holdings may not exactly replicate the securities included in the Index or the ratios between the securities included in the Index.
NON-DIVERSIFICATION RISK. The Fund is classified as “non-diversified” under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "1940 Act"). As a result, the Fund is only limited as to the percentage of its assets which may be invested in the securities of any one issuer by the diversification requirements imposed by the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended. The Fund may invest a relatively high percentage of its assets in a limited number of issuers. As a result, the Fund may be more susceptible to a single adverse economic or regulatory occurrence affecting one or more of these issuers, experience increased volatility and be highly invested in certain issuers.
32

First Trust NASDAQ Technology Dividend Index Fund (TDIV)
NON-U.S. SECURITIES AND EMERGING MARKETS RISK. Non-U.S. securities are subject to higher volatility than securities of domestic issuers due to possible adverse political, social or economic developments; restrictions on foreign investment or exchange of securities; lack of liquidity; currency exchange rates; excessive taxation; government seizure of assets; different legal or accounting standards; and less government supervision and regulation of exchanges in foreign countries. These risks may be heightened for securities of companies located in, or with significant operations in, emerging market countries.
REPLICATION MANAGEMENT RISK. The Fund is exposed to additional market risk due to its policy of investing principally in the securities included in the Index. As a result of this policy, securities held by the Fund will generally not be bought or sold in response to market fluctuations.
SMALLER COMPANIES RISK. Small and/or mid capitalization companies may be more vulnerable to adverse general market or economic developments, and their securities may be less liquid and may experience greater price volatility than larger, more established companies as a result of several factors, including limited trading volumes, products or financial resources, management inexperience and less publicly available information. Accordingly, such companies are generally subject to greater market risk than larger, more established companies.
TELECOMMUNICATIONS COMPANIES RISK. Telecommunications companies are subject to the risk of increased competition and regulation by various regulatory authorities, the need to commit substantial capital and technological obsolescence.
TRADING ISSUES RISK. Although the shares of the Fund are listed for trading on the Exchange, there can be no assurance that an active trading market for such shares will develop or be maintained. Trading in shares on the Exchange may be halted due to market conditions or for reasons that, in the view of the Exchange, make trading in shares inadvisable. In addition, trading in shares on the Exchange is subject to trading halts caused by extraordinary market volatility pursuant to the Exchange’s “circuit breaker” rules. Market makers are under no obligation to make a market in the Fund’s shares, and authorized participants are not obligated to submit purchase or redemption orders for Creation Units. There can be no assurance that the requirements of the Exchange necessary to maintain the listing of the Fund will continue to be met or will remain unchanged. The Fund may have difficulty maintaining its listing on the Exchange in the event the Fund’s assets are small or the Fund does not have enough shareholders.
Annual Total Return
The bar chart and table below illustrate the annual calendar year returns of the Fund based on net asset value as well as the average annual Fund and Index returns. The bar chart and table provide an indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the Fund’s performance from year-to-year and by showing how the Fund’s average annual total returns based on net asset value compared to those of the Index, a broad-based market index and a specialized market index. See “Total Return Information” for additional performance information regarding the Fund. The Fund’s performance information is accessible on the Fund’s website at www.ftportfolios.com.
Returns before taxes do not reflect the effects of any income or capital gains taxes. All after-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of any state or local tax. Returns after taxes on distributions reflect the taxed return on the payment of dividends and capital gains. Returns after taxes on distributions and sale of shares assume you sold your shares at period end, and, therefore, are also adjusted for any capital gains or losses incurred. Returns for the market indices do not include expenses, which are deducted from Fund returns, or taxes.
Your own actual after-tax returns will depend on your specific tax situation and may differ from what is shown here. After-tax returns are not relevant to investors who hold Fund shares in tax-deferred accounts such as individual retirement accounts (IRAs) or employee-sponsored retirement plans.
33

First Trust NASDAQ Technology Dividend Index Fund (TDIV)
First Trust NASDAQ Technology Dividend Index Fund
Calendar Year Total Returns as of 12/31
During the periods shown in the chart above:
Best Quarter Worst Quarter
11.04% March 31, 2013 -7.31% September 30, 2015
The Fund’s past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future.
Average Annual Total Returns for the Periods Ended December 31, 2017
  1 Year 5 Years Since
Inception
Inception
Date
Return Before Taxes 21.90% 15.61% 14.06% 8/13/2012
Return After Taxes On Distributions 20.61% 14.32% 12.80%  
Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares 12.34% 11.85% 10.61%  
NASDAQ Technology Dividend IndexSM (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) 22.71% 16.36% 14.79%  
S&P 500® Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) 21.83% 15.79% 15.12%  
S&P 500® Information Technology Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) 38.83% 20.90% 18.51%  
Management
Investment Advisor
First Trust Advisors L.P. (“First Trust” or the “Advisor”)
Portfolio Managers
The Fund’s portfolio is managed by a team (the “Investment Committee”) consisting of:
Daniel J. Lindquist, Chairman of the Investment Committee and Managing Director of First Trust
Jon C. Erickson, Senior Vice President of First Trust
David G. McGarel, Chief Investment Officer, Chief Operating Officer and Managing Director of First Trust
Roger F. Testin, Senior Vice President of First Trust
Stan Ueland, Senior Vice President of First Trust
Chris A. Peterson, Senior Vice President of First Trust
34

First Trust NASDAQ Technology Dividend Index Fund (TDIV)
The Investment Committee members are primarily and jointly responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund. Each Investment Committee member has served as a part of the portfolio management team of the Fund since 2012, except for Chris A. Peterson, who has served as a member of the portfolio management team since 2016.
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares
The Fund issues and redeems shares on a continuous basis, at net asset value, only in Creation Units consisting of 50,000 shares. The Fund’s Creation Units are generally issued and redeemed in-kind for securities in which the Fund invests and, in certain circumstances, for cash, and only to and from broker-dealers and large institutional investors that have entered into participation agreements. Individual shares of the Fund may only be purchased and sold on Nasdaq and other eligible securities exchanges through a broker-dealer. Shares of the Fund trade on Nasdaq at market prices rather than net asset value, which may cause the shares to trade at a price greater than net asset value (premium) or less than net asset value (discount).
Tax Information
The Fund’s distributions are taxable and will generally be taxed as ordinary income or capital gains. Distributions on shares held in a tax-deferred account, while not immediately taxable, will be subject to tax when the shares are no longer held in a tax-deferred account.
Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries
If you purchase shares of the Fund through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), First Trust and First Trust Portfolios L.P., the Fund’s distributor, may pay the intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealer or other intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary’s website for more information.
35

Summary Information
First Trust RBA American Industrial Renaissance® ETF (AIRR)
Investment Objective
The First Trust RBA American Industrial Renaissance® ETF (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 Richard Bernstein Advisors American Industrial Renaissance® Index (the “Index”).
Fees and Expenses of the Fund
The following table describes the fees and expenses you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the Fund. Investors purchasing and selling shares may be subject to costs (including customary brokerage commissions) charged by their broker, which are not reflected in the table below.
Shareholder Fees
(fees paid directly from your investment)
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Purchases (as a percentage of offering price) None
    
Annual Fund Operating Expenses
(expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
Management Fees 0.70%
Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fees(1) 0.00%
Other Expenses 0.00%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses 0.70%
(1) Although the Fund has adopted a 12b-1 plan that permits it to pay up to 0.25% per annum, it will not pay 12b-1 fees at any time before January 31, 2019.
Example
The example below is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other funds. This example does not take into account customary brokerage commissions that you pay when purchasing or selling shares of the Fund in the secondary market.
The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain at current levels until January 31, 2019, and thereafter at 0.95% to represent the imposition of the 12b-1 fee of 0.25% per annum of the Fund’s average daily net assets. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
1 Year 3 Years 5 Years 10 Years
$72 $278 $501 $1,144
Portfolio Turnover
The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 52% of the average value of its portfolio.
Principal Investment Strategies
The Fund will normally invest at least 90% of its net assets (including investment borrowings) in U.S. equity securities that comprise the Index. The Index is designed to measure the performance of small and mid cap U.S. companies in the industrial and community banking sectors.
The Fund, using an indexing investment approach, attempts to replicate, before fees and expenses, the performance of the Index. First Trust Advisors L.P., the Fund’s investment advisor, seeks a correlation of 0.95 or better (before fees and expenses) between the Fund’s performance and the performance of the Index; a figure of 1.00 would represent perfect correlation.
36

First Trust RBA American Industrial Renaissance® ETF (AIRR)
The Index is owned and was developed by Richard Bernstein Advisors LLC (“RBA” or the “Index Provider”). The Index Provider has retained the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) to calculate and maintain the Index. The Index is designed to measure the performance of small and mid cap U.S. companies in the industrial and community banking sectors. RBA believes there is increasing reason to expect that the United States may regain industrial market share, based on a number of factors, including: access to cheap energy sources; the relative stability of the U.S. market compared to many emerging markets; and availability of bank financing for manufacturers.
The Index Provider constructs the Index by utilizing the following screens:
1. Start with a universe of U.S. exchange-traded equities, including depositary receipts, but excluding over-the-counter traded securities.
2. Include securities from only the following Global Industry Classification Standard (“GICS”) industries: (a) Commercial Services & Supplies; (b) Construction & Engineering; (c) Electrical Equipment; and (d) Machinery.
3. Include securities from the financial sector as classified by GICS that meet the following criteria: (a) a member of the Banks GICS industry; (b) have a business focus on regional commercial lending; and (c) domiciled in traditional mid-western manufacturing states, such as Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio, Illinois, Indiana and Iowa.
4. The companies included in the Index must have non-U.S. sales of less than 25%, which ensures that the majority of a company’s revenues are derived from the United States.
5. The securities included in the Index must be of companies that have a positive median 12-months forward earnings consensus estimate.
The Index Provider evaluates the Index components quarterly in April, July, October and January of each year for eligibility, using market data through the end of March, June, September and December, respectively. The Index is rebalanced quarterly. Rebalancing is effective as of the market close of the third Friday in April, July, October and January. The reference dates for the data used in the rebalancing are at the close of trading on the last trading day in March, June, September and December, respectively. As of December 31, 2017, the Index was comprised of 58 securities. As of September 30, 2017, the Fund had significant investments in industrials companies.
The Fund intends to invest entirely in securities included in the Index and maintain a correlation of 0.95 or better (before fees and expenses) between the Fund’s performance and the performance of the Index; however, there may also be instances in which the Fund may be underweighted or overweighted in certain securities in the Index, not invest in certain securities included in the Index, purchase securities not in the Index that are appropriate to substitute for certain securities in the Index or utilize various combinations of the above techniques in seeking to track the Index.
Principal Risks
You could lose money by investing in the Fund. An investment in the Fund is not a deposit of a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other governmental agency. There can be no assurance that the Fund’s investment objective will be achieved.
AUTHORIZED PARTICIPANT CONCENTRATION RISK. Only an authorized participant (as defined in the “Frequent Purchases and Redemptions” Section) may engage in creation or redemption transactions directly with the Fund. The Fund has a limited number of institutions that act as authorized participants. To the extent that these institutions exit the business or are unable to proceed with creation and/or redemption orders with respect to the Fund and no other authorized participant is able to step forward to create or redeem, in either of these cases, Fund shares may trade at a discount to the Fund’s net asset value and possibly face delisting.
COMMUNITY BANK RISK. Community banks were significantly impacted by the downturn in the United States and world economies that began with the decline in the subprime mortgage lending market in the United States. These conditions have brought about legislative and regulatory changes, changes in short-term and long-term interest rates, inflation and changes in government monetary and fiscal policies, all of which have had a significant impact on the banking business.
Unlike larger national or other regional banks that are more geographically diversified, a community bank’s financial performance may be highly dependent upon the business environment in certain geographic regions of the United States and may be adversely impacted by any downturn or unfavorable economic or employment developments in its local market and the United States as a whole. In particular, this environment impacts the ability of borrowers to pay interest on and repay
37

First Trust RBA American Industrial Renaissance® ETF (AIRR)
principal of outstanding loans and the value of collateral securing those loans. Also, the securities of community banks are often subject to low trading volume and low analyst coverage.
CONCENTRATION RISK. To the extent that the Index is concentrated in a single industry or sector, the Fund will also be concentrated in such industry or sector. A fund that is concentrated in a single industry or sector presents more risks than a fund that is broadly diversified over several industries or sectors. Compared to the broad market, an individual industry or sector may be more strongly affected by changes in the economic climate, broad market shifts, moves in a particular dominant stock or regulatory changes.
CYBER SECURITY RISK. As the use of Internet technology has become more prevalent in the course of business, the Fund has become more susceptible to potential operational risks through breaches in cyber security. A breach in cyber security refers to both intentional and unintentional events that may cause the Fund to lose proprietary information, suffer data corruption or lose operational capacity. Such events could cause the Fund to incur regulatory penalties, reputational damage, additional compliance costs associated with corrective measures and/or financial loss. Cyber security breaches may involve unauthorized access to the Fund’s digital information systems through “hacking” or malicious software coding, but may also result from outside attacks such as denial-of-service attacks through efforts to make network services unavailable to intended users. In addition, cyber security breaches of the Fund’s third party service providers, such as its administrator, transfer agent, custodian, or sub-advisor, as applicable, or issuers in which the Fund invests, can also subject the Fund to many of the same risks associated with direct cyber security breaches. The Fund has established risk management systems designed to reduce the risks associated with cyber security. However, there is no guarantee that such efforts will succeed, especially because the Fund does not directly control the cyber security systems of issuers or third party service providers.
EQUITY SECURITIES RISK. Because the Fund invests in equity securities, the value of the Fund’s shares will fluctuate with changes in the value of these equity securities. Equity securities prices fluctuate for several reasons, including changes in investors’ perceptions of the financial condition of an issuer or the general condition of the relevant stock market, such as market volatility, or when political or economic events affecting the issuers occur. In addition, common stock prices may be particularly sensitive to rising interest rates, as the cost of capital rises and borrowing costs increase.
FINANCIAL COMPANIES RISK. Financial companies are especially subject to the adverse effects of economic recession, currency exchange rates, government regulation, decreases in the availability of capital, volatile interest rates, portfolio concentrations in geographic markets and in commercial and residential real estate loans, and competition from new entrants in their fields of business.
FLUCTUATION OF NET ASSET VALUE RISK. The net asset value of shares of the Fund will generally fluctuate with changes in the market value of the Fund’s holdings. The market prices of shares will generally fluctuate in accordance with changes in net asset value as well as the relative supply of and demand for shares on the Exchange. The Fund’s investment advisor cannot predict whether shares will trade below, at or above their net asset value because the shares trade on the Exchange at market prices and not at net asset value. Price differences may be due, in large part, to the fact that supply and demand forces at work in the secondary trading market for shares will be closely related to, but not identical to, the same forces influencing the prices of the holdings of the Fund trading individually or in the aggregate at any point in time. However, given that shares can only be purchased and redeemed either in-kind or for cash in Creation Units, and only to and from broker-dealers and large institutional investors that have entered into participation agreements (unlike shares of closed-end funds, which frequently trade at appreciable discounts from, and sometimes at premiums to, their net asset value), the Fund’s investment advisor believes that large discounts or premiums to the net asset value of shares should not be sustained.
INDUSTRIALS COMPANIES RISK. The Fund invests in the securities of industrials companies. Industrials companies convert unfinished goods into finished durables used to manufacture other goods or provide services. Some industrials companies are involved in electrical equipment and components, industrial products, manufactured housing and telecommunications equipment. General risks of industrials companies include the general state of the economy, intense competition, consolidation, domestic and international politics, excess capacity and consumer demand and spending trends. In addition, they may also be significantly affected by overall capital spending levels, economic cycles, technical obsolescence, delays in modernization, labor relations, government regulations and e-commerce initiatives.
MARKET MAKER RISK. If the Fund has lower average daily trading volumes, it may rely on a small number of third-party market makers to provide a market for the purchase and sale of shares. Any trading halt or other problem relating to the trading activity of these market makers could result in a dramatic change in the spread between the Fund’s net asset value and the price at which the Fund’s shares are trading on the Exchange which could result in a decrease in value of the Fund’s shares. In addition, decisions by market makers or authorized participants to reduce their role or step away from these activities in
38

First Trust RBA American Industrial Renaissance® ETF (AIRR)
times of market stress could inhibit the effectiveness of the arbitrage process in maintaining the relationship between the underlying values of the Fund’s portfolio securities and the Fund’s market price. This reduced effectiveness could result in Fund shares trading at a discount to net asset value and also in greater than normal intraday bid-ask spreads for Fund shares.
MARKET RISK. Market risk is the risk that a particular security owned by the Fund or shares of the Fund in general may fall in value. Securities are subject to market fluctuations caused by such factors as economic, political, regulatory or market developments, changes in interest rates and perceived trends in securities prices. Shares of the Fund could decline in value or underperform other investments.
NON-CORRELATION RISK. The Fund’s return may not match the return of the Index for a number of reasons. For example, the Fund incurs operating expenses not applicable to the Index, and may incur costs in buying and selling securities, especially when rebalancing the Fund’s portfolio holdings to reflect changes in the composition of the Index. In addition, the Fund’s portfolio holdings may not exactly replicate the securities included in the Index or the ratios between the securities included in the Index.
NON-DIVERSIFICATION RISK. The Fund is classified as “non-diversified” under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "1940 Act"). As a result, the Fund is only limited as to the percentage of its assets which may be invested in the securities of any one issuer by the diversification requirements imposed by the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended. The Fund may invest a relatively high percentage of its assets in a limited number of issuers. As a result, the Fund may be more susceptible to a single adverse economic or regulatory occurrence affecting one or more of these issuers, experience increased volatility and be highly invested in certain issuers.
REPLICATION MANAGEMENT RISK. The Fund is exposed to additional market risk due to its policy of investing principally in the securities included in the Index. As a result of this policy, securities held by the Fund will generally not be bought or sold in response to market fluctuations.
SMALLER COMPANIES RISK. Small and/or mid capitalization companies may be more vulnerable to adverse general market or economic developments, and their securities may be less liquid and may experience greater price volatility than larger, more established companies as a result of several factors, including limited trading volumes, products or financial resources, management inexperience and less publicly available information. Accordingly, such companies are generally subject to greater market risk than larger, more established companies.
TRADING ISSUES RISK. Although the shares of the Fund are listed for trading on the Exchange, there can be no assurance that an active trading market for such shares will develop or be maintained. Trading in shares on the Exchange may be halted due to market conditions or for reasons that, in the view of the Exchange, make trading in shares inadvisable. In addition, trading in shares on the Exchange is subject to trading halts caused by extraordinary market volatility pursuant to the Exchange’s “circuit breaker” rules. Market makers are under no obligation to make a market in the Fund’s shares, and authorized participants are not obligated to submit purchase or redemption orders for Creation Units. There can be no assurance that the requirements of the Exchange necessary to maintain the listing of the Fund will continue to be met or will remain unchanged. The Fund may have difficulty maintaining its listing on the Exchange in the event the Fund’s assets are small or the Fund does not have enough shareholders.
Annual Total Return
The bar chart and table below illustrate the annual calendar year returns of the Fund based on net asset value as well as the average annual Fund and Index returns. The bar chart and table provide an indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the Fund’s performance from year-to-year and by showing how the Fund’s average annual total returns based on net asset value compared to those of the Index, a broad-based market index and a specialized market index. See “Total Return Information” for additional performance information regarding the Fund. The Fund’s performance information is accessible on the Fund’s website at www.ftportfolios.com.
Returns before taxes do not reflect the effects of any income or capital gains taxes. All after-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of any state or local tax. Returns after taxes on distributions reflect the taxed return on the payment of dividends and capital gains. Returns after taxes on distributions and sale of shares assume you sold your shares at period end, and, therefore, are also adjusted for any capital gains or losses incurred. Returns for the market indices do not include expenses, which are deducted from Fund returns, or taxes.
39

First Trust RBA American Industrial Renaissance® ETF (AIRR)
Your own actual after-tax returns will depend on your specific tax situation and may differ from what is shown here. After-tax returns are not relevant to investors who hold Fund shares in tax-deferred accounts such as individual retirement accounts (IRAs) or employee-sponsored retirement plans.
First Trust RBA American Industrial Renaissance® ETF
Calendar Year Total Returns as of 12/31
During the periods shown in the chart above:
Best Quarter Worst Quarter
15.41% December 31, 2016 -15.77% September 30, 2015
The Fund’s past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future.
Average Annual Total Returns for the Periods Ended December 31, 2017
  1 Year Since
Inception
Inception
Date
Return Before Taxes 16.36% 9.02% 3/10/2014
Return After Taxes On Distributions 16.20% 8.86%  
Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares 9.25% 6.97%  
Richard Bernstein Advisors American Industrial Renaissance® Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) 17.21% 9.90%  
S&P 500® Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) 21.83% 12.03%  
S&P 500® Industrials Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) 21.03% 11.82%  
Management
Investment Advisor
First Trust Advisors L.P. (“First Trust” or the “Advisor”)
Portfolio Managers
The Fund’s portfolio is managed by a team (the “Investment Committee”) consisting of:
Daniel J. Lindquist, Chairman of the Investment Committee and Managing Director of First Trust
Jon C. Erickson, Senior Vice President of First Trust
David G. McGarel, Chief Investment Officer, Chief Operating Officer and Managing Director of First Trust
Roger F. Testin, Senior Vice President of First Trust
Stan Ueland, Senior Vice President of First Trust
Chris A. Peterson, Senior Vice President of First Trust
40

First Trust RBA American Industrial Renaissance® ETF (AIRR)
The Investment Committee members are primarily and jointly responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund. Each Investment Committee member has served as a part of the portfolio management team of the Fund since 2014, except for Chris A. Peterson, who has served as a member of the portfolio management team since 2016.
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares
The Fund issues and redeems shares on a continuous basis, at net asset value, only in Creation Units consisting of 50,000 shares. The Fund’s Creation Units are generally issued and redeemed in-kind for securities in which the Fund invests and, in certain circumstances, for cash, and only to and from broker-dealers and large institutional investors that have entered into participation agreements. Individual shares of the Fund may only be purchased and sold on Nasdaq and other eligible securities exchanges through a broker-dealer. Shares of the Fund trade on Nasdaq at market prices rather than net asset value, which may cause the shares to trade at a price greater than net asset value (premium) or less than net asset value (discount).
Tax Information
The Fund’s distributions are taxable and will generally be taxed as ordinary income or capital gains. Distributions on shares held in a tax-deferred account, while not immediately taxable, will be subject to tax when the shares are no longer held in a tax-deferred account.
Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries
If you purchase shares of the Fund through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), First Trust and First Trust Portfolios L.P., the Fund’s distributor, may pay the intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealer or other intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary’s website for more information.
41

Summary Information
First Trust RBA Quality Income ETF (QINC)
Investment Objective
The First Trust RBA Quality Income ETF (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 Richard Bernstein Advisors Quality Income Index (the “Index”).
Fees and Expenses of the Fund
The following table describes the fees and expenses you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the Fund. Investors purchasing and selling shares may be subject to costs (including customary brokerage commissions) charged by their broker, which are not reflected in the table below.
Shareholder Fees
(fees paid directly from your investment)
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Purchases (as a percentage of offering price) None
    
Annual Fund Operating Expenses
(expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
Management Fees 0.70%
Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fees(1) 0.00%
Other Expenses 0.00%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses 0.70%
(1) Although the Fund has adopted a 12b-1 plan that permits it to pay up to 0.25% per annum, it will not pay 12b-1 fees at any time before January 31, 2019.
Example
The example below is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other funds. This example does not take into account customary brokerage commissions that you pay when purchasing or selling shares of the Fund in the secondary market.
The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain at current levels until January 31, 2019, and thereafter at 0.95% to represent the imposition of the 12b-1 fee of 0.25% per annum of the Fund’s average daily net assets. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
1 Year 3 Years 5 Years 10 Years
$72 $278 $501 $1,144
Portfolio Turnover
The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 150% of the average value of its portfolio.
Principal Investment Strategies
The Fund will normally invest at least 90% of its net assets (including investment borrowings) in U.S. and non-U.S., including emerging market, equity securities that comprise the Index. The non-U.S. equity securities may include American depositary receipts (“ADRs”), global depositary receipts (“GDRs”) or other depositary receipts. The Index is designed to provide access to a diversified portfolio of small, mid and large capitalization income producing equity securities.
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First Trust RBA Quality Income ETF (QINC)
The Fund, using an indexing investment approach, attempts to replicate, before fees and expenses, the performance of the Index. First Trust Advisors L.P., the Fund’s investment advisor, seeks a correlation of 0.95 or better (before fees and expenses) between the Fund’s performance and the performance of the Index; a figure of 1.00 would represent perfect correlation.
The Index is owned and was developed by Richard Bernstein Advisors LLC (“RBA” or the “Index Provider”). The Index Provider has retained the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) to calculate and maintain the Index. The Index is focused on total return through a combination of dividend income and capital appreciation. The Index attempts to control the risks associated with investing in higher-yielding stocks, yet maintain attractive current income. RBA believes that risk increases as dividend yield increases, and that simply investing in high-yield equities often leads to selecting stocks whose dividends are subsequently cut or discontinued. The Index seeks to minimize the probability of dividend cuts and the related underperformance.
The Index Provider constructs the Index by utilizing the following screens:
1. Start with a universe of U.S. exchange-traded equities including depositary receipts, but excluding over-the-counter traded securities.
2. Exclude preferred securities, master limited partnerships (MLPs) and mortgage real estate investment trusts (REITs).
3. The securities included in the Index must be of companies that have an Indicated Dividend Yield (Bloomberg) greater than the MSCI All Country World Index actual trailing dividend yield.
4. The securities included in the Index must be of companies that have an indicated dividend yield, as calculated by Bloomberg, of less than 50%.
5. Remove the securities that are in the top decile of indicated dividend yield, as calculated by Bloomberg.
6. The securities included in the Index must be of companies that have a Total Debt/Total Equity that is less than Actual Total Debt/Total Equity for the MSCI All Country World Index.
7. The securities included in the Index must have earnings per share (EPS) growth variability less than that of the MSCI All Country World Index.
8. Exclude companies with negative trailing year-over-year EPS growth.
The Index Provider evaluates the Index components quarterly in April, July, October and January of each year for eligibility, using market data through the end of March, June, September and December, respectively. The Index is rebalanced quarterly. Rebalancing is effective as of the market close of the third Friday in April, July, October and January. The reference dates for the data used in the rebalancing are at the close of trading on the last trading day in March, June, September and December, respectively. As of December 31, 2017, the Index was comprised of 31 securities. As of September 30, 2017, the Fund had significant investments in financials and utilities companies.
The Fund intends to invest entirely in securities included in the Index; however, there may also be instances in which the Fund may be underweighted or overweighted in certain securities in the Index, not invest in certain securities included in the Index, purchase securities not in the Index that are appropriate to substitute for certain securities in the Index or utilize various combinations of the above techniques in seeking to track the Index.
Principal Risks
You could lose money by investing in the Fund. An investment in the Fund is not a deposit of a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other governmental agency. There can be no assurance that the Fund’s investment objective will be achieved.
AUTHORIZED PARTICIPANT CONCENTRATION RISK. Only an authorized participant (as defined in the “Frequent Purchases and Redemptions” Section) may engage in creation or redemption transactions directly with the Fund. The Fund has a limited number of institutions that act as authorized participants. To the extent that these institutions exit the business or are unable to proceed with creation and/or redemption orders with respect to the Fund and no other authorized participant is able to step forward to create or redeem, in either of these cases, Fund shares may trade at a discount to the Fund’s net asset value and possibly face delisting.
CONCENTRATION RISK. To the extent that the Index is concentrated in a single industry or sector, the Fund will also be concentrated in such industry or sector. A fund that is concentrated in a single industry or sector is likely to present more risks than a fund that is broadly diversified over several industries or sectors. Compared to the broad market, an individual industry or sector may be more strongly affected by changes in the economic climate, broad market shifts, moves in a particular dominant stock, or regulatory changes.
43

First Trust RBA Quality Income ETF (QINC)
CYBER SECURITY RISK. As the use of Internet technology has become more prevalent in the course of business, the Fund has become more susceptible to potential operational risks through breaches in cyber security. A breach in cyber security refers to both intentional and unintentional events that may cause the Fund to lose proprietary information, suffer data corruption or lose operational capacity. Such events could cause the Fund to incur regulatory penalties, reputational damage, additional compliance costs associated with corrective measures and/or financial loss. Cyber security breaches may involve unauthorized access to the Fund’s digital information systems through “hacking” or malicious software coding, but may also result from outside attacks such as denial-of-service attacks through efforts to make network services unavailable to intended users. In addition, cyber security breaches of the Fund’s third party service providers, such as its administrator, transfer agent, custodian, or sub-advisor, as applicable, or issuers in which the Fund invests, can also subject the Fund to many of the same risks associated with direct cyber security breaches. The Fund has established risk management systems designed to reduce the risks associated with cyber security. However, there is no guarantee that such efforts will succeed, especially because the Fund does not directly control the cyber security systems of issuers or third party service providers.
DEPOSITARY RECEIPTS RISK. Depositary receipts may be less liquid than the underlying shares in their primary trading market. Any distributions paid to the holders of depositary receipts are usually subject to a fee charged by the depositary. Holders of depositary receipts may have limited voting rights, and investment restrictions in certain countries may adversely impact the value of depositary receipts because such restrictions may limit the ability to convert the equity shares into depositary receipts and vice versa. Such restrictions may cause the equity shares of the underlying issuer to trade at a discount or premium to the market price of the depositary receipts.
DIVIDEND RISK. There is no guarantee that the issuers of the Fund’s portfolio securities will declare dividends in the future or that, if declared, they will either remain at current levels or increase over time.
EQUITY SECURITIES RISK. Because the Fund invests in equity securities, the value of the Fund’s shares will fluctuate with changes in the value of these equity securities. Equity securities prices fluctuate for several reasons, including changes in investors’ perceptions of the financial condition of an issuer or the general condition of the relevant stock market, such as market volatility, or when political or economic events affecting the issuers occur. In addition, common stock prices may be particularly sensitive to rising interest rates, as the cost of capital rises and borrowing costs increase.
FINANCIAL COMPANIES RISK. Financial companies are especially subject to the adverse effects of economic recession, currency exchange rates, government regulation, decreases in the availability of capital, volatile interest rates, portfolio concentrations in geographic markets and in commercial and residential real estate loans, and competition from new entrants in their fields of business.
FLUCTUATION OF NET ASSET VALUE RISK. The net asset value of shares of the Fund will generally fluctuate with changes in the market value of the Fund’s holdings. The market prices of shares will generally fluctuate in accordance with changes in net asset value as well as the relative supply of and demand for shares on the Exchange. The Fund’s investment advisor cannot predict whether shares will trade below, at or above their net asset value because the shares trade on the Exchange at market prices and not at net asset value. Price differences may be due, in large part, to the fact that supply and demand forces at work in the secondary trading market for shares will be closely related to, but not identical to, the same forces influencing the prices of the holdings of the Fund trading individually or in the aggregate at any point in time. However, given that shares can only be purchased and redeemed either in-kind or for cash in Creation Units, and only to and from broker-dealers and large institutional investors that have entered into participation agreements (unlike shares of closed-end funds, which frequently trade at appreciable discounts from, and sometimes at premiums to, their net asset value), the Fund’s investment advisor believes that large discounts or premiums to the net asset value of shares should not be sustained.
MARKET MAKER RISK. If the Fund has lower average daily trading volumes, it may rely on a small number of third-party market makers to provide a market for the purchase and sale of shares. Any trading halt or other problem relating to the trading activity of these market makers could result in a dramatic change in the spread between the Fund’s net asset value and the price at which the Fund’s shares are trading on the Exchange which could result in a decrease in value of the Fund’s shares. In addition, decisions by market makers or authorized participants to reduce their role or step away from these activities in times of market stress could inhibit the effectiveness of the arbitrage process in maintaining the relationship between the underlying values of the Fund’s portfolio securities and the Fund’s market price. This reduced effectiveness could result in Fund shares trading at a discount to net asset value and also in greater than normal intraday bid-ask spreads for Fund shares.
MARKET RISK. Market risk is the risk that a particular security owned by the Fund or shares of the Fund in general may fall in value. Securities are subject to market fluctuations caused by such factors as economic, political, regulatory or market
44

First Trust RBA Quality Income ETF (QINC)
developments, changes in interest rates and perceived trends in securities prices. Shares of the Fund could decline in value or underperform other investments.
NON-CORRELATION RISK. The Fund’s return may not match the return of the Index for a number of reasons. For example, the Fund incurs operating expenses not applicable to the Index, and may incur costs in buying and selling securities, especially when rebalancing the Fund’s portfolio holdings to reflect changes in the composition of the Index. In addition, the Fund’s portfolio holdings may not exactly replicate the securities included in the Index or the ratios between the securities included in the Index.
NON-DIVERSIFICATION RISK. The Fund is classified as “non-diversified” under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "1940 Act"). As a result, the Fund is only limited as to the percentage of its assets which may be invested in the securities of any one issuer by the diversification requirements imposed by the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended. The Fund may invest a relatively high percentage of its assets in a limited number of issuers. As a result, the Fund may be more susceptible to a single adverse economic or regulatory occurrence affecting one or more of these issuers, experience increased volatility and be highly invested in certain issuers.
NON-U.S. SECURITIES AND EMERGING MARKETS RISK. Non-U.S. securities are subject to higher volatility than securities of domestic issuers due to possible adverse political, social or economic developments; restrictions on foreign investment or exchange of securities; lack of liquidity; currency exchange rates; excessive taxation; government seizure of assets; different legal or accounting standards; and less government supervision and regulation of exchanges in foreign countries. These risks may be heightened for securities of companies located in, or with significant operations in, emerging market countries.
PORTFOLIO TURNOVER RISK. The Fund’s strategy may frequently involve buying and selling portfolio securities to rebalance the Fund’s exposure to various market sectors. High portfolio turnover may result in the Fund paying higher levels of transaction costs and generating greater tax liabilities for shareholders. Portfolio turnover risk may cause the Fund’s performance to be less than you expect.
REPLICATION MANAGEMENT RISK. The Fund is exposed to additional market risk due to its policy of investing principally in the securities included in the Index. As a result of this policy, securities held by the Fund will generally not be bought or sold in response to market fluctuations.
SMALL FUND RISK. The Fund currently has fewer assets than larger funds, and like other smaller funds, large inflows and outflows may impact the Fund’s market exposure for limited periods of time. This impact may be positive or negative, depending on the direction of market movement during the period affected.
SMALLER COMPANIES RISK. Small and/or mid capitalization companies may be more vulnerable to adverse general market or economic developments, and their securities may be less liquid and may experience greater price volatility than larger, more established companies as a result of several factors, including limited trading volumes, products or financial resources, management inexperience and less publicly available information. Accordingly, such companies are generally subject to greater market risk than larger, more established companies.
TRADING ISSUES RISK. Although the shares of the Fund are listed for trading on the Exchange, there can be no assurance that an active trading market for such shares will develop or be maintained. Trading in shares on the Exchange may be halted due to market conditions or for reasons that, in the view of the Exchange, make trading in shares inadvisable. In addition, trading in shares on the Exchange is subject to trading halts caused by extraordinary market volatility pursuant to the Exchange’s “circuit breaker” rules. Market makers are under no obligation to make a market in the Fund’s shares, and authorized participants are not obligated to submit purchase or redemption orders for Creation Units. There can be no assurance that the requirements of the Exchange necessary to maintain the listing of the Fund will continue to be met or will remain unchanged. The Fund may have difficulty maintaining its listing on the Exchange in the event the Fund’s assets are small or the Fund does not have enough shareholders.
UTILITIES COMPANIES RISK. The Fund invests in the securities of utilities companies. General problems of utilities companies are subject to the imposition of rate caps, increased competition due to deregulation, the difficulty in obtaining an adequate return on invested capital or in financing large construction projects, the limitations on operations and increased costs and delays attributable to environmental considerations and the capital market’s ability to absorb utility debt. In addition, taxes, government regulation, international politics, price and supply fluctuations, volatile interest rates and energy conservation may cause difficulties for utilities. All of such issuers have been experiencing certain of these problems in varying degrees.
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First Trust RBA Quality Income ETF (QINC)
Annual Total Return
The bar chart and table below illustrate the annual calendar year returns of the Fund based on net asset value as well as the average annual Fund and Index returns. The bar chart and table provide an indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the Fund’s performance from year-to-year and by showing how the Fund’s average annual total returns based on net asset value compared to those of the Index and two broad-based market indices. See “Total Return Information” for additional performance information regarding the Fund. The Fund’s performance information is accessible on the Fund’s website at www.ftportfolios.com.
Returns before taxes do not reflect the effects of any income or capital gains taxes. All after-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of any state or local tax. Returns after taxes on distributions reflect the taxed return on the payment of dividends and capital gains. Returns after taxes on distributions and sale of shares assume you sold your shares at period end, and, therefore, are also adjusted for any capital gains or losses incurred. Returns for the market indices do not include expenses, which are deducted from Fund returns, or taxes.
Your own actual after-tax returns will depend on your specific tax situation and may differ from what is shown here. After-tax returns are not relevant to investors who hold Fund shares in tax-deferred accounts such as individual retirement accounts (IRAs) or employee-sponsored retirement plans.
First Trust RBA Quality Income ETF
Calendar Year Total Returns as of 12/31
During the periods shown in the chart above:
Best Quarter Worst Quarter
8.54% March 31, 2016 -4.77% September 30, 2015
The Fund’s past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future.
Average Annual Total Returns for the Periods Ended December 31, 2017
  1 Year Since
Inception
Inception
Date
Return Before Taxes 13.56% 9.23% 3/10/2014
Return After Taxes On Distributions 12.36% 8.03%  
Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares 7.64% 6.60%  
Richard Bernstein Advisors Quality Income Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) 14.47% 10.16%  
S&P 500® Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) 21.83% 12.03%  
Dow Jones U.S. Select DividendTM Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) 15.44% 12.76%  
46

First Trust RBA Quality Income ETF (QINC)
Management
Investment Advisor
First Trust Advisors L.P. (“First Trust” or the “Advisor”)
Portfolio Managers
The Fund’s portfolio is managed by a team (the “Investment Committee”) consisting of:
Daniel J. Lindquist, Chairman of the Investment Committee and Managing Director of First Trust
Jon C. Erickson, Senior Vice President of First Trust
David G. McGarel, Chief Investment Officer, Chief Operating Officer and Managing Director of First Trust
Roger F. Testin, Senior Vice President of First Trust
Stan Ueland, Senior Vice President of First Trust
Chris A. Peterson, Senior Vice President of First Trust
The Investment Committee members are primarily and jointly responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund. Each Investment Committee member has served as a part of the portfolio management team of the Fund since 2014, except for Chris A. Peterson, who has served as a member of the portfolio management team since 2016.
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares
The Fund issues and redeems shares on a continuous basis, at net asset value, only in Creation Units consisting of 50,000 shares. The Fund’s Creation Units are generally issued and redeemed in-kind for securities in which the Fund invests and, in certain circumstances, for cash, and only to and from broker-dealers and large institutional investors that have entered into participation agreements. Individual shares of the Fund may only be purchased and sold on Nasdaq and other eligible securities exchanges through a broker-dealer. Shares of the Fund trade on Nasdaq at market prices rather than net asset value, which may cause the shares to trade at a price greater than net asset value (premium) or less than net asset value (discount).
Tax Information
The Fund’s distributions are taxable and will generally be taxed as ordinary income or capital gains. Distributions on shares held in a tax-deferred account, while not immediately taxable, will be subject to tax when the shares are no longer held in a tax-deferred account.
Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries
If you purchase shares of the Fund through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), First Trust and First Trust Portfolios L.P., the Fund’s distributor, may pay the intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealer or other intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary’s website for more information.
47

Summary Information
International Multi-Asset Diversified Income Index Fund (YDIV)
Investment Objective
The International Multi-Asset Diversified Income Index 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 NASDAQ International Multi-Asset Diversified Income IndexSM (the “Index”).
Fees and Expenses of the Fund
The following table describes the fees and expenses you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the Fund. Investors purchasing and selling shares may be subject to costs (including customary brokerage commissions) charged by their broker, which are not reflected in the table below.
Shareholder Fees
(fees paid directly from your investment)
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Purchases (as a percentage of offering price) None
    
Annual Fund Operating Expenses
(expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
Management Fees 0.70%
Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fees(1) 0.00%
Other Expenses 0.00%
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses 0.09%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses 0.79%
(1) Although the Fund has adopted a 12b-1 plan that permits it to pay up to 0.25% per annum, it will not pay 12b-1 fees at any time before January 31, 2019.
Example
The example below is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other funds. This example does not take into account customary brokerage commissions that you pay when purchasing or selling shares of the Fund in the secondary market.
The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain at current levels until January 31, 2019, and thereafter at 1.04% to represent the imposition of the 12b-1 fee of 0.25% per annum of the Fund’s average daily net assets. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
1 Year 3 Years 5 Years 10 Years
$81 $306 $550 $1,248
Portfolio Turnover
The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 129% of the average value of its portfolio.
Principal Investment Strategies
The Fund will normally invest at least 90% of its net assets (including investment borrowings) in (1) non-U.S. dividend-paying equity securities and/or depositary receipts, (2) non-U.S. real estate investment trusts (“REITs”), (3) non-U.S. preferred securities, (4) infrastructure companies and (5) an exchange-traded fund (“ETF”) that invests in non-U.S. fixed income securities, all of which comprise the Index (each, an “Index Segment”). The ETF in which the Fund invests may invest in high yield fixed income securities, commonly referred to as “junk” bonds. Infrastructure companies include equity securities of companies
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International Multi-Asset Diversified Income Index Fund (YDIV)
classified as utilities and royalty trusts by the Industry Classification Benchmark (“ICB”). Although many of the infrastructure companies in which the Fund invests will be non-U.S. companies, certain royalty trusts may be domiciled in the United States or trade on a U.S. exchange.
In general, “non-U.S.” shall mean securities issued or guaranteed by companies organized under the laws of countries other than the United States (including emerging markets), securities issued or guaranteed by foreign, national, provincial, state, municipal or other governments with taxing authority or by their agencies or instrumentalities and debt obligations of supranational governmental entities such as the World Bank or European Union. The Index is designed to provide access to a diversified portfolio of small, mid and large capitalization income producing securities. The Index will be comprised of the five Index Segments in the following manner:
Index Segment Percentage of the Index
Dividend-paying equity securities 20%
REITs 20%
Preferred securities 20%
Infrastructure companies 20%
Fixed income ETF 20%
The Fund, using an indexing investment approach, attempts to replicate, before fees and expenses, the performance of the Index. First Trust Advisors L.P., the Fund’s investment advisor, seeks a correlation of 0.95 or better (before fees and expenses) between the Fund’s performance and the performance of the Index; a figure of 1.00 would represent perfect correlation.
The Index is owned and was developed by Nasdaq, Inc. (the “Index Provider”). The Index Provider also calculates and maintains the Index. The Index is designed to provide access to a diversified portfolio of non-U.S. securities. The Index employs a modified market cap weighting methodology in which larger companies receive a larger Index weighting. The Index weighting methodology also includes caps or ceilings to prevent high concentrations among larger stocks and assigns a pre-set weight to the five Index Segments at each quarterly rebalance. Each Index Segment has a set of separate and distinct eligibility rules and weighting procedures as described in this prospectus under “Index Information.”
The Index Provider evaluates the Index components quarterly in March, June, September and December of each year for eligibility, using market data through the end of January, April, July and October, respectively. Eligible components for the Index are identified as such using the eligibility criteria set forth in this prospectus under “Index Information.” The Index is rebalanced quarterly. Rebalancing is effective as of the market close of the third Friday in March, June, September and December. The reference dates for the data used in the rebalancing are at the close of trading on the last trading day in February, May, August and November, respectively. As of December 31, 2017, the Index was comprised of 126 securities. As of September 30, 2017, the Fund had significant investments in financials and real estate companies.
The Fund intends to invest entirely in securities included in the Index; however, there may also be instances in which the Fund may be underweighted or overweighted in certain securities in the Index, not invested in certain securities included in the Index, purchases securities not in the Index that are appropriate to substitute for certain securities in the Index or utilizes various combinations of the above techniques in seeking to track the Index.
Principal Risks
You could lose money by investing in the Fund. An investment in the Fund is not a deposit of a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other governmental agency. There can be no assurance that the Fund’s investment objective will be achieved.
AUTHORIZED PARTICIPANT CONCENTRATION RISK. Only an authorized participant (as defined in the “Frequent Purchases and Redemptions” Section) may engage in creation or redemption transactions directly with the Fund. The Fund has a limited number of institutions that act as authorized participants. To the extent that these institutions exit the business or are unable to proceed with creation and/or redemption orders with respect to the Fund and no other authorized participant is able to step forward to create or redeem, in either of these cases, Fund shares may trade at a discount to the Fund’s net asset value and possibly face delisting.
CREDIT RISK. Credit risk is the risk that an issuer of a security will be unable or unwilling to make dividend, interest and/or principal payments when due and the related risk that the value of a security may decline because of concerns about the issuer’s ability to make such payments. Credit risk may be heightened if the ETF in which the Fund invests holds “high yield” or “junk”
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International Multi-Asset Diversified Income Index Fund (YDIV)
securities. Such securities, while generally offering higher yields than investment grade debt with similar maturities, involve greater risks, including the possibility of dividend or interest deferral, default or bankruptcy, and are regarded as predominantly speculative with respect to the issuer’s capacity to pay dividends or interest and repay principal.
CURRENCY RISK. The Fund may hold investments that are denominated in non-U.S. currencies, or in securities that provide exposure to such currencies, currency exchange rates or interest rates denominated in such currencies. Changes in currency exchange rates and the relative value of non-U.S. currencies will affect the value of the Fund’s investments and the value of Fund shares. Currency exchange rates can be very volatile and can change quickly and unpredictably. As a result, the value of an investment in the Fund may change quickly and without warning and you may lose money.
CYBER SECURITY RISK. As the use of Internet technology has become more prevalent in the course of business, the Fund has become more susceptible to potential operational risks through breaches in cyber security. A breach in cyber security refers to both intentional and unintentional events that may cause the Fund to lose proprietary information, suffer data corruption or lose operational capacity. Such events could cause the Fund to incur regulatory penalties, reputational damage, additional compliance costs associated with corrective measures and/or financial loss. Cyber security breaches may involve unauthorized access to the Fund’s digital information systems through “hacking” or malicious software coding, but may also result from outside attacks such as denial-of-service attacks through efforts to make network services unavailable to intended users. In addition, cyber security breaches of the Fund’s third party service providers, such as its administrator, transfer agent, custodian, or sub-advisor, as applicable, or issuers in which the Fund invests, can also subject the Fund to many of the same risks associated with direct cyber security breaches. The Fund has established risk management systems designed to reduce the risks associated with cyber security. However, there is no guarantee that such efforts will succeed, especially because the Fund does not directly control the cyber security systems of issuers or third party service providers.
DEPOSITARY RECEIPTS RISK. Depositary receipts may be less liquid than the underlying shares in their primary trading market. Any distributions paid to the holders of depositary receipts are usually subject to a fee charged by the depositary. Holders of depositary receipts may have limited voting rights, and investment restrictions in certain countries may adversely impact the value of depositary receipts because such restrictions may limit the ability to convert the equity shares into depositary receipts and vice versa. Such restrictions may cause the equity shares of the underlying issuer to trade at a discount or premium to the market price of the depositary receipts.
EQUITY SECURITIES RISK. Because the Fund invests in equity securities, the value of the Fund’s shares will fluctuate with changes in the value of these equity securities. Equity securities prices fluctuate for several reasons, including changes in investors’ perceptions of the financial condition of an issuer or the general condition of the relevant stock market, such as market volatility, or when political or economic events affecting the issuers occur. In addition, common stock prices may be particularly sensitive to rising interest rates, as the cost of capital rises and borrowing costs increase.
ETF RISK. An ETF trades like common stock and represents a portfolio of securities. The risks of owning an ETF generally reflect the risks of owning the underlying securities, although lack of liquidity in an ETF could result in it being more volatile and ETFs have management fees and other operating expenses that increase their costs.
FINANCIAL COMPANIES RISK. Financial companies are especially subject to the adverse effects of economic recession, currency exchange rates, government regulation, decreases in the availability of capital, volatile interest rates, portfolio concentrations in geographic markets and in commercial and residential real estate loans, and competition from new entrants in their fields of business.
FIXED INCOME SECURITIES RISK. The Fund invests in an ETF that invests in fixed income securities. Fixed income securities are subject to credit risk and interest rate risk. The ETF may invest in high yield fixed income securities, commonly referred to as “junk” bonds.
FLUCTUATION OF NET ASSET VALUE RISK. The net asset value of shares of the Fund will generally fluctuate with changes in the market value of the Fund’s holdings. The market prices of shares will generally fluctuate in accordance with changes in net asset value as well as the relative supply of and demand for shares on the Exchange. The Fund’s investment advisor cannot predict whether shares will trade below, at or above their net asset value because the shares trade on the Exchange at market prices and not at net asset value. Price differences may be due, in large part, to the fact that supply and demand forces at work in the secondary trading market for shares will be closely related to, but not identical to, the same forces influencing the prices of the holdings of the Fund trading individually or in the aggregate at any point in time. However, given that shares can only be purchased and redeemed either in-kind or for cash in Creation Units, and only to and from broker-dealers and large institutional investors that have entered into participation agreements (unlike shares of closed-end funds, which
50

International Multi-Asset Diversified Income Index Fund (YDIV)
frequently trade at appreciable discounts from, and sometimes at premiums to, their net asset value), the Fund’s investment advisor believes that large discounts or premiums to the net asset value of shares should not be sustained.
HIGH YIELD SECURITIES RISK. The ETF in which the Fund invests may invest in high yield securities, or "junk" bonds. High yield securities, or “junk” bonds, are subject to greater market fluctuations and risk of loss than securities with higher ratings, and therefore, are considered to be highly speculative. These securities are issued by companies that may have limited operating history, narrowly focused operations and/or other impediments to the timely payment of periodic interest and principal at maturity. If the economy slows down or dips into recession, the issuers of high yield securities may not have sufficient resources to continue making timely payment of periodic interest and principal at maturity. The market for high yield securities is smaller and less liquid than that for investment grade securities. High yield securities are generally not listed on a national securities exchange but trade in the over-the-counter markets. Due to the smaller, less liquid market for high yield securities, the bid-offer spread on such securities is generally greater than it is for investment grade securities and the purchase or sale of such securities may take longer to complete.
INFRASTRUCTURE COMPANIES RISK. The Fund invests in infrastructure companies and is subject to certain risks inherent in investing in these types of securities. Infrastructure companies may be directly affected by energy commodity prices, especially those infrastructure companies that own the underlying energy commodity. A decrease in the production or availability of natural gas, natural gas liquids, crude oil, coal or other energy commodities or a decrease in the volume of such commodities available for transportation, processing, storage or distribution may adversely impact the financial performance of infrastructure companies. Infrastructure companies are subject to significant federal, state and local government regulation in virtually every aspect of their operations, including how facilities are constructed, maintained and operated, environmental and safety controls, and the prices they may charge for products and services. Various governmental authorities have the power to enforce compliance with these regulations and the permits issued under them and violators are subject to administrative, civil and criminal penalties, including civil fines, injunctions or both. Stricter laws, regulations or enforcement policies could be enacted in the future which would likely increase compliance costs and may adversely affect the financial performance of infrastructure companies. Natural disasters, such as hurricanes in the Gulf of Mexico, also may impact infrastructure companies.
Certain infrastructure companies in the utilities industry are subject to the imposition of rate caps, increased competition due to deregulation, the difficulty in obtaining an adequate return on invested capital or in financing large construction projects, the limitations on operations and increased costs and delays attributable to environmental considerations, and the capital market’s ability to absorb utility debt. In addition, taxes, government regulation, global politics, price and supply fluctuations, volatile interest rates and energy conservation may cause difficulties for these companies. Such issuers have been experiencing certain of these problems to varying degrees.
INTEREST RATE RISK. The Fund is subject to interest rate risk because the value of the debt securities held by the ETF, preferred securities held by the Fund, and REITs in which the Fund invests will decline with rising market interest rates. Interest rate risk is generally lower for shorter-term investments and higher for longer-term investments. Increases in interest rates typically lower the present value of a REIT’s future earnings stream, and may make financing property purchases and improvements more costly. Because the market price of REIT stocks may change based upon investors’ collective perceptions of future earnings, the value of the Fund will generally decline when investors anticipate or experience rising interest rates.
MARKET MAKER RISK. If the Fund has lower average daily trading volumes, it may rely on a small number of third-party market makers to provide a market for the purchase and sale of shares. Any trading halt or other problem relating to the trading activity of these market makers could result in a dramatic change in the spread between the Fund’s net asset value and the price at which the Fund’s shares are trading on the Exchange which could result in a decrease in value of the Fund’s shares. In addition, decisions by market makers or authorized participants to reduce their role or step away from these activities in times of market stress could inhibit the effectiveness of the arbitrage process in maintaining the relationship between the underlying values of the Fund’s portfolio securities and the Fund’s market price. This reduced effectiveness could result in Fund shares trading at a discount to net asset value and also in greater than normal intraday bid-ask spreads for Fund shares.
MARKET RISK. Market risk is the risk that a particular security owned by the Fund or shares of the Fund in general may fall in value. Securities are subject to market fluctuations caused by such factors as economic, political, regulatory or market developments, changes in interest rates and perceived trends in securities prices. Shares of the Fund could decline in value or underperform other investments.
NON-CORRELATION RISK. The Fund’s return may not match the return of the Index for a number of reasons. For example, the Fund incurs operating expenses not applicable to the Index, and may incur costs in buying and selling securities, especially
51

International Multi-Asset Diversified Income Index Fund (YDIV)
when rebalancing the Fund’s portfolio holdings to reflect changes in the composition of the Index. In addition, the Fund’s portfolio holdings may not exactly replicate the securities included in the Index or the ratios between the securities included in the Index.
NON-U.S. SECURITIES AND EMERGING MARKETS RISK. Non-U.S. securities are subject to higher volatility than securities of domestic issuers due to possible adverse political, social or economic developments; restrictions on foreign investment or exchange of securities; lack of liquidity; currency exchange rates; excessive taxation; government seizure of assets; different legal or accounting standards; and less government supervision and regulation of exchanges in foreign countries. These risks may be heightened for securities of companies located in, or with significant operations in, emerging market countries.
PORTFOLIO TURNOVER RISK. The Fund’s strategy may frequently involve buying and selling portfolio securities to rebalance the Fund’s exposure to various market sectors. High portfolio turnover may result in the Fund paying higher levels of transaction costs and generating greater tax liabilities for shareholders. Portfolio turnover risk may cause the Fund’s performance to be less than you expect.
PREFERRED SECURITIES RISK. Preferred securities combine some of the characteristics of both common stocks and bonds. Preferred securities are typically subordinated to bonds and other debt instruments in a company’s capital structure, in terms of priority to corporate income, and therefore will be subject to greater credit risk than those debt instruments. Preferred securities are also subject to credit risk, interest rate risk and income risk.
REIT INVESTMENT RISK. The Fund is subject to the risks associated with investing in real estate, which may include, but are not limited to, fluctuations in the value of underlying properties; defaults by borrowers or tenants; market saturation; changes in general and local operating expenses; and other economic, political or regulatory occurrences affecting companies in the real estate industry. In addition to risks related to investments in real estate generally, investing in REITs involves certain other risks related to their structure and focus, which include, but are not limited to, dependency upon management skills, limited diversification, the risks of locating and managing financing for projects, heavy cash flow dependency, possible default by borrowers, the costs and potential losses of self-liquidation of one or more holdings, the risk of a possible lack of mortgage funds and associated interest rate risks, overbuilding, property vacancies, increases in property taxes and operating expenses, changes in zoning laws, losses due to environmental damages, changes in neighborhood values and appeal to purchasers, the possibility of failing to maintain exemptions from registration under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”) and, in many cases, relatively small market capitalization, which may result in less market liquidity and greater price volatility. REITs are also subject to the risk that the real estate market may experience an economic downturn generally, which may have a material effect on the real estate in which the REITs invest and their underlying portfolio securities.
REPLICATION MANAGEMENT RISK. The Fund is exposed to additional market risk due to its policy of investing principally in the securities included in the Index. As a result of this policy, securities held by the Fund will generally not be bought or sold in response to market fluctuations.
SMALL FUND RISK. The Fund currently has fewer assets than larger funds, and like other smaller funds, large inflows and outflows may impact the Fund’s market exposure for limited periods of time. This impact may be positive or negative, depending on the direction of market movement during the period affected.
SMALLER COMPANIES RISK. Small and/or mid capitalization companies may be more vulnerable to adverse general market or economic developments, and their securities may be less liquid and may experience greater price volatility than larger, more established companies as a result of several factors, including limited trading volumes, products or financial resources, management inexperience and less publicly available information. Accordingly, such companies are generally subject to greater market risk than larger, more established companies.
TRADING ISSUES RISK. Although the shares of the Fund are listed for trading on the Exchange, there can be no assurance that an active trading market for such shares will develop or be maintained. Trading in shares on the Exchange may be halted due to market conditions or for reasons that, in the view of the Exchange, make trading in shares inadvisable. In addition, trading in shares on the Exchange is subject to trading halts caused by extraordinary market volatility pursuant to the Exchange’s “circuit breaker” rules. Market makers are under no obligation to make a market in the Fund’s shares, and authorized participants are not obligated to submit purchase or redemption orders for Creation Units. There can be no assurance that the requirements of the Exchange necessary to maintain the listing of the Fund will continue to be met or will remain unchanged. The Fund may have difficulty maintaining its listing on the Exchange in the event the Fund’s assets are small or the Fund does not have enough shareholders.
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International Multi-Asset Diversified Income Index Fund (YDIV)
UTILITIES COMPANIES RISK. The Fund invests in the securities of utilities companies. General problems of utilities companies include the imposition of rate caps, increased competition due to deregulation, the difficulty in obtaining an adequate return on invested capital or in financing large construction projects, the limitations on operations and increased costs and delays attributable to environmental considerations and the capital market’s ability to absorb utility debt. In addition, taxes, government regulation, international politics, price and supply fluctuations, volatile interest rates and energy conservation may cause difficulties for utilities. All of such issuers have been experiencing certain of these problems in varying degrees.
Annual Total Return
The bar chart and table below illustrate the annual calendar year returns of the Fund based on net asset value as well as the average annual Fund and Index returns. The bar chart and table provide an indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the Fund’s performance from year-to-year and by showing how the Fund’s average annual total returns based on net asset value compared to those of the Index, a broad-based market index and a specialized market index. See “Total Return Information” for additional performance information regarding the Fund. The Fund’s performance information is accessible on the Fund’s website at www.ftportfolios.com.
Returns before taxes do not reflect the effects of any income or capital gains taxes. All after-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of any state or local tax. Returns after taxes on distributions reflect the taxed return on the payment of dividends and capital gains. Returns after taxes on distributions and sale of shares assume you sold your shares at period end, and, therefore, are also adjusted for any capital gains or losses incurred. Returns for the market indices do not include expenses, which are deducted from Fund returns, or taxes.
Your own actual after-tax returns will depend on your specific tax situation and may differ from what is shown here. After-tax returns are not relevant to investors who hold Fund shares in tax-deferred accounts such as individual retirement accounts (IRAs) or employee-sponsored retirement plans.
International Multi-Asset Diversified Income Index Fund
Calendar Year Total Returns as of 12/31
During the periods shown in the chart above:
Best Quarter Worst Quarter
7.81% March 31, 2017 -11.70% September 30, 2015
The Fund’s past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future.
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International Multi-Asset Diversified Income Index Fund (YDIV)
Average Annual Total Returns for the Periods Ended December 31, 2017
  1 Year Since
Inception
Inception
Date
Return Before Taxes 20.94% 3.72% 8/22/2013
Return After Taxes On Distributions 18.37% 1.42%  
Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares 11.78% 1.75%  
NASDAQ International Multi-Asset Diversified Income IndexSM (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) 22.82% 5.37%  
MSCI World ex USA Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) 24.21% 6.41%  
Dow Jones EPAC Select DividendTM Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) 19.91% 4.71%  
Management
Investment Advisor
First Trust Advisors L.P. (“First Trust” or the “Advisor”)
Portfolio Managers
The Fund’s portfolio is managed by a team (the “Investment Committee”) consisting of:
Daniel J. Lindquist, Chairman of the Investment Committee and Managing Director of First Trust
Jon C. Erickson, Senior Vice President of First Trust
David G. McGarel, Chief Investment Officer, Chief Operating Officer and Managing Director of First Trust
Roger F. Testin, Senior Vice President of First Trust
Stan Ueland, Senior Vice President of First Trust
Chris A. Peterson, Senior Vice President of First Trust
The Investment Committee members are primarily and jointly responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund. Each Investment Committee member has served as a part of the portfolio management team of the Fund since 2013, except for Chris A. Peterson, who has served as a member of the portfolio management team since 2016.
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares
The Fund issues and redeems shares on a continuous basis, at net asset value, only in Creation Units consisting of 50,000 shares. The Fund’s Creation Units are generally issued and redeemed in-kind for securities in which the Fund invests and, in certain circumstances, for cash, and only to and from broker-dealers and large institutional investors that have entered into participation agreements. Individual shares of the Fund may only be purchased and sold on Nasdaq and other eligible securities exchanges through a broker-dealer. Shares of the Fund trade on Nasdaq at market prices rather than net asset value, which may cause the shares to trade at a price greater than net asset value (premium) or less than net asset value (discount).
Tax Information
The Fund’s distributions are taxable and will generally be taxed as ordinary income or capital gains. Distributions on shares held in a tax-deferred account, while not immediately taxable, will be subject to tax when the shares are no longer held in a tax-deferred account.
Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries
If you purchase shares of the Fund through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), First Trust and First Trust Portfolios L.P., the Fund’s distributor, may pay the intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealer or other intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary’s website for more information.
54

Summary Information
Multi-Asset Diversified Income Index Fund (MDIV)
Investment Objective
The Multi-Asset Diversified Income Index 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 NASDAQ US Multi-Asset Diversified Income IndexSM (the “Index”).
Fees and Expenses of the Fund
The following table describes the fees and expenses you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the Fund. Investors purchasing and selling shares may be subject to costs (including customary brokerage commissions) charged by their broker, which are not reflected in the table below.
Shareholder Fees
(fees paid directly from your investment)
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Purchases (as a percentage of offering price) None
    
Annual Fund Operating Expenses
(expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
Management Fees 0.60%
Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fees(1) 0.00%
Other Expenses 0.00%
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses 0.22%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses 0.82%
Fee Waiver(2) 0.12%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver 0.70%
(1) Although the Fund has adopted a 12b-1 plan that permits it to pay up to 0.25% per annum, it will not pay 12b-1 fees at any time before January 31, 2019.
(2) Pursuant to a contractual agreement between the Trust, on behalf of the Fund, and First Trust Advisors, L.P., the Fund’s investment advisor, the management fees paid to the Fund’s investment advisor will be reduced by the proportional amount of the management fees earned by the Fund on assets invested in other investment companies advised by the Fund’s investment advisor. This contractual agreement shall continue until the earliest of (i) January 31, 2019, (ii) its termination at the direction of the Trust’s Board of Trustees or (iii) upon the termination of the Investment Management Agreement by and between the Fund, the Trust and the Fund’s investment advisor.
Example
The example below is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other funds. This example does not take into account customary brokerage commissions that you pay when purchasing or selling shares of the Fund in the secondary market.
The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain at current levels until January 31, 2019, and thereafter at 1.07% to represent the imposition of the 12b-1 fee of 0.25% per annum of the Fund’s average daily net assets. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
1 Year 3 Years 5 Years 10 Years
$72 $304 $554 $1,272
Portfolio Turnover
The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 82% of the average value of its portfolio.
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Multi-Asset Diversified Income Index Fund (MDIV)
Principal Investment Strategies
The Fund will normally invest at least 90% of its net assets (including investment borrowings) in the common stocks and/or depositary receipts (20%), real estate investment trusts (“REITs”) (20%), preferred securities (20%), master limited partnerships (“MLPs”) (20%) and an exchange-traded fund (“ETF”) (20%) that comprise the Index (each, an “Index Segment”). The percentages provided above reflect the approximate percentages of each of the Index Segments included in the Index as of each quarterly rebalance. The percentages will vary from these amounts between rebalances of the Index. The ETF in which the Fund invests may be advised by First Trust Advisors L.P., the Fund’s investment advisor.
The Fund, using an indexing investment approach, attempts to replicate, before fees and expenses, the performance of the Index. The Fund’s investment advisor, seeks a correlation of 0.95 or better (before fees and expenses) between the Fund’s performance and the performance of the Index; a figure of 1.00 would represent perfect correlation.
The Index is owned and was developed by Nasdaq, Inc. (the “Index Provider”). The Index Provider also calculates and maintains the Index. The Index is designed to provide access to a diversified portfolio of small, mid and large capitalization income producing securities, which are composed of domestic and international dividend-paying stocks, REITs, oil and gas or basic materials MLPs, U.S.-listed preferred securities and an ETF that invests in high yield or “junk” bonds. International securities included in the index are U.S.-listed securities of non-U.S. companies, some of which may be located in emerging markets.
The Index employs a modified market cap weighting methodology which assigns a pre-set weight to the five Index Segments at each quarterly rebalance. Each Index Segment has a set of separate and distinct eligibility rules and weighting procedures as described in this prospectus under “Index Information.”
The Index Provider evaluates the Index components quarterly in March, June, September and December of each year for eligibility, using market data through the end of January, April, July and October, respectively. Eligible components for the Index are identified as such using the eligibility criteria set forth in this prospectus under “Index Information.” The Index is rebalanced quarterly. Rebalancing is effective as of the market close of the third Friday in March, June, September and December. The reference dates for the data used in the rebalancing are at the close of trading on the last trading day in January, April, July and October, respectively. As of December 31, 2017, the Index was comprised of 126 securities. As of September 30, 2017, the Fund had significant investments in financials and energy companies.
The Fund intends to invest entirely in securities included in the Index; however, there may also be instances in which the Fund may be underweighted or overweighted in certain securities in the Index, not invested in certain securities included in the Index, purchases securities not in the Index that are appropriate to substitute for certain securities in the Index or utilizes various combinations of the above techniques in seeking to track the Index.
Principal Risks
You could lose money by investing in the Fund. An investment in the Fund is not a deposit of a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other governmental agency. There can be no assurance that the Fund’s investment objective will be achieved.
AUTHORIZED PARTICIPANT CONCENTRATION RISK. Only an authorized participant (as defined in the “Frequent Purchases and Redemptions” Section) may engage in creation or redemption transactions directly with the Fund. The Fund has a limited number of institutions that act as authorized participants. To the extent that these institutions exit the business or are unable to proceed with creation and/or redemption orders with respect to the Fund and no other authorized participant is able to step forward to create or redeem, in either of these cases, Fund shares may trade at a discount to the Fund’s net asset value and possibly face delisting.
CREDIT RISK. Credit risk is the risk that an issuer of a security will be unable or unwilling to make dividend, interest and/or principal payments when due and the related risk that the value of a security may decline because of concerns about the issuer’s ability to make such payments. Credit risk may be heightened if the ETF in which the Fund invests holds “high yield” or “junk” securities. Such securities, while generally offering higher yields than investment grade debt with similar maturities, involve greater risks, including the possibility of dividend or interest deferral, default or bankruptcy, and are regarded as predominantly speculative with respect to the issuer’s capacity to pay dividends or interest and repay principal.
CYBER SECURITY RISK. As the use of Internet technology has become more prevalent in the course of business, the Fund has become more susceptible to potential operational risks through breaches in cyber security. A breach in cyber security refers to both intentional and unintentional events that may cause the Fund to lose proprietary information, suffer data corruption or lose operational capacity. Such events could cause the Fund to incur regulatory penalties, reputational damage,
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Multi-Asset Diversified Income Index Fund (MDIV)
additional compliance costs associated with corrective measures and/or financial loss. Cyber security breaches may involve unauthorized access to the Fund’s digital information systems through “hacking” or malicious software coding, but may also result from outside attacks such as denial-of-service attacks through efforts to make network services unavailable to intended users. In addition, cyber security breaches of the Fund’s third party service providers, such as its administrator, transfer agent, custodian, or sub-advisor, as applicable, or issuers in which the Fund invests, can also subject the Fund to many of the same risks associated with direct cyber security breaches. The Fund has established risk management systems designed to reduce the risks associated with cyber security. However, there is no guarantee that such efforts will succeed, especially because the Fund does not directly control the cyber security systems of issuers or third party service providers.
DEPOSITARY RECEIPTS RISK. Depositary receipts may be less liquid than the underlying shares in their primary trading market. Any distributions paid to the holders of depositary receipts are usually subject to a fee charged by the depositary. Holders of depositary receipts may have limited voting rights, and investment restrictions in certain countries may adversely impact the value of depositary receipts because such restrictions may limit the ability to convert the equity shares into depositary receipts and vice versa. Such restrictions may cause the equity shares of the underlying issuer to trade at a discount or premium to the market price of the depositary receipts.
ENERGY COMPANIES RISK. The Fund invests in the securities of energy companies. Energy companies include integrated oil companies that are involved in the exploration, production and refining process, gas distributors and pipeline-related companies and other energy companies involved with mining, producing and delivering energy-related services and drilling. General problems of energy companies include volatile fluctuations in price and supply of energy fuels, international politics, terrorist attacks, reduced demand, the success of exploration projects, clean-up and litigation costs relating to oil spills and environmental damage, and tax and other regulatory policies of various governments. Natural disasters such as hurricanes in the Gulf of Mexico also impact the petroleum industry. Oil production and refining companies are subject to extensive federal, state and local environmental laws and regulations regarding air emissions and the disposal of hazardous materials. In addition, oil prices are generally subject to extreme volatility.
EQUITY SECURITIES RISK. Because the Fund invests in equity securities, the value of the Fund’s shares will fluctuate with changes in the value of these equity securities. Equity securities prices fluctuate for several reasons, including changes in investors’ perceptions of the financial condition of an issuer or the general condition of the relevant stock market, such as market volatility, or when political or economic events affecting the issuers occur. In addition, common stock prices may be particularly sensitive to rising interest rates, as the cost of capital rises and borrowing costs increase.
ETF RISK. An ETF trades like common stock and represents a portfolio of securities. The risks of owning an ETF generally reflect the risks of owning the underlying securities, although lack of liquidity in an ETF could result in it being more volatile and ETFs have management fees and other operating expenses that increase their costs.
FINANCIAL COMPANIES RISK. Financial companies are especially subject to the adverse effects of economic recession, currency exchange rates, government regulation, decreases in the availability of capital, volatile interest rates, portfolio concentrations in geographic markets and in commercial and residential real estate loans, and competition from new entrants in their fields of business.
FIXED INCOME SECURITIES RISK. The Fund invests in an ETF that invests in fixed income securities. Fixed income securities are subject to credit risk and interest rate risk. The ETF may invest in high yield fixed income securities, commonly referred to as “junk” bonds.
FLUCTUATION OF NET ASSET VALUE RISK. The net asset value of shares of the Fund will generally fluctuate with changes in the market value of the Fund’s holdings. The market prices of shares will generally fluctuate in accordance with changes in net asset value as well as the relative supply of and demand for shares on the Exchange. The Fund’s investment advisor cannot predict whether shares will trade below, at or above their net asset value because the shares trade on the Exchange at market prices and not at net asset value. Price differences may be due, in large part, to the fact that supply and demand forces at work in the secondary trading market for shares will be closely related to, but not identical to, the same forces influencing the prices of the holdings of the Fund trading individually or in the aggregate at any point in time. However, given that shares can only be purchased and redeemed either in-kind or for cash in Creation Units, and only to and from broker-dealers and large institutional investors that have entered into participation agreements (unlike shares of closed-end funds, which frequently trade at appreciable discounts from, and sometimes at premiums to, their net asset value), the Fund’s investment advisor believes that large discounts or premiums to the net asset value of shares should not be sustained.
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Multi-Asset Diversified Income Index Fund (MDIV)
FUND OF FUNDS RISK. The Fund invests in securities of other ETFs, which involves additional expenses that would not be present in a direct investment in such ETFs. Furthermore, the Fund’s investment performance and risks are directly related to the investment performance and risks of the underlying ETFs in which the Fund invests.
HIGH YIELD SECURITIES RISK. The ETF in which the Fund invests may invest in high yield securities, or "junk" bonds. yield securities, or “junk” bonds, are subject to greater market fluctuations and risk of loss than securities with higher ratings, and therefore, are considered to be highly speculative. These securities are issued by companies that may have limited operating history, narrowly focused operations and/or other impediments to the timely payment of periodic interest and principal at maturity. If the economy slows down or dips into recession, the issuers of high yield securities may not have sufficient resources to continue making timely payment of periodic interest and principal at maturity. The market for high yield securities is smaller and less liquid than that for investment grade securities. High yield securities are generally not listed on a national securities exchange but trade in the over-the-counter markets. Due to the smaller, less liquid market for high yield securities, the bid-offer spread on such securities is generally greater than it is for investment grade securities and the purchase or sale of such securities may take longer to complete.
INDEX REBALANCE RISK. Pursuant to the methodology that the Index Provider uses to calculate and maintain the Index, the Fund may own a significant portion of a First Trust ETF included in the Fund. Such an ETF may be removed from the Index in the event that it does not comply with the eligibility requirements of the Index. As a result, the Fund may be forced to sell shares of a First Trust ETF at an inopportune time or for a price other than at current market value or may elect not to sell such shares on the day that they are removed from the Index, due to market conditions or otherwise. Due to these factors, the variation between the Fund’s annual return and the return of the Index may increase significantly. Apart from scheduled rebalances, the Index Provider may carry out additional ad hoc rebalances to the Index to, for example, correct an error in the selection of constituents. When the Fund in turn rebalances its portfolio, any transaction costs and market exposure arising from such portfolio rebalancing will be borne by the Fund and its shareholders. Unscheduled rebalances may also expose the Fund to additional tracking error risk. Therefore, errors and additional ad hoc rebalances carried out by the Index Provider may increase the Fund’s costs and market exposure.
INTEREST RATE RISK. The Fund is subject to interest rate risk because the value of the debt securities held by the ETF, preferred securities held by the Fund, and REITs in which the Fund invests will decline with rising market interest rates. Interest rate risk is generally lower for shorter-term investments and higher for longer-term investments. Increases in interest rates typically lower the present value of a REIT’s future earnings stream, and may make financing property purchases and improvements more costly. Because the market price of REIT stocks may change based upon investors’ collective perceptions of future earnings, the value of the Fund will generally decline when investors anticipate or experience rising interest rates.
Rising interest rates could adversely impact the financial performance of master limited partnerships (“MLPs”) held by the Fund. Rising interest rates may increase an MLP’s cost of capital, which would increase operating costs and may reduce an MLP’s ability to execute acquisitions or expansion projects in a cost-effective manner. Rising interest rates may also impact the price of MLP units as the yields on alternative investments increase.
MARKET MAKER RISK. If the Fund has lower average daily trading volumes, it may rely on a small number of third-party market makers to provide a market for the purchase and sale of shares. Any trading halt or other problem relating to the trading activity of these market makers could result in a dramatic change in the spread between the Fund’s net asset value and the price at which the Fund’s shares are trading on the Exchange which could result in a decrease in value of the Fund’s shares. In addition, decisions by market makers or authorized participants to reduce their role or step away from these activities in times of market stress could inhibit the effectiveness of the arbitrage process in maintaining the relationship between the underlying values of the Fund’s portfolio securities and the Fund’s market price. This reduced effectiveness could result in Fund shares trading at a discount to net asset value and also in greater than normal intraday bid-ask spreads for Fund shares.
MARKET RISK. Market risk is the risk that a particular security owned by the Fund or shares of the Fund in general may fall in value. Securities are subject to market fluctuations caused by such factors as economic, political, regulatory or market developments, changes in interest rates and perceived trends in securities prices. Shares of the Fund could decline in value or underperform other investments.
MLP RISK. An investment in MLP units involves risks which differ from an investment in common stock of a corporation. Holders of MLP units have limited control and voting rights on matters affecting the partnership. In addition, there are certain tax risks associated with an investment in MLP units and conflicts of interest may exist between common unit holders and the general partner, including those arising from incentive distribution payments. In addition, there is the risk that an MLP could be, contrary to its intention, taxed as a corporation, resulting in decreased returns from such MLP.
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Multi-Asset Diversified Income Index Fund (MDIV)
NON-CORRELATION RISK. The Fund’s return may not match the return of the Index for a number of reasons. For example, the Fund incurs operating expenses not applicable to the Index, and may incur costs in buying and selling securities, especially when rebalancing the Fund’s portfolio holdings to reflect changes in the composition of the Index. In addition, the Fund’s portfolio holdings may not exactly replicate the securities included in the Index or the ratios between the securities included in the Index.
NON-U.S. SECURITIES AND EMERGING MARKETS RISK. Non-U.S. securities are subject to higher volatility than securities of domestic issuers due to possible adverse political, social or economic developments; restrictions on foreign investment or exchange of securities; lack of liquidity; currency exchange rates; excessive taxation; government seizure of assets; different legal or accounting standards; and less government supervision and regulation of exchanges in foreign countries. These risks may be heightened for securities of companies located in, or with significant operations in, emerging market countries.
PREFERRED SECURITIES RISK. Preferred securities combine some of the characteristics of both common stocks and bonds. Preferred securities are typically subordinated to bonds and other debt instruments in a company’s capital structure, in terms of priority to corporate income, and therefore will be subject to greater credit risk than those debt instruments. Preferred securities are also subject to credit risk, interest rate risk and income risk.
REIT INVESTMENT RISK. The Fund is subject to the risks associated with investing in real estate, which may include, but are not limited to, fluctuations in the value of underlying properties; defaults by borrowers or tenants; market saturation; changes in general and local operating expenses; and other economic, political or regulatory occurrences affecting companies in the real estate industry. In addition to risks related to investments in real estate generally, investing in REITs involves certain other risks related to their structure and focus, which include, but are not limited to, dependency upon management skills, limited diversification, the risks of locating and managing financing for projects, heavy cash flow dependency, possible default by borrowers, the costs and potential losses of self-liquidation of one or more holdings, the risk of a possible lack of mortgage funds and associated interest rate risks, overbuilding, property vacancies, increases in property taxes and operating expenses, changes in zoning laws, losses due to environmental damages, changes in neighborhood values and appeal to purchasers, the possibility of failing to maintain exemptions from registration under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”) and, in many cases, relatively small market capitalization, which may result in less market liquidity and greater price volatility. REITs are also subject to the risk that the real estate market may experience an economic downturn generally, which may have a material effect on the real estate in which the REITs invest and their underlying portfolio securities.
REPLICATION MANAGEMENT RISK. The Fund is exposed to additional market risk due to its policy of investing principally in the securities included in the Index. As a result of this policy, securities held by the Fund will generally not be bought or sold in response to market fluctuations.
SMALLER COMPANIES RISK. Small and/or mid capitalization companies may be more vulnerable to adverse general market or economic developments, and their securities may be less liquid and may experience greater price volatility than larger, more established companies as a result of several factors, including limited trading volumes, products or financial resources, management inexperience and less publicly available information. Accordingly, such companies are generally subject to greater market risk than larger, more established companies.
TRADING ISSUES RISK. Although the shares of the Fund are listed for trading on the Exchange, there can be no assurance that an active trading market for such shares will develop or be maintained. Trading in shares on the Exchange may be halted due to market conditions or for reasons that, in the view of the Exchange, make trading in shares inadvisable. In addition, trading in shares on the Exchange is subject to trading halts caused by extraordinary market volatility pursuant to the Exchange’s “circuit breaker” rules. Market makers are under no obligation to make a market in the Fund’s shares, and authorized participants are not obligated to submit purchase or redemption orders for Creation Units. There can be no assurance that the requirements of the Exchange necessary to maintain the listing of the Fund will continue to be met or will remain unchanged. The Fund may have difficulty maintaining its listing on the Exchange in the event the Fund’s assets are small or the Fund does not have enough shareholders.
Annual Total Return
The bar chart and table below illustrate the annual calendar year returns of the Fund based on net asset value as well as the average annual Fund and Index returns. The bar chart and table provide an indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the Fund’s performance from year-to-year and by showing how the Fund’s average annual total returns based on net asset value compared to those of the Index, a broad-based market index and a specialized market index. See
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Multi-Asset Diversified Income Index Fund (MDIV)
“Total Return Information” for additional performance information regarding the Fund. The Fund’s performance information is accessible on the Fund’s website at www.ftportfolios.com.
Returns before taxes do not reflect the effects of any income or capital gains taxes. All after-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of any state or local tax. Returns after taxes on distributions reflect the taxed return on the payment of dividends and capital gains. Returns after taxes on distributions and sale of shares assume you sold your shares at period end, and, therefore, are also adjusted for any capital gains or losses incurred. Returns for the market indices do not include expenses, which are deducted from Fund returns, or taxes.
Your own actual after-tax returns will depend on your specific tax situation and may differ from what is shown here. After-tax returns are not relevant to investors who hold Fund shares in tax-deferred accounts such as individual retirement accounts (IRAs) or employee-sponsored retirement plans.
Multi-Asset Diversified Income Index Fund
Calendar Year Total Returns as of 12/31
During the periods shown in the chart above:
Best Quarter Worst Quarter
11.30% March 31, 2013 -5.84% September 30, 2015
The Fund’s past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future.
Average Annual Total Returns for the Periods Ended December 31, 2017
  1 Year 5 Years Since
Inception
Inception
Date
Return Before Taxes 5.46% 5.36% 5.16% 8/13/2012
Return After Taxes On Distributions 2.78% 2.63% 2.51%  
Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares 3.07% 2.85% 2.74%  
NASDAQ US Multi-Asset Diversified Income IndexSM (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) 6.13% 6.09% 5.90%  
S&P 500® Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) 21.83% 15.79% 15.12%  
Dow Jones U.S. Select DividendTM Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) 15.44% 15.57% 14.75%  
Management
Investment Advisor
First Trust Advisors L.P. (“First Trust” or the “Advisor”)
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Multi-Asset Diversified Income Index Fund (MDIV)
Portfolio Managers
The Fund’s portfolio is managed by a team (the “Investment Committee”) consisting of:
Daniel J. Lindquist, Chairman of the Investment Committee and Managing Director of First Trust
Jon C. Erickson, Senior Vice President of First Trust
David G. McGarel, Chief Investment Officer, Chief Operating Officer and Managing Director of First Trust
Roger F. Testin, Senior Vice President of First Trust
Stan Ueland, Senior Vice President of First Trust
Chris A. Peterson, Senior Vice President of First Trust
The Investment Committee members are primarily and jointly responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund. Each Investment Committee member has served as a part of the portfolio management team of the Fund since 2012, except for Chris A. Peterson, who has served as a member of the portfolio management team since 2016.
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares
The Fund issues and redeems shares on a continuous basis, at net asset value, only in Creation Units consisting of 50,000 shares. The Fund’s Creation Units are generally issued and redeemed in-kind for securities in which the Fund invests and, in certain circumstances, for cash, and only to and from broker-dealers and large institutional investors that have entered into participation agreements. Individual shares of the Fund may only be purchased and sold on Nasdaq and other eligible securities exchanges through a broker-dealer. Shares of the Fund trade on Nasdaq at market prices rather than net asset value, which may cause the shares to trade at a price greater than net asset value (premium) or less than net asset value (discount).
Tax Information
The Fund’s distributions are taxable and will generally be taxed as ordinary income or capital gains. Distributions on shares held in a tax-deferred account, while not immediately taxable, will be subject to tax when the shares are no longer held in a tax-deferred account.
Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries
If you purchase shares of the Fund through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), First Trust and First Trust Portfolios L.P., the Fund’s distributor, may pay the intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealer or other intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary’s website for more information.
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Additional Information on the Funds' Investment Objectives and Strategies
Each Fund is a series of the Trust, an investment company and an exchange-traded “index fund.” The investment objective of each Fund is to seek investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield (before each Fund’s fees and expenses) of such Fund’s corresponding index (each Fund’s corresponding index is referred to herein as an “Index,” and together, as the “Indices;” the provider of each Fund’s Index is referred to herein as an “Index Provider” and collectively, as the “Index Providers”). Each of First Trust Rising Dividend Achievers ETF, First Trust NASDAQ Technology Dividend Index Fund, First Trust RBA American Industrial Renaissance® ETF, First Trust RBA Quality Income ETF, International Multi-Asset Diversified Income Index Fund and Multi-Asset Diversified Income Index Fund will normally invest at least 90% of its net assets (including investment borrowings) in securities that comprise each Fund’s respective Index.
First Trust Dorsey Wright Dynamic Focus 5 ETF will normally invest at least 80% of its total assets (including investment borrowings) in the ETFs and Cash Proxy which comprise its Index and each of First Trust Dorsey Wright Focus 5 ETF and First Trust Dorsey Wright International Focus 5 ETF will normally invest at least 90% of its net assets (including investment borrowings) in the ETFs which comprise each Fund’s respective Index. To invest in such ETFs in excess of the limits imposed under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”) on investments in other investment companies, the Funds intend to rely on exemptive relief that the Securities and Exchange Commission has issued to the Trust and/or Section 12(d)(1)(G) of the 1940 Act.
Each Fund’s investment objective, and its 90% investment strategy, or with respect to First Trust Dorsey Wright Dynamic Focus 5 ETF, its 80% investment strategy, and each of the policies described herein are non-fundamental policies that may be changed by the Board of Trustees of the Trust (the “Board”) without shareholder approval so long as 60 days’ prior written notice is provided to shareholders before the any such change. Certain fundamental policies of the Funds are set forth in the Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”) under “Investment Objective and Policies.”
In seeking to achieve its investment objective, each Fund generally will invest in all of the securities comprising its Index, in proportion to their weightings in the Index. However, under various circumstances, it may not be possible or practicable to purchase all of those securities in those weightings. In those circumstances, a Fund may purchase a sample of securities in its Index. There may also be instances in which First Trust may choose to overweight certain securities in the applicable Index, purchase securities not in the Index which First Trust believes are appropriate to substitute for certain securities in the Index, use futures or derivative instruments, or utilize various combinations of the above techniques in seeking to track the Index. A Fund may sell securities that are represented in its Index in anticipation of their removal from the Index or purchase securities not represented in the Index in anticipation of their addition to the Index.
Fund Investments
Principal Investments
Equity Securities
The Funds, and the ETF(s) in which a Fund may invest, invest in equity securities, which include common stocks; preferred securities; warrants to purchase common stocks or preferred securities; securities convertible into common stocks or preferred securities; and other securities with equity characteristics, such as real estate investment trusts, master limited partnerships and depositary receipts.
ETFs
Each of First Trust Dorsey Wright Dynamic Focus 5 ETF, First Trust Dorsey Wright Focus 5 ETF, First Trust Dorsey Wright International Focus 5 ETF, International Multi-Asset Diversified Income Index Fund and Multi-Asset Diversified Income Index Fund invest in ETFs, which are registered investment companies that trade on a securities exchange. The shares of ETFs may, at times, trade at a premium or discount to their net asset value. In addition, a Fund will incur brokerage costs when purchasing and selling shares of ETFs. As a shareholder in an ETF, a Fund will bear its ratable share of the ETF’s expenses, and would remain subject to payment of the ETF’s advisory and administrative fees with respect to assets so invested. Shareholders would therefore be subject to duplicative expenses. Securities of ETFs may be leveraged, in which case the value and/or yield of such securities will tend to be more volatile than securities of unleveraged securities.
Generally, investments in ETFs are subject to statutory limitations prescribed by the 1940 Act. These limitations include a prohibition on a Fund acquiring more than 3% of the voting shares of any other investment company, and a prohibition on
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investing more than 5% of a Fund’s total assets in the securities of any one investment company or more than 10% of its total assets, in the aggregate, in investment company securities. Many ETFs, however, have obtained exemptive relief from the Securities and Exchange Commission to permit unaffiliated funds to invest in the ETFs’ shares beyond these statutory limitations, subject to certain conditions and pursuant to a contractual arrangement between the ETFs and the investing Fund. Although each of First Trust Dorsey Wright Dynamic Focus 5 ETF, First Trust Dorsey Wright Focus 5 ETF and First Trust Dorsey Wright International Focus 5 ETF intends on investing principally in the components of its corresponding Index, which are all affiliated ETFs, each of International Multi-Asset Diversified Income Index Fund and Multi-Asset Diversified Income Index Fund may rely on these exemptive orders in order to invest in unaffiliated ETFs, if necessary, beyond the foregoing statutory limitations. Subject to certain conditions, a Fund also may invest in money market funds beyond the statutory limits described above.
The ability of First Trust NASDAQ Technology Dividend Index Fund, First Trust Rising Dividend Achievers ETF, First Trust RBA Quality Income ETF and First Trust RBA American Industrial Renaissance® ETF to invest in other investment companies is limited by the 1940 Act and the related rules and interpretations. Each of those Funds has adopted a policy that it will not invest in other investment companies in excess of 1940 Act limits in reliance on Sections 12(d)(1)(F) or 12(d)(1)(G) of the 1940 Act.
Government Bonds
The First Trust Dorsey Wright Dynamic Focus 5 ETF may invest in U.S. government securities. U.S. government securities include U.S. Treasury obligations and securities issued or guaranteed by various agencies of the U.S. government, or by various instrumentalities that have been established or sponsored by the U.S. government. U.S. Treasury obligations are backed by the “full faith and credit” of the U.S. government. Securities issued or guaranteed by federal agencies and U.S. government sponsored instrumentalities may or may not be backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government.
High Yield Debt Securities
Each of International Multi-Asset Diversified Income Index Fund and Multi-Asset Diversified Income Index Fund invest in an ETF that invests significantly in debt instruments (e.g., bonds, loans and convertible securities), a substantial portion of which may be rated below investment grade, or unrated securities deemed by the Investment Committee to be of comparable quality. Debt securities rated below investment grade are commonly referred to as “high yield” or “junk” debt. High yield debt may be issued by companies without long track records of sales and earnings, or by issuers that have questionable credit strength. High yield debt and comparable unrated debt securities: (a) will likely have some quality and protective characteristics that, in the judgment of the rating agency evaluating the instrument, are outweighed by large uncertainties or major risk exposures to adverse conditions; and (b) are predominantly speculative with respect to the issuer’s capacity to pay dividends or interest and repay principal in accordance with the terms of the obligation.
Master Limited Partnerships
The Multi-Asset Diversified Income Index Fund may invest in MLPs. MLPs are limited partnerships whose shares (or units) are listed and traded on a U.S. securities exchange, just like common stock. To qualify as an MLP, a partnership must receive at least 90% of its income from qualifying sources such as natural resource activities. Natural resource activities include the exploration, development, mining, production, processing, refining, transportation, storage and marketing of mineral or natural resources. MLPs generally have two classes of owners, the general partner and limited partners. The general partner, which is generally a major energy company, investment fund or the management of the MLP, typically controls the MLP through a 2% general partner equity interest in the MLP plus common units and subordinated units. Limited partners own the remainder of the partnership, through ownership of common units, and have a limited role in the partnership’s operations and management.
MLPs are typically structured such that common units have first priority to receive quarterly cash distributions up to an established minimum quarterly dividend (“MQD”). Common units also accrue arrearages in distributions to the extent the MQD is not paid. Once common units have been paid, subordinated units receive distributions of up to the MQD, but subordinated units do not accrue arrearages. Distributable cash in excess of the MQD paid to both common and subordinated units is distributed to both common and subordinated units generally on a pro rata basis. The general partner is also eligible to receive incentive distributions if the general partner operates the business in a manner which maximizes value to unit holders. As the general partner increases cash distributions to the limited partners, the general partner receives an increasingly higher percentage of the incremental cash distributions. A common arrangement provides that the general partner can reach a tier where the general partner is receiving 50% of every incremental dollar paid to common and subordinated unit holders. By providing for incentive distributions the general partner is encouraged to streamline costs and acquire assets in order to grow
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the partnership, increase the partnership’s cash flow, and raise the quarterly cash distribution in order to reach higher tiers. Such results benefit all security holders of the MLP.
Non-U.S. Securities
Each of First Trust Rising Dividend Achievers ETF, First Trust NASDAQ Technology Dividend Index fund, First Trust RBA Quality Income ETF, International Multi-Asset Diversified Income Index Fund, Multi-Asset Diversified Income Index Fund and the underlying ETFs held by First Trust Dorsey Wright Dynamic Focus 5 ETF, First Trust Dorsey Wright Focus 5 ETF and First Trust Dorsey Wright International Focus 5 ETF may invest in securities issued by non-U.S. companies in the form of depositary receipts. Additionally, each of First Trust NASDAQ Technology Dividend Index Fund, International Multi-Asset Diversified Income Index Fund, Multi-Asset Diversified Income Index Fund and First Trust RBA Quality Income ETF may invest in securities issued by non-U.S. companies that are traded over-the-counter or listed on an exchange.
Preferred Securities
Each of International Multi-Asset Diversified Income Index Fund and Multi-Asset Diversified Income Index Fund invest in preferred securities, which generally pay fixed or adjustable-rate dividends or interest to investors and have preference over common stock in the payment of dividends or interest and the liquidation of a company’s assets, which means that a company typically must pay dividends or interest on its preferred securities before paying any dividends on its common stock. Preferred securities are generally junior to all forms of the company’s debt, including both senior and subordinated debt.
REITs
Each of First Trust RBA Quality Income ETF, International Multi-Asset Diversified Income Index Fund and Multi-Asset Diversified Income Index Fund may invest in real estate investment trusts, or “REITs,” which are companies that own and most often actively manage income-generating commercial real estate. Some REITs make or invest in loans and other obligations that are secured by real estate collateral. Most REITs are publicly traded. REITs receive special tax considerations and are typically a highly liquid method of investing in real estate.
REITs are generally categorized as equity REITs, mortgage REITs or hybrid REITs. Equity REITs invest in and own properties, and thus are responsible for the equity or value of their real estate assets. Their revenues come principally from their properties’ rents. Mortgage REITs deal in investment and ownership of property mortgages. These REITs loan money for mortgages to owners of real estate or purchase existing mortgages or mortgage-backed securities. Their revenues are generated primarily by the interest that they earn on the mortgage loans. Hybrid REITs combine the investment strategies of equity REITs and mortgage REITs by investing in both properties and mortgages.
Non-Principal Investments
Cash Equivalents and Short-Term Investments
Normally, a Fund invests substantially all of its assets to meet its investment objective. Each Fund may invest the remainder of its assets in securities with maturities of less than one year or cash equivalents, or it may hold cash. The percentage of a Fund invested in such holdings varies and depends on several factors, including market conditions. For temporary defensive purposes and during periods of high cash inflows or outflows, a Fund may depart from its principal investment strategies and invest part or all of its assets in these securities, or it may hold cash. During such periods, a Fund may not be able to achieve its investment objective. A Fund may adopt a defensive strategy when the portfolio managers believe securities in which the Fund normally invests have elevated risks due to political or economic factors and in other extraordinary circumstances. For more information on eligible short-term investments, see the SAI.
Illiquid Securities
A Fund may invest up to 15% of its net assets in securities and other instruments that are, at the time of investment, illiquid (determined using the Securities and Exchange Commission’s standard applicable to investment companies, i.e., securities that cannot be disposed of by the Fund within seven days in the ordinary course of business at approximately the amount at which the Fund has valued the securities). For this purpose, illiquid securities may include, but are not limited to, restricted securities (securities the disposition of which is restricted under the federal securities laws), securities that may only be resold pursuant to Rule 144A under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), that are deemed to be illiquid, and certain repurchase agreements.
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Disclosure of Portfolio Holdings
A description of the policies and procedures with respect to the disclosure of each Fund's portfolio securities is included in the Funds' SAI, which is available on the Funds' website at www.ftportfolios.com.
Additional Risks of Investing in the Funds
Risk is inherent in all investing. Investing in a Fund involves risk, including the risk that you may lose all or part of your investment. There can be no assurance that a Fund will meet its stated objective. Before you invest, you should consider the following supplemental disclosure pertaining to the Principal Risks set forth above as well as additional Non-Principal Risks set forth below in this prospectus.
Principal Risks
CONCENTRATION RISK. A Fund will be concentrated in the securities of an individual industry if the Fund’s corresponding Index is concentrated in an individual industry. A concentration makes a Fund more susceptible to any single occurrence affecting the industry and may subject the Fund to greater market risk than more diversified funds.
CURRENCY RISK. An investment in non-U.S. securities involves further risk due to currency exchange rates. Changes in currency exchange rates may affect the Fund’s net asset value, the value of dividends and interest earned, and gains and losses realized on the sale of securities. An increase in the strength of the U.S. dollar relative to other currencies may cause the value of the Fund to decline. Certain non-U.S. currencies may be particularly volatile, and non-U.S. governments may intervene in the currency markets, causing a decline in value or liquidity in the Fund’s non-U.S. holdings whose value is tied to the affected non-U.S. currency.
DEPOSITARY RECEIPTS RISK. An investment in depositary receipts involves further risks due to certain features of depositary receipts. Depositary receipts are usually in the form of American Depositary Receipts (“ADRs”) or Global Depositary Receipts (“GDRs”) are U.S. dollar-denominated receipts representing shares of foreign-based corporations. ADRs are issued by U.S. banks or trust companies, and entitle the holder to all dividends and capital gains that are paid out on the underlying foreign shares. GDRs are similar to ADRs, but are shares of foreign-based corporations generally issued by non-U.S. banks in one or more markets around the world. ADRs or GDRs may be less liquid than the underlying shares in their primary trading market. Any distributions paid to the holders of depositary receipts are usually subject to a fee charged by the depositary.
Holders of depositary receipts may have limited voting rights pursuant to a deposit agreement between the underlying issuer and the depositary. In certain cases, the depositary will vote the shares deposited with it as directed by the underlying issuer’s board of directors. Furthermore, investment restrictions in certain countries may adversely impact the value of depositary receipts because such restrictions may limit the ability to convert shares into depositary receipts and vice versa. Such restrictions may cause shares of the underlying issuer to trade at a discount or premium to the market price of the depositary receipt. Moreover, if depositary receipts are converted into shares, the laws in certain countries may limit the ability of a non-resident to trade the shares and to reconvert the shares to depositary receipts.
Depositary receipts may be “sponsored” or “unsponsored.” Sponsored depositary receipts are established jointly by a depositary and the underlying issuer, whereas unsponsored depositary receipts may be established by a depositary without participation by the underlying issuer. Holders of unsponsored depositary receipts generally bear all the costs associated with establishing the unsponsored depositary receipts. In addition, the issuers of the securities underlying unsponsored depositary receipts are not obligated to disclose material information in the United States and, therefore, there may be less information available regarding such issuers and there may not be a correlation between such information and the market value of the depositary receipts.
Depositary receipts may be unregistered and unlisted. A Fund’s investments may also include depositary receipts that are not purchased in the public markets and are restricted securities that can be offered and sold only to “qualified institutional buyers” under Rule 144A under the Securities Act. Moreover, if adverse market conditions were to develop during the period between a Fund’s decision to sell these types of depositary receipts and the point at which a Fund is permitted or able to sell such security, the Fund might obtain a price less favorable than the price that prevailed when it decided to sell.
EMERGING MARKETS RISK. An investment in emerging market companies involves certain further risks not associated with investing in developed market countries because emerging market countries are often in the initial stages of their industrialization cycles and have low per capita income. These increased risks include the possibility of investment and trading limitations, greater liquidity concerns, higher price volatility, greater delays and possibility of disruptions in settlement
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transactions, greater political uncertainties and greater dependence on non-U.S. trade or development assistance. In addition, emerging market countries may be subject to overburdened infrastructures and environmental problems.
EQUITY SECURITIES RISK. Equity securities may decline significantly in price over short or extended periods of time, and such declines may occur in the equity market as a whole, or they may occur in only a particular country, company, industry or sector of the market.
ETF RISK. An investment in ETFs involves certain further risks, including that an ETF may fail to accurately track the returns of the market segment or index that it is designed to track, and the price of an ETF’s shares may fluctuate. In addition, because they, unlike traditional mutual funds, are traded on an exchange, ETFs are subject to the following risks: (i) the performance of the ETF may not replicate the performance of the underlying index that it is designed to track; (ii) the market price of the ETF’s shares may trade at a premium or discount to the ETF’s net asset value; (iii) an active trading market for an ETF may not develop or be maintained; and (iv) there is no assurance that the requirements of the exchange necessary to maintain the listing of the ETF will continue to be met or remain unchanged. In the event substantial market or other disruptions affecting ETFs should occur in the future, the liquidity and value of the Fund’s shares could also be substantially and adversely affected. An investment company’s investments in other investment companies are typically subject to statutory limitations prescribed by the 1940 Act.
FINANCIAL COMPANIES RISK. An investment in financial companies involves additional risks not set forth above. Negative developments relating to the subprime mortgage market have adversely affected credit and capital markets worldwide and reduced the willingness of lenders to extend credit, making borrowing on favorable terms more difficult. In addition, the liquidity of certain debt instruments has been reduced or eliminated due to the lack of available market makers. Banks and thrifts face increased competition from nontraditional lending sources as regulatory changes permit new entrants to offer various financial products. Regulatory changes could cause business disruptions or result in significant loss of revenue, and there can be no assurance as to the actual impact that these laws and their regulations will have on the financial markets.
FIXED INCOME SECURITIES RISK. With respect to International Multi-Asset Diversified Income Index Fund and Multi-Asset Diversified Income Index Fund, an investment in an ETF that invests in fixed-rate, domestic and foreign obligations may entail credit risks and the risk that the value of a Fund’s assets will decline, and may decline precipitously, with increases in interest rates. High yield debt securities are, under most circumstances, subject to greater market fluctuations and risk of loss of income and principal than are investments in lower-yielding, higher-rated securities, and their value may decline precipitously because of increases in interest rates, not only because the increases in rates generally decrease values, but also because increased rates may indicate a slowdown in the economy and a decrease in the value of assets generally that may adversely affect the credit of issuers of high yield, high risk securities resulting in a higher incidence of defaults among high yield, high risk securities. A slowdown in the economy, or a development adversely affecting an issuer’s creditworthiness, may result in the issuer being unable to maintain earnings or sell assets at the rate and at the prices, respectively, that are required to produce sufficient cash flow to meet its interest and principal requirements.
HIGH YIELD SECURITIES RISK. With respect to International Multi-Asset Diversified Income Index Fund and Multi-Asset Diversified Income Index Fund, an investment in an ETF that invests in high yield, high risk, fixed-rate, domestic and foreign obligations, or “junk” securities, may entail increased credit risks and the risk that the value of a Fund’s assets will decline, and may decline precipitously, with increases in interest rates. In recent years there have been wide fluctuations in interest rates and thus in the value of fixed-rate, obligations generally. High yield debt securities are, under most circumstances, subject to greater market fluctuations and risk of loss of income and principal than are investments in lower-yielding, higher-rated securities, and their value may decline precipitously because of increases in interest rates, not only because the increases in rates generally decrease values, but also because increased rates may indicate a slowdown in the economy and a decrease in the value of assets generally that may adversely affect the credit of issuers of high-yield, high-risk securities resulting in a higher incidence of defaults among high-yield, high-risk securities. A slowdown in the economy, or a development adversely affecting an issuer’s creditworthiness, may result in the issuer being unable to maintain earnings or sell assets at the rate and at the prices, respectively, that are required to produce sufficient cash flow to meet its interest and principal requirements. For an issuer that has outstanding both senior commercial bank debt and subordinated high-yield, high-risk securities, an increase in interest rates will increase that issuer’s interest expense insofar as the interest rate on the bank debt is fluctuating. However, many leveraged issuers enter into interest rate protection agreements to fix or cap the interest rate on a large portion of their bank debt. This reduces exposure to increasing rates, but reduces the benefit to the issuer of declining rates. The Advisor cannot predict future economic policies or their consequences or, therefore, the course or extent of any similar market fluctuations in the future.
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INCOME RISK. With respect to International Multi-Asset Diversified Income Index Fund and Multi-Asset Diversified Income Index Fund, if interest rates fall, the income from a Fund’s portfolio will likely decline as a Fund invests the proceeds from new share sales. The income from the ETF in which a Fund invests may also decline when it invests proceeds from matured or called debt securities, at interest rates that are below the portfolio’s current earnings rate. With respect to First Trust Dorsey Wright Dynamic Focus 5 ETF, the Fund’s income from the Cash Proxy could decline due to falling market interest rates.
INFRASTRUCTURE COMPANIES RISK. A Fund is subject to certain risks inherent in investing in securities of infrastructure companies. Infrastructure companies may be directly affected by energy commodity prices, especially those infrastructure companies which own the underlying energy commodity. Commodity prices fluctuate for several reasons, including changes in market and economic conditions, the impact of weather on demand, levels of domestic production and imported commodities, energy conservation, domestic and foreign governmental regulation and taxation and the availability of local, intrastate and interstate transportation systems.
A decrease in the production or availability of natural gas, natural gas liquids, crude oil, coal or other energy commodities or a decrease in the volume of such commodities available for transportation, processing, storage or distribution may adversely impact the financial performance of infrastructure companies. In addition, infrastructure companies engaged in the production of natural gas, NGLs, crude oil, refined petroleum products or coal are subject to the risk that their commodity reserves naturally deplete over time.
Infrastructure companies are subject to significant federal, state and local government regulation in virtually every aspect of their operations, including how facilities are constructed, maintained and operated, environmental and safety controls, and the prices they may charge for products and services. Various governmental authorities have the power to enforce compliance with these regulations and the permits issued under them and violators are subject to administrative, civil and criminal penalties, including civil fines, injunctions or both. Stricter laws, regulations or enforcement policies could be enacted in the future which would likely increase compliance costs and may adversely affect the financial performance of infrastructure companies.
Natural disasters, such as hurricanes in the Gulf of Mexico, also may impact infrastructure companies.
Certain infrastructure companies in the utilities industry are subject to the imposition of rate caps, increased competition due to deregulation, the difficulty in obtaining an adequate return on invested capital or in financing large construction projects, the limitations on operations and increased costs and delays attributable to environmental considerations, and the capital market’s ability to absorb utility debt. In addition, taxes, government regulation, non-U.S. politics, price and supply fluctuations, volatile interest rates and energy conservation may cause difficulties for these companies. Such issuers have been experiencing certain of these problems to varying degrees.
INTEREST RATE RISK. With respect to First Trust Dorsey Wright Dynamic Focus 5 ETF, International Multi-Asset Diversified Income Index and Multi-Asset Diversified Income Index Fund, the value of debt securities will fluctuate in value with changes in interest rates. In general, debt securities will increase in value when interest rates fall and decrease in value when interest rates rise. The Fund may be subject to a greater risk of rising interest rates than would normally be the case due to the current period of historically low rates and the effect of potential government fiscal policy initiatives and resulting market reaction to those initiatives. When interest rates fall, the Fund may be required to reinvest the proceeds from the sale, redemption or early prepayment of a debt security at a lower interest rate.
MLP TAX RISK. With respect to the Multi-Asset Diversified Income Index Fund, an investment in MLPs also entails certain tax risks. The Fund's ability to meet its investment objective depends, in part, on the level of taxable income and distributions it receives from the MLP and MLP-related entities in which the Fund invests, a factor over which the Fund has no control. The benefit a Fund derives from its investment in MLPs is largely dependent on their being treated as partnerships for federal income tax purposes. As a partnership, an MLP has no income tax liability at the entity level. If, as a result of a change in an MLP’s business, an MLP were treated as a corporation for federal income tax purposes, such MLP would be obligated to pay federal income tax on its income at the applicable corporate tax rate. If an MLP was classified as a corporation for federal income tax purposes, the amount of cash available for distribution with respect to its units would be reduced and any such distributions received by the Fund would be taxed entirely as dividend income if paid out of the earnings of the MLP. Therefore, treatment of an MLP as a corporation for federal income tax purposes would result in a material reduction in the after-tax return to the Fund, likely causing a substantial reduction in the value of the shares of the Fund.
NON-U.S. SECURITIES RISK. An investment in securities of non-U.S. companies involves other risks not associated with domestic issuers. Investment in non-U.S. securities may involve higher costs than investment in U.S. securities, including higher transaction and custody costs as well as the imposition of additional taxes by non-U.S. governments.
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Non-U.S. investments may also involve risks associated with the level of currency exchange rates, less complete financial information about the issuers, less market liquidity, more market volatility and political instability. Future political and economic developments, the possible imposition of withholding taxes on dividend income, the possible seizure or nationalization of non-U.S. holdings, the possible establishment of exchange controls or freezes on the convertibility of currency, or the adoption of other governmental restrictions might adversely affect an investment in non-U.S. securities. Additionally, non-U.S. issuers may be subject to less stringent regulation, and to different accounting, auditing and recordkeeping requirements.
PASSIVE INVESTMENT RISK. The Funds are not actively managed. Each Fund invests in securities included in or representative of its Index regardless of their investment merit. The Funds generally will not attempt to take defensive positions in declining markets.
PREFERRED SECURITIES RISK. With respect to International Multi-Asset Diversified Income Index Fund and Multi-Asset Diversified Income Index Fund, an investment in preferred securities involves the further risks not associated with an investment in common stocks set forth below.
Limited Voting Rights. Generally, holders of preferred securities (such as a Fund) have no voting rights with respect to the issuing company unless preferred dividends have been in arrears for a specified number of periods, at which time the preferred security holders may elect a number of directors to the issuer’s board. Generally, once the issuer pays all the arrearages, the preferred security holders no longer have voting rights.
Special Redemptions Rights. In certain circumstances, an issuer of preferred securities may redeem the securities prior to a specified date. For instance, for certain types of preferred securities, a redemption may be triggered by a change in federal income tax or securities laws. As with call provisions, a special redemption by the issuer may negatively impact the return of the security held by a Fund.
Deferral. Preferred securities may include provisions that permit the issuer, at its discretion, to defer distributions for a stated period without any adverse consequences to the issuer. If a Fund owns a preferred security that is deferring its distributions, the Fund may be required to report income for federal income tax purposes although it has not yet received such income in cash.
Subordination. Preferred securities are subordinated to bonds and other debt instruments in a company’s capital structure in terms of priority to corporate income and liquidation payments and therefore will be subject to greater credit risk than those debt instruments.
Liquidity. Preferred securities may be substantially less liquid than many other securities, such as common stocks or U.S. government securities.
REIT INVESTMENT RISK. With respect to First Trust RBA Quality Income ETF, International Multi-Asset Diversified Income Index Fund and Multi-Asset Diversified Income Index Fund, an investment in REITs also involves certain additional risks, which include, among others, adverse changes in national, state or local real estate conditions (such as the turmoil experienced since 2007 in the residential and commercial real estate markets); obsolescence of properties; changes in the availability, cost and terms of mortgage funds; and the impact of changes in environmental laws. In addition, a REIT that fails to comply with federal tax requirements affecting REITs may be subject to federal income taxation, or the federal tax requirement that a REIT distribute substantially all of its net income to its shareholders may result in a REIT having insufficient capital for future expenditures. The value of a REIT can depend on the structure of and cash flow generated by the REIT. In addition, like investment companies, REITs have expenses, including advisory and administration fees, that are paid by their shareholders. As a result, you will absorb duplicate levels of fees when the Fund invests in REITs. In addition, REITs are subject to certain provisions under federal tax law. The failure of a company to qualify as a REIT could have adverse consequences for the Fund, including significantly reducing return to the Fund on its investment in such company.
REITs are subject to special U.S. federal tax requirements. REIT that fails to comply with such tax requirements may be subject to U.S. federal income taxation, which may affect the value of the REIT and the characterization of the REIT’s distributions. The U.S. federal tax requirement that a REIT distribute substantially all of its net income to its shareholders may result in a REIT having insufficient capital for future expenditures.
Non-Principal Risks
BORROWING AND LEVERAGE RISK. If a Fund borrows money, it must pay interest and other fees, which may reduce the Fund’s returns . Any such borrowings are intended to be temporary. However, under certain market conditions, including periods of low demand or decreased liquidity, such borrowings might be outstanding for longer periods of time. As prescribed by the 1940 Act, a Fund will be required to maintain specified asset coverage of at least 300% with respect to any bank borrowing
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immediately following such borrowing. A Fund may be required to dispose of assets on unfavorable terms if market fluctuations or other factors reduce the Fund’s asset coverage to less than the prescribed amount.
CASH TRANSACTIONS RISK. The Funds may, under certain circumstances, effect a portion of creations and redemptions for cash, rather than in-kind securities. As a result, an investment in the Funds may be less tax-efficient than an investment in an ETF that effects its creations and redemptions for in-kind securities. ETFs are able to make in-kind redemptions and avoid being taxed on gains on the distributed portfolio securities at the fund level. Because the Funds may effect a portion of redemptions for cash, they may be required to sell portfolio securities in order to obtain the cash needed to distribute redemption proceeds. Any recognized gain on these sales by the Funds will generally cause the Funds to recognize gain they might not otherwise have recognized, or to recognize such gain sooner than would otherwise be required if it were to distribute portfolio securities in-kind. The Funds generally intend to distribute these gains to shareholders to avoid being taxed on this gain at the fund level and otherwise comply with the special tax rules that apply to them. This strategy may cause shareholders to be subject to tax on gains they would not otherwise be subject to, or at an earlier date than if they had made an investment in a different ETF. Moreover, cash transactions may have to be carried out over several days if the securities market is relatively illiquid, and may involve considerable brokerage fees and taxes. These brokerage fees and taxes, which will be higher than if the Funds sold and redeemed their shares in-kind, will be passed on to purchasers and redeemers of Creation Units in the form of creation and redemption transaction fees. In addition, these factors may result in wider spreads between the bid and the offered prices of the Funds’ shares than for ETFs that distribute portfolio securities in-kind.
INFLATION RISK. Inflation risk is the risk that the value of assets or income from investments will be less in the future as inflation decreases the value of money. As inflation increases, the value of a Fund's assets can decline as can the value of a Fund's distributions. Common stock prices may be particularly sensitive to rising interest rates, as the cost of capital rises and borrowing costs increase.
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RISK. Each Fund relies on a license and related sublicense that permits a Fund to use its Index and associated trade names, trademarks and service marks (the “Intellectual Property”) in connection with the name and investment strategies of a Fund. Such license and related sublicense may be terminated by the Index Provider, and, as a result, a Fund may lose its ability to use the Intellectual Property. There is also no guarantee that the Index Provider has all rights to license the Intellectual Property for use by a Fund. Accordingly, in the event the license is terminated or the Index Provider does not have rights to license the Intellectual Property, it may have a significant effect on the operation of a Fund.
INTERNATIONAL CLOSED MARKET TRADING RISK. Because securities held by the Funds may trade on non-U.S. exchanges that are closed when a Fund’s primary listing exchange is open, there are likely to be deviations between the current price of an underlying security and the last quoted price for the underlying security (i.e., a Fund’s quote from the closed foreign market), resulting in premiums or discounts to a Fund’s net asset value that may be greater than those experienced by other exchange-traded funds. However, because shares can be created and redeemed in Creation Units at a Fund’s net asset value, it is not expected that large discounts or premiums to the net asset value of a Fund will be sustained over the long term (unlike shares of many closed-end funds, which frequently trade at appreciable discounts from, and sometimes at premiums to, their net asset values).
ISSUER SPECIFIC CHANGES RISK. The value of an individual security or particular type of security can be more volatile than the market as a whole and can perform differently from the value of the market as a whole.
LEGISLATION/LITIGATION RISK. From time to time, various legislative initiatives are proposed in the United States and abroad, which may have a negative impact on certain companies in which a Fund invests. In addition, litigation regarding any of the issuers of the securities owned by a Fund, or industries represented by these issuers, may negatively impact the value of the securities. Such legislation or litigation may cause a Fund to lose value or may result in higher portfolio turnover if the Advisor determines to sell such a holding.
Fund Organization
Each Fund is a series of the Trust, an investment company registered under the 1940 Act. Each Fund is treated as a separate fund with its own investment objective and policies. The Trust is organized as a Massachusetts business trust. The Trust's Board is responsible for the overall management and direction of the Trust. The Board elects the Trust’s officers and approves all significant agreements, including those with the investment advisor, custodian and fund administrative and accounting agent.
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Management of the Funds
First Trust Advisors L.P., 120 East Liberty Drive, Wheaton, Illinois 60187, is the investment advisor to the Funds. In this capacity, First Trust is responsible for the selection and ongoing monitoring of the securities in each Fund’s portfolio and certain other services necessary for the management of the portfolios.
First Trust is a limited partnership with one limited partner, Grace Partners of DuPage L.P., and one general partner, The Charger Corporation. Grace Partners of DuPage L.P. is a limited partnership with one general partner, The Charger Corporation, and a number of limited partners. The Charger Corporation is an Illinois corporation controlled by James A. Bowen, the Chief Executive Officer of First Trust. First Trust discharges its responsibilities subject to the policies of the Board.
First Trust serves as advisor or sub-advisor for 7 mutual fund portfolios, 10 exchange-traded funds consisting of 129 series and 16 closed-end funds. It is also the portfolio supervisor of certain unit investment trusts sponsored by First Trust Portfolios L.P. (“FTP”), an affiliate of First Trust, 120 East Liberty Drive, Wheaton, Illinois 60187. FTP specializes in the underwriting, trading and distribution of unit investment trusts and other securities. FTP is the principal underwriter of the shares of each Fund.
There is no one individual primarily responsible for portfolio management decisions for the Funds. Investments are made under the direction of the Investment Committee. The Investment Committee consists of Daniel J. Lindquist, Jon C. Erickson, David G. McGarel, Roger F. Testin, Stan Ueland and Chris A. Peterson.
Mr. Lindquist is Chairman of the Investment Committee and presides over Investment Committee meetings. Mr. Lindquist is responsible for overseeing the implementation of each Fund’s investment strategy. Mr. Lindquist was a Senior Vice President of First Trust and FTP from September 2005 to July 2012 and is now a Managing Director of First Trust and FTP.
Mr. Erickson joined First Trust in 1994 and is a Senior Vice President of First Trust and FTP. As the head of First Trust’s Equity Research Group, Mr. Erickson is responsible for determining the securities to be purchased and sold by funds that do not utilize quantitative investment strategies.
Mr. McGarel is the Chief Investment Officer, Chief Operating Officer and a Managing Director of First Trust and FTP. As First Trust’s Chief Investment Officer, Mr. McGarel consults with the other members of the Investment Committee on market conditions and First Trust’s general investment philosophy. Mr. McGarel was a Senior Vice President of First Trust and FTP from January 2004 to July 2012.
Mr. Testin is a Senior Vice President of First Trust and FTP. Mr. Testin is the head of First Trust’s Portfolio Management Group. Mr. Testin has been a Senior Vice President of First Trust and FTP since November 2003.
Mr. Ueland joined First Trust as a Vice President in August 2005 and has been a Senior Vice President of First Trust and FTP since September 2012. At First Trust, he plays an important role in executing the investment strategies of each portfolio of exchange-traded funds advised by First Trust.
Mr. Peterson is a Senior Vice President and head of First Trust’s strategy research group. He joined First Trust in January of 2000. Mr. Peterson is responsible for developing and implementing quantitative equity investment strategies. Mr. Peterson received his B.S. in Finance from Bradley University in 1997 and his M.B.A. from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business in 2005. He has over 19 years of financial services industry experience and is a recipient of the Chartered Financial Analyst designation.
For additional information concerning First Trust, including a description of the services provided to the Funds, see the Funds' SAI. Additional information about the compensation of Investment Committee members, other accounts managed by members of the Investment Committee and ownership by members of the Investment Committee of shares of the Funds is provided in the SAI.
Management Fee
Each Fund pays First Trust an annual unitary management fee based on the Fund’s average daily net assets at a rate set forth below. First Trust is responsible for the expenses of such Fund including the cost of transfer agency, custody, fund administration, license fees, legal, audit and other services, but excluding fee payments under the Investment Management Agreement, interest, taxes, acquired fund fees and expenses, if any, brokerage commissions and other expenses connected with the execution of portfolio transactions, distribution and service fees payable pursuant to a Rule 12b-1 plan, if any, and extraordinary expenses.
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Fund Management Fee
First Trust Dorsey Wright Dynamic Focus 5 ETF 0.30%
First Trust Dorsey Wright Focus 5 ETF 0.30%
First Trust Dorsey Wright International Focus 5 ETF 0.30%
First Trust Rising Dividend Achievers ETF 0.50%
First Trust NASDAQ Technology Dividend Index Fund 0.50%
First Trust RBA American Industrial Renaissance® ETF 0.70%
First Trust RBA Quality Income ETF 0.70%
International Multi-Asset Diversified Income Index Fund 0.70%
Multi-Asset Diversified Income Index Fund 0.60%
Pursuant to a contractual agreement between the Trust, on behalf of the Multi-Asset Diversified Income Index Fund, and First Trust, the management fees paid by the Multi-Asset Diversified Income Index Fund to First Trust will be reduced by the proportional amount of the management fees earned by the Fund on assets invested in other investment companies advised by First Trust. This contractual agreement shall continue until the earliest of (i) January 31, 2019, (ii) its termination at the direction of the Trust’s Board of Trustees or (iii) upon the termination of the Investment Management Agreement by and between the Multi-Asset Diversified Income Index Fund, the Trust and First Trust.
A discussion regarding the Board’s approval of the continuation of the Investment Management Agreements for the Funds is available in the Funds’ Annual Report to Shareholders for the year ended September 30, 2017.
How to Buy and Sell Shares
Most investors buy and sell shares of the Funds in secondary market transactions through brokers. Shares of the Funds are listed for trading on the secondary market on Nasdaq. Shares can be bought and sold throughout the trading day like other publicly traded shares. There is no minimum investment when buying shares on Nasdaq. Although shares are generally purchased and sold in “round lots” of 100 shares, brokerage firms typically permit investors to purchase or sell shares in smaller “odd lots,” at no per-share price differential. When buying or selling shares through a broker, investors should expect to incur customary brokerage commissions, investors may receive less than the net asset value of the shares because shares are bought and sold at market prices rather than at net asset value, and investors may pay some or all of the spread between the bid and the offer price in the secondary market on each leg of a round trip (purchase and sale) transaction. Share prices are reported in dollars and cents per share.
For purposes of the 1940 Act, each Fund is treated as a registered investment company, and the acquisition of shares by other registered investment companies is subject to the restrictions of Section 12(d)(1) of the 1940 Act. The Trust, on behalf of the Funds, has received an exemptive order from the Securities and Exchange Commission that permits certain registered investment companies to invest in a Fund beyond the limits set forth in Section 12(d)(1), subject to certain terms and conditions, including that any such investment companies enter into an agreement with a Fund regarding the terms of any investment.
First Trust Dorsey Wright Dynamic Focus 5 ETF, First Trust Dorsey Wright Focus 5 ETF, First Trust Dorsey Wright International Focus 5 ETF, International Multi-Asset Diversified Income Index Fund and Multi-Asset Diversified Income Index Fund intend to rely on Section 12(d)(1)(G) of the 1940 Act and/or exemptive relief that the Securities and Exchange Commission has issued to the Trust to invest in certain ETFs beyond the limits set forth in the 1940 Act, subject to certain terms and conditions. Consequently, the exemptive relief discussed in the paragraph above is not available for investments by other registered investment companies in such Funds.
Book Entry
Shares are held in book-entry form, which means that no share certificates are issued. The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) or its nominee is the record owner of all outstanding shares of the Funds and is recognized as the owner of all shares for all purposes.
Investors owning shares are beneficial owners as shown on the records of DTC or its participants. DTC serves as the securities depository for all shares. Participants in DTC include securities brokers and dealers, banks, trust companies, clearing corporations and other institutions that directly or indirectly maintain a custodial relationship with DTC. As a beneficial owner
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of shares, you are not entitled to receive physical delivery of share certificates or to have shares registered in your name, and you are not considered a registered owner of shares. Therefore, to exercise any right as an owner of shares, you must rely upon the procedures of DTC and its participants. These procedures are the same as those that apply to any other stocks that you hold in book-entry or “street name” form.
Share Trading Prices
The trading price of shares of a Fund on Nasdaq is based on market price and may differ from such Fund’s daily net asset value and can be affected by market forces of supply and demand, economic conditions and other factors.
Information regarding the intra-day value of the shares of a Fund, also referred to as the “indicative optimized portfolio value” (“IOPV”), is disseminated every 15 seconds throughout such Fund’s trading day by the national securities exchange on which the shares are listed or by market data vendors or other information providers. The IOPV should not be viewed as a “real-time” update of the net asset value per share of a Fund because the IOPV may not be calculated in the same manner as the net asset value, which is computed once a day, generally at the end of the business day. The price of a non-U.S. security that is primarily traded on a non-U.S. exchange shall be updated, using the last sale price, every 15 seconds throughout the trading day, provided, that upon the closing of such non-U.S. exchange, the closing price of the security, after being converted to U.S. dollars, will be used. Furthermore, in calculating the IOPV of a Fund’s shares, exchange rates may be used throughout the day (9:00 a.m. to 4:15 p.m., Eastern Time) that may differ from those used to calculate the net asset value per share of such Fund and consequently may result in differences between the net asset value and the IOPV. A Fund is not involved in, or responsible for, the calculation or dissemination of the IOPV of shares of such Fund and such Fund does not make any warranty as to its accuracy.
Frequent Purchases and Redemptions of the Funds’ Shares
The Funds impose no restrictions on the frequency of purchases and redemptions (“market timing”). In determining not to approve a written, established policy, the Board evaluated the risks of market timing activities by the Funds’ shareholders. The Board considered that the Funds’ shares can only be purchased and redeemed directly from a Fund in Creation Units by broker-dealers and large institutional investors that have entered into participation agreements (i.e., authorized participants (“APs”)) and that the vast majority of trading in the Funds’ shares occurs on the secondary market. Because the secondary market trades do not involve the Funds directly, it is unlikely those trades would cause many of the harmful effects of market timing, including dilution, disruption of portfolio management, increases in the Funds’ trading costs and the realization of capital gains. With respect to trades directly with the Funds, to the extent effected in-kind (i.e., for securities), those trades do not cause any of the harmful effects that may result from frequent cash trades. To the extent that the Funds may effect the purchase or redemption of Creation Units in exchange wholly or partially for cash, the Board noted that such trades could result in dilution to the Funds and increased transaction costs, which could negatively impact the Funds’ ability to achieve their investment objectives. However, the Board noted that direct trading by APs is critical to ensuring that the shares trade at or close to net asset value. In addition, a Fund imposes fixed and variable transaction fees on purchases and redemptions of Creation Units to cover the custodial and other costs incurred by the Funds in effecting trades. Finally, the Advisor monitors purchase and redemption orders from APs for patterns of abusive trading and the Funds reserve the right to not accept orders from APs that the Advisor has determined may be disruptive to the management of such Fund, or otherwise not in such Fund’s best interests.
Dividends, Distributions and Taxes
Dividends from net investment income, if any, are declared and paid quarterly by First Trust Dorsey Wright Dynamic Focus 5 ETF, First Trust Dorsey Wright Focus 5 ETF, First Trust Dorsey Wright International Focus 5 ETF, First Trust Rising Dividend Achievers ETF, First Trust NASDAQ Technology Dividend Index Fund, First Trust RBA American Industrial Renaissance® ETF, First Trust RBA Quality Income ETF, and monthly by International Multi-Asset Diversified Income Index Fund and Multi-Asset Diversified Income Index Fund. Each Fund distributes its net realized capital gains, if any, to shareholders at least annually.
Distributions in cash may be reinvested automatically in additional whole shares only if the broker through whom you purchased shares makes such option available. Such shares will generally be reinvested by the broker based upon the market price of those shares and investors may be subject to customary brokerage commissions charged by the broker.
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Federal Tax Matters
This section summarizes some of the main U.S. federal income tax consequences of owning shares of the Funds. This section is current as of the date of this prospectus. Tax laws and interpretations change frequently, and these summaries do not describe all of the tax consequences to all taxpayers. For example, these summaries generally do not describe your situation if you are a corporation, a non-U.S. person, a broker-dealer, or other investor with special circumstances. In addition, this section does not describe your state, local or non-U.S. tax consequences.
This federal income tax summary is based in part on the advice of counsel to the Funds. The Internal Revenue Service could disagree with any conclusions set forth in this section. In addition, counsel to the Funds was not asked to review, and has not reached a conclusion with respect to, the federal income tax treatment of the assets to be included in the Funds. This may not be sufficient for you to use for the purpose of avoiding penalties under federal tax law.
As with any investment, you should seek advice based on your individual circumstances from your own tax advisor.
Fund Status
Each Fund intends to continue to qualify as a “regulated investment company” under the federal tax laws. If a Fund qualifies as a regulated investment company and distributes its income as required by the tax law, the Fund generally will not pay federal income taxes. An adverse federal income tax audit of a partnership that a Fund invests in could result in the Fund being required to pay federal income tax or pay a deficiency dividend (without having received additional cash).
Distributions
The Funds’ distributions are generally taxable. After the end of each year, you will receive a tax statement that separates the distributions of a Fund into two categories, ordinary income distributions and capital gain dividends. Ordinary income distributions are generally taxed at your ordinary tax rate, however, as further discussed below, certain ordinary income distributions received from the Fund may be taxed at the capital gains tax rates. Generally, you will treat all capital gain dividends as long-term capital gains regardless of how long you have owned your shares. To determine your actual tax liability for your capital gain dividends, you must calculate your total net capital gain or loss for the tax year after considering all of your other taxable transactions, as described below. In addition, the Funds may make distributions that represent a return of capital for tax purposes and thus will generally not be taxable to you; however, such distributions may reduce your tax basis in your shares, which could result in you having to pay higher taxes in the future when shares are sold, even if you sell the shares at a loss from your original investment. The tax status of your distributions from a Fund is not affected by whether you reinvest your distributions in additional shares or receive them in cash. The income from a Fund that you must take into account for federal income tax purposes is not reduced by amounts used to pay a deferred sales fee, if any. The tax laws may require you to treat distributions made to you in January as if you had received them on December 31 of the previous year.
Income from a Fund may also be subject to a 3.8% “Medicare tax.” This tax generally applies to your net investment income if your adjusted gross income exceeds certain threshold amounts, which are $250,000 in the case of married couples filing joint returns and $200,000 in the case of single individuals.
Dividends Received Deduction
A corporation that owns shares generally will not be entitled to the dividends received deduction with respect to dividends received from the Fund because the dividends received deduction is generally not available for distributions from regulated investment companies. However, certain ordinary income dividends on shares that are attributable to qualifying dividends received by a Fund from certain corporations may be reported by the Fund as being eligible for the dividends received deduction.
Capital Gains and Losses and Certain Ordinary Income Dividends
If you are an individual, the maximum marginal stated federal tax rate for net capital gain is generally 20% (15% or 0% for taxpayers with taxable income below certain thresholds). Some portion of your capital gain dividends may be taxed at a higher maximum stated tax rate. Some portion of your capital gain dividends may be attributable to your Fund’s interest in a master limited partnership which may be subject to a maximum marginal stated federal tax rate of 28%, rather than the rates set forth above. In addition, capital gain received from assets held for more than one year that is considered “unrecaptured section 1250 gain” (which may be the case, for example, with some capital gains attributable to equity interests in real estate investment trusts that constitute interests in entities treated as real estate investment trusts for federal income tax purposes) is taxed at a maximum marginal stated federal tax rate of 25%. In the case of capital gain dividends, the determination of which portion
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of the capital gain dividend, if any, is subject to the 28% tax rate or the 25% tax rate, will be made based on rules prescribed by the United States Treasury. Capital gains may also be subject to the Medicare tax described above.
Net capital gain equals net long-term capital gain minus net short-term capital loss for the taxable year. Capital gain or loss is long-term if the holding period for the asset is more than one year and is short-term if the holding period for the asset is one year or less. You must exclude the date you purchase your shares to determine your holding period. However, if you receive a capital gain dividend from a Fund and sell your shares at a loss after holding it for six months or less, the loss will be recharacterized as long-term capital loss to the extent of the capital gain dividend received. The tax rates for capital gains realized from assets held for one year or less are generally the same as for ordinary income. The Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, treats certain capital gains as ordinary income in special situations.
Ordinary income dividends received by an individual shareholder from a regulated investment company such as the Funds are generally taxed at the same rates that apply to net capital gain (as discussed above), provided certain holding period requirements are satisfied and provided the dividends are attributable to qualifying dividends received by the Funds themselves. Dividends from REITS are qualified dividends only in limited circumstances. Each Fund will provide notice to its shareholders of the amount of any distribution which may be taken into account as a dividend which is eligible for the capital gains tax rates.
Sale of Shares
If you sell or redeem your shares, you will generally recognize a taxable gain or loss. To determine the amount of this gain or loss, you must subtract your tax basis in your shares from the amount you receive in the transaction. Your tax basis in your shares is generally equal to the cost of your shares, generally including sales charges. In some cases, however, you may have to adjust your tax basis after you purchase your shares.
Taxes on Purchase and Redemption of Creation Units
If you exchange securities for Creation Units you will generally recognize a gain or a loss. The gain or loss will be equal to the difference between the market value of the Creation Units at the time and your aggregate basis in the securities surrendered and the cash component paid. If you exchange Creation Units for securities, you will generally recognize a gain or loss equal to the difference between your basis in the Creation Units and the aggregate market value of the securities received and the cash redemption amount. The Internal Revenue Service, however, may assert that a loss realized upon an exchange of securities for Creation Units or Creation Units for securities cannot be deducted currently under the rules governing “wash sales,” or on the basis that there has been no significant change in economic position.
Treatment of Fund Expenses
Expenses incurred and deducted by the Funds will generally not be treated as income taxable to you. In some cases, however, you may be required to treat your portion of these Fund expenses as income. You may not be able to deduct some or all of these expenses.
Non-U.S. Tax Credit
Because a Fund may invest in non-U.S. securities, the tax statement that you receive may include an item showing non-U.S. taxes a Fund paid to other countries. In this case, dividends taxed to you will include your share of the taxes such Fund paid to other countries. You may be able to deduct or receive a tax credit for your share of these taxes.
Non-U.S. Investors
If you are a non-U.S. investor (i.e., an investor other than a U.S. citizen or resident or a U.S. corporation, partnership, estate or trust), you should be aware that, generally, subject to applicable tax treaties, distributions from a Fund will be characterized as dividends for federal income tax purposes (other than dividends which a Fund properly reports as capital gain dividends) and will be subject to U.S. federal income taxes, including withholding taxes, subject to certain exceptions described below. However, distributions received by a non-U.S. investor from a Fund that are properly reported by such Fund as capital gain dividends may not be subject to U.S. federal income taxes, including withholding taxes, provided that a Fund makes certain elections and certain other conditions are met. Distributions from a Fund that are properly reported by such Fund as an interest-related dividend attributable to certain interest income received by the Fund or as a short-term capital gain dividend attributable to certain net short-term capital gain income received by such Fund may not be subject to U.S. federal income taxes, including withholding taxes when received by certain non-U.S. investors, provided that a Fund makes certain elections and certain other conditions are met.
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Distributions may be subject to a U.S. withholding tax of 30% in the case of distributions to (i) certain non-U.S. financial institutions that have not entered into an agreement with the U.S. Treasury to collect and disclose certain information and are not resident in a jurisdiction that has entered into such an agreement with the U.S. Treasury and (ii) certain other non-U.S. entities that do not provide certain certifications and information about the entity’s U.S. owners. Dispositions of shares by such persons may be subject to such withholding after December 31, 2018.
Investments in Certain Non-U.S. Corporations
If a Fund holds an equity interest in any PFICs, which are generally certain non-U.S. corporations that receive at least 75% of their annual gross income from passive sources (such as interest, dividends, certain rents and royalties or capital gains) or that hold at least 50% of their assets in investments producing such passive income, a Fund could be subject to U.S. federal income tax and additional interest charges on gains and certain distributions with respect to those equity interests, even if all the income or gain is timely distributed to its shareholders. A Fund will not be able to pass through to its shareholders any credit or deduction for such taxes. A Fund may be able to make an election that could ameliorate these adverse tax consequences. In this case, a Fund would recognize as ordinary income any increase in the value of such PFIC shares, and as ordinary loss any decrease in such value to the extent it did not exceed prior increases included in income. Under this election, a Fund might be required to recognize in a year income in excess of its distributions from PFICs and its proceeds from dispositions of PFIC stock during that year, and such income would nevertheless be subject to the distribution requirement and would be taken into account for purposes of the 4% excise tax. Dividends paid by PFICs are not treated as qualified dividend income.
Distribution Plan
FTP serves as the distributor of Creation Units for the Funds on an agency basis. FTP does not maintain a secondary market in shares.
The Board has adopted a Distribution and Service Plan pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act. In accordance with the Rule 12b-1 plan, the Funds are authorized to pay an amount up to 0.25% of their average daily net assets each year to reimburse FTP for amounts expended to finance activities primarily intended to result in the sale of Creation Units or the provision of investor services. FTP may also use this amount to compensate securities dealers or other persons that are APs for providing distribution assistance, including broker-dealer and shareholder support and educational and promotional services.
The Funds do not currently pay 12b-1 fees, and pursuant to a contractual arrangement, the Funds will not pay 12b-1 fees any time before January 31, 2019. However, in the event 12b-1 fees are charged in the future, because these fees are paid out of the Funds' assets, over time these fees will increase the cost of your investment and may cost you more than certain other types of sales charges.
Net Asset Value
Each Fund’s net asset value is determined as of the close of trading (normally 4:00 p.m., Eastern time) on each day the New York Stock Exchange is open for business. Net asset value is calculated for a Fund by taking the market price of the Fund’s total assets, including interest or dividends accrued but not yet collected, less all liabilities, and dividing such amount by the total number of shares outstanding. The result, rounded to the nearest cent, is the net asset value per share. All valuations are subject to review by the Board or its delegate.
Each Fund’s investments are valued daily at market value or, in the absence of market value with respect to any portfolio securities, at fair value, in accordance with valuation procedures adopted by the Board and in accordance with the 1940 Act. Portfolio securities listed on any exchange other than Nasdaq and the London Stock Exchange Alternative Investment Market (“AIM”) are valued at the last sale price on the business day as of which such value is being determined. Securities listed on the Nasdaq or the AIM are valued at the official closing price on the business day as of which such value is being determined. If there has been no sale on such day, or no official closing price in the case of securities traded on Nasdaq or the AIM, the securities are fair valued at the mean of the most recent bid and ask prices on such day. Portfolio securities traded on more than one securities exchange are valued at the last sale price or official closing price, as applicable, on the business day as of which such value is being determined at the close of the exchange representing the principal market for such securities. Portfolio securities traded in the over-the-counter market, but excluding securities trading on Nasdaq or the AIM, are fair valued at the mean of the most recent bid and asked price, if available, and otherwise at the closing bid price. Short-term investments that mature in less than 60 days when purchased are fair valued at cost adjusted for amortization of premiums and accretion of discount, provided the Advisor’s Pricing Committee has determined that the use of amortized cost is an appropriate reflection
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of fair value given market and issuer-specific conditions existing at the time of determination. Net asset value may change on days when investors may not sell or redeem Fund shares.
With respect to First Trust Dorsey Wright Dynamic Focus 5 ETF, certain securities in which the Fund may invest are not listed on any securities exchange or board of trade. Such securities are typically bought and sold by institutional investors in individually negotiated private transactions that function in many respects like an over-the-counter secondary market, although typically no formal market makers exist. Certain securities, particularly debt securities, have few or no trades, or trade infrequently, and information regarding a specific security may not be widely available or may be incomplete. Accordingly, determinations of the fair value of debt securities may be based on infrequent and dated information. Because there is less reliable, objective data available, elements of judgment may play a greater role in valuation of debt securities than for other types of securities. Typically, debt securities are valued using information provided by a third-party pricing service. The third-party pricing service primarily uses broker quotes to value such securities.
Certain securities may not be able to be priced by pre-established pricing methods. Such securities may be valued by the Board or its delegate, the Advisor’s Pricing Committee, at fair value. The use of fair value pricing by a Fund is governed by valuation procedures adopted by the Board and in accordance with the provisions of the 1940 Act. These securities generally include, but are not limited to, certain restricted securities (securities which may not be publicly sold without registration under the Securities Act) for which a pricing service is unable to provide a market price; securities whose trading has been formally suspended; a security whose market or fair value price is not available from a pre-established pricing source; a security with respect to which an event has occurred that is likely to materially affect the value of the security after the market has closed but before the calculation of a Fund’s net asset value or make it difficult or impossible to obtain a reliable market quotation; and a security whose price, as provided by the pricing service, does not reflect the security’s fair value. As a general principle, the current fair value of a security would appear to be the amount which the owner might reasonably expect to receive for the security upon its current sale. When fair value prices are used generally they will differ from the current market quotations or official closing prices on the applicable exchange. A variety of factors may be considered in determining the fair value of such securities. See the Funds’ SAI for details.
Because foreign securities exchanges may be open on different days than the days during which an investor may purchase or sell shares of a Fund, the value of the Fund’s securities may change on days when investors are not able to purchase or sell shares of the Fund. The value of securities denominated in foreign currencies is converted into U.S. dollars at the exchange rates in effect at the time of valuation. Any use of a different rate from the rates used by the Index may adversely affect a Fund’s ability to track the Index.
Fund Service Providers
Brown Brothers Harriman & Co., 50 Post Office Square, Boston, Massachusetts 02110, acts as the administrator, accounting agent, custodian and transfer agent for the Funds. Chapman and Cutler LLP, 111 West Monroe Street, Chicago, Illinois 60603, serves as legal counsel to the Funds. First Trust serves as the fund reporting agent for the Funds.
Index Providers
The applicable Index that each Fund seeks to track is compiled by the Index Provider. The Index Provider is not affiliated with the Funds, First Trust or FTP. Each Fund is entitled to use the Index pursuant to a sublicensing arrangement with First Trust, which in turn has a licensing agreement with the Index Provider. The Index Provider or its agent also serves as calculation agent for the Index (the “Index Calculation Agent”). The Index Calculation Agent is responsible for the management of the day-to-day operations of the Index, including calculating the value of the Index every 15 seconds, widely disseminating the Index values every 15 seconds and tracking corporate actions, some of which result in Index adjustments.
Disclaimers
First Trust does not guarantee the accuracy and/or the completeness of the Indices or any data included therein, and First Trust shall have no liability for any errors, omissions or interruptions therein. First Trust makes no warranty, express or implied, as to results to be obtained by the Funds, owners of the shares of the Funds or any other person or entity from the use of the Indices or any data included therein. First Trust makes no express or implied warranties, and expressly disclaims all warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose or use with respect to the Indices or any data included therein. Without limiting any of the foregoing, in no event shall First Trust have any liability for any special, punitive, direct, indirect or
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consequential damages (including lost profits) arising out of matters relating to the use of the Indices, even if notified of the possibility of such damages.
First Trust Rising Dividend Achievers ETF
First Trust NASDAQ Technology Dividend Index Fund
International Multi-Asset Diversified Income Index Fund
Multi-Asset Diversified Income Index Fund
The Funds are not sponsored, endorsed, sold or promoted by Nasdaq, Inc. or its affiliates (Nasdaq, Inc., with its affiliates, are referred to as the “Corporations”). The Corporations have not passed on the legality or suitability of, or the accuracy or adequacy of descriptions and disclosures relating to, the Funds. The Corporations make no representation or warranty, express or implied to the owners of the Funds or any member of the public regarding the advisability of investing in securities generally or in the Funds particularly, or the ability of the Funds to track general stock market performance. The Corporations’ only relationship to First Trust is in the licensing of the Nasdaq, Nasdaq, Inc., NASDAQ US Rising Dividend Achievers Index, NASDAQ Technology Dividend IndexSM, NASDAQ International Multi-Asset Diversified Income IndexSM and NASDAQ Multi-Asset Diversified Income IndexSM registered trademarks, trade names and service marks of the Corporations and the use of the Indices which are determined, composed and calculated by Nasdaq, Inc. without regard to Licensee or the Funds. Nasdaq, Inc. has no obligation to take the needs of the Licensee or the owners of the Funds into consideration in determining, composing or calculating the Indices. The Corporations are not responsible for and have not participated in the determination of the timing of, prices at, or quantities of the Funds to be issued or in the determination or calculation of the equation by which a Fund is to be converted into cash. The Corporations have no liability in connection with the administration, marketing or trading of the Funds.
THE CORPORATIONS DO NOT GUARANTEE THE ACCURACY AND/OR UNINTERRUPTED CALCULATION OF THE INDICES OR ANY DATA INCLUDED THEREIN. THE CORPORATIONS MAKE NO WARRANTY, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, AS TO RESULTS TO BE OBTAINED BY LICENSEE, OWNERS OF THE FUNDS, OR ANY OTHER PERSON OR ENTITY FROM THE USE OF THE INDICES OR ANY DATA INCLUDED THEREIN. THE CORPORATIONS MAKE NO EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, AND EXPRESSLY DISCLAIM ALL WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE OR USE WITH RESPECT TO THE INDICES OR ANY DATA INCLUDED THEREIN. WITHOUT LIMITING ANY OF THE FOREGOING, IN NO EVENT SHALL THE CORPORATIONS HAVE ANY LIABILITY FOR ANY LOST PROFITS OR SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, PUNITIVE, INDIRECT, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF NOTIFIED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES.
First Trust Dorsey Wright Dynamic Focus 5 ETF
First Trust Dorsey Wright Focus 5 ETF
First Trust Dorsey Wright International Focus 5 ETF
The Funds are not sponsored, endorsed, sold or promoted by the Dorsey Wright & Associates LLC or its affiliates (Dorsey Wright & Associates LLC and its affiliates, are referred to as “Dorsey Wright”). Dorsey Wright makes no representation or warranty, express or implied, to the owners of the Funds or any member of the public regarding the advisability of trading in the Funds. Dorsey Wright’s only relationship to First Trust is the licensing of certain trademarks and trade names of Dorsey Wright and of the Indices which are determined, composed and calculated by Dorsey Wright, or its agent, without regard to First Trust or the Funds. Dorsey Wright has no obligation to take the needs of First Trust or the owners of the Funds into consideration in determining, composing or calculating the Indices. Dorsey Wright is not responsible for and has not participated in the determination of the timing of, prices at, or quantities of the Funds to be listed or in the determination or calculation of the equation by which the Funds are to be converted into cash. Dorsey Wright has no obligation or liability in connection with the administration, marketing or trading of the Funds.
DORSEY WRIGHT DOES NOT GUARANTEE THE ACCURACY AND/OR THE COMPLETENESS OF THE INDICES OR ANY DATA INCLUDED THEREIN AND DORSEY WRIGHT SHALL HAVE NO LIABILITY FOR ANY ERRORS, OMISSIONS, OR INTERRUPTIONS THEREIN. DORSEY WRIGHT MAKES NO WARRANTY, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, AS TO RESULTS TO BE OBTAINED BY FIRST TRUST, OWNERS OF THE FUNDS, OR ANY OTHER PERSON OR ENTITY FROM THE USE OF THE INDICES OR ANY DATA INCLUDED THEREIN. DORSEY WRIGHT MAKES NO EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, AND EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE OR USE WITH RESPECT TO THE INDICES OR ANY DATA INCLUDED THEREIN, WITHOUT LIMITING ANY OF THE FOREGOING, IN NO EVENT SHALL DORSEY WRIGHT HAVE ANY LIABILITY FOR ANY LOST PROFITS OR INDIRECT, PUNITIVE, SPECIAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING LOST PROFITS), EVEN IF NOTIFIED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. THERE ARE NO THIRD PARTY BENEFICIARIES OF ANY AGREEMENTS OR ARRANGEMENTS BETWEEN DORSEY WRIGHT AND FIRST TRUST.
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First Trust RBA American Industrial Renaissance® ETF
First Trust RBA Quality Income ETF
The Funds are not sponsored, endorsed, sold or promoted by RBA. RBA makes no representation or warranty, express or implied, to the owners of the Funds or any member of the public regarding the advisability of trading in the Funds. RBA’s only relationship to First Trust is the licensing of certain trademarks and trade names of RBA and of the Indices which are determined, composed and calculated by RBA without regard to First Trust or the Funds. RBA has no obligation to take the needs of First Trust or the owners of the Funds into consideration in determining, composing or calculating the Indices. RBA is not responsible for and has not participated in the determination of the timing of, prices at, or quantities of the Funds to be listed or in the determination or calculation of the equation by which shares of the Funds are to be converted into cash. RBA has no obligation or liability in connection with the administration, marketing or trading of the Funds.
RBA DOES NOT GUARANTEE OR MAKE ANY REPRESENTATION OR WARRANTY AS TO THE ACCURACY AND/OR THE COMPLETENESS OF THE INDICES OR ANY DATA INCLUDED THEREIN AND RBA SHALL HAVE NO LIABILITY FOR ANY ERRORS, OMISSIONS, OR INTERRUPTIONS THEREIN. THE INDICES, ANY DATA CONTAINED THEREIN AND ANY OTHER DATA OR INFORMATION SUPPLIED BY RBA IS PROVIDED ON AN “AS IS” BASIS. RBA MAKES NO WARRANTY, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, AS TO RESULTS TO BE OBTAINED BY FIRST TRUST, OWNERS OF THE FUNDS, OR ANY OTHER PERSON OR ENTITY FROM THE USE OF THE INDICES OR ANY DATA INCLUDED THEREIN. RBA MAKES NO EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, AND EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, OF MERCHANTABILITY, NON-INFRINGEMENT OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE OR USE WITH RESPECT TO THE INDICES OR ANY DATA INCLUDED THEREIN, OR ANY WARRANTIES WITH RESPECT TO THE TIMELINESS, SEQUENCE, ACCURACY, COMPLETENESS, CURRENTNESS, OR QUALITY OF THE INDICES, ANY DATA CONTAINED THEREIN OR ANY DATA OR INFORMATION SUPPLIED BY RBA. RBA SHALL NOT BE RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY MISDELIVERY OF ANY DATA RELATED TO OR ASSOCIATED WITH THE INDICES OR ANY DATA CONTAINED THEREIN. WITHOUT LIMITING ANY OF THE FOREGOING, IN NO EVENT SHALL RBA HAVE ANY LIABILITY FOR ANY LOST PROFITS OR INDIRECT, PUNITIVE, SPECIAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING LOST PROFITS), EVEN IF NOTIFIED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. RBA AND ITS RESPECTIVE AFFILIATES AND EACH OF THEIR RESPECTIVE OFFICERS, DIRECTORS, EMPLOYEES, AGENTS AND SOURCES (THE “RBA PARTIES”) SHALL NOT BE LIABLE TO FIRST TRUST OR ANY THIRD PARTY FOR ANY LOSS OR DAMAGE, DIRECT, INDIRECT OR CONSEQUENTIAL, ARISING FROM (A) ANY INACCURACY OR INCOMPLETENESS IN, OR DELAYS, INTERRUPTIONS, ERRORS OR OMISSIONS IN THE DELIVERY OF THE INDICES OR ANY DATA CONTAINED THEREIN, OR (B) ANY DECISION MADE OR ACTION TAKEN BY FIRST TRUST OR ANY THIRD PARTY IN RELIANCE UPON THE FUNDS, INDICES OR ANY DATA CONTAINED THEREIN. THERE ARE NO THIRD PARTY BENEFICIARIES OF ANY AGREEMENTS OR ARRANGEMENTS BETWEEN RBA AND FIRST TRUST.
Index Information
First Trust Dorsey Wright Dynamic Focus 5 ETF
Index Description
The Dorsey Wright Dynamic Focus Five Index is designed to provide targeted exposure to the five First Trust sector and industry-based ETFs that the Index determines offer the greatest potential to outperform the other First Trust sector and industry-based ETFs and that satisfy certain trading volume and liquidity requirements, while also potentially providing exposure to cash through the Cash Index. The Index is constructed pursuant to the Index Provider’s proprietary methodology, which takes into account the performance of each of the First Trust sector and industry-based ETFs relative to one another and the Cash Index. The Index began on February 29, 2016 at a base value of 1000.
Index Calculation
The Index uses a relative strength matrix to measure the price performance of a security versus a market average, another security or universe of securities. A security’s relative strength can improve if it rises more than the market in an uptrend or goes down less than the market in a downtrend. Relative strength is a momentum technique that relies on unbiased, unemotional and objective data, rather than biased forecasting and subjective research. Relative strength is a way of recording historic performance patterns, and the Index uses relative strength signals as a trend indicator for current momentum and future performance trends of a security versus another one.
The Index builds relative strength charts for each First Trust ETF and the Cash Index using the following process:
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(i) On a daily basis, the Index computes the ratio of the closing price of each First Trust sector and industry-based ETF to the closing price of each other First Trust sector and industry-based ETF.
For example:
Relative Strength Reading = (ETF 1 Closing Price ÷ ETF 2 Closing Price) x 100
(ii) As a result of such on-going calculations, a Point and Figure Relative Strength chart is created for each relationship within the inventory. A Point and Figure Relative Strength chart is a variation of a Point and Figure chart but its input value is computed in the previous step, instead of individual security prices.
(iii) In instances where the relative strength begins to diminish among more than one-third of the potential First Trust sector and industry-based ETFs relative to the Cash Index, the Index allocates to the Cash Index.
First Trust Dorsey Wright Focus 5 ETF
Index Description
The Dorsey Wright Focus Five Index is designed to provide targeted exposure to the five First Trust sector-based ETFs that the Index Provider believes offer the greatest potential to outperform the other First Trust sector-based ETFs. The Index is constructed pursuant to the Index Provider’s proprietary methodology, which takes into account the performance of each of the First Trust sector-based ETFs relative to one another. The Index began on February 4, 2014 at a base value of 1000.
Index Calculation
The Index Provider uses relative strength to measure the price performance of a security versus a market average, another security or a universe of securities. A security’s relative strength can improve if it rises more than the market in an uptrend or goes down less than the market in a downtrend. Relative strength is a momentum technique that relies on unbiased, unemotional and objective data, rather than biased forecasting and subjective research. Relative strength is a way of recording historic performance patterns, and the Index Provider uses relative strength signals as a trend indicator for current momentum and future performance trends of a security versus another one.
The Index Provider builds relative strength charts for each First Trust ETF using the following process:
(i) On a daily basis, the Index Provider computes the ratio of the closing price of each First Trust ETF to the closing price of each other First Trust ETF.
For example:
Relative Strength Reading = (ETF 1 Closing Price ÷ ETF 2 Closing Price) x 100
(ii) As a result of such on-going calculations, a Point and Figure Relative Strength chart is created for each relationship within the inventory. A Point and Figure Relative Strength chart is a variation of a Point and Figure chart but its input value is computed in the previous step, instead of individual security prices.
First Trust Dorsey Wright International Focus 5 ETF
Index Description
The Dorsey Wright International Focus Five Index is designed to provide targeted exposure to the five First Trust country/region-based ETFs that the Index Provider believes offer the greatest potential to outperform the other ETFs in the selection universe. The Index is constructed pursuant to the Index Provider’s proprietary methodology, which takes into account the performance of certain First Trust country/region-based ETFs relative to one another. The Index began on July 17, 2014 at a base value of 1000.
Index Calculation
The Index Provider uses relative strength to measure the price performance of a security versus a market average, another security or universe of securities. A security’s relative strength can improve if it rises more than the market in an uptrend or goes down less than the market in a downtrend. Relative strength is a momentum technique that relies on unbiased, unemotional and objective data, rather than biased forecasting and subjective research. Relative strength is a way of recording historic performance patterns, and the Index Provider uses relative strength signals as a trend indicator for current momentum and future performance trends of a security versus another one.
The Index Provider builds relative strength charts for each First Trust ETF using the following process:
(i) On a daily basis, the Index Provider computes the ratio of the closing price of each First Trust ETF within the Index’s potential inventory to the closing price of each other First Trust ETF within the Index’s potential
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  inventory.
For example:
Relative Strength Reading = (ETF 1 Closing Price ÷ ETF 2 Closing Price) x 100
(ii) As a result of such on-going calculations, a Point and Figure Relative Strength chart is created for each relationship within the inventory. A Point and Figure Relative Strength chart is a variation of a Point and Figure chart but its input value is computed in the previous step, instead of individual security prices.
First Trust Rising Dividend Achievers ETF
Index Description
The NASDAQ US Rising Dividend Achievers Index is designed to provide exposure to U.S. companies that have a history of raising their dividends and exhibit characteristics suggesting they may continue to do so into the future. The Index is designed to provide access to a diversified portfolio of large capitalization income producing securities, which are composed of dividend-paying, U.S. equity securities.
The Index began on October 21, 2013 at a base value of 1,000.
Index Calculation
The Index is comprised of 50 equity securities issued by U.S. companies. To be eligible for inclusion in the Index, a security must meet the following criteria:
be a member of the NASDAQ US Benchmark Index (NQUSB);
not be classified as Real Estate Investment Trust (ICB: 8670) by the ICB;
rank in top 500 by market capitalization;
have a minimum three-month average daily dollar trading value of $5 million;
have paid a dividend in the trailing 12 months greater than the dividend paid in the trailing 12-month period three and five years prior;
having earnings per share in the most recent fiscal year greater than the earnings per share the three fiscal years prior;
have a cash-to-debt ratio greater than 50%; and
have a trailing 12-month payout ratio no greater than 65%.
Index Rebalancing
The Index is rebalanced quarterly to maintain its equally weighted asset allocation by measuring the dividend yield of each security as compared to the dividend yield of all Index Securities as of the last trading day in March, June, September and December. The reference dates for the data used in the rebalancing are at the close of trading on the last trading day in February, May, August and November, respectively. The Advisor will reweight and rebalance the portfolio based on the following:
The eligible securities are ranked by a combined factor of dollar dividend increase over the previous 5-year period, current dividend yield, and payout ratio.
The resulting ranks are aggregated into a single score with the 50 securities with the lowest aggregated rank selected for the index. In the case of multiple securities having the same aggregated score, the security with the highest yield will be selected.
The index is reconstituted annually and rebalanced quarterly such that all securities will be given an equal weight.
If an industry has a weight greater than 30%, the highest-ranking security by volatility will be removed and replaced with the next eligible security (e.g. the 51st ranked by volatility) from a different industry. This process is repeated until no industry has a weight greater than 30%.
Additionally, if at any time during the year other than the rebalancing, an Index security no longer meets the Eligibility Criteria, or is otherwise determined to have become ineligible for inclusion in the Index, the security is removed from the Index and is replaced. Ordinarily, a security will be removed from the Index at its last sale price. If, however, at the time of its removal the Index security is halted from trading on its primary listing market and an official closing price cannot readily be determined, the Index security may, in the Index Provider’s discretion, be removed at a zero price. The Index Provider removes securities from the Index at a zero price if there is no recognizable market price for this security. The zero price will be applied to the
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Index security after the close of the market but prior to the time the official closing value of the Index is disseminated, which is ordinarily 5:16 p.m. Eastern time.
First Trust NASDAQ Technology Dividend Index Fund
Index Description
The NASDAQ Technology Dividend Index FundSM includes up to 100 technology and telecommunications companies that pay a regular or common dividend. To be selected for the Index, a company must be classified as a technology or telecommunications company under the Industry Classification Benchmark (“ICB”) and have a minimum market capitalization of $500 million, as described below. The Index is calculated and maintained by the Index Provider.
Index Calculation
The Index employs a modified market cap weighting methodology in which larger companies receive a larger index weighting. The index weighting methodology includes caps to prevent high concentrations among larger stocks. This methodology is applied to the dividend value of each Index security. The dividend value is calculated by multiplying dividends paid per share within the past 12 months by the current shares outstanding. At each quarter, the Index is rebalanced such that the technology securities are given a collective weight of 80% and the telecommunications securities are given a collective weight of 20%.
The maximum weight of any technology constituent will not exceed 8%, and no more than 5 securities are at that cap. The excess weight of any capped security is distributed proportionally across the remaining Index Securities. If after redistribution, any of the 5 highest ranked Index Securities are weighted below 8%, these securities are not capped. Any remaining Index Securities in excess of 4% are capped at 4%, and the excess weight will be redistributed proportionally across the remaining Index Securities. The process is repeated, if necessary, to derive the final weights. For the telecommunications constituents, at each quarterly rebalance no security weight will exceed 2%. The excess weight of any capped security is distributed proportionally across the remaining telecommunications securities.
The Index began on June 20, 2012 at a base value of 1000.
Eligibility
Index eligibility is limited to specific security types only. The security types eligible for the Index are common stocks and depositary receipts.
Eligibility Criteria
To be eligible for inclusion in the Index, a security must meet the following criteria:
be listed on The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC, The New York Stock Exchange or NYSE Amex;
the issuer of the security must be classified as a technology or telecommunications company under the Industry Classification Benchmark (“ICB”);
have a minimum three-month average daily dollar trading volume of $1 million; codes 6000 and 9000;
have a minimum market capitalization of $500 million;
have paid a regular or common dividend within past 12 months;
have a yield of at least .5%;
have not had a decrease in common dividends per share paid within past 12 months;
may not be issued by an issuer currently in bankruptcy proceedings;
the issuer of the security may not have entered into a definitive agreement or other arrangement which would likely result in the security no longer being Index eligible; and
the issuer of the security may not have annual financial statements with an audit opinion that is currently withdrawn.
For the purposes of Index eligibility criteria, if the security is a depositary receipt representing a security of a non-U.S. issuer, then references to the “issuer” are references to the issuer of the underlying security.
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Index Evaluation
The Index securities are evaluated semi-annually in March and September. In the evaluation, the above Eligibility Criteria are applied using market data through the end of January and July. Securities meeting the criteria are included in the Index. Security additions and deletions are made effective after the close of trading on the third Friday in March and September.
Additionally, if at any time during the year other than the time of evaluation, an Index security no longer meets the Eligibility Criteria, or is otherwise determined to have become ineligible for inclusion in the Index, the security is removed from the Index and is not replaced. Ordinarily, a security will be removed from the Index at its Last Sale Price. If, however, at the time of its removal the Index security is halted from trading on its primary listing market and an official closing price cannot readily be determined, the Index security may, in Nasdaq’s discretion, be removed at a zero price. The zero price will be applied to the Index security after the close of the market but prior to the time the official closing value of the Index is disseminated, which is ordinarily 17:16:00 ET.
Index Maintenance
Changes in the price and/or Index shares driven by corporate events such as stock dividends, stock splits and certain spin-offs and rights issuances are adjusted on the ex-date. If the change in total shares outstanding arising from other corporate actions is greater than or equal to 10%, the change is made as soon as practicable. Otherwise, if the change in total shares outstanding is less than 10%, then all such changes are accumulated and made effective at one time on a quarterly basis after the close of trading on the third Friday in each of March, June, September and December. The Index shares are derived from the security’s total shares outstanding. The Index shares are adjusted by the same percentage amount by which the total shares outstanding have changed.
A special cash dividend announced by the listing exchange, will result in an adjustment to the Last Sale Price of an Index security prior to market open on the ex-date for the special amount distributed. A special dividend may also be referred to as unusual, extraordinary, one-time, non-recurring etc.
Ordinarily, whenever there is a change in Index shares, a change in an Index security or a change to the price of an Index security due to spin-off, rights issuances or special cash dividends as mentioned above, the divisor is adjusted to ensure that there is no discontinuity in the value of the Index which might otherwise be caused by any such change. All changes are announced in advance and are reflected in the Index prior to market open on the Index effective date.
Index Rebalancing
The Index employs a modified market capitalization weighting methodology. At each Evaluation, the Index securities are classified technology or telecommunications based on their ICB classification. The technology securities are given a collective weight of 80% and the telecommunications securities are given a collective weight of 20% in the Index.
Within the technology sector, the Index securities are ranked by dividend value. At each quarter, the Index is rebalanced such that the maximum weight of any technology Index security does not exceed 8% and no more than 5 securities are at the cap. The excess weight of any capped security is distributed proportionally across the remaining Index securities in the technology sector. If after redistribution, any of the 5 highest ranked technology Index securities are weighted below 8%, they are not capped. Next, any remaining technology Index securities in excess of 4% are capped at 4% and the excess weight is redistributed proportionally across the remaining technology Index securities. The process is repeated, if necessary, to derive the final weights for the technology sector.
Within the telecommunications sector, the Index securities are ranked by dividend value. At each quarter, the Index is rebalanced such that the maximum weight of any telecommunications security does not exceed 2%. The excess weight of any capped security is distributed proportionally across the remaining Index securities in the telecommunications sector. The process is repeated, if necessary, to derive the final weights for the telecommunications sector.
The modified market capitalization-weighting methodology is applied to the dividend value of each Index security. The dividend value is calculated by multiplying dividends paid within the past 12 months by the current shares outstanding. Index shares are then calculated multiplying the weight of the security derived above by the total dividend market value of the Index and dividing the modified market capitalization for each Index security by its corresponding Last Sale Price. The changes are effective after trading on the third Friday in March, June, September and December.
Nasdaq, Inc. may, from time to time, exercise reasonable discretion as it deems appropriate in order to ensure Index integrity.
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First Trust RBA American Industrial Renaissance® ETF
Index Description
The Richard Bernstein Advisors American Industrial Renaissance® Index is designed to measure the performance of small and mid cap U.S. companies in the industrial and community banking sectors. The Index provides exposure to companies directly involved in manufacturing, related infrastructure and banking. Banks will be chosen from states considered to be traditional manufacturing hubs. To be eligible for inclusion in the Index, a company must: (i) be traded on a U.S. securities exchange, (ii) have a market capitalization of at least $200 million as of the Index’s latest rebalancing date (iii) source the majority of its revenue from within the U.S.
RBA places no limit on the number of constituents included in the Index. A proprietary portfolio optimization method is used by RBA to weight each individual constituent company. Constituent companies are added to the Index at the quarterly rebalancing. If a constituent company is no longer is eligible to be included in the Index, RBA will remove it.
The Index began on February 19, 2014 at a base value of 972.
Index Construction
The Index is comprised of U.S. equity securities that are selected by the Index Provider as follows:
Begin with a universe of U.S. exchange-traded equities including depositary receipts and eliminate companies not directly related to manufacturing and related infrastructure, and banking. Banks will be chosen from states considered to be traditional manufacturing hubs; and
Screen to exclude companies with non-U.S. sales greater than or equal to 25%; and
Screen for positive 12-month forward earnings estimates.
RBA’s Proprietary Portfolio Optimization method is then used to weight the securities. No position will exceed approximately 3% of the total portfolio at each quarterly rebalance. Bank securities will be limited to a maximum of approximately 10% of the portfolio at each quarterly rebalance. Other portfolio criteria include: $6 minimum share price; $200 million minimum market cap; and liquidity of at least $500,000 trading volume on average each day.
Index Rebalancing
At each quarter the Index is rebalanced such that each segment of the Index will be capped at its predetermined weight. Rebalancing is effective as of the market close of the third Friday in April, July, October and January. The reference dates for the data used in the rebalancing are at the close of trading on the last trading day in March, June, September and December, respectively.
Additionally, if at any time during the year other than the rebalancing, an Index security no longer meets the eligibility criteria, or is otherwise determined to have become ineligible for inclusion in the Index, the security is removed from the Index and is not replaced. Ordinarily, a security will be removed from the Index at its Last Sale Price. If, however, at the time of its removal the Index security is halted from trading on its primary listing market and an official closing price cannot readily be determined, the Index security may, in Nasdaq’s discretion, be removed at a zero price. The zero price will be applied to the Index security after the close of the market but prior to the time the official closing value of the Index is disseminated, which is ordinarily 17:16:00 ET.
First Trust RBA Quality Income ETF
Index Description
The Richard Bernstein Advisors Quality Income Index is designed to provide access to a diversified portfolio of small, mid and large capitalization income producing securities.
RBA places no limit on the number of constituents included in the Index. All companies that meet the eligibility requirements are included. A proprietary portfolio optimization method is used by RBA to weight each individual constituent company. Constituent companies are added to the Index at the quarterly rebalancing. If a constituent company is no longer is eligible to be included in the Index, RBA will remove it.
The Index began on February 19, 2014 at a base value of 995.
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Index Construction
The Index is comprised of U.S. and non-U.S. equity securities that are selected by the Index Provider as follows:
Begin with all equity securities in the global high dividend yield universe; and
Screen for debt levels and consistency of earnings/cash flow to potentially eliminate companies headed for a dividend cut or omission.
RBA’s proprietary portfolio optimization method is then used to weight the securities. Portfolio optimization analyzes numerous possible security combinations and weightings in an effort to find the portfolio that maximizes RBA’s return expectations while minimizing all other observable global market risk factors. An optimal portfolio has an expected return greater than any other with the same or greater risk, or less risk than any other portfolio with the same or lesser return. No position will exceed approximately 3% of the total portfolio at each quarterly rebalance. Other portfolio criteria include: $6 minimum share price; $200 million minimum market cap; and liquidity of at least $1,000,000 trading volume on average each day.
Index Rebalancing
At each quarter the Index is rebalanced such that each segment of the Index will be capped at its predetermined weight. Rebalancing is effective as of the market close of the third Friday in April, July, October and January. The reference dates for the data used in the rebalancing are at the close of trading on the last trading day in March, June, September and December, respectively.
Additionally, if at any time during the year other than the rebalancing, an Index security no longer meets the eligibility criteria, or is otherwise determined to have become ineligible for inclusion in the Index, the security is removed from the Index and is not replaced. Ordinarily, a security will be removed from the Index at its Last Sale Price. If, however, at the time of its removal the Index security is halted from trading on its primary listing market and an official closing price cannot readily be determined, the Index security may, in Nasdaq’s discretion, be removed at a zero price. The Index Provider removes securities from the Index at a zero price if there is no recognizable market price for this security. The zero price will be applied to the Index security after the close of the market but prior to the time the official closing value of the Index is disseminated, which is ordinarily 17:16:00 ET.
International Multi-Asset Diversified Income Index Fund
Index Description
The NASDAQ International Multi-Asset Diversified Income IndexSM is designed to provide exposure to multiple asset segments, each selected to result in a consistent and high yield for the Index. The Index is designed to provide access to a diversified portfolio of small, mid and large capitalization income producing securities, which are composed of dividend-paying, non-U.S. securities, non-U.S. REITs, non-U.S. preferred securities, infrastructure companies and an index-based ETF that invests in non-U.S. fixed income securities.
The Index began on August 8, 2013 at a base value of 1,000.
Index Construction
The Index is comprised of the five types of securities listed below and selected from each of these categories of securities as follows:
Non-U.S. Dividend-Paying Equities
To be eligible for inclusion in the dividend-paying equity segment of the Index, a security must meet the following criteria:
be a member of the NASDAQ Global Ex-United States Index (“NQGXUS”);
not be classified as Real Estate Investment Trust (ICB: 8670) or Utility (ICB: 7000) by the ICB;
have a minimum market capitalization of $500 million;
have a minimum three-month average daily dollar trading value of $2.5 million;
have paid a regular dividend for each of the last three consecutive years;
have positive total earnings over the trailing 12-month period;
have a dividend payout ratio less than or equal to 80%; and
have one-year realized volatility less than the NQGXUS one-year realized volatility + 15%.
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Of the eligible companies, 50 securities will be selected and weighted by yield. If less than 50 securities remain after the screens, securities will be added back based on the volatility screen such that the securities which were next eligible based on that screen will be added. If 50 securities are still not eligible, the process will be repeated with each of the previous eligibility criterion until 50 securities are achieved. Within this segment, no single security can have a weight greater than 8%.
Dividend-paying equities comprise 20% of the Index.
Non-U.S. REITs
To be eligible for inclusion in the REIT segment of the Index, a security must meet the following criteria:
be a member of the NQGXUS;
must be classified as Real Estate Investment Trust (ICB: 8670) by the ICB;
have a minimum market capitalization of $500 million;
have a minimum three-month average daily dollar trading value of $2.5 million;
have paid a regular dividend for each of the last three consecutive years;
have positive total earnings over the trailing 12-month period;
have a dividend payout ratio less than or equal to 150%; and
have one-year realized volatility less than the NASDAQ Global Real Estate Index (“NQG8600”) one-year realized volatility + 15%.
Of the eligible companies, 25 securities will be selected and weighted by yield. If less than 25 securities remain after the screens, securities will be added back based on the volatility screen such that the securities which were next eligible based on that screen will be added. If 25 securities are still not eligible, the process will be repeated with each of the previous eligibility criterion until 25 securities are achieved. Within this segment, no single security can have a weight greater than 8%.
REITs comprise 20% of the Index.
Non-U.S. Preferred Securities
To be eligible for inclusion in the preferred segment of the Index, a security must meet the following criteria:
be a member of the NASDAQ Ex-United States Preferred Securities Index (“NQPFDIN”);
have a minimum market capitalization of $250 million;
have a minimum three-month average daily dollar trading value of $250,000; and
have one-year realized volatility less than the NQPFDIN one-year realized volatility + 15%.
All components of the NQPFDIN classified as equity will be selected. If less than 25 names exist, the remaining debt components will be selected based on the following criteria. Each eligible component will be scored by yield and realized volatility with the highest yielding security scoring 1 and least volatile security 1. The scores are added and the names with the lowest score are selected. If two securities are tied in score, the security with the higher yield will be selected. The 25 remaining Ex-U.S.-listed preferred securities are then weighted by yield.
Preferred securities comprise 20% of the Index.
Infrastructure Companies
To be eligible for inclusion in the infrastructure segment of the Index, a security must meet the following criteria:
be classified as Royalty Trust or be a member of NQGXUS and classified as Utilities (ICB: 7000) by the ICB;
have a minimum market capitalization of $500 million;
have a minimum three-month average daily dollar trading value of $1 million; and
have a one-year realized volatility less than the DWA MLP Index one-year realized volatility + 15%.
Each eligible component will be scored by yield and realized volatility with the highest yielding security scoring 1 and least volatile security 1. The scores are added and the 25 names with the lowest score are selected. If two securities are tied in score, the security with the higher yield will be selected. If less than 25 securities remain after the screens, securities will be added back based on the volatility screen such that the securities which were next eligible based on that screen will be added. If 25 securities are still not eligible, the process will be repeated with each of the previous eligibility criterion until 25 securities are achieved. The 25 remaining securities are then weighted by yield.
Infrastructure companies comprise 20% of the Index.
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Non-U.S. Fixed Income ETF
To be eligible for inclusion in the fixed income segment of the Index, a security must meet the following criteria:
be a US-Listed ETF tracking a diversified index of non-U.S debt instruments with a portfolio comprised of no more than 30% of its weight from one single country of origin;
have a minimum assets under management of $500 million;
have a minimum average daily volume of 100,000 shares; and
must consistently pay regular scheduled dividends.
Each eligible ETF will be scored by yield and realized volatility with the highest yielding security scoring 1 and least volatile security 1. The ETF with the lowest score will be selected.
The fixed income ETF comprises 20% of the Index.
Index Rebalancing
The Index employs a modified market capitalization weighting methodology. At each quarter the Index is rebalanced such that each segment of the Index will be capped at its predetermined weight.(1) Rebalancing is effective as of the market close of the third Friday in March, June, September and December. The reference dates for the data used in the rebalancing are at the close of trading on the last trading day in February, May, August and November, respectively.
Additionally, if at any time during the year other than the rebalancing, an Index security no longer meets the Eligibility Criteria, or is otherwise determined to have become ineligible for inclusion in the Index, the security is removed from the Index and is not replaced. Ordinarily, a security will be removed from the Index at its Last Sale Price. If, however, at the time of its removal the Index security is halted from trading on its primary listing market and an official closing price cannot readily be determined, the Index security may, in Nasdaq’s discretion, be removed at a zero price. The zero price will be applied to the Index security after the close of the market but prior to the time the official closing value of the Index is disseminated, which is ordinarily 17:16:00 ET.
Multi-Asset Diversified Income Index Fund
Index Description
The NASDAQ Multi-Asset Diversified Income IndexSM is designed to provide exposure to five Index Segments, each selected to result in a consistent and high yield for the Index. The Index is designed to provide access to a diversified portfolio of small, mid and large capitalization income producing securities, which are composed of domestic and international dividend-paying stocks, REITs, oil and gas or basic materials MLPs, U.S.-listed preferred securities and an index-based exchange-traded fund that invests in high yield or “junk” bonds.” The Index is comprised of securities classified as U.S.-listed equities, U.S.-listed REITs, U.S.-listed preferred securities, U.S.-listed MLPs and a high-yield corporate bond ETF.
The Index employs a modified market cap weighting methodology which assigns a pre-set weight to the five Index Segments at each quarterly rebalance. Each Index Segment has a set of separate and distinct eligibility rules and weighting procedures as described below. The Index began on June 20, 2012 at a base value of 1000.
Index Construction
The Index is comprised of the five types of securities listed above and selected from each of these categories of securities as follows:
Dividend-Paying Equities
To be eligible for inclusion in the U.S.-listed equity segment of the Index, a security must meet the following criteria:
be a member of the NASDAQ® US Benchmark Index (NQUSB);
not be classified as Real Estate Investment Trust (ICB: 8670) by the Industry Classification Benchmark (ICB);
have a minimum market capitalization of $1 billion;
have a minimum three-month average daily dollar trading value of $5 million;

(1) The non-U.S. preferred segment of NQMAXUS is reviewed on an annual basis in June of each year. A replacement pool of securities will be created at the annual reconstitution and the next eligible names will be added at each subsequent quarterly rebalance to ensure the non-U.S. preferred securities Index Segment contains 25 securities.
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have paid a regular dividend for each of the last three consecutive years;
have positive total earnings over the trailing 12-month period;
have a dividend payout ratio less than or equal to 80%; and
have-one year realized volatility less than the NQUSB one-year realized volatility + 15%.
Of the eligible companies, 50 securities will be selected and weighted by yield. If less than 50 securities remain after the screens, securities will be added back based on the volatility screen such that the securities which were next eligible based on that screen will be added. If 50 securities are still not eligible, the process will be repeated with each of the previous eligibility criterion until 50 securities are achieved. Within the US Equity segment, no single security can have a weight greater than 8%.
Dividend-paying equities comprise 20% of the Index.
REITS
To be eligible for inclusion in the U.S.-listed REIT segment of the Index, a security must meet the following criteria:
be a member of the NASDAQ® US Benchmark Index (NQUSB);
must be classified as Real Estate Investment Trust (ICB: 8670) by the Industry Classification Benchmark (ICB);
have a minimum market capitalization of $1 billion;
have a minimum three-month average daily dollar trading value of $5 million;
have paid a regular dividend for each of the last three consecutive years;
have positive total earnings over the trailing 12-month period;
have a dividend payout ratio less than or equal to 150%; and
have one-year realized volatility less than the REIT segment of the NQUSB one-year realized volatility + 15%.
Of the eligible companies, 25 securities will be selected and weighted by yield. If less than 25 securities remain after the screens, securities will be added back based on the volatility screen such that the securities which were next eligible based on that screen will be added. If 25 securities are still not eligible, the process will be repeated with each of the previous eligibility criterion until 25 securities are achieved. Within the U.S.-listed REIT segment, no single security can have a weight greater than 8%.
REITs comprise 20% of the Index.
Preferred Securities
To be eligible for inclusion in the U.S.-listed preferred segment of the Index, a security must meet the following criteria:
be a member of the NASDAQ® US Preferred Security Index (NQPFDUS);
have a minimum market capitalization of $250 million;
have a minimum three-month average daily dollar trading value of $250 thousand; and
have one-year realized volatility less than the NQPFDUS one-year realized volatility + 15%.
All components of the NQPFDUS classified as equity will be selected. If less than 25 names exist, the remaining debt components will be selected based on the following criteria. Each eligible component will be scored by yield and realized volatility with the highest yielding security scoring 1 and least volatile security a 1. The scores are added and the names with the lowest score are selected. If two securities are tied in score, the security with the higher yield will be selected. The 25 remaining U.S.-listed preferred securities are then weighted by yield. No more than 40% of the US Preferred segment can be in securities classified as debt based on the yield weighting. If the securities classified as debt are greater than 50%, the weight will be capped at 40% and excess weight will be redistributed to the remaining equity securities.
Preferred Securities comprise 20% of the Index.
MLPs
To be eligible for inclusion in the U.S.-listed MLP segment of the index, a security must meet the following criteria:
be classified as a limited partnership;
be classified as Oil & Gas (0001) or Basic Materials (2000) by the Industry Classification Benchmark (ICB);
have a minimum market capitalization of $500 million;
have a minimum three-month average daily dollar trading value of $500 thousand: and
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have a one-year realized volatility less than the DWA MLP Index one-year realized volatility + 15%.
Each eligible component will be scored by yield and realized volatility with the highest yielding security scoring 1 and least volatile security a 1. The scores are added and the 25 names with the lowest score are selected. If two securities are tied in score, the security with the higher yield will be selected. If less than 25 securities remain after the screens, securities will be added back based on the volatility screen such that the securities which were next eligible based on that screen will be added. If 25 securities are still not eligible, the process will be repeated with each of the previous eligibility criterion until 25 securities are achieved. The 25 remaining U.S.-listed MLP securities are then weighted by yield.
MLPs comprise 20% of the Index.
High Yield Bond ETF
To be eligible for inclusion in the high-yield corporate bond ETF segment of the Index, a security must meet the following criteria:
be a U.S.-listed ETF sponsored by FTP, tracking a high yield corporate debt strategy.
If there is no eligible ETF based on the criteria above, the following U.S. high yield corporate bond criteria will be used:
be a U.S.-listed ETF tracking a high yield corporate bond index; and
have a minimum assets under management of $100 million.
The ETF will comprise 20% of the Index.
Index Rebalancing
The Index employs a modified market capitalization weighting methodology. At each quarter the Index is rebalanced such that each segment of the Index will be capped at its predetermined weight (the preferred segment of the NASDAQ® US Multi-Asset Income Index (“NQMAUS”) is reviewed on an annual basis in June of each year). Rebalancing is effective as of the market close of the third Friday in March, June, September and December. The reference dates for the data used in the rebalancing are at the close of trading on the last trading day in January, April, July and October, respectively.
Additionally, if at any time during the year other than the rebalancing, an Index security no longer meets the Eligibility Criteria, or is otherwise determined to have become ineligible for inclusion in the Index, the security is removed from the Index and is not replaced. Ordinarily, a security will be removed from the Index at its Last Sale Price. If, however, at the time of its removal the Index security is halted from trading on its primary listing market and an official closing price cannot readily be determined, the Index security may, in Nasdaq’s discretion, be removed at a zero price. The zero price will be applied to the Index security after the close of the market but prior to the time the official closing value of the Index is disseminated, which is ordinarily 17:16:00 ET.
Premium/Discount Information
The tables that follow present information about the differences between each Fund’s daily market price on the applicable Exchange and its net asset value. The “Market Price” of a Fund generally is determined using the midpoint between the highest bid and lowest offer on the Exchange, as of the time a Fund’s net asset value is calculated. A Fund’s Market Price may be at, above, or below its net asset value. The net asset value of a Fund will fluctuate with changes in the market value of its portfolio holdings. The Market Price of a Fund will fluctuate in accordance with changes in its net asset value, as well as market supply and demand.
Premiums or discounts are the differences (generally expressed as a percentage) between the net asset value and Market Price of a Fund on a given day, generally at the time net asset value is calculated. A premium is the amount that a Fund is trading above the reported net asset value. A discount is the amount that a Fund is trading below the reported net asset value.
The following information shows the frequency distribution of premiums and discounts of the daily bid/ask price of each Fund against its net asset value. The information shown for each Fund is for the periods indicated. Shareholders may pay more than net asset value when they buy Fund shares and receive less than net asset value when they sell those shares because shares are bought and sold at current market price. All data presented here represents past performance, which cannot be used to predict future results. Information about the premiums and discounts at which the Funds’ shares have traded is available on the Funds’ website at www.ftportfolios.com.
88

First Trust Dorsey Wright Dynamic Focus 5 ETF (FVC)
Bid/Ask Midpoint vs. Net Asset Value
Number of Days Bid/Ask Midpoint At/Above Net Asset Value
  0.00%0.49% 0.50%0.99% 1.00%1.99% >=2.00%
12 Months Ended 12/31/2017 165 0 0 0
Number of Days Bid/Ask Midpoint Below Net Asset Value
  0.00%0.49% 0.50%0.99% 1.00%1.99% >=2.00%
12 Months Ended 12/31/2017 86 0 0 0
First Trust Dorsey Wright Focus 5 ETF (FV)
Bid/Ask Midpoint vs. Net Asset Value
Number of Days Bid/Ask Midpoint At/Above Net Asset Value
  0.00%0.49% 0.50%0.99% 1.00%1.99% >=2.00%
12 Months Ended 12/31/2017 72 0 0 0
Number of Days Bid/Ask Midpoint Below Net Asset Value
  0.00%0.49% 0.50%0.99% 1.00%1.99% >=2.00%
12 Months Ended 12/31/2017 179 0 0 0
First Trust Dorsey Wright International Focus 5 ETF (IFV)
Bid/Ask Midpoint vs. Net Asset Value
Number of Days Bid/Ask Midpoint At/Above Net Asset Value
  0.00%0.49% 0.50%0.99% 1.00%1.99% >=2.00%
12 Months Ended 12/31/2017 133 0 0 0
Number of Days Bid/Ask Midpoint Below Net Asset Value
  0.00%0.49% 0.50%0.99% 1.00%1.99% >=2.00%
12 Months Ended 12/31/2017 118 0 0 0
First Trust RBA American Industrial Renaissance® ETF (AIRR)
Bid/Ask Midpoint vs. Net Asset Value
Number of Days Bid/Ask Midpoint At/Above Net Asset Value
  0.00%0.49% 0.50%0.99% 1.00%1.99% >=2.00%
12 Months Ended 12/31/2017 114 0 0 0
Number of Days Bid/Ask Midpoint Below Net Asset Value
  0.00%0.49% 0.50%0.99% 1.00%1.99% >=2.00%
12 Months Ended 12/31/2017 137 0 0 0
89

First Trust RBA Quality Income ETF (QINC)
Bid/Ask Midpoint vs. Net Asset Value
Number of Days Bid/Ask Midpoint At/Above Net Asset Value
  0.00%0.49% 0.50%0.99% 1.00%1.99% >=2.00%
12 Months Ended 12/31/2017 140 0 0 0
Number of Days Bid/Ask Midpoint Below Net Asset Value
  0.00%0.49% 0.50%0.99% 1.00%1.99% >=2.00%
12 Months Ended 12/31/2017 111 0 0 0
First Trust Rising Dividend Achievers ETF (RDVY)
Bid/Ask Midpoint vs. Net Asset Value
Number of Days Bid/Ask Midpoint At/Above Net Asset Value
  0.00%0.49% 0.50%0.99% 1.00%1.99% >=2.00%
12 Months Ended 12/31/2017 220 0 0 0
Number of Days Bid/Ask Midpoint Below Net Asset Value
  0.00%0.49% 0.50%0.99% 1.00%1.99% >=2.00%
12 Months Ended 12/31/2017 31 0 0 0
First Trust NASDAQ Technology Dividend Index Fund (TDIV)
Bid/Ask Midpoint vs. Net Asset Value
Number of Days Bid/Ask Midpoint At/Above Net Asset Value
  0.00%0.49% 0.50%0.99% 1.00%1.99% >=2.00%
12 Months Ended 12/31/2017 159 0 0 0
Number of Days Bid/Ask Midpoint Below Net Asset Value
  0.00%0.49% 0.50%0.99% 1.00%1.99% >=2.00%
12 Months Ended 12/31/2017 92 0 0 0
International Multi-Asset Diversified Income Index Fund (YDIV)
Bid/Ask Midpoint vs. Net Asset Value
Number of Days Bid/Ask Midpoint At/Above Net Asset Value
  0.00%0.49% 0.50%0.99% 1.00%1.99% >=2.00%
12 Months Ended 12/31/2017 79 46 0 0
Number of Days Bid/Ask Midpoint Below Net Asset Value
  0.00%0.49% 0.50%0.99% 1.00%1.99% >=2.00%
12 Months Ended 12/31/2017 41 76 8 1
90

Multi-Asset Diversified Income Index Fund (MDIV)
Bid/Ask Midpoint vs. Net Asset Value
Number of Days Bid/Ask Midpoint At/Above Net Asset Value
  0.00%0.49% 0.50%0.99% 1.00%1.99% >=2.00%
12 Months Ended 12/31/2017 124 0 0 0
Number of Days Bid/Ask Midpoint Below Net Asset Value
  0.00%0.49% 0.50%0.99% 1.00%1.99% >=2.00%
12 Months Ended 12/31/2017 127 0 0 0
Total Return Information
The tables below compare the total return of each Fund to the total return of the Index on which it is based and each Fund's benchmark indices. The information presented for each Fund is for the period indicated. The total returns would have been lower if certain fees had not been waived and expenses reimbursed by First Trust.
“Average annual total returns” represent the average annual change in the value of an investment over the period indicated. “Cumulative total returns” represent the total change in value of an investment over the period indicated. The net asset value per share of a Fund is the value of one share of a Fund and is computed by dividing the value of all assets of the Fund (including accrued interest and dividends), less liabilities (including accrued expenses and dividends declared but unpaid), by the total number of outstanding shares. The net asset value return is based on the net asset value per share of a Fund, and the market return is based on the market price per share of a Fund. The price used to calculate market return (“Market Price”) generally is determined by using the midpoint between the highest bid and the lowest offer on Nasdaq on which the shares of a Fund are listed for trading, as of the time that a Fund's net asset value is calculated. Since the shares of each Fund typically do not trade in the secondary market until several days after a Fund's inception, for the period from inception to the first day of secondary market trading in shares of a Fund, the net asset value of a Fund is used as a proxy for the secondary market trading price to calculate market returns. Market and net asset value returns assume that all distributions have been reinvested in a Fund at Market Price and net asset value, respectively. An index is a statistical composite that tracks a specified financial market or sector. Unlike each Fund, an index does not actually hold a portfolio of securities and therefore does not incur the expenses incurred by a Fund. These expenses negatively impact the performance of each Fund. Also, market returns do not include brokerage commissions that may be payable on secondary market transactions. If brokerage commissions were included, market returns would be lower. The total returns reflect the reinvestment of dividends on securities in the index. The returns shown in the table below do not reflect the deduction of taxes that a shareholder would pay on Fund distributions or the redemption or sale of shares of a Fund. The investment return and principal value of shares of a Fund will vary with changes in market conditions. Shares of a Fund may be worth more or less than their original cost when they are redeemed or sold in the market. A Fund's past performance is no guarantee of future results.
First Trust Dorsey Wright Dynamic Focus 5 ETF (FVC)
Total Returns as of September 30, 2017
    Average Annual   Cumulative
  1 Year Inception
(3/17/2016)
  Inception
(3/17/2016)
Fund Performance        
Net Asset Value 15.13% 14.28%   22.82%
Market Price 15.13% 14.31%   22.87%
Index Performance        
Dorsey Wright Dynamic Focus Five Index 15.52% 14.71%   23.53%
S&P 500® Index 18.61% 17.06%   27.45%
  
91

First Trust Dorsey Wright Focus 5 ETF (FV)
Total Returns as of September 30, 2017
    Average Annual   Cumulative
  1 Year Inception
(3/5/2014)
  Inception
(3/5/2014)
Fund Performance        
Net Asset Value 15.16% 8.23%   32.66%
Market Price 15.16% 8.23%   32.66%
Index Performance        
Dorsey Wright Focus Five Index 15.51% 8.69%   34.70%
S&P 500® Index 18.61% 10.93%   44.87%
  
First Trust Dorsey Wright International Focus 5 ETF (IFV)
Total Returns as of September 30, 2017
    Average Annual   Cumulative
  1 Year Inception
(7/22/2014)
  Inception
(7/22/2014)
Fund Performance        
Net Asset Value 22.71% 3.05%   10.07%
Market Price 23.13% 3.05%   10.07%
Index Performance        
Dorsey Wright International Focus Five Index 23.09% 3.34%   11.07%
MSCI All Country World Ex-US Index 19.61% 2.57%   8.43%
  
First Trust Rising Dividend Achievers ETF (RDVY)
Total Returns as of September 30, 2017
    Average Annual   Cumulative
  1 Year Inception
(1/6/2014)
  Inception
(1/6/2014)
Fund Performance        
Net Asset Value 27.53% 11.56%   50.39%
Market Price 27.66% 11.59%   50.55%
Index Performance        
Dow Jones U.S. Select DividendTM Index 13.21% 12.05%   52.89%
NASDAQ US Rising Dividend Achievers Index 28.25% 12.15%   53.38%
  
First Trust NASDAQ Technology Dividend Index Fund (TDIV)
Total Returns as of September 30, 2017
    Average Annual   Cumulative
  1 Year 5 Years Inception
(8/13/2012)
  5 Years Inception
(8/13/2012)
Fund Performance            
Net Asset Value 13.10% 13.38% 12.86%   87.38% 86.03%
Market Price 13.06% 13.36% 12.85%   87.21% 85.95%
Index Performance            
NASDAQ Technology Dividend IndexSM 13.75% 14.11% 13.59%   93.51% 92.26%
S&P 500® Index 18.61% 14.22% 14.47%   94.44% 100.08%
S&P 500® Information Technology Index 28.88% 17.44% 17.51%   123.39% 128.90%
  
92

First Trust RBA American Industrial Renaissance® ETF (AIRR)
Total Returns as of September 30, 2017
    Average Annual   Cumulative
  1 Year Inception
(3/10/2014)
  Inception
(3/10/2014)
Fund Performance        
Net Asset Value 27.39% 8.07%   31.82%
Market Price 27.44% 8.08%   31.87%
Index Performance        
Richard Bernstein Advisors American Industrial Renaissance® Index 28.37% 8.96%   35.72%
S&P 500® Index 18.61% 10.91%   44.56%
S&P 500® Industrials Index 22.35% 10.86%   44.35%
  
First Trust RBA Quality Income ETF (QINC)
Total Returns as of September 30, 2017
    Average Annual   Cumulative
  1 Year Inception
(3/10/2014)
  Inception
(3/10/2014)
Fund Performance        
Net Asset Value 13.93% 8.61%   34.18%
Market Price 14.11% 8.66%   34.41%
Index Performance        
Dow Jones U.S. Select DividendTM Index 13.21% 11.82%   48.82%
Richard Bernstein Advisors Quality Income Index 14.82% 9.54%   38.32%
S&P 500® Index 18.61% 10.91%   44.56%
International Multi-Asset Diversified Income Index Fund (YDIV)
Total Returns as of September 30, 2017
    Average Annual   Cumulative
  1 Year Inception
(8/22/2013)
  Inception
(8/22/2013)
Fund Performance        
Net Asset Value 12.96% 3.35%   14.47%
Market Price 14.28% 3.46%   14.98%
Index Performance        
NASDAQ International Multi-Asset Diversified Income IndexSM 14.85% 4.96%   21.99%
MSCI World ex USA Index 18.73% 5.75%   25.81%
Dow Jones EPAC Select DividendTM Index 17.76% 4.54%   20.01%
  
93

Multi-Asset Diversified Income Index Fund (MDIV)
Total Returns as of September 30, 2017
    Average Annual   Cumulative
  1 Year 5 Years Inception
(8/13/2012)
  5 Years Inception
(8/13/2012)
Fund Performance            
Net Asset Value 7.56% 5.17% 5.27%   28.64% 30.17%
Market Price 7.34% 5.12% 5.24%   28.38% 29.96%
Index Performance            
Dow Jones U.S. Select DividendTM Index 13.21% 14.28% 14.19%   94.92% 97.54%
NASDAQ US Multi-Asset Diversified Income IndexSM 8.37% 5.89% 6.01%   33.16% 34.92%
S&P 500® Index 18.61% 14.22% 14.47%   94.44% 100.08%
  
94

Financial Highlights
The financial highlights table is intended to help you understand each Fund's financial performance for the periods shown. Certain information reflects financial results for a single share of each Fund. The total returns represent the rate that an investor would have earned (or lost) on an investment in a Fund (assuming reinvestment of all dividends and distributions). The information for the periods indicated has been derived from financial statements audited by Deloitte & Touche LLP, whose report, along with each Fund's financial statements, is included in the Annual Report to Shareholders dated September 30, 2017 and is incorporated by reference in each Fund's SAI, which is available upon request.
First Trust Exchange-Traded Fund VI
Financial Highlights
For a Share outstanding throughout each period
First Trust Dorsey Wright Dynamic Focus 5 ETF (FVC)
  Year Ended
9/30/2017
For the Period
3/17/2016 (a)
through
9/30/2016
 
Net asset value, beginning of period $21.32 $20.02
Income from investment operations:    
Net investment income (loss) 0.17 0.09
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) 3.04 1.25
Total from investment operations 3.21 1.34
Distributions paid to shareholders from:    
Net investment income (0.16) (0.04)
Net realized gain (0.01)
Total distributions (0.17) (0.04)
Net asset value, end of period $24.36 $21.32
Total Return (b) 15.13% 6.68%
Ratios/supplemental data:    
Net assets, end of period (in 000’s) $328,881 $234,540
Ratios to average net assets:    
Ratio of total expenses to average net assets 0.30% 0.30% (c)
Ratio of net investment income (loss) to average net assets 0.80% 1.45% (c)
Portfolio turnover rate (d) 54% 15%
(a) Inception date is consistent with the commencement of investment operations and is the date the initial creation units were established.
(b) Total return is calculated assuming an initial investment made at the net asset value at the beginning of the period, reinvestment of all distributions at net asset value during the period, and redemption at net asset value on the last day of the period. The returns presented do not reflect the deduction of taxes that a shareholder would pay on Fund distributions or the redemption or sale of Fund shares. Total return is calculated for the time period presented and is not annualized for periods of less than a year.
(c) Annualized.
(d) Portfolio turnover is calculated for the time period presented and is not annualized for periods of less than a year and does not include securities received or delivered from processing creations or redemptions and in-kind transactions.
95

First Trust Exchange-Traded Fund VI
Financial Highlights
For a Share outstanding throughout each period
First Trust Dorsey Wright Focus 5 ETF (FV)
  Year Ended September 30, For the Period
3/5/2014 (a)
through
9/30/2014
  2017 2016 2015
Net asset value, beginning of period $22.91 $21.91 $20.40 $20.02
Income from investment operations:        
Net investment income (loss) 0.21 0.16 0.04 0.01
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) 3.25 0.96 1.50 0.37
Total from investment operations 3.46 1.12 1.54 0.38
Distributions paid to shareholders from:        
Net investment income (0.20) (0.12) (0.03) 0.00(b)
Net asset value, end of period $26.17 $22.91 $21.91 $20.40
Total Return (c) 15.16% 5.10% 7.55% 1.91%
Ratios/supplemental data:        
Net assets, end of period (in 000’s) $2,397,352 $3,055,465 $4,066,788 $567,068
Ratios to average net assets:        
Ratio of total expenses to average net assets 0.30% 0.30% 0.30% 0.30% (d)
Ratio of net investment income (loss) to average net assets 0.74% 0.62% 0.22% 0.22% (d)
Portfolio turnover rate (e) 66% 42% 0% 0%
(a) Inception date is consistent with the commencement of investment operations and is the date the initial creation units were established.
(b) Amount is less than $0.01.
(c) Total return is calculated assuming an initial investment made at the net asset value at the beginning of the period, reinvestment of all distributions at net asset value during the period, and redemption at net asset value on the last day of the period. The returns presented do not reflect the deduction of taxes that a shareholder would pay on Fund distributions or the redemption or sale of Fund shares. Total return is calculated for the time period presented and is not annualized for periods of less than a year.
(d) Annualized.
(e) Portfolio turnover is calculated for the time period presented and is not annualized for periods of less than a year and does not include securities received or delivered from processing creations or redemptions and in-kind transactions.
96

First Trust Exchange-Traded Fund VI
Financial Highlights
For a Share outstanding throughout each period
First Trust Dorsey Wright International Focus 5 ETF (IFV)
  Year Ended September 30, For the Period
7/22/2014 (a)
through
9/30/2014
  2017 2016 2015
Net asset value, beginning of period $17.55 $17.08 $18.57 $20.09
Income from investment operations:        
Net investment income (loss) 0.25 0.22 0.20 0.07
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) 3.73 0.52 (1.50) (1.59)
Total from investment operations 3.98 0.74 (1.30) (1.52)
Distributions paid to shareholders from:        
Net investment income (0.18) (0.27) (0.19)
Net asset value, end of period $21.35 $17.55 $17.08 $18.57
Total Return (b) 22.71% 4.35% (7.01)% (7.57)%
Ratios/supplemental data:        
Net assets, end of period (in 000’s) $794,132 $450,042 $626,762 $31,574
Ratios to average net assets:        
Ratio of total expenses to average net assets 0.30% 0.30% 0.30% 0.30% (c)
Ratio of net investment income (loss) to average net assets 1.59% 1.14% 2.29% 5.67% (c)
Portfolio turnover rate (d) 49% 58% 7% 0%
(a) Inception date is consistent with the commencement of investment operations and is the date the initial creation units were established.
(b) Total return is calculated assuming an initial investment made at the net asset value at the beginning of the period, reinvestment of all distributions at net asset value during the period, and redemption at net asset value on the last day of the period. The returns presented do not reflect the deduction of taxes that a shareholder would pay on Fund distributions or the redemption or sale of Fund shares. Total return is calculated for the time period presented and is not annualized for periods of less than a year.
(c) Annualized.
(d) Portfolio turnover is calculated for the time period presented and is not annualized for periods of less than a year and does not include securities received or delivered from processing creations or redemptions and in-kind transactions.
97

First Trust Exchange-Traded Fund VI
Financial Highlights
For a Share outstanding throughout each period
First Trust Rising Dividend Achievers ETF (RDVY)
  Year Ended September 30, For the Period
1/6/2014 (a)
through
9/30/2014
  2017 2016 2015
Net asset value, beginning of period $22.12 $20.34 $21.02 $19.93
Income from investment operations:        
Net investment income (loss) 0.34 0.53 0.39 0.29
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) 5.73 1.86 (0.68) 1.08
Total from investment operations 6.07 2.39 (0.29) 1.37
Distributions paid to shareholders from:        
Net investment income (0.35) (0.54) (0.39) (0.28)
Net realized gains (0.07)
Total distributions (0.35) (0.61) (0.39) (0.28)
Net asset value, end of period $27.84 $22.12 $20.34 $21.02
Total Return (b) 27.53% 11.98% (1.47)% 6.88%
Ratios/supplemental data:        
Net assets, end of period (in 000’s) $271,405 $27,646 $28,477 $7,357
Ratios to average net assets:        
Ratio of total expenses to average net assets 0.50% 0.50% 0.50% 0.50% (c)
Ratio of net investment income (loss) to average net assets 1.60% 2.50% 2.03% 2.26% (c)
Portfolio turnover rate (d) 46% 66% 71% 62%
(a) Inception date is consistent with the commencement of investment operations and is the date the initial creation units were established.
(b) Total return is calculated assuming an initial investment made at the net asset value at the beginning of the period, reinvestment of all distributions at net asset value during the period, and redemption at net asset value on the last day of the period. The returns presented do not reflect the deduction of taxes that a shareholder would pay on Fund distributions or the redemption or sale of Fund shares. Total return is calculated for the time period presented and is not annualized for periods of less than a year.
(c) Annualized.
(d) Portfolio turnover is calculated for the time period presented and is not annualized for periods of less than a year and does not include securities received or delivered from processing creations or redemptions and in-kind transactions.
98

First Trust Exchange-Traded Fund VI
Financial Highlights
For a Share outstanding throughout each period
First Trust NASDAQ Technology Dividend Index Fund (TDIV)
  Year Ended September 30,
  2017 2016 2015 2014 2013
Net asset value, beginning of period $29.33 $24.23 $27.04 $22.56 $19.74
Income from investment operations:          
Net investment income (loss) 0.80 0.80 0.73 0.73 0.59
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) 3.01 5.02 (2.83) 4.46 2.81
Total from investment operations 3.81 5.82 (2.10) 5.19 3.40
Distributions paid to shareholders from:          
Net investment income (0.75) (0.72) (0.71) (0.71) (0.58)
Net asset value, end of period $32.39 $29.33 $24.23 $27.04 $22.56
Total Return(a) 13.10% 24.31% (7.92)% 23.19% 17.49%
Ratios/supplemental data:          
Net assets, end of period (in 000’s) $717,616 $572,100 $470,112 $723,536 $205,440
Ratios to average net assets:          
Ratio of total expenses to average net assets 0.50% 0.50% 0.50% 0.50% 0.50%
Ratio of net investment income (loss) to average net assets 2.64% 3.01% 2.58% 3.13% 2.95%
Portfolio turnover rate (b) 26% 30% 27% 34% 37%
(a) Total return is calculated assuming an initial investment made at the net asset value at the beginning of the period, reinvestment of all distributions at net asset value during the period, and redemption at net asset value on the last day of the period. The returns presented do not reflect the deduction of taxes that a shareholder would pay on Fund distributions or the redemption or sale of Fund shares. Total return is calculated for the time period presented and is not annualized for periods of less than a year.
(b) Portfolio turnover is calculated for the time period presented and is not annualized for periods of less than a year and does not include securities received or delivered from processing creations or redemptions and in-kind transactions.
99

First Trust Exchange-Traded Fund VI
Financial Highlights
For a Share outstanding throughout each period
First Trust RBA American Industrial Renaissance® ETF (AIRR)
  Year Ended September 30, For the Period
3/10/2014 (a)
through
9/30/2014
  2017 2016 2015
Net asset value, beginning of period $20.49 $15.31 $18.27 $19.98
Income from investment operations:        
Net investment income (loss) 0.08(b) 0.08(b) 0.07 0.05
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) 5.53 5.16 (2.97) (1.72)
Total from investment operations 5.61 5.24 (2.90) (1.67)
Distributions paid to shareholders from:        
Net investment income (0.06) (0.06) (0.06) (0.04)
Net asset value, end of period $26.04 $20.49 $15.31 $18.27
Total Return(c) 27.39% 34.27% (15.90)% (8.37)%
Ratios/supplemental data:        
Net assets, end of period (in 000’s) $169,282 $20,492 $42,867 $79,455
Ratios to average net assets:        
Ratio of total expenses to average net assets 0.70% 0.70% 0.70% 0.70% (d)
Ratio of net investment income (loss) to average net assets 0.33% 0.47% 0.35% 0.62% (d)
Portfolio turnover rate (e) 52% 62% 66% 20%
(a) Inception date is consistent with the commencement of investment operations and is the date the initial creation units were established.
(b) Based on average shares outstanding.
(c) Total return is calculated assuming an initial investment made at the net asset value at the beginning of the period, reinvestment of all distributions at net asset value during the period, and redemption at net asset value on the last day of the period. The returns presented do not reflect the deduction of taxes that a shareholder would pay on Fund distributions or the redemption or sale of Fund shares. Total return is calculated for the time period presented and is not annualized for periods of less than a year.
(d) Annualized.
(e) Portfolio turnover is calculated for the time period presented and is not annualized for periods of less than a year and does not include securities received or delivered from processing creations or redemptions and in-kind transactions.
100

First Trust Exchange-Traded Fund VI
Financial Highlights
For a Share outstanding throughout each period
First Trust RBA Quality Income ETF (QINC)
  Year Ended September 30, For the Period
3/10/2014 (a)
through
9/30/2014
  2017 2016 2015
Net asset value, beginning of period $22.11 $20.10 $19.91 $20.00
Income from investment operations:        
Net investment income (loss) 0.60 0.55 0.53 0.34
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) 2.44 1.96 0.19 (0.10)
Total from investment operations 3.04 2.51 0.72 0.24
Distributions paid to shareholders from:        
Net investment income (0.61) (0.50) (0.53) (0.33)
Net asset value, end of period $24.54 $22.11 $20.10 $19.91
Total Return (b) 13.93% 12.52% 3.49% 1.14%
Ratios/supplemental data:        
Net assets, end of period (in 000’s) $28,221 $22,107 $10,049 $4,978
Ratios to average net assets:        
Ratio of total expenses to average net assets 0.70% 0.70% 0.70% 0.70% (c)
Ratio of net investment income (loss) to average net assets 2.61% 2.79% 2.64% 3.16% (c)
Portfolio turnover rate (d) 150% 136% 163% 55%
(a) Inception date is consistent with the commencement of investment operations and is the date the initial creation units were established.
(b) Total return is calculated assuming an initial investment made at the net asset value at the beginning of the period, reinvestment of all distributions at net asset value during the period, and redemption at net asset value on the last day of the period. The returns presented do not reflect the deduction of taxes that a shareholder would pay on Fund distributions or the redemption or sale of Fund shares. Total return is calculated for the time period presented and is not annualized for periods of less than a year.
(c) Annualized.
(d) Portfolio turnover is calculated for the time period presented and is not annualized for periods of less than a year and does not include securities received or delivered from processing creations or redemptions and in-kind transactions.
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First Trust Exchange-Traded Fund VI
Financial Highlights
For a Share outstanding throughout each period
International Multi-Asset Diversified Income Index Fund (YDIV)
  Year Ended September 30, For the Period
8/22/2013 (a)
through
9/30/2013
  2017 2016 2015 2014
Net asset value, beginning of period $17.28 $15.85 $20.10 $20.65 $19.97
Income from investment operations:          
Net investment income (loss) 0.77 0.77 0.82 1.08 0.07
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) 1.39 1.34 (4.18) (0.27) 0.69
Total from investment operations 2.16 2.11 (3.36) 0.81 0.76
Distributions paid to shareholders from:          
Net investment income (0.92) (0.68) (0.84) (1.13) (0.08)
Return of capital (0.05)
Net realized gain (0.23)
Total distributions (0.92) (0.68) (0.89) (1.36) (0.08)
Net asset value, end of period $18.52 $17.28 $15.85 $20.10 $20.65
Total Return (b) 12.96% 13.57% (17.29)% 3.93% 3.80%
Ratios/supplemental data:          
Net assets, end of period (in 000’s) $12,038 $12,962 $12,676 $13,066 $5,164
Ratios to average net assets:          
Ratio of total expenses to average net assets 0.70% 0.70% 0.70% 0.70% 0.70% (c)
Ratio of net investment income (loss) to average net assets 4.36% 4.52% 4.44% 4.74% 3.15% (c)
Portfolio turnover rate (d) 129% 151% 132% 116% 24%
(a) Inception date is consistent with the commencement of investment operations and is the date the initial creation units were established.
(b) Total return is calculated assuming an initial investment made at the net asset value at the beginning of the period, reinvestment of all distributions at net asset value during the period, and redemption at net asset value on the last day of the period. The returns presented do not reflect the deduction of taxes that a shareholder would pay on Fund distributions or the redemption or sale of Fund shares. Total return is calculated for the time period presented and is not annualized for periods of less than a year.
(c) Annualized.
(d) Portfolio turnover is calculated for the time period presented and is not annualized for periods of less than a year and does not include securities received or delivered from processing creations or redemptions and in-kind transactions.
102

First Trust Exchange-Traded Fund VI
Financial Highlights
For a Share outstanding throughout each period
Multi-Asset Diversified Income Index Fund (MDIV)
  Year Ended September 30,
  2017 2016 2015 2014 2013
Net asset value, beginning of period $18.89 $18.37 $21.48 $20.65 $20.18
Income from investment operations:          
Net investment income (loss) 0.81 0.83 0.99 1.05 0.90
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) 0.59 0.94 (2.73) 1.02 0.71
Total from investment operations 1.40 1.77 (1.74) 2.07 1.61
Distributions paid to shareholders from:          
Net investment income (0.82) (0.85) (0.99) (1.24) (1.07)
Return of capital (0.25) (0.40) (0.38) (0.07)
Total distributions (1.07) (1.25) (1.37) (1.24) (1.14)
Net asset value, end of period $19.22 $18.89 $18.37 $21.48 $20.65
Total Return (a) 7.56% 9.86% (8.57)% 10.17% 8.08%
Ratios/supplemental data:          
Net assets, end of period (in 000’s) $850,403 $873,524 $880,995 $783,954 $491,585
Ratios to average net assets:          
Ratio of total expenses to average net assets 0.60% 0.60% 0.60% 0.60% 0.60%
Ratio of net expenses to average net assets 0.48% 0.48% 0.50% 0.60% 0.60%
Ratio of net investment income (loss) to average net assets 4.25% 4.25% 4.71% 4.55% 4.80%
Portfolio turnover rate (b) 82% 115% 116% 96% 124%
(a) Total return is calculated assuming an initial investment made at the net asset value at the beginning of the period, reinvestment of all distributions at net asset value during the period, and redemption at net asset value on the last day of the period. The returns presented do not reflect the deduction of taxes that a shareholder would pay on Fund distributions or the redemption or sale of Fund shares. Total return is calculated for the time period presented and is not annualized for periods of less than a year.
(b) Portfolio turnover is calculated for the time period presented and is not annualized for periods of less than a year and does not include securities received or delivered from processing creations or redemptions and in-kind transactions.
Other Information
Continuous Offering
Each Fund will issue, on a continuous offering basis, its shares in one or more groups of a fixed number of Fund shares (each such group of such specified number of individual Fund shares, a “Creation Unit Aggregation”). The method by which Creation Unit Aggregations of Fund shares are created and traded may raise certain issues under applicable securities laws. Because new Creation Unit Aggregations of shares are issued and sold by a Fund on an ongoing basis, a “distribution,” as such term is used in the Securities Act, may occur at any point. Broker-dealers and other persons are cautioned that some activities on their part may, depending on the circumstances, result in their being deemed participants in a distribution in a manner which could render them statutory underwriters and subject them to the prospectus delivery requirement and liability provisions of the Securities Act.
For example, a broker-dealer firm or its client may be deemed a statutory underwriter if it takes Creation Unit Aggregations after placing an order with FTP, breaks them down into constituent shares and sells such shares directly to customers, or if it chooses to couple the creation of a supply of new shares with an active selling effort involving solicitation of secondary market demand for shares. A determination of whether one is an underwriter for purposes of the Securities Act must take into account all the facts and circumstances pertaining to the activities of the broker-dealer or its client in the particular case, and the examples mentioned above should not be considered a complete description of all the activities that could lead to a characterization as an underwriter.
103

Broker-dealer firms should also note that dealers who are not “underwriters” but are effecting transactions in shares, whether or not participating in the distribution of shares, are generally required to deliver a prospectus. This is because the prospectus delivery exemption in Section 4(a)(3) of the Securities Act is not available in respect of such transactions as a result of Section 24(d) of the 1940 Act. The Trust, on behalf of each Fund, however, has received from the Securities and Exchange Commission an exemption from the prospectus delivery obligation in ordinary secondary market transactions under certain circumstances, on the condition that purchasers are provided with a product description of the shares. As a result, broker-dealer firms should note that dealers who are not underwriters but are participating in a distribution (as contrasted with ordinary secondary market transactions) and thus dealing with the shares that are part of an overallotment within the meaning of Section 4(a)(3)(C) of the Securities Act would be unable to take advantage of the prospectus delivery exemption provided by Section 4(a)(3) of the Securities Act. Firms that incur a prospectus delivery obligation with respect to shares are reminded that, under the Securities Act Rule 153, a prospectus delivery obligation under Section 5(b)(2) of the Securities Act owed to a broker-dealer in connection with a sale on Nasdaq is satisfied by the fact that the prospectus is available from Nasdaq upon request. The prospectus delivery mechanism provided in Rule 153 is available with respect to transactions on a national securities exchange, a trading facility or an alternative trading system.
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First Trust
Exchange-Traded Fund VI

First Trust Dorsey Wright Dynamic Focus 5 ETF
First Trust Dorsey Wright Focus 5 ETF
First Trust Dorsey Wright International Focus 5 ETF
First Trust Rising Dividend Achievers ETF
First Trust NASDAQ Technology Dividend Index Fund
First Trust RBA American Industrial Renaissance® ETF
First Trust RBA Quality Income ETF
International Multi-Asset Diversified Income Index Fund
Multi-Asset Diversified Income Index Fund
For More Information
For more detailed information on the Funds, several additional sources of information are available to you. The SAI, incorporated by reference into this prospectus, contains detailed information on the Funds' policies and operation. Additional information about the Funds' investments is available in the annual and semi-annual reports to shareholders. In the Funds' annual report, you will find a discussion of the market conditions and investment strategies that significantly impacted the Funds' performance during the last fiscal year. The Funds' most recent SAI, annual and semi-annual reports and certain other information are available free of charge by calling the Funds at (800) 621-1675, on the Funds' website at www.ftportfolios.com or through your financial advisor. Shareholders may call the toll-free number above with any inquiries.
You may obtain this and other information regarding the Funds, including the SAI and the Codes of Ethics adopted by First Trust, FTP and the Trust, directly from the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). Information on the SEC’s website is free of charge. Visit the SEC’s online EDGAR database at https://www.sec.gov or in person at the SEC’s Public Reference Room in Washington, D.C., or call the SEC at (202) 551-8090 for information on the Public Reference Room. You may also request information regarding the Funds by sending a request (along with a duplication fee) to the SEC’s Public Reference Section, 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549-1520 or by sending an electronic request to publicinfo@sec.gov.
First Trust Advisors L.P.
120 East Liberty Drive, Suite 400
Wheaton, Illinois 60187
(800) 621-1675
www.ftportfolios.com
SEC File #: 333-182308
811-22717

 


 

First Trust
Exchange-Traded Fund VI

Prospectus
FUND NAME TICKER SYMBOL EXCHANGE
First Trust BuyWrite Income ETF
(formerly First Trust High Income ETF)
FTHI Nasdaq
First Trust Hedged BuyWrite Income ETF
(formerly First Trust Low Beta Income ETF)
FTLB Nasdaq
Each of the funds listed above (each, a “Fund” and collectively, the “Funds”) lists and principally trades its shares on The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC (“Nasdaq” or the “Exchange”). Market prices may differ to some degree from the net asset value of the shares. Unlike mutual funds, each Fund issues and redeems shares at net asset value, only in large specified blocks consisting of 50,000 shares (each such block of shares called a “Creation Unit,” and collectively, the “Creation Units”). Each Fund’s Creation Units are generally issued and redeemed in-kind for securities in which the Fund invests and, in certain circumstances, for cash, and only to and from broker-dealers and large institutional investors that have entered into participation agreements.
Each Fund is a series of First Trust Exchange-Traded Fund VI (the “Trust”) and an actively managed exchange-traded fund organized as a separate series of a registered management investment company.
Except when aggregated in Creation Units, the shares are not redeemable securities of the Funds.
The Securities and Exchange Commission has not approved or disapproved of these securities or passed upon the adequacy or accuracy of this prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
NOT FDIC INSURED    MAY LOSE VALUE    NO BANK GUARANTEE
February 1, 2018


Summary Information
First Trust BuyWrite Income ETF (FTHI)
Investment Objectives
The First Trust BuyWrite Income ETF's (the "Fund"), formerly First Trust High Income ETF, primary investment objective is to provide current income. The Fund's secondary investment objective is to provide capital appreciation.
Fees and Expenses of the Fund
The following table describes the fees and expenses you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the Fund. Investors purchasing and selling shares may be subject to costs (including customary brokerage commissions) charged by their broker, which are not reflected in the table below.
Shareholder Fees
(fees paid directly from your investment)
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Purchases (as a percentage of offering price) None
    
Annual Fund Operating Expenses
(expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
Management Fees 0.85%
Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fees(1) 0.00%
Other Expenses(2) 0.00%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses 0.85%
(1) Although the Fund has adopted a 12b-1 plan that permits it to pay up to 0.25% per annum, it will not pay 12b-1 fees at any time before January 31, 2019.
(2) Expenses have been restated to reflect the current fiscal year.
Example
The example below is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other funds. This example does not take into account customary brokerage commissions that you pay when purchasing or selling shares of the Fund in the secondary market.
The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain at current levels until January 31, 2019, and thereafter at 1.10% to represent the imposition of the 12b-1 fee of 0.25% per annum of the Fund’s average daily net assets. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
1 Year 3 Years 5 Years 10 Years
$87 $325 $582 $1,318
Portfolio Turnover
The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 315% of the average value of its portfolio.
Principal Investment Strategies
The Fund will pursue its objectives by investing in equity securities listed on U.S. exchanges and by utilizing an “option strategy” consisting of writing (selling) U.S. exchange-traded covered call options on the Standard & Poor’s 500® Index (the “Index”). Under normal market conditions, the Fund invests primarily in equity securities listed on U.S. exchanges. The Fund will also employ an option strategy in which it will write U.S. exchange-traded covered call options on the Index in order to seek additional cash flow in the form of premiums on the options that may be distributed to shareholders on a monthly basis. A premium is
3

First Trust BuyWrite Income ETF (FTHI)
the income received by an investor who sells or writes an option contract to another party. The market value of the option strategy may be up to 20% of the Fund’s overall net asset value.
The equity securities in which the Fund will invest and the options which the Fund will write will be limited to U.S. exchange-traded securities and options. The equity securities held by the Fund will be selected using a mathematical optimization process which attempts to favor higher dividend paying common stocks for the Fund’s portfolio. The equity securities held by the Fund may include non-U.S. securities that are either directly listed on a U.S. securities exchange or in the form of American depositary receipts (“ADRs”) and global depositary receipts (“GDRs”). The equity securities in the Fund’s portfolio will be periodically rebalanced, at the discretion of the Fund’s portfolio managers. Depending on market volatility, the Fund may engage in active trading, which may result in a turnover of the Fund’s portfolio greater than 100% annually.
The option portion of the portfolio will generally consist of U.S. exchange-traded covered calls on the Index that are written by the Fund. In certain instances, the Fund may also write covered call spreads on the Index. In general, a covered call is an options strategy whereby an investor holds a long position in an asset and writes (sells) call options on that same asset in an attempt to generate increased income from the asset. A covered call spread is an options strategy whereby an investor holds a long position in an asset and two short calls at one strike and a long call at a higher strike price. The call options written by the Fund will be a laddered portfolio of call options with expirations of less than one year, written at-the-money to slightly out-of-the-money. A call option will give the holder the right to buy the Index at a predetermined strike price from the Fund. The notional value of calls written will be generally between 25% and 75% of the overall Fund. In general, the notional value is the total value of a leveraged position’s assets.
As of September 30, 2017, the Fund had significant investment in financial companies.
Principal Risks
You could lose money by investing in the Fund. An investment in the Fund is not a deposit of a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other governmental agency. There can be no assurance that the Fund’s investment objectives will be achieved.
AUTHORIZED PARTICIPANT CONCENTRATION RISK. Only an authorized participant (as defined in the “Frequent Purchases and Redemptions” Section) may engage in creation or redemption transactions directly with the Funds. The Fund has a limited number of institutions that act as authorized participants. To the extent that these institutions exit the business or are unable to proceed with creation and/or redemption orders with respect to a Fund and no other authorized participant is able to step forward to create or redeem, in either of these cases, Fund shares may trade at a discount to the Fund’s net asset value and possibly face delisting.
CYBER SECURITY RISK. As the use of Internet technology has become more prevalent in the course of business, the Fund has become more susceptible to potential operational risks through breaches in cyber security. A breach in cyber security refers to both intentional and unintentional events that may cause the Fund to lose proprietary information, suffer data corruption or lose operational capacity. Such events could cause the Fund to incur regulatory penalties, reputational damage, additional compliance costs associated with corrective measures and/or financial loss. Cyber security breaches may involve unauthorized access to the Fund’s digital information systems through “hacking” or malicious software coding, but may also result from outside attacks such as denial-of-service attacks through efforts to make network services unavailable to intended users. In addition, cyber security breaches of the Fund’s third party service providers, such as its administrator, transfer agent, custodian, or sub-advisor, as applicable, or issuers in which the Fund invests, can also subject the Fund to many of the same risks associated with direct cyber security breaches. The Fund has established risk management systems designed to reduce the risks associated with cyber security. However, there is no guarantee that such efforts will succeed, especially because the Fund does not directly control the cyber security systems of issuers or third party service providers.
DEPOSITARY RECEIPTS RISK. Depositary receipts may be less liquid than the underlying shares in their primary trading market. Any distributions paid to the holders of depositary receipts are usually subject to a fee charged by the depositary. Holders of depositary receipts may have limited voting rights, and investment restrictions in certain countries may adversely impact the value of depositary receipts because such restrictions may limit the ability to convert the equity shares into depositary receipts and vice versa. Such restrictions may cause the equity shares of the underlying issuer to trade at a discount or premium to the market price of the depositary receipts.
DERIVATIVES RISK. The Fund’s use of derivatives, such as call options, can lead to losses because of adverse movements in the price or value of the underlying asset, index or rate, which may be magnified by certain features of the options. These risks are heightened when the Fund’s portfolio managers use options to enhance the Fund’s return or as a substitute for a
4

First Trust BuyWrite Income ETF (FTHI)
position or security, rather than solely to hedge (or offset) the risk of a position or security held by the Fund. The purchase of stock index options involves the risk that the premium and transaction costs paid by the Fund in purchasing an option will be lost as a result of unanticipated movements in prices of the securities comprising the stock index on which the option is based.
The option positions employed may present additional risk. When selling a call option, the Fund will receive a premium; however, this premium may not be enough to offset a loss incurred by the Fund if the Index level at the expiration of the call option is above the strike price by an amount equal to or greater than the premium. The value of an option may be adversely affected if the market for the option becomes less liquid or smaller, and will be affected by changes in the value and dividend rates of the stock subject to the option, an increase in interest rates, a change in the actual and perceived volatility of the stock market and the common stock and the remaining time to expiration. Additionally, the value of an option does not increase or decrease at the same rate as the underlying stock(s). In fact, the Fund’s use of options may reduce the Fund’s ability to profit from increases in the value of the underlying stock(s).
EQUITY SECURITIES RISK. Because the Fund invests in equity securities, the value of the Fund’s shares will fluctuate with changes in the value of these equity securities. Equity securities prices fluctuate for several reasons, including changes in investors’ perceptions of the financial condition of an issuer or the general condition of the relevant stock market, such as market volatility, or when political or economic events affecting the issuers occur. In addition, common stock prices may be particularly sensitive to rising interest rates, as the cost of capital rises and borrowing costs increase.
FINANCIAL COMPANIES RISK. Financial companies are especially subject to the adverse effects of economic recession, currency exchange rates, government regulation, decreases in the availability of capital, volatile interest rates, portfolio concentrations in geographic markets and in commercial and residential real estate loans, and competition from new entrants in their fields of business.
FLUCTUATION OF NET ASSET VALUE RISK. The net asset value of shares of the Fund will generally fluctuate with changes in the market value of the Fund’s holdings. The market prices of shares will generally fluctuate in accordance with changes in net asset value as well as the relative supply of and demand for shares on the Exchange. The Fund’s investment advisor cannot predict whether shares will trade below, at or above their net asset value because the shares trade on the Exchange at market prices and not at net asset value. Price differences may be due, in large part, to the fact that supply and demand forces at work in the secondary trading market for shares will be closely related to, but not identical to, the same forces influencing the prices of the holdings of the Fund trading individually or in the aggregate at any point in time. However, given that shares can only be purchased and redeemed either in-kind or for cash in Creation Units, and only to and from broker-dealers and large institutional investors that have entered into participation agreements (unlike shares of closed-end funds, which frequently trade at appreciable discounts from, and sometimes at premiums to, their net asset value), the Fund’s investment advisor believes that large discounts or premiums to the net asset value of shares should not be sustained.
MANAGEMENT RISK. The Fund is subject to management risk because it is an actively managed portfolio. In managing the Fund’s investment portfolio, the Fund’s investment advisor will apply investment techniques and risk analyses that may not have the desired result. There can be no guarantee that the Fund will meet its investment objectives.
MARKET MAKER RISK. If the Fund has lower average daily trading volumes, it may rely on a small number of third-party market makers to provide a market for the purchase and sale of shares. Any trading halt or other problem relating to the trading activity of these market makers could result in a dramatic change in the spread between the Fund’s net asset value and the price at which the Fund’s shares are trading on the Exchange which could result in a decrease in value of the Fund’s shares. In addition, decisions by market makers or authorized participants to reduce their role or step away from these activities in times of market stress could inhibit the effectiveness of the arbitrage process in maintaining the relationship between the underlying values of the Fund’s portfolio securities and the Fund’s market price. This reduced effectiveness could result in Fund shares trading at a discount to net asset value and also in greater than normal intraday bid-ask spreads for Fund shares.
MARKET RISK. Market risk is the risk that a particular security owned by the Fund or shares of the Fund in general may fall in value. Securities are subject to market fluctuations caused by such factors as economic, political, regulatory or market developments, changes in interest rates and perceived trends in securities prices. Shares of the Fund could decline in value or underperform other investments.
NON-DIVERSIFICATION RISK. The Fund is classified as “non-diversified” under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "1940 Act"). As a result, the Fund is only limited as to the percentage of its assets which may be invested in the securities of any one issuer by the diversification requirements imposed by the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended. The Fund may invest a relatively high percentage of its assets in a limited number of issuers. As a result, the Fund may be more
5

First Trust BuyWrite Income ETF (FTHI)
susceptible to a single adverse economic or regulatory occurrence affecting one or more of these issuers, experience increased volatility and be highly invested in certain issuers.
NON-U.S. SECURITIES RISK. The Fund holds non-U.S. securities that are either directly listed on a U.S. securities exchange or in the form of depositary receipts. Non-U.S. securities are subject to higher volatility than securities of domestic issuers due to possible adverse political, social or economic developments, restrictions on foreign investment or exchange of securities, lack of liquidity, currency exchange rates, excessive taxation, government seizure of assets, different legal or accounting standards, and less government supervision and regulation of exchanges in foreign countries.
PORTFOLIO TURNOVER RISK. The Fund’s strategy may frequently involve buying and selling portfolio securities to rebalance the Fund’s exposure to various market sectors. High portfolio turnover may result in the Fund paying higher levels of transaction costs and generating greater tax liabilities for shareholders. Portfolio turnover risk may cause the Fund’s performance to be less than you expect.
SMALLER COMPANIES RISK. Small and/or mid capitalization companies may be more vulnerable to adverse general market or economic developments, and their securities may be less liquid and may experience greater price volatility than larger, more established companies as a result of several factors, including limited trading volumes, products or financial resources, management inexperience and less publicly available information. Accordingly, such companies are generally subject to greater market risk than larger, more established companies.
TRADING ISSUES RISK. Although the shares of the Fund are listed for trading on the Exchange, there can be no assurance that an active trading market for such shares will develop or be maintained. Trading in shares on the Exchange may be halted due to market conditions or for reasons that, in the view of the Exchange, make trading in shares inadvisable. In addition, trading in shares on the Exchange is subject to trading halts caused by extraordinary market volatility pursuant to the Exchange’s “circuit breaker” rules. Market makers are under no obligation to make a market in the Fund’s shares, and authorized participants are not obligated to submit purchase or redemption orders for Creation Units. There can be no assurance that the requirements of the Exchange necessary to maintain the listing of the Fund will continue to be met or will remain unchanged. The Fund may have difficulty maintaining its listing on the Exchange in the event the Fund’s assets are small or the Fund does not have enough shareholders.
Annual Total Return
The bar chart and table below illustrate the annual calendar year returns of the Fund based on net asset value as well as the average annual Fund and Index returns. The bar chart and table provide an indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the Fund’s performance from year-to-year and by showing how the Fund’s average annual total returns based on net asset value compared to those of a benchmark index and broad-based market index. See “Total Return Information” for additional performance information regarding the Fund. The Fund’s performance information is accessible on the Fund’s website at www.ftportfolios.com.
Returns before taxes do not reflect the effects of any income or capital gains taxes. All after-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of any state or local tax. Returns after taxes on distributions reflect the taxed return on the payment of dividends and capital gains. Returns after taxes on distributions and sale of shares assume you sold your shares at period end, and, therefore, are also adjusted for any capital gains or losses incurred. Returns for the market indices do not include expenses, which are deducted from Fund returns, or taxes.
Your own actual after-tax returns will depend on your specific tax situation and may differ from what is shown here. After-tax returns are not relevant to investors who hold Fund shares in tax-deferred accounts such as individual retirement accounts (IRAs) or employee-sponsored retirement plans.
6

First Trust BuyWrite Income ETF (FTHI)
First Trust BuyWrite Income ETF
(formerly First Trust High Income ETF)
Calendar Year Total Returns as of 12/31
During the periods shown in the chart above:
Best Quarter Worst Quarter
5.43% December 31, 2015 -4.89% September 30, 2015
The Fund’s past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future.
Average Annual Total Returns for the Periods Ended December 31, 2017
  1 Year Since
Inception
Inception
Date
Return Before Taxes 13.92% 8.75% 1/6/2014
Return After Taxes On Distributions 11.84% 6.66%  
Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares 7.79% 5.74%  
CBOE S&P 500 BuyWrite Monthly Index(1) (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) 13.00% 7.74%  
S&P 500® Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) 21.83% 12.35%  
(1) The CBOE S&P 500 BuyWrite Monthly Index is a benchmark index designed to track the performance of a hypothetical buy-write strategy on the S&P 500® Index
Management
Investment Advisor
First Trust Advisors L.P. (“First Trust” or the “Advisor”)
Portfolio Managers
The following persons serve as portfolio managers of the Fund.
John Gambla, CFA, FRM, PRM, Senior Portfolio Manager of First Trust
Rob A. Guttschow, CFA, Senior Portfolio Manager of First Trust
Each portfolio manager has served in such capacity for the Fund since 2014.
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares
The Fund issues and redeems shares on a continuous basis, at net asset value, only in Creation Units consisting of 50,000 shares. The Fund’s Creation Units are generally issued and redeemed in-kind for securities in which the Fund invests and, in certain circumstances, for cash, and only to and from broker-dealers and large institutional investors that have entered into
7

First Trust BuyWrite Income ETF (FTHI)
participation agreements. Individual shares of the Fund may only be purchased and sold on Nasdaq and other eligible securities exchanges through a broker-dealer. Shares of the Fund trade on Nasdaq at market prices rather than net asset value, which may cause the shares to trade at a price greater than net asset value (premium) or less than net asset value (discount).
Tax Information
The Fund’s distributions are taxable and will generally be taxed as ordinary income or capital gains. Distributions on shares held in a tax-deferred account, while not immediately taxable, will be subject to tax when the shares are no longer held in a tax-deferred account.
Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries
If you purchase shares of the Fund through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), First Trust and First Trust Portfolios L.P., the Fund’s distributor, may pay the intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealer or other intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary’s website for more information.
8

Summary Information
First Trust Hedged BuyWrite Income ETF (FTLB)
Investment Objective
The First Trust Hedged BuyWrite Income ETF’s (the "Fund"), formerly First Trust Low Beta Income ETF, investment objective is to provide current income.
Fees and Expenses of the Fund
The following table describes the fees and expenses you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the Fund. Investors purchasing and selling shares may be subject to costs (including customary brokerage commissions) charged by their broker, which are not reflected in the table below.
Shareholder Fees
(fees paid directly from your investment)
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Purchases (as a percentage of offering price) None
    
Annual Fund Operating Expenses
(expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
Management Fees 0.85%
Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fees(1) 0.00%
Other Expenses 0.00%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses 0.85%
(1) Although the Fund has adopted a 12b-1 plan that permits it to pay up to 0.25% per annum, it will not pay 12b-1 fees at any time before January 31, 2019.
Example
The example below is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other funds. This example does not take into account customary brokerage commissions that you pay when purchasing or selling shares of the Fund in the secondary market.
The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain at current levels until January 31, 2019, and thereafter at 1.10% to represent the imposition of the 12b-1 fee of 0.25% per annum of the Fund’s average daily net assets. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
1 Year 3 Years 5 Years 10 Years
$87 $325 $582 $1,318
Portfolio Turnover
The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 184% of the average value of its portfolio.
Principal Investment Strategies
The Fund will pursue its objective by investing in equity securities listed on U.S. exchanges and by utilizing an “option strategy” consisting of buying U.S. exchange-traded put options on the Standard & Poor’s 500® Index (the “Index”) and writing (selling) U.S. exchange-traded covered call options on the Index. Under normal market conditions, the Fund invests primarily in equity securities listed on U.S. exchanges. The Fund will also employ an option strategy in which it will write U.S. exchange-traded covered call options on the Index in order to seek additional cash flow in the form of premiums on the options. A premium is the income received by an investor who sells an option contract to another party. These premiums may be distributed to shareholders on a monthly basis or used to purchase U.S. exchange-traded put options on the Index that seek to provide the
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First Trust Hedged BuyWrite Income ETF (FTLB)
Fund with downside protection and which are expected to reduce the Fund’s price sensitivity to declining markets. The market value of the option strategy may be up to 20% of the Fund’s overall net asset value.
The equity securities in which the Fund will invest and the options which the Fund will buy and write will be limited to U.S. exchange-traded securities and options. The equity securities held by the Fund will be selected using a mathematical optimization process which attempts to favor higher dividend paying common stocks for the Fund’s portfolio. The equity securities held by the Fund may include non-U.S. securities that are either directly listed on a U.S. securities exchange or in the form of American depositary receipts (“ADRs”) and global depositary receipts (“GDRs”). The equity securities in the Fund’s portfolio will be periodically rebalanced, at the discretion of the Fund’s portfolio managers. Depending on market volatility, the Fund may engage in active trading, which may result in turnover of the Fund’s portfolio greater than 100% annually.
The option portion of the portfolio will generally consist of (i) U.S. exchange-traded covered calls on the Index that are written by the Fund and (ii) U.S. exchange-traded puts on the Index that are bought by the Fund. In certain instances, the Fund may also write covered call spreads on the Index. In general, a covered call is an options strategy whereby an investor holds a long position in an asset and writes (sells) call options on that same asset in an attempt to generate increased income from the asset. A covered call spread is an options strategy whereby an investor holds a long position in an asset and two short calls at one strike and a long call at a higher strike price. The call options written by the Fund will be a laddered portfolio of call options with expirations of less than one year, written at-the-money to slightly out-of-the-money. A call option will give the holder the right to buy the Index at a predetermined strike price from the Fund. The notional value of calls written will be generally between 25% and 75% of the overall Fund. In general, the notional value is the total value of a leveraged position’s assets.
The put positions held by the Fund will have expirations of less than one year (calculated at the time of purchase) and will consist of out-of-the-money Index put options, which is an option with a strike price that is lower than the market price of the underlying asset. A put option will give the Fund the right to sell the Index at a predetermined strike price to the writer of the put. A predetermined strike price is the specific price of the underlying asset at which the Fund may sell the Index. The notional value of the put portfolio will be generally between 10% and 75% of the overall Fund.
As of September 30, 2017, the Fund had significant investment in financial companies.
Principal Risks
You could lose money by investing in the Fund. An investment in the Fund is not a deposit of a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other governmental agency. There can be no assurance that the Fund’s investment objective will be achieved.
AUTHORIZED PARTICIPANT CONCENTRATION RISK. Only an authorized participant (as defined in the “Frequent Purchases and Redemptions” Section) may engage in creation or redemption transactions directly with the Funds. The Fund has a limited number of institutions that act as authorized participants. To the extent that these institutions exit the business or are unable to proceed with creation and/or redemption orders with respect to a Fund and no other authorized participant is able to step forward to create or redeem, in either of these cases, Fund shares may trade at a discount to the Fund’s net asset value and possibly face delisting.
CYBER SECURITY RISK. As the use of Internet technology has become more prevalent in the course of business, the Fund has become more susceptible to potential operational risks through breaches in cyber security. A breach in cyber security refers to both intentional and unintentional events that may cause the Fund to lose proprietary information, suffer data corruption or lose operational capacity. Such events could cause the Fund to incur regulatory penalties, reputational damage, additional compliance costs associated with corrective measures and/or financial loss. Cyber security breaches may involve unauthorized access to the Fund’s digital information systems through “hacking” or malicious software coding, but may also result from outside attacks such as denial-of-service attacks through efforts to make network services unavailable to intended users. In addition, cyber security breaches of the Fund’s third party service providers, such as its administrator, transfer agent, custodian, or sub-advisor, as applicable, or issuers in which the Fund invests, can also subject the Fund to many of the same risks associated with direct cyber security breaches. The Fund has established risk management systems designed to reduce the risks associated with cyber security. However, there is no guarantee that such efforts will succeed, especially because the Fund does not directly control the cyber security systems of issuers or third party service providers.
DEPOSITARY RECEIPTS RISK. Depositary receipts may be less liquid than the underlying shares in their primary trading market. Any distributions paid to the holders of depositary receipts are usually subject to a fee charged by the depositary. Holders of depositary receipts may have limited voting rights, and investment restrictions in certain countries may adversely impact the
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First Trust Hedged BuyWrite Income ETF (FTLB)
value of depositary receipts because such restrictions may limit the ability to convert the equity shares into depositary receipts and vice versa. Such restrictions may cause the equity shares of the underlying issuer to trade at a discount or premium to the market price of the depositary receipts.
DERIVATIVES RISK. The Fund’s use of derivatives, such as call and put options, can lead to losses because of adverse movements in the price or value of the underlying asset, index or rate, which may be magnified by certain features of the options. These risks are heightened when the Fund’s portfolio managers use options to enhance the Fund’s return or as a substitute for a position or security, rather than solely to hedge (or offset) the risk of a position or security held by the Fund. The purchase of stock index options involves the risk that the premium and transaction costs paid by the Fund in purchasing an option will be lost as a result of unanticipated movements in prices of the securities comprising the stock index on which the option is based.
The option positions employed may present additional risk. When selling a call option, the Fund will receive a premium; however, this premium may not be enough to offset a loss incurred by the Fund if the Index level at the expiration of the call option is above the strike price by an amount equal to or greater than the premium. The value of an option may be adversely affected if the market for the option becomes less liquid or smaller, and will be affected by changes in the value and dividend rates of the stock subject to the option, an increase in interest rates, a change in the actual and perceived volatility of the stock market and the common stock and the remaining time to expiration. Additionally, the value of an option does not increase or decrease at the same rate as the underlying stock(s). In fact, the Fund’s use of options may reduce the Fund’s ability to profit from increases in the value of the underlying stock(s).
EQUITY SECURITIES RISK. Because the Fund invests in equity securities, the value of the Fund’s shares will fluctuate with changes in the value of these equity securities. Equity securities prices fluctuate for several reasons, including changes in investors’ perceptions of the financial condition of an issuer or the general condition of the relevant stock market, such as market volatility, or when political or economic events affecting the issuers occur. In addition, common stock prices may be particularly sensitive to rising interest rates, as the cost of capital rises and borrowing costs increase.
FINANCIAL COMPANIES RISK. Financial companies are especially subject to the adverse effects of economic recession, currency exchange rates, government regulation, decreases in the availability of capital, volatile interest rates, portfolio concentrations in geographic markets and in commercial and residential real estate loans, and competition from new entrants in their fields of business.
FLUCTUATION OF NET ASSET VALUE RISK. The net asset value of shares of the Fund will generally fluctuate with changes in the market value of the Fund’s holdings. The market prices of shares will generally fluctuate in accordance with changes in net asset value as well as the relative supply of and demand for shares on the Exchange. The Fund’s investment advisor cannot predict whether shares will trade below, at or above their net asset value because the shares trade on the Exchange at market prices and not at net asset value. Price differences may be due, in large part, to the fact that supply and demand forces at work in the secondary trading market for shares will be closely related to, but not identical to, the same forces influencing the prices of the holdings of the Fund trading individually or in the aggregate at any point in time. However, given that shares can only be purchased and redeemed either in-kind or for cash in Creation Units, and only to and from broker-dealers and large institutional investors that have entered into participation agreements (unlike shares of closed-end funds, which frequently trade at appreciable discounts from, and sometimes at premiums to, their net asset value), the Fund’s investment advisor believes that large discounts or premiums to the net asset value of shares should not be sustained.
MANAGEMENT RISK. The Fund is subject to management risk because it is an actively managed portfolio. In managing the Fund’s investment portfolio, the Fund’s investment advisor will apply investment techniques and risk analyses that may not have the desired result. There can be no guarantee that the Fund will meet its investment objective.
MARKET MAKER RISK. If the Fund has lower average daily trading volumes, it may rely on a small number of third-party market makers to provide a market for the purchase and sale of shares. Any trading halt or other problem relating to the trading activity of these market makers could result in a dramatic change in the spread between the Fund’s net asset value and the price at which the Fund’s shares are trading on the Exchange which could result in a decrease in value of the Fund’s shares. In addition, decisions by market makers or authorized participants to reduce their role or step away from these activities in times of market stress could inhibit the effectiveness of the arbitrage process in maintaining the relationship between the underlying values of the Fund’s portfolio securities and the Fund’s market price. This reduced effectiveness could result in Fund shares trading at a discount to net asset value and also in greater than normal intraday bid-ask spreads for Fund shares.
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First Trust Hedged BuyWrite Income ETF (FTLB)
MARKET RISK. Market risk is the risk that a particular security owned by the Fund or shares of the Fund in general may fall in value. Securities are subject to market fluctuations caused by such factors as economic, political, regulatory or market developments, changes in interest rates and perceived trends in securities prices. Shares of the Fund could decline in value or underperform other investments.
NON-DIVERSIFICATION RISK. The Fund is classified as “non-diversified” under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "1940 Act"). As a result, the Fund is only limited as to the percentage of its assets which may be invested in the securities of any one issuer by the diversification requirements imposed by the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended. The Fund may invest a relatively high percentage of its assets in a limited number of issuers. As a result, the Fund may be more susceptible to a single adverse economic or regulatory occurrence affecting one or more of these issuers, experience increased volatility and be highly invested in certain issuers.
NON-U.S. SECURITIES RISK. The Fund holds non-U.S. securities that are either directly listed on a U.S. securities exchange or in the form of depositary receipts. Non-U.S. securities are subject to higher volatility than securities of domestic issuers due to possible adverse political, social or economic developments, restrictions on foreign investment or exchange of securities, lack of liquidity, currency exchange rates, excessive taxation, government seizure of assets, different legal or accounting standards, and less government supervision and regulation of exchanges in foreign countries.
PORTFOLIO TURNOVER RISK. The Fund’s strategy may frequently involve buying and selling portfolio securities to rebalance the Fund’s exposure to various market sectors. High portfolio turnover may result in the Fund paying higher levels of transaction costs and generating greater tax liabilities for shareholders. Portfolio turnover risk may cause the Fund’s performance to be less than you expect.
SMALL FUND RISK. The Fund currently has fewer assets than larger funds, and like other relatively smaller funds, large inflows and outflows may impact the Fund’s market exposure for limited periods of time. This impact may be positive or negative, depending on the direction of market movement during the period affected.
SMALLER COMPANIES RISK. Small and/or mid capitalization companies may be more vulnerable to adverse general market or economic developments, and their securities may be less liquid and may experience greater price volatility than larger, more established companies as a result of several factors, including limited trading volumes, products or financial resources, management inexperience and less publicly available information. Accordingly, such companies are generally subject to greater market risk than larger, more established companies.
TRADING ISSUES RISK. Although the shares of the Fund are listed for trading on the Exchange, there can be no assurance that an active trading market for such shares will develop or be maintained. Trading in shares on the Exchange may be halted due to market conditions or for reasons that, in the view of the Exchange, make trading in shares inadvisable. In addition, trading in shares on the Exchange is subject to trading halts caused by extraordinary market volatility pursuant to the Exchange’s “circuit breaker” rules. Market makers are under no obligation to make a market in the Fund’s shares, and authorized participants are not obligated to submit purchase or redemption orders for Creation Units. There can be no assurance that the requirements of the Exchange necessary to maintain the listing of the Fund will continue to be met or will remain unchanged. The Fund may have difficulty maintaining its listing on the Exchange in the event the Fund’s assets are small or the Fund does not have enough shareholders.
Annual Total Return
The bar chart and table below illustrate the annual calendar year returns of the Fund based on net asset value as well as the average annual Fund and Index returns. The bar chart and table provide an indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the Fund’s performance from year-to-year and by showing how the Fund’s average annual total returns based on net asset value compared to those of a benchmark index and broad-based market index. See “Total Return Information” for additional performance information regarding the Fund. The Fund’s performance information is accessible on the Fund’s website at www.ftportfolios.com.
Returns before taxes do not reflect the effects of any income or capital gains taxes. All after-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of any state or local tax. Returns after taxes on distributions reflect the taxed return on the payment of dividends and capital gains. Returns after taxes on distributions and sale of shares assume you sold your shares at period end, and, therefore, are also adjusted for any capital gains or losses incurred. Returns for the market indices do not include expenses, which are deducted from Fund returns, or taxes.
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First Trust Hedged BuyWrite Income ETF (FTLB)
Your own actual after-tax returns will depend on your specific tax situation and may differ from what is shown here. After-tax returns are not relevant to investors who hold Fund shares in tax-deferred accounts such as individual retirement accounts (IRAs) or employee-sponsored retirement plans.
First Trust Hedged BuyWrite Income ETF
(formerly First Trust Low Beta Income ETF)
Calendar Year Total Returns as of 12/31
During the periods shown in the chart above:
Best Quarter Worst Quarter
4.75% December 31, 2015 -4.66% September 30, 2015
The Fund’s past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future.
Average Annual Total Returns for the Periods Ended December 31, 2017
  1 Year Since
Inception
Inception
Date
Return Before Taxes 12.69% 7.09% 1/6/2014
Return After Taxes On Distributions 11.28% 5.59%  
Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares 7.13% 4.75%  
CBOE S&P 500 95-110 Collar Index(1) (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) 16.67% 6.56%  
S&P 500® Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) 21.83% 12.35%  
(1) The CBOE S&P 500 95-110 Collar Index is designed to protect an investment in S&P 500® stocks against market declines. The passive collar strategy reflected by the index entails: holding the stocks in the S&P 500® Index; buying three-month S&P 500® put options to protect this S&P 500® portfolio from market decreases; and selling one-month S&P 500® call options to help finance the cost of the put options.
Management
Investment Advisor
First Trust Advisors L.P. (“First Trust” or the “Advisor”)
Portfolio Managers
The following persons serve as portfolio managers of the Fund.
John Gambla, CFA, FRM, PRM, Senior Portfolio Manager of First Trust
Rob A. Guttschow, CFA, Senior Portfolio Manager of First Trust
Each portfolio manager has served in such capacity for the Fund since 2014.
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First Trust Hedged BuyWrite Income ETF (FTLB)
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares
The Fund issues and redeems shares on a continuous basis, at net asset value, only in Creation Units consisting of 50,000 shares. The Fund’s Creation Units are generally issued and redeemed in-kind for securities in which the Fund invests and, in certain circumstances, for cash, and only to and from broker-dealers and large institutional investors that have entered into participation agreements. Individual shares of the Fund may only be purchased and sold on Nasdaq and other eligible securities exchanges through a broker-dealer. Shares of the Fund trade on Nasdaq at market prices rather than net asset value, which may cause the shares to trade at a price greater than net asset value (premium) or less than net asset value (discount).
Tax Information
The Fund’s distributions are taxable and will generally be taxed as ordinary income or capital gains. Distributions on shares held in a tax-deferred account, while not immediately taxable, will be subject to tax when the shares are no longer held in a tax-deferred account.
Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries
If you purchase shares of the Fund through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), First Trust and First Trust Portfolios L.P., the Fund’s distributor, may pay the intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealer or other intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary’s website for more information.
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Additional Information on the Funds' Investment Objectives and Strategies
Each Fund is a series of the Trust, an investment company and an actively managed exchange-traded fund. Each Fund’s investment objective(s) are fundamental and may not be changed without approval by the holders of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund. Unless an investment policy is identified as being fundamental, all investment policies included in this prospectus and the Funds’ Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”) are non-fundamental and may be changed by the Board of Trustees (the “Board”) of the Trust, without shareholder approval.
Fund Investments
Principal Investments
Equity Securities
Each Fund invests in equity securities, which may include common stocks, preferred securities, warrants to purchase common stocks or preferred securities, securities convertible into common stocks or preferred securities, and other securities with equity characteristics, such as real estate investment trusts, master limited partnerships and depositary receipts.
Derivatives
In addition to the option strategy described in Principal Investment Strategies above, each Fund may invest up to 10% of the market value of its net assets in futures, options, options on futures, total return swaps, credit default swaps and forward contracts. The Funds may utilize such derivatives to enhance return, to hedge some of the risks of its investments in securities, as a substitute for a position in the underlying asset, to reduce transaction costs, to maintain full market exposure (which means to adjust the characteristics of its investments to more closely approximate those of the markets in which it invests), to manage cash flows or to preserve capital. In attempting to enhance returns and/or hedge risks, the Funds may buy and write U.S. exchange-traded options on single stocks included in the portfolio, and/or on equity indexes. In certain instances, a Fund may also write covered call spreads on equity indexes.
Non-U.S. Investments
The Funds may invest in securities issued by non-U.S. companies that are listed either directly on a U.S. securities exchange or in the form of depositary receipts.
Non-Principal Investments
Illiquid Securities
A Fund may invest up to 15% of its net assets in securities and other instruments that are, at the time of investment, illiquid (determined using the Securities and Exchange Commission’s standard applicable to investment companies, i.e., securities that cannot be disposed of by the Fund within seven days in the ordinary course of business at approximately the amount at which the Fund has valued the securities). For this purpose, illiquid securities may include, but are not limited to, restricted securities (securities the disposition of which is restricted under the federal securities laws), securities that may only be resold pursuant to Rule 144A under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), that are deemed to be illiquid, and certain repurchase agreements.
Cash Equivalents and Short-Term Investments
Normally, a Fund invests substantially all of its assets to meet its investment objective(s). Each Fund may invest the remainder of its assets in securities with maturities of less than one year or cash equivalents, or it may hold cash. The percentage of a Fund invested in such holdings varies and depends on several factors, including market conditions. For temporary defensive purposes and during periods of high cash inflows or outflows, a Fund may depart from its principal investment strategies and invest part or all of its assets in these securities, or it may hold cash. During such periods, a Fund may not be able to achieve its investment objective(s). A Fund may adopt a defensive strategy when the portfolio managers believe securities in which the Fund normally invests have elevated risks due to political or economic factors and in other extraordinary circumstances. For more information on eligible short-term investments, see the SAI.
15

Disclosure of Portfolio Holdings
A description of the policies and procedures with respect to the disclosure of each Funds' portfolio securities is included in the Funds' SAI, which is available on the Funds' website at www.ftportfolios.com.
Additional Risks of Investing in the Funds
Risk is inherent in all investing. Investing in a Fund involves risk, including the risk that you may lose all or part of your investment. There can be no assurance that a Fund will meet its stated objective(s). Before you invest, you should consider the following supplemental disclosure pertaining to the Principal Risks set forth above as well as additional Non-Principal Risks set forth below in this prospectus.
Principal Risks
DEPOSITARY RECEIPTS RISK. An investment in depositary receipts involves further risks due to certain features of depositary receipts. Depositary receipts are usually in the form of ADRs or GDRs. ADRs are U.S. dollar-denominated receipts representing shares of foreign-based corporations. ADRs are issued by U.S. banks or trust companies, and entitle the holder to all dividends and capital gains that are paid out on the underlying foreign shares. GDRs are similar to ADRs, but are shares of foreign-based corporations generally issued by non-U.S. banks in one or more markets around the world. ADRs or GDRs may be less liquid than the underlying shares in their primary trading market. Any distributions paid to the holders of depositary receipts, whether ADRs or GDRs, are usually subject to a fee charged by the depositary.
Holders of depositary receipts may have limited voting rights pursuant to a deposit agreement between the underlying issuer and the depositary. In certain cases, the depositary will vote the equity shares deposited with it as directed by the underlying issuer’s board of directors. Furthermore, investment restrictions in certain countries may adversely impact the value of depositary receipts because such restrictions may limit the ability to convert the equity shares into depositary receipts and vice versa. Such restrictions may cause the equity shares of the underlying issuer to trade at a discount or premium to the market price of the depositary receipt. Moreover, if depositary receipts are converted into equity shares, the laws in certain countries may limit the ability of a non-resident to trade the equity shares and to reconvert the equity shares to depositary receipts.
Depositary receipts may be “sponsored” or “unsponsored.” Sponsored depositary receipts are established jointly by a depositary and the underlying issuer, whereas unsponsored depositary receipts may be established by a depositary without participation by the underlying issuer. Holders of unsponsored depositary receipts generally bear all the costs associated with establishing the unsponsored depositary receipts. In addition, the issuers of the securities underlying unsponsored depositary receipts are not obligated to disclose material information in the United States and, therefore, there may be less information available regarding such issuers and there may not be a correlation between such information and the market value of the depositary receipts.
Depositary receipts may be unregistered and unlisted. A Fund’s investments may also include depositary receipts that are not purchased in the public markets and are restricted securities that can be offered and sold only to “qualified institutional buyers” under Rule 144A under the Securities Act. Moreover, if adverse market conditions were to develop during the period between a Fund’s decision to sell these types of depositary receipts and the point at which the Fund is permitted or able to sell such security, the Fund might obtain a price less favorable than the price that prevailed when it decided to sell.
DERIVATIVES RISK. The use of derivatives presents risks different from, and possibly greater than, the risks associated with investing directly in traditional securities. Among the risks presented are market risk, credit risk, management risk and liquidity risk. The use of derivatives can lead to losses because of adverse movements in the price or value of the underlying asset, index or rate, which may be magnified by certain features of the derivatives. In addition, when a Fund invests in certain derivative securities, including, but not limited to, when-issued securities, forward commitments and futures contracts, it is effectively leveraging its investments, which could result in exaggerated changes in the net asset value of the Fund’s shares and can result in losses that exceed the amount originally invested. The success of the Advisor's derivatives strategies will depend on its ability to assess and predict the impact of market or economic developments on the underlying asset, index or rate, and the derivative itself, without the benefit of observing the performance of the derivative under all possible market conditions. Liquidity risk exists when a security cannot be purchased or sold at the time desired, or cannot be purchased or sold without adversely affecting the price.
16

EQUITY SECURITIES RISK. Equity securities may decline significantly in price over short or extended periods of time, and such declines may occur in the equity market as a whole, or they may occur in only a particular country, company, industry or sector of the market.
NON-U.S. SECURITIES RISK. An investment in securities or instruments of non-U.S. issuers involves risk not associated with domestic issuers. Non-U.S. countries may impose higher withholding taxes on dividends and interest than the United States. Non-U.S. countries may also impose limitations on the use of or transfer of portfolio assets. Enforcing legal rights may be more difficult, expensive and time consuming in non-U.S. countries, and investors may face unique problems enforcing claims against non-U.S. governments.
Non-Principal Risks
BORROWING AND LEVERAGE RISK. If a Fund borrows money, it must pay interest and other fees, which will reduce the Fund’s returns. Any such borrowings are intended to be temporary. However, under certain market conditions, including periods of low demand or decreased liquidity, such borrowings might be outstanding for longer periods of time. As prescribed by the 1940 Act, a Fund will be required to maintain specified asset coverage of at least 300% with respect to any bank borrowing immediately following such borrowing. A Fund may be required to dispose of assets on unfavorable terms if market fluctuations or other factors reduce the Fund’s asset coverage to less than the prescribed amount.
CASH TRANSACTIONS RISK. An investment in the Funds may involve further risk due to cash transactions. Unlike most exchange-traded funds, the Funds may effect a portion of creations and redemptions for cash, rather than in-kind securities, particularly for the puts and call options in which the Funds invest. As a result, an investment in the Funds may be less tax-efficient than an investment in a more conventional exchange-traded fund. Because the Funds may effect a portion of redemptions for cash, rather than in-kind distributions, they may be required to sell portfolio securities in order to obtain the cash needed to distribute redemption proceeds. Any recognized gain on these sales by a Fund will generally cause the Fund to recognize gain it might not otherwise have recognized, or to recognize such gain sooner than would otherwise be required if it were to distribute portfolio securities in-kind. The Funds generally distribute these gains to shareholders to avoid being taxed on this gain at the fund level and otherwise comply with the special tax rules that apply to it. This strategy may cause shareholders to be subject to tax on gains they would not otherwise be subject to, or at an earlier date than if they had made an investment in a different exchange-traded fund. Moreover, cash transactions may have to be carried out over several days if the securities market is relatively illiquid and may involve considerable brokerage fees and taxes. These brokerage fees and taxes, which will be higher than if the Funds sold and redeemed their shares principally in-kind, will be passed on to those purchasing and redeeming Creation Units in the form of creation and redemption transaction fees. In addition, these factors may result in wider spreads between the bid and the offered prices of the Funds’ shares than for more conventional exchange-traded funds.
DEPENDENCE ON KEY PERSONNEL. The Funds are managed by the portfolio managers, with daily investment decisions being made primarily by Messrs. Gambla and Guttschow. If the Advisor were to lose the services of either of these individuals, its ability to service the Funds could be adversely affected. There can be no assurance that a suitable replacement could be found for either of Messrs. Gambla and Guttschow in the event of their death, resignation, retirement or inability to act on behalf of the Advisor.
INFLATION RISK. Inflation risk is the risk that the value of assets or income from investments will be less in the future as inflation decreases the value of money. As inflation increases, the value of a Fund's assets can decline as can the value of a Fund's distributions. Common stock prices may be particularly sensitive to rising interest rates, as the cost of capital rises and borrowing costs increase.
INTERNATIONAL CLOSED MARKET TRADING RISK. Because securities held by the Funds may trade on non-U.S. exchanges that are closed when a Fund’s primary listing exchange is open, there are likely to be deviations between the current price of an underlying security and the last quoted price for the underlying security (i.e., a Fund’s quote from the closed foreign market), resulting in premiums or discounts to a Fund’s net asset value that may be greater than those experienced by other exchange-traded funds. However, because shares can be created and redeemed in Creation Units at a Fund’s net asset value, it is not expected that large discounts or premiums to the net asset value of a Fund will be sustained over the long term (unlike shares of many closed-end funds, which frequently trade at appreciable discounts from, and sometimes at premiums to, their net asset values).
ISSUER SPECIFIC CHANGES RISK. The value of an individual security or particular type of security can be more volatile than the market as a whole and can perform differently from the value of the market as a whole.
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LEGISLATION/LITIGATION RISK. From time to time, various legislative initiatives are proposed in the United States and abroad, which may have a negative impact on certain companies in which a Fund invests. In addition, litigation regarding any of the issuers of the securities owned by a Fund, or industries represented by these issuers, may negatively impact the value of the securities. Such legislation or litigation may cause a Fund to lose value or may result in higher portfolio turnover if the Advisor determines to sell such a holding.
Fund Organization
Each Fund is a series of the Trust, an investment company registered under the 1940 Act. Each Fund is treated as a separate fund with its own investment objective(s) and policies. The Trust is organized as a Massachusetts business trust. The Trust's Board is responsible for the overall management and direction of the Trust. The Board elects the Trust’s officers and approves all significant agreements, including those with the investment advisor, custodian and fund administrative and accounting agent.
Management of the Funds
First Trust Advisors L.P., 120 East Liberty Drive, Wheaton, Illinois 60187, is the investment advisor to the Funds. In this capacity, First Trust is responsible for the selection and ongoing monitoring of the securities in each Fund’s portfolio and certain other services necessary for the management of the portfolios.
First Trust is a limited partnership with one limited partner, Grace Partners of DuPage L.P., and one general partner, The Charger Corporation. Grace Partners of DuPage L.P. is a limited partnership with one general partner, The Charger Corporation, and a number of limited partners. The Charger Corporation is an Illinois corporation controlled by James A. Bowen, the Chief Executive Officer of First Trust. First Trust discharges its responsibilities subject to the policies of the Board.
First Trust serves as advisor or sub-advisor for seven mutual fund portfolios, 10 exchange-traded funds consisting of 129 series and 16 closed-end funds. It is also the portfolio supervisor of certain unit investment trusts sponsored by First Trust Portfolios L.P. (“FTP”), an affiliate of First Trust, 120 East Liberty Drive, Wheaton, Illinois 60187. FTP specializes in the underwriting, trading and distribution of unit investment trusts and other securities. FTP is the principal underwriter of the shares of each Fund.
John Gambla and Rob Guttschow are the Fund’s portfolio managers and share responsibilities for the day-to-day management of the Fund’s investment portfolio.
Mr. Gambla, CFA, FRM, PRM, is a senior portfolio manager for the Alternatives Investment Team at First Trust. Prior to joining First Trust in July 2011, Mr. Gambla was co-Chief Investment Officer at the Nuveen HydePark Group LLC where he started in 2007. While at Nuveen HydePark Group LLC, Mr. Gambla co-directed investment activities including research, product development, trading, portfolio management and performance attribution. Mr. Gambla also led the research systems and infrastructure development for Nuveen HydePark Group LLC. Previously, Mr. Gambla was a Senior Trader and Quantitative specialist at Nuveen Asset Management. While there, he was responsible for trading all derivatives for the 120+ municipal mutual funds with Nuveen Asset Management. Mr. Gambla, has served in a variety of roles throughout his career including: portfolio management, research, business development and strategy development.
Mr. Guttschow, CFA, is a senior portfolio manager for the Alternatives Investment Team at First Trust. Prior to joining First Trust in July 2011, Mr. Guttschow was co-Chief Investment Officer at the Nuveen HydePark Group LLC where he started in 2007. While at Nuveen HydePark Group LLC, Mr. Guttschow co-directed investment activities including research, product development, trading, portfolio management and performance attribution. Previously, Mr. Guttschow was an Overlay Manager and Senior Portfolio Manager at Nuveen Asset Management. While there, he developed Nuveen’s buy-side derivative desk for fixed income and equity portfolio hedging.
For additional information concerning First Trust, including a description of the services provided to the Funds, see the Funds’ SAI. Additional information about the portfolio managers’ compensation, other accounts managed by the portfolio managers and the portfolio managers’ ownership of shares of the Funds is provided in the SAI.
Management Fee
Pursuant to the Investment Management Agreement, First Trust is paid an annual management fee equal to 0.85% of each Fund’s average daily net assets and is responsible for each Fund’s expenses, including the cost of transfer agency, custody,
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fund administration, legal, audit and other services, but excluding fee payments under the Investment Management Agreement, interest, taxes, brokerage commissions and other expenses connected with the execution of portfolio transactions, distribution and service fees payable pursuant to a Rule 12b-1 plan, if any, and extraordinary expenses.
A discussion regarding the Board’s approval of the continuation of the Investment Management Agreement for the Funds is available in the Funds’ Annual Report to Shareholders for the period ended September 30, 2017.
How to Buy and Sell Shares
Most investors will buy and sell shares of the Funds in secondary market transactions through brokers. Shares of the Funds are listed for trading on the secondary market on Nasdaq. Shares can be bought and sold throughout the trading day like other publicly traded shares. There is no minimum investment when buying shares on Nasdaq. Although shares are generally purchased and sold in “round lots” of 100 shares, brokerage firms typically permit investors to purchase or sell shares in smaller “odd lots,” at no per-share price differential. When buying or selling shares through a broker, investors should expect to incur customary brokerage commissions, investors may receive less than the net asset value of the shares because shares are bought and sold at market prices rather than net asset value, and investors may pay some or all of the spread between the bid and the offer price in the secondary market on each leg of a round trip (purchase and sale) transaction. Share prices are reported in dollars and cents per share.
For purposes of the 1940 Act, each Fund is treated as a registered investment company, and, absent an available exception or exemptive relief, the acquisition of shares by other registered investment companies and companies relying on Section 3(c)(1) and 3(c)(7) of the 1940 Act is subject to the restrictions of Section 12(d)(1) of the 1940 Act. The Trust, on behalf of the Funds, has received an exemptive order from the Securities and Exchange Commission that permits certain registered investment companies to invest in a Fund beyond the limits set forth in Section 12(d)(1), subject to certain terms and conditions, including that any such investment companies enter into an agreement with a Fund regarding the terms of any investment and the Funds do not rely on Sections 12(d)(1)(F) or 12(d)(1)(G) of the 1940 Act to invest in other investment companies.
Book Entry
Shares are held in book-entry form, which means that no share certificates are issued. The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) or its nominee is the record owner of all outstanding shares of the Funds and is recognized as the owner of all shares for all purposes.
Investors owning shares are beneficial owners as shown on the records of DTC or its participants. DTC serves as the securities depository for all shares. Participants in DTC include securities brokers and dealers, banks, trust companies, clearing corporations and other institutions that directly or indirectly maintain a custodial relationship with DTC. As a beneficial owner of shares, you are not entitled to receive physical delivery of share certificates or to have shares registered in your name, and you are not considered a registered owner of shares. Therefore, to exercise any right as an owner of shares, you must rely upon the procedures of DTC and its participants. These procedures are the same as those that apply to any other stocks that you hold in book-entry or “street name” form.
Share Trading Prices
The trading price of shares of a Fund on Nasdaq is based on market price and may differ from such Fund’s daily net asset value and can be affected by market forces of supply and demand, economic conditions and other factors.
Information regarding the intra-day value of the shares of a Fund, also referred to as the “indicative optimized portfolio value” (“IOPV”), is disseminated every 15 seconds throughout such Fund’s trading day by the national securities exchange on which the shares are listed or by market data vendors or other information providers. The IOPV should not be viewed as a “real-time” update of the net asset value per share of a Fund because the IOPV may not be calculated in the same manner as the net asset value, which is computed once a day, generally at the end of the business day. The price of a non-
U.S. security that is primarily traded on a non-U.S. exchange shall be updated, using the last sale price, every 15 seconds throughout the trading day, provided that upon the closing of such non-U.S. exchange, the closing price of the security, after being converted to U.S. dollars, will be used. Furthermore, in calculating the IOPV of a Fund’s shares, exchange rates may be used throughout the day (9:00 a.m. to 4:15 p.m., Eastern Time) that may differ from those used to calculate the net asset value per share of such Fund and consequently may result in differences between the net asset value and the IOPV. A Fund
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is not involved in, or responsible for, the calculation or dissemination of the IOPV of shares of such Fund and such Fund does not make any warranty as to its accuracy.
Frequent Purchases and Redemptions of the Funds’ Shares
The Funds impose no restrictions on the frequency of purchases and redemptions (“market timing”). In determining not to approve a written, established policy, the Board evaluated the risks of market timing activities by the Funds’ share- holders. The Board considered that the Funds’ shares can only be purchased and redeemed directly from a Fund in Creation Units by broker-dealers and large institutional investors that have entered into participation agreements (i.e., authorized participants (“APs”)) and that the vast majority of trading in the Funds’ shares occurs on the secondary market. Because the secondary market trades do not involve the Funds directly, it is unlikely those trades would cause many of the harmful effects of market timing, including dilution, disruption of portfolio management, increases in the Funds’ trading costs and the realization of capital gains. With respect to trades directly with the Funds, to the extent effected in-kind (i.e., for securities), those trades do not cause any of the harmful effects that may result from frequent cash trades. To the extent that the Funds may effect the purchase or redemption of Creation Units in exchange wholly or partially for cash, the Board noted that such trades could result in dilution to the Funds and increased transaction costs, which could negatively impact the Funds’ ability to achieve their investment objective(s). However, the Board noted that direct trading by APs is critical to ensuring that the shares trade at or close to net asset value. In addition, the Funds impose fixed and variable transaction fees on purchases and redemptions of Creation Units to cover the custodial and other costs incurred by the Funds in effecting trades. Finally, the Advisor monitors purchase and redemption orders from APs for patterns of abusive trading and the Funds reserve the right to not accept orders from APs that the Advisor has determined may be disruptive to the management of a Fund, or otherwise not in the Fund’s best interests.
Dividends, Distributions and Taxes
Dividends from net investment income, if any, are declared and paid monthly by each Fund. Each Fund distributes its net realized capital gains, if any, to shareholders at least annually.
Distributions in cash may be reinvested automatically in additional whole shares only if the broker through whom you purchased shares makes such option available. Such shares will generally be reinvested by the broker based upon the market price of those shares and investors may be subject to customary brokerage commissions charged by the broker.
Federal Tax Matters
This section summarizes some of the main U.S. federal income tax consequences of owning shares of the Funds. This section is current as of the date of this prospectus. Tax laws and interpretations change frequently, and these summaries do not describe all of the tax consequences to all taxpayers. For example, these summaries generally do not describe your situation if you are a corporation, a non-U.S. person, a broker-dealer, or other investor with special circumstances. In addition, this section does not describe your state, local or non-U.S. tax consequences.
This federal income tax summary is based in part on the advice of counsel to the Funds. The Internal Revenue Service could disagree with any conclusions set forth in this section. In addition, counsel to the Funds was not asked to review, and has not reached a conclusion with respect to, the federal income tax treatment of the assets to be included in the Funds. This may not be sufficient for you to use for the purpose of avoiding penalties under federal tax law.
As with any investment, you should seek advice based on your individual circumstances from your own tax advisor.
Fund Status
Each Fund intends to continue to qualify or qualify as a “regulated investment company” under the federal tax laws. If a Fund qualifies as a regulated investment company and distributes its income as required by the tax law, the Fund generally will not pay federal income taxes.
Distributions
The Funds’ distributions are generally taxable. After the end of each year, you will receive a tax statement that separates the distributions of a Fund into two categories, ordinary income distributions and capital gain dividends. Ordinary income distributions are generally taxed at your ordinary tax rate, however, as further discussed below, certain ordinary income distributions received from the Fund may be taxed at the capital gains tax rates. Generally, you will treat all capital gains dividends
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as long-term capital gains regardless of how long you have owned your shares. To determine your actual tax liability for your capital gain dividends, you must calculate your total net capital gain or loss for the tax year after considering all of your other taxable transactions, as described below. In addition, the Funds may make distributions that represent a return of capital for tax purposes and thus will generally not be taxable to you; however, such distributions may reduce your tax basis in your shares, which could result in you having to pay higher taxes in the future when shares are sold, even if you sell the shares at a loss from your original investment. The tax status of your distributions from a Fund is not affected by whether you reinvest your distributions in additional shares or receive them in cash. The income from a Fund that you must take into account for federal income tax purposes is not reduced by amounts used to pay a deferred sales fee, if any. The tax laws may require you to treat distributions made to you in January as if you had received them on December 31 of the previous year.
Income from a Fund may also be subject to a 3.8% “Medicare tax.” This tax generally applies to your net investment income if your adjusted gross income exceeds certain threshold amounts, which are $250,000 in the case of married couples filing joint returns and $200,000 in the case of single individuals.
Dividends Received Deduction
A corporation that owns shares generally will not be entitled to the dividends received deduction with respect to dividends received from the Fund because the dividends received deduction is generally not available for distributions from regulated investment companies. However, certain ordinary income dividends on shares that are attributable to qualifying dividends received by the Funds from certain corporations may be reported by the Funds as being eligible for the dividends received deduction.
Capital Gains and Losses and Certain Ordinary Income Dividends
If you are an individual, the maximum marginal stated federal tax rate for net capital gain is generally 20% (15% or 0% for taxpayers with taxable income below certain thresholds). Some portion of your capital gain dividends may be taxed at a higher maximum stated tax rate. Capital gains may also be subject to the Medicare tax described above.
Net capital gain equals net long-term capital gain minus net short-term capital loss for the taxable year. Capital gain or loss is long-term if the holding period for the asset is more than one year and is short-term if the holding period for the asset is one year or less. You must exclude the date you purchase your shares to determine your holding period. However, if you receive a capital gain dividend from a Fund and sell your shares at a loss after holding it for six months or less, the loss will be recharacterized as long-term capital loss to the extent of the capital gain dividend received. The tax rates for capital gains realized from assets held for one year or less are generally the same as for ordinary income. The Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, treats certain capital gains as ordinary income in special situations.
Ordinary income dividends received by an individual shareholder from a regulated investment company such as the Funds are generally taxed at the same rates that apply to net capital gain (as discussed above), provided certain holding period requirements are satisfied and provided the dividends are attributable to qualifying dividends received by the Funds themselves. Each Fund will provide notice to its shareholders of the amount of any distribution which may be taken into account as a dividend which is eligible for the capital gains tax rates.
Sale of Shares
If you sell or redeem your shares, you will generally recognize a taxable gain or loss. To determine the amount of this gain or loss, you must subtract your tax basis in your shares from the amount you receive in the transaction. Your tax basis in your shares is generally equal to the cost of your shares, generally including sales charges. In some cases, however, you may have to adjust your tax basis after you purchase your shares.
Taxes on Purchase and Redemption of Creation Units
If you exchange securities for Creation Units you will generally recognize a gain or a loss. The gain or loss will be equal to the difference between the market value of the Creation Units at the time and your aggregate basis in the securities surrendered and the cash component paid. If you exchange Creation Units for securities, you will generally recognize a gain or loss equal to the difference between your basis in the Creation Units and the aggregate market value of the securities received and the Cash Redemption Amount. The Internal Revenue Service, however, may assert that a loss realized upon an exchange of securities for Creation Units or Creation Units for securities cannot be deducted currently under the rules governing “wash sales,” or on the basis that there has been no significant change in economic position.
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Treatment of Fund Expenses
Expenses incurred and deducted by the Funds will generally not be treated as income taxable to you. In some cases, however, you may be required to treat your portion of these Fund expenses as income. You may not be able to deduct some or all of these expenses.
Non-U.S. Tax Credit
Because the Funds may invest in non-U.S. securities, the tax statement that you receive may include an item showing non-U.S. taxes a Fund paid to other countries. In this case, dividends taxed to you will include your share of the taxes such Fund paid to other countries. You may be able to deduct or receive a tax credit for your share of these taxes.
Non-U.S. Investors
If you are a non-U.S. investor (i.e., an investor other than a U.S. citizen or resident or a U.S. corporation, partnership, estate or trust), you should be aware that, generally, subject to applicable tax treaties, distributions from a Fund will be characterized as dividends for federal income tax purposes (other than dividends which a Fund properly reports as capital gain dividends) and will be subject to U.S. federal income taxes, including withholding taxes, subject to certain exceptions described below. However, distributions received by a non-U.S. investor from a Fund that are properly reported by such Fund as capital gain dividends may not be subject to U.S. federal income taxes, including withholding taxes, provided that a Fund makes certain elections and certain other conditions are met. Distributions from a Fund that are properly reported by such Fund as an interest-related dividend attributable to certain interest income received by the Fund or as a short-term capital gain dividend attributable to certain net short-term capital gain income received by such Fund may not be subject to U.S. federal income taxes, including withholding taxes when received by certain non-U.S. investors, provided that a Fund makes certain elections and certain other conditions are met.
Distributions may be subject to a U.S. withholding tax of 30% in the case of distributions to (i) certain non-U.S. financial institutions that have not entered into an agreement with the U.S. Treasury to collect and disclose certain information and are not resident in a jurisdiction that has entered into such an agreement with the U.S. Treasury and (ii) certain other non-U.S. entities that do not provide certain certifications and information about the entity’s U.S. owners. Disposition of shares by such persons may be subject to such withholding after December 31, 2018.
Investments in Certain Non-U.S. Corporations
If a Fund holds an equity interest in any PFICs, which are generally certain non-U.S. corporations that receive at least 75% of their annual gross income from passive sources (such as interest, dividends, certain rents and royalties or capital gains) or that hold at least 50% of their assets in investments producing such passive income, a Fund could be subject to U.S. federal income tax and additional interest charges on gains and certain distributions with respect to those equity interests, even if all the income or gain is timely distributed to its shareholders. A Fund will not be able to pass through to its share- holders any credit or deduction for such taxes. A Fund may be able to make an election that could ameliorate these adverse tax consequences. In this case, a Fund would recognize as ordinary income any increase in the value of such PFIC shares, and as ordinary loss any decrease in such value to the extent it did not exceed prior increases included in income. Under this election, a Fund might be required to recognize in a year income in excess of its distributions from PFICs and its proceeds from dispositions of PFIC stock during that year, and such income would nevertheless be subject to the distribution requirement and would be taken into account for purposes of the 4% excise tax. Dividends paid by PFICs are not treated as qualified dividend income.
Distribution Plan
FTP serves as the distributor of Creation Units for the Funds on an agency basis. FTP does not maintain a secondary market in shares.
The Board has adopted a Distribution and Service Plan pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act. In accordance with the Rule 12b-1 plan, the Funds are authorized to pay an amount up to 0.25% of their average daily net assets each year to reimburse FTP for amounts expended to finance activities primarily intended to result in the sale of Creation Units or the provision of investor services. FTP may also use this amount to compensate securities dealers or other persons that are APs for providing distribution assistance, including broker-dealer and shareholder support and educational and promotional services.
The Funds do not currently pay 12b-1 fees, and pursuant to a contractual arrangement, the Funds will not pay 12b-1 fees any time before January 31, 2019. However, in the event 12b-1 fees are charged in the future, because these fees are paid
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out of the Funds' assets, over time these fees will increase the cost of your investment and may cost you more than certain other types of sales charges.
Net Asset Value
Each Fund’s net asset value is determined as of the close of trading (normally 4:00 p.m., Eastern time) on each day the New York Stock Exchange is open for business. Net asset value is calculated for a Fund by taking the market price of a Fund’s total assets, including interest or dividends accrued but not yet collected, less all liabilities, and dividing such amount by the total number of shares outstanding. The result, rounded to the nearest cent, is the net asset value per share. All valuations are subject to review by the Board or its delegate.
Each Fund’s investments are valued daily at market value or, in the absence of market value with respect to any portfolio securities, at fair value, in accordance with valuation procedures adopted by the Board and in accordance with the 1940 Act. Portfolio securities listed on any exchange other than Nasdaq and the London Stock Exchange Alternative Investment Market (“AIM”) are valued at the last sale price on the business day as of which such value is being determined. Securities listed on the Nasdaq or the AIM are valued at the official closing price on the business day as of which such value is being determined. If there has been no sale on such day, or no official closing price in the case of securities traded on Nasdaq or the AIM, the securities are fair valued at the mean of the most recent bid and ask prices on such day. Portfolio securities traded on more than one securities exchange are valued at the last sale price or official closing price, as applicable, on the business day as of which such value is being determined at the close of the exchange representing the principal market for such securities. Portfolio securities traded in the over-the-counter market, but excluding securities trading on Nasdaq or the AIM, are fair valued at the mean of the most recent bid and asked price, if available, and otherwise at the closing bid price. Short-term investments that mature in less than 60 days when purchased are fair valued at cost adjusted for amortization of premiums and accretion of discount, provided the Advisor’s Pricing Committee has determined that the use of amortized cost is an appropriate reflection of fair value given market and issuer-specific conditions existing at the time of the determination. Net asset value may change on days when investors may not sell or redeem Fund shares.
Certain securities may not be able to be priced by pre-established pricing methods. Such securities may be valued by the Board or its delegate, the Advisor’s Pricing Committee, at fair value. The use of fair value pricing by a Fund is governed by valuation procedures adopted by the Board and in accordance with the provisions of the 1940 Act. These securities generally include, but are not limited to, certain restricted securities (securities which may not be publicly sold without registration under the Securities Act) for which a pricing service is unable to provide a market price; securities whose trading has been formally suspended; a security whose market or fair value price is not available from a pre-established pricing source; a security with respect to which an event has occurred that is likely to materially affect the value of the security after the market has closed but before the calculation of a Fund’s net asset value or make it difficult or impossible to obtain a reliable market quotation; and a security whose price, as provided by the pricing service, does not reflect the security’s fair value. As a general principle, the current fair value of a security would appear to be the amount which the owner might reasonably expect to receive for the security upon its current sale. When fair value prices are used generally they will differ from the current market valuations. See the Funds’ SAI for details.
Fund Service Providers
Brown Brothers Harriman & Co., 50 Post Office Square, Boston, Massachusetts 02110, acts as the administrator, accounting agent, custodian and transfer agent for the Funds. Chapman and Cutler LLP, 111 West Monroe Street, Chicago, Illinois 60603, serves as legal counsel to the Funds. First Trust serves as the fund reporting agent for the Funds.
Premium/Discount Information
The tables that follow present information about the differences between each Fund’s daily market price on Nasdaq and its net asset value. The “Market Price” of a Fund generally is determined using the midpoint between the highest bid and lowest offer on Nasdaq, as of the time a Fund’s net asset value is calculated. A Fund’s Market Price may be at, above, or below its net asset value. The net asset value of a Fund will fluctuate with changes in the market value of its portfolio holdings. The Market Price of a Fund will fluctuate in accordance with changes in its net asset value, as well as market supply and demand.
Premiums or discounts are the differences (generally expressed as a percentage) between the net asset value and Market Price of a Fund on a given day, generally at the time net asset value is calculated. A premium is the amount that a Fund is trading above the reported net asset value. A discount is the amount that a Fund is trading below the reported net asset value.
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The following information shows the frequency distribution of premiums and discounts of the daily bid/ask price of each Fund against each Fund’s net asset value. The information shown for each Fund is for the period indicated. Shareholders may pay more than net asset value when they buy Fund shares and receive less than net asset value when they sell those shares because shares are bought and sold at current market price. All data presented here represents past performance, which cannot be used to predict future results. Information about the premiums and discounts at which the Funds’ shares have traded is available on the Funds’ website at www.ftportfolios.com.
First Trust BuyWrite Income ETF (FTHI)
Bid/Ask Midpoint vs. Net Asset Value
Number of Days Bid/Ask Midpoint At/Above Net Asset Value
  0.00%0.49% 0.50%0.99% 1.00%1.99% >=2.00%
12 Months Ended 12/31/2017 168 9 0 0
Number of Days Bid/Ask Midpoint Below Net Asset Value
  0.00%0.49% 0.50%0.99% 1.00%1.99% >=2.00%
12 Months Ended 12/31/2017 73 1 0 0
First Trust Hedged BuyWrite Income ETF (FTLB)
Bid/Ask Midpoint vs. Net Asset Value
Number of Days Bid/Ask Midpoint At/Above Net Asset Value
  0.00%0.49% 0.50%0.99% 1.00%1.99% >=2.00%
12 Months Ended 12/31/2017 157 0 0 0
Number of Days Bid/Ask Midpoint Below Net Asset Value
  0.00%0.49% 0.50%0.99% 1.00%1.99% >=2.00%
12 Months Ended 12/31/2017 93 1 0 0
Total Return Information
The tables below compare the total return of each Fund to a broad-based security market index and to each Fund's benchmark index. The information presented for each Fund is for the period indicated.
"Average annual total returns" represent the average annual change in the value of an investment over the period indicated.“Cumulative total returns” represent the total change in value of an investment over the period indicated. The net asset value per share of a Fund is the value of one share of a Fund and is computed by dividing the value of all assets of the Fund (including accrued interest and dividends), less liabilities (including accrued expenses and dividends declared but unpaid), by the total number of outstanding shares. The net asset value return is based on the net asset value per share of a Fund, and the market return is based on the market price per share of a Fund. The price used to calculate market return (“Market Price”) generally is determined by using the midpoint between the highest bid and the lowest offer on Nasdaq on which the shares of a Fund are listed for trading, as of the time that the Fund's net asset value is calculated. Since the shares of each Fund typically do not trade in the secondary market until several days after the Fund's inception, for the period from inception to the first day of secondary market trading in shares of a Fund, the net asset value of a Fund is used as a proxy for the secondary market trading price to calculate market returns. Market and net asset value returns assume that all distributions have been reinvested in a Fund at Market Price and net asset value, respectively. An index is a statistical composite that tracks a specified financial market or sector. Unlike each Fund, an index does not actually hold a portfolio of securities and therefore does not incur the expenses incurred by a Fund. These expenses negatively impact the performance of each Fund. Also, market returns do not include brokerage commissions that may be payable on secondary market transactions. If brokerage commissions were included, market returns would be lower. The total returns reflect the reinvestment of dividends on securities in the Indices.
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The returns shown in the table below do not reflect the deduction of taxes that a shareholder would pay on Fund distributions or the redemption or sale of shares of a Fund. The investment return and principal value of shares of a Fund will vary with changes in market conditions. Shares of a Fund may be worth more or less than their original cost when they are redeemed or sold in the market. A Fund's past performance is no guarantee of future results.
First Trust BuyWrite Income ETF (FTHI)
Total Returns as of September 30, 2017
    Average Annual   Cumulative
  1 Year Inception
(1/6/2014)
  Inception
(1/6/2014)
Fund Performance        
Net Asset Value 13.93% 7.99%   33.21%
Market Price 13.92% 8.02%   33.34%
Index Performance        
CBOE S&P 500 BuyWrite Monthly Index 12.84% 7.49%   30.92%
S&P 500® Index 18.61% 11.31%   49.14%
  
First Trust Hedged BuyWrite Income ETF (FTLB)
Total Returns as of September 30, 2017
    Average Annual   Cumulative
  1 Year Inception
(1/6/2014)
  Inception
(1/6/2014)
Fund Performance        
Net Asset Value 12.57% 6.45%   26.26%
Market Price 15.41% 6.54%   26.69%
Index Performance        
CBOE S&P 500 95-110 Collar Index 13.32% 5.37%   21.56%
S&P 500® Index 18.61% 11.31%   49.14%
  
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Financial Highlights
The financial highlights table is intended to help you understand each Fund’s financial performance for the periods shown. Certain information reflects financial results for a single share of each Fund. The total returns represent the rate that an investor would have earned (or lost) on an investment in a Fund (assuming reinvestment of all dividends and distributions). The information for the periods indicated has been derived from financial statements audited by Deloitte & Touche LLP, whose report, along with each Fund’s financial statements, is included in the Funds’ Annual Report to Shareholders dated September 30, 2017 and is incorporated by reference in the Funds’ SAI, which is available upon request.
First Trust Exchange-Traded Fund VI
Financial Highlights
For a Share outstanding throughout each period
First Trust BuyWrite Income ETF (FTHI)
(formerly First Trust High Income ETF)
  Year Ended September 30, For the Period
1/6/2014 (a)
through
9/30/2014
  2017 2016 2015
Net asset value, beginning of period $20.57 $19.12 $20.29 $19.93
Income from investment operations:        
Net investment income (loss) 0.30 0.34 0.54 0.40
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) 2.60 2.06 (0.70) 0.52
Total from investment operations 2.90 2.40 (0.16) 0.92
Distributions paid to shareholders from:        
Net investment income (0.13) (0.35) (0.32) (0.56)
Return of capital (0.80) (0.60) (0.69)
Total distributions (0.93) (0.95) (1.01) (0.56)
Net asset value, end of period $22.54 $20.57 $19.12 $20.29
Total Return (b) 13.93% 12.80% (0.96)% 4.66%
Ratios/supplemental data:        
Net assets, end of period (in 000’s) $52,385 $7,198 $6,691 $3,044
Ratios to average net assets:        
Ratio of total expenses to average net assets 0.87% (d) 0.85% 0.85% 0.85% (c)
Ratio of net investment income (loss) to average net assets 1.43% 1.78% 1.57% 2.49% (c)
Portfolio turnover rate (e) 315% (f) 139% 191% 54%
(a) Inception date is consistent with the commencement of investment operations and is the date the initial creation units were established.
(b) Total return is calculated assuming an initial investment made at the net asset value at the beginning of the period, reinvestment of all distributions at net asset value during the period, and redemption at net asset value on the last day of the period. The returns presented do not reflect the deduction of taxes that a shareholder would pay on Fund distributions or the redemption or sale of Fund shares. Total return is calculated for the time period presented and is not annualized for periods of less than a year.
(c) Annualized.
(d) Includes reorganization fees. If this reorganization fee was not included, the expense ratio would have been 0.85%.
(e) Portfolio turnover is calculated for the time period presented and is not annualized for periods of less than a year and does not include securities received or delivered from processing creations or redemptions and in-kind transactions.
(f) The variation in the portfolio turnover rate is due to the rebalance of the portfolio that occurred shortly after the reorganization of FTHI with the First Trust Dividend and Income Fund.
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First Trust Exchange-Traded Fund VI
Financial Highlights
For a Share outstanding throughout each period
First Trust Hedged BuyWrite Income ETF (FTLB)
(formerly First Trust Low Beta Income ETF)
  Year Ended September 30, For the Period
1/6/2014 (a)
through
9/30/2014
  2017 2016 2015
Net asset value, beginning of period $20.38 $19.05 $20.21 $19.93
Income from investment operations:        
Net investment income (loss) 0.38 0.24 0.44 0.40
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) 2.14 1.74 (0.87) 0.36
Total from investment operations 2.52 1.98 (0.43) 0.76
Distributions paid to shareholders from:        
Net investment income (0.63) (0.36) (0.32) (0.48)
Return of capital (0.29) (0.41)
Total distributions (0.63) (0.65) (0.73) (0.48)
Net asset value, end of period $22.27 $20.38 $19.05 $20.21
Total Return (b) 12.57% 10.53% (2.26)% 3.83%
Ratios/supplemental data:        
Net assets, end of period (in 000’s) $7,794 $4,077 $4,762 $3,031
Ratios to average net assets:        
Ratio of total expenses to average net assets 0.85% 0.85% 0.85% 0.85% (c)
Ratio of net investment income (loss) to average net assets 1.45% 1.79% 1.58% 2.47% (c)
Portfolio turnover rate (d) 184% 143% 205% 38%
(a) Inception date is consistent with the commencement of investment operations and is the date the initial creation units were established.
(b) Total return is calculated assuming an initial investment made at the net asset value at the beginning of the period, reinvestment of all distributions at net asset value during the period, and redemption at net asset value on the last day of the period. The returns presented do not reflect the deduction of taxes that a shareholder would pay on Fund distributions or the redemption or sale of Fund shares. Total return is calculated for the time period presented and is not annualized for periods of less than a year.
(c) Annualized.
(d) Portfolio turnover is calculated for the time period presented and is not annualized for periods of less than a year and does not include securities received or delivered from processing creations or redemptions and in-kind transactions.
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Other Information
Continuous Offering
Each Fund will issue, on a continuous offering basis, its shares in one or more groups of a fixed number of Fund shares (each such group of such specified number of individual Fund shares, a “Creation Unit Aggregation”). The method by which Creation Unit Aggregations of Fund shares are created and traded may raise certain issues under applicable securities laws. Because new Creation Unit Aggregations of shares are issued and sold by a Fund on an ongoing basis, a “distribution,” as such term is used in the Securities Act, may occur at any point. Broker-dealers and other persons are cautioned that some activities on their part may, depending on the circumstances, result in their being deemed participants in a distribution in a manner which could render them statutory underwriters and subject them to the prospectus delivery requirement and liability provisions of the Securities Act.
For example, a broker-dealer firm or its client may be deemed a statutory underwriter if it takes Creation Unit Aggregations after placing an order with FTP, breaks them down into constituent shares and sells such shares directly to customers, or if it chooses to couple the creation of a supply of new shares with an active selling effort involving solicitation of secondary market demand for shares. A determination of whether one is an underwriter for purposes of the Securities Act must take into account all the facts and circumstances pertaining to the activities of the broker-dealer or its client in the particular case, and the examples mentioned above should not be considered a complete description of all the activities that could lead to a characterization as an underwriter.
Broker-dealer firms should also note that dealers who are not “underwriters” but are effecting transactions in shares, whether or not participating in the distribution of shares, are generally required to deliver a prospectus. This is because the prospectus delivery exemption in Section 4(a)(3) of the Securities Act is not available in respect of such transactions as a result of Section 24(d) of the 1940 Act. The Trust, on behalf of each Fund, however, has received from the Securities and Exchange Commission an exemption from the prospectus delivery obligation in ordinary secondary market transactions under certain circumstances, on the condition that purchasers are provided with a product description of the shares. As a result, broker-dealer firms should note that dealers who are not underwriters but are participating in a distribution (as contrasted with ordinary secondary market transactions) and thus dealing with the shares that are part of an overallotment within the meaning of Section 4(a)(3)(C) of the Securities Act would be unable to take advantage of the prospectus delivery exemption provided by Section 4(a)(3) of the Securities Act. Firms that incur a prospectus delivery obligation with respect to shares are reminded that, under the Securities Act Rule 153, a prospectus delivery obligation under Section 5(b)(2) of the Securities Act owed to a broker-dealer in connection with a sale on Nasdaq is satisfied by the fact that the prospectus is available from Nasdaq upon request. The prospectus delivery mechanism provided in Rule 153 is available with respect to transactions on a national securities exchange, a trading facility or an alternative trading system.
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First Trust
Exchange-Traded Fund VI

First Trust BuyWrite Income ETF
(formerly First Trust High Income ETF)
First Trust Hedged BuyWrite Income ETF
(formerly First Trust Low Beta Income ETF)
For More Information
For more detailed information on the Funds, several additional sources of information are available to you. The SAI, incorporated by reference into this prospectus, contains detailed information on the Funds' policies and operation. Additional information about the Funds' investments is available in the annual and semi-annual reports to shareholders. In the Funds' annual report, you will find a discussion of the market conditions and investment strategies that significantly impacted the Funds' performance during the last fiscal year. The Funds' most recent SAI, annual and semi-annual reports and certain other information are available free of charge by calling the Funds at (800) 621-1675, on the Funds' website at www.ftportfolios.com or through your financial advisor. Shareholders may call the toll-free number above with any inquiries.
You may obtain this and other information regarding the Funds, including the SAI and the Codes of Ethics adopted by First Trust, FTP and the Trust, directly from the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). Information on the SEC’s website is free of charge. Visit the SEC’s online EDGAR database at https://www.sec.gov or in person at the SEC’s Public Reference Room in Washington, D.C., or call the SEC at (202) 551-8090 for information on the Public Reference Room. You may also request information regarding the Funds by sending a request (along with a duplication fee) to the SEC’s Public Reference Section, 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549-1520 or by sending an electronic request to publicinfo@sec.gov.
First Trust Advisors L.P.
120 East Liberty Drive, Suite 400
Wheaton, Illinois 60187
(800) 621-1675
www.ftportfolios.com
SEC File #: 333-182308
811-22717

 


 

STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Investment Company Act File No. 811-22717
First Trust Exchange-Traded Fund VI
FUND NAME   TICKER SYMBOL   EXCHANGE
First Trust Dorsey Wright Dynamic Focus 5 ETF   FVC   Nasdaq
First Trust Dorsey Wright Focus 5 ETF   FV   Nasdaq
First Trust Dorsey Wright International Focus 5 ETF   IFV   Nasdaq
First Trust Rising Dividend Achievers ETF   RDVY   Nasdaq
First Trust NASDAQ Technology Dividend Index Fund   TDIV   Nasdaq
First Trust RBA American Industrial Renaissance® ETF   AIRR   Nasdaq
First Trust RBA Quality Income ETF   QINC   Nasdaq
International Multi-Asset Diversified Income Index Fund   YDIV   Nasdaq
Multi-Asset Diversified Income Index Fund   MDIV   Nasdaq
DATED FEBRUARY 1, 2018
This Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”) is not a prospectus. It should be read in conjunction with the prospectus dated February 1, 2018, as it may be revised from time to time (the “Prospectus”), for the First Trust Dorsey Wright Dynamic Focus 5 ETF, First Trust Dorsey Wright Focus 5 ETF, First Trust Dorsey Wright International Focus 5 ETF, First Trust Rising Dividend Achievers ETF, First Trust NASDAQ Technology Dividend Index Fund, First Trust RBA American Industrial Renaissance® ETF, First Trust RBA Quality Income ETF, International Multi-Asset Diversified Income Index Fund and Multi-Asset Diversified Income Index Fund (each, a “Fund” and collectively, the “Funds”), each a series of the First Trust Exchange-Traded Fund VI (the “Trust”). Capitalized terms used herein that are not defined have the same meaning as in the Prospectus, unless otherwise noted. A copy of the Prospectus may be obtained without charge by writing to the Trust’s distributor, First Trust Portfolios L.P., 120 East Liberty Drive, Suite 400, Wheaton, Illinois 60187, or by calling toll free at (800) 621-1675.

Table of Contents

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B-1
The audited financial statements for the Funds' most recent fiscal year appear in the Funds' Annual Report to Shareholders dated September 30, 2017, which was filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on December 11, 2017. The financial statements from the Annual Report are incorporated herein by reference. The Annual Report is available without charge by calling (800) 621-1675 or by visiting the SEC’s website at https://www.sec.gov.
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General Description of the Trust and the Funds
The Trust was organized as a Massachusetts business trust on June 4, 2012, and is authorized to issue an unlimited number of shares in one or more series. The Trust is an open-end management investment company, registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”). The Trust currently offers shares in 26 series: Developed International Equity Select ETF, Emerging Markets Equity Select ETF, First Trust Dorsey Wright Dynamic Focus 5 ETF, First Trust Dorsey Wright Focus 5 ETF, First Trust Dorsey Wright International Focus 5 ETF, First Trust High Income ETF, First Trust Low Beta Income ETF, First Trust Indxx Innovative Transaction & Process ETF, First Trust Nasdaq Bank ETF, First Trust Nasdaq Food & Beverage ETF, First Trust Nasdaq Oil & Gas ETF, First Trust Nasdaq Pharmaceuticals ETF, First Trust Nasdaq Retail ETF, First Trust Nasdaq Semiconductor ETF, First Trust NASDAQ Technology Dividend Index Fund, First Trust Nasdaq Transportation ETF, First Trust RBA American Industrial Renaissance ETF, First Trust RBA Quality Income ETF, First Trust Rising Dividend Achievers ETF, First Trust SMID Cap Rising Dividend Achievers ETF, International Multi-Asset Diversified Income Index Fund, Large Cap US Equity Select ETF, Mid Cap US Equity Select ETF, Multi-Asset Diversified Income Index Fund, Small Cap US Equity Select ETF and US Equity Dividend Select ETF, each a non-diversified series; and the International Multi-Asset Diversified Income Index Fund and Multi-Asset Diversified Income Index Fund, each a diversified series.
On December 12, 2016, First Trust NASDAQ Rising Dividend Achievers ETF changed its name to First Trust Rising Dividend Achievers ETF.
On December 13, 2017, First Trust Low Beta Income ETF and First Trust High Income ETF changed their names to First Trust Hedged BuyWrite Income ETF and First Trust BuyWrite Income ETF, respectively.
This SAI relates to the Funds. Each Fund, as a series of the Trust, represents a beneficial interest in a separate portfolio of securities and other assets, with its own objective and policies.
The Board of Trustees of the Trust (the “Board of Trustees” or the “Trustees”) has the right to establish additional series in the future, to determine the preferences, voting powers, rights and privileges thereof and to modify such preferences, voting powers, rights and privileges without shareholder approval. Shares of any series may also be divided into one or more classes at the discretion of the Trustees.
The Trust or any series or class thereof may be terminated at any time by the Board of Trustees upon written notice to the shareholders.
Each share has one vote with respect to matters upon which a shareholder vote is required, consistent with the requirements of the 1940 Act and the rules promulgated thereunder. Shares of all series of the Trust vote together as a single class except as otherwise required by the 1940 Act, or if the matter being voted on affects only a particular series, and, if a matter affects a particular series differently from other series, the share of that series will vote separately on such matter. The Trust’s Declaration of Trust (the “Declaration”) requires a shareholder vote only on those matters where the 1940 Act requires a vote of shareholders and otherwise permits the Trustees to take actions without seeking the consent of shareholders. For example, the Declaration gives the Trustee broad authority to approve reorganizations between a Fund and another entity, such as another exchange-traded fund, or the sale of all or substantially all of a Fund’s assets, or the termination of the Trust or any Fund without shareholder approval if the 1940 Act would not require such approval.
The Declaration provides that by becoming a shareholder of a Fund, each shareholder shall be expressly held to have agreed to be bound by the provisions of the Declaration and to any By-laws adopted by the Trust. The Declaration provides that, except as set forth therein and authorized by the Trustees, shareholders have no rights, privileges, claims or remedies under any contract or agreement entered into by the Trust or the Funds with any service provider or other agent to or contractor with the Trust or the Funds including, without limitation, any third party beneficiary rights.
The Declaration may, except in limited circumstances, be amended by the Trustees in any respect without a shareholder vote. The Declaration provides that the Trustees may establish the number of Trustees and that vacancies on the Board of Trustees may be filled by the remaining Trustees, except when election of Trustees by the shareholders is required under the 1940 Act. Trustees are then elected by a plurality of votes cast by shareholders at a meeting at which a quorum is present.
The Declaration also provides that Trustees may be removed, with or without cause, by a vote of shareholders holding at least two-thirds of the voting power of the Trust, or by a vote of two-thirds of the remaining Trustees. The provisions of the Declaration relating to the election and removal of Trustees may not be amended without the approval of two-thirds of the Trustees.
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The holders of Fund shares are required to disclose information on direct or indirect ownership of Fund shares as may be required to comply with various laws applicable to the Funds or as the Trustees may determine, and ownership of Fund shares may be disclosed by the Funds if so required by law or regulation. In addition, pursuant to the Declaration, the Trustees may, in their discretion, require the Trust to redeem shares held by any shareholder for any reason under terms set by the Trustees.
The Declaration provides a detailed process for the bringing of derivative actions by shareholders in order to permit legitimate inquiries and claims while avoiding the time, expense, distraction and other harm that can be caused to a Fund or its shareholders as a result of spurious shareholder demands and derivative actions. In addition, the Declaration provides that actions that are derivative in nature may not be brought directly. Prior to bringing a derivative action, a demand must first be made on the Trustees. The Declaration details various information, certifications, undertakings and acknowledgements that must be included in the demand. Following receipt of the demand, the Trustees have a period of 90 days, which may be extended by an additional 60 days, to consider the demand. If a majority of the Trustees who are considered independent for the purposes of considering the demand determine that maintaining the suit would not be in the best interests of a Fund, the Trustees are required to reject the demand and the complaining shareholder may not proceed with the derivative action unless the shareholder is able to sustain the burden of proof to a court that the decision of the Trustees not to pursue The requested action was not a good faith exercise of their business judgment on behalf of a Fund. In making such a determination, a Trustee is not considered to have a personal financial interest by virtue of being compensated for his or her services as a Trustee. If a demand is rejected, the complaining shareholder will be responsible for the costs and expenses (including attorneys’ fees) incurred by a Fund in connection with the consideration of the demand under a number of circumstances. In addition, if a court determines that a derivative action was made without reasonable cause or for an improper purpose, or if a derivative or direct action is dismissed on the basis of a failure to comply with the procedural provisions relating to shareholder actions as set forth in the Declaration, or if a direct action is dismissed by a court for failure to state a claim, the shareholder bringing the action may be responsible for a Fund’s costs, including attorneys’ fees.
The provisions of the Declaration provide that any direct or derivative action commenced by a shareholder must be brought only in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts (Boston Division) or if any such action may not be brought in that court, then in the Business Litigation Session of Suffolk Superior Court in Massachusetts (the “Chosen Courts”). Except as prohibited by applicable law, if a shareholder commences an applicable action in a court other than a Chosen Court without the consent of a Fund, then such shareholder may be obligated to reimburse a Fund and any applicable Trustee or officer of the Fund made party to such proceeding for the costs and expenses (including attorneys’ fees) incurred in connection with any successful motion to dismiss, stay or transfer of the action. The Declaration also provides that any shareholder bringing an action against a Fund waives the right to trial by jury to the fullest extent permitted by law.
The Trust is not required to and does not intend to hold annual meetings of shareholders.
Under Massachusetts law applicable to Massachusetts business trusts, shareholders of such a trust may, under certain circumstances, be held personally liable as partners for its obligations. However, the Declaration contains an express disclaimer of shareholder liability for acts or obligations of the Trust and requires that notice of this disclaimer be given in each agreement, obligation or instrument entered into or executed by the Trust or the Trustees. The Declaration further provides for indemnification out of the assets and property of the Trust for all losses and expenses of any shareholder held personally liable for the obligations of the Trust. Thus, the risk of a shareholder incurring financial loss on account of shareholder liability is limited to circumstances in which both inadequate insurance existed and the Trust or a Fund itself was unable to meet its obligations.
The Declaration further provides that a Trustee acting in his or her capacity as Trustee is not personally liable to any person other than the Trust, for any act, omission, or obligation of the Trust. The Declaration requires the Trust to indemnify any persons who are or who have been Trustees, officers or employees of the Trust for any liability for actions or failure to act except to the extent prohibited by applicable federal law. In making any determination as to whether any person is entitled to the advancement of expenses in connection with a claim for which indemnification is sought, such person is entitled to a rebuttable presumption that he or she did not engage in conduct for which indemnification is not available. The Declaration provides that any Trustee who serves as chair of the Board of Trustees or of a committee of the Board of Trustees, as lead independent Trustee or as audit committee financial expert, or in any other similar capacity will not be subject to any greater standard of care or liability because of such position.
The Declaration further provides that no provision of the Declaration will restrict any shareholder rights expressly granted by the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended or the 1940 Act, or any rule, regulation or order of the Securities Exchange Commission thereunder.
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The Funds are advised by First Trust Advisors L.P. (the “Advisor” or “First Trust”).
The shares of each Fund list and principally trade on The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC (“Nasdaq” or the “Exchange”). The shares of each Fund will trade on Nasdaq at market prices that may be below, at or above net asset value. Each Fund offers and issues shares at net asset value only in aggregations of a specified number of shares (each a “Creation Unit” or a “Creation Unit Aggregation”), generally in exchange for a basket of securities (the “Deposit Securities”) included in each Fund’s corresponding Index (as hereinafter defined), together with the deposit of a specified cash payment (the “Cash Component”). Shares are redeemable only in Creation Unit Aggregations and, generally, in exchange for portfolio securities and a specified cash payment. Creation Units are aggregations of 50,000 shares of a Fund.
The Trust reserves the right to permit creations and redemptions of Fund shares to be made in whole or in part on a cash basis under certain circumstances. Fund shares may be issued in advance of receipt of Deposit Securities subject to various conditions including a requirement to maintain on deposit with the applicable Fund cash at least equal to 115% of the market value of the missing Deposit Securities. See the section entitled “Creation and Redemption of Creation Unit Aggregations.” In each instance of such cash creations or redemptions, transaction fees may be imposed that will be higher than the transaction fees associated with in-kind creations or redemptions. In all cases, such fees will be limited in accordance with the requirements of the SEC applicable to management investment companies offering redeemable securities.
Exchange Listing and Trading
There can be no assurance that the requirements of Nasdaq necessary to maintain the listing of shares of a Fund will continue to be met. Nasdaq may, but is not required to, remove the shares of a Fund from listing if (i) following the initial 12-month period beginning at the commencement of trading of a Fund, there are fewer than 50 beneficial owners of the shares of such Fund for 30 or more consecutive trading days; (ii) the value of such Fund’s Index (as defined below) is no longer calculated or available; or (iii) such other event shall occur or condition exist that, in the opinion of Nasdaq, makes further dealings on Nasdaq inadvisable. Nasdaq will remove the shares of a Fund from listing and trading upon termination of such Fund.
As in the case of other stocks traded on Nasdaq, brokers’ commissions on transactions will be based on negotiated commission rates at customary levels.
The Funds reserve the right to adjust the price levels of shares in the future to help maintain convenient trading ranges for investors. Any adjustments would be accomplished through stock splits or reverse stock splits, which would have no effect on the net assets of each Fund.
Each Fund is required by the Exchange to comply with certain listing standards (which includes certain investment parameters) in order to maintain its listing on the Exchange. Compliance with these listing standards may compel a Fund to sell securities at an inopportune time or for a price other than the security’s then-current market value. The sale of securities in such circumstances could limit a Fund's profit or require the Fund to incur a loss, and as a result, a Fund's performance could be impacted.
Investment Objectives and Policies
The Prospectus describes the investment objectives and certain policies of the Funds. The following supplements the information contained in the Prospectus concerning the investment objectives and policies of the Funds.
Each Fund is subject to the following fundamental policies, which may not be changed without approval of the holders of a majority of the outstanding voting securities (as such term is defined in the 1940 Act) of a Fund:
(1) A Fund, may not issue senior securities, except as permitted under the 1940 Act.
(2) A Fund, except for First Trust Dorsey Wright Dynamic Focus 5 ETF, may not borrow money, except that a Fund may (i) borrow money from banks for temporary or emergency purposes (but not for leverage or the purchase of investments) and (ii) engage in other transactions permissible under the 1940 Act that may involve a borrowing (such as obtaining short-term credits as are necessary for the clearance of transactions, engaging in delayed-delivery transactions, or purchasing certain futures, forward contracts and options), provided that
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  the combination of (i) and (ii) shall not exceed 33⅓% of the value of a Fund's total assets (including the amount borrowed), less a Fund's liabilities (other than borrowings). First Trust Dorsey Wright Dynamic Focus 5 ETF may not borrow money, except as permitted under the 1940 Act.
(3) A Fund, will not underwrite the securities of other issuers except to the extent the Fund may be considered an underwriter under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “1933 Act”), in connection with the purchase and sale of portfolio securities.
(4) A Fund, will not purchase or sell real estate or interests therein, unless acquired as a result of ownership of securities or other instruments (but this shall not prohibit a Fund from purchasing or selling securities or other instruments backed by real estate or of issuers engaged in real estate activities).
(5) A Fund, may not make loans to other persons, except through (i) the purchase of debt securities permissible under a Fund's investment policies, (ii) repurchase agreements, or (iii) the lending of portfolio securities, provided that no such loan of portfolio securities may be made by a Fund if, as a result, the aggregate of such loans would exceed 33⅓% of the value of a Fund's total assets.
(6) A Fund, may not purchase or sell physical commodities unless acquired as a result of ownership of securities or other instruments (but this shall not prevent a Fund from purchasing or selling options, futures contracts, forward contracts or other derivative instruments, or from investing in securities or other instruments backed by physical commodities).
(7) A Fund may not invest 25% or more of the value of its total assets in securities of issuers in any one industry or group of industries, except to the extent that the Fund’s Index is based on concentrations in an industry or a group of industries. Accordingly, First Trust NASDAQ Technology Dividend Index Fund will be concentrated in securities of technology companies. This restriction does not apply to obligations issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government, its agencies or instrumentalities, or securities of other investment companies.
(8) With respect to 75% of its total assets, the Multi-Asset Diversified Income Index Fund and the International Multi-Asset Diversified Income Fund may not purchase the securities of any issuer (except securities of other investment companies or securities issued or guaranteed by the United States government or any agency or instrumentality thereof) if, as a result, (i) more than 5% of a Fund's total assets would be invested in securities of that issuer; or (ii) the Fund would hold more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of that issuer.
For purposes of applying restriction (1) above, under the 1940 Act as currently in effect, the Funds are not permitted to issue senior securities, except that a Fund may borrow from any bank if immediately after such borrowing the value of such Fund’s total assets is at least 300% of the principal amount of all of the Fund’s borrowings (i.e., the principal amount of the borrowings may not exceed 33⅓% of the Fund’s total assets). In the event that such asset coverage shall at any time fall below 300%, the applicable Fund shall, within three days thereafter (not including Sundays and holidays), reduce the amount of its borrowings to an extent that the asset coverage of such borrowings shall be at least 300%.
Except for restriction (2) above, if a percentage restriction is adhered to at the time of investment, a later increase in percentage resulting from a change in market value of the investment or the total assets will not constitute a violation of that restriction. With respect to restriction (2), if the limitations are exceeded as a result of a change in market value then a Fund will reduce the amount of borrowings within three days thereafter to the extent necessary to comply with the limitations (not including Sundays and holidays).
The fundamental investment limitations set forth above limit the Funds’ ability to engage in certain investment practices and purchase securities or other instruments to the extent permitted by, or consistent with, applicable law. As such, these limitations will change as the statute, rules, regulations or orders (or, if applicable, interpretations) change, and no shareholder vote will be required or sought.
The foregoing fundamental policies of each Fund may not be changed without the affirmative vote of the majority of the outstanding voting securities of the respective Fund. The 1940 Act defines a majority vote as the vote of the lesser of (i) 67% or more of the voting securities represented at a meeting at which more than 50% of the outstanding securities are represented; or (ii) more than 50% of the outstanding voting securities. With respect to the submission of a change in an investment policy to the holders of outstanding voting securities of a Fund, such matter shall be deemed to have been effectively acted upon with respect to a Fund if a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund vote for the approval of such
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matter, notwithstanding that such matter has not been approved by the holders of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of any other series of the Trust affected by such matter.
In addition to the foregoing fundamental policies, the Funds are also subject to strategies and policies discussed herein which, unless otherwise noted, are non-fundamental restrictions and policies and may be changed by the Board of Trustees.
Investment Strategies
Under normal circumstances, except for First Trust Dorsey Wright Dynamic Focus 5 ETF, each Fund will invest at least 90% of its net assets (including investment borrowings) in the components that comprise such Fund’s corresponding equity index as set forth below (each, an “Index” and collectively, the “Indices”) or in depositary receipts representing securities in such Index.  With respect to the First Trust Dorsey Wright Dynamic Focus 5 ETF, the Fund will invest at least 80% of its total assets (including investment borrowings) in the exchange-traded funds ("ETFs") and cash equivalents that comprise its Index. Fund shareholders are entitled to 60 days’ notice prior to any change in this non-fundamental investment policy.
Fund Index
First Trust Dorsey Wright Dynamic Focus 5 ETF Dorsey Wright Dynamic Focus Five Index
First Trust Dorsey Wright Focus 5 ETF Dorsey Wright Focus Five Index
First Trust Dorsey Wright International Focus 5 ETF Dorsey Wright International Focus Five Index
First Trust Rising Dividend Achievers ETF NASDAQ US Rising Dividend Achievers Index
First Trust NASDAQ Technology Dividend Index Fund NASDAQ Technology Dividend IndexSM
First Trust RBA American Industrial Renaissance® ETF Richard Bernstein Advisors American Industrial Renaissance® Index
First Trust RBA Quality Income ETF Richard Bernstein Advisors Quality Income Index
Multi-Asset Diversified Income Index Fund NASDAQ US Multi-Asset Diversified Income IndexSM
International Multi-Asset Diversified Income Index Fund NASDAQ International Multi-Asset Diversified Income Index
Types of Investments
Delayed-Delivery Transactions. The Funds may from time to time purchase securities on a “when-issued” or other delayed-delivery basis. The price of securities purchased in such transactions is fixed at the time the commitment to purchase is made, but delivery and payment for the securities take place at a later date. During the period between the purchase and settlement, a Fund does not remit payment to the issuer, no interest is accrued on debt securities and dividend income is not earned on equity securities. Delayed-delivery commitments involve a risk of loss if the value of the security to be purchased declines prior to the settlement date, which risk is in addition to the risk of a decline in value of a Fund’s other assets. While securities purchased in delayed-delivery transactions may be sold prior to the settlement date, the Funds intend to purchase such securities with the purpose of actually acquiring them. At the time a Fund makes the commitment to purchase a security in a delayed-delivery transaction, it will record the transaction and reflect the value of the security in determining its net asset value.
The Funds will earmark or maintain in a segregated account cash, U.S. government securities, and high-grade liquid debt securities equal in value to commitments for delayed-delivery securities. Such earmarked or segregated securities will mature or, if necessary, be sold on or before the settlement date. When the time comes to pay for delayed-delivery securities, a Fund will meet its obligations from then-available cash flow, sale of the securities earmarked or held in the segregated account described above, sale of other securities, or, although it would not normally expect to do so, from the sale of the delayed-delivery securities themselves (which may have a market value greater or less than a Fund’s payment obligation).
Although the Prospectus and this SAI describe certain permitted methods of segregating assets or otherwise “covering” certain transactions, such descriptions are not all-inclusive. Each Fund may segregate against or cover such transactions using other methods permitted under the 1940 Act, the rules and regulations thereunder, or orders issued by the SEC thereunder.
Depositary Receipts. First Trust Rising Dividend Achievers ETF, First Trust NASDAQ Technology Dividend Index Fund, First Trust RBA Quality Income ETF, International Multi-Asset Diversified Income Index Fund, Multi-Asset Diversified Income Index Fund and the underlying ETFs held by First Trust Dorsey Wright Dynamic Focus 5 ETF, First Trust Dorsey Wright Focus 5 ETF and First Trust Dorsey Wright International Focus 5 ETF may invest in securities of foreign issuers in the form of sponsored or unsponsored American Depositary Receipts (“ADRs”), Global Depositary Receipts (“GDRs”) and European Depositary Receipts
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(“EDRs”) (collectively“Depositary Receipts”). ADRs are Depositary Receipts normally issued by a U.S. bank or trust company that evidence ownership of underlying securities issued by a foreign corporation. EDRs and GDRs are typically issued by foreign banks or trust companies, although they also may be issued by U.S. banks or trust companies, and evidence ownership of underlying securities issued by either a foreign or a U.S. corporation. Generally, Depositary Receipts in registered form are designed for use in the U.S. securities market. Depositary Receipts in bearer form are designed for use in securities markets outside the United States. Depositary Receipts may not necessarily be denominated in the same currency as the underlying securities into which they may be converted. Ownership of unsponsored Depositary Receipts may not entitle an underlying ETF to financial or other reports from the issuer of the underlying security, to which it would be entitled as the owner of sponsored Depositary Receipts. The issuers of unsponsored Depositary Receipts are not obligated to disclose material information in the United States; therefore, there may be less information available regarding such issuers and there may not be a correlation between such information and the market value of the Depositary Receipts.
Equities. The Funds and the underlying ETFs held by the First Trust Dorsey Wright Dynamic Focus 5 ETF, First Trust Dorsey Wright Focus 5 ETF and First Trust Dorsey Wright International Focus 5 ETF invest in equity securities. Equity securities represent an ownership position in a company. The prices of equity securities fluctuate based on, among other things, events specific to their issuers and market, economic, and other conditions. Equity securities may include common and preferred stocks. Common stocks include the common stock of any class or series of a domestic or foreign corporation or any similar equity interest, such as a trust or partnership interest. These investments may or may not pay dividends and may or may not carry voting rights. Common stock occupies the most junior position in a company’s capital structure. The Funds or the underlying ETFs held by First Trust Dorsey Wright Dynamic Focus 5 ETF, First Trust Dorsey Wright Focus 5 ETF and First Trust Dorsey Wright International Focus 5 ETF may also invest in warrants and rights related to common stocks.
International Multi-Asset Diversified Income Index Fund and Multi-Asset Diversified Income Index Fund and the underlying ETFs held by First Trust Dorsey Wright Dynamic Focus 5 ETF, First Trust Dorsey Wright Focus 5 ETF and First Trust Dorsey Wright International Focus 5 ETF may also invest in preferred equity securities. Preferred stock, unlike common stock, offers a stated dividend rate payable from the issuer’s earnings. Preferred stock dividends may be cumulative or non-cumulative, participating or action rate. If interest rates rise, the fixed dividend on preferred stocks may be less attractive, causing the price of preferred stocks to decline. Preferred stock may have mandatory sinking fund provisions, as well as call/redemption provisions prior to maturity, a negative feature when interest rates decline.
Fixed Income Investments and Cash Equivalents. Normally, the Funds invest substantially all of their assets to meet their investment objectives. However, for temporary or defensive purposes, the Funds may invest in fixed income investments and cash equivalents in order to provide income, liquidity and preserve capital. Additionally, First Trust Dorsey Wright Dynamic Focus 5 ETF may invest significantly in fixed income investments and cash equivalents.
Fixed income investments and cash equivalents held by each Fund may include, without limitation, the types of investments set forth below.
(1) A Fund may invest in U.S. government securities, including bills, notes and bonds differing as to maturity and rates of interest, which are either issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Treasury or by U.S. government agencies or instrumentalities. U.S. government securities include securities that are issued or guaranteed by the United States Treasury, by various agencies of the U.S. government, or by various instrumentalities that have been established or sponsored by the U.S. government. U.S. Treasury securities are backed by the “full faith and credit” of the United States. Securities issued or guaranteed by federal agencies and U.S. government-sponsored instrumentalities may or may not be backed by the full faith and credit of the United States. Some of the U.S. government agencies that issue or guarantee securities include the Export-Import Bank of the United States, the Farmers Home Administration, the Federal Housing Administration, the Maritime Administration, the Small Business Administration and The Tennessee Valley Authority. An instrumentality of the U.S. government is a government agency organized under federal charter with government supervision. Instrumentalities issuing or guaranteeing securities include, among others, Federal Home Loan Banks, the Federal Land Banks, the Central Bank for Cooperatives, Federal Intermediate Credit Banks and FNMA. In the case of those U.S. government securities not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States, the investor must look principally to the agency or instrumentality issuing or guaranteeing the security for ultimate repayment, and may not be able to assert a claim against the United States itself in the event that the agency or instrumentality does not meet its commitment. The U.S. government, its agencies and instrumentalities do not guarantee the market value of their securities, and consequently, the value of such securities may fluctuate. In addition, each Fund may invest in sovereign debt obligations of non-U.S. countries. A sovereign debtor’s willingness or ability to repay
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  principal and interest in a timely manner may be affected by a number of factors, including its cash flow situation, the extent of its non-U.S. reserves, the availability of sufficient non-U.S. exchange on the date a payment is due, the relative size of the debt service burden to the economy as a whole, the sovereign debtor’s policy toward principal international lenders and the political constraints to which it may be subject.
(2) A Fund may invest in certificates of deposit issued against funds deposited in a bank or savings and loan association. Such certificates are for a definite period of time, earn a specified rate of return, and are normally negotiable. If such certificates of deposit are non-negotiable, they will be considered illiquid securities and be subject to a Fund’s 15% restriction on investments in illiquid securities. Pursuant to the certificate of deposit, the issuer agrees to pay the amount deposited plus interest to the bearer of the certificate on the date specified thereon. Under current FDIC regulations, the maximum insurance payable as to any one certificate of deposit is $250,000; therefore, certificates of deposit purchased by a Fund may not be fully insured. A Fund may only invest in certificates of deposit issued by U.S. banks with at least $1 billion in assets.
(3) A Fund may invest in bankers’ acceptances, which are short-term credit instruments used to finance commercial transactions. Generally, an acceptance is a time draft drawn on a bank by an exporter or an importer to obtain a stated amount of funds to pay for specific merchandise. The draft is then “accepted” by a bank that, in effect, unconditionally guarantees to pay the face value of the instrument on its maturity date. The acceptance may then be held by the accepting bank as an asset or it may be sold in the secondary market at the going rate of interest for a specific maturity.
(4) A Fund may invest in repurchase agreements, which involve purchases of debt securities with counterparties that are deemed by First Trust to present acceptable credit risks. In such an action, at the time a Fund purchases the security, it simultaneously agrees to resell and redeliver the security to the seller, who also simultaneously agrees to buy back the security at a fixed price and time. This assures a predetermined yield for a Fund during its holding period since the resale price is always greater than the purchase price and reflects an agreed upon market rate. Such actions afford an opportunity for a Fund to invest temporarily available cash. A Fund may enter into repurchase agreements only with respect to obligations of the U.S. government, its agencies or instrumentalities; certificates of deposit; or bankers’ acceptances in which a Fund may invest. Repurchase agreements may be considered loans to the seller, collateralized by the underlying securities. The risk to a Fund is limited to the ability of the seller to pay the agreed-upon sum on the repurchase date; in the event of default, the repurchase agreement provides that the affected Fund is entitled to sell the underlying collateral. If the value of the collateral declines after the agreement is entered into, however, and if the seller defaults under a repurchase agreement when the value of the underlying collateral is less than the repurchase price, a Fund could incur a loss of both principal and interest. The portfolio managers monitor the value of the collateral at the time the action is entered into and at all times during the term of the repurchase agreement. The Investment Committee does so in an effort to determine that the value of the collateral always equals or exceeds the agreed-upon repurchase price to be paid to a Fund. If the seller were to be subject to a federal bankruptcy proceeding, the ability of a Fund to liquidate the collateral could be delayed or impaired because of certain provisions of the bankruptcy laws.
(5) A Fund may invest in bank time deposits, which are monies kept on deposit with banks or savings and loan associations for a stated period of time at a fixed rate of interest. There may be penalties for the early withdrawal of such time deposits, in which case the yields of these investments will be reduced.
(6) A Fund may invest in commercial paper, which are short-term unsecured promissory notes, including variable rate master demand notes issued by corporations to finance their current operations. Master demand notes are direct lending arrangements between a Fund and a corporation. There is no secondary market for the notes. However, they are redeemable by a Fund at any time. A Fund’s Investment Committee will consider the financial condition of the corporation (e.g., earning power, cash flow and other liquidity ratios) and will continuously monitor the corporation’s ability to meet all of its financial obligations, because a Fund’s liquidity might be impaired if the corporation were unable to pay principal and interest on demand. A Fund may invest in commercial paper only if it has received the highest rating from at least one nationally recognized statistical rating organization or, if unrated, judged by First Trust to be of comparable quality.
(7) A Fund may invest in shares of money market funds, as consistent with its investment objective and policies. Shares of money market funds are subject to management fees and other expenses of those funds. Therefore, investments in money market funds will cause a Fund to bear proportionately the costs incurred by the money
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  market funds’ operations. At the same time, a Fund will continue to pay its own management fees and expenses with respect to all of its assets, including any portion invested in the shares of other investment companies. It is possible for a Fund to lose money by investing in money market funds.
High Yield Securities. The Multi-Asset Diversified Income Index Fund and International Multi-Asset Diversified Income Index Fund will invest in high yield securities, which are commonly referred to as “junk” bonds and are rated below-investment grade at the time of purchase. The ratings of a rating agency represent its opinion as to the quality of securities it undertakes to rate. Ratings are not absolute standards of quality; consequently, securities with the same maturity, duration, coupon, and rating may have different yields. If a security owned by a Fund is subsequently downgraded, the Fund will not be required to dispose of such security.
Because the risk of default is higher for below-investment grade securities than investment grade securities, the Advisor’s research and credit analysis will be an especially important part of managing securities of this type. The Advisor will attempt to identify those issuers of below-investment grade securities whose financial condition the Advisor believes are adequate to meet future obligations or who have improved or are expected to improve in the future. The Advisor’s analysis focuses on relative values based on such factors as interest or dividend coverage, asset coverage, earnings prospects and the experience and managerial strength of the issuer.
Illiquid Securities. The Funds may invest in illiquid securities (i.e., securities that are not readily marketable). For purposes of this restriction, illiquid securities include, but are not limited to, certain restricted securities (securities the disposition of which is restricted under the federal securities laws), securities that may only be resold pursuant to Rule 144A under the 1933 Act that are deemed to be illiquid; and repurchase agreements with maturities in excess of seven days. However, a Fund will not acquire illiquid securities if, as a result, such securities would comprise more than 15% of the value of a Fund’s net assets. The Board of Trustees or its delegate has the ultimate authority to determine, to the extent permissible under the federal securities laws, which securities are liquid or illiquid for purposes of this 15% limitation. The Board of Trustees has delegated to First Trust the day-to-day determination of the illiquidity of any equity or fixed-income security, although it has retained oversight for such determinations. With respect to Rule 144A securities, First Trust considers factors such as (i) the nature of the market for a security (including the institutional private resale market, the frequency of trades and quotes for the security, the number of dealers willing to purchase or sell the security, the amount of time normally needed to dispose of the security, the method of soliciting offers and the mechanics of transfer); (ii) the terms of certain securities or other instruments allowing for the disposition to a third party or the issuer thereof (e.g., certain repurchase obligations and demand instruments); and (iii) other permissible relevant factors.
Restricted securities may be sold only in privately negotiated transactions or in a public offering with respect to which a registration statement is in effect under the 1933 Act. Where registration is required, a Fund may be obligated to pay all or part of the registration expenses and a considerable period may elapse between the time of the decision to sell and the time a Fund may be permitted to sell a security under an effective registration statement. If, during such a period, adverse market conditions were to develop, a Fund might obtain a less favorable price than that which prevailed when it decided to sell. Illiquid securities will be priced at fair value as determined in good faith under procedures adopted by the Board of Trustees. If, through the appreciation of illiquid securities or the depreciation of liquid securities, a Fund should be in a position where more than 15% of the value of its net assets are invested in illiquid securities, including restricted securities which are not readily marketable, a Fund will take such steps as is deemed advisable, if any, to protect liquidity.
Investment Companies. The First Trust Dorsey Wright Dynamic Focus 5 ETF, First Trust Dorsey Wright Focus 5 ETF, First Trust Dorsey Wright International Focus 5 ETF, International Multi-Asset Diversified Income Index Fund and Multi-Asset Diversified Income Index Fund invest in securities of other investment companies, including ETFs. An ETF is a fund that holds a portfolio of securities and trades on a securities exchange and its shares may, at times, trade a premium or discount to its net asset value. As a shareholder in a pooled investment vehicle, a Fund will bear its ratable share of that vehicle’s expenses, and would remain subject to payment of a Fund’s management fees with respect to assets so invested. Shareholders would therefore be subject to duplicative expenses to the extent a Fund invests in other pooled asset vehicles. In addition, a Fund will also incur brokerage costs when purchasing and selling shares of ETFs. Other pooled investment vehicles may be leveraged, and the net asset value and market value of their securities will therefore be more volatile and the yield to shareholders will tend to fluctuate more than the yield of unleveraged pooled investment vehicles.
Money Market Funds. The Funds may invest in shares of money market funds to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act.
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Non-U.S. Investments. Non-U.S. securities include securities issued or guaranteed by companies organized under the laws of countries other than the United States (including emerging markets), securities issued or guaranteed by foreign, national, provincial, state, municipal or other governments with taxing authority or by their agencies or instrumentalities and debt obligations of supranational governmental entities such as the World Bank or European Union. Non-U.S. securities may also include U.S. dollar-denominated debt obligations, such as “Yankee Dollar” obligations, of foreign issuers and of supra-national government entities. Yankee Dollar obligations are U.S. dollar-denominated obligations issued in the U.S. capital markets by foreign corporations, banks and governments. Foreign securities also may be traded on foreign securities exchanges or in over-the-counter (“OTC”) capital markets.
International Multi-Asset Diversified Income Index Fund and Multi-Asset Diversified Income Index Fund's investment in foreign securities may be denominated in currencies other than the U.S. dollar. To the extent a Fund invests in such instruments, the value of the assets of the Fund as measured in U.S. dollars will be affected by changes in exchange rates. Generally, a Fund’s currency exchange transactions will be conducted on a spot (i.e., cash) basis at the spot rate prevailing in the currency exchange market. The cost of a Fund’s currency exchange transactions will generally be the difference between the bid and offer spot rate of the currency being purchased or sold. In order to protect against uncertainty in the level of future currency exchange rates, a Fund is authorized to enter into various currency exchange transactions.
Portfolio Turnover
The Funds buy and sell portfolio securities in the normal course of their investment activities. The proportion of a Fund’s investment portfolio that is bought and sold during a year is known as a Fund’s portfolio turnover rate. A turnover rate of 100% would occur, for example, if a Fund bought and sold securities valued at 100% of its net assets within one year. A high portfolio turnover rate could result in the payment by a Fund of increased brokerage costs, expenses and taxes. The portfolio turnover rates for the specified periods are set forth in the table below. Any significant variations in portfolio turnover rates from year-to-year resulted from fluctuation in size of the Funds and rebalancing of the Indices. In-kind transactions are not taken into account in calculating the portfolio turnover rate.
Portfolio Turnover Rate

Fund Fiscal Year Ended September 30,
2017 2016
First Trust Dorsey Wright Focus 5 ETF 66% 42%
First Trust Dorsey Wright International Focus 5 ETF 49% 58%
First Trust NASDAQ Technology Dividend Index Fund 26% 30%
First Trust RBA American Industrial Renaissance® ETF 52% 62%
First Trust RBA Quality Income ETF 150% 136%
First Trust Rising Dividend Achievers ETF 46% 66%
International Multi-Asset Diversified Income Index Fund 129% 151%
Multi-Asset Diversified Income Index Fund 82% 115%
    

Fund Inception Date Fiscal Year Ended
September 30,
2017
Fiscal Period Ended
September 30,
2016
First Trust Dorsey Wright Dynamic Focus 5 ETF March 17, 2016 54% 15%
Lending of Portfolio Securities
In order to generate additional income, as a non-principal investment strategy, First Trust is authorized to select certain Funds, with notice to the Board of Trustees, to lend portfolio securities representing up to 33⅓% of the value of their total assets to broker-dealers, banks or other institutional borrowers of securities. As with other extensions of credit, there may be risks of delay in recovery of the securities or even loss of rights in the collateral should the borrower of the securities fail financially. However, the Funds will only enter into domestic loan arrangements with broker-dealers, banks or other institutions which First Trust has determined are creditworthy under guidelines approved by the Board of Trustees. The Funds will pay a portion of the income earned on the lending transaction to the placing broker and may pay administrative and custodial fees
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in connection with these loans. First Trust may select any Fund to participate in the securities lending program, at its discretion with notice to the Board of Trustees.
In these loan arrangements, the Funds will receive collateral in the form of cash, U.S. government securities or other high-grade debt obligations equal to at least 102% (for domestic securities) or 105% (for international securities) of the market value of the securities loaned as determined at the time of loan origination. This collateral must be valued daily by First Trust or the applicable Fund’s lending agent and, if the market value of the loaned securities increases, the borrower must furnish additional collateral to the lending Fund. During the time portfolio securities are on loan, the borrower pays the lending Fund any dividends or interest paid on the securities. Loans are subject to termination at any time by the lending Fund or the borrower. While a Fund does not have the right to vote securities on loan, it would terminate the loan and regain the right to vote if that were considered important with respect to the investment. When a Fund lends portfolio securities to a borrower, payments in lieu of dividends made by the borrower to the Fund will not constitute “qualified dividends” taxable at the same rate as long-term capital gains, even if the actual dividends would have constituted qualified dividends had the Fund held the securities.
Sublicense Agreements
The Trust on behalf of each Fund relies on a product license agreement (each, a “Product License Agreement”) by and between the provider of each Index (each, an “Index Provider”) and First Trust and a related sublicense agreement (the “Sublicense Agreement”) with First Trust that grants the Trust, on behalf of each Fund, a non-exclusive and non-transferable sublicense to use certain intellectual property of such Index Provider as set forth below in the section entitled “Custodian, Administrator, Fund Accountant, Transfer Agent, Distributor, Index Providers and Exchange,” in connection with the issuance, distribution, marketing and/or promotion of each Fund. Pursuant to each Sublicense Agreement, each Fund has agreed to be bound by certain provisions of each Product License Agreement.
Investment Risks
Overview
An investment in a Fund should be made with an understanding of the risks that an investment in the Fund’s shares entails, including the risk that the financial condition of the issuers of the securities held by a Fund or the general condition of the securities market may worsen and the value of the securities and therefore the value of a Fund may decline. A Fund may not be an appropriate investment for those who are unable or unwilling to assume the risks involved generally with such an investment. The past market and earnings performance of any of the securities included in a Fund is not predictive of their future performance.
Common Stocks Risk
Equity securities are especially susceptible to general market movements and to volatile increases and decreases of value as market confidence in and perceptions of the issuers change. These perceptions are based on unpredictable factors including expectations regarding government, economic, monetary and fiscal policies; inflation and interest rates; economic expansion or contraction; and global or regional political, economic or banking crises. First Trust cannot predict the direction or scope of any of these factors. Shareholders of common stocks have rights to receive payments from the issuers of those common stocks that are generally subordinate to those of creditors of, or holders of debt obligations or preferred stocks of, such issuers.
Shareholders of common stocks of the type held by the Funds have a right to receive dividends only when and if, and in the amounts, declared by the issuer’s board of directors and have a right to participate in amounts available for distribution by the issuer only after all other claims on the issuer have been paid. Common stocks do not represent an obligation of the issuer and, therefore, do not offer any assurance of income or provide the same degree of protection of capital as do debt securities. The issuance of additional debt securities or preferred stock will create prior claims for payment of principal, interest and dividends which could adversely affect the ability and inclination of the issuer to declare or pay dividends on its common stock or the rights of holders of common stock with respect to assets of the issuer upon liquidation or bankruptcy. The value of common stocks is subject to market fluctuations for as long as the common stocks remain outstanding, and thus the value of the equity securities in the Funds will fluctuate over the life of the Funds and may be more or less than the price at which they were purchased by the Funds. The equity securities held in the Funds may appreciate or depreciate in value (or pay dividends) depending on the full range of economic and market influences affecting these securities, including the impact of a Fund’s purchase and sale of the equity securities and other factors.
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Holders of common stocks incur more risk than holders of preferred stocks and debt obligations because common stockholders, as owners of the entity, have generally inferior rights to receive payments from the issuer in comparison with the rights of creditors of, or holders of debt obligations or preferred stocks issued by, the issuer. Cumulative preferred stock dividends must be paid before common stock dividends, and any cumulative preferred stock dividend omitted is added to future dividends payable to the holders of cumulative preferred stock. Preferred stockholders are also generally entitled to rights on liquidation, which are senior to those of common stockholders.
Depositary Receipts Risk
Depositary Receipts may not necessarily be denominated in the same currency as the underlying securities into which they may be converted. ADRs are receipts typically issued by a U.S. bank or trust company that evidence ownership of underlying securities issued by a foreign corporation. EDRs are receipts issued by a European bank or trust company evidencing ownership of securities issued by a foreign corporation. New York shares are typically issued by a company incorporated in the Netherlands and represent a direct interest in the company. Unlike traditional Depositary Receipts, New York share programs do not involve custody of the Dutch shares of the company. GDRs are receipts issued throughout the world that evidence a similar arrangement. ADRs, EDRs and GDRs may trade in foreign currencies that differ from the currency the underlying security for each ADR, EDR or GDR principally trades in. Global shares are the actual (ordinary) shares of a non-U.S. company which trade both in the home market and the United States. Generally, ADRs and New York shares, in registered form, are designed for use in the U.S. securities markets. EDRs, in registered form, are used to access European markets. GDRs, in registered form, are tradable both in the United States and in Europe and are designed for use throughout the world. Global shares are represented by the same share certificate in the United States and the home market, and separate registrars in the United States and the home country are maintained. In most cases, purchases occurring on a U.S. exchange would be reflected on the U.S. registrar. Global shares may also be eligible to list on exchanges in addition to the United States and the home country. The Funds may hold unsponsored Depositary Receipts. The issuers of unsponsored Depositary Receipts are not obligated to disclose material information in the United States; therefore, there may be less information available regarding such issuers and there may not be a correlation between such information and the market value of the Depositary Receipts.
Dividends Risk
Shareholders of common stocks have rights to receive payments from the issuers of those common stocks that are generally subordinate to those of creditors of, or holders of debt obligations or preferred stocks of, such issuers. Shareholders of common stocks of the type held by the Funds have a right to receive dividends only when and if, and in the amounts, declared by the issuer’s board of directors and have a right to participate in amounts available for distribution by the issuer only after all other claims on the issuer have been paid or have otherwise been settled. Common stocks do not represent an obligation of the issuer and, therefore, do not offer any assurance of income or provide the same degree of protection of capital as do debt securities. The issuance of additional debt securities or preferred stock will create prior claims for payment of principal, interest and dividends which could adversely affect the ability and inclination of the issuer to declare or pay dividends on its common stock or the rights of holders of common stock with respect to assets of the issuer upon liquidation or bankruptcy. Cumulative preferred stock dividends must be paid before common stock dividends, and any cumulative preferred stock dividend omitted is added to future dividends payable to the holders of cumulative preferred stock. Preferred stockholders are also generally entitled to rights on liquidation that are senior to those of common stockholders.
Financials Companies Risk
The First Trust RBA American Industrial Renaissance® ETF may invest in securities of financial services companies. Major determinants of future earnings of companies in the financial services sector are the direction of the stock market, investor confidence, equity transaction volume, the level and direction of long-term and short-term interest rates, and the outlook for emerging markets. Negative trends in any of these earnings determinants could have a serious adverse effect on the financial stability, as well as the stock prices, of these companies. Furthermore, there can be no assurance that the issuers of the securities included in the Fund will be able to respond in a timely manner to compete in the rapidly developing marketplace. In addition to the foregoing, profit margins of these companies continue to shrink due to the commoditization of traditional businesses, new competitors, capital expenditures on new technology and the pressures to compete globally.
Banks. Banks, thrifts and their holding companies are especially subject to the adverse effects of economic recession; volatile interest rates; portfolio concentrations in geographic markets, in commercial and residential real estate loans or any particular segment or industry; and competition from new entrants in their fields of business. Banks and thrifts are highly dependent on net interest margin. Banks and thrifts traditionally receive a significant portion of their revenues from consumer mortgage fee income because of activity in mortgage and refinance markets. As home purchasing and refinancing activity has subsided, this revenue has diminished. Economic conditions in the real estate markets have deteriorated, leading to asset
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write-offs and decreased liquidity in the credit markets, which can have a substantial negative effect upon banks and thrifts because they generally have a portion of their assets invested in loans secured by real estate. Difficulties in the mortgage and broader credit markets have resulted in decreases in the availability of funds. Financial performance of many banks and thrifts, especially in securities collateralized by mortgage loans, has deteriorated.
Banks, thrifts and their holding companies are subject to extensive federal regulation and, when such institutions are state-chartered, to state regulation as well. Such regulations impose strict capital requirements and limitations on the nature and extent of business activities that banks and thrifts may pursue. Furthermore, bank regulators have a wide range of discretion in connection with their supervisory and enforcement authority and may substantially restrict the permissible activities of a particular institution if deemed to pose significant risks to the soundness of such institution or the safety of the federal deposit insurance fund. Regulatory actions, such as increases in the minimum capital requirements applicable to banks and thrifts and increases in deposit insurance premiums required to be paid by banks and thrifts to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (the “FDIC”), can negatively affect earnings and the ability of a company to pay dividends. Neither federal insurance of deposits nor governmental regulations, however, insure the solvency or profitability of banks or their holding companies, or insures against any risk of investment in the securities issued by such institutions.
In light of the current credit market difficulties, the U.S. Government is considering changes to the laws and regulatory structure. New legislation and regulatory changes could cause business disruptions, result in significant loss of revenue, limit financial firms’ ability to pursue business opportunities, impact the value of business assets and impose additional costs that may adversely affect business. There can be no assurance as to the actual impact these laws and their implementing regulations, or any other governmental program, will have on the financial markets. Currently the Federal Reserve Board, the FDIC, the SEC, Office of Comptroller of the Currency (a bureau of the Department of the U.S. Treasury (the “U.S. Treasury”) which regulates national banks), and the CFTC all play a role in the supervision of the financial markets. Pursuant to the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (“Dodd-Frank Act”), signed into law in 2010, financial firms are subject to increased scrutiny concerning their capital, liquidity, and risk management standards. Certain provisions of the Dodd-Frank Act would create a national bank supervisor to conduct prudential supervision regulation of all federally chartered depository institutions, and all federal branches and agencies of foreign banks. This single regulator would oversee the entire banking industry, thereby leading to potential risks, costs and unknown impacts on the entire financial sector.
The SEC and the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) require the expanded use of market value accounting by banks and have imposed rules requiring mark-to-market accounting for investment securities held in trading accounts or available for sale. Adoption of additional rules may result in increased volatility in the reported health of the industry, and mandated regulatory intervention to correct such problems. FASB Accounting Standards Codification 820, “Fair Value Measurement” changed the requirements of mark-to-market accounting and determining fair value when the volume and level of activity for the asset or liability has significantly decreased. These changes and other potential changes in financial accounting rules and valuation techniques may have a significant impact on the banking and financial services industries in terms of accurately pricing assets or liabilities.
Liquidity Risk
Whether or not the equity securities in the Funds are listed on a securities exchange, the principal trading market for certain of the equity securities in a Fund may be in the OTC market. As a result, the existence of a liquid trading market for the equity securities may depend on whether dealers will make a market in the equity securities. There can be no assurance that a market will be made for any of the equity securities, that any market for the equity securities will be maintained or that there will be sufficient liquidity of the equity securities in any markets made. The price at which the equity securities are held in the Funds will be adversely affected if trading markets for the equity securities are limited or absent.
Litigation Risk
At any time litigation may be instituted on a variety of grounds with respect to the common stocks held by a Fund or the underlying ETFs in which a Fund invests. A Fund is unable to predict whether litigation that has been or will be instituted might have a material adverse effect on a Fund.
Non-U.S. Securities Risk
An investment in non-U.S. securities involves risks in addition to the usual risks inherent in domestic investments, including currency risk. The value of a non-U.S. security in U.S. dollars tends to decrease when the value of the U.S. dollar rises against the non-U.S. currency in which the security is denominated and tends to increase when the value of the U.S. dollar falls against such currency. Non-U.S. securities are affected by the fact that in many countries there is less publicly available
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information about issuers than is available in the reports and ratings published about companies in the United States and companies may not be subject to uniform accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards. Other risks inherent in non-U.S. investments include expropriation; confiscatory taxation; withholding taxes on dividends and interest; less extensive regulation of non-U.S. brokers, securities markets and issuers; diplomatic developments; and political or social instability. Non-U.S. economies may differ favorably or unfavorably from the U.S. economy in various respects, and many non-U.S. securities are less liquid and their prices tend to be more volatile than comparable U.S. securities. From time to time, non-U.S. securities may be difficult to liquidate rapidly without adverse price effects.
Authorization, Custody and Settlement Risk for Non-U.S. Securities
Approval of governmental authorities may be required prior to investing in the securities of companies based in certain frontier countries. Delays in obtaining such an approval would delay investments in the particular country.
Rules adopted under the 1940 Act permit a fund to maintain its non-U.S. securities and cash in the custody of certain eligible non-U.S. banks and securities depositories. Certain banks in foreign countries that are eligible foreign sub-custodians may be recently organized or otherwise lack extensive operating experience. In addition, in certain countries there may be legal restrictions or limitations on the ability of a Fund to recover assets held in custody by a foreign sub-custodian in the event of the bankruptcy of the sub-custodian. Settlement systems in emerging markets may be less well organized than in developed markets. Thus there may be a risk that settlement may be delayed and that cash or securities of a Fund may be in jeopardy because of failures of or defects in the systems. Under the laws of certain countries in which a Fund may invest, a Fund may be required to release local shares before receiving cash payment or may be required to make cash payment prior to receiving local shares.
Certain countries in which a Fund may invest utilize share blocking schemes. Share blocking refers to a practice, in certain foreign markets, where voting rights related to an issuer’s securities are predicated on these securities being blocked from trading at the custodian or sub-custodian level, for a period of time around a shareholder meeting. These restrictions have the effect of prohibiting securities to potentially be voted (or having been voted), from trading within a specified number of days before, and in certain instances, after the shareholder meeting.
Share blocking may prevent a Fund from buying or selling securities for a period of time. During the time that shares are blocked, trades in such securities will not settle. The specific practices may vary by market and the blocking period can last from a day to several weeks, typically terminating on a date established at the discretion of the issuer.
Once blocked, the only manner in which to remove this block would be to withdraw a previously cast vote, or to abstain from voting altogether. The process for having a blocking restriction lifted can be quite onerous, with the particular requirements varying widely by country. In addition, in certain countries, the block cannot be removed.
Share blocking may present operational challenges for a Fund and authorized participants, including the effect that an imposed block would have on pending trades. Pending trades may be caused to fail and could potentially remain unsettled for an extended period of time. Fails may also expose the transfer agent and a Fund to “Buy In” situations in which, if unable to deliver shares after a certain period of time, a counterparty has the right to go to market, purchase a security at the current market price and have any additional expense borne by a Fund or transfer agent.
As a result, the Advisor, on behalf of a Fund, reserves the right to abstain from voting proxies in share blocking proxy markets.
Preferred Stock and Trust Preferred Securities Risk
The First Trust NASDAQ Technology Dividend Index Fund, International Multi-Asset Diversified Income Index Fund and Multi-Asset Diversified Income Index Fund may invest in preferred stock and trust preferred securities. There are special risks associated with investing in preferred securities, including risks related to deferral, noncumulative dividends, subordination, liquidity, limited voting rights and special redemption rights. Trust preferred securities are limited-life preferred securities typically issued by corporations, generally in the form of interest-bearing notes or preferred securities issued by an affiliated business trust of a corporation whose only assets are generally in the form of beneficial interests in subordinated debentures or similarly structured securities. Dividend payments on the trust preferred securities generally coincide with interest payments on the underlying obligations. Trust preferred securities generally have a yield advantage over traditional preferred stocks, but unlike preferred stocks, distributions are treated as interest rather than dividends for federal income tax purposes and therefore, are not eligible for the dividends received deduction and do not constitute qualified dividend income. Trust preferred securities prices fluctuate for several reasons including changes in investors’ perception of the financial condition of an issuer
13

or the general economic condition of the market for trust preferred securities, or when political or economic events affecting the issuers occur. Trust preferred securities are also sensitive to interest rate fluctuations, as the cost of capital rises and borrowing costs increase in a rising interest rate environment and the risk that a trust preferred security may be called for redemption in a falling interest rate environment. Certain of the other risks unique to trust preferred securities include: (i) distributions on trust preferred securities will be made only if interest payments on the interest-bearing notes, preferred securities or subordinated debentures are made; (ii) a corporation issuing the interest-bearing notes, preferred securities or subordinated debentures may defer interest payments on these instruments for up to 20 consecutive quarters and if such election is made, distributions will not be made on the trust preferred securities during the deferral period; (iii) certain tax or regulatory events may trigger the redemption of the interest-bearing notes, preferred securities or subordinated debentures by the issuing corporation and result in prepayment of the trust preferred securities prior to their stated maturity date; (iv) future legislation may be proposed or enacted that may prohibit the corporation from deducting its interest payments on the interest-bearing notes, preferred securities or subordinated debentures for tax purposes, making redemption of these instruments likely; (v) a corporation may redeem the interest bearing notes, preferred securities or subordinated debentures in whole at any time or in part from time to time on or after a stated call date; (vi) trust preferred securities holders have very limited voting rights; and (vii) payment of interest on the interest-bearing notes, preferred securities or subordinated debentures, and therefore distributions on the trust preferred securities, is dependent on the financial condition of the issuing corporation.
Real Estate Investment Trusts Risk
The First Trust NASDAQ Technology Dividend Index Fund, International Multi-Asset Diversified Income Index Fund and Multi-Asset Diversified Income Index Fund may invest in real estate investment trusts (“REITs”). REITs are financial vehicles that pool investors’ capital to purchase or finance real estate. REITs may concentrate their investments in specific geographic areas or in specific property types, e.g., hotels, shopping malls, residential complexes and office buildings. The market value of REIT shares and the ability of the REITs to distribute income may be adversely affected by several factors, including rising interest rates; changes in the national, state and local economic climate and real estate conditions; perceptions of prospective tenants of the safety, convenience and attractiveness of the properties; the ability of the owners to provide adequate management, maintenance and insurance; the cost of complying with the Americans with Disabilities Act; increased competition from new properties; the impact of present or future environmental legislation and compliance with environmental laws; changes in real estate taxes and other operating expenses; adverse changes in governmental rules and fiscal policies; adverse changes in zoning laws; and other factors beyond the control of the issuers of the REITs. In addition, distributions received by the Fund from REITs may consist of dividends, capital gains and/or return of capital. Many of these distributions however will not generally qualify for favorable treatment as qualified dividend income.
Small and Mid Capitalization Companies
Certain of the equity securities held by the Funds or the ETFs in which First Trust Dorsey Wright Dynamic Focus 5 ETF, First Trust Dorsey Wright Focus 5 ETF and First Trust Dorsey Wright International Focus 5 ETF invest may be small cap company stocks. While historically small cap company stocks have outperformed the stocks of large companies, the former have customarily involved more investment risk as well. Small cap companies may have limited product lines, markets or financial resources; may lack management depth or experience; and may be more vulnerable to adverse general market or economic developments than large companies. Some of these companies may distribute, sell or produce products that have recently been brought to market and may be dependent on key personnel.
The prices of small company securities are often more volatile than prices associated with large company issues, and can display abrupt or erratic movements at times, due to limited trading volumes and less publicly available information. Also, because small cap companies normally have fewer shares outstanding and these shares trade less frequently than large companies, it may be more difficult for the Funds or the underlying ETF which contains these equity securities to buy and sell significant amounts of such shares without an unfavorable impact on prevailing market prices. The securities of small companies are often traded OTC and may not be traded in the volumes typical of a national securities exchange.
Management of the Funds
Trustees and Officers
The general supervision of the duties performed for the Funds under the investment management agreement is the responsibility of the Board of Trustees. There are five Trustees of the Trust, one of whom is an “interested person” (as the term is defined in the 1940 Act) and four of whom are Trustees who are not officers or employees of First Trust or any of its affiliates (“Independent Trustees”). The Trustees set broad policies for the Funds, choose the Trust’s officers and hire the Trust’s
14

investment advisor. The officers of the Trust manage its day-to-day operations and are responsible to the Trust’s Board of Trustees. The following is a list of the Trustees and executive officers of the Trust and a statement of their present positions and principal occupations during the past five years, the number of portfolios each Trustee oversees and the other directorships they have held during the past five years, if applicable. Each Trustee has been elected for an indefinite term. The officers of the Trust serve indefinite terms. Each Trustee, except for James A. Bowen, is an Independent Trustee. Mr. Bowen is deemed an “interested person” (as that term is defined in the 1940 Act) (“Interested Trustee”) of the Trust due to his position as Chief Executive Officer of First Trust, investment advisor to the Funds.
Name, Address
and Date of Birth
Position
and Offices
with Trust
Term of
Office and
Year First
Elected or
Appointed
Principal Occupations
During Past 5 Years
Number of
Portfolios
in the First
Trust Fund
Complex
Overseen
by Trustee
Other
Trusteeships or
Directorships
Held by
Trustee
During the
Past 5 Years
TRUSTEE WHO IS AN INTERESTED PERSON OF THE TRUST
James A. Bowen (1)
120 East Liberty Drive,
Suite 400
Wheaton, IL 60187
D.O.B.: 09/55
Chairman of the Board and Trustee • Indefinite term
• Since inception
Chief Executive Officer, First Trust Advisors L.P. and First Trust Portfolios L.P.; Chairman of the Board of Directors, BondWave LLC (Software Development Company) and Stonebridge Advisors LLC (Investment Advisor) 152 Portfolios None
INDEPENDENT TRUSTEES
Richard E. Erickson
c/o First Trust Advisors L.P.
120 East Liberty Drive,
Suite 400
Wheaton, IL 60187
D.O.B.: 04/51
Trustee • Indefinite term
• Since inception
Physician; Officer, Wheaton Orthopedics; Limited Partner, Gundersen Real Estate Limited Partnership (June 1992 to December 2016); Member, Sportsmed LLC (April 2007 to November 2015) 152 Portfolios None
Thomas R. Kadlec
c/o First Trust Advisors L.P.
120 East Liberty Drive,
Suite 400
Wheaton, IL 60187
D.O.B.: 11/57
Trustee • Indefinite term
• Since inception
President, ADM Investor Services, Inc. (Futures Commission Merchant) 152 Portfolios Director of ADM Investor Services, Inc., ADM Investor Services International, Futures Industry Association, and National Futures Association
Robert F. Keith
c/o First Trust Advisors L.P.
120 East Liberty Drive,
Suite 400
Wheaton, IL 60187
D.O.B.: 11/56
Trustee • Indefinite term
• Since inception
President, Hibs Enterprises (Financial and Management Consulting) 152 Portfolios Director of Trust Company of Illinois
Niel B. Nielson
c/o First Trust Advisors L.P.
120 East Liberty Drive,
Suite 400
Wheaton, IL 60187
D.O.B.: 03/54
Trustee • Indefinite term
• Since inception
Managing Director and Chief Operating Officer (January 2015 to present), Pelita Harapan Educational Foundation (Educational Products and Services); President and Chief Executive Officer (June 2012 to September 2014), Servant Interactive LLC (Educational Products and Services); President and Chief Executive Officer (June 2012 to September 2014), Dew Learning LLC (Educational Products and Services); President (June 2002 to June 2012), Covenant College 152 Portfolios Director of Covenant Transport Inc.
(May 2003 to May 2014)
OFFICERS OF THE TRUST
James M. Dykas
120 East Liberty Drive,
Suite 400
Wheaton, IL 60187
D.O.B.: 01/66
President and Chief Executive Officer • Indefinite term
• Since January 2016
Managing Director and Chief Financial Officer (January 2016 to present), Controller (January 2011 to January 2016), Senior Vice President (April 2007 to January 2016), First Trust Advisors L.P. and First Trust Portfolios L.P., Chief Financial Officer Bondwave LLC (Software Development Company) (January 2016 to present) and Stonebridge Advisors LLC (Investment Advisor) (January 2016 to present) N/A N/A
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Name, Address
and Date of Birth
Position
and Offices
with Trust
Term of
Office and
Year First
Elected or
Appointed
Principal Occupations
During Past 5 Years
Number of
Portfolios
in the First
Trust Fund
Complex
Overseen
by Trustee
Other
Trusteeships or
Directorships
Held by
Trustee
During the
Past 5 Years
OFFICERS OF THE TRUST
W. Scott Jardine
120 East Liberty Drive,
Suite 400
Wheaton, IL 60187
D.O.B.: 05/60
Secretary and Chief Legal Officer • Indefinite term
• Since inception
General Counsel, First Trust Advisors L.P. and First Trust Portfolios L.P.; Secretary and General Counsel, BondWave LLC (Software Development Company) and Secretary, Stonebridge Advisors LLC (Investment Advisor) N/A N/A
Daniel J. Lindquist
120 East Liberty Drive,
Suite 400
Wheaton, IL 60187
D.O.B.: 02/70
Vice President • Indefinite term
• Since inception
Managing Director, First Trust Advisors L.P. and First Trust Portfolios L.P. N/A N/A
Kristi A. Maher
120 East Liberty Drive,
Suite 400
Wheaton, IL 60187
D.O.B.: 12/66
Chief Compliance Officer and Assistant Secretary • Indefinite term
• CCO since January 2011, Assistant Secretary since Inception
Deputy General Counsel, First Trust Advisors L.P. and First Trust Portfolios L.P. N/A N/A
Donald P. Swade
120 E. Liberty Drive
Suite 400
Wheaton, IL 60187
D.O.B.: 08/72
Treasurer, Chief Financial Officer and Chief Accounting Officer • Indefinite term
• Since January 2016
Senior Vice President (July 2016 to Present), Vice President (April 2012 to July 2016), First Trust Advisors L.P. and First Trust Portfolios L.P. N/A N/A
Roger F. Testin
120 East Liberty Drive,
Suite 400
Wheaton, IL 60187
D.O.B.: 06/66
Vice President • Indefinite term
• Since inception
Senior Vice President, First Trust Advisors L.P. and First Trust Portfolios L.P. N/A N/A
Stan Ueland
120 East Liberty Drive,
Suite 400
Wheaton, IL 60187
D.O.B.: 11/70
Vice President • Indefinite term
• Since inception
Senior Vice President, First Trust Advisors L.P. and First Trust Portfolios L.P. N/A N/A
(1) Mr. Bowen is deemed an “interested person” of the Trust due to his position as Chief Executive Officer of First Trust, investment advisor of the Funds.
Unitary Board Leadership Structure
Each Trustee serves as a trustee of all open-end and closed-end funds in the First Trust Fund Complex (as defined below), which is known as a “unitary” board leadership structure. Each Trustee currently serves as a trustee of First Trust Series Fund and First Trust Variable Insurance Trust, open-end funds with seven portfolios advised by First Trust; First Trust Senior Floating Rate Income Fund II, Macquarie/First Trust Global Infrastructure/Utilities Dividend & Income Fund, First Trust Energy Income and Growth Fund, First Trust Enhanced Equity Income Fund, First Trust/Aberdeen Global Opportunity Income Fund, First Trust Mortgage Income Fund, First Trust Strategic High Income Fund II, First Trust/Aberdeen Emerging Opportunity Fund, First Trust Specialty Finance and Financial Opportunities Fund, First Trust High Income Long/Short Fund, First Trust Energy Infrastructure Fund, First Trust MLP and Energy Income Fund, First Trust Intermediate Duration Preferred & Income Fund, First Trust Dynamic Europe Equity Income Fund, First Trust New Opportunities MLP & Energy Fund and First Trust Senior Floating Rate 2022 Target Term Fund, closed-end funds advised by First Trust; and First Trust Exchange-Traded Fund, First Trust Exchange-Traded Fund II, First Trust Exchange-Traded Fund III, First Trust Exchange-Traded Fund IV, First Trust Exchange-Traded Fund V, First Trust Exchange-Traded Fund VI, First Trust Exchange-Traded Fund VII, First Trust Exchange-Traded Fund VIII, First Trust Exchange-Traded AlphaDEX® Fund and First Trust Exchange-Traded AlphaDEX® Fund II, exchange-traded funds with 129 portfolios advised by First Trust (each a “First Trust Fund” and collectively, the “First Trust Fund Complex”). None of the Trustees who are not “interested persons” of the Trust, nor any of their immediate family members, has ever been a director, officer or employee of, or consultant to, First Trust, First Trust Portfolios L.P. or their affiliates.
The management of the Funds, including general supervision of the duties performed for the Funds under the investment management agreement between the Trust, on behalf of the Funds, and the Advisor, is the responsibility of the Board of Trustees.
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The Trustees of the Trust set broad policies for the Funds, choose the Trust’s officers and hire the Funds' investment advisor and other service providers. The officers of the Trust manage the day-to-day operations and are responsible to the Trust’s Board. The Trust’s Board is composed of four Independent Trustees and one Interested Trustee. The Interested Trustee, James A. Bowen, serves as the Chairman of the Board for each fund in the First Trust Fund Complex.
The same five persons serve as Trustees on the Trust’s Board and on the Boards of all other First Trust Funds. The unitary board structure was adopted for the First Trust Funds because of the efficiencies it achieves with respect to the governance and oversight of the First Trust Funds. Each First Trust Fund is subject to the rules and regulations of the 1940 Act (and other applicable securities laws), which means that many of the First Trust Funds face similar issues with respect to certain of their fundamental activities, including risk management, portfolio liquidity, portfolio valuation and financial reporting. Because of the similar and often overlapping issues facing the First Trust Funds, including among the First Trust exchange-traded funds, the Board of the First Trust Funds believes that maintaining a unitary board structure promotes efficiency and consistency in the governance and oversight of all First Trust Funds and reduces the costs, administrative burdens and possible conflicts that may result from having multiple boards. In adopting a unitary board structure, the Trustees seek to provide effective governance through establishing a board the overall composition of which will, as a body, possess the appropriate skills, diversity, independence and experience to oversee the Funds' business.
Annually, the Board reviews its governance structure and the committee structures, their performance and functions, and it reviews any processes that would enhance Board governance over the Funds' business. The Board has determined that its leadership structure, including the unitary board and committee structure, is appropriate based on the characteristics of the funds it serves and the characteristics of the First Trust Fund Complex as a whole.
In order to streamline communication between the Advisor and the Independent Trustees and create certain efficiencies, the Board has a Lead Independent Trustee who is responsible for: (i) coordinating activities of the Independent Trustees; (ii) working with the Advisor, Fund counsel and the independent legal counsel to the Independent Trustees to determine the agenda for Board meetings; (iii) serving as the principal contact for and facilitating communication between the Independent Trustees and the Funds' service providers, particularly the Advisor; and (iv) any other duties that the Independent Trustees may delegate to the Lead Independent Trustee. The Lead Independent Trustee is selected by the Independent Trustees and serves a three-year term or until his or her successor is selected.
The Board has established four standing committees (as described below) and has delegated certain of its responsibilities to those committees. The Board and its committees meet frequently throughout the year to oversee the Funds' activities, review contractual arrangements with and performance of service providers, oversee compliance with regulatory requirements and review Fund performance. The Independent Trustees are represented by independent legal counsel at all Board and committee meetings (other than meetings of the Executive Committee). Generally, the Board acts by majority vote of all the Trustees, including a majority vote of the Independent Trustees if required by applicable law.
The three Committee Chairmen and the Lead Independent Trustee rotate every three years in serving as Chairman of the Audit Committee, the Nominating and Governance Committee or the Valuation Committee, or as Lead Independent Trustee. The Lead Independent Trustee and immediate past Lead Independent Trustee also serve on the Executive Committee with the Interested Trustee.
The four standing committees of the First Trust Fund Complex are: the Executive Committee (and Pricing and Dividend Committee), the Nominating and Governance Committee, the Valuation Committee and the Audit Committee. The Executive Committee, which meets between Board meetings, is authorized to exercise all powers of and to act in the place of the Board of Trustees to the extent permitted by the Trust’s Declaration of Trust and By Laws. Such Committee is also responsible for the declaration and setting of dividends. Mr. Kadlec, Mr. Bowen and Mr. Erickson are members of the Executive Committee. During the last fiscal year, the Executive Committee held twelve meetings.
The Nominating and Governance Committee is responsible for appointing and nominating non-interested persons to the Trust’s Board of Trustees. Messrs. Erickson, Kadlec, Keith and Nielson are members of the Nominating and Governance Committee. If there is no vacancy on the Board of Trustees, the Board will not actively seek recommendations from other parties, including shareholders. The Board of Trustees adopted a mandatory retirement age of 75 for Trustees, beyond which age Trustees are ineligible to serve. The Committee will not consider new trustee candidates who are 72 years of age or older. When a vacancy on the Board of Trustees occurs and nominations are sought to fill such vacancy, the Nominating and Governance Committee may seek nominations from those sources it deems appropriate in its discretion, including shareholders of the applicable Funds. To submit a recommendation for nomination as a candidate for a position on the Board of Trustees, shareholders of the applicable Funds should mail such recommendation to W. Scott Jardine, Secretary, at the Trust’s address, 120 East
17

Liberty Drive, Suite 400, Wheaton, Illinois 60187. Such recommendation shall include the following information: (i) evidence of Fund ownership of the person or entity recommending the candidate (if a Fund shareholder); (ii) a full description of the proposed candidate’s background, including education, experience, current employment and date of birth; (iii) names and addresses of at least three professional references for the candidate; (iv) information as to whether the candidate is an “interested person” in relation to the Funds, as such term is defined in the 1940 Act, and such other information that may be considered to impair the candidate’s independence; and (v) any other information that may be helpful to the Committee in evaluating the candidate. If a recommendation is received with satisfactorily completed information regarding a candidate during a time when a vacancy exists on the Board or during such other time as the Nominating and Governance Committee is accepting recommendations, the recommendation will be forwarded to the Chairman of the Nominating and Governance Committee and to counsel to the Independent Trustees. Recommendations received at any other time will be kept on file until such time as the Nominating and Governance Committee is accepting recommendations, at which point they may be considered for nomination. During the last fiscal year, the Nominating and Governance Committee held four meetings.
The Valuation Committee is responsible for the oversight of the valuation procedures of the Funds (the "Valuation Procedures"), for determining the fair value of the Funds' securities or other assets under certain circumstances as described in the Valuation Procedures and for evaluating the performance of any pricing service for the Funds. Messrs. Erickson, Kadlec, Keith and Nielson are members of the Valuation Committee. During the last fiscal year, the Valuation Committee held four meetings.
The Audit Committee is responsible for overseeing each Fund’s accounting and financial reporting process, the system of internal controls and audit process and for evaluating and appointing independent auditors (subject also to Board approval). Messrs. Erickson, Kadlec, Keith and Nielson serve on the Audit Committee. During the last fiscal year, the Audit Committee held four meetings.
Executive Officers
The executive officers of the Trust hold the same positions with each fund in the First Trust Fund Complex (representing 152 portfolios) as they hold with the Trust.
Risk Oversight
As part of the general oversight of the Funds, the Board is involved in the risk oversight of the Funds. The Board has adopted and periodically reviews policies and procedures designed to address each Fund’s risks. Oversight of investment and compliance risk is performed primarily at the Board level in conjunction with the Advisor’s investment oversight group and the Trust’s Chief Compliance Officer (“CCO”). Oversight of other risks also occurs at the committee level. The Advisor’s investment oversight group reports to the Board at quarterly meetings regarding, among other things, Fund performance and the various drivers of such performance. The Board reviews reports on the Funds' and the service providers’ compliance policies and procedures at each quarterly Board meeting and receives an annual report from the CCO regarding the operations of the Funds' and the service providers’ compliance program. In addition, the Independent Trustees meet privately each quarter with the CCO. The Audit Committee reviews with the Advisor each Fund’s major financial risk exposures and the steps the Advisor has taken to monitor and control these exposures, including each Fund’s risk assessment and risk management policies and guidelines. The Audit Committee also, as appropriate, reviews in a general manner the processes other Board committees have in place with respect to risk assessment and risk management. The Nominating and Governance Committee monitors all matters related to the corporate governance of the Trust. The Valuation Committee monitors valuation risk and compliance with the Funds' Valuation Procedures and oversees the pricing services and actions by the Advisor’s Pricing Committee with respect to the valuation of portfolio securities.
Not all risks that may affect the Funds can be identified nor can controls be developed to eliminate or mitigate their occurrence or effects. It may not be practical or cost effective to eliminate or mitigate certain risks, the processes and controls employed to address certain risks may be limited in their effectiveness, and some risks are simply beyond the reasonable control of the Funds or the Advisor or other service providers. For instance, as the use of Internet technology has become more prevalent, the Funds and their service providers have become more susceptible to potential operational risks through breaches in cyber security (generally, intentional and unintentional events that may cause a Fund or a service provider to lose proprietary information, suffer data corruption or lose operational capacity). There can be no guarantee that any risk management systems established by the Funds, their service providers, or issuers of the securities in which the Funds invest to reduce cyber security risks will succeed, and the Funds cannot control such systems put in place by service providers, issuers or other third parties whose operations may affect the Funds and/or their shareholders. Moreover, it is necessary to bear certain risks (such
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as investment related risks) to achieve a Fund’s goals. As a result of the foregoing and other factors, the Funds’ ability to manage risk is subject to substantial limitations.
Board Diversification and Trustee Qualifications
As described above, the Nominating and Governance Committee of the Board oversees matters related to the nomination of Trustees. The Nominating and Governance Committee seeks to establish an effective Board with an appropriate range of skills and diversity, including, as appropriate, differences in background, professional experience, education, vocation, and other individual characteristics and traits in the aggregate. Each Trustee must meet certain basic requirements, including relevant skills and experience, time availability and, if qualifying as an Independent Trustee, independence from the Advisor, underwriters or other service providers, including any affiliates of these entities.
Listed below for each current Trustee are the experiences, qualifications and attributes that led to the conclusion, as of the date of this SAI, that each current Trustee should serve as a Trustee in light of the Trust’s business and structure.
Richard E. Erickson, M.D., is an orthopedic surgeon. He also has been President of Wheaton Orthopedics, a co-owner and director of a fitness center and a limited partner of two real estate companies. Dr. Erickson has served as a Trustee of each First Trust Fund since its inception. Dr. Erickson has also served as the Lead Independent Trustee and on the Executive Committee (20082009), Chairman of the Nominating and Governance Committee (20032007 and 20142016), Chairman of the Audit Committee (20122013) and Chairman of the Valuation Committee (June 20062007 and 20102011) of the First Trust Funds. He currently serves as Lead Independent Trustee and on the Executive Committee (since January 1, 2017) of the First Trust Funds.
Thomas R. Kadlec is President of ADM Investor Services Inc. (“ADMIS”), a futures commission merchant and wholly-owned subsidiary of the Archer Daniels Midland Company (“ADM”). Mr. Kadlec has been employed by ADMIS and its affiliates since 1990 in various accounting, financial, operations and risk management capacities. Mr. Kadlec serves on the boards of several international affiliates of ADMIS and is a member of ADM’s Integrated Risk Committee, which is tasked with the duty of implementing and communicating enterprise-wide risk management. In 2014, Mr. Kadlec was elected to the board of the Futures Industry Association. In 2017, Mr. Kadlec was elected to the board of the National Futures Association. Mr. Kadlec has served as a Trustee of each First Trust Fund since its inception. Mr. Kadlec also served on the Executive Committee from the organization of the first First Trust closed-end fund in 2003 until he was elected as the first Lead Independent Trustee in December 2005, serving as such through 2007 (and 20142016). He also served as Chairman of the Valuation Committee (20082009), Chairman of the Audit Committee (20102011) and Chairman of the Nominating and Governance Committee (20122013). He currently serves as Chairman of the Valuation Committee and on the Executive Committee (since January 1, 2017) of the First Trust Funds.
Robert F. Keith is President of Hibs Enterprises, a financial and management consulting firm. Mr. Keith has been with Hibs Enterprises since 2003. Prior thereto, Mr. Keith spent 18 years with ServiceMaster and Aramark, including three years as President and COO of ServiceMaster Consumer Services, where he led the initial expansion of certain products overseas; five years as President and COO of ServiceMaster Management Services; and two years as President of Aramark ServiceMaster Management Services. Mr. Keith is a certified public accountant and also has held the positions of Treasurer and Chief Financial Officer of ServiceMaster, at which time he oversaw the financial aspects of ServiceMaster’s expansion of its Management Services division into Europe, the Middle East and Asia. Mr. Keith has served as a Trustee of the First Trust Funds since June 2006. Mr. Keith has also served as the Chairman of the Audit Committee (20082009) and Chairman of the Nominating and Governance Committee (20102011) and Chairman of the Valuation Committee (20142016) of the First Trust Funds. He served as Lead Independent Trustee and on the Executive Committee (20122016) and currently serves as Chairman of the Audit Committee (since January 1, 2017) of the First Trust Funds.
Niel B. Nielson, Ph.D., has been the Managing Director and Chief Operating Officer of Pelita Harapan Educational Foundation, a global provider of educational products and services since January 2015. Mr. Nielson formerly served as the President and Chief Executive Officer of Dew Learning LLC from June 2012 through September 2014. Mr. Nielson formerly served as President of Covenant College (20022012), and as a partner and trader (of options and futures contracts for hedging options) for Ritchie Capital Markets Group (19961997), where he held an administrative management position at this proprietary derivatives trading company. He also held prior positions in new business development for ServiceMaster Management Services Company and in personnel and human resources for NationsBank of North Carolina, N.A. and Chicago Research and Trading Group, Ltd. (“CRT”). His international experience includes serving as a director of CRT Europe, Inc. for two years, directing out of London all aspects of business conducted by the U.K. and European subsidiary of CRT. Prior to that, Mr. Nielson was a trader and manager at CRT in Chicago. Mr. Nielson has served as a Trustee of each First Trust Fund since its inception and of the First Trust Funds
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since 1999. Mr. Nielson has also served as the Chairman of the Audit Committee (20032006 and 20142016), Chairman of the Valuation Committee (20072008), Chairman of the Nominating and Governance Committee (20082009) and Lead Independent Trustee and a member of the Executive Committee (20102011). He currently serves as Chairman of the Nominating and Governance Committee (since January 1, 2017) of the First Trust Funds.
James A. Bowen is Chief Executive Officer of First Trust Advisors L.P. and First Trust Portfolios L.P. Mr. Bowen is involved in the day-to-day management of the First Trust Funds and serves on the Executive Committee. He has over 26 years of experience in the investment company business in sales, sales management and executive management. Mr. Bowen has served as a Trustee of each First Trust Fund since its inception and of the First Trust Funds since 1999.
Effective January 1, 2016, the fixed annual retainer paid to the Independent Trustees is $230,000 per year and an annual per fund fee of $2,500 for each closed-end fund and actively managed fund and $250 for each index fund. The fixed annual retainer is allocated equally among each fund in the First Trust Fund Complex rather than being allocated pro rata based on each fund’s net assets. Additionally, the Lead Independent Trustee is paid $30,000 annually, the Chairman of the Audit Committee or Valuation Committee are each paid $20,000 annually and the Chairman of the Nominating and Governance Committee is paid $10,000 annually to serve in such capacities with compensation allocated pro rata among each fund in the First Trust Fund Complex based on its net assets.
The following table sets forth the compensation (including reimbursement for travel and out-of-pocket expenses) paid by the Funds and the First Trust Fund Complex to each of the Independent Trustees for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2017 and the calendar year ended December 31, 2017, respectively. The Trust has no retirement or pension plans. The officers and Trustee who are “interested persons” as designated above serve without any compensation from the Trust. The Trust has no employees. Its officers are compensated by First Trust.
Name of Trustee Total Compensation from
the Funds (1)
Total Compensation from
the First Trust Fund Complex (2)
Richard E. Erickson $19,649 $414,011
Thomas R. Kadlec $19,314 $403,267
Robert F. Keith $19,143 $403,163
Niel B. Nielson $18,284 $392,987
(1) The compensation paid by the Funds to the Independent Trustees for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2017 for services to the Funds.
(2) The total compensation paid to the Independent Trustees for the calendar year ended December 31, 2017 for services to the 151 portfolios existing in 2017, which consisted of 7 open-end mutual funds, 16 closed-end funds and 128 exchange-traded funds.
The following table sets forth the dollar range of equity securities beneficially owned by the Trustees in the Funds and in other funds overseen by the Trustees in the First Trust Fund Complex as of December 31, 2017:
Dollar Range of Equity Securities in the Funds
  Interested Trustee Independent Trustees
Fund James A. Bowen Richard E. Erickson Thomas R. Kadlec Robert F. Keith Niel B. Nielson
First Trust Dorsey Wright Focus 5
ETF
Over $100,000 None None None None
Aggregate Dollar Range of
Equity Securities in All
Registered Investment
Companies Overseen by
Trustee in the First Trust
Fund Complex
Over $100,000 Over $100,000 Over $100,000 Over $100,000 Over $100,000
As of December 31, 2017, the Independent Trustees of the Trust and their immediate family members did not own beneficially or of record any class of securities of an investment advisor or principal underwriter of the Funds or any person directly or indirectly controlling, controlled by or under common control with an investment advisor or principal underwriter of the Funds.
As of December 31, 2017, the officers and Trustees, in the aggregate, owned less than 1% of the shares of each Fund.
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The table set forth in Exhibit A shows the percentage ownership of each person or “group” (as that term is used in Section 13(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “1934 Act”)) who, as of December 31, 2017, owned of record, or is known by the Trust to have owned of record or beneficially, 5% or more of the shares of a Fund (the “Principal Holders”). A control person is one who owns, either directly or indirectly, more than 25% of the voting securities of a Fund or acknowledges the existence of control. A party that controls a Fund may be able to significantly influence the outcome of any item presented to shareholders for approval.
Information as to the Principal Holders is based on the securities position listing reports as of December 31, 2017. The Funds do not have any knowledge of who the ultimate beneficiaries are of the shares.
Investment Advisor. First Trust, 120 East Liberty Drive, Suite 400, Wheaton, Illinois 60187, is the investment advisor to the Funds. First Trust is a limited partnership with one limited partner, Grace Partners of DuPage L.P., and one general partner, The Charger Corporation. Grace Partners of DuPage L.P. is a limited partnership with one general partner, The Charger Corporation, and a number of limited partners. The Charger Corporation is an Illinois corporation controlled by James A. Bowen, the Chief Executive Officer of First Trust. First Trust discharges its responsibilities to the Funds subject to the policies of the Board of Trustees.
First Trust provides investment tools and portfolios for advisors and investors. First Trust is committed to theoretically sound portfolio construction and empirically verifiable investment management approaches. Its asset management philosophy and investment discipline are deeply rooted in the application of intuitive factor analysis and model implementation to enhance investment decisions.
First Trust acts as investment advisor for and manages the investment and reinvestment of the assets of the Funds. First Trust also administers the Trust’s business affairs, provides office facilities and equipment and certain clerical, bookkeeping and administrative services, and permits any of its officers or employees to serve without compensation as Trustees or officers of the Trust if elected to such positions.
Pursuant to investment management agreements between First Trust and the Trust (“Investment Management Agreements”), First Trust will manage the investment of the Funds’ assets and will be responsible for paying all expenses of the Funds, excluding the fee payments under each Investment Management Agreement, interest, taxes, brokerage commissions and other expenses connected with the execution of portfolio transactions, distribution and service fees payable pursuant to a Rule 12b-1 plan, if any, and extraordinary expenses.
First Trust provides fund reporting services to the Funds for a flat annual fee in the amount of $9,250 per Fund, which is included in the annual management fee. Each Fund has agreed to pay an annual unitary management fee in the amounts set forth below.
Fund Annual Unitary Management Fee
First Trust Dorsey Wright Dynamic Focus 5 ETF 0.30% of average daily net assets
First Trust Dorsey Wright Focus 5 ETF 0.30% of average daily net assets
First Trust Dorsey Wright International Focus 5 ETF 0.30% of average daily net assets
First Trust Rising Dividend Achievers ETF 0.50% of average daily net assets
First Trust NASDAQ Technology Dividend Index Fund 0.50% of average daily net assets
First Trust RBA American Industrial Renaissance® ETF 0.70% of average daily net assets
First Trust RBA Quality Income ETF 0.70% of average daily net assets
International Multi-Asset Diversified Income Index Fund 0.70% of average daily net assets
Multi-Asset Diversified Income Index Fund 0.60% of average daily net assets
Pursuant to a contractual agreement between the Trust, on behalf of the Multi-Asset Diversified Income Index Fund, and First Trust, the management fees paid by the Multi-Asset Diversified Income Index Fund to First Trust will be reduced by the proportional amount of the management fees earned by the Fund on assets invested in other investment companies advised by First Trust. This contractual agreement shall continue until the earliest of (i) January 31, 2019, (ii) its termination at the direction of the Trust’s Board of Trustees or (iii) upon the termination of the Investment Management Agreement by and between the Multi-Asset Diversified Income Index Fund, the Trust and First Trust.
Under the Investment Management Agreements, First Trust shall not be liable for any loss sustained by reason of the purchase, sale or retention of any security, whether or not such purchase, sale or retention shall have been based upon the
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investigation and research made by any other individual, firm or corporation, if such recommendation shall have been selected with due care and in good faith, except loss resulting from willful misfeasance, bad faith, or gross negligence on the part of First Trust in the performance of its obligations and duties, or by reason of its reckless disregard of its obligations and duties. The Investment Management Agreements terminate automatically upon assignment and is terminable at any time without penalty as to a Fund by the Board of Trustees, including a majority of the Independent Trustees, or by vote of the holders of a majority of the Fund’s outstanding voting securities on 60 days’ written notice to First Trust, or by First Trust on 60 days’ written notice to the Fund.
The following tables set forth the unitary management fees (net of fee waivers and expense reimbursements, where applicable), paid by each Fund and the fees waived and expenses reimbursed by First Trust for the specified periods.
  Amount of Unitary Fees
Amount of Fees Waived By First Trust
Fund Fiscal Year Ended September 30, Fiscal Year Ended September 30,
2017 2016 2015 2017 2016 2015
First Trust Dorsey Wright Focus 5 ETF $7,723,442 $11,020,738 $7,735,248 N/A N/A N/A
First Trust Dorsey Wright International Focus 5 ETF $1,634,843 $1,594,255 $1,116,410 N/A N/A N/A
First Trust NASDAQ Technology Dividend Index Fund $3,347,669 $2,436,796 $3,377,354 N/A N/A N/A
First Trust RBA American Industrial Renaissance® ETF $1,057,920 $216,569 $559,701 N/A N/A N/A
First Trust RBA Quality Income ETF $181,704 $89,457 $63,974 N/A N/A N/A
First Trust Rising Dividend Achievers ETF $706,482 $133,922 $92,382 N/A N/A N/A
International Multi-Asset Diversified Income Index Fund $72,421 $96,027 $102,496 N/A N/A N/A
Multi-Asset Diversified Income Index Fund $5,214,843 $4,934,770 $4,842,061 $1,042,900 $953,425 $954,750
Amount of Unitary Fees

Fund Inception Date Fiscal Year Ended
September 30,
2017
Fiscal Period Ended
September 30,
2016
First Trust Dorsey Wright Dynamic Focus 5 ETF March 17, 2016 $859,233 $208,066
Investment Committee.    The Investment Committee of First Trust (the “Investment Committee”) is primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Funds.  There are currently six members of the Investment Committee, as follows:
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Name Position with
First Trust
Length of Service
with First Trust
Principal Occupation During Past Five Years
Daniel J. Lindquist Chairman of the
Investment Committee
and Managing Director
Since 2004 Managing Director (2012 to present), Senior Vice
President (2005 to 2012), First Trust Advisors L.P.
and First Trust Portfolios L.P.
Jon C. Erickson Senior Vice President Since 1994 Senior Vice President, First Trust Advisors L.P. and
First Trust Portfolios L.P.
David G. McGarel Chief Operating Officer,
Chief Investment Officer
and Managing Director
Since 1997 Chief Operating Officer (2016 to present)
Chief Investment Officer (2012 to present), Managing
Director (2012 to present), Senior Vice President
(2005 to 2012), First Trust Advisors L.P.
and First Trust Portfolios L.P.
Roger F. Testin Senior Vice President Since 2001 Senior Vice President, First Trust Advisors L.P. and
First Trust Portfolios L.P.
Stan Ueland Senior Vice President Since 2005 Senior Vice President (2012 to present), Vice
President (2005 to 2012), First Trust
Advisors L.P. and First Trust Portfolios L.P.
Chris A. Peterson Senior Vice President Since 2000 Senior Vice President, First Trust Advisors L.P. and
First Trust Portfolios L.P.
Daniel J. Lindquist:  Mr. Lindquist is Chairman of the Investment Committee and presides over Investment Committee meetings. Mr. Lindquist is also responsible for overseeing the implementation of the Funds' investment strategies.
As of September 30, 2017, Mr. Lindquist owned 600 shares ($10,001-$50,000) of First Trust Dorsey Wright Dynamic Focus 5 ETF and 600 shares ($10,001-$50,000) of First Trust Dorsey Wright International Focus 5 ETF.
Jon C. Erickson:  As the head of First Trust’s Equity Research Group, Mr. Erickson is responsible for determining the securities to be purchased and sold by funds that do not utilize quantitative investment strategies.
David G. McGarel:  As First Trust's Chief Investment Officer, Mr. McGarel consults with the Investment Committee on market conditions and First Trust's general investment philosophy. As Chief Operating Officer, Mr. McGarel is responsible for First Trust and FTP operations, including information systems, trust administration and First Trust administration.
Roger F. Testin:  As head of First Trust’s Portfolio Management Group, Mr. Testin is responsible for executing the instructions of the Strategy Research Group and Equity Research Group.
Stan Ueland:  Mr. Ueland executes the investment strategies of each of the Funds.
As of September 30, 2017, Mr. Ueland owned 100 shares ($1-$10,000) of First Trust Dorsey Wright Dynamic Focus 5 ETF.
Chris A. Peterson:  Mr. Peterson is a Senior Vice President and head of the strategy research group at First Trust. Mr. Peterson is responsible for developing and implementing quantitative equity investment strategies.
Compensation.    The compensation structure for each member of the Investment Committee is based upon a fixed salary as well as a discretionary bonus determined by the management of First Trust.  Salaries are determined by management and are based upon an individual’s position and overall value to the firm.  Bonuses are also determined by management and are based upon an individual’s overall contribution to the success of the firm and the profitability of the firm.  Salaries and bonuses for members of the Investment Committee are not based upon criteria such as performance of the Funds or the value of assets included in the Funds’ portfolios.  In addition, Mr. Lindquist, Mr. Erickson, Mr. McGarel, Mr. Ueland and Mr. Peterson also have an indirect ownership stake in the firm and will therefore receive their allocable share of ownership-related distributions.
The Investment Committee manages the investment vehicles (other than the Funds of the Trust) with the number of accounts and assets, as of the fiscal year ended September 30, 2017, set forth in the table below:
Accounts Managed by Investment Committee
Investment Committee Member Registered
Investment Companies
Number of Accounts
($ Assets)
Other Pooled
Investment Vehicles
Number of Accounts
($ Assets)
Other Accounts
Number of Accounts
($ Assets)
Daniel J. Lindquist 93 ($36,303,130,787) 31 ($793,377,673) 1,673 ($584,110,989)
Jon C. Erickson 93 ($36,303,130,787) 31 ($793,377,673) 1,673 ($584,110,989)
David G. McGarel 93 ($36,303,130,787) 31 ($793,377,673) 1,673 ($584,110,989)
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Investment Committee Member Registered
Investment Companies
Number of Accounts
($ Assets)
Other Pooled
Investment Vehicles
Number of Accounts
($ Assets)
Other Accounts
Number of Accounts
($ Assets)
Roger F. Testin 93 ($36,303,130,787) 31 ($793,377,673) 1,673 ($584,110,989)
Stan Ueland 87 ($35,491,693,086) 30 ($741,988,910) N/A
Chris A. Peterson 93 ($36,303,130,787) 12 ($395,641,339) 1,673 ($584,110,989)
Conflicts.    None of the accounts managed by the Investment Committee pay an advisory fee that is based upon the performance of the account. In addition, First Trust believes that there are no material conflicts of interest that may arise in connection with the Investment Committee's management of the Funds' investments and the investments of the other accounts managed by the Investment Committee. However, because the investment strategy of the Funds and the investment strategies of many of the other accounts managed by the Investment Committee are based on fairly mechanical investment processes, the Investment Committee may recommend that certain clients sell and other clients buy a given security at the same time. In addition, because the investment strategies of the Funds and other accounts managed by the Investment Committee generally result in the clients investing in readily available securities, First Trust believes that there should not be material conflicts in the allocation of investment opportunities between the Funds and other accounts managed by the Investment Committee.
Brokerage Allocations
First Trust is responsible for decisions to buy and sell securities for the Funds and for the placement of the Funds' securities business, the negotiation of the commissions to be paid on brokered transactions, the prices for principal trades in securities, and the allocation of portfolio brokerage and principal business. It is the policy of First Trust to seek the best execution at the best security price available with respect to each transaction, and with respect to brokered transactions in light of the overall quality of brokerage and research services provided to First Trust and its clients. The best price to a Fund means the best net price without regard to the mix between purchase or sale price and commission, if any. Purchases may be made from underwriters, dealers and, on occasion, the issuers. Commissions will be paid on a Fund's futures and options transactions, if any. The purchase price of portfolio securities purchased from an underwriter or dealer may include underwriting commissions and dealer spreads. The Funds may pay markups on principal transactions. In selecting broker-dealers and in negotiating commissions, First Trust considers, among other things, the firm’s reliability, the quality of its execution services on a continuing basis and its financial condition. Fund portfolio transactions may be effected with broker-dealers who have assisted investors in the purchase of shares.
Section 28(e) of the 1934 Act, permits an investment advisor, under certain circumstances, to cause an account to pay a broker or dealer who supplies brokerage and research services a commission for effecting a transaction in excess of the amount of commission another broker or dealer would have charged for effecting the transaction. Brokerage and research services include (a) furnishing advice as to the value of securities, the advisability of investing, purchasing or selling securities, and the availability of securities or purchasers or sellers of securities; (b) furnishing analyses and reports concerning issuers, industries, securities, economic factors and trends, portfolio strategy and the performance of accounts; and (c) effecting securities transactions and performing functions incidental thereto (such as clearance, settlement and custody). Such brokerage and research services are often referred to as “soft dollars.”  First Trust has advised the Board of Trustees that it does not currently intend to use soft dollars.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, in selecting brokers, First Trust may in the future consider investment and market information and other research, such as economic, securities and performance measurement research, provided by such brokers, and the quality and reliability of brokerage services, including execution capability, performance and financial responsibility. Accordingly, the commissions charged by any such broker may be greater than the amount another firm might charge if First Trust determines in good faith that the amount of such commissions is reasonable in relation to the value of the research information and brokerage services provided by such broker to First Trust or the Trust. In addition, First Trust must determine that the research information received in this manner provides the Funds with benefits by supplementing the research otherwise available to the Funds. The Investment Management Agreements provide that such higher commissions will not be paid by the Funds unless First Trust determines in good faith that the amount is reasonable in relation to the services provided. The investment advisory fees paid by the Funds to First Trust under the Investment Management Agreements would not be reduced as a result of receipt by First Trust of research services.
First Trust places portfolio transactions for other advisory accounts advised by it, and research services furnished by firms through which the Funds effect their securities transactions may be used by First Trust in servicing all of its accounts;
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not all of such services may be used by First Trust in connection with the Funds. First Trust believes it is not possible to measure separately the benefits from research services to each of the accounts (including the Funds) advised by it. Because the volume and nature of the trading activities of the accounts are not uniform, the amount of commissions in excess of those charged by another broker paid by each account for brokerage and research services will vary. However, First Trust believes such costs to the Funds will not be disproportionate to the benefits received by the Funds on a continuing basis. First Trust seeks to allocate portfolio transactions equitably whenever concurrent decisions are made to purchase or sell securities by the Funds and another advisory account. In some cases, this procedure could have an adverse effect on the price or the amount of securities available to the Funds. In making such allocations between the Funds and other advisory accounts, the main factors considered by First Trust are the respective investment objectives, the relative size of portfolio holding of the same or comparable securities, the availability of cash for investment and the size of investment commitments generally held.
Brokerage Commissions
The following table sets forth the aggregate amount of brokerage commissions paid by each Fund for the specified periods. Any significant variations in brokerage commissions from year-to-year resulted from fluctuation in size of the Funds and rebalancing of the Indices.
Aggregate Amount of Brokerage Commissions

Fund Fiscal Year Ended September 30,
2017 2016 2015
First Trust Dorsey Wright Focus 5 ETF $1,151,183 $1,088,793 $0
First Trust Dorsey Wright International Focus 5 ETF $238,351 $239,386 $14,069
First Trust NASDAQ Technology Dividend Index Fund $233,870 $153,963 $169,979
First Trust RBA American Industrial Renaissance® ETF $60,386 $20,829 $52,666
First Trust RBA Quality Income ETF $16,145 $8,490 $7,445
First Trust Rising Dividend Achievers ETF $26,041 $9,027 $4,553
International Multi-Asset Diversified Income Index Fund $16,386 $22,547 $20,858
Multi-Asset Diversified Income Index Fund $587,715 $875,842 $790,757
    
Aggregate Amount of Brokerage Commissions

Fund Inception Date Fiscal Year Ended
September 30,
2017
Fiscal Period Ended
September 30,
2016
First Trust Dorsey Wright Dynamic Focus 5 ETF March 17, 2016 $109,277 $27,781
During the last fiscal year Multi-Asset Diversified Income Index Fund held securities of Bank of America Corporation and Merrill Lynch, each a regular broker or dealer of the Fund as defined in Rule 10b-1 under the 1940 Act. As of September 30, 2017, the Fund’s investment in each was 2.06% and 0.77% of the Fund’s net assets, respectively.
During the last fiscal year First Trust Rising Dividend Achievers ETF held securities of Bank of America Corporation and The Goldman Sachs Group, each a regular broker or dealer of the Fund as defined in Rule 10b-1 under the 1940 Act. As of September 30, 2017, the Fund’s investment in each was 2.04% and 2.07% of the Fund’s net assets, respectively.
Custodian, Administrator, Fund Accountant, Transfer Agent,
Distributor, Index Providers and Exchange
Custodian, Administrator, Fund Accountant and Transfer Agent. Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. (“BBH”), as custodian for the Funds pursuant to a Custodian Agreement, holds the Funds’ assets. Also, pursuant to an Administrative Agency Agreement, BBH provides certain administrative and accounting services to the Funds, including maintaining the Funds’ books of account, records of the Funds’ securities transactions and certain other books and records; acting as liaison with the Funds’ independent registered public accounting firm by providing such accountant with various audit-related information with respect to the Funds; and providing other continuous accounting and administrative services. BBH also serves as the Funds’ transfer agent pursuant to an Administrative Agency Agreement. BBH is located at 50 Post Office Square, Boston, Massachusetts 02110.
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Pursuant to the Administrative Agency Agreement, the Trust, on behalf of the Funds, has agreed to indemnify the administrator for certain liabilities, including certain liabilities arising under the federal securities laws, unless such loss or liability results from negligence or willful misconduct in the performance of its duties.
Pursuant to the Administrative Agency Agreement between BBH and the Trust, the Funds have agreed to pay such compensation as is mutually agreed from time to time and such out-of-pocket expenses as incurred by BBH in the performance of its duties. The Funds have not paid any fees to BBH under the Administrative Agency Agreement, as the Advisor has assumed responsibility for payment of these fees as part of the unitary management fee.
Distributor. First Trust Portfolios L.P., an affiliate of First Trust, is the distributor (“FTP” or the “Distributor”) and principal underwriter of the shares of the Funds. Its principal address is 120 East Liberty Drive, Suite 400, Wheaton, Illinois 60187. The Distributor has entered into a Distribution Agreement with the Trust pursuant to which it distributes Fund shares. Shares are continuously offered for sale by the Funds through the Distributor only in Creation Unit Aggregations, as described in the Prospectus and below under the heading “Creation and Redemption of Creation Unit Aggregations.”
For the fiscal years ended September 30, 2015, September 30, 2016 and September 30, 2017, there were no underwriting commissions with respect to the sale of Fund shares, and FTP did not receive compensation on redemptions for the Funds for those years.
12b-1 Plan. The Trust has adopted a Plan of Distribution pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act (the “Plan”) pursuant to which the Funds may reimburse the Distributor up to a maximum annual rate of 0.25% of their average daily net assets.
Under the Plan and as required by Rule 12b-1, the Trustees will receive and review after the end of each calendar quarter a written report provided by the Distributor of the amounts expended under the Plan and the purpose for which such expenditures were made. With the exception of the Distributor and its affiliates, no “interested person” of the Trust (as that term is defined in the 1940 Act) and no Trustee of the Trust has a direct or indirect financial interest in the operation of the Plan or any related agreement.
No fee is currently paid by a Fund under the Plan, and pursuant to a contractual agreement, the Funds will not pay 12b-1 fees any time before January 31, 2019.
Aggregations. Fund shares in less than Creation Unit Aggregations are not distributed by the Distributor. The Distributor will deliver the Prospectus and, upon request, this SAI to persons purchasing Creation Unit Aggregations and will maintain records of both orders placed with it and confirmations of acceptance furnished by it. The Distributor is a broker-dealer registered under the 1934 Act and a member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”).
The Distribution Agreement provides that it may be terminated at any time, without the payment of any penalty, on at least 60 days’ written notice by the Trust to the Distributor (i) by vote of a majority of the Independent Trustees or (ii) by vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities (as defined in the 1940 Act) of the Funds. The Distribution Agreement will terminate automatically in the event of its assignment (as defined in the 1940 Act).
The Distributor has entered into agreements with participants that utilize the facilities of the Depository Trust Company (the “DTC Participants”), which have international operational capabilities and place orders for Creation Unit Aggregations of Fund shares. Participating Parties (as defined in “Procedures for Creation of Creation Unit Aggregations” below) shall be DTC Participants (as defined in “DTC Acts as Securities Depository for Fund Shares” below).
Index Providers.    The respective Indices that each respective Fund seeks to track are compiled by the Index Providers as set forth below.
Fund Index Provider
First Trust Dorsey Wright Dynamic Focus 5 ETF Dorsey, Wright & Associates, LLC
First Trust Dorsey Wright Focus 5 ETF Dorsey, Wright & Associates, LLC
First Trust Dorsey Wright International Focus 5 ETF Dorsey, Wright & Associates, LLC
First Trust Rising Dividend Achievers ETF Nasdaq, Inc.
First Trust NASDAQ Technology Dividend Index Fund Nasdaq, Inc.
First Trust RBA American Industrial Renaissance® ETF Richard Bernstein Advisors, LLC
First Trust RBA Quality Income ETF Richard Bernstein Advisors, LLC
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Fund Index Provider
Multi-Asset Diversified Income Index Fund Nasdaq, Inc.
International Multi-Asset Diversified Income Index Fund Nasdaq, Inc.
The Index Providers are not affiliated with the Funds, FTP or First Trust. Each Fund is entitled to use the applicable Index pursuant to a sublicensing arrangement with First Trust, which in turn has a Product License Agreement with each Index Provider.
First Trust does not guarantee the accuracy and/or the completeness of the Indices or any data included therein, and First Trust shall have no liability for any errors, omissions or interruptions therein. First Trust makes no warranty, express or implied, as to results to be obtained by the Funds, owners of the shares of the Funds or any other person or entity from the use of the Indices or any data included therein. First Trust makes no express or implied warranties, and expressly disclaims all warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose or use with respect to the Indices or any data included therein. Without limiting any of the foregoing, in no event shall First Trust have any liability for any special, punitive, direct, indirect or consequential damages (including lost profits) arising out of matters relating to the use of the Indices, even if notified of the possibility of such damages.
First Trust Dorsey Wright Dynamic Focus 5 ETF
First Trust Dorsey Wright Focus 5 ETF
First Trust Dorsey Wright International Focus 5 ETF
The First Trust Dorsey Wright Dynamic Focus 5 ETF, First Trust Dorsey Wright Focus 5 ETF and First Trust Dorsey Wright International Focus 5 ETF are not sponsored, endorsed, sold or promoted by the Dorsey, Wright & Associates, LLC or its affiliates (“Dorsey Wright”). Dorsey Wright makes no representation or warranty, express or implied, to the owners of the First Trust Dorsey Wright Dynamic Focus 5 ETF, First Trust Dorsey Wright Focus 5 ETF and First Trust Dorsey Wright International Focus 5 ETF (the “Dorsey Wright Funds”) or any member of the public regarding the advisability of trading in the Dorsey Wright Funds. Dorsey Wright’s only relationship to First Trust is the licensing of certain trademarks and trade names of Dorsey Wright and of the Dorsey Wright Dynamic Focus Five Index, Dorsey Wright Dynamic Focus Five Index, Dorsey Wright Focus Five Index and the Dorsey Wright International Focus Five Index (the “Indices”) which are determined, composed and calculated by Dorsey Wright, or its agent, without regard to First Trust or the Dorsey Wright Funds. Dorsey Wright has no obligation to take the needs of First Trust or the owners of the Dorsey Wright Funds into consideration in determining, composing or calculating the Indices. Dorsey Wright is not responsible for and has not participated in the determination of the timing of, prices at, or quantities of the Dorsey Wright Funds to be listed or in the determination or calculation of the equation by which shares of the Dorsey Wright Funds are to be converted into cash. Dorsey Wright has no obligation or liability in connection with the administration, marketing or trading of the Dorsey Wright Funds.
DORSEY WRIGHT DOES NOT GUARANTEE THE ACCURACY AND/OR THE COMPLETENESS OF THE INDICES OR ANY DATA INCLUDED THEREIN AND DORSEY WRIGHT SHALL HAVE NO LIABILITY FOR ANY ERRORS, OMISSIONS, OR INTERRUPTIONS THEREIN. DORSEY WRIGHT MAKES NO WARRANTY, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, AS TO RESULTS TO BE OBTAINED BY FIRST TRUST, OWNERS OF THE DORSEY WRIGHT FUNDS, OR ANY OTHER PERSON OR ENTITY FROM THE USE OF THE INDICES OR ANY DATA INCLUDED THEREIN. DORSEY WRIGHT MAKES NO EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, AND EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE OR USE WITH RESPECT TO THE INDICES OR ANY DATA INCLUDED THEREIN, WITHOUT LIMITING ANY OF THE FOREGOING, IN NO EVENT SHALL DORSEY WRIGHT HAVE ANY LIABILITY FOR ANY LOST PROFITS OR INDIRECT, PUNITIVE, SPECIAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING LOST PROFITS), EVEN IF NOTIFIED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. THERE ARE NO THIRD PARTY BENEFICIARIES OF ANY AGREEMENTS OR ARRANGEMENTS BETWEEN DORSEY WRIGHT AND FIRST TRUST.
First Trust Rising Dividend Achievers ETF
First Trust NASDAQ Technology Dividend Index Fund
Multi-Asset Diversified Income Index Fund
International Multi-Asset Diversified Income Index Fund
The First Trust Rising Dividend Achievers ETF, First Trust NASDAQ Technology Dividend Index Fund, Multi-Asset Diversified Income Index Fund and International Multi-Asset Diversified Income Index Fund are not sponsored, endorsed, sold or promoted by Nasdaq, Inc. or its affiliates (Nasdaq, Inc., with its affiliates, are referred to as the “Corporations”). The Corporations have not passed on the legality or suitability of, or the accuracy or adequacy of descriptions and disclosures relating to, the First
27

Trust Rising Dividend Achievers ETF, First Trust NASDAQ Technology Dividend Index Fund, Multi-Asset Diversified Income Index Fund and International Multi-Asset Diversified Income Index Fund (the “Nasdaq Funds”). The Corporations make no representation or warranty, express or implied to the owners of the Nasdaq Funds or any member of the public regarding the advisability of investing in securities generally or in the Nasdaq Funds particularly, or the ability of the Nasdaq Funds to track general stock market performance. The Corporations’ only relationship to First Trust is in the licensing of the Nasdaq, Nasdaq, Inc., NASDAQ US Rising Dividend Achievers Index, NASDAQ Technology Dividend IndexSM, NASDAQ Multi-Asset Diversified Income IndexSM and NASDAQ International Multi-Asset Diversified Income IndexSM (collectively, the “Indices”) registered trademarks, trade names and service marks of the Corporations and the use of the Indices which are determined, composed and calculated by Nasdaq, Inc. without regard to Licensee or the Nasdaq Funds. Nasdaq, Inc. has no obligation to take the needs of the Licensee or the owners of the Nasdaq Funds into consideration in determining, composing or calculating the Indices. The Corporations are not responsible for and have not participated in the determination of the timing of, prices at, or quantities of a Fund to be issued or in the determination or calculation of the equation by which the Nasdaq Funds are to be converted into cash. The Corporations have no liability in connection with the administration, marketing or trading of the Nasdaq Funds.
THE CORPORATIONS DO NOT GUARANTEE THE ACCURACY AND/OR UNINTERRUPTED CALCULATION OF THE INDICES OR ANY DATA INCLUDED THEREIN. THE CORPORATIONS MAKE NO WARRANTY, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, AS TO RESULTS TO BE OBTAINED BY LICENSEE, OWNERS OF THE NASDAQ FUNDS, OR ANY OTHER PERSON OR ENTITY FROM THE USE OF THE INDICES OR ANY DATA INCLUDED THEREIN. THE CORPORATIONS MAKE NO EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, AND EXPRESSLY DISCLAIM ALL WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE OR USE WITH RESPECT TO THE NASDAQ TECHNOLOGY DIVIDEND INDEX, the NASDAQ Multi-Asset Diversified Income Index or the NASDAQ International Multi-Asset Diversified Income Index OR ANY DATA INCLUDED THEREIN. WITHOUT LIMITING ANY OF THE FOREGOING, IN NO EVENT SHALL THE CORPORATIONS HAVE ANY LIABILITY FOR ANY LOST PROFITS OR SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, PUNITIVE, INDIRECT, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF NOTIFIED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES.
First Trust RBA American Industrial Renaissance® ETF
First Trust RBA Quality Income ETF
The First Trust RBA American Industrial Renaissance® ETF and First Trust RBA Quality Income ETF are not sponsored, endorsed, sold or promoted by Richard Bernstein Advisors, LLC (“RBA”). RBA makes no representation or warranty, express or implied, to the owners of the Funds or any member of the public regarding the advisability of trading in the First Trust RBA American Industrial Renaissance® ETF and First Trust RBA Quality Income ETF (the “RBA Funds”). RBA’s only relationship to First Trust is the licensing of certain trademarks and trade names of RBA and of the Richard Bernstein Advisors American Industrial RenaissanceTM Index and Richard Bernstein Advisors Quality Income Index (collectively, the “Indices”) which are determined, composed and calculated by RBA without regard to First Trust or the RBA Funds, RBA has no obligation to take the needs of First Trust or the owners of the RBA Funds into consideration in determining, composing or calculating the Indices. RBA is not responsible for and has not participated in the determination of the timing of, prices at, or quantities of the RBA Funds to be listed or in the determination or calculation of the equation by which shares of the RBA Funds are to be converted into cash. RBA has no obligation or liability in connection with the administration, marketing or trading of the RBA Funds.
RBA DOES NOT GUARANTEE OR MAKE ANY REPRESENTATION OR WARRANTY AS TO THE ACCURACY AND/OR THE COMPLETENESS OF THE INDICES OR ANY DATA INCLUDED THEREIN AND RBA SHALL HAVE NO LIABILITY FOR ANY ERRORS, OMISSIONS, OR INTERRUPTIONS THEREIN. THE INDICES, ANY DATA CONTAINED THEREIN AND ANY OTHER DATA OR INFORMATION SUPPLIED BY RBA IS PROVIDED ON AN “AS IS” BASIS. RBA MAKES NO WARRANTY, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, AS TO RESULTS TO BE OBTAINED BY FIRST TRUST, OWNERS OF THE RBA FUNDS, OR ANY OTHER PERSON OR ENTITY FROM THE USE OF THE INDICES OR ANY DATA INCLUDED THEREIN. RBA MAKES NO EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, AND EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, OF MERCHANTABILITY, NON-INFRINGEMENT OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE OR USE WITH RESPECT TO THE INDICES OR ANY DATA INCLUDED THEREIN, OR ANY WARRANTIES WITH RESPECT TO THE TIMELINESS, SEQUENCE, ACCURACY, COMPLETENESS, CURRENTNESS, OR QUALITY OF THE INDICES, ANY DATA CONTAINED THEREIN OR ANY DATA OR INFORMATION SUPPLIED BY RBA. RBA SHALL NOT BE RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY MISDELIVERY OF ANY DATA RELATED TO OR ASSOCIATED WITH THE INDICES OR ANY DATA CONTAINED THEREIN. WITHOUT LIMITING ANY OF THE FOREGOING, IN NO EVENT SHALL RBA HAVE ANY LIABILITY FOR ANY LOST PROFITS OR INDIRECT, PUNITIVE, SPECIAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING LOST PROFITS), EVEN IF NOTIFIED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. RBA AND ITS RESPECTIVE AFFILIATES AND EACH OF THEIR RESPECTIVE OFFICERS, DIRECTORS, EMPLOYEES, AGENTS AND SOURCES (THE “RBA PARTIES”) SHALL NOT BE LIABLE TO FIRST TRUST OR ANY THIRD PARTY FOR ANY LOSS OR DAMAGE, DIRECT, INDIRECT OR CONSEQUENTIAL, ARISING FROM (A) ANY INACCURACY OR INCOMPLETENESS IN, OR DELAYS, INTERRUPTIONS, ERRORS OR OMISSIONS IN THE DELIVERY OF THE INDICES OR ANY DATA CONTAINED THEREIN, OR (B) ANY DECISION MADE OR ACTION TAKEN BY FIRST TRUST OR ANY THIRD PARTY IN RELIANCE UPON THE RBA FUNDS,
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INDICES OR ANY DATA CONTAINED THEREIN. THERE ARE NO THIRD PARTY BENEFICIARIES OF ANY AGREEMENTS OR ARRANGEMENTS BETWEEN RBA AND FIRST TRUST.
Additional Service Provider. First Trust, on behalf of the Funds, has engaged Interactive Data Pricing and Reference Data, LLC or its designee (the “IPV Calculator”), to calculate the intra-day values for the shares of the Funds.
Exchange. The only relationship that Nasdaq has with First Trust or the Distributor of the Funds in connection with the Funds is that Nasdaq lists the shares of the Funds and disseminates the intra-day portfolio values that are calculated by the IPV calculator pursuant to its listing agreement with the Trust. Nasdaq is not responsible for and has not participated in the determination of pricing or the timing of the issuance or sale of the shares of the Funds or in the determination or calculation of the net asset value of the Funds. Nasdaq has no obligation or liability in connection with the administration, marketing or trading of the Funds.
Additional Payments to Financial Intermediaries
First Trust or its affiliates may from time to time make payments, out of their own resources, to certain financial intermediaries that sell shares of First Trust mutual funds and ETFs ("First Trust Funds") to promote the sales and retention of Fund shares by those firms and their customers. The amounts of these payments vary by intermediary. The level of payments that First Trust is willing to provide to a particular intermediary may be affected by, among other factors, (i) the firm’s total assets or Fund shares held in and recent net investments into First Trust Funds, (ii) the value of the assets invested in the First Trust Funds by the intermediary’s customers, (iii) redemption rates, (iv) its ability to attract and retain assets, (v) the intermediary’s reputation in the industry, (vi) the level and/or type of marketing assistance and educational activities provided by the intermediary, (vii) the firm’s level of participation in First Trust Funds’ sales and marketing programs, (viii) the firm’s compensation program for its registered representatives who sell Fund shares and provide services to Fund shareholders, and (ix) the asset class of the First Trust Funds for which these payments are provided. Such payments are generally asset-based but also may include the payment of a lump sum.
First Trust may also make payments to certain intermediaries for certain administrative services and shareholder processing services, including record keeping and sub-accounting of shareholder accounts pursuant to a sub-transfer agency, omnibus account service or sub-accounting agreement. All fees payable by First Trust under this category of services may be charged back to a Fund, subject to approval by the Board.
First Trust and/or its affiliates may make payments, out of its own assets, to those firms as compensation and/or reimbursement for marketing support and/or program servicing to selected intermediaries that are registered as holders or dealers of record for accounts invested in one or more of the First Trust Funds or that make First Trust Fund shares available through certain selected Fund no-transaction fee institutional platforms and fee-based wrap programs at certain financial intermediaries. Program servicing payments typically apply to employee benefit plans, such as retirement plans, or fee-based advisory programs but may apply to retail sales and assets in certain situations. The payments are based on such factors as the type and nature of services or support furnished by the intermediary and are generally asset-based. Services for which an intermediary receives marketing support payments may include, but are not limited to, business planning assistance, advertising, educating the intermediary’s personnel about First Trust Funds in connection with shareholder financial planning needs, placement on the intermediary’s preferred or recommended fund list, and access to sales meetings, sales representatives and management representatives of the intermediary. In addition, intermediaries may be compensated for enabling representatives of First Trust and/or its affiliates to participate in and/or present at conferences or seminars, sales or training programs for invited registered representatives and other employees, client and investor events and other events sponsored by the intermediary. Services for which an intermediary receives program servicing payments typically include, but are not limited to, record keeping, reporting or transaction processing and shareholder communications and other account administration services, but may also include services rendered in connection with Fund/investment selection and monitoring, employee enrollment and education, plan balance rollover or separation, or other similar services. An intermediary may perform program services itself or may arrange with a third party to perform program services. These payments, if any, are in addition to the service fee and any applicable omnibus sub-accounting fees paid to these firms with respect to these services by the First Trust Funds out of Fund assets.
From time to time, First Trust and/or its affiliates, at its expense, may provide other compensation to intermediaries that sell or arrange for the sale of shares of the First Trust Funds, which may be in addition to marketing support and program servicing payments described above. For example, First Trust and/or its affiliates may: (i) compensate intermediaries for National Securities Clearing Corporation networking system services (e.g., shareholder communication, account statements, trade
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confirmations and tax reporting) on an asset-based or per-account basis; (ii) compensate intermediaries for providing Fund shareholder trading information; (iii) make one-time or periodic payments to reimburse selected intermediaries for items such as ticket charges (i.e., fees that an intermediary charges its representatives for effecting transactions in Fund shares) or exchange order, operational charges (e.g., fees that an intermediary charges for establishing a Fund on its trading system), and literature printing and/or distribution costs; (iv) at the direction of a retirement plan’s sponsor, reimburse or pay direct expenses of an employee benefit plan that would otherwise be payable by the plan; and (v) provide payments to broker-dealers to help defray their technology or infrastructure costs.
When not provided for in a marketing support or program servicing agreement, First Trust and/or its affiliates may also pay intermediaries for enabling First Trust and/or its affiliates to participate in and/or present at conferences or seminars, sales or training programs for invited registered representatives and other intermediary employees, client and investor events and other intermediary-sponsored events, and for travel expenses, including lodging incurred by registered representatives and other employees in connection with prospecting, asset retention and due diligence trips. These payments may vary depending upon the nature of the event. First Trust and/or its affiliates make payments for such events as it deems appropriate, subject to its internal guidelines and applicable law.
First Trust and/or its affiliates occasionally sponsor due diligence meetings for registered representatives during which they receive updates on various First Trust Funds and are afforded the opportunity to speak with portfolio managers. Although invitations to these meetings are not conditioned on selling a specific number of shares, those who have shown an interest in First Trust Funds are more likely to be considered. To the extent permitted by their firm’s policies and procedures, all or a portion of registered representatives’ expenses in attending these meetings may be covered by First Trust and/or its affiliates.
The amounts of payments referenced above made by First Trust and/or its affiliates could be significant and may create an incentive for an intermediary or its representatives to recommend or offer shares of the First Trust Funds to its customers. The intermediary may elevate the prominence or profile of the First Trust Funds within the intermediary’s organization by, for example, placing the First Trust Funds on a list of preferred or recommended funds and/or granting First Trust and/or its affiliates preferential or enhanced opportunities to promote the First Trust Funds in various ways within the intermediary’s organization. These payments are made pursuant to negotiated agreements with intermediaries. The payments do not change the price paid by investors for the purchase of a share or the amount a Fund will receive as proceeds from such sales. Furthermore, many of these payments are not reflected in the fees and expenses listed in the fee table section of a Fund's Prospectus because they are not paid by a Fund. The types of payments described herein are not mutually exclusive, and a single intermediary may receive some or all types of payments as described.
Other compensation may be offered to the extent not prohibited by state laws or any self-regulatory agency, such as FINRA. Investors can ask their intermediaries for information about any payments they receive from First Trust and/or its affiliates and the services it provides for those payments. Investors may wish to take intermediary payment arrangements into account when considering and evaluating any recommendations relating to Fund shares.
Additional Information
Book Entry Only System.    The following information supplements and should be read in conjunction with the Prospectus.
DTC Acts as Securities Depository for Fund Shares.    Shares of the Funds are represented by securities registered in the name of The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) or its nominee, Cede & Co., and deposited with, or on behalf of, DTC.
DTC, a limited-purpose trust company, was created to hold securities of its participants (the “DTC Participants”) and to facilitate the clearance and settlement of securities transactions among the DTC Participants in such securities through electronic book-entry changes in accounts of the DTC Participants, thereby eliminating the need for physical movement of securities certificates. DTC Participants include securities brokers and dealers, banks, trust companies, clearing corporations and certain other organizations, some of whom (and/or their representatives) own DTC. More specifically, DTC is owned by a number of its DTC Participants and by the NYSE and FINRA. Access to the DTC system is also available to others such as banks, brokers, dealers and trust companies that clear through or maintain a custodial relationship with a DTC Participant, either directly or indirectly (the “Indirect Participants”).
Beneficial ownership of shares is limited to DTC Participants, Indirect Participants and persons holding interests through DTC Participants and Indirect Participants. Ownership of beneficial interests in shares (owners of such beneficial interests are referred to herein as “Beneficial Owners”) is shown on, and the transfer of ownership is effected only through, records maintained by DTC (with respect to DTC Participants) and on the records of DTC Participants (with respect to Indirect Participants
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and Beneficial Owners that are not DTC Participants). Beneficial Owners will receive from or through the DTC Participant a written confirmation relating to their purchase and sale of shares.
Conveyance of all notices, statements and other communications to Beneficial Owners is effected as follows. Pursuant to a letter agreement between DTC and the Trust, DTC is required to make available to the Trust upon request and for a fee to be charged to the Trust a listing of the shares of the Funds held by each DTC Participant. The Trust shall inquire of each such DTC Participant as to the number of Beneficial Owners holding shares, directly or indirectly, through such DTC Participant. The Trust shall provide each such DTC Participant with copies of such notice, statement or other communication, in such form, number and at such place as such DTC Participant may reasonably request, in order that such notice, statement or communication may be transmitted by such DTC Participant, directly or indirectly, to such Beneficial Owners. In addition, the Trust shall pay to each such DTC Participants a fair and reasonable amount as reimbursement for the expenses attendant to such transmittal, all subject to applicable statutory and regulatory requirements.
Fund distributions shall be made to DTC or its nominee, as the registered holder of all Fund shares. DTC or its nominee, upon receipt of any such distributions, shall immediately credit DTC Participants’ accounts with payments in amounts proportionate to their respective beneficial interests in shares of the Funds as shown on the records of DTC or its nominee. Payments by DTC Participants to Indirect Participants and Beneficial Owners of shares held through such DTC Participants will be governed by standing instructions and customary practices, as is now the case with securities held for the accounts of customers in bearer form or registered in a street name, and will be the responsibility of such DTC Participants.
The Trust has no responsibility or liability for any aspect of the records relating to or notices to Beneficial Owners, or payments made on account of beneficial ownership interests in such shares, or for maintaining, supervising or reviewing any records relating to such beneficial ownership interests, or for any other aspect of the relationship between DTC and the DTC Participants or the relationship between such DTC Participants and the Indirect Participants and Beneficial Owners owning through such DTC Participants.
DTC may decide to discontinue providing its service with respect to shares at any time by giving reasonable notice to the Trust and discharging its responsibilities with respect thereto under applicable law. Under such circumstances, the Trust shall take action to find a replacement for DTC to perform its functions at a comparable cost.
Intra-Day Portfolio Value.    The price of a non-U.S. security that is primarily traded on a non-U.S. exchange shall be updated every 15 seconds throughout its trading day. Upon the closing of such non-U.S. exchange the closing price of the security will be used throughout the remainder of the U.S. business day. The exchange rates used to calculate the value of such non-U.S. securities may differ from those used by First Trust and consequently result in intra-day portfolio values that may vary. Furthermore, in calculating the intra-day portfolio values of each Fund’s shares, the exchange rates used throughout the day (9:00 a.m. to 4:15 p.m., Eastern Time) shall be those that are deemed to be most appropriate.
Policy Regarding Investment in Other Investment Companies. The First Trust Rising Dividend Achievers ETF, First Trust NASDAQ Technology Dividend Index Fund, First Trust RBA American Industrial Renaissance® ETF and First Trust RBA Quality Income ETF will not rely on Sections 12(d)(1)(F) or 12(d)(1)(G) of the 1940 Act to invest in other investment companies.
INFORMATION FOR INVESTORS IN THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AREA
In relation to each Member State of the European Economic Area (“EEA”) which has implemented the EU Directive on Alternative Investment Fund Managers (Directive (2011/61/EU)) (the “AIFM Directive”), the Prospectus, and any summary Prospectus or SAI relating to the Funds, may only be distributed and shares may only be offered or placed in a Member State to the extent that: (1) the Funds are permitted to be marketed to professional investors in the relevant member state in accordance with the AIFM Directive (as implemented into the local law/regulations of the relevant Member State); or otherwise (2) the Prospectus and SAI may be lawfully distributed and the shares may lawfully be offered or placed in that Member State (including at the initiative of the investor).
In relation to each Member State of the EEA which, at the date of this SAI, has not implemented the AIFM Directive, the Prospectus and the SAI may only be distributed and shares may only be offered or placed to the extent that this SAI may be lawfully distributed and the shares may lawfully be offered or placed in that Member State (including at the initiative of the investor).
In addition, the following restrictions apply to the distribution of the Prospectus and SAI in the following Member States:
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INFORMATION FOR INVESTORS IN THE UNITED KINGDOM
Subject always to the foregoing notice in respect of the EEA, this SAI is being issued in the United Kingdom by First Trust Global Portfolios Limited (which is authorized and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (the “FCA”)) only to and/or is directed only at persons who are professional clients or eligible counterparties for the purposes of the FCA’s Conduct of Business Sourcebook. The opportunity to invest in the Funds is only available to such persons in the United Kingdom, and the Prospectus and SAI must not be relied on or acted upon by any other persons in the United Kingdom.
INFORMATION FOR INVESTORS IN IRELAND
The distribution of this Prospectus and SAI in Ireland and the offering or purchase of shares is restricted to the individual to whom it is addressed. Accordingly, it may not be reproduced in whole or in part, nor may its contents be distributed in writing or orally to any third party and it may be read solely by the person to whom it is addressed and his/her professional advisers. Shares in the Funds will not be offered or sold by any person:
(a) otherwise than in conformity with the provisions of the European Communities (Markets in Financial Instruments) Regulations 2007 and the European Union (Alternative Investment Fund Managers) Regulations 2013, each as amended; or
(b) in any way which would require the publication of a prospectus under the Companies Act 2014 or any regulations made thereunder; or
(c) in Ireland except in all circumstances that will result in compliance with all applicable laws and regulations in Ireland.
AIFM DIRECTIVE DISCLOSURES
Background. The AIFM Directive is a European Union (“EU”) directive which regulates the management and marketing of funds within the EEA. The AIFM Directive distinguishes between EU and non-EU funds and EU and non-EU fund managers and different obligations apply under the AIFM Directive depending on where the fund is based and where the manager is based. Certain disclosure, transparency and reporting obligations are imposed on non-EU fund managers wishing to market funds to investors in the EEA. There are additional requirements imposed on EU fund managers, which do not currently apply to First Trust.
To the extent not already disclosed to you prior to your investment in the Funds, the purpose of this section of the SAI is to satisfy the disclosures which are required to be provided to you under the AIFM Directive.
Overview of the Funds and the Service Providers. The Funds are non-EU AIFs (“AIF” means an alternative investment fund for the purposes of the AIFM Directive).
First Trust Advisors L.P. (“First Trust”) is the AIFM of the Funds (“AIFM” means an alternative investment fund manager for the purposes of the AIFM Directive). First Trust is a non-EU AIFM.
The Trust has entered into agreements with various service providers including First Trust (as the Investment Advisor), the Custodian, Distributor, Transfer Agent, Administrator, index providers and the exchange where each Fund is listed in respect of the Funds. Further details regarding the duties and roles of such service providers can be found in the Prospectus and SAI for the Funds.
In addition to the parties listed above, the Trust has appointed: (i) Chapman and Cutler LLP as its legal counsel which advises it on US legal matters; (ii) Deloitte & Touche LLP as the Funds’ auditors who undertake to audit the Funds’ financial statements in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB) (United States); and (iii) CT Corporation System as the Funds’ registered agent.
First Trust is not required to ensure that the Funds appoint, and the Funds have not appointed, a depositary for purposes of the AIFM Directive. (A depositary in the context of the AIFM Directive, has a specific role and function. The appointment of such depositary is not required for non-EU AIFs with non-EU AIFMs.) As such investors in the Funds have no rights as against any person in respect of the duties or liabilities of a depositary under the AIFM Directive.
Investors’ Contractual Rights. In respect of each of the service providers to the Funds, investors who purchase shares in the Funds in the secondary market have no direct rights of action against the service providers, as a matter of contract law or under the establishment documents of the Trust. The proper plaintiff in an action in respect of which a wrongdoing is alleged
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to have been committed against the Funds or the Trust by a service provider is, prima facie, the Trust itself. An investor may bring a derivative or similar action or proceeding (“Derivative Action”) against the Trust or a Fund to recover a judgment in its favor in accordance with the provisions of the Declaration. Accordingly, investors would have no direct contractual right against the relevant service provider for breach of the agreement governing its appointment by the Trust. The foregoing disclosure is without prejudice to such other rights of action (for example, under the securities laws, tort law or in respect of breach of fiduciary duty) which might in certain situations be separately available to investors.
Investment in the Funds. Investors will buy shares in the Funds in secondary market transactions through brokers and will not subscribe for shares from the Trust directly. As such, there is no direct contractual relationship between the Funds and the investor in connection with the purchase or sale of shares. While the Funds are established under Massachusetts law and Massachusetts law does facilitate the enforcement of judgments obtained in foreign jurisdictions, investors who buy shares on the secondary market will have no direct contractual right of action against the Funds. Investors should refer to “How to Buy and Sell Shares” in the main body of the Prospectus for more detail. The foregoing disclosure is without prejudice to such other rights of action (for example, under the securities laws, tort law or in respect of breach of fiduciary duty) which might in certain situations be separately available to investors.
Redemption from the Funds. Non-US investors will sell shares in secondary market transactions through brokers and will not redeem shares from the Funds directly. Shares can be sold throughout the trading day like other publically traded shares. Investors should refer to “How to Buy and Sell Shares” in the main body of the Prospectus for more detail.
Liquidity Risk Management. Investors should note that while First Trust is not required to implement liquidity management arrangements in accordance with the AIFM Directive in respect of the Funds, the Funds are subject to the liquidity limitations established by the SEC. The Trustees have delegated to First Trust the day-to-day determination of illiquidity of equity and fixed income securities as described under “Investment Strategies Types of Investments Illiquid Securities” in this SAI.
Treatment of Investors. The Trust and the AIFM do not offer any investors preferential treatment or the right to obtain preferential treatment. Whilst the Trust does not take specific steps to ensure the fair treatment of investors, under the 1940 Act the Trustees are required to monitor how a Fund operates and oversee matters where the interests of the Fund and its shareholders may differ from those of its investment adviser.
First Trust is registered as an investment adviser with the SEC, and is subject to regulation and oversight designed to protect shareholders. Under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, First Trust is a fiduciary to its clients, including the Funds, and is therefore required to act in the best interests of clients and to place the interests of clients before its own.
Information Regarding the use of Leverage and Collateral. The AIFM Directive requires disclosure of certain information relating to leverage, collateral and asset re-use arrangements. The Funds may obtain leverage through the use of derivatives and other non-fully funded investments such as reverse repurchase agreements, firm commitment agreements and standby commitment agreements if, and to the extent that, such transactions are (i) disclosed in the Funds’ Prospectus and SAI and (ii) deemed appropriate investments by First Trust. These leveraged trading practices generally have not been prohibited by the SEC, though the SEC has published guidance on the manner in which the Funds may cover their leveraged trading practices to limit leverage and avoid the need to address the leverage concerns in Section 18 of the 1940 Act, which severely restricts how the Funds may use leverage. All arrangements entered into by First Trust on behalf of the Funds which result in leverage follow the parameter of the guidance published by the SEC.
As a non-EU AIFM, First Trust is not obliged to set a maximum permitted level of leverage which it may employ in its management of the Funds. The total amount of leverage employed by the Funds is provided at https://www.ftglobalportfolios.com.
Investors should refer to the “Investment Objectives and Policies” and “Investment Strategies” section of this SAI for more details on the use and risk of leverage by the Funds.
Shareholder Voting Rights. The Declaration requires a shareholder vote only on those matters where the 1940 Act requires a vote of shareholders and otherwise permits the Trustees to take actions without seeking the consent of shareholders. The Funds’ fundamental policies, as described in the “Investment Objectives and Policies” section of this SAI, may not be changed without approval of the holders of a majority of the outstanding voting securities (as such term is defined in the 1940 Act) of a Fund. The 1940 Act defines a majority vote as the vote of the lesser of (i) 67% or more of the voting securities represented at a meeting at which more than 50% of the outstanding securities are represented or (ii) more than 50% of the outstanding voting securities.
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Net Asset Value. The latest NAV of the Funds, and the latest NAV per share of each class of share of the Funds, is available online at: http://www.ftglobalportfolios.com and online stock quote services. Generally investors will buy and sell shares of the Funds in secondary market transactions through brokers. Shares of the Funds will therefore be available at the relevant market price rather than NAV.
The historical performance of the Funds since inception is available online at: https://www.ftglobalportfolios.com.
Accounts. Under the AIFM Directive, First Trust is required to make available the annual report of the Funds that it markets in the EEA. This must be prepared by no later than 6 months following the end of the financial year and contain certain specific content requirements set out in the AIFM Directive. Once the annual report has been produced, it will be made available to investors in the manner as set out in the Prospectus.
Professional Liability Requirements/Delegation by the AIFM/Valuation. As a non-EU AIFM, First Trust is not subject to certain EU requirements relating to (i) the cover of professional liability risk by holding either additional of its own funds or appropriate professional liability insurance; (ii) permitted delegation and the management and disclosure of conflicts of interest relating to any such delegation; and (iii) valuation as set out in Article 19 of the AIFM Directive. As such, no disclosures for the purposes of the AIFM Directive have been made. Notwithstanding this, First Trust and the Funds continue to comply with their requirements under US law.
Periodic Disclosure Obligations. The following information will be disclosed to Fund shareholders on a periodic basis by way of a posting being made on https://www.ftglobalportfolios.com:
the percentage of the Funds’ assets, if any, that are subject to special arrangements arising from their illiquid nature (including, but not limited to, deferrals of redemptions and suspensions);
the current risk profile of each Fund and the risk management systems employed by the AIFM to manage those risks; and
the total amount of leverage employed by each Fund, if any.
Whenever any new arrangements for managing the liquidity of the Funds are introduced including, but not limited to, any material changes to the liquidity management systems and procedures employed by First Trust, a disclosure to this effect will be uploaded on the Funds’ website. The Funds will ensure that a notice is uploaded on an expedited basis whenever deferrals or other similar special arrangements are activated or where redemptions of shares are suspended.
A notice will be posted without undue delay whenever there is a change to a maximum level of leverage which may be employed on behalf of a Fund; and any changes are made to the right of re-use of collateral or any changes to any guarantee granted under any leveraging arrangement.
Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures
The Trust has adopted a proxy voting policy that seeks to ensure that proxies for securities held by the Funds are voted consistently with the best interests of the Funds.
The Board has delegated to First Trust the proxy voting responsibilities for the Funds and has directed First Trust to vote proxies consistent with the Funds’ best interests. First Trust has engaged the services of ISS Institutional Services, Inc. (“ISS”), to make recommendations to First Trust on the voting of proxies relating to securities held by the Funds. If First Trust manages the assets of a company or its pension plan and any of First Trust’s clients hold any securities of that company, First Trust will vote proxies relating to such company’s securities in accordance with the ISS recommendations to avoid any conflict of interest.
To the extent that the Fund invests in other registered investment companies (“acquired funds”), it may do so pursuant to an exemptive order granted by the SEC. The relief granted by that order is conditioned upon complying with a number of undertakings, some of which require the Fund to vote its shares in an acquired fund in the same proportion as other holders of the acquired fund’s shares. As a result, to the extent that the Fund, or another registered investment company advised by First Trust, relies on the relief granted by the exemptive order to invest in a particular acquired fund, First Trust will vote shares of that acquired fund in the same proportion as the other holders of that acquired fund’s shares.
First Trust has adopted the ISS Proxy Voting Guidelines. While these guidelines are not intended to be all inclusive, they do provide guidance on First Trust’s general voting policies. The ISS Proxy Voting Guidelines are attached hereto as
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Exhibit B. Information regarding how the Funds voted proxies (if any) relating to portfolio securities during the most recent 12-month period ended June 30 is available upon request and without charge on the Funds’ website at https://www.ftportfolios.com, by calling (800) 621-1675 or by accessing the SEC’s website at https://www.sec.gov.
Quarterly Portfolio Schedule. The Trust is required to disclose, after its first and third fiscal quarters, the complete schedule of the Funds’ portfolio holdings with the SEC on Form N-Q. Forms N-Q for the Trust are available on the SEC’s website at https://www.sec.gov. The Funds’ Forms N-Q may also be reviewed and copied at the SEC’s Public Reference Room in Washington, D.C., and information on the operation of the Public Reference Room may be obtained by calling 1-800-SEC-0330. The Trust’s Forms N-Q are available without charge, upon request, by calling (800) 621-1675 or by writing to First Trust Portfolios L.P., 120 East Liberty Drive, Suite 400, Wheaton, Illinois 60187.
Policy Regarding Disclosure of Portfolio Holdings. The Trust has adopted a policy regarding the disclosure of information about each Fund’s portfolio holdings. The Board of Trustees must approve all material amendments to this policy. Each Fund’s portfolio holdings are publicly disseminated each day the Fund is open for business through financial reporting and news services, including publicly accessible Internet websites. In addition, a basket composition file, which includes the security names and share quantities to deliver in exchange for Fund shares, together with estimates and actual cash components, is publicly disseminated each day the NYSE is open for trading via the National Securities Clearing Corporation (“NSCC”). The basket represents one Creation Unit of a Fund. Each Fund’s portfolio holdings are also available on the Funds’ website at https://www.ftportfolios.com. The Trust, First Trust, FTP and BBH will not disseminate non-public information concerning the Trust.
Codes of Ethics. In order to mitigate the possibility that the Funds will be adversely affected by personal trading, the Trust, First Trust and the Distributor have adopted Codes of Ethics under Rule 17j-1 of the 1940 Act. These Codes of Ethics contain policies restricting securities trading in personal accounts of the officers, Trustees and others who normally come into possession of information on portfolio transactions. Personnel subject to the Codes of Ethics may invest in securities that may be purchased or held by the Funds; however, the Codes of Ethics require that each transaction in such securities be reviewed by the Chief Compliance Officer or his or her designee. These Codes of Ethics are on public file with, and are available from, the SEC.
Creation and Redemption of Creation Unit Aggregations
First Trust Dorsey Wright Dynamic Focus 5 ETF
General
The Trust issues and sells shares of the Fund only in Creation Unit Aggregations on a continuous basis through the Distributor, without a sales load, at their net asset values next determined after receipt, on any Business Day (as defined below), of an order in proper form.
A “Business Day” is generally any day on which the NYSE, the Exchange, the Trust and the custodian are open for business. As of the date of this SAI, the NYSE observes the following holidays: New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Presidents’ Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.
Purchase and Issuance of Creation Unit Aggregations
Fund Deposit. Unless cash purchases are required or permitted for the Fund under the circumstances described below, the consideration for purchase of a Creation Unit Aggregation of shares of the Fund generally consists of the in-kind deposit of a designated portfolio of securities and other instruments (the “Deposit Instruments”) and an amount of cash computed as described below (the “Cash Component”). Together, the Deposit Instruments (and/or any cash with respect to cash purchases and cash-in-lieu amounts) and the Cash Component constitute the “Fund Deposit,” which represents the minimum initial and subsequent investment amount for a Creation Unit Aggregation of the Fund.
The Cash Component is sometimes also referred to as the Balancing Amount. The Cash Component serves the function of compensating for any differences between the net asset value per Creation Unit Aggregation and the Deposit Amount (as defined below). The Cash Component is an amount equal to the difference between (i) the net asset value of Fund shares (per Creation Unit Aggregation) and (ii) the “Deposit Amount” -- an amount equal to the aggregate market value of the Deposit Instruments. If the Cash Component is a positive number (i.e., the net asset value per Creation Unit Aggregation exceeds the Deposit Amount), the creator will deliver the Cash Component. If the Cash Component is a negative number (i.e., the net asset value per Creation Unit Aggregation is less than the Deposit Amount), the creator will receive the Cash Component.
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On each Business Day, prior to the opening of business of the Exchange (currently 9:30 a.m., Eastern Time), the list of the names and the required quantity of each Deposit Instrument, as well as the estimated Cash Component (if any) that will be applicable to Fund Deposits for the Fund for that day (subject to correction of any errors), are made available through the NSCC. Such Fund Deposit information is applicable in order to effect creations of Creation Unit Aggregations of the Fund until a new list is announced on the next Business Day.
The Fund reserves the right to require or permit purchases of Creation Unit Aggregations to be made in whole or in part on a cash basis, rather than in-kind, under the following circumstances: (i) to the extent there is a Cash Component; (ii) if, on a given Business Day, the Fund announces before the open of trading that all purchases on that day will be made entirely in cash; (iii) if, upon receiving a purchase order from an Authorized Participant (as defined below), the Fund determines to require the purchase to be made entirely in cash; (iv) if, on a given Business Day, the Fund requires all Authorized Participants purchasing shares on that day to deposit cash in lieu of some or all of the Deposit Instruments because: (a) such instruments are not eligible for transfer through either the NSCC or DTC; or (b) in the case of non-U.S. investments (if any), such instruments are not eligible for trading due to local trading restrictions, local restrictions on securities transfers or other similar circumstances; or (v) if the Fund permits an Authorized Participant to deposit cash in lieu of some or all of the Deposit Instruments because: (a) such instruments are not available in sufficient quantity; or (b) such instruments are not eligible for trading by an Authorized Participant or the investor on whose behalf the Authorized Participant is acting.
In addition, it is possible that Deposit Instruments may not correspond pro rata to the positions in the Fund’s portfolio under the following circumstances: (i) in the case of bonds, with respect to minor differences when it is impossible to break up bonds beyond certain minimum sizes needed for transfer and settlement; (ii) with respect to minor differences when rounding is necessary to eliminate fractional shares or lots that are not tradeable round lots (a tradeable round lot for a security will be the standard unit of trading in that particular type of security in its primary market); (iii) with respect to “to-be-announced” transactions, short positions, derivatives, and other positions that cannot be transferred in kind (including instruments that can be transferred in kind only with the consent of the original counterparty to the extent the Fund does not intend to seek such consents), and they will therefore be excluded from the Deposit Instruments with their value reflected in the determination of the Cash Component; (iv) to the extent the Fund determines, on a given Business Day, to use a representative sampling of the Fund’s portfolio; or (v) with respect to temporary periods, to effect changes in the Fund’s portfolio as a result of the rebalancing of its underlying index.
Procedures for Creation of Creation Unit Aggregations. All orders to purchase shares of the Fund in Creation Unit Aggregations must be placed with the Distributor by or through an “Authorized Participant” which is either: (1) a “Participating Party,” i.e., a broker-dealer or other participant in the Continuous Net Settlement System of the NSCC, or (2) a DTC Participant, which, in either case, has signed a “Participant Agreement” with the Distributor. Investors should contact the Distributor for the names of Authorized Participants that have signed a Participant Agreement. All Fund shares, however created, will be entered on the records of DTC in the name of Cede & Co. for the account of a DTC Participant.
All orders to create Creation Unit Aggregations must be received no later than the order cut-off time as designated as such in the Participant Agreement (“Order Cut-Off Time”) on the relevant Business Day, in each case on the date such order is placed in order for the creation of Creation Unit Aggregations to be effected based on the net asset value of shares of the Fund as next determined on such date after receipt of the order in proper form. In the case of custom orders, the order must generally be received no later than 3:00 p.m., Eastern Time. The date on which an order to create Creation Unit Aggregations (or an order to redeem Creation Unit Aggregations, as discussed below) is placed is referred to as the “Transmittal Date.” Orders must be transmitted by an Authorized Participant by telephone or other transmission method acceptable to the transfer agent and the Distributor pursuant to procedures set forth in the Participant Agreement. Economic or market disruptions or changes, or telephone or other communication failure may impede the ability to reach the transfer agent, the Distributor or an Authorized Participant.
All orders from investors who are not Authorized Participants to create Creation Unit Aggregations must be placed with an Authorized Participant in the form required by such Authorized Participant. In addition, the Authorized Participant may request the investor to make certain representations or enter into agreements with respect to the order, e.g., to provide for payments of cash, when required. Investors should be aware that their particular broker may not have executed a Participant Agreement and that, therefore, orders to create Creation Unit Aggregations of the Fund have to be placed by the investor’s broker through an Authorized Participant that has executed a Participant Agreement. In such cases there may be additional charges to such investor. At any given time, there may be only a limited number of broker-dealers that have executed a Participant Agreement. Those persons placing orders should ascertain the deadlines applicable to DTC and the Federal Reserve Bank wire system by contacting the operations department of the applicable broker or depository institution.
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Deposit Instruments must be delivered to the Fund through the applicable processes set forth in the Participant Agreement. The custodian will monitor the movement of the underlying Deposit Instruments and/or cash and will instruct the movement of shares only upon validation that such instruments and/or cash have settled correctly.
Issuance of Creation Unit Aggregations. A Creation Unit Aggregation will generally not be issued until the transfer of good title to the Fund of the Deposit Instruments and the payment of the Cash Component, the Creation Transaction Fee (as defined below) and any other required cash amounts have been completed. To the extent contemplated by the applicable Participant Agreement, Creation Unit Aggregations of the Fund will be issued to an Authorized Participant notwithstanding the fact that the corresponding Fund Deposits have not been received in part or in whole, in reliance on the undertaking of the Authorized Participant to deliver the missing Deposit Instruments as soon as possible, which undertaking shall be secured by such Authorized Participant’s delivery and maintenance of collateral. To the extent applicable, the Participant Agreement will permit the Fund to use such collateral to buy the missing Deposit Instruments at any time and will subject the Authorized Participant to liability for any shortfall between the cost to the Fund of purchasing such instruments and the value of the collateral.
Acceptance of Orders for Creation Unit Aggregations. The Fund reserves the absolute right to reject a creation order transmitted to it if: (i) the order is not in proper form; (ii) the purchaser or group of related purchasers, upon obtaining the Creation Unit Aggregations of Fund shares ordered, would own 80% or more of the currently outstanding shares of the Fund; (iii) the required Fund Deposit is not delivered; (iv) the acceptance of the Fund Deposit would have certain adverse tax consequences; (v) the acceptance of the Fund Deposit would, in the opinion of the Fund, be unlawful; (vi) the acceptance of the Fund Deposit would otherwise, in the discretion of the Fund, First Trust and/or any sub-advisor, have an adverse effect on the Fund or the rights of the Fund’s Beneficial Owners; or (vii) there exist circumstances outside the control of the Fund that make it impossible to process purchases of Creation Units for all practical purposes. Examples of such circumstances include: acts of God or public service or utility problems such as fires, floods, extreme weather conditions and power outages resulting in telephone, telecopy and computer failures; market conditions or activities causing trading halts; systems failures involving computer or other information systems affecting the Fund, First Trust, the Distributor, DTC, NSCC, the transfer agent, the custodian, any sub-custodian or any other participant in the purchase process; and similar extraordinary events. The Distributor shall notify a prospective creator of a Creation Unit and/or the Authorized Participant acting on behalf of such prospective creator of the rejection of the order of such person. The Trust, the Fund, the custodian, any sub-custodian and the Distributor are under no duty, however, to give notification of any defects or irregularities in the delivery of Fund Deposits, nor shall any of them incur any liability for the failure to give any such notification.
All questions as to the quantity of each instrument in the Deposit Instruments and the validity, form, eligibility, and acceptance for deposit of any instruments to be delivered shall be determined by the Fund, and the Fund’s determination shall be final and binding.
Creation Transaction Fee. Purchasers of Creation Units must pay a creation transaction fee (the “Creation Transaction Fee”) that is currently $500. The Creation Transaction Fee is applicable to each purchase transaction regardless of the number of Creation Units purchased in the transaction. The Creation Transaction Fee may vary and is based on the composition of the securities included in the Funds’ portfolio and/or the countries in which the transactions are settled. The Creation Transaction Fee is based on the composition of the instruments included in the Fund’s portfolio, and variations may be imposed from time to time. The price for each Creation Unit will equal the daily net asset value per share times the number of shares in a Creation Unit plus the fees described above and, if applicable, any operational processing and brokerage costs, transfer fees or stamp taxes. When the Fund permits an Authorized Participant to substitute cash in lieu of depositing one or more of the requisite Deposit Instruments, the Authorized Participant may be assessed a higher amount to cover the cost of purchasing the Deposit Instruments, including operational processing and brokerage costs, transfer fees, stamp taxes, and part or all of the spread between the expected bid and offer side of the market relating to such Deposit Instruments.
Redemptions of Creation Unit Aggregations
Redemption of Fund Shares In Creation Unit Aggregations. Beneficial Owners of Fund shares may sell their shares in the secondary market, but must accumulate enough shares to constitute a Creation Unit Aggregation to redeem through the Fund. The Fund will not redeem shares in amounts less than Creation Unit Aggregations and there can be no assurance that there will be sufficient liquidity in the public trading market at any time to permit assembly of a Creation Unit Aggregation. Investors should expect to incur customary brokerage and other costs in connection with assembling a sufficient number of Fund shares to constitute a redeemable Creation Unit Aggregation. Redemption requests must be placed by or through an Authorized Participant. Creation Unit Aggregations will be redeemable at their net asset value per Creation Unit Aggregation next determined after receipt of a request for redemption by the Fund.
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On each Business Day, prior to the opening of business of the Exchange (currently 9:30 a.m., Eastern Time), the list of the names and the required quantity of the securities and other instruments (“Redemption Instruments”), as well as the estimated Cash Redemption Amount (as defined below) (if any) that will be applicable to redemptions for the Fund for that day (subject to correction of any errors), are made available through the NSCC. Such information is applicable in order to effect redemptions of Creation Unit Aggregations of the Fund until a new list is announced on the next Business Day.
Unless cash redemptions are required or permitted for the Fund under the circumstances described below, the redemption proceeds for a Creation Unit Aggregation generally consist of Redemption Instrumentsas announced on the Business Day of the request for redemption received in proper formplus or minus cash in an amount equal to the difference between the net asset value of the Fund shares (per Creation Unit Aggregation) being redeemed, as next determined after a receipt of a request in proper form, and the aggregate market value of the Redemption Instruments (the “Cash Redemption Amount”), less the applicable Redemption Transaction Fee as described below and, if applicable, any operational processing and brokerage costs, transfer fees or stamp taxes. In the event that the Redemption Instruments have an aggregate market value greater than the net asset value of the Fund shares (per Creation Unit Aggregation), a compensating cash payment equal to the difference plus the applicable Redemption Transaction Fee and, if applicable, any operational processing and brokerage costs, transfer fees or stamp taxes, is required to be made by or through an Authorized Participant by the redeeming shareholder.
The Fund reserves the right to require or permit redemptions of Creation Unit Aggregations to be made in whole or in part on a cash basis, rather than in-kind, under the following circumstances: (i) to the extent there is a Cash Redemption Amount; (ii) if, on a given Business Day, the Fund announces before the open of trading that all redemptions on that day will be made entirely in cash; (iii) if, upon receiving a redemption order from an Authorized Participant, the Fund determines to require the redemption to be made entirely in cash; (iv) if, on a given Business Day, the Fund requires all Authorized Participants redeeming shares on that day to receive cash in lieu of some or all of the Redemption Instruments because: (a) such instruments are not eligible for transfer through either the NSCC or DTC; or (b) in the case of non-U.S. investments (if any), such instruments are not eligible for trading due to local trading restrictions, local restrictions on securities transfers or other similar circumstances; or (v) if the Fund permits an Authorized Participant to receive cash in lieu of some or all of the Redemption Instruments because: (a) such instruments are not eligible for trading by an Authorized Participant or the investor on whose behalf the Authorized Participant is acting; or (b) to the extent the Fund holds non-U.S. investments, a holder of shares would be subject to unfavorable income tax treatment if the holder receives redemption proceeds in kind.
In addition, it is possible that Redemption Instruments may not correspond pro rata to the positions in the Fund’s portfolio under the following circumstances: (i) in the case of bonds, with respect to minor differences when it is impossible to break up bonds beyond certain minimum sizes needed for transfer and settlement; (ii) with respect to minor differences when rounding is necessary to eliminate fractional shares or lots that are not tradeable round lots; (iii) with respect to “to-be-announced” transactions, short positions, derivatives and other positions that cannot be transferred in kind (including instruments that can be transferred in kind only with the consent of the original counterparty to the extent the Fund does not intend to seek such consents), and they will therefore be excluded from the Redemption Instruments with their value reflected in the determination of the Cash Redemption Amount; (iv) to the extent the Fund determines, on a given Business Day, to use a representative sampling of the Fund’s portfolio; or (v) with respect to temporary periods, to effect changes in the Fund’s portfolio as a result of the rebalancing of its underlying index.
The right of redemption may be suspended or the date of payment postponed (i) for any period during which the NYSE is closed (other than customary weekend and holiday closings); (ii) for any period during which trading on the NYSE is suspended or restricted; (iii) for any period during which an emergency exists as a result of which disposal of the shares of the Fund or determination of the Fund’s net asset value is not reasonably practicable; or (iv) in such other circumstances as are permitted by the SEC.
Redemption Transaction Fee. Parties redeeming Creation Units must pay a redemption transaction fee (the “Redemption Transaction Fee”) that is currently $500. The Redemption Transaction Fee is applicable to each redemption transaction regardless of the number of Creation Units redeemed in the transaction. The Redemption Transaction Fee may vary and is based on the composition of the securities included in the Funds’ portfolio and/or the countries in which the transactions are settled. The Redemption Transaction Fee is imposed to offset the Fund’s trading costs, operational processing costs, brokerage commissions and other similar costs incurred in transferring instruments from its account to the account of the redeeming investor. It is based on the composition of the instruments included in the Fund’s portfolio, and variations may be imposed from time to time. A redeeming investor receiving cash in lieu of one or more instruments may also be assessed a higher Redemption Transaction Fee on the cash-in-lieu portion to cover the costs of selling such instruments, including all the costs listed above plus all or part of the spread between the expected bid and offer side of the market relating to such instruments. Investors
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who use the services of a broker or other such intermediary in addition to an Authorized Participant to effect a redemption of a Creation Unit Aggregation may be charged an additional fee for such services.
Placement of Redemption Orders. Orders to redeem Creation Unit Aggregations must be delivered through an Authorized Participant that has executed a Participant Agreement and must comply with the applicable provisions of such Participant Agreement. Investors other than Authorized Participants are responsible for making arrangements for a redemption request to be made through an Authorized Participant.
To the extent contemplated by a Participant Agreement, in the event the Authorized Participant has submitted a redemption request in proper form but is unable to transfer all or part of the Creation Unit Aggregation to be redeemed by the closing time of the regular trading session on the Exchange on the date such redemption request is submitted, the redemption request may nonetheless be accepted in reliance on the undertaking by the Authorized Participant to deliver the missing shares as soon as possible. Such undertaking shall be secured by the Authorized Participant’s delivery and maintenance of collateral. In such cases, the Participant Agreement will permit the Fund to use such collateral to purchase the missing shares or acquire the instruments underlying such shares, and will subject the Authorized Participant to liability for any shortfall between the cost to the Fund of acquiring such shares or instruments and the value of the collateral. Subject to the applicable Participant Agreement, the current procedures for collateralization of missing shares generally require, among other things, that any cash collateral shall be in the form of U.S. dollars in immediately available funds and shall be held by BBH and marked to market daily, and that the fees of BBH and any sub-custodians in respect of the delivery, maintenance and redelivery of the cash collateral shall be payable by the Authorized Participant.
Redemptions of Fund shares for Redemption Instruments will be subject to compliance with applicable federal and state securities laws and the Fund reserves the right to redeem Creation Unit Aggregations for cash under the circumstances described above. An Authorized Participant or an investor for which it is acting may therefore be paid redemption proceeds in cash. The Authorized Participant may request the redeeming Beneficial Owner of the Fund shares to complete an order form or to enter into agreements with respect to such matters as compensating cash payments, beneficial ownership of shares or delivery instructions.
First Trust Dorsey Wright Focus 5 ETF, First Trust Dorsey Wright International Focus 5 ETF, First Trust Rising Dividend Achievers ETF, First Trust NASDAQ Technology Dividend Index Fund, First Trust RBA American Industrial Renaissance® ETF, First Trust RBA Quality Income ETF, International Multi-Asset Diversified Income Fund, Multi Asset Diversified Income Fund
Creation. The Trust issues and sells shares of the Funds only in Creation Unit Aggregations on a continuous basis through the Distributor, without a sales load, at their net asset values next determined after receipt, on any Business Day (as defined below), of an order in proper form.
A “Business Day” is any day on which the NYSE is open for business. As of the date of this SAI, the NYSE observes the following holidays: New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Presidents’ Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.
Deposit of Securities and Deposit or Delivery of Cash.    The consideration for purchase of Creation Unit Aggregations of a Fund may consist of (i) cash in lieu of all or a portion of the Deposit Securities, as defined below; and/or (ii) a designated portfolio of equity securities determined by First Trust, the “Deposit Securities”, per each Creation Unit Aggregation constituting a substantial replication of the stocks included in the underlying index and generally an amount of cash, the “Cash Component”, computed as described below. Together, the Deposit Securities and the Cash Component (including the cash in lieu amount) constitute the “Fund Deposit,” which represents the minimum initial and subsequent investment amount for a Creation Unit Aggregation of a Fund.
The Cash Component is sometimes also referred to as the Balancing Amount. The Cash Component serves the function of compensating for any differences between the net asset value per Creation Unit Aggregation and the Deposit Amount (as defined below). The Cash Component is an amount equal to the difference between the net asset value of Fund shares (per Creation Unit Aggregation) and the “Deposit Amount”, an amount equal to the market value of the Deposit Securities and/or cash in lieu of all or a portion of the Deposit Securities. If the Cash Component is a positive number (i.e., the net asset value per Creation Unit Aggregation exceeds the Deposit Amount), the creator will deliver the Cash Component. If the Cash Component is a negative number (i.e., the net asset value per Creation Unit Aggregation is less than the Deposit Amount), the creator will receive the Cash Component.
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The Custodian, through the NSCC (discussed below), makes available on each Business Day, prior to the opening of business of the NYSE (currently 9:30 a.m., Eastern Time), the list of the names and the required number of shares of each Deposit Security to be included in the current Fund Deposit (based on information at the end of the previous Business Day) for a Fund.
Such Fund Deposit is applicable, subject to any adjustments as described below, in order to effect creations of Creation Unit Aggregations of a Fund until such time as the next-announced composition of the Deposit Securities is made available.
The identity and number of shares of the Deposit Securities required for a Fund Deposit for a Fund change as rebalancing adjustments and corporate action events are reflected within a Fund from time to time by First Trust with a view to the investment objective(s) of the Fund. The composition of the Deposit Securities may also change in response to adjustments to the weighting or composition of the component stocks of the underlying index. In addition, the Trust reserves the right to permit or require the substitution of an amount of cash (i.e., a “cash in lieu” amount) to be added to the Cash Component to replace any Deposit Security that may not be available, that may not be available in sufficient quantity for delivery or which might not be eligible for trading by an Authorized Participant (as defined below) or the investor for which it is acting or other relevant reason. The adjustments described above will reflect changes known to First Trust on the date of announcement to be in effect by the time of delivery of the Fund Deposit, in the composition of the underlying index or resulting from certain corporate actions.
In addition to the list of names and numbers of securities constituting the current Deposit Securities of a Fund Deposit, the Custodian, through the NSCC, also makes available on each Business Day, the estimated Cash Component, effective through and including the previous Business Day, per outstanding Creation Unit Aggregation of a Fund.
Procedures for Creation of Creation Unit Aggregations.    In order to be eligible to place orders with the Distributor and to create a Creation Unit Aggregation of a Fund, an entity must be a DTC Participant (see section entitled “Book Entry Only System”), must have executed an agreement with the Distributor and transfer agent, with respect to creations and redemptions of Creation Unit Aggregations (“Participant Agreement”, discussed below), and must have international operational capabilities. A DTC Participant is also referred to as an “Authorized Participant.” Investors should contact the Distributor for the names of Authorized Participants that have signed a Participant Agreement. All Fund shares, however created, will be entered on the records of DTC in the name of Cede & Co. for the account of a DTC Participant.
All orders to create Creation Unit Aggregations must be received by the transfer agent no later than the closing time of the regular trading session on the NYSE (“Closing Time”) (ordinarily 4:00 p.m., Eastern Time), in each case on the date such order is placed in order for the creation of Creation Unit Aggregations to be effected based on the net asset value of shares of a Fund as next determined on such date after receipt of the order in proper form. In the case of custom orders, the order must be received by the transfer agent no later than 3:00 p.m. Eastern Time, on the trade date. A custom order may be placed by an Authorized Participant in the event that the Trust permits or requires the substitution of an amount of cash to be added to the Cash Component to replace any Deposit Security which may not be available in sufficient quantity for delivery or which may not be eligible for trading by such Authorized Participant or the investor for which it is acting or other relevant reason. The date on which an order to create Creation Unit Aggregations (or an order to redeem Creation Unit Aggregations, as discussed below) is placed is referred to as the “Transmittal Date.” Orders must be transmitted by an Authorized Participant by telephone or other transmission method acceptable to the transfer agent pursuant to procedures set forth in the Participant Agreement. Severe economic or market disruptions or changes, or telephone or other communication failure may impede the ability to reach the transfer agent or an Authorized Participant.
All orders from investors who are not Authorized Participants to create Creation Unit Aggregations shall be placed with an Authorized Participant, as applicable, in the form required by such Authorized Participant. In addition, the Authorized Participant may request the investor to make certain representations or enter into agreements with respect to the order, e.g., to provide for payments of cash, when required. Investors should be aware that their particular broker may not have executed a Participant Agreement and that, therefore, orders to create Creation Unit Aggregations of a Fund have to be placed by the investor’s broker through an Authorized Participant that has executed a Participant Agreement. In such cases there may be additional charges to such investor. At any given time, there may be only a limited number of broker-dealers that have executed a Participant Agreement. Those persons placing orders should ascertain the deadlines applicable to DTC and the Federal Reserve Bank wire system by contacting the operations department of the broker or depository institution effectuating such transfer of Deposit Securities and Cash Component.
Placement of Creation Orders.    In order to purchase Creation Units of a Fund, an Authorized Participant must submit an order to purchase for one or more Creation Units. All such orders must be received by a Fund’s transfer agent in proper form no later than the close of regular trading on the NYSE (ordinarily 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time) in order to receive that day’s
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closing net asset value per share. Orders must be placed in proper form by or through an Authorized Participant, which is a DTC Participant, i.e., a sub-custodian of the Trust. Deposit Securities must be delivered to the Trust through DTC or NSCC, and Deposit Securities which are non-U.S. securities must be delivered to an account maintained at the applicable local sub-custodian of the Trust on or before the International Contractual Settlement Date, as defined below. If a Deposit Security is an ADR or similar domestic instrument, it may be delivered to the Custodian. The Authorized Participant must also pay on or before the International Contractual Settlement Date immediately available or same-day funds estimated by the Trust to be sufficient to pay the Cash Component next determined after acceptance of the creation order, together with the applicable Creation Transaction Fee and additional variable amounts, as described below. The “International Contractual Settlement Date” is the earlier of (i) the date upon which all of the required Deposit Securities, the Cash Component and any other cash amounts which may be due are delivered to a Fund; or (ii) the latest day for settlement on the customary settlement cycle in the jurisdiction(s) where any of the securities of such Fund are customarily traded. A custom order may be placed by an Authorized Participant in the event that a Fund permits or requires the substitution of an amount of cash to be added to the Cash Component (if applicable) to replace any Deposit Security which may not be available in sufficient quantity for delivery or which may not be eligible for trading by such Authorized Participant or the investor for which it is acting or any other relevant reason.
The Authorized Participant must also make available no later than 2:00 p.m., Eastern Time, on the International Contractual Settlement Date, by means satisfactory to the Trust, immediately-available or same-day funds estimated by the Trust to be sufficient to pay the Cash Component next determined after acceptance of the purchase order, together with the applicable purchase transaction fee. Any excess funds will be returned following settlement of the issue of the Creation Unit Aggregation.
A Creation Unit Aggregation will not be issued until the transfer of good title to the Trust of the portfolio of Deposit Securities, the payment of the Cash Component, the payment of any other cash amounts and the Creation Transaction Fee (as defined below) have been completed. When the required Deposit Securities which are U.S. securities have been delivered to the Trust through DTC or NSCC, and Deposit Securities which are non-U.S. securities have been delivered to the Custodian and each relevant sub-custodian confirms to the Custodian that the required Deposit Securities which are non-U.S. securities (or, when permitted in the sole discretion of Trust, the cash in lieu thereof) have been delivered to the account of the relevant sub-custodian, the Custodian shall notify the Distributor and the transfer agent which, acting on behalf of the Trust, will issue and cause the delivery of the Creation Unit Aggregations. The Trust may in its sole discretion permit or require the substitution of an amount of cash (i.e., a “cash in lieu” amount) to be added to the Cash Component to replace any Deposit Security which may not be available in sufficient quantity for delivery or for other relevant reasons. If the Distributor, acting on behalf of the Trust, determines that a “cash in lieu” amount will be accepted, the Distributor will notify the Authorized Participant and the transfer agent, and the Authorized Participant shall deliver, on behalf of itself or the party on whose behalf it is acting, the “cash in lieu” amount, with any appropriate adjustments as advised by the Trust as discussed below.
In the event that an order for a Creation Unit is incomplete on the International Contractual Settlement Date because certain or all of the Deposit Securities are missing, the Trust may issue a Creation Unit notwithstanding such deficiency in reliance on the undertaking of the Authorized Participant to deliver the missing Deposit Securities as soon as possible, which undertaking shall be secured by an additional cash deposit (described below) with respect to the undelivered Deposit Securities. The Trust may permit, in its discretion, the Authorized Participant to substitute a different security in lieu of depositing some or all of the Deposit Securities. Substitution of cash or a different security might be permitted or required, for example, because one or more Deposit Securities may be unavailable in the quantity needed or may not be eligible for trading by the Authorized Participant due to local trading restrictions or other restrictions.
To the extent contemplated by the applicable Participant Agreement, Creation Unit Aggregations of the Funds will be issued to such Authorized Participant notwithstanding the fact that the corresponding Fund Deposits have not been received in part or in whole, in reliance on the undertaking of the Authorized Participant to deliver the missing Deposit Securities as soon as possible, which undertaking shall be secured by such Authorized Participant’s delivery and maintenance of collateral consisting of cash in the form of U.S. dollars in immediately available funds having a value (marked to market daily) at least equal to 115% which First Trust may change from time to time of the value of the missing Deposit Securities. Such cash collateral must be delivered no later than 2:00 p.m., Eastern Time, on the contractual settlement date. The Participant Agreement will permit the Funds to buy the missing Deposit Securities at any time and will subject the Authorized Participant to liability for any shortfall between the cost to the Trust of purchasing such securities and the value of the collateral.
Acceptance of Orders for Creation Unit Aggregations.    The Trust reserves the absolute right to reject a creation order transmitted to it by the Distributor with respect to a Fund if: (i) the order is not in proper form; (ii) the investor(s), upon obtaining the Fund shares ordered, would own 80% or more of the currently outstanding shares of the Fund; (iii) the Deposit Securities delivered are not as disseminated for that date by the Custodian, as described above; (iv) acceptance of the Deposit
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Securities would have certain adverse tax consequences to the Fund; (v) acceptance of the Fund Deposit would, in the opinion of counsel, be unlawful; (vi) acceptance of the Fund Deposit would otherwise, in the discretion of the Trust or First Trust, have an adverse effect on the Fund or the rights of Beneficial Owners; or (vii) in the event that circumstances outside the control of the Trust, the Custodian, the Distributor and First Trust make it for all practical purposes impossible to process creation orders. Examples of such circumstances include acts of God; public service or utility problems such as fires, floods, extreme weather conditions and power outages resulting in telephone, telecopy and computer failures; market conditions or activities causing trading halts; systems failures involving computer or other information systems affecting the Trust, First Trust, the Distributor, DTC, NSCC, the Custodian or sub-custodian or any other participant in the creation process, and similar extraordinary events. In addition, an order may be rejected for practical reasons such as the imposition by a foreign government or a regulatory body of controls, or other monetary, currency or trading restrictions that directly affect the portfolio securities held or systems failures involving computer or other information systems affecting any relevant sub-custodian. The Distributor shall notify a prospective creator of a Creation Unit and/or the Authorized Participant acting on behalf of such prospective creator of its rejection of the order of such person. The Trust, the Custodian, any sub-custodian and the Distributor are under no duty, however, to give notification of any defects or irregularities in the delivery of Fund Deposits, nor shall any of them incur any liability for the failure to give any such notification.
All questions as to the number of shares of each security in the Deposit Securities and the validity, form, eligibility, and acceptance for deposit of any securities to be delivered shall be determined by the Trust, and the Trust’s determination shall be final and binding.
Creation Transaction Fee.    Purchasers of Creation Units must pay a creation transaction fee (the “Creation Transaction Fee”) that is currently $500 for the First Trust Dorsey Wright Focus 5 ETF, First Trust Dorsey Wright International Focus 5 ETF, First Trust Rising Dividend Achievers ETF, First Trust NASDAQ Technology Dividend Index Fund, First Trust RBA American Industrial Renaissance® ETF and First Trust RBA Quality Income ETF; $1,000 for the Multi-Asset Diversified Income Index Fund and $3,400 for the International Multi-Asset Diversified Income Index Fund. The Creation Transaction Fee is applicable to each purchase transaction regardless of the number of Creation Units purchased in the transaction. The Creation Transaction Fee may vary and is based on the composition of the securities included in a Fund’s portfolio and/or the countries in which the transactions are settled. The Creation Transaction Fee may increase or decrease as a Fund’s portfolio is adjusted to conform to changes in the composition of the Index. The price for each Creation Unit will equal the daily net asset value per share times the number of shares in a Creation Unit plus the fees described above and, if applicable, any operational processing and brokerage costs, transfer fees or stamp taxes. When a Fund permits an Authorized Participant to substitute cash or a different security in lieu of depositing one or more of the requisite Deposit Securities, the Authorized Participant may also be assessed an amount to cover the cost of purchasing the Deposit Securities and/or disposing of the substituted securities, including operational processing and brokerage costs, transfer fees, stamp taxes, and part or all of the spread between the expected bid and offer side of the market related to such Deposit Securities and/or substitute securities.
As discussed above, shares of a Fund may be issued in advance of receipt of all Deposit Securities subject to various conditions including a requirement to maintain on deposit with the Fund cash at least equal to 115% of the market value of the missing Deposit Securities.
Redemption of Fund Shares in Creation Unit Aggregations.    Fund shares may be redeemed only in Creation Unit Aggregations at their net asset value next determined after receipt of a redemption request in proper form by a Fund through the transfer agent and only on a Business Day. A Fund will not redeem shares in amounts less than Creation Unit Aggregations. Beneficial Owners must accumulate enough shares in the secondary market to constitute a Creation Unit Aggregation in order to have such shares redeemed by the Trust. There can be no assurance, however, that there will be sufficient liquidity in the public trading market at any time to permit assembly of a Creation Unit Aggregation. Investors should expect to incur customary brokerage and other costs in connection with assembling a sufficient number of Fund shares to constitute a redeemable Creation Unit Aggregation. A redeeming beneficial owner must maintain appropriate security arrangements with a broker-dealer, bank or other custody provider in each jurisdiction in which any of the portfolio securities are customarily traded. If such arrangements cannot be made, or it is not possible to effect deliveries of the portfolio securities in a particular jurisdiction or under certain other circumstances (for example, holders may incur unfavorable tax treatment in some countries if they are entitled to receive “in-kind” redemption proceeds), Fund shares may be redeemed for cash at the discretion of First Trust.
With respect to the Funds, the Custodian, through the NSCC, makes available prior to the opening of business on the NYSE (currently 9:30 a.m. Eastern Time) on each Business Day, the identity of the Fund Securities (as defined below) that will be applicable (subject to possible amendment or correction) to redemption requests received in proper form (as described
42

below) on that day. Fund Securities (as defined below) received on redemption may not be identical to Deposit Securities that are applicable to creations of Creation Unit Aggregations.
Unless cash redemptions are available or specified for a Fund, the redemption proceeds for a Creation Unit Aggregation generally consist of a portfolio of securities (“Fund Securities”)as announced on the Business Day of the request for redemption received in proper formplus or minus cash in an amount equal to the difference between the net asset value of the Fund shares being redeemed, as next determined after a receipt of a request in proper form, and the value of the Fund Securities (the “Cash Redemption Amount”), less the applicable Redemption Transaction Fee as listed below and, if applicable, any operational processing and brokerage costs, transfer fees or stamp taxes. In the event that the Fund Securities have a value greater than the net asset value of the Fund shares, a compensating cash payment equal to the difference plus, the applicable Redemption Transaction Fee and, if applicable, any operational processing and brokerage costs, transfer fees or stamp taxes is required to be made by or through an Authorized Participant by the redeeming shareholder.
The right of redemption may be suspended or the date of payment postponed (i) for any period during which the NYSE is closed (other than customary weekend and holiday closings); (ii) for any period during which trading on the NYSE is suspended or restricted; (iii) for any period during which an emergency exists as a result of which disposal of the shares of a Fund or determination of the Fund’s net asset value is not reasonably practicable; or (iv) in such other circumstances as are permitted by the SEC.
Redemption Transaction Fee.    Parties redeeming Creation Units must pay a redemption transaction fee (the “Redemption Transaction Fee”) that is currently $500 for the First Trust Dorsey Wright Focus 5 ETF, First Trust Dorsey Wright International Focus 5 ETF, First Trust Rising Dividend Achievers ETF, First Trust NASDAQ Technology Dividend Index Fund, First Trust RBA American Industrial Renaissance® ETF and First Trust RBA Quality Income ETF; $1,000 for the Multi-Asset Diversified Income Index Fund and $3,400 for the International Multi-Asset Diversified Income Index Fund. The Redemption Transaction Fee is applicable to each redemption transaction regardless of the number of Creation Units redeemed in the transaction. The Redemption Transaction Fee may vary and is based on the composition of the securities included in a Fund’s portfolio and/or the countries in which the transactions are settled. The Redemption Transaction Fee may increase or decrease as a Fund’s portfolio is adjusted to conform to changes in the composition of the Index. The Funds reserve the right to effect redemptions in cash. A shareholder may request a cash redemption in lieu of securities; however, a Fund may, in its discretion, reject any such request. Investors will also bear the costs of transferring the Fund Securities from the Trust to their account or on their order. Investors who use the services of a broker or other such intermediary in addition to an Authorized Participant to effect a redemption of a Creation Unit Aggregation may be charged an additional fee for such services.
Placement of Redemption Orders.    Orders to redeem Creation Unit Aggregations must be delivered through an Authorized Participant that has executed a Participant Agreement. Investors other than Authorized Participants are responsible for making arrangements for a redemption request to be made through an Authorized Participant. An order to redeem Creation Unit Aggregations of a Fund is deemed received by the Trust on the Transmittal Date if: (i) such order is received by BBH (in its capacity as transfer agent) not later than the Closing Time on the Transmittal Date; (ii) such order is accompanied or followed by the requisite number of shares of the Fund specified in such order, which delivery must be made through DTC to BBH; and (iii) all other procedures set forth in the Participant Agreement are properly followed.
Deliveries of Fund Securities to investors are generally expected to be made within three Business Days. Due to the schedule of holidays in certain countries, however, the delivery of in-kind redemption proceeds for the International Multi-Asset Diversified Income Index Fund may take longer than three Business Days after the day on which the redemption request is received in proper form. In such cases, the local market settlement procedures will not commence until the end of the local holiday periods. See below for a list of the local holidays in the foreign countries relevant to the Fund. Under the 1940 Act, the International Multi-Asset Diversified Income Index Fund would generally be required to make payment of redemption proceeds within seven days after a security is tendered for redemption. However, because the settlement of redemptions of Fund shares is contingent not only on the settlement cycle of the U.S. securities markets, but also on delivery cycles of foreign markets, pursuant to an exemptive order on which the Fund may rely, the Fund’s in-kind redemption proceeds must be paid within the maximum number of calendar days required for such payment or satisfaction in the principal local foreign markets where transactions in portfolio securities customarily clear and settle, but generally no later than 12 calendar days following tender of a Creation Unit Aggregation.
In connection with taking delivery of shares of Fund Securities upon redemption of shares of the Fund, a redeeming Beneficial Owner, or Authorized Participant acting on behalf of such Beneficial Owner must maintain appropriate security arrangements with a qualified broker-dealer, bank or other custody provider in each jurisdiction in which any of the Fund Securities are customarily traded, to which account such Fund Securities will be delivered.
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To the extent contemplated by an Authorized Participant’s agreement, in the event the Authorized Participant has submitted a redemption request in proper form but is unable to transfer all or part of the Creation Unit Aggregation to be redeemed to the Funds’ transfer agent, the transfer agent may nonetheless accept the redemption request in reliance on the undertaking by the Authorized Participant to deliver the missing shares as soon as possible. Such undertaking shall be secured by the Authorized Participant’s delivery and maintenance of collateral consisting of cash having a value (marked to market daily) at least equal to 115%, which First Trust may change from time to time, of the value of the missing shares.
The current procedures for collateralization of missing shares require, among other things, that any cash collateral shall be in the form of U.S. dollars in immediately available funds and shall be held by BBH and marked to market daily, and that the fees of BBH and any sub-custodians in respect of the delivery, maintenance and redelivery of the cash collateral shall be payable by the Authorized Participant. If the Authorized Participant’s agreement provides for collateralization, it will permit the Trust, on behalf of the affected Fund, to purchase the missing shares at any time and will subject the Authorized Participant to liability for any shortfall between the cost to the Trust of purchasing such shares and the value of the collateral.
The calculation of the value of the Fund Securities and the Cash Redemption Amount to be delivered/received upon redemption will be made by BBH according to the procedures set forth in this SAI under “Determination of Net Asset Value” computed on the Business Day on which a redemption order is deemed received by the Trust. Therefore, if a redemption order in proper form is submitted to BBH by a DTC Participant not later than Closing Time on the Transmittal Date, and the requisite number of shares of the relevant Fund are delivered to BBH prior to the “DTC Cut-Off-Time,” then the value of the Fund Securities and the Cash Redemption Amount to be delivered will be determined by BBH on such Transmittal Date. If, however, a redemption order is submitted to BBH by a DTC Participant not later than the Closing Time on the Transmittal Date but either (i) the requisite number of shares of the relevant Fund are not delivered by the DTC Cut-Off-Time, as described above, on such Transmittal Date; or (ii) the redemption order is not submitted in proper form, then the redemption order will not be deemed received as of the Transmittal Date. In such case, the value of the Fund Securities and the Cash Redemption Amount to be delivered/received will be computed on the Business Day that such order is deemed received by the Trust, i.e., the Business Day on which the shares of the relevant Fund are delivered through DTC to BBH by the DTC Cut-Off-Time on such Business Day pursuant to a properly submitted redemption order.
If it is not possible to effect deliveries of the Fund Securities, the Trust may in its discretion exercise its option to redeem such Fund shares in cash, and the redeeming Beneficial Owner will be required to receive its redemption proceeds in cash. In addition, an investor may request a redemption in cash that a Fund may, in its sole discretion, permit. In either case, the investor will receive a cash payment equal to the net asset value of its Fund shares based on the net asset value of shares of the relevant Fund next determined after the redemption request is received in proper form (minus a redemption transaction fee and additional charge for requested cash redemptions specified above, to offset the Trust’s brokerage and other transaction costs associated with the disposition of Fund Securities). A Fund may also, in its sole discretion, upon request of a shareholder, provide such redeemer a portfolio of securities that differs from the exact composition of the Fund Securities, or cash in lieu of some securities added to the Cash Component, but in no event will the total value of the securities delivered and the cash transmitted differ from the net asset value.
Redemptions of Fund shares for Fund Securities will be subject to compliance with applicable federal and state securities laws and a Fund (whether or not it otherwise permits cash redemptions) reserves the right to redeem Creation Unit Aggregations for cash to the extent that the Trust could not lawfully deliver specific Fund Securities upon redemptions or could not do so without first registering the Fund Securities under such laws. An Authorized Participant or an investor for which it is acting subject to a legal restriction with respect to a particular stock included in the Fund Securities applicable to the redemption of a Creation Unit Aggregation may be paid an equivalent amount of cash. The Authorized Participant may request the redeeming Beneficial Owner of the Fund shares to complete an order form or to enter into agreements with respect to such matters as compensating cash payment, beneficial ownership of shares or delivery instructions.
Because the portfolio securities of a Fund may trade on the relevant exchange(s) on days that the listing exchange for the Fund is closed or are otherwise not Business Days for the Fund, shareholders may not be able to redeem their shares of such Fund, or purchase and sell shares of such Fund on the listing exchange for the Fund, on days when the net asset value of the Fund could be significantly affected by events in the relevant foreign markets.
Regular Holidays
The International Multi-Asset Diversified Income Index Fund generally intends to effect deliveries of Creation Units and securities in its portfolio on a basis of “T” plus three Business Days (i.e., days on which the NYSE is open). The Fund may
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effect deliveries of Creation Units and portfolio securities on a basis other than “T” plus three in order to accommodate local holiday schedules, to account for different treatment among non-U.S. and U.S. markets of dividend record dates and ex-dividend dates, or under certain other circumstances. The ability of the Trust to effect in-kind creations and redemptions within three Business Days of receipt of an order in good form is subject, among other things, to the condition that, within the time period from the date of the order to the date of delivery of the securities, there are no days that are holidays in the applicable foreign market. For every occurrence of one or more intervening holidays in the applicable non-U.S. market that are not holidays observed in the U.S. equity market, the redemption settlement cycle will be extended by the number of such intervening holidays. In addition to holidays, other unforeseeable closings in a non-U.S. market due to emergencies may also prevent the Trust from delivering securities within the normal settlement period.
The longest redemption cycle for the International Multi-Asset Diversified Income Index Fund is a function of the longest redemption cycle among the countries whose securities comprise the Fund. The securities delivery cycles currently practicable for transferring portfolio securities to redeeming investors, coupled with non-U.S. market holiday schedules, will require a delivery process longer than seven calendar days for the Fund in certain circumstances. It is not expected, however, that the Fund will take more than twelve calendar days from the date of the tender to deliver the redemption proceeds. The holidays applicable to the Fund during such periods are listed below. Certain holidays may occur on different dates in subsequent years. The proclamation of new holidays, the treatment by market participants of certain days as “informal holidays” (e.g., days on which no or limited securities transactions occur, as a result of substantially shortened trading hours), the elimination of existing holidays, or changes in local securities delivery practices, could affect the information set forth herein at some time in the future.
The dates of the regular holidays affecting the relevant securities markets from February 2018 through January 2019 of the below-listed countries are as follows:
Argentina Australia Austria Belgium Brazil Canada Chile
February 3
February 12
March 29
May 1
May 25
June 20
August 20
October 8
November 26
December 25
January 1
March 30
April 2
April 25
June 11
December 25
December 31
January 1
January 26
March 30
April 2
May 1
May 10
May 21
May 31
August 15
October 26
November 1
December 24
December 25
December 26
December 31
January 1
January 6
March 30
April 2
May 1
December 25
December 26
January 1
February 12
February 13
April 21
May 1
September 7
October 12
November 2
November 15
December 25
January 1
February 19
March 30
May 21
July 2
August 6
September 3
October 8
December 25
December 26
January 1
March 30
May 1
June 26
August 15
September 18
September 19
October 15
December 25
January 1
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China Denmark Finland France Germany Greece Hong Kong
February 15
February 16
February 19
February 20
February 21
April 5
April 6
April 30
May 1
June 18
September 24
October 1
October 2
October 3
October 4
October 5
December 31
January 1
March 29
March 30
April 2
April 27
May 10
May 11
May 21
June 5
December 24
December 25
December 26
December 31
January 1
March 30
April 2
May 1
May 10
June 22
December 6
December 24
December 25
December 26
December 31
January 1
March 30
April 2
May 1
December 25
December 26
January 1
March 30
April 2
May 1
May 21
October 3
December 24
December 25
December 26
December 31
January 1
February 19
March 30
April 2
April 6
April 9
May 1
May 28
August 15
December 24
December 25
December 26
January 1
February 16
February 19
March 30
April 2
April 5
May 1
May 22
June 18
July 2
September 25
October 1
October 17
December 25
December 26
India Ireland Israel Italy Japan Malaysia Mexico
February 13
March 2
March 29
March 30
May 1
August 15
August 22
September 13
September 20
October 2
October 18
November 7
November 8
November 23
December 25
March 30
April 2
May 7
June 4
December 25
December 26
January 1
March 1
April 5
April 6
April 18
April 19
May 20
July 22
September 9
September 10
September 11
September 18
September 19
September 23
September 24
September 30
October 1
March 30
April 2
May 1
August 15
December 24
December 25
December 26
December 31
January 1
February 11
February 12
March 21
April 29
April 30
May 3
May 4
May 5
July 16
August 11
September 17
September 23
September 24
October 8
November 3
November 23
December 23
December 24
December 31
January 1
January 2
January 3
February 1
May 1
May 29
May 31
June 1
June 15
August 23
August 31
September 11
September 17
November 6
November 20
December 25
January 1
February 5
March 19
March 29
March 30
May 1
November 2
November 19
December 12
December 25
January 1
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New Zealand Netherlands Norway Portugal Singapore South Africa South Korea
February 6
March 30
April 2
April 25
June 4
October 22
January 1
January 2
March 30
April 2
May 1
December 25
December 26
January 1
March 29
March 30
April 2
May 1
May 10
May 17
May 21
December 24
December 25
December 26
December 31
January 1
March 30
April 2
May 1
December 25
December 26
January 1
February 16
March 30
May 1
May 29
June 15
August 9
August 22
November 11
December 25
January 1
March 21
March 30
April 2
April 27
May 1
August 9
September 24
December 17
December 25
December 16
January 1
February 15
February 16
March 1
May 1
May 7
May 22
June 6
August 13
August 15
September 24
September 25
September 26
October 3
October 9
December 25
December 31
Spain Sweden Switzerland Taiwan Thailand United Kingdom United States
March 30
April 2
May 1
December 25
December 26
January 1
March 30
April 2
May 1
May 10
June 6
June 22
November 2
December 24
December 25
December 26
December 31
January 1
March 30
April 2
May 1
May 10
May 21
August 1
December 24
December 25
December 26
December 31
January 1
February 13
February 14
February 15
February 16
February 19
February 20
February 28
April 4
April 5
April 6
May 1
June 18
September 24
October 10
December 31
January 1
March 1
April 6
April 13
April 16
May 1
May 29
July 27
July 30
August 13
October 15
October 23
December 5
December 10
December 31
March 30
April 2
May 7
May 28
August 27
December 25
December 26
January 1
February 19
March 30
May 28
July 4
September 3
November 22
December 25
January 1
January 21
Federal Tax Matters
This section summarizes some of the main U.S. federal income tax consequences of owning shares of the Funds. This section is current as of the date of the SAI. Tax laws and interpretations change frequently, and these summaries do not describe all of the tax consequences to all taxpayers. For example, these summaries generally do not describe your situation if you are a corporation, a non-U.S. person, a broker-dealer, or other investor with special circumstances. In addition, this section does not describe your state, local or foreign tax consequences.
This federal income tax summary is based in part on the advice of counsel to the Funds. The Internal Revenue Service could disagree with any conclusions set forth in this section. In addition, our counsel was not asked to review, and has not reached a conclusion with respect to the federal income tax treatment of the assets to be deposited in the Funds. This may not be sufficient for prospective investors to use for the purpose of avoiding penalties under federal tax law.
As with any investment, prospective investors should seek advice based on their individual circumstances from their own tax advisor.
Each Fund intends to qualify annually and to elect to be treated as a regulated investment company under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (the “Code”).
To qualify for the favorable U.S. federal income tax treatment generally accorded to regulated investment companies, a Fund must, among other things, (a) derive in each taxable year at least 90% of its gross income from dividends, interest, payments with respect to securities loans and gains from the sale or other disposition of stock, securities or foreign currencies
47

or other income derived with respect to its business of investing in such stock, securities or currencies, or net income derived from interests in certain publicly traded partnerships; (b) diversify its holdings so that, at the end of each quarter of the taxable year, (i) at least 50% of the market value of a Fund’s assets is represented by cash and cash items (including receivables), U.S. government securities, the securities of other regulated investment companies and other securities, with such other securities of any one issuer generally limited for the purposes of this calculation to an amount not greater than 5% of the value of a Fund’s total assets and not greater than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of such issuer, and (ii) not more than 25% of the value of its total assets is invested in the securities (other than U.S. government securities or the securities of other regulated investment companies) of any one issuer, or two or more issuers which a Fund controls which are engaged in the same, similar or related trades or businesses, or the securities of one or more of certain publicly traded partnerships; and (c) distribute at least 90% of its investment company taxable income (which includes, among other items, dividends, interest and net short-term capital gains in excess of net long-term capital losses) and at least 90% of its net tax-exempt interest income each taxable year. There are certain exceptions for failure to qualify if the failure is for reasonable cause or is de minimis, and certain corrective action is taken and certain tax payments are made by a Fund.
Some of the energy infrastructure companies held by Multi-Asset Diversified Income Index Fund may be treated as publicly traded partnerships for U.S. federal income tax purposes. As mentioned above, if the investment in publicly traded partnerships exceeds 25% of the value of the Fund's total assets at the end of any quarter in which the Fund is required to test its diversification, the Fund may not qualify as a RIC unless the Fund takes corrective measures within 30 days.
As a regulated investment company, a Fund generally will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax on its investment company taxable income (as that term is defined in the Code, but without regard to the deduction for dividends paid) and net capital gain (the excess of net long-term capital gain over net short-term capital loss), if any, that it distributes to shareholders. Each Fund intends to distribute to its shareholders, at least annually, substantially all of its investment company taxable income and net capital gain. If a Fund retains any net capital gain or investment company taxable income, it will generally be subject to federal income tax at regular corporate rates on the amount retained. In addition, amounts not distributed on a timely basis in accordance with a calendar year distribution requirement are subject to a nondeductible 4% excise tax unless, generally, a Fund distributes during each calendar year an amount equal to the sum of (1) at least 98% of its ordinary income (not taking into account any capital gains or losses) for the calendar year, (2) at least 98.2% of its capital gains in excess of its capital losses (adjusted for certain ordinary losses) for the one-year period ending October 31 of the calendar year, and (3) any ordinary income and capital gains for previous years that were not distributed during those years. In order to prevent application of the excise tax, each Fund intends to make its distributions in accordance with the calendar year distribution requirement. A distribution will be treated as paid on December 31 of the current calendar year if it is declared by a Fund in October, November or December with a record date in such a month and paid by the Fund during January of the following calendar year. Such distributions will be taxable to shareholders in the calendar year in which the distributions are declared, rather than the calendar year in which the distributions are received. An adverse federal income tax audit of a partnership that a Fund invests in could result in the Fund being required to pay federal income tax or pay a deficiency dividend (without having received additional cash).
Subject to certain reasonable cause and de minimis exceptions, if a Fund fails to qualify as a regulated investment company or fails to satisfy the 90% distribution requirement in any taxable year, the Fund would be taxed as an ordinary corporation on its taxable income (even if such income were distributed to its shareholders) and all distributions out of earnings and profits would be taxed to shareholders as ordinary income.
Distributions
Dividends paid out of a Fund’s investment company taxable income are generally taxable to a shareholder as ordinary income to the extent of the Fund’s earnings and profits, whether paid in cash or reinvested in additional shares. However, certain ordinary income distributions received from a Fund may be taxed at capital gains tax rates. In particular, ordinary income dividends received by an individual shareholder from a regulated investment company such as each of the Funds are generally taxed at the same rates that apply to net capital gain, provided that certain holding period requirements are satisfied and provided the dividends are attributable to qualifying dividends received by a Fund itself. Dividends received by a Fund from REITs and foreign corporations are qualifying dividends eligible for this lower tax rate only in certain circumstances. A Fund will provide notice to its shareholders of the amount of any distributions that may be taken into account as a dividend which is eligible for the capital gains tax rates. A Fund cannot make any guarantees as to the amount of any distribution which will be regarded as a qualifying dividend.
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Income from a Fund may also be subject to a 3.8% “Medicare tax.” This tax generally applies to net investment income if the taxpayer’s adjusted gross income exceeds certain threshold amounts, which are $250,000 in the case of married couples filing joint returns and $200,000 in the case of single individuals.
A corporation that owns shares generally will not be entitled to the dividends received deduction with respect to many dividends received from a Fund because the dividends received deduction is generally not available for distributions from regulated investment companies. However, certain ordinary income dividends on shares that are attributable to qualifying dividends received by the Funds from certain domestic corporations may be reported by a Fund as being eligible for the dividends received deduction.
Distributions of net capital gain (the excess of net long-term capital gain over net short-term capital loss), if any, properly reported as capital gain dividends are taxable to a shareholder as long-term capital gains, regardless of how long the shareholder has held Fund shares. Shareholders receiving distributions in the form of additional shares, rather than cash, generally will have a tax basis in each such share equal to the value of a share of a Fund on the reinvestment date. A distribution of an amount in excess of a Fund’s current and accumulated earnings and profits will be treated by a shareholder as a return of capital which is applied against and reduces the shareholder’s basis in his or her shares. To the extent that the amount of any such distribution exceeds the shareholder’s basis in his or her shares, the excess will be treated by the shareholder as gain from a sale or exchange of the shares.
Shareholders will be notified annually as to the U.S. federal income tax status of distributions, and shareholders receiving distributions in the form of additional shares will receive a report as to the value of those shares.
Sale or Exchange of Fund Shares
Upon the sale or other disposition of shares of a Fund, which a shareholder holds as a capital asset, such a shareholder may realize a capital gain or loss which will be long-term or short-term, depending upon the shareholder’s holding period for the shares. Generally, a shareholder’s gain or loss will be a long-term gain or loss if the shares have been held for more than one year.
Any loss realized on a sale or exchange will be disallowed to the extent that shares disposed of are replaced (including through reinvestment of dividends) within a period of 61 days beginning 30 days before and ending 30 days after disposition of shares or to the extent that the shareholder, during such period, acquires or enters into an option or contract to acquire, substantially identical stock or securities. In such a case, the basis of the shares acquired will be adjusted to reflect the disallowed loss. Any loss realized by a shareholder on a disposition of Fund shares held by the shareholder for six months or less will be treated as a long-term capital loss to the extent of any distributions of long-term capital gain received by the shareholder with respect to such shares.
Taxes on Purchase and Redemption of Creation Units
If a shareholder exchanges securities for Creation Units the shareholder will generally recognize a gain or a loss. The gain or loss will be equal to the difference between the market value of the Creation Units at the time and the shareholder’s aggregate basis in the securities surrendered and the Cash Component paid. If a shareholder exchanges Creation Units for securities, then the shareholder will generally recognize a gain or loss equal to the difference between the shareholder’s basis in the Creation Units and the aggregate market value of the securities received and the Cash Redemption Amount. The Internal Revenue Service, however, may assert that a loss realized upon an exchange of securities for Creation Units or Creation Units for securities cannot be deducted currently under the rules governing “wash sales,” or on the basis that there has been no significant change in economic position.
Nature of Fund’s Investments
Certain of the Funds’ investment practices are subject to special and complex federal income tax provisions that may, among other things, (i) disallow, suspend or otherwise limit the allowance of certain losses or deductions, (ii) convert lower taxed long-term capital gain into higher taxed short-term capital gain or ordinary income, (iii) convert an ordinary loss or a deduction into a capital loss (the deductibility of which is more limited), (iv) cause a Fund to recognize income or gain without a corresponding receipt of cash; (v) adversely affect the time as to when a purchase or sale of stock or securities is deemed to occur; and (vi) adversely alter the characterization of certain complex financial transactions.
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Futures Contracts and Options
The Funds’ transactions in futures contracts and options will be subject to special provisions of the Code that, among other things, may affect the character of gains and losses realized by a Fund (i.e., may affect whether gains or losses are ordinary or capital, or short-term or long-term), may accelerate recognition of income to a Fund and may defer Fund losses. These rules could, therefore, affect the character, amount and timing of distributions to shareholders. These provisions also (a) will require a Fund to mark-to-market certain types of the positions in its portfolio (i.e., treat them as if they were closed out), and (b) may cause a Fund to recognize income without receiving cash with which to make distributions in amounts necessary to satisfy the 90% distribution requirement for qualifying to be taxed as a regulated investment company and the distribution requirements for avoiding excise taxes.
Investments in Certain Foreign Corporations
If a Fund holds an equity interest in any “passive foreign investment companies” (“PFICs”), which are generally certain foreign corporations that receive at least 75% of their annual gross income from passive sources (such as interest, dividends, certain rents and royalties or capital gains) or that hold at least 50% of their assets in investments producing such passive income, the Fund could be subject to U.S. federal income tax and additional interest charges on gains and certain distributions with respect to those equity interests, even if all the income or gain is timely distributed to its shareholders. A Fund will not be able to pass through to its shareholders any credit or deduction for such taxes. A Fund may be able to make an election that could ameliorate these adverse tax consequences. In this case, a Fund would recognize as ordinary income any increase in the value of such PFIC shares, and as ordinary loss any decrease in such value to the extent it did not exceed prior increases included in income. Under this election, a Fund might be required to recognize in a year income in excess of its distributions from PFICs and its proceeds from dispositions of PFIC stock during that year, and such income would nevertheless be subject to the distribution requirement and would be taken into account for purposes of the 4% excise tax (described above). Dividends paid by PFICs are not treated as qualified dividend income.
Backup Withholding
A Fund may be required to withhold U.S. federal income tax from all taxable distributions and sale proceeds payable to shareholders who fail to provide the Fund with their correct taxpayer identification number or fail to make required certifications, or who have been notified by the Internal Revenue Service that they are subject to backup withholding. Corporate shareholders and certain other shareholders specified in the Code generally are exempt from such backup withholding. This withholding is not an additional tax. Any amounts withheld may be credited against the shareholder’s U.S. federal income tax liability.
Non-U.S. Shareholders
U.S. taxation of a shareholder who, as to the United States, is a nonresident alien individual, a foreign trust or estate, a foreign corporation or foreign partnership (“non-U.S. shareholder”) depends on whether the income of a Fund is “effectively connected” with a U.S. trade or business carried on by the shareholder.
In addition to the rules described in this section concerning the potential imposition of withholding on distributions to non-U.S. persons, distributions to non-U.S. persons that are “financial institutions” may be subject to a withholding tax of 30% unless an agreement is in place between the financial institution and the U.S. Treasury to collect and disclose information about accounts, equity investments, or debt interests in the financial institution held by one or more U.S. persons or the institution is resident in a jurisdiction that has entered into such an agreement with the U.S. Treasury. For these purposes, a “financial institution” means any entity that (i) accepts deposits in the ordinary course of a banking or similar business; (ii) holds financial assets for the account of others as a substantial portion of its business; or (iii) is engaged (or holds itself out as being engaged) primarily in the business of investing, reinvesting or trading in securities, partnership interests, commodities or any interest (including a futures contract or option) in such securities, partnership interests or commodities. Dispositions of shares by such persons may be subject to such withholding after December 31, 2018.
Distributions to non-financial non-U.S. entities (other than publicly traded foreign entities, entities owned by residents of U.S. possessions, foreign governments, international organizations, or foreign central banks) will also be subject to a withholding tax of 30% if the entity does not certify that the entity does not have any substantial U.S. owners or provide the name, address and TIN of each substantial U.S. owner.  Dispositions of shares by such persons may be subject to such withholding after December 31, 2018.
50

Income Not Effectively Connected. If the income from a Fund is not “effectively connected” with a U.S. trade or business carried on by the non-U.S. shareholder, distributions of investment company taxable income will generally be subject to a U.S. tax of 30% (or lower treaty rate), which tax is generally withheld from such distributions.
Distributions of capital gain dividends and any amounts retained by a Fund which are properly reported by the Fund as undistributed capital gains will not be subject to U.S. tax at the rate of 30% (or lower treaty rate) unless the non-U.S. shareholder is a nonresident alien individual and is physically present in the United States for more than 182 days during the taxable year and meets certain other requirements. However, this 30% tax on capital gains of nonresident alien individuals who are physically present in the United States for more than the 182 day period only applies in exceptional cases because any individual present in the United States for more than 182 days during the taxable year is generally treated as a resident for U.S. income tax purposes; in that case, he or she would be subject to U.S. income tax on his or her worldwide income at the graduated rates applicable to U.S. citizens, rather than the 30% U.S. tax. In the case of a non-U.S. shareholder who is a nonresident alien individual, the Funds may be required to withhold U.S. income tax from distributions of net capital gain unless the non-U.S. shareholder certifies his or her non-U.S. status under penalties of perjury or otherwise establishes an exemption. If a non-U.S. shareholder is a nonresident alien individual, any gain such shareholder realizes upon the sale or exchange of such shareholder’s shares of the Funds in the United States will ordinarily be exempt from U.S. tax unless the gain is U.S. source income and such shareholder is physically present in the United States for more than 182 days during the taxable year and meets certain other requirements.
Distributions from a Fund that are properly reported by the Fund as an interest-related dividend attributable to certain interest income received by the Fund or as a short-term capital gain dividend attributable to certain net short-term capital gain income received by the Fund may not be subject to U.S. federal income taxes, including withholding taxes when received by certain non-U.S. investors, provided that the Fund makes certain elections and certain other conditions are met.
In addition, capital gain distributions attributable to gains from U.S. real property interests (including certain U.S. real property holding corporations) will generally be subject to United States withholding tax and will give rise to an obligation on the part of the foreign shareholder to file a United States tax return.
Income Effectively Connected. If the income from a Fund is “effectively connected” with a U.S. trade or business carried on by a non-U.S. shareholder, then distributions of investment company taxable income and capital gain dividends, any amounts retained by the Fund which are properly reported by the Fund as undistributed capital gains and any gains realized upon the sale or exchange of shares of the Fund will be subject to U.S. income tax at the graduated rates applicable to U.S. citizens, residents and domestic corporations. Non-U.S. corporate shareholders may also be subject to the branch profits tax imposed by the Code. The tax consequences to a non-U.S. shareholder entitled to claim the benefits of an applicable tax treaty may differ from those described herein. Non-U.S. shareholders are advised to consult their own tax advisors with respect to the particular tax consequences to them of an investment in the Funds.
Capital Loss Carry-forward
Under the Regulated Investment Company Modernization Act of 2010 (the “RIC Modernization Act”), net capital losses may be carried forward indefinitely, and their character is retained as short-term and/or long-term losses. At September 30, 2017, the Funds had net capital losses for federal income tax purposes as shown in the table below. To the extent that these loss carry-forwards are used to offset future capital gains, it is probable that the capital gains so offset will not be distributed to Fund shareholders. The Funds are subject to certain limitations, under U.S. tax rules, on the use of capital loss carry-forwards and net unrealized built-in losses. These limitations apply when there has been a 50% change in ownership.
Fund Total
Non-Expiring
Capital Loss
Available
First Trust Dorsey Wright Dynamic Focus 5 ETF $5,270,150
First Trust Dorsey Wright Focus 5 ETF 483,676,110
First Trust Dorsey Wright International Focus 5 ETF 83,470,986
First Trust Rising Dividend Achievers ETF 2,721,758
First Trust NASDAQ Technology Dividend Index Fund 47,235,937
First Trust RBA American Industrial Renaissance® ETF 17,467,114
First Trust RBA Quality Income ETF 2,653,902
51

Fund Total
Non-Expiring
Capital Loss
Available
International Multi-Asset Diversified Income Index Fund 2,315,233
Multi-Asset Diversified Income Index Fund 134,151,217
Other Taxation
Fund shareholders may be subject to state, local and foreign taxes on their Fund distributions. Shareholders are advised to consult their own tax advisors with respect to the particular tax consequences to them of an investment in the Funds.
Determination of Net Asset Value
The following information supplements and should be read in conjunction with the section in the Prospectus entitled “Net Asset Value.”
The per-share net asset value of a Fund is determined by dividing the total value of the securities and other assets, less liabilities, by the total number of shares outstanding. Under normal circumstances, daily calculation of the net asset value will utilize the last closing sale price of each security held by a Fund at the close of the market on which such security is principally listed. In determining net asset value, portfolio securities for a Fund for which accurate market quotations are readily available will be valued by the Fund accounting agent as follows:
(1) Common stocks and other equity securities listed on any national or foreign exchange other than Nasdaq and the London Stock Exchange Alternative Investment Market (“AIM”) will be valued at the last sale price on the exchange on which they are principally traded, or the official closing price for Nasdaq and AIM securities. Portfolio securities traded on more than one securities exchange are valued at the last sale price or official closing price, as applicable, on the Business Day as of which such value is being determined at the close of the exchange representing the principal market for such securities.
(2) Shares of open-end funds are valued at fair value which is based on NAV per share.
(3) Securities traded in the OTC market are fair valued at the mean of their most recent bid and asked price, if available, and otherwise at their closing bid price.
(4) Exchange-traded options and futures contracts are valued at the closing price in the market where such contracts are principally traded. If no closing price is available, they will be fair valued at the mean of their most recent bid and asked price, if available, and otherwise at their closing bid price. OTC options and futures contracts are fair valued at the mean of their most recent bid and asked price, if available, and otherwise at their closing bid price.
(5) Forward foreign currency contracts are fair valued at the current day’s interpolated foreign exchange rate, as calculated using the current day’s spot rate, and the 30, 60, 90 and 180-day forward rates provided by a pricing service or by certain independent dealers in such contracts.
In addition, the following types of securities will be fair valued by the Fund accounting agent as follows:
(1) Fixed-income securities, convertible securities, interest rate swaps, credit default swaps, total return swaps, currency swaps, currency-linked notes, credit-linked notes and other similar instruments will be fair valued using a pricing service.
(2) Fixed income and other debt securities having a remaining maturity of 60 days or less when purchased are fair valued at cost adjusted for amortization of premiums and accretion of discounts (amortized cost), provided the Advisor’s Pricing Committee has determined that the use of amortized cost is an appropriate reflection of fair value given market and issuer-specific conditions existing at the time of the determination. Factors that may be considered in determining the appropriateness of the use of amortized cost include, but are not limited to, the following:
(i) the credit conditions in the relevant market and changes thereto;
52

(ii) the liquidity conditions in the relevant market and changes thereto;
(iii) the interest rate conditions in the relevant market and changes thereto (such as significant changes in interest rates);
(iv) issuer-specific conditions (such as significant credit deterioration); and
(v) any other market-based data the Advisor’s Pricing Committee considers relevant. In this regard, the Advisor’s Pricing Committee may use last-obtained market-based data to assist it when valuing portfolio securities using amortized cost.
(3) Repurchase agreements will be valued as follows: Overnight repurchase agreements will be fair valued at amortized cost when it represents the best estimate of fair value. Term repurchase agreements (i.e., those whose maturity exceeds seven days) will be fair valued by the Advisor’s Pricing Committee at the average of the bid quotations obtained daily from at least two recognized dealers.
If the Advisor’s Pricing Committee has reason to question the accuracy or reliability of a price supplied or the use of the amortized cost methodology, the Advisor’s Pricing Committee shall determine if “it needs to fair value” such portfolio security pursuant to established valuation procedures. From time to time, the Advisor’s Pricing Committee will request that the Fund accounting agent submit price challenges to a pricing service, usually in response to any updated broker prices received.
Certain securities may not be able to be priced by pre-established pricing methods. Such securities may be valued by the Board of Trustees or its delegate, the Advisor’s Pricing Committee, at fair value. These securities generally include but are not limited to, restricted securities (securities that may not be publicly sold without registration under the 1933 Act) for which a pricing service is unable to provide a market price; securities whose trading has been formally suspended; a security whose market or fair value price is not available from a pre-established pricing source; a security with respect to which an event has occurred that is likely to materially affect the value of the security after the market has closed but before the calculation of Fund net asset value (as may be the case in foreign markets on which the security is primarily traded) or is likely to make it difficult or impossible to obtain a reliable market quotation; and a security whose price, as provided by the pricing service, does not reflect the security’s fair value. Fair value prices represent any prices not considered market value prices and are either obtained from a pricing service or are determined by the Advisor’s Pricing Committee. Market value prices represent last sale or official closing prices from a national or foreign exchange (i.e., a regulated market) and are primarily obtained from pricing services. If no market price or official close price is available from either a pricing service or no quotations are available from one or more brokers or if the Advisor’s Pricing Committee has reason to question the reliability or accuracy of a price supplied or the use of amortized cost, the value of any portfolio security held by a Fund for which reliable market prices/quotations are not readily available will be determined by the Advisor’s Pricing Committee in a manner that most appropriately reflects fair market value of the security on the valuation date, based on a consideration of all available information. When fair value prices are used, generally they will differ from market quotations or official closing prices on the applicable exchange.
Because foreign markets may be open on different days than the days during which a shareholder may purchase the shares of a Fund, the value of a Fund’s investments may change on the days when shareholders are not able to purchase the shares of the Fund. For foreign securities, if an extraordinary market event occurs between the time the last “current” market quotation is available for a security in a Fund’s portfolio and the time the Fund’s net asset value is determined and calls into doubt whether that earlier market quotation represents fair value at the time the Fund’s net asset value is determined, the Fund accounting agent will immediately notify the Advisor’s Pricing Committee and the Advisor’s Pricing Committee shall determine the fair valuation. For foreign securities, the Advisor’s Pricing Committee may seek to determine the “fair value” of such securities by retaining a pricing service to determine the value of the securities.
Foreign securities, currencies and other assets denominated in foreign currencies are translated into U.S. dollars at the exchange rate of such currencies against the U.S. dollar as provided by a pricing service. All assets denominated in foreign currencies will be converted into U.S. dollars at the exchange rates in effect at the time of valuation.
Dividends and Distributions
The following information supplements and should be read in conjunction with the section in the Prospectus entitled “Dividends, Distributions and Taxes.”
General Policies.    Dividends from net investment income of the Funds, if any, are declared and paid quarterly by First Trust Dorsey Wright Dynamic Focus 5 ETF, First Trust Dorsey Wright Focus 5 ETF, First Trust Dorsey Wright International
53

Focus 5 ETF, First Trust Rising Dividend Achievers ETF, First Trust NASDAQ Technology Dividend Index Fund, First Trust RBA American Industrial Renaissance® ETF and First Trust  RBA Quality Income ETF; and monthly by the Multi-Asset Diversified Income Index Fund and the International Multi-Asset Diversified Income Index Fund. Distributions of net realized securities gains, if any, generally are declared and paid once a year, but the Trust may make distributions on a more frequent basis. The Trust reserves the right to declare special distributions if, in its reasonable discretion, such action is necessary or advisable to preserve the status of each Fund as a regulated investment company or to avoid imposition of income or excise taxes on undistributed income.
Dividends and other distributions of Fund shares are distributed, as described below, on a pro rata basis to Beneficial Owners of such shares. Dividend payments are made through DTC Participants and Indirect Participants to Beneficial Owners then of record with proceeds received from the Funds.
Dividend Reinvestment Service.    No reinvestment service is provided by the Trust. Broker-dealers may make available the DTC book-entry Dividend Reinvestment Service for use by Beneficial Owners of the Funds for reinvestment of their dividend distributions. Beneficial Owners should contact their brokers in order to determine the availability and costs of the service and the details of participation therein. Brokers may require Beneficial Owners to adhere to specific procedures and timetables. If this service is available and used, dividend distributions of both income and realized gains will be automatically reinvested in additional whole shares of each Fund purchased in the secondary market.
Miscellaneous Information
Counsel.     Chapman and Cutler LLP, 111 West Monroe Street, Chicago, Illinois 60603, is counsel to the Trust.
Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm.    Deloitte & Touche LLP, 111 South Wacker Drive, Chicago, Illinois 60606, serves as the Funds' independent registered public accounting firm. The firm audits each Fund's financial statements and performs other related audit services.
Financial Statements
The audited financial statements and notes thereto for the Funds, contained in the Annual Report to Shareholders dated September 30, 2017, are incorporated by reference into this Statement of Additional Information and have been audited by Deloitte & Touche LLP, independent registered public accounting firm, whose report also appears in the Annual Report and is also incorporated by reference herein. No other parts of the Annual Report are incorporated by reference herein. The Annual Report is available without charge by calling (800) 621-1675 or by visiting the SEC's website at https://www.sec.gov.
54

Exhibit APrincipal Holders Table
NAME OF BENEFICIAL OWNER % OF
OUTSTANDING
SHARES OWNED
FIRST TRUST DORSEY WRIGHT DYNAMIC FOCUS 5 ETF
UBS Financial Services Inc. 19.69%
LPL Financial Corporation 12.32%
Raymond James & Associates, Inc. 10.98%
Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC 10.74%
Pershing LLC 7.89%
National Financial Services LLC 7.58%
Wells Fargo Clearing Services, LLC 7.23%
TD Ameritrade Clearing, Inc. 7.15%
Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Safekeeping 5.32%
FIRST TRUST DORSEY WRIGHT FOCUS 5 ETF
Wells Fargo Clearing Services, LLC 17.88%
Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC 15.40%
National Financial Services LLC 9.50%
LPL Financial Corporation 8.86%
Pershing LLC 8.76%
Raymond James & Associates, Inc. 6.99%
Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Safekeeping 5.56%
TD Ameritrade Clearing, Inc. 5.32%
Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. 5.18%
FIRST TRUST DORSEY WRIGHT INTERNATIONAL FOCUS 5 ETF
Wells Fargo Clearing Services, LLC 19.77%
Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC 15.68%
National Financial Services LLC 13.60%
UBS Financial Services Inc. 10.88%
Raymond James & Associates, Inc. 8.27%
FIRST TRUST RISING DIVIDEND ACHIEVERS ETF
Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC 13.13%
LPL Financial Corporation 9.60%
Wells Fargo Clearing Services, LLC 9.41%
National Financial Services LLC 8.36%
UBS Financial Services Inc. 7.48%
Raymond James & Associates, Inc. 7.05%
Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Safekeeping 7.00%
TD Ameritrade Clearing, Inc. 6.84%
Pershing LLC 6.59%
FIRST TRUST NASDAQ TECHNOLOGY DIVIDEND INDEX FUND
Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Safekeeping 14.38%
Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC 11.76%
Wells Fargo Clearing Services, LLC 11.27%
Charles Schwab & CO., Inc. 10.30%
National Financial Services LLC 7.82%
Raymond James & Associates, Inc. 7.23%
A-1

NAME OF BENEFICIAL OWNER % OF
OUTSTANDING
SHARES OWNED
UBS Financial Services Inc. 6.29%
FIRST TRUST RBA AMERICAN INDUSTRIAL RENAISSANCE® ETF
Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Safekeeping 26.95%
UBS Financial Services Inc. 15.38%
JPMorgan Chase Bank, National Association 14.49%
Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC 9.42%
Raymond James & Associates, Inc. 5.94%
FIRST TRUST RBA QUALITY INCOME ETF
Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Safekeeping 48.09%
Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC 15.92%
National Financial Services LLC 6.11%
INTERNATIONAL MULTI-ASSET DIVERSIFIED INCOME INDEX FUND
Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC 15.91%
National Financial Services LLC 13.58%
Pershing LLC 11.81%
LPL Financial Corporation 10.28%
RBC Capital Markets, LLC 10.14%
TD Ameritrade Clearing, Inc. 6.48%
Raymond James & Associates, Inc. 6.45%
Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Safekeeping 5.78%
Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated 5.54%
MULTI-ASSET DIVERSIFIED INCOME INDEX FUND
Wells Fargo Clearing Services, LLC 17.13%
Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC 12.63%
Raymond James & Associates, Inc. 8.17%
Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Safekeeping 7.14%
National Financial Services LLC 6.19%
Pershing LLC 5.94%
LPL Financial Corporation 5.46%
American Enterprise Investment Services Inc. 5.25%
(1) American Enterprise Investment Services Inc.: 682 AMP Financial Center, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55474
(2) Charles Schwab & CO., Inc.: 2423 E Lincoln Drive, Phoenix , Arizona 85016
(3) JPMorgan Chase Bank, National Association: 500 Stanton Christiana Road, Ops 4 Floor 02, Newark, Delaware 19713
(4) LPL Financial Corporation: 9785 Towne Centre Drive, San Diego, California 92121
(5) Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated: 4804 E. Deerlake Dr., Jacksonville, Florida 32246
(6) Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Safekeeping: 4804 E. Deerlake Dr., Jacksonville, Florida 32246
(7) Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC: 1300 Thames St 6th Floor, Baltimore, Maryland 21231
(8) National Financial Services LLC: 499 Washington Boulevard, Jersey City, New Jersey 07310
(9) Pershing LLC: One Pershing Plaza, Jersey City, New Jersey 07399
(10) Raymond James & Associates, Inc.: 880 Carillon Parkway, St. Petersburg, Florida 33716
(11) RBC Capital Markets, LLC: 60 S 6Th St - P09, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55402
(12) TD Ameritrade Clearing, Inc.: 1005 N. Ameritrade Place, Bellevue, Nebraska 68005
(13) UBS Financial Services Inc.: 1000 Harbor Blvd, Weehawken, New Jersey 07086
(14) Wells Fargo Clearing Services, LLC: 2801 Market Street H0006-09B, St. Louis, Missouri 63103
A-2

Exhibit BProxy Voting Guidelines
United States
Concise Proxy Voting Guidelines

Benchmark Policy Recommendations
Effective for Meetings on or after February 1, 2018
Published January 9, 2018
www.issgovernance.com
© 2018 ISS | Institutional Shareholder Services

B-1

U.S. Concise Proxy Voting Guidelines

The policies contained herein are a sampling only of selected key ISS U.S. proxy voting guidelines,
and are not intended to be exhaustive. The complete guidelines can be found at:
https://www.issgovernance.com/policy-gateway/voting-policies/
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Voting on Director Nominees in Uncontested Elections
General Recommendation: Generally vote for director nominees, except under the following circumstances:
Independence
Vote against1 or withhold from non-independent directors (Executive Directors and Non-Independent Non-Executive Directors per ISS’ Categorization of Directors) when:
Independent directors comprise 50 percent or less of the board;
The non-independent director serves on the audit, compensation, or nominating committee;
The company lacks an audit, compensation, or nominating committee so that the full board functions as that committee; or
The company lacks a formal nominating committee, even if the board attests that the independent directors fulfill the functions of such a committee.
Composition
Attendance at Board and Committee Meetings: Generally vote against or withhold from directors (except new nominees, who should be considered case-by-case2) who attend less than 75 percent of the aggregate of their board and committee meetings for the period for which they served, unless an acceptable reason for absences is disclosed in the proxy or another SEC filing. Acceptable reasons for director absences are generally limited to the following:
Medical issues/illness;
Family emergencies; and
Missing only one meeting (when the total of all meetings is three or fewer).
If the proxy disclosure is unclear and insufficient to determine whether a director attended at least 75 percent of the aggregate of his/her board and committee meetings during his/her period of service, vote against or withhold from the director(s) in question.
Overboarded Directors: Generally vote against or withhold from individual directors who:
Sit on more than five public company boards; or
Are CEOs of public companies who sit on the boards of more than two public companies besides their own— withhold only at their outside boards3.

1 In general, companies with a plurality vote standard use “Withhold” as the contrary vote option in director elections; companies with a majority vote standard use “Against”. However, it will vary by company and the proxy must be checked to determine the valid contrary vote option for the particular company.
2 New nominees who served for only part of the fiscal year are generally exempted from the attendance policy.
3 Although all of a CEO’s subsidiary boards will be counted as separate boards, ISS will not recommend a withhold vote for the CEO of a parent company board or any of the controlled (>50 percent ownership) subsidiaries of that parent, but may do so at subsidiaries that are less than 50 percent controlled and boards outside the parent/subsidiary relationships.

B-2
Enabling the financial community to manage governance risk for the benefit of shareholders.
© 2018 ISS | Institutional Shareholder Services

U.S. Concise Proxy Voting Guidelines

Diversity: Highlight boards with no gender diversity. However, no adverse vote recommendations will be made due to any lack of gender diversity.
Responsiveness
Vote case-by-case on individual directors, committee members, or the entire board of directors as appropriate if:
The board failed to act on a shareholder proposal that received the support of a majority of the shares cast in the previous year. Factors that will be considered are:
Disclosed outreach efforts by the board to shareholders in the wake of the vote;
Rationale provided in the proxy statement for the level of implementation;
The subject matter of the proposal;
The level of support for and opposition to the resolution in past meetings;
Actions taken by the board in response to the majority vote and its engagement with shareholders;
The continuation of the underlying issue as a voting item on the ballot (as either shareholder or management proposals); and
Other factors as appropriate.
The board failed to act on takeover offers where the majority of shares are tendered;
At the previous board election, any director received more than 50 percent withhold/against votes of the shares cast and the company has failed to address the issue(s) that caused the high withhold/against vote.
Vote case-by-case on Compensation Committee members (or, in exceptional cases, the full board) and the Say on Pay proposal if:
The company’s previous say-on-pay received the support of less than 70 percent of votes cast. Factors that will be considered are:
The company's response, including:
Disclosure of engagement efforts with major institutional investors, including the frequency and timing of engagements and the company participants (including whether independent directors participated);
Disclosure of the specific concerns voiced by dissenting shareholders that led to the say-on-pay opposition;
Disclosure of specific and meaningful actions taken to address shareholders' concerns;
Other recent compensation actions taken by the company;
Whether the issues raised are recurring or isolated;
The company's ownership structure; and
Whether the support level was less than 50 percent, which would warrant the highest degree of responsiveness.
The board implements an advisory vote on executive compensation on a less frequent basis than the frequency that received the plurality of votes cast.
Accountability
Vote against or withhold from the entire board of directors (except new nominees4, who should be considered case-by-case) for the following:
4 A “new nominee” is any current nominee who has not already been elected by shareholders and who joined the board after the problematic action in question transpired. If ISS cannot determine whether the nominee joined the board before or after the problematic action transpired, the nominee will be considered a “new nominee” if he or she joined the board within the 12 months prior to the upcoming shareholder meeting.

B-3
Enabling the financial community to manage governance risk for the benefit of shareholders.
© 2018 ISS | Institutional Shareholder Services

U.S. Concise Proxy Voting Guidelines

Problematic Takeover Defenses/Governance Structure
Poison Pills: Vote against or withhold from all nominees (except new nominees, who should be considered case-by-case) if:
The company has a poison pill that was not approved by shareholders5. However, vote case-by-case on nominees if the board adopts an initial pill with a term of one year or less, depending on the disclosed rationale for the adoption, and other factors as relevant (such as a commitment to put any renewal to a shareholder vote).
The board makes a material adverse modification to an existing pill, including, but not limited to, extension, renewal, or lowering the trigger, without shareholder approval.
Classified Board Structure: The board is classified, and a continuing director responsible for a problematic governance issue at the board/committee level that would warrant a withhold/against vote recommendation is not up for election. All appropriate nominees (except new) may be held accountable.
Removal of Shareholder Discretion on Classified Boards: The company has opted into, or failed to opt out of, state laws requiring a classified board structure.
Director Performance Evaluation: The board lacks mechanisms to promote accountability and oversight, coupled with sustained poor performance relative to peers. Sustained poor performance is measured by one- and three-year total shareholder returns in the bottom half of a company’s four-digit GICS industry group (Russell 3000 companies only). Take into consideration the company’s five-year total shareholder return and operational metrics. Problematic provisions include but are not limited to:
A classified board structure;
A supermajority vote requirement;
Either a plurality vote standard in uncontested director elections, or a majority vote standard in contested elections;
The inability of shareholders to call special meetings;
The inability of shareholders to act by written consent;
A multi-class capital structure; and/or
A non-shareholder-approved poison pill.
Unilateral Bylaw/Charter Amendments and Problematic Capital Structures: Generally vote against or withhold from directors individually, committee members, or the entire board (except new nominees, who should be considered case-by-case) if the board amends the company's bylaws or charter without shareholder approval in a manner that materially diminishes shareholders' rights or that could adversely impact shareholders, considering the following factors:
The board's rationale for adopting the bylaw/charter amendment without shareholder ratification;
Disclosure by the company of any significant engagement with shareholders regarding the amendment;
The level of impairment of shareholders' rights caused by the board's unilateral amendment to the bylaws/charter;
The board's track record with regard to unilateral board action on bylaw/charter amendments or other entrenchment provisions;
The company's ownership structure;
The company's existing governance provisions;
The timing of the board's amendment to the bylaws/charter in connection with a significant business development; and,
Other factors, as deemed appropriate, that may be relevant to determine the impact of the amendment on shareholders.
Unless the adverse amendment is reversed or submitted to a binding shareholder vote, in subsequent years vote case-by-case on director nominees. Generally vote against (except new nominees, who should be considered case-by-case) if the directors:
Classified the board;
Adopted supermajority vote requirements to amend the bylaws or charter; or
5 Public shareholders only, approval prior to a company’s becoming public is insufficient.

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Eliminated shareholders' ability to amend bylaws.
Problematic Governance Structure Newly public companies: For newly public companies, generally vote against or withhold from directors individually, committee members, or the entire board (except new nominees, who should be considered case-by-case) if, prior to or in connection with the company's public offering, the company or its board adopted bylaw or charter provisions materially adverse to shareholder rights, or implemented a multi-class capital structure in which the classes have unequal voting rights considering the following factors:
The level of impairment of shareholders' rights;
The disclosed rationale;
The ability to change the governance structure (e.g., limitations on shareholders’ right to amend the bylaws or charter, or supermajority vote requirements to amend the bylaws or charter);
The ability of shareholders to hold directors accountable through annual director elections, or whether the company has a classified board structure;
Any reasonable sunset provision; and
Other relevant factors.
Unless the adverse provision and/or problematic capital structure is reversed or removed, vote case-by-case on director nominees in subsequent years.
Restrictions on Shareholders’ Rights
Restricting Binding Shareholder Proposals: Generally vote against or withhold from the members of the governance committee if:
The company’s governing documents impose undue restrictions on shareholders’ ability to amend the bylaws. Such restrictions include, but are not limited to: outright prohibition on the submission of binding shareholder proposals, or share ownership requirements or time holding requirements in excess of SEC Rule 14a-8. Vote against on an ongoing basis.
Problematic Audit-Related Practices
Generally vote against or withhold from the members of the Audit Committee if:
The non-audit fees paid to the auditor are excessive;
The company receives an adverse opinion on the company’s financial statements from its auditor; or
There is persuasive evidence that the Audit Committee entered into an inappropriate indemnification agreement with its auditor that limits the ability of the company, or its shareholders, to pursue legitimate legal recourse against the audit firm.
Vote case-by-case on members of the Audit Committee and potentially the full board if:
Poor accounting practices are identified that rise to a level of serious concern, such as: fraud; misapplication of GAAP; and material weaknesses identified in Section 404 disclosures. Examine the severity, breadth, chronological sequence, and duration, as well as the company’s efforts at remediation or corrective actions, in determining whether withhold/against votes are warranted.
Problematic Compensation Practices
In the absence of an Advisory Vote on Executive Compensation (Say on Pay) ballot item or in egregious situations, vote against or withhold from the members of the Compensation Committee and potentially the full board if:
There is a significant misalignment between CEO pay and company performance (pay for performance) (see Primary Evaluation Factors for Executive Pay);

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The company maintains significant problematic pay practices (see Problematic Pay Practices); or
The board exhibits a significant level of poor communication and responsiveness (see Compensation Committee Communications and Responsiveness) to shareholders.
Generally vote against or withhold from the Compensation Committee chair, other committee members, or potentially the full board if:
The company fails to include a Say on Pay ballot item when required under SEC provisions, or under the company’s declared frequency of say on pay; or
The company fails to include a Frequency of Say on Pay ballot item when required under SEC provisions.
Generally vote against members of the board committee responsible for approving/setting non-employee director compensation if there is a pattern (i.e. two or more years) of awarding excessive non-employee director compensation without disclosing a compelling rationale or other mitigating factors.
Problematic Pledging of Company Stock:
Vote against the members of the committee that oversees risks related to pledging, or the full board, where a significant level of pledged company stock by executives or directors raises concerns. The following factors will be considered:
The presence of an anti-pledging policy, disclosed in the proxy statement, that prohibits future pledging activity;
The magnitude of aggregate pledged shares in terms of total common shares outstanding, market value, and trading volume;
Disclosure of progress or lack thereof in reducing the magnitude of aggregate pledged shares over time;
Disclosure in the proxy statement that shares subject to stock ownership and holding requirements do not include pledged company stock; and
Any other relevant factors.
Governance Failures
Under extraordinary circumstances, vote against or withhold from directors individually, committee members, or the entire board, due to:
Material failures of governance, stewardship, risk oversight6, or fiduciary responsibilities at the company;
Failure to replace management as appropriate; or
Egregious actions related to a director’s service on other boards that raise substantial doubt about his or her ability to effectively oversee management and serve the best interests of shareholders at any company.
Voting on Director Nominees in Contested Elections
Vote-No Campaigns
General Recommendation: In cases where companies are targeted in connection with public “vote-no” campaigns, evaluate director nominees under the existing governance policies for voting on director nominees in uncontested elections. Take into consideration the arguments submitted by shareholders and other publicly available information.
6 Examples of failure of risk oversight include, but are not limited to: bribery; large or serial fines or sanctions from regulatory bodies; significant adverse legal judgments or settlement; or hedging of company stock.

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Proxy Contests/Proxy Access Voting for Director Nominees in Contested Elections
General Recommendation: Vote case-by-case on the election of directors in contested elections, considering the following factors:
Long-term financial performance of the company relative to its industry;
Management’s track record;
Background to the contested election;
Nominee qualifications and any compensatory arrangements;
Strategic plan of dissident slate and quality of the critique against management;
Likelihood that the proposed goals and objectives can be achieved (both slates); and
Stock ownership positions.
In the case of candidates nominated pursuant to proxy access, vote case-by-case considering any applicable factors listed above or additional factors which may be relevant, including those that are specific to the company, to the nominee(s) and/or to the nature of the election (such as whether or not there are more candidates than board seats).
Independent Chair (Separate Chair/CEO)
General Recommendation: Generally vote for shareholder proposals requiring that the chairman’s position be filled by an independent director, taking into consideration the following:
The scope of the proposal;
The company's current board leadership structure;
The company's governance structure and practices;
Company performance; and
Any other relevant factors that may be applicable.
Regarding the scope of the proposal, consider whether the proposal is precatory or binding and whether the proposal is seeking an immediate change in the chairman role or the policy can be implemented at the next CEO transition.
Under the review of the company's board leadership structure, ISS may support the proposal under the following scenarios absent a compelling rationale: the presence of an executive or non-independent chair in addition to the CEO; a recent recombination of the role of CEO and chair; and/or departure from a structure with an independent chair. ISS will also consider any recent transitions in board leadership and the effect such transitions may have on independent board leadership as well as the designation of a lead director role.
When considering the governance structure, ISS will consider the overall independence of the board, the independence of key committees, the establishment of governance guidelines, board tenure and its relationship to CEO tenure, and any other factors that may be relevant. Any concerns about a company's governance structure will weigh in favor of support for the proposal.
The review of the company's governance practices may include, but is not limited to, poor compensation practices, material failures of governance and risk oversight, related-party transactions or other issues putting director independence at risk, corporate or management scandals, and actions by management or the board with potential or realized negative impact on shareholders. Any such practices may suggest a need for more independent oversight at the company thus warranting support of the proposal.
ISS' performance assessment will generally consider one-, three-, and five-year TSR compared to the company's peers and the market as a whole. While poor performance will weigh in favor of the adoption of an independent chair policy, strong performance over the long term will be considered a mitigating factor when determining whether the proposed leadership change warrants support.

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Proxy Access
General Recommendation: Generally vote for management and shareholder proposals for proxy access with the following provisions:
Ownership threshold: maximum requirement not more than three percent (3%) of the voting power;
Ownership duration: maximum requirement not longer than three (3) years of continuous ownership for each member of the nominating group;
Aggregation: minimal or no limits on the number of shareholders permitted to form a nominating group;
Cap: cap on nominees of generally twenty-five percent (25%) of the board.
Review for reasonableness any other restrictions on the right of proxy access.
Generally vote against proposals that are more restrictive than these guidelines.
CAPITAL/RESTRUCTURING
Common Stock Authorization
General Recommendation: Vote for proposals to increase the number of authorized common shares where the primary purpose of the increase is to issue shares in connection with a transaction on the same ballot that warrants support.
Vote against proposals at companies with more than one class of common stock to increase the number of authorized shares of the class of common stock that has superior voting rights.
Vote against proposals to increase the number of authorized common shares if a vote for a reverse stock split on the same ballot is warranted despite the fact that the authorized shares would not be reduced proportionally.
Vote case-by-case on all other proposals to increase the number of shares of common stock authorized for issuance. Take into account company-specific factors that include, at a minimum, the following:
Past Board Performance:
The company's use of authorized shares during the last three years
The Current Request:
Disclosure in the proxy statement of the specific purposes of the proposed increase;
Disclosure in the proxy statement of specific and severe risks to shareholders of not approving the request; and
The dilutive impact of the request as determined relative to an allowable increase calculated by ISS (typically 100 percent of existing authorized shares) that reflects the company's need for shares and total shareholder returns.
ISS will apply the relevant allowable increase below to requests to increase common stock that are for general corporate purposes (or to the general corporate purposes portion of a request that also includes a specific need):
A. Most companies: 100 percent of existing authorized shares.
B. Companies with less than 50 percent of existing authorized shares either outstanding or reserved for issuance: 50 percent of existing authorized shares.
C. Companies with one- and three-year total shareholder returns (TSRs) in the bottom 10 percent of the U.S. market as of the end of the calendar quarter that is closest to their most recent fiscal year end: 50 percent of existing authorized shares.

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D. Companies at which both conditions (B and C) above are both present: 25 percent of existing authorized shares.
If there is an acquisition, private placement, or similar transaction on the ballot (not including equity incentive plans) that ISS is recommending FOR, the allowable increase will be the greater of (i) twice the amount needed to support the transactions on the ballot, and (ii) the allowable increase as calculated above.
Mergers and Acquisitions
General Recommendation: Vote case-by-case on mergers and acquisitions. Review and evaluate the merits and drawbacks of the proposed transaction, balancing various and sometimes countervailing factors including:
Valuation - Is the value to be received by the target shareholders (or paid by the acquirer) reasonable? While the fairness opinion may provide an initial starting point for assessing valuation reasonableness, emphasis is placed on the offer premium, market reaction, and strategic rationale.
Market reaction - How has the market responded to the proposed deal? A negative market reaction should cause closer scrutiny of a deal.
Strategic rationale - Does the deal make sense strategically? From where is the value derived? Cost and revenue synergies should not be overly aggressive or optimistic, but reasonably achievable. Management should also have a favorable track record of successful integration of historical acquisitions.
Negotiations and process - Were the terms of the transaction negotiated at arm's-length? Was the process fair and equitable? A fair process helps to ensure the best price for shareholders. Significant negotiation "wins" can also signify the deal makers' competency. The comprehensiveness of the sales process (e.g., full auction, partial auction, no auction) can also affect shareholder value.
Conflicts of interest - Are insiders benefiting from the transaction disproportionately and inappropriately as compared to non-insider shareholders? As the result of potential conflicts, the directors and officers of the company may be more likely to vote to approve a merger than if they did not hold these interests. Consider whether these interests may have influenced these directors and officers to support or recommend the merger. The CIC figure presented in the "ISS Transaction Summary" section of this report is an aggregate figure that can in certain cases be a misleading indicator of the true value transfer from shareholders to insiders. Where such figure appears to be excessive, analyze the underlying assumptions to determine whether a potential conflict exists.
Governance - Will the combined company have a better or worse governance profile than the current governance profiles of the respective parties to the transaction? If the governance profile is to change for the worse, the burden is on the company to prove that other issues (such as valuation) outweigh any deterioration in governance.
COMPENSATION
Executive Pay Evaluation
Underlying all evaluations are five global principles that most investors expect corporations to adhere to in designing and administering executive and director compensation programs:
1. Maintain appropriate pay-for-performance alignment, with emphasis on long-term shareholder value: This principle encompasses overall executive pay practices, which must be designed to attract, retain, and appropriately motivate the key employees who drive shareholder value creation over the long term. It will take into consideration, among other factors, the link between pay and performance; the mix between fixed and variable pay; performance goals; and equity-based plan costs;

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2. Avoid arrangements that risk “pay for failure”: This principle addresses the appropriateness of long or indefinite contracts, excessive severance packages, and guaranteed compensation;
3. Maintain an independent and effective compensation committee: This principle promotes oversight of executive pay programs by directors with appropriate skills, knowledge, experience, and a sound process for compensation decision-making (e.g., including access to independent expertise and advice when needed);
4. Provide shareholders with clear, comprehensive compensation disclosures: This principle underscores the importance of informative and timely disclosures that enable shareholders to evaluate executive pay practices fully and fairly;
5. Avoid inappropriate pay to non-executive directors: This principle recognizes the interests of shareholders in ensuring that compensation to outside directors is reasonable and does not compromise their independence and ability to make appropriate judgments in overseeing managers’ pay and performance. At the market level, it may incorporate a variety of generally accepted best practices.
Advisory Votes on Executive CompensationManagement Proposals (Management Say-on-Pay)
General Recommendation: Vote case-by-case on ballot items related to executive pay and practices, as well as certain aspects of outside director compensation.
  Vote against Advisory Votes on Executive Compensation (Say-on-Pay or “SOP”) if:
There is a significant misalignment between CEO pay and company performance (pay for performance) (see Primary Evaluation Factors for Executive Pay);
The company maintains significant problematic pay practices (see Problematic Pay Practices);
The board exhibits a significant level of poor communication and responsiveness (see Compensation Committee Communications and Responsiveness) to shareholders.
Vote against or withhold from the members of the Compensation Committee and potentially the full board if:
There is no SOP on the ballot, and an against vote on an SOP is warranted due to pay-for-performance misalignment, problematic pay practices, or the lack of adequate responsiveness on compensation issues raised previously, or a combination thereof;
The board fails to respond adequately to a previous SOP proposal that received less than 70 percent support of votes cast;
The company has recently practiced or approved problematic pay practices, including option repricing or option backdating; or
The situation is egregious.
Primary Evaluation Factors for Executive Pay
Pay-for-Performance Evaluation
ISS annually conducts a pay-for-performance analysis to identify strong or satisfactory alignment between pay and performance over a sustained period. With respect to companies in the Russell 3000 or Russell 3000E Indices7, this analysis considers the following:
7 The Russell 3000E Index includes approximately 4,000 of the largest U.S. equity securities.

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Peer Group8 Alignment:
The degree of alignment between the company's annualized TSR rank and the CEO's annualized total pay rank within a peer group, each measured over a three-year period.
The rankings of CEO total pay and company financial performance within a peer group, each measured over a three-year period.
The multiple of the CEO's total pay relative to the peer group median in the most recent fiscal year.
2. Absolute Alignment9 the absolute alignment between the trend in CEO pay and company TSR over the prior five fiscal years i.e., the difference between the trend in annual pay changes and the trend in annualized TSR during the period.
If the above analysis demonstrates significant unsatisfactory long-term pay-for-performance alignment or, in the case of companies outside the Russell indices, misaligned pay and performance are otherwise suggested, our analysis may include any of the following qualitative factors, as relevant to evaluating how various pay elements may work to encourage or to undermine long-term value creation and alignment with shareholder interests:
The ratio of performance- to time-based equity awards;
The overall ratio of performance-based compensation;
The completeness of disclosure and rigor of performance goals;
The company's peer group benchmarking practices;
Actual results of financial/operational metrics, such as growth in revenue, profit, cash flow, etc., both absolute and relative to peers;
Special circumstances related to, for example, a new CEO in the prior FY or anomalous equity grant practices (e.g., bi-annual awards);
Realizable pay10 compared to grant pay; and
Any other factors deemed relevant.
Problematic Pay Practices
The focus is on executive compensation practices that contravene the global pay principles, including:
Problematic practices related to non-performance-based compensation elements;
Incentives that may motivate excessive risk-taking; and
Options backdating.
Problematic Pay Practices related to Non-Performance-Based Compensation Elements
Pay elements that are not directly based on performance are generally evaluated case-by-case considering the context of a company's overall pay program and demonstrated pay-for-performance philosophy. Please refer to ISS' Compensation FAQ document for detail on specific pay practices that have been identified as potentially problematic and may lead to negative recommendations if they are deemed to be inappropriate or unjustified relative to executive pay best practices. The list below highlights the problematic practices that carry significant weight in this overall consideration and may result in adverse vote recommendations:
8 The revised peer group is generally comprised of 14-24 companies that are selected using market cap, revenue (or assets for certain financial firms), GICS industry group, and company's selected peers' GICS industry group, with size constraints, via a process designed to select peers that are comparable to the subject company in terms of revenue/assets and industry, and also within a market-cap bucket that is reflective of the company's. For Oil, Gas & Consumable Fuels companies, market cap is the only size determinant.
9 Only Russell 3000 Index companies are subject to the Absolute Alignment analysis.
10 ISS research reports include realizable pay for S&P1500 companies.

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Repricing or replacing of underwater stock options/SARS without prior shareholder approval (including cash buyouts and voluntary surrender of underwater options);
Extraordinary perquisites or tax gross-ups, including any gross-up related to a secular trust or restricted stock vesting, or lifetime perquisites;
New or extended agreements that provide for:
Excessive CIC payments (generally exceeding 3 times base salary and average/target/most recent bonus);
CIC severance payments without involuntary job loss or substantial diminution of duties ("single" or "modified single" triggers);
CIC payments with excise tax gross-ups (including "modified" gross-ups);
Multi-year guaranteed awards that are not at risk due to rigorous performance conditions;
Liberal CIC definition combined with any single-trigger CIC benefits;
Insufficient executive compensation disclosure by externally-managed issuers (EMIs) such that a reasonable assessment of pay programs and practices applicable to the EMI's executives is not possible;
Any other provision or practice deemed to be egregious and present a significant risk to investors.
Incentives that may Motivate Excessive Risk-Taking
Multi-year guaranteed awards;
A single or common performance metric used for short- and long-term incentives;
Lucrative severance packages;
High pay opportunities relative to industry peers;
Disproportionate supplemental pensions; or
Mega equity grants that provide overly large upside opportunity.
Factors that potentially mitigate the impact of risky incentives include rigorous claw-back provisions, robust stock ownership/holding guidelines, and limitations on accelerated vesting triggers.
Options Backdating
The following factors should be examined case-by-case to allow for distinctions to be made between “sloppy” plan administration versus deliberate action or fraud:
Reason and motive for the options backdating issue, such as inadvertent vs. deliberate grant date changes;
Duration of options backdating;
Size of restatement due to options backdating;
Corrective actions taken by the board or compensation committee, such as canceling or re-pricing backdated options, the recouping of option gains on backdated grants; and
Adoption of a grant policy that prohibits backdating, and creates a fixed grant schedule or window period for equity grants in the future.
Compensation Committee Communications and Responsiveness
Consider the following factors case-by-case when evaluating ballot items related to executive pay on the board’s responsiveness to investor input and engagement on compensation issues:
Failure to respond to majority-supported shareholder proposals on executive pay topics; or
Failure to adequately respond to the company's previous say-on-pay proposal that received the support of less than 70 percent of votes cast, taking into account:
The company's response, including:

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Disclosure of engagement efforts with major institutional investors, including the frequency and timing of engagements and the company participants (including whether independent directors participated);
Disclosure of the specific concerns voiced by dissenting shareholders that led to the say-on-pay opposition;
Disclosure of specific and meaningful actions taken to address shareholders’ concerns;
Other recent compensation actions taken by the company;
Whether the issues raised are recurring or isolated;
The company's ownership structure; and
Whether the support level was less than 50 percent, which would warrant the highest degree of responsiveness.
Equity-Based and Other Incentive Plans
General Recommendation: Vote case-by-case on certain equity-based compensation plans11 depending on a combination of certain plan features and equity grant practices, where positive factors may counterbalance negative factors, and vice versa, as evaluated using an "equity plan scorecard" (EPSC) approach with three pillars:
Plan Cost: The total estimated cost of the company’s equity plans relative to industry/market cap peers, measured by the company's estimated Shareholder Value Transfer (SVT) in relation to peers and considering both:
SVT based on new shares requested plus shares remaining for future grants, plus outstanding unvested/unexercised grants; and
SVT based only on new shares requested plus shares remaining for future grants.
Plan Features:
Discretionary or automatic single-triggered award vesting upon a change in control (CIC);
Discretionary vesting authority;
Liberal share recycling on various award types;
Lack of minimum vesting period for grants made under the plan;
Dividends payable prior to award vesting.
Grant Practices:
The company’s three year burn rate relative to its industry/market cap peers;
Vesting requirements in most recent CEO equity grants (3-year look-back);
The estimated duration of the plan (based on the sum of shares remaining available and the new shares requested, divided by the average annual shares granted in the prior three years);
The proportion of the CEO's most recent equity grants/awards subject to performance conditions;
Whether the company maintains a claw-back policy;
Whether the company has established post exercise/vesting share-holding requirements.
Generally vote against the plan proposal if the combination of above factors indicates that the plan is not, overall, in shareholders' interests, or if any of the following egregious factors apply:
Awards may vest in connection with a liberal change-of-control definition;
The plan would permit repricing or cash buyout of underwater options without shareholder approval (either by expressly permitting itfor NYSE and Nasdaq listed companiesor by not prohibiting it when the company has a history of repricingfor non-listed companies);
11 Proposals evaluated under the EPSC policy generally include those to approve or amend (1) stock option plans for employees and/or employees and directors, (2) restricted stock plans for employees and/or employees and directors, and (3) omnibus stock incentive plans for employees and/or employees and directors; amended plans will be further evaluated case-by-case.

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The plan is a vehicle for problematic pay practices or a significant pay-for-performance disconnect under certain circumstances; or
Any other plan features are determined to have a significant negative impact on shareholder interests.
SOCIAL/ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES
Global Approach
Issues covered under the policy include a wide range of topics, including consumer and product safety, environment and energy, labor standards and human rights, workplace and board diversity, and corporate political issues. While a variety of factors goes into each analysis, the overall principle guiding all vote recommendations focuses on how the proposal may enhance or protect shareholder value in either the short or long term.
General Recommendation: Generally vote case-by-case, taking into consideration whether implementation of the proposal is likely to enhance or protect shareholder value, and in addition the following will also be considered:
If the issues presented in the proposal are more appropriately or effectively dealt with through legislation or government regulation;
If the company has already responded in an appropriate and sufficient manner to the issue(s) raised in the proposal;
Whether the proposal's request is unduly burdensome (scope or timeframe) or overly prescriptive;
The company's approach compared with any industry standard practices for addressing the issue(s) raised by the proposal;
If the proposal requests increased disclosure or greater transparency, whether or not reasonable and sufficient information is currently available to shareholders from the company or from other publicly available sources; and
If the proposal requests increased disclosure or greater transparency, whether or not implementation would reveal proprietary or confidential information that could place the company at a competitive disadvantage.
Climate Change/Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions
General Recommendation: Generally vote for resolutions requesting that a company disclose information on the financial, physical, or regulatory risks it faces related to climate change on its operations and investments or on how the company identifies, measures, and manages such risks, considering:
Whether the company already provides current, publicly-available information on the impact that climate change may have on the company as well as associated company policies and procedures to address related risks and/or opportunities;
The company’s level of disclosure compared to industry peers; and
Whether there are significant controversies, fines, penalties, or litigation associated with the company’s climate change-related performance.
Generally vote for proposals requesting a report on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from company operations and/or products and operations, unless:
The company already discloses current, publicly-available information on the impacts that GHG emissions may have on the company as well as associated company policies and procedures to address related risks and/or opportunities;
The company's level of disclosure is comparable to that of industry peers; and
There are no significant, controversies, fines, penalties, or litigation associated with the company's GHG emissions.

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Vote case-by-case on proposals that call for the adoption of GHG reduction goals from products and operations, taking into account:
Whether the company provides disclosure of year-over-year GHG emissions performance data;
Whether company disclosure lags behind industry peers;
The company's actual GHG emissions performance;
The company's current GHG emission policies, oversight mechanisms, and related initiatives; and
Whether the company has been the subject of recent, significant violations, fines, litigation, or controversy related to GHG emissions.
Board Diversity
General Recommendation: Generally vote for requests for reports on a company's efforts to diversify the board, unless:
The gender and racial minority representation of the company’s board is reasonably inclusive in relation to companies of similar size and business; and
The board already reports on its nominating procedures and gender and racial minority initiatives on the board and within the company.
Vote case-by-case on proposals asking a company to increase the gender and racial minority representation on its board, taking into account:
The degree of existing gender and racial minority diversity on the company’s board and among its executive officers;
The level of gender and racial minority representation that exists at the company’s industry peers;
The company’s established process for addressing gender and racial minority board representation;
Whether the proposal includes an overly prescriptive request to amend nominating committee charter language;
The independence of the company’s nominating committee;
Whether the company uses an outside search firm to identify potential director nominees; and
Whether the company has had recent controversies, fines, or litigation regarding equal employment practices.
Gender Pay Gap
General Recommendation: Generally vote case-by-case on requests for reports on a company's pay data by gender, or a report on a company’s policies and goals to reduce any gender pay gap, taking into account:
The company's current policies and disclosure related to both its diversity and inclusion policies and practices and its compensation philosophy and fair and equitable compensation practices;
Whether the company has been the subject of recent controversy, litigation, or regulatory actions related to gender pay gap issues; and
Whether the company's reporting regarding gender pay gap policies or initiatives is lagging its peers.
Data Security, Privacy, and Internet Issues
General Recommendation: Vote case-by-case on proposals requesting the disclosure or implementation of data security, privacy, or information access and management policies and procedures, considering:
The level of disclosure of company policies and procedures relating to data security, privacy, freedom of speech, information access and management, and Internet censorship;
Engagement in dialogue with governments or relevant groups with respect to data security, privacy, or the free flow of information on the Internet;

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The scope of business involvement and of investment in countries whose governments censor or monitor the Internet and other telecommunications;
Applicable market-specific laws or regulations that may be imposed on the company; and
Controversies, fines, or litigation related to data security, privacy, freedom of speech, or Internet censorship.
Lobbying
General Recommendation: Vote case-by-case on proposals requesting information on a company’s lobbying (including direct, indirect, and grassroots lobbying) activities, policies, or procedures, considering:
The company’s current disclosure of relevant lobbying policies, and management and board oversight;
The company’s disclosure regarding trade associations or other groups that it supports, or is a member of, that engage in lobbying activities; and
Recent significant controversies, fines, or litigation regarding the company’s lobbying-related activities.
Political Contributions
General Recommendation: Generally vote for proposals requesting greater disclosure of a company's political contributions and trade association spending policies and activities, considering:
The company's policies, and management and board oversight related to its direct political contributions and payments to trade associations or other groups that may be used for political purposes;
The company's disclosure regarding its support of, and participation in, trade associations or other groups that may make political contributions; and
Recent significant controversies, fines, or litigation related to the company's political contributions or political activities.
Vote against proposals barring a company from making political contributions. Businesses are affected by legislation at the federal, state, and local level; barring political contributions can put the company at a competitive disadvantage.
Vote against proposals to publish in newspapers and other media a company's political contributions. Such publications could present significant cost to the company without providing commensurate value to shareholders.

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STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Investment Company Act File No. 811-22717
First Trust Exchange-Traded Fund VI
FUND NAME   TICKER SYMBOL   EXCHANGE
First Trust BuyWrite Income ETF
(formerly First Trust High Income ETF)
  FTHI   Nasdaq
First Trust Hedged BuyWrite Income ETF
(formerly First Trust Low Beta Income ETF)
  FTLB   Nasdaq
DATED FEBRUARY 1, 2018
This Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”) is not a prospectus. It should be read in conjunction with the prospectus dated February 1, 2018, as it may be revised from time to time (the “Prospectus”), for each of the First Trust BuyWrite Income ETF and First Trust Hedged BuyWrite Income ETF (each, a “Fund” and collectively, the “Funds”), each a series of the First Trust Exchange-Traded Fund VI (the “Trust”). Capitalized terms used herein that are not defined have the same meaning as in the Prospectus, unless otherwise noted. A copy of the Prospectus may be obtained without charge by writing to the Trust’s distributor, First Trust Portfolios L.P., 120 East Liberty Drive, Suite 400, Wheaton, Illinois 60187, or by calling toll free at (800) 621-1675.

Table of Contents
The audited financial statements for the Funds' most recent fiscal year appear in the Funds' Annual Report to Shareholders dated September 30, 2017, which was filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on December 11, 2017. The financial statements from the Annual Report are incorporated herein by reference. The Annual Report is available without charge by calling (800) 621-1675 or by visiting the SEC’s website at https://www.sec.gov.
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General Description of the Trust and the Funds
The Trust was organized as a Massachusetts business trust on June 4, 2012 and is authorized to issue an unlimited number of shares in one or more series. The Trust is an open-end management investment company, registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”). The Trust currently offers shares in 26 series: Developed International Equity Select ETF, Emerging Markets Equity Select ETF, First Trust Dorsey Wright Dynamic Focus 5 ETF, First Trust Dorsey Wright Focus 5 ETF, First Trust Dorsey Wright International Focus 5 ETF, First Trust High Income ETF, First Trust Low Beta Income ETF, First Trust Indxx Innovative Transaction & Process ETF, First Trust Nasdaq Bank ETF, First Trust Nasdaq Food & Beverage ETF, First Trust Nasdaq Oil & Gas ETF, First Trust Nasdaq Pharmaceuticals ETF, First Trust Nasdaq Retail ETF, First Trust Nasdaq Semiconductor ETF, First Trust NASDAQ Technology Dividend Index Fund, First Trust Nasdaq Transportation ETF, First Trust RBA American Industrial Renaissance ETF, First Trust RBA Quality Income ETF, First Trust Rising Dividend Achievers ETF, First Trust SMID Cap Rising Dividend Achievers ETF, International Multi-Asset Diversified Income Index Fund, Large Cap US Equity Select ETF, Mid Cap US Equity Select ETF, Multi-Asset Diversified Income Index Fund, Small Cap US Equity Select ETF and US Equity Dividend Select ETF, each a non-diversified series; and the International Multi-Asset Diversified Income Index Fund and Multi-Asset Diversified Income Index Fund, each a diversified series.
On December 13, 2017, First Trust Low Beta Income ETF and First Trust High Income ETF changed their names to First Trust Hedged BuyWrite Income ETF and First Trust BuyWrite Income ETF, respectively.
This SAI relates to the Funds. Each Fund, as a series of the Trust, represents a beneficial interest in a separate portfolio of securities and other assets, with its own objective and policies.
The Board of Trustees of the Trust (the “Board of Trustees” or the “Trustees”) has the right to establish additional series in the future, to determine the preferences, voting powers, rights and privileges thereof and to modify such preferences, voting powers, rights and privileges without shareholder approval. Shares of any series may also be divided into one or more classes at the discretion of the Trustees.
The Trust or any series or class thereof may be terminated at any time by the Board of Trustees upon written notice to the shareholders.
Each share has one vote with respect to matters upon which a shareholder vote is required, consistent with the requirements of the 1940 Act and the rules promulgated thereunder. Shares of all series of the Trust vote together as a single class except as otherwise required by the 1940 Act, or if the matter being voted on affects only a particular series, and, if a matter affects a particular series differently from other series, the share of that series will vote separately on such matter. The Trust’s Declaration of Trust (the “Declaration”) requires a shareholder vote only on those matters where the 1940 Act requires a vote of shareholders and otherwise permits the Trustees to take actions without seeking the consent of shareholders. For example, the Declaration gives the Trustee broad authority to approve reorganizations between a Fund and another entity, such as another exchange-traded fund, or the sale of all or substantially all of a Fund’s assets, or the termination of the Trust or any Fund without shareholder approval if the 1940 Act would not require such approval.
The Declaration provides that by becoming a shareholder of a Fund, each shareholder shall be expressly held to have agreed to be bound by the provisions of the Declaration and to any By-laws adopted by the Trust. The Declaration provides that, except as set forth therein and authorized by the Trustees, shareholders have no rights, privileges, claims or remedies under any contract or agreement entered into by the Trust or the Funds with any service provider or other agent to or contractor with the Trust or the Funds including, without limitation, any third party beneficiary rights.
The Declaration may, except in limited circumstances, be amended by the Trustees in any respect without a shareholder vote. The Declaration provides that the Trustees may establish the number of Trustees and that vacancies on the Board of Trustees may be filled by the remaining Trustees, except when election of Trustees by the shareholders is required under the 1940 Act. Trustees are then elected by a plurality of votes cast by shareholders at a meeting at which a quorum is present.
The Declaration also provides that Trustees may be removed, with or without cause, by a vote of shareholders holding at least two-thirds of the voting power of the Trust, or by a vote of two-thirds of the remaining Trustees. The provisions of the Declaration relating to the election and removal of Trustees may not be amended without the approval of two-thirds of the Trustees.
The holders of Fund shares are required to disclose information on direct or indirect ownership of Fund shares as may be required to comply with various laws applicable to the Funds or as the Trustees may determine, and ownership of Fund
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shares may be disclosed by the Funds if so required by law or regulation. In addition, pursuant to the Declaration, the Trustees may, in their discretion, require the Trust to redeem shares held by any shareholder for any reason under terms set by the Trustees
The Declaration provides a detailed process for the bringing of derivative actions by shareholders in order to permit legitimate inquiries and claims while avoiding the time, expense, distraction and other harm that can be caused to a Fund or its shareholders as a result of spurious shareholder demands and derivative actions. In addition, the Declaration provides that actions that are derivative in nature may not be brought directly. Prior to bringing a derivative action, a demand must first be made on the Trustees. The Declaration details various information, certifications, undertakings and acknowledgements that must be included in the demand. Following receipt of the demand, the Trustees have a period of 90 days, which may be extended by an additional 60 days, to consider the demand. If a majority of the Trustees who are considered independent for the purposes of considering the demand determine that maintaining the suit would not be in the best interests of a Fund, the Trustees are required to reject the demand and the complaining shareholder may not proceed with the derivative action unless the shareholder is able to sustain the burden of proof to a court that the decision of the Trustees not to pursue The requested action was not a good faith exercise of their business judgment on behalf of a Fund. In making such a determination, a Trustee is not considered to have a personal financial interest by virtue of being compensated for his or her services as a Trustee. If a demand is rejected, the complaining shareholder will be responsible for the costs and expenses (including attorneys’ fees) incurred by a Fund in connection with the consideration of the demand under a number of circumstances. In addition, if a court determines that a derivative action was made without reasonable cause or for an improper purpose, or if a derivative or direct action is dismissed on the basis of a failure to comply with the procedural provisions relating to shareholder actions as set forth in the Declaration, or if a direct action is dismissed by a court for failure to state a claim, the shareholder bringing the action may be responsible for a Fund’s costs, including attorneys’ fees.
The provisions of the Declaration provide that any direct or derivative action commenced by a shareholder must be brought only in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts (Boston Division) or if any such action may not be brought in that court, then in the Business Litigation Session of Suffolk Superior Court in Massachusetts (the “Chosen Courts”). Except as prohibited by applicable law, if a shareholder commences an applicable action in a court other than a Chosen Court without the consent of a Fund, then such shareholder may be obligated to reimburse a Fund and any applicable Trustee or officer of the Fund made party to such proceeding for the costs and expenses (including attorneys’ fees) incurred in connection with any successful motion to dismiss, stay or transfer of the action. The Declaration also provides that any shareholder bringing an action against a Fund waives the right to trial by jury to the fullest extent permitted by law.
The Trust is not required to and does not intend to hold annual meetings of shareholders.
Under Massachusetts law applicable to Massachusetts business trusts, shareholders of such a trust may, under certain circumstances, be held personally liable as partners for its obligations. However, the Declaration contains an express disclaimer of shareholder liability for acts or obligations of the Trust and requires that notice of this disclaimer be given in each agreement, obligation or instrument entered into or executed by the Trust or the Trustees. The Declaration further provides for indemnification out of the assets and property of the Trust for all losses and expenses of any shareholder held personally liable for the obligations of the Trust. Thus, the risk of a shareholder incurring financial loss on account of shareholder liability is limited to circumstances in which both inadequate insurance existed and the Trust or a Fund itself was unable to meet its obligations.
The Declaration further provides that a Trustee acting in his or her capacity as Trustee is not personally liable to any person other than the Trust, for any act, omission, or obligation of the Trust. The Declaration requires the Trust to indemnify any persons who are or who have been Trustees, officers or employees of the Trust for any liability for actions or failure to act except to the extent prohibited by applicable federal law. In making any determination as to whether any person is entitled to the advancement of expenses in connection with a claim for which indemnification is sought, such person is entitled to a rebuttable presumption that he or she did not engage in conduct for which indemnification is not available. The Declaration provides that any Trustee who serves as chair of the Board of Trustees or of a committee of the Board of Trustees, as lead independent Trustee or as audit committee financial expert, or in any other similar capacity will not be subject to any greater standard of care or liability because of such position.
The Declaration further provides that no provision of the Declaration will restrict any shareholder rights expressly granted by the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended or the 1940 Act, or any rule, regulation or order of the Securities Exchange Commission thereunder.
The Funds are advised by First Trust Advisors L.P. (the “Advisor” or “First Trust”).
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The shares of each Fund list and principally trade on The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC (“Nasdaq” or the “Exchange”). The shares of each Fund will trade on Nasdaq at market prices that may be below, at or above net asset value. Each Fund offers and issues shares at net asset value only in aggregations of a specified number of shares (each a “Creation Unit” or a “Creation Unit Aggregation”), generally in exchange for a basket of securities (the “Deposit Securities”), together with the deposit of a specified cash payment (the “Cash Component”). Shares are redeemable only in Creation Unit Aggregations and, generally, in exchange for portfolio securities and a specified cash payment. Creation Units are aggregations of 50,000 shares of a Fund.
The Trust reserves the right to permit creations and redemptions of Fund shares to be made in whole or in part on a cash basis under certain circumstances. Fund shares may be issued in advance of receipt of Deposit Securities subject to various conditions including a requirement to maintain on deposit with the applicable Fund cash at least equal to 115% of the market value of the missing Deposit Securities. See the section entitled “Creation and Redemption of Creation Unit Aggregations.” In each instance of such cash creations or redemptions, transaction fees may be imposed that will be higher than the transaction fees associated with in-kind creations or redemptions. In all cases, such fees will be limited in accordance with the requirements of the SEC applicable to management investment companies offering redeemable securities.
Exchange Listing and Trading
There can be no assurance that the requirements of Nasdaq necessary to maintain the listing of shares of a Fund will continue to be met. Nasdaq may, but is not required to, remove the shares of a Fund from listing if (i) following the initial 12-month period beginning at the commencement of trading of a Fund, there are fewer than 50 beneficial owners of the shares of such Fund for 30 or more consecutive trading days; or (ii) such other event shall occur or condition exist that, in the opinion of Nasdaq makes further dealings on Nasdaq inadvisable. Nasdaq will remove the shares of a Fund from listing and trading upon termination of such Fund.
As in the case of other stocks traded on Nasdaq, brokers’ commissions on transactions will be based on negotiated commission rates at customary levels.
The Funds reserve the right to adjust the price levels of shares in the future to help maintain convenient trading ranges for investors. Any adjustments would be accomplished through stock splits or reverse stock splits, which would have no effect on the net assets of each Fund.
Investment Objectives and Policies
The Prospectus describes the investment objectives and certain policies of the Funds. The following supplements the information contained in the Prospectus concerning the investment objectives and policies of the Funds.
Each Fund is subject to the following fundamental policies, which may not be changed without approval of the holders of a majority of the outstanding voting securities (as such term is defined in the 1940 Act) of a Fund:
(1) A Fund may not issue senior securities, except as permitted under the 1940 Act.
(2) A Fund may not borrow money, except that a Fund may (i) borrow money from banks for temporary or emergency purposes (but not for leverage or the purchase of investments) and (ii) engage in other transactions permissible under the 1940 Act that may involve a borrowing (such as obtaining short-term credits as are necessary for the clearance of transactions, engaging in delayed-delivery transactions, or purchasing certain futures, forward contracts and options), provided that the combination of (i) and (ii) shall not exceed 33⅓% of the value of a Fund’s total assets (including the amount borrowed), less a Fund’s liabilities (other than borrowings).
(3) A Fund will not underwrite the securities of other issuers except to the extent the Fund may be considered an underwriter under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “1933 Act”), in connection with the purchase and sale of portfolio securities.
(4) A Fund will not purchase or sell real estate or interests therein, unless acquired as a result of ownership of securities or other instruments (but this shall not prohibit a Fund from purchasing or selling securities or other instruments backed by real estate or of issuers engaged in real estate activities).
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(5) A Fund may not make loans to other persons, except through (i) the purchase of debt securities permissible under a Fund’s investment policies, (ii) repurchase agreements, or (iii) the lending of portfolio securities, provided that no such loan of portfolio securities may be made by a Fund if, as a result, the aggregate of such loans would exceed 33⅓% of the value of a Fund’s total assets.
(6) A Fund may not purchase or sell physical commodities unless acquired as a result of ownership of securities or other instruments (but this shall not prevent a Fund from purchasing or selling options, futures contracts, forward contracts or other derivative instruments, or from investing in securities or other instruments backed by physical commodities).
(7) A Fund may not invest 25% or more of the value of its total assets in securities of issuers in any one industry or group of industries. This restriction does not apply to obligations issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government, its agencies or instrumentalities, or securities of other investment companies.
For purposes of applying restriction (1) above, under the 1940 Act as currently in effect, the Funds are not permitted to issue senior securities, except that a Fund may borrow from any bank if immediately after such borrowing the value of such Fund’s total assets is at least 300% of the principal amount of all of the Fund’s borrowings (i.e., the principal amount of the borrowings may not exceed 33⅓% of the Fund’s total assets). In the event that such asset coverage shall at any time fall below 300%, the applicable Fund shall, within three days thereafter (not including Sundays and holidays), reduce the amount of its borrowings to an extent that the asset coverage of such borrowings shall be at least 300%.
Except for restriction (2) above, if a percentage restriction is adhered to at the time of investment, a later increase in percentage resulting from a change in market value of the investment or the total assets will not constitute a violation of that restriction. With respect to restriction (2), if the limitations are exceeded as a result of a change in market value then the Fund will reduce the amount of borrowings within three days thereafter to the extent necessary to comply with the limitations (not including Sundays and holidays).
The fundamental investment limitations set forth above limit the Funds’ ability to engage in certain investment practices and purchase securities or other instruments to the extent permitted by, or consistent with, applicable law. As such, these limitations will change as the statute, rules, regulations or orders (or, if applicable, interpretations) change, and no shareholder vote will be required or sought.
The foregoing fundamental policies of each Fund may not be changed without the affirmative vote of the majority of the outstanding voting securities of the respective Fund. The 1940 Act defines a majority vote as the vote of the lesser of (i) 67% or more of the voting securities represented at a meeting at which more than 50% of the outstanding securities are represented; or (ii) more than 50% of the outstanding voting securities. With respect to the submission of a change in an investment policy to the holders of outstanding voting securities of a Fund, such matter shall be deemed to have been effectively acted upon with respect to a Fund if a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund vote for the approval of such matter, notwithstanding that such matter has not been approved by the holders of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of any other series of the Trust affected by such matter.
In addition to the foregoing fundamental policies, the Funds are also subject to strategies and policies discussed herein which, unless otherwise noted, are non-fundamental restrictions and policies and may be changed by the Board of Trustees.
Investment Strategies
The First Trust BuyWrite Income ETF will pursue its objectives by investing in equity securities listed on U.S. exchanges and by utilizing an “option strategy” consisting of writing (selling) U.S. exchange-traded covered call options on the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index. Fund shareholders are entitled to 60 days’ notice prior to any change in this non- fundamental investment policy.
The First Trust Hedged BuyWrite Income ETF will pursue its objective by investing in equity securities listed on U.S. exchanges and by utilizing an “option strategy” consisting of buying U.S. exchange-traded put options on the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index and writing (selling) U.S. exchange-traded covered call options on the Index. Fund shareholders are entitled to 60 days’ notice prior to any change in this non-fundamental investment policy.
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Types of Investments
Call Options. A call option is a contractual obligation which gives the buyer of the option the right to purchase a certain number of shares of common stock from the writer (seller) of the option at a predetermined price. If the predetermined price is reached, the buyer has the right, depending on the type of option, to exercise the option at the option’s expiration date or at any time up until the option’s expiration.
Delayed-Delivery Transactions. The Funds may from time to time purchase securities on a “when-issued” or other delayed-delivery basis. The price of securities purchased in such transactions is fixed at the time the commitment to purchase is made, but delivery and payment for the securities take place at a later date. During the period between the purchase and settlement, a Fund does not remit payment to the issuer, no interest is accrued on debt securities and dividend income is not earned on equity securities. Delayed-delivery commitments involve a risk of loss if the value of the security to be purchased declines prior to the settlement date, which risk is in addition to the risk of a decline in value of a Fund’s other assets. While securities purchased in delayed-delivery transactions may be sold prior to the settlement date, the Funds intend to purchase such securities with the purpose of actually acquiring them. At the time a Fund makes the commitment to purchase a security in a delayed-delivery transaction, it will record the transaction and reflect the value of the security in determining its net asset value.
The Funds will earmark or maintain in a segregated account cash, U.S. government securities, and high-grade liquid debt securities equal in value to commitments for delayed-delivery securities. Such earmarked or segregated securities will mature or, if necessary, be sold on or before the settlement date. When the time comes to pay for delayed-delivery securities, a Fund will meet its obligations from then-available cash flow, sale of the securities earmarked or held in the segregated account described above, sale of other securities, or, although it would not normally expect to do so, from the sale of the delayed-delivery securities themselves (which may have a market value greater or less than a Fund’s payment obligation).
Although the Prospectus and this SAI describe certain permitted methods of segregating assets or otherwise “covering” certain transactions, such descriptions are not all-inclusive. Each Fund may segregate against or cover such transactions using other methods permitted under the 1940 Act, the rules and regulations thereunder, or orders issued by the SEC thereunder.
Depositary Receipts. The Funds may invest in securities of foreign issuers in the form of sponsored or unsponsored American Depositary Receipts (“ADRs”), Global Depositary Receipts (“GDRs”) and European Depositary Receipts (“EDRs”) (collectively “Depositary Receipts”). ADRs are Depositary Receipts normally issued by a U.S. bank or trust company that evidence ownership of underlying securities issued by a foreign corporation. EDRs and GDRs are typically issued by foreign banks or trust companies, although they also may be issued by U.S. banks or trust companies, and evidence ownership of underlying securities issued by either a foreign or a U.S. corporation. Generally, Depositary Receipts in registered form are designed for use in the U.S. securities market. Depositary Receipts in bearer form are designed for use in securities markets outside the United States. Depositary Receipts may not necessarily be denominated in the same currency as the underlying securities into which they may be converted. Ownership of unsponsored Depositary Receipts may not entitle a Fund to financial or other reports from the issuer of the underlying security, to which it would be entitled as the owner of sponsored Depositary Receipts. The issuers of unsponsored Depositary Receipts are not obligated to disclose material information in the United States; therefore, there may be less information available regarding such issuers and there may not be a correlation between such information and the market value of the Depositary Receipts.
Fixed Income Investments and Cash Equivalents. Normally, the Funds invest substantially all of their assets to meet their investment objectives. However, for temporary or defensive purposes, the Funds may invest in fixed income investments and cash equivalents in order to provide income, liquidity and preserve capital.
Fixed income investments and cash equivalents held by each Fund may include, without limitation, the types of investments set forth below.
(1) A Fund may invest in U.S. government securities, including bills, notes and bonds differing as to maturity and rates of interest, which are either issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Treasury or by U.S. government agencies or instrumentalities. U.S. government securities include securities that are issued or guaranteed by the United States Treasury, by various agencies of the U.S. government, or by various instrumentalities that have been established or sponsored by the U.S. government. U.S. Treasury securities are backed by the “full faith and credit” of the United States. Securities issued or guaranteed by federal agencies and U.S. government-sponsored instrumentalities may or may not be backed by the full faith and credit of the United States. Some of the U.S. government agencies that issue or guarantee securities include the Export-Import Bank of the United States, the Farmers Home Administration, the Federal Housing Administration, the Maritime Administration, the Small
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  Business Administration and The Tennessee Valley Authority. An instrumentality of the U.S. government is a government agency organized under federal charter with government supervision. Instrumentalities issuing or guaranteeing securities include, among others, Federal Home Loan Banks, the Federal Land Banks, the Central Bank for Cooperatives, Federal Intermediate Credit Banks and FNMA. In the case of those U.S. government securities not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States, the investor must look principally to the agency or instrumentality issuing or guaranteeing the security for ultimate repayment, and may not be able to assert a claim against the United States itself in the event that the agency or instrumentality does not meet its commitment. The U.S. government, its agencies and instrumentalities do not guarantee the market value of their securities, and consequently, the value of such securities may fluctuate. In addition, each Fund may invest in sovereign debt obligations of non-U.S. countries. A sovereign debtor’s willingness or ability to repay principal and interest in a timely manner may be affected by a number of factors, including its cash flow situation, the extent of its non-U.S. reserves, the availability of sufficient non-U.S. exchange on the date a payment is due, the relative size of the debt service burden to the economy as a whole, the sovereign debtor’s policy toward principal international lenders and the political constraints to which it may be subject.
(2) A Fund may invest in certificates of deposit issued against funds deposited in a bank or savings and loan association. Such certificates are for a definite period of time, earn a specified rate of return, and are normally negotiable. If such certificates of deposit are non-negotiable, they will be considered illiquid securities and be subject to a Fund’s 15% restriction on investments in illiquid securities. Pursuant to the certificate of deposit, the issuer agrees to pay the amount deposited plus interest to the bearer of the certificate on the date specified thereon. Under current FDIC regulations, the maximum insurance payable as to any one certificate of deposit is $250,000; therefore, certificates of deposit purchased by a Fund may not be fully insured. A Fund may only invest in certificates of deposit issued by U.S. banks with at least $1 billion in assets.
(3) A Fund may invest in bankers’ acceptances, which are short-term credit instruments used to finance commercial transactions. Generally, an acceptance is a time draft drawn on a bank by an exporter or an importer to obtain a stated amount of funds to pay for specific merchandise. The draft is then “accepted” by a bank that, in effect, unconditionally guarantees to pay the face value of the instrument on its maturity date. The acceptance may then be held by the accepting bank as an asset or it may be sold in the secondary market at the going rate of interest for a specific maturity.
(4) A Fund may invest in repurchase agreements, which involve purchases of debt securities with counterparties that are deemed by First Trust to present acceptable credit risks. In such an action, at the time a Fund purchases the security, it simultaneously agrees to resell and redeliver the security to the seller, who also simultaneously agrees to buy back the security at a fixed price and time. This assures a predetermined yield for a Fund during its holding period since the resale price is always greater than the purchase price and reflects an agreed upon market rate. Such actions afford an opportunity for a Fund to invest temporarily available cash. A Fund may enter into repurchase agreements only with respect to obligations of the U.S. government, its agencies or instrumentalities; certificates of deposit; or bankers’ acceptances in which a Fund may invest. Repurchase agreements may be considered loans to the seller, collateralized by the underlying securities. The risk to a Fund is limited to the ability of the seller to pay the agreed-upon sum on the repurchase date; in the event of default, the repurchase agreement provides that the affected Fund is entitled to sell the underlying collateral. If the value of the collateral declines after the agreement is entered into, however, and if the seller defaults under a repurchase agreement when the value of the underlying collateral is less than the repurchase price, a Fund could incur a loss of both principal and interest. The portfolio managers monitor the value of the collateral at the time the action is entered into and at all times during the term of the repurchase agreement. The portfolio managers do so in an effort to determine that the value of the collateral always equals or exceeds the agreed-upon repurchase price to be paid to a Fund. If the seller were to be subject to a federal bankruptcy proceeding, the ability of a Fund to liquidate the collateral could be delayed or impaired because of certain provisions of the bankruptcy laws.
(5) A Fund may invest in bank time deposits, which are monies kept on deposit with banks or savings and loan associations for a stated period of time at a fixed rate of interest. There may be penalties for the early withdrawal of such time deposits, in which case the yields of these investments will be reduced.
(6) A Fund may invest in commercial paper, which are short-term unsecured promissory notes, including variable rate master demand notes issued by corporations to finance their current operations. Master demand notes
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  are direct lending arrangements between a Fund and a corporation. There is no secondary market for the notes. However, they are redeemable by a Fund at any time. A Fund’s portfolio managers will consider the financial condition of the corporation (e.g., earning power, cash flow and other liquidity ratios) and will continuously monitor the corporation’s ability to meet all of its financial obligations, because a Fund’s liquidity might be impaired if the corporation were unable to pay principal and interest on demand. A Fund may invest in commercial paper only if it has received the highest rating from at least one nationally recognized statistical rating organization or, if unrated, judged by First Trust to be of comparable quality.
(7) A Fund may invest in shares of money market funds, as consistent with its investment objective and policies. Shares of money market funds are subject to management fees and other expenses of those funds. Therefore, investments in money market funds will cause a Fund to bear proportionately the costs incurred by the money market funds’ operations. At the same time, a Fund will continue to pay its own management fees and expenses with respect to all of its assets, including any portion invested in the shares of other investment companies. It is possible for a Fund to lose money by investing in money market funds.
Illiquid Securities. The Funds may invest in illiquid securities (i.e., securities that are not readily marketable). For purposes of this restriction, illiquid securities include, but are not limited to, certain restricted securities (securities the disposition of which is restricted under the federal securities laws), securities that may only be resold pursuant to Rule 144A under the 1933 Act that are deemed to be illiquid; and repurchase agreements with maturities in excess of seven days. However, a Fund will not acquire illiquid securities if, as a result, such securities would comprise more than 15% of the value of a Fund’s net assets. The Board of Trustees or its delegate has the ultimate authority to determine, to the extent permissible under the federal securities laws, which securities are liquid or illiquid for purposes of this 15% limitation. The Board of Trustees has delegated to First Trust the day-to-day determination of the illiquidity of any equity or fixed-income security, although it has retained oversight for such determinations. With respect to Rule 144A securities, First Trust considers factors such as (i) the nature of the market for a security (including the institutional private resale market, the frequency of trades and quotes for the security, the number of dealers willing to purchase or sell the security, the amount of time normally needed to dispose of the security, the method of soliciting offers and the mechanics of transfer); (ii) the terms of certain securities or other instruments allowing for the disposition to a third party or the issuer thereof (e.g., certain repurchase obligations and demand instruments); and (iii) other permissible relevant factors.
Restricted securities may be sold only in privately negotiated transactions or in a public offering with respect to which a registration statement is in effect under the 1933 Act. Where registration is required, a Fund may be obligated to pay all or part of the registration expenses and a considerable period may elapse between the time of the decision to sell and the time a Fund may be permitted to sell a security under an effective registration statement. If, during such a period, adverse market conditions were to develop, a Fund might obtain a less favorable price than that which prevailed when it decided to sell. Illiquid securities will be priced at fair value as determined in good faith under procedures adopted by the Board of Trustees. If, through the appreciation of illiquid securities or the depreciation of liquid securities, a Fund should be in a position where more than 15% of the value of its net assets are invested in illiquid securities, including restricted securities which are not readily marketable, a Fund will take such steps as is deemed advisable, if any, to protect liquidity.
Non-U.S. Investments. Non-U.S. securities include securities issued or guaranteed by companies organized under the laws of countries other than the United States (including emerging markets), securities issued or guaranteed by foreign, national, provincial, state, municipal or other governments with taxing authority or by their agencies or instrumentalities and debt obligations of supranational governmental entities such as the World Bank or European Union. Non-U.S. securities may also include U.S. dollar-denominated debt obligations, such as “Yankee Dollar” obligations, of foreign issuers and of supra-national government entities. Yankee Dollar obligations are U.S. dollar-denominated obligations issued in the U.S. capital markets by foreign corporations, banks and governments. Foreign securities also may be traded on foreign securities exchanges or in over-the-counter (“OTC”) capital markets.
Certain of a Fund’s investment in foreign securities may be denominated in currencies other than the U.S. dollar. To the extent a Fund invests in such instruments, the value of the assets of the Fund as measured in U.S. dollars will be affected by changes in exchange rates. Generally, a Fund’s currency exchange transactions will be conducted on a spot (i.e., cash) basis at the spot rate prevailing in the currency exchange market. The cost of a Fund’s currency exchange transactions will generally be the difference between the bid and offer spot rate of the currency being purchased or sold. In order to protect against uncertainty in the level of future currency exchange rates, a Fund is authorized to enter into various currency exchange transactions.
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Hedging Strategies
General Description of Hedging Strategies
The Funds may engage in hedging activities. First Trust may cause the Funds to utilize a variety of financial instruments, including options, forward contracts, futures contracts, options on futures contracts, total return swaps and credit default swaps to attempt to hedge each Fund’s holdings. The use of futures is not a part of a principal investment strategy of the Funds.
Hedging or derivative instruments on securities generally are used to hedge against price movements in one or more particular securities positions that the Fund owns or intends to acquire. Such instruments may also be used to “lock-in” realized but unrecognized gains in the value of portfolio securities. Hedging instruments on stock indices, in contrast, generally are used to hedge against price movements in broad market sectors in which the Fund has invested or expects to invest. Hedging strategies, if successful, can reduce the risk of loss by wholly or partially offsetting the negative effect of unfavorable price movements in the investments being hedged. However, hedging strategies can also reduce the opportunity for gain by offsetting the positive effect of favorable price movements in the hedged investments. The use of hedging instruments is subject to applicable regulations of the SEC, the several options and futures exchanges upon which they are traded, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (the “CFTC”) and various state regulatory authorities. In addition, the Fund’s ability to use hedging instruments may be limited by tax considerations.
General Limitations on Futures and Options Transactions
The Funds limit their direct investments in futures, options on futures and swaps to the extent necessary for the Advisor to claim the exclusion from regulation as a “commodity pool operator” with respect to each Fund under CFTC Rule 4.5, as such rule may be amended from time to time. Under Rule 4.5 as currently in effect, the Funds limit their trading activity in futures, options on futures and swaps (excluding activity for “bona fide hedging purposes,” as defined by the CFTC) such that each meets one of the following tests: (i) aggregate initial margin and premiums required to establish its futures, options on futures and swap positions do not exceed 5% of the liquidation value of the applicable Fund’s portfolio, after taking into account unrealized profits and losses on such positions; or (ii) aggregate net notional value of the applicable Fund’s futures, options on futures and swap positions does not exceed 100% of the liquidation value of the Fund’s portfolio, after taking into account unrealized profits and losses on such positions.
The Advisor has filed a notice of eligibility for exclusion from the definition of the term “commodity pool operator” with respect to each Fund with the National Futures Association, the futures industry’s self-regulatory organization. If a Fund were no longer able to claim the exclusion, the Advisor would be required to register as a “commodity pool operator,” and the Fund and the Advisor would be subject to regulation under the Commodity Exchange Act (the “CEA”).
The foregoing limitations are non-fundamental policies of the Funds and may be changed without shareholder approval as regulatory agencies permit.
Asset Coverage for Futures and Options Positions
The Funds will comply with the regulatory requirements of the SEC and the CFTC with respect to coverage of options and futures positions by registered investment companies and, if the guidelines so require, will earmark or set aside cash, U.S. government securities, high grade liquid debt securities and/or other liquid assets permitted by the SEC and CFTC in a segregated custodial account in the amount prescribed. Securities earmarked or held in a segregated account cannot be sold while the futures or options position is outstanding, unless replaced with other permissible assets, and will be marked-to-market daily.
Stock Index Options
The Funds may purchase stock index options, sell stock index options in order to close out existing positions, and/or write covered options on stock indices for hedging purposes, as well as to seek additional cash flow. Stock index options are put options and call options on various stock indices. In most respects, they are identical to listed options on common stocks. The primary difference between stock options and index options occurs when index options are exercised. In the case of stock options, the underlying security, common stock, is delivered. However, upon the exercise of an index option, settlement does not occur by delivery of the securities comprising the stock index. The option holder who exercises the index option receives an amount of cash if the closing level of the stock index upon which the option is based is greater than, in the case of a call, or less than, in the case of a put, the exercise price of the option. This amount of cash is equal to the difference between the closing price of the stock index and the exercise price of the option expressed in dollars times a specified multiple.
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A stock index fluctuates with changes in the market values of the stocks included in the index. For example, some stock index options are based on a broad market index, such as the S&P 500 Index or the Value Line® Composite Index or a more narrow market index, such as the S&P 100 Index. Indices may also be based on an industry or market segment. Options on stock indices are currently traded on the following exchanges: the Chicago Board Options Exchange, NYSE Amex Options, Nasdaq and the Philadelphia Stock Exchange.
The Funds’ use of stock index options is subject to certain risks. Successful use by a Fund of options on stock indices will be subject to the ability of First Trust to correctly predict movements in the directions of the stock market. This requires different skills and techniques than predicting changes in the prices of individual securities. In addition, a Fund’s ability to effectively hedge all or a portion of the securities in its portfolio, in anticipation of or during a market decline through transactions in put options on stock indices, depends on the degree to which price movements in the underlying index correlate with the price movements of the securities held by the Fund. Inasmuch as the Funds’ securities will not duplicate the components of an index, the correlation will not be perfect. Consequently, the Fund will bear the risk that the prices of its securities being hedged will not move in the same amount as the prices of its put options on the stock indices. It is also possible that there may be a negative correlation between the index and a Fund’s securities, which would result in a loss on both such securities and the options on stock indices acquired by the Fund.
The hours of trading for options may not conform to the hours during which the underlying securities are traded. To the extent that the options markets close before the markets for the underlying securities, significant price and rate movements can take place in the underlying markets that cannot be reflected in the options markets. The purchase of options is a highly specialized activity which involves investment techniques and risks different from those associated with ordinary portfolio securities transactions. The purchase of stock index options involves the risk that the premium and transaction costs paid by the Fund in purchasing an option will be lost as a result of unanticipated movements in prices of the securities comprising the stock index on which the option is based.
Certain Considerations Regarding Options
There is no assurance that a liquid secondary market on an options exchange will exist for any particular option, or at any particular time, and for some options no secondary market on an exchange or elsewhere may exist. If a Fund is unable to close out a call option on securities that it has written before the option is exercised, a Fund may be required to purchase the optioned securities in order to satisfy its obligation under the option to deliver such securities. If a Fund is unable to effect a closing sale transaction with respect to options on securities that it has purchased, it would have to exercise the option in order to realize any profit and would incur transaction costs upon the purchase and sale of the underlying securities.
The writing and purchasing of options is a highly specialized activity, which involves investment techniques and risks different from those associated with ordinary portfolio securities transactions. Imperfect correlation between the options and securities markets may detract from the effectiveness of attempted hedging. Options transactions may result in significantly higher transaction costs and portfolio turnover for the Funds.
Futures Contracts
The Funds may enter into futures contracts, including index futures as a hedge against movements in the equity markets, in order to hedge against changes on securities held or intended to be acquired by the Fund or for other purposes permissible under the CEA. A Fund’s hedging may include sales of futures as an offset against the effect of expected declines in stock prices and purchases of futures as an offset against the effect of expected increases in stock prices. The Fund will not enter into futures contracts which are prohibited under the CEA and will, to the extent required by regulatory authorities, enter only into futures contracts that are traded on national futures exchanges and are standardized as to maturity date and underlying financial instrument. The principal interest rate futures exchanges in the United States are the Chicago Board of Trade and the Chicago Mercantile Exchange. Futures exchanges and trading are regulated under the CEA by the CFTC.
An interest rate futures contract provides for the future sale by one party and purchase by another party of a specified amount of a specific financial instrument (e.g., a debt security) or currency for a specified price at a designated date, time and place. An index futures contract is an agreement pursuant to which the parties agree to take or make delivery of an amount of cash equal to the difference between the value of the index at the close of the last trading day of the contract and the price at which the index futures contract was originally written. Transaction costs are incurred when a futures contract is bought or sold and margin deposits must be maintained. A futures contract may be satisfied by delivery or purchase, as the case may be, of the instrument or by payment of the change in the cash value of the index. More commonly, futures contracts are closed out prior to delivery by entering into an offsetting transaction in a matching futures contract. Although the value of an index might be a function of the value of certain specified securities, no physical delivery of those securities is made. If the offsetting
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purchase price is less than the original sale price, a gain will be realized. Conversely, if the offsetting sale price is more than the original purchase price, a gain will be realized; if it is less, a loss will be realized. The transaction costs must also be included in these calculations. There can be no assurance, however, that a Fund will be able to enter into an offsetting transaction with respect to a particular futures contract at a particular time. If a Fund is not able to enter into an offsetting transaction, a Fund will continue to be required to maintain the margin deposits on the futures contract.
Margin is the amount of funds that must be deposited by a Fund with its custodian in a segregated account in the name of the futures commission merchant in order to initiate futures trading and to maintain a Fund’s open positions in futures contracts. A margin deposit is intended to ensure a Fund’s performance of the futures contract.
The margin required for a particular futures contract is set by the exchange on which the futures contract is traded and may be significantly modified from time to time by the exchange during the term of the futures contract. Futures contracts are customarily purchased and sold on margins that may range upward from less than 5% of the value of the futures contract being traded.
If the price of an open futures contract changes (by increase in the case of a sale or by decrease in the case of a purchase) so that the loss on the futures contract reaches a point at which the margin on deposit does not satisfy margin requirements, the broker will require an increase in the margin. However, if the value of a position increases because of favorable price changes in the futures contract so that the margin deposit exceeds the required margin, the broker will pay the excess to a Fund. In computing daily net asset value, a Fund will mark to market the current value of its open futures contracts. The Funds expect to earn interest income on their margin deposits.
Because of the low margin deposits required, futures trading involves an extremely high degree of leverage. As a result, a relatively small price movement in a futures contract may result in immediate and substantial loss, as well as gain, to the investor. For example, if at the time of purchase, 10% of the value of the futures contract is deposited as margin, a subsequent 10% decrease in the value of the futures contract would result in a total loss of the margin deposit, before any deduction for the transaction costs, if the account were then closed out. A 15% decrease would result in a loss equal to 150% of the original margin deposit, if the future contracts were closed out. Thus, a purchase or sale of a futures contract may result in losses in excess of the amount initially invested in the futures contract. However, a Fund would presumably have sustained comparable losses if, instead of the futures contract, it had invested in the underlying financial instrument and sold it after the decline.
Most U.S. futures exchanges limit the amount of fluctuation permitted in futures contract prices during a single trading day. The day limit establishes the maximum amount that the price of a futures contract may vary either up or down from the previous day’s settlement price at the end of a trading session. Once the daily limit has been reached in a particular type of futures contract, no trades may be made on that day at a price beyond that limit. The daily limit governs only price movement during a particular trading day and therefore does not limit potential losses, because the limit may prevent the liquidation of unfavorable positions. Futures contract prices have occasionally moved to the daily limit for several consecutive trading days with little or no trading, thereby preventing prompt liquidation of futures positions and subjecting some investors to substantial losses.
There can be no assurance that a liquid market will exist at a time when a Fund seeks to close out a futures position. A Fund would continue to be required to meet margin requirements until the position is closed, possibly resulting in a decline in the Fund’s net asset value. In addition, many of the contracts discussed above are relatively new instruments without a significant trading history. As a result, there can be no assurance that an active secondary market will develop or continue to exist.
A public market exists in futures contracts covering a number of indices, including, but not limited to, the S&P 500 Index, the S&P 100 Index, the NASDAQ-100 Index®, the Value Line® Composite Index and the NYSE Composite Index®.
Options on Futures
The Funds may also purchase or write put and call options on futures contracts and enter into closing transactions with respect to such options to terminate an existing position. A futures option gives the holder the right, in return for the premium paid, to assume a long position (call) or short position (put) in a futures contract at a specified exercise price prior to the expiration of the option. Upon exercise of a call option, the holder acquires a long position in the futures contract and the writer is assigned the opposite short position. In the case of a put option, the opposite is true. Prior to exercise or expiration, a futures option may be closed out by an offsetting purchase or sale of a futures option of the same series.
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The Funds may use options on futures contracts in connection with hedging strategies. Generally, these strategies would be applied under the same market and market sector conditions in which the Funds use put and call options on securities or indices. The purchase of put options on futures contracts is analogous to the purchase of puts on securities or indices so as to hedge a Fund’s securities holdings against the risk of declining market prices. The writing of a call option or the purchasing of a put option on a futures contract constitutes a partial hedge against declining prices of securities which are deliverable upon exercise of the futures contract. If the price at expiration of a written call option is below the exercise price, a Fund will retain the full amount of the option premium which provides a partial hedge against any decline that may have occurred in a Fund’s holdings of securities. If the price when the option is exercised is above the exercise price, however, a Fund will incur a loss, which may be offset, in whole or in part, by the increase in the value of the securities held by a Fund that were being hedged. Writing a put option or purchasing a call option on a futures contract serves as a partial hedge against an increase in the value of the securities a Fund intends to acquire.
As with investments in futures contracts, the Funds are required to deposit and maintain margin with respect to put and call options on futures contracts written by them. Such margin deposits will vary depending on the nature of the underlying futures contract (and the related initial margin requirements), the current market value of the option, and other futures positions held by a Fund. A Fund will earmark or set aside in a segregated account at such Fund’s custodian, liquid assets, such as cash, U.S. government securities or other high-grade liquid debt obligations equal in value to the amount due on the underlying obligation. Such segregated assets will be marked-to-market daily, and additional assets will be earmarked or placed in the segregated account whenever the total value of the earmarked or segregated assets falls below the amount due on the underlying obligation.
The risks associated with the use of options on futures contracts include the risk that the Funds may close out its position as a writer of an option only if a liquid secondary market exists for such options, which cannot be assured. A Fund’s successful use of options on futures contracts depends on First Trust’s ability to correctly predict the movement in prices of futures contracts and the underlying instruments, which may prove to be incorrect. In addition, there may be imperfect correlation between the instruments being hedged and the futures contract subject to the option. For additional information, see “Futures Contracts.” Certain characteristics of the futures market might increase the risk that movements in the prices of futures contracts or options on futures contracts might not correlate perfectly with movements in the prices of the investments being hedged. For example, all participants in the futures and options on futures contracts markets are subject to daily variation margin calls and might be compelled to liquidate futures or options on futures contracts positions whose prices are moving unfavorably to avoid being subject to further calls. These liquidations could increase the price volatility of the instruments and distort the normal price relationship between the futures or options and the investments being hedged. Also, because of initial margin deposit requirements, there might be increased participation by speculators in the futures markets. This participation also might cause temporary price distortions. In addition, activities of large traders in both the futures and securities markets involving arbitrage, “program trading,” and other investment strategies might result in temporary price distortions.
Portfolio Turnover
The Funds buy and sell portfolio securities in the normal course of their investment activities. The proportion of a Fund’s investment portfolio that is bought and sold during a year is known as a Fund’s portfolio turnover rate. A turnover rate of 100% would occur, for example, if a Fund bought and sold securities valued at 100% of its net assets within one year. A high portfolio turnover rate could result in the payment by a Fund of increased brokerage costs, expenses and taxes. The portfolio turnover rates for the specified periods are set forth in the table below. Any significant variations in portfolio turnover rate from year-to-year resulted from increased trading due to fluctuations in the size of the Funds. In-kind transactions are not taken into account in calculating the portfolio turnover rate.
Portfolio Turnover Rate

Fund Fiscal Year Ended September 30,
2017 2016
First Trust BuyWrite Income ETF 315% 139%
First Trust Hedged BuyWrite Income ETF 184% 143%
Lending of Portfolio Securities
In order to generate additional income, as a non-principal investment strategy, First Trust is authorized to select certain Funds, with notice to the Board of Trustees, to lend portfolio securities representing up to 33⅓% of the value of their total
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assets to broker-dealers, banks or other institutional borrowers of securities. As with other extensions of credit, there may be risks of delay in recovery of the securities or even loss of rights in the collateral should the borrower of the securities fail financially. However, the Funds will only enter into domestic loan arrangements with broker-dealers, banks or other institutions which First Trust has determined are creditworthy under guidelines approved by the Board of Trustees. The Funds will pay a portion of the income earned on the lending transaction to the placing broker and may pay administrative and custodial fees in connection with these loans. First Trust may select any Fund to participate in the securities lending program, at its discretion with notice to the Board of Trustees.
In these loan arrangements, the Funds will receive collateral in the form of cash, U.S. government securities or other high-grade debt obligations equal to at least 102% (for domestic securities) or 105% (for international securities) of the market value of the securities loaned as determined at the time of loan origination. This collateral must be valued daily by First Trust or the applicable Fund’s lending agent and, if the market value of the loaned securities increases, the borrower must furnish additional collateral to the lending Fund. During the time portfolio securities are on loan, the borrower pays the lending Fund any dividends or interest paid on the securities. Loans are subject to termination at any time by the lending Fund or the borrower. While a Fund does not have the right to vote securities on loan, it would terminate the loan and regain the right to vote if that were considered important with respect to the investment. When a Fund lends portfolio securities to a borrower, payments in lieu of dividends made by the borrower to the Fund will not constitute “qualified dividends” taxable at the same rate as long-term capital gains, even if the actual dividends would have constituted qualified dividends had the Fund held the securities.
Investment Risks
Overview
An investment in a Fund should be made with an understanding of the risks that an investment in the Fund’s shares entails, including the risk that the financial condition of the issuers of the securities held by a Fund or the general condition of the securities market may worsen and the value of the securities and therefore the value of a Fund may decline. A Fund may not be an appropriate investment for those who are unable or unwilling to assume the risks involved generally with such an investment. The past market and earnings performance of any of the securities included in a Fund is not predictive of their future performance.
Common Stocks Risk
Equity securities are especially susceptible to general market movements and to volatile increases and decreases of value as market confidence in and perceptions of the issuers change. These perceptions are based on unpredictable factors including expectations regarding government, economic, monetary and fiscal policies; inflation and interest rates; economic expansion or contraction; and global or regional political, economic or banking crises. First Trust cannot predict the direction or scope of any of these factors. Shareholders of common stocks have rights to receive payments from the issuers of those common stocks that are generally subordinate to those of creditors of, or holders of debt obligations or preferred stocks of, such issuers.
Shareholders of common stocks of the type held by the Funds have a right to receive dividends only when and if, and in the amounts, declared by the issuer’s board of directors and have a right to participate in amounts available for distribution by the issuer only after all other claims on the issuer have been paid. Common stocks do not represent an obligation of the issuer and, therefore, do not offer any assurance of income or provide the same degree of protection of capital as do debt securities. The issuance of additional debt securities or preferred stock will create prior claims for payment of principal, interest and dividends which could adversely affect the ability and inclination of the issuer to declare or pay dividends on its common stock or the rights of holders of common stock with respect to assets of the issuer upon liquidation or bankruptcy. The value of common stocks is subject to market fluctuations for as long as the common stocks remain outstanding, and thus the value of the equity securities in the Funds will fluctuate over the life of the Funds and may be more or less than the price at which they were purchased by the Funds. The equity securities held in the Funds may appreciate or depreciate in value (or pay dividends) depending on the full range of economic and market influences affecting these securities, including the impact of a Fund’s purchase and sale of the equity securities and other factors.
Holders of common stocks incur more risk than holders of preferred stocks and debt obligations because common stockholders, as owners of the entity, have generally inferior rights to receive payments from the issuer in comparison with the rights of creditors of, or holders of debt obligations or preferred stocks issued by, the issuer. Cumulative preferred stock dividends must be paid before common stock dividends, and any cumulative preferred stock dividend omitted is added to
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future dividends payable to the holders of cumulative preferred stock. Preferred stockholders are also generally entitled to rights on liquidation, which are senior to those of common stockholders.
Depositary Receipts Risk
Depositary Receipts may not necessarily be denominated in the same currency as the underlying securities into which they may be converted. ADRs are receipts typically issued by a U.S. bank or trust company that evidence ownership of underlying securities issued by a foreign corporation. EDRs are receipts issued by a European bank or trust company evidencing ownership of securities issued by a foreign corporation. New York shares are typically issued by a company incorporated in the Netherlands and represent a direct interest in the company. Unlike traditional Depositary Receipts, New York share programs do not involve custody of the Dutch shares of the company. GDRs are receipts issued throughout the world that evidence a similar arrangement. ADRs, EDRs and GDRs may trade in foreign currencies that differ from the currency the underlying security for each ADR, EDR or GDR principally trades in. Global shares are the actual (ordinary) shares of a non-U.S. company which trade both in the home market and the United States. Generally, ADRs and New York shares, in registered form, are designed for use in the U.S. securities markets. EDRs, in registered form, are used to access European markets. GDRs, in registered form, are tradable both in the United States and in Europe and are designed for use throughout the world. Global shares are represented by the same share certificate in the United States and the home market, and separate registrars in the United States and the home country are maintained. In most cases, purchases occurring on a U.S. exchange would be reflected on the U.S. registrar. Global shares may also be eligible to list on exchanges in addition to the United States and the home country. The Funds may hold unsponsored Depositary Receipts. The issuers of unsponsored Depositary Receipts are not obligated to disclose material information in the United States; therefore, there may be less information available regarding such issuers and there may not be a correlation between such information and the market value of the Depositary Receipts.
Derivatives Risk
The use of derivatives, such as options, presents risks different from, and possibly greater than, the risks associated with investing directly in traditional securities. The use of derivatives can lead to losses because of adverse movements in the price or value of the underlying asset, index or rate, which may be magnified by certain features of the derivatives. In addition, when a Fund invests in certain derivative securities, including, but not limited to, when-issued securities, forward commitments, futures contracts and interest rate swaps, they are effectively leveraging their investments, which could result in exaggerated changes in the net asset value of the Fund’s shares and can result in losses that exceed the amount originally invested. The success of the Advisor’s derivatives strategies will depend on its ability to assess and predict the impact of market or economic developments on the underlying asset, index or rate and the derivative itself, without the benefit of observing the performance of the derivative under all possible market conditions. Liquidity risk exists when a security cannot be purchased or sold at the time desired, or cannot be purchased or sold without adversely affecting the price. Certain specific risks associated with an investment in derivatives may include: market risk, credit risk, correlation risk, liquidity risk, legal risk and systemic or “interconnection” risk, as specified below.
(1) Market Risk. Market risk is the risk that the value of the underlying assets may go up or down. Adverse movements in the value of an underlying asset can expose the Funds to losses. Derivative instruments may include elements of leverage and, accordingly, fluctuations in the value of the derivative instrument in relation to the underlying asset may be magnified. The successful use of derivative instruments depends upon a variety of factors, particularly the portfolio managers’ ability to predict movements of the securities, currencies, and commodities markets, which may require different skills than predicting changes in the prices of individual securities. There can be no assurance that any particular strategy adopted will succeed. A decision to engage in a derivative transaction will reflect the portfolio managers’ judgment that the derivative transaction will provide value to a Fund and its shareholders and is consistent with a Fund’s objective, investment limitations, and operating policies. In making such a judgment, the portfolio managers will analyze the benefits and risks of the derivative transactions and weigh them in the context of a Fund’s overall investments and investment objective.
(2) Credit Risk/Counterparty Risk. Credit risk is the risk that a loss may be sustained as a result of the failure of a counterparty to comply with the terms of a derivative instrument. The counterparty risk for exchange-traded derivatives is generally less than for privately-negotiated or OTC derivatives, since generally a clearing agency, which is the issuer or counterparty to each exchange-traded instrument, provides a guarantee of performance. For privately-negotiated instruments, there is no similar clearing agency guarantee. In all transactions, the Funds will bear the risk that the counterparty will default, and this could result in a loss of the expected benefit of
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  the derivative transactions and possibly other losses to the Funds. The Funds will enter into transactions in derivative instruments only with counterparties that First Trust reasonably believes are capable of performing under the contract.
(3) Correlation Risk. Correlation risk is the risk that there might be an imperfect correlation, or even no correlation, between price movements of a derivative instrument and price movements of investments being hedged. When a derivative transaction is used to completely hedge another position, changes in the market value of the combined position (the derivative instrument plus the position being hedged) result from an imperfect correlation between the price movements of the two instruments. With a perfect hedge, the value of the combined position remains unchanged with any change in the price of the underlying asset. With an imperfect hedge, the value of the derivative instrument and its hedge are not perfectly correlated. For example, if the value of a derivative instrument used in a short hedge (such as writing a call option, buying a put option or selling a futures contract) increased by less than the decline in value of the hedged investments, the hedge would not be perfectly correlated. This might occur due to factors unrelated to the value of the investments being hedged, such as speculative or other pressures on the markets in which these instruments are traded. The effectiveness of hedges using instruments on indices will depend, in part, on the degree of correlation between price movements in the index and the price movements in the investments being hedged.
(4) Liquidity Risk. Liquidity risk is the risk that a derivative instrument cannot be sold, closed out, or replaced quickly at or very close to its fundamental value. Generally, exchange contracts are very liquid because the exchange clearinghouse is the counterparty of every contract. OTC transactions are less liquid than exchange-traded derivatives since they often can only be closed out with the other party to the transaction. The Funds might be required by applicable regulatory requirements to maintain assets as “cover,” maintain segregated accounts, and/or make margin payments when they take positions in derivative instruments involving obligations to third parties (i.e., instruments other than purchase options). If a Fund is unable to close out its positions in such instruments, it might be required to continue to maintain such assets or accounts or make such payments until the position expires, matures, or is closed out. These requirements might impair a Fund’s ability to sell a security or make an investment at a time when it would otherwise be favorable to do so, or require that a Fund sell a portfolio security at a disadvantageous time. A Fund’s ability to sell or close out a position in an instrument prior to expiration or maturity depends upon the existence of a liquid secondary market or, in the absence of such a market, the ability and willingness of the counterparty to enter into a transaction closing out the position. Due to liquidity risk, there is no assurance that any derivatives position can be sold or closed out at a time and price that is favorable to a Fund.
(5) Legal Risk. Legal risk is the risk of loss caused by the unenforceability of a party’s obligations under the derivative. While a party seeking price certainty agrees to surrender the potential upside in exchange for downside protection, the party taking the risk is looking for a positive payoff. Despite this voluntary assumption of risk, a counterparty that has lost money in a derivative transaction may try to avoid payment by exploiting various legal uncertainties about certain derivative products.
(6) Systemic or “Interconnection” Risk. Systemic or interconnection risk is the risk that a disruption in the financial markets will cause difficulties for all market participants. In other words, a disruption in one market will spill over into other markets, perhaps creating a chain reaction. Much of the OTC derivatives market takes place among the OTC dealers themselves, thus creating a large interconnected web of financial obligations. This interconnectedness raises the possibility that a default by one large dealer could create losses for other dealers and destabilize the entire market for OTC derivative instruments.
Liquidity Risk
Whether or not the equity securities in the Funds are listed on a securities exchange, the principal trading market for certain of the equity securities in a Fund may be in the OTC market. As a result, the existence of a liquid trading market for the equity securities may depend on whether dealers will make a market in the equity securities. There can be no assurance that a market will be made for any of the equity securities, that any market for the equity securities will be maintained or that there will be sufficient liquidity of the equity securities in any markets made. The price at which the equity securities are held in the Funds will be adversely affected if trading markets for the equity securities are limited or absent.
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Litigation Risk
At any time litigation may be instituted on a variety of grounds with respect to the common stocks held by the Funds. The Funds are unable to predict whether litigation that has been or will be instituted might have a material adverse effect on the Funds.
Non-U.S. Securities Risk
An investment in non-U.S. securities involves risks in addition to the usual risks inherent in domestic investments, including currency risk. The value of a non-U.S. security in U.S. dollars tends to decrease when the value of the U.S. dollar rises against the non-U.S. currency in which the security is denominated and tends to increase when the value of the U.S. dollar falls against such currency. Non-U.S. securities are affected by the fact that in many countries there is less publicly available information about issuers than is available in the reports and ratings published about companies in the United States and companies may not be subject to uniform accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards. Other risks inherent in non-U.S. investments include expropriation; confiscatory taxation; withholding taxes on dividends and interest; less extensive regulation of non-U.S. brokers, securities markets and issuers; diplomatic developments; and political or social instability. Non-U.S. economies may differ favorably or unfavorably from the U.S. economy in various respects, and many non-U.S. securities are less liquid and their prices tend to be more volatile than comparable U.S. securities. From time to time, non-U.S. securities may be difficult to liquidate rapidly without adverse price effects.
Authorization, Custody and Settlement Risk for Non-U.S. Securities
Approval of governmental authorities may be required prior to investing in the securities of companies based in certain frontier countries. Delays in obtaining such an approval would delay investments in the particular country.
Rules adopted under the 1940 Act permit a fund to maintain its non-U.S. securities and cash in the custody of certain eligible non-U.S. banks and securities depositories. Certain banks in foreign countries that are eligible foreign sub-custodians may be recently organized or otherwise lack extensive operating experience. In addition, in certain countries there may be legal restrictions or limitations on the ability of a Fund to recover assets held in custody by a foreign sub-custodian in the event of the bankruptcy of the sub-custodian. Settlement systems in emerging markets may be less well organized than in developed markets. Thus there may be a risk that settlement may be delayed and that cash or securities of a Fund may be in jeopardy because of failures of or defects in the systems. Under the laws of certain countries in which a Fund may invest, a Fund may be required to release local shares before receiving cash payment or may be required to make cash payment prior to receiving local shares.
Certain countries in which a Fund may invest utilize share blocking schemes. Share blocking refers to a practice, in certain foreign markets, where voting rights related to an issuer’s securities are predicated on these securities being blocked from trading at the custodian or sub-custodian level, for a period of time around a shareholder meeting. These restrictions have the effect of prohibiting securities to potentially be voted (or having been voted), from trading within a specified number of days before, and in certain instances, after the shareholder meeting.
Share blocking may prevent a Fund from buying or selling securities for a period of time. During the time that shares are blocked, trades in such securities will not settle. The specific practices may vary by market and the blocking period can last from a day to several weeks, typically terminating on a date established at the discretion of the issuer.
Once blocked, the only manner in which to remove this block would be to withdraw a previously cast vote, or to abstain from voting altogether. The process for having a blocking restriction lifted can be quite onerous, with the particular requirements varying widely by country. In addition, in certain countries, the block cannot be removed.
Share blocking may present operational challenges for a Fund and authorized participants, including the effect that an imposed block would have on pending trades. Pending trades may be caused to fail and could potentially remain unsettled for an extended period of time. Fails may also expose the transfer agent and a Fund to “Buy In” situations in which, if unable to deliver shares after a certain period of time, a counterparty has the right to go to market, purchase a security at the current market price and have any additional expense borne by a Fund or transfer agent.
As a result, the Advisor, on behalf of a Fund, reserves the right to abstain from voting proxies in share blocking proxy markets.
15

Management of the Funds
Trustees and Officers
The general supervision of the duties performed for the Funds under the investment management agreement is the responsibility of the Board of Trustees. There are five Trustees of the Trust, one of whom is an “interested person” (as the term is defined in the 1940 Act) and four of whom are Trustees who are not officers or employees of First Trust or any of its affiliates (“Independent Trustees”). The Trustees set broad policies for the Funds, choose the Trust’s officers and hire the Trust’s investment advisor. The officers of the Trust manage its day-to-day operations and are responsible to the Trust’s Board of Trustees. The following is a list of the Trustees and executive officers of the Trust and a statement of their present positions and principal occupations during the past five years, the number of portfolios each Trustee oversees and the other directorships they have held during the past five years, if applicable. Each Trustee has been elected for an indefinite term. The officers of the Trust serve indefinite terms. Each Trustee, except for James A. Bowen, is an Independent Trustee. Mr. Bowen is deemed an “interested person” (as that term is defined in the 1940 Act) (“Interested Trustee”) of the Trust due to his position as Chief Executive Officer of First Trust, investment advisor to the Funds.
Name, Address
and Date of Birth
Position
and Offices
with Trust
Term of
Office and
Year First
Elected or
Appointed
Principal Occupations
During Past 5 Years
Number of
Portfolios
in the First
Trust Fund
Complex
Overseen
by Trustee
Other
Trusteeships or
Directorships
Held by
Trustee
During the
Past 5 Years
TRUSTEE WHO IS AN INTERESTED PERSON OF THE TRUST
James A. Bowen (1)
120 East Liberty Drive,
Suite 400
Wheaton, IL 60187
D.O.B.: 09/55
Chairman of the Board and Trustee • Indefinite term
• Since inception
Chief Executive Officer, First Trust Advisors L.P. and First Trust Portfolios L.P.; Chairman of the Board of Directors, BondWave LLC (Software Development Company) and Stonebridge Advisors LLC (Investment Advisor) 152 Portfolios None
INDEPENDENT TRUSTEES
Richard E. Erickson
c/o First Trust Advisors L.P.
120 East Liberty Drive,
Suite 400
Wheaton, IL 60187
D.O.B.: 04/51
Trustee • Indefinite term
• Since inception
Physician; Officer, Wheaton Orthopedics; Limited Partner, Gundersen Real Estate Limited Partnership (June 1992 to December 2016); Member, Sportsmed LLC (April 2007 to November 2015) 152 Portfolios None
Thomas R. Kadlec
c/o First Trust Advisors L.P.
120 East Liberty Drive,
Suite 400
Wheaton, IL 60187
D.O.B.: 11/57
Trustee • Indefinite term
• Since inception
President, ADM Investor Services, Inc. (Futures Commission Merchant) 152 Portfolios Director of ADM Investor Services, Inc., ADM Investor Services International, Futures Industry Association, and National Futures Association
Robert F. Keith
c/o First Trust Advisors L.P.
120 East Liberty Drive,
Suite 400
Wheaton, IL 60187
D.O.B.: 11/56
Trustee • Indefinite term
• Since inception
President, Hibs Enterprises (Financial and Management Consulting) 152 Portfolios Director of Trust Company of Illinois
Niel B. Nielson
c/o First Trust Advisors L.P.
120 East Liberty Drive,
Suite 400
Wheaton, IL 60187
D.O.B.: 03/54
Trustee • Indefinite term
• Since inception
Managing Director and Chief Operating Officer (January 2015 to present), Pelita Harapan Educational Foundation (Educational Products and Services); President and Chief Executive Officer (June 2012 to September 2014), Servant Interactive LLC (Educational Products and Services); President and Chief Executive Officer (June 2012 to September 2014), Dew Learning LLC (Educational Products and Services); President (June 2002 to June 2012), Covenant College 152 Portfolios Director of Covenant Transport Inc.
(May 2003 to May 2014)
16

Name, Address
and Date of Birth
Position
and Offices
with Trust
Term of
Office and
Year First
Elected or
Appointed
Principal Occupations
During Past 5 Years
Number of
Portfolios
in the First
Trust Fund
Complex
Overseen
by Trustee
Other
Trusteeships or
Directorships
Held by
Trustee
During the
Past 5 Years
OFFICERS OF THE TRUST
James M. Dykas
120 East Liberty Drive,
Suite 400
Wheaton, IL 60187
D.O.B.: 01/66
President and Chief Executive Officer • Indefinite term
• Since January 2016
Managing Director and Chief Financial Officer (January 2016 to present), Controller (January 2011 to January 2016), Senior Vice President (April 2007 to January 2016), First Trust Advisors L.P. and First Trust Portfolios L.P., Chief Financial Officer Bondwave LLC (Software Development Company) (January 2016 to present) and Stonebridge Advisors LLC (Investment Advisor) (January 2016 to present) N/A N/A
W. Scott Jardine
120 East Liberty Drive,
Suite 400
Wheaton, IL 60187
D.O.B.: 05/60
Secretary and Chief Legal Officer • Indefinite term
• Since inception
General Counsel, First Trust Advisors L.P. and First Trust Portfolios L.P.; Secretary and General Counsel, BondWave LLC (Software Development Company) and Secretary, Stonebridge Advisors LLC (Investment Advisor) N/A N/A
Daniel J. Lindquist
120 East Liberty Drive,
Suite 400
Wheaton, IL 60187
D.O.B.: 02/70
Vice President • Indefinite term
• Since inception
Managing Director, First Trust Advisors L.P. and First Trust Portfolios L.P. N/A N/A
Kristi A. Maher
120 East Liberty Drive,
Suite 400
Wheaton, IL 60187
D.O.B.: 12/66
Chief Compliance Officer and Assistant Secretary • Indefinite term
• CCO since January 2011, Assistant Secretary since Inception
Deputy General Counsel, First Trust Advisors L.P. and First Trust Portfolios L.P. N/A N/A
Donald P. Swade
120 E. Liberty Drive
Suite 400
Wheaton, IL 60187
D.O.B.: 08/72
Treasurer, Chief Financial Officer and Chief Accounting Officer • Indefinite term
• Since January 2016
Senior Vice President (July 2016 to Present), Vice President (April 2012 to July 2016), First Trust Advisors L.P. and First Trust Portfolios L.P. N/A N/A
Roger F. Testin
120 East Liberty Drive,
Suite 400
Wheaton, IL 60187
D.O.B.: 06/66
Vice President • Indefinite term
• Since inception
Senior Vice President, First Trust Advisors L.P. and First Trust Portfolios L.P. N/A N/A
Stan Ueland
120 East Liberty Drive,
Suite 400
Wheaton, IL 60187
D.O.B.: 11/70
Vice President • Indefinite term
• Since inception
Senior Vice President, First Trust Advisors L.P. and First Trust Portfolios L.P. N/A N/A
(1) Mr. Bowen is deemed an “interested person” of the Trust due to his position as Chief Executive Officer of First Trust, investment advisor of the Funds.
Unitary Board Leadership Structure
Each Trustee serves as a trustee of all open-end and closed-end funds in the First Trust Fund Complex (as defined below), which is known as a “unitary” board leadership structure. Each Trustee currently serves as a trustee of First Trust Series Fund and First Trust Variable Insurance Trust, open-end funds with seven portfolios advised by First Trust; First Trust Senior Floating Rate Income Fund II, Macquarie/First Trust Global Infrastructure/Utilities Dividend & Income Fund, First Trust Energy Income and Growth Fund, First Trust Enhanced Equity Income Fund, First Trust/Aberdeen Global Opportunity Income Fund, First Trust Mortgage Income Fund, First Trust Strategic High Income Fund II, First Trust/Aberdeen Emerging Opportunity Fund, First Trust Specialty Finance and Financial Opportunities Fund, First Trust High Income Long/Short Fund, First Trust Energy Infrastructure Fund, First Trust MLP and Energy Income Fund, First Trust Intermediate Duration Preferred & Income Fund, First Trust Dynamic Europe Equity Income Fund, First Trust New Opportunities MLP & Energy Fund and First Trust Senior Floating Rate 2022 Target Term Fund, closed-end funds advised by First Trust; and First Trust Exchange-Traded Fund, First Trust
17

Exchange-Traded Fund II, First Trust Exchange-Traded Fund III, First Trust Exchange-Traded Fund IV, First Trust Exchange-Traded Fund V, First Trust Exchange-Traded Fund VI, First Trust Exchange-Traded Fund VII, First Trust Exchange-Traded Fund VIII, First Trust Exchange-Traded AlphaDEX® Fund and First Trust Exchange-Traded AlphaDEX® Fund II, exchange-traded funds with 129 portfolios advised by First Trust (each a “First Trust Fund” and collectively, the “First Trust Fund Complex”). None of the Trustees who are not “interested persons” of the Trust, nor any of their immediate family members, has ever been a director, officer or employee of, or consultant to, First Trust, First Trust Portfolios L.P. or their affiliates.
The management of the Funds, including general supervision of the duties performed for the Funds under the investment management agreement between the Trust, on behalf of the Funds, and the Advisor, is the responsibility of the Board of Trustees. The Trustees of the Trust set broad policies for the Funds, choose the Trust’s officers and hire the Funds' investment advisor and other service providers. The officers of the Trust manage the day-to-day operations and are responsible to the Trust’s Board. The Trust’s Board is composed of four Independent Trustees and one Interested Trustee. The Interested Trustee, James A. Bowen, serves as the Chairman of the Board for each fund in the First Trust Fund Complex.
The same five persons serve as Trustees on the Trust’s Board and on the Boards of all other First Trust Funds. The unitary board structure was adopted for the First Trust Funds because of the efficiencies it achieves with respect to the governance and oversight of the First Trust Funds. Each First Trust Fund is subject to the rules and regulations of the 1940 Act (and other applicable securities laws), which means that many of the First Trust Funds face similar issues with respect to certain of their fundamental activities, including risk management, portfolio liquidity, portfolio valuation and financial reporting. Because of the similar and often overlapping issues facing the First Trust Funds, including among the First Trust exchange-traded funds, the Board of the First Trust Funds believes that maintaining a unitary board structure promotes efficiency and consistency in the governance and oversight of all First Trust Funds and reduces the costs, administrative burdens and possible conflicts that may result from having multiple boards. In adopting a unitary board structure, the Trustees seek to provide effective governance through establishing a board the overall composition of which will, as a body, possess the appropriate skills, diversity, independence and experience to oversee the Funds' business.
Annually, the Board reviews its governance structure and the committee structures, their performance and functions, and it reviews any processes that would enhance Board governance over the Funds' business. The Board has determined that its leadership structure, including the unitary board and committee structure, is appropriate based on the characteristics of the funds it serves and the characteristics of the First Trust Fund Complex as a whole.
In order to streamline communication between the Advisor and the Independent Trustees and create certain efficiencies, the Board has a Lead Independent Trustee who is responsible for: (i) coordinating activities of the Independent Trustees; (ii) working with the Advisor, Fund counsel and the independent legal counsel to the Independent Trustees to determine the agenda for Board meetings; (iii) serving as the principal contact for and facilitating communication between the Independent Trustees and the Funds' service providers, particularly the Advisor; and (iv) any other duties that the Independent Trustees may delegate to the Lead Independent Trustee. The Lead Independent Trustee is selected by the Independent Trustees and serves a three-year term or until his or her successor is selected.
The Board has established four standing committees (as described below) and has delegated certain of its responsibilities to those committees. The Board and its committees meet frequently throughout the year to oversee the Funds' activities, review contractual arrangements with and performance of service providers, oversee compliance with regulatory requirements and review Fund performance. The Independent Trustees are represented by independent legal counsel at all Board and committee meetings (other than meetings of the Executive Committee). Generally, the Board acts by majority vote of all the Trustees, including a majority vote of the Independent Trustees if required by applicable law.
The three Committee Chairmen and the Lead Independent Trustee rotate every three years in serving as Chairman of the Audit Committee, the Nominating and Governance Committee or the Valuation Committee, or as Lead Independent Trustee. The Lead Independent Trustee and immediate past Lead Independent Trustee also serve on the Executive Committee with the Interested Trustee.
The four standing committees of the First Trust Fund Complex are: the Executive Committee (and Pricing and Dividend Committee), the Nominating and Governance Committee, the Valuation Committee and the Audit Committee. The Executive Committee, which meets between Board meetings, is authorized to exercise all powers of and to act in the place of the Board of Trustees to the extent permitted by the Trust’s Declaration of Trust and By Laws. Such Committee is also responsible for the declaration and setting of dividends. Mr. Kadlec, Mr. Bowen and Mr. Erickson are members of the Executive Committee. During the last fiscal year, the Executive Committee held twelve meetings.
18

The Nominating and Governance Committee is responsible for appointing and nominating non-interested persons to the Trust’s Board of Trustees. Messrs. Erickson, Kadlec, Keith and Nielson are members of the Nominating and Governance Committee. If there is no vacancy on the Board of Trustees, the Board will not actively seek recommendations from other parties, including shareholders. The Board of Trustees adopted a mandatory retirement age of 75 for Trustees, beyond which age Trustees are ineligible to serve. The Committee will not consider new trustee candidates who are 72 years of age or older. When a vacancy on the Board of Trustees occurs and nominations are sought to fill such vacancy, the Nominating and Governance Committee may seek nominations from those sources it deems appropriate in its discretion, including shareholders of the Funds. To submit a recommendation for nomination as a candidate for a position on the Board of Trustees, shareholders of the Funds should mail such recommendation to W. Scott Jardine, Secretary, at the Trust’s address, 120 East Liberty Drive, Suite 400, Wheaton, Illinois 60187. Such recommendation shall include the following information: (i) evidence of Fund ownership of the person or entity recommending the candidate (if a Fund shareholder); (ii) a full description of the proposed candidate’s background, including education, experience, current employment and date of birth; (iii) names and addresses of at least three professional references for the candidate; (iv) information as to whether the candidate is an “interested person” in relation to the Funds, as such term is defined in the 1940 Act, and such other information that may be considered to impair the candidate’s independence; and (v) any other information that may be helpful to the Committee in evaluating the candidate. If a recommendation is received with satisfactorily completed information regarding a candidate during a time when a vacancy exists on the Board or during such other time as the Nominating and Governance Committee is accepting recommendations, the recommendation will be forwarded to the Chairman of the Nominating and Governance Committee and to counsel to the Independent Trustees. Recommendations received at any other time will be kept on file until such time as the Nominating and Governance Committee is accepting recommendations, at which point they may be considered for nomination. During the last fiscal year, the Nominating and Governance Committee held four meetings.
The Valuation Committee is responsible for the oversight of the valuation procedures of the Fund (the "Valuation Procedures"), for determining the fair value of the Funds' securities or other assets under certain circumstances as described in the Valuation Procedures and for evaluating the performance of any pricing service for the Funds. Messrs. Erickson, Kadlec, Keith and Nielson are members of the Valuation Committee. During the last fiscal year, the Valuation Committee held four meetings.
The Audit Committee is responsible for overseeing each Fund’s accounting and financial reporting process, the system of internal controls and audit process and for evaluating and appointing independent auditors (subject also to Board approval). Messrs. Erickson, Kadlec, Keith and Nielson serve on the Audit Committee. During the last fiscal year, the Audit Committee held four meetings.
Executive Officers
The executive officers of the Trust hold the same positions with each fund in the First Trust Fund Complex (representing 152 portfolios) as they hold with the Trust.
Risk Oversight
As part of the general oversight of the Funds, the Board is involved in the risk oversight of the Funds. The Board has adopted and periodically reviews policies and procedures designed to address each Fund’s risks. Oversight of investment and compliance risk is performed primarily at the Board level in conjunction with the Advisor’s investment oversight group and the Trust’s Chief Compliance Officer (“CCO”). Oversight of other risks also occurs at the committee level. The Advisor’s investment oversight group reports to the Board at quarterly meetings regarding, among other things, Fund performance and the various drivers of such performance. The Board reviews reports on the Funds' and the service providers’ compliance policies and procedures at each quarterly Board meeting and receives an annual report from the CCO regarding the operations of the Funds' and the service providers’ compliance program. In addition, the Independent Trustees meet privately each quarter with the CCO. The Audit Committee reviews with the Advisor each Fund’s major financial risk exposures and the steps the Advisor has taken to monitor and control these exposures, including each Fund’s risk assessment and risk management policies and guidelines. The Audit Committee also, as appropriate, reviews in a general manner the processes other Board committees have in place with respect to risk assessment and risk management. The Nominating and Governance Committee monitors all matters related to the corporate governance of the Trust. The Valuation Committee monitors valuation risk and compliance with the Funds' Valuation Procedures and oversees the pricing services and actions by the Advisor’s Pricing Committee with respect to the valuation of portfolio securities.
19

Not all risks that may affect the Funds can be identified nor can controls be developed to eliminate or mitigate their occurrence or effects. It may not be practical or cost effective to eliminate or mitigate certain risks, the processes and controls employed to address certain risks may be limited in their effectiveness, and some risks are simply beyond the reasonable control of the Funds or the Advisor or other service providers. For instance, as the use of Internet technology has become more prevalent, the Funds and their service providers have become more susceptible to potential operational risks through breaches in cyber security (generally, intentional and unintentional events that may cause a Fund or a service provider to lose proprietary information, suffer data corruption or lose operational capacity). There can be no guarantee that any risk management systems established by the Funds, their service providers, or issuers of the securities in which the Funds invest to reduce cyber security risks will succeed, and the Funds cannot control such systems put in place by service providers, issuers or other third parties whose operations may affect the Funds and/or their shareholders. Moreover, it is necessary to bear certain risks (such as investment-related risks) to achieve a Fund's goals. As a result of the foregoing and other factors, the Funds' ability to manage risk is subject to substantial limitations.
Board Diversification and Trustee Qualifications
As described above, the Nominating and Governance Committee of the Board oversees matters related to the nomination of Trustees. The Nominating and Governance Committee seeks to establish an effective Board with an appropriate range of skills and diversity, including, as appropriate, differences in background, professional experience, education, vocation, and other individual characteristics and traits in the aggregate. Each Trustee must meet certain basic requirements, including relevant skills and experience, time availability and, if qualifying as an Independent Trustee, independence from the Advisor, underwriters or other service providers, including any affiliates of these entities.
Listed below for each current Trustee are the experiences, qualifications and attributes that led to the conclusion, as of the date of this SAI, that each current Trustee should serve as a Trustee in light of the Trust’s business and structure.
Richard E. Erickson, M.D., is an orthopedic surgeon. He also has been President of Wheaton Orthopedics, a co-owner and director of a fitness center and a limited partner of two real estate companies. Dr. Erickson has served as a Trustee of each First Trust Fund since its inception. Dr. Erickson has also served as the Lead Independent Trustee and on the Executive Committee (20082009), Chairman of the Nominating and Governance Committee (20032007 and 20142016), Chairman of the Audit Committee (20122013) and Chairman of the Valuation Committee (June 20062007 and 20102011) of the First Trust Funds. He currently serves as Lead Independent Trustee and on the Executive Committee (since January 1, 2017) of the First Trust Funds.
Thomas R. Kadlec is President of ADM Investor Services Inc. (“ADMIS”), a futures commission merchant and wholly-owned subsidiary of the Archer Daniels Midland Company (“ADM”). Mr. Kadlec has been employed by ADMIS and its affiliates since 1990 in various accounting, financial, operations and risk management capacities. Mr. Kadlec serves on the boards of several international affiliates of ADMIS and is a member of ADM’s Integrated Risk Committee, which is tasked with the duty of implementing and communicating enterprise-wide risk management. In 2014, Mr. Kadlec was elected to the board of the Futures Industry Association. In 2017, Mr. Kadlec was elected to the board of the National Futures Association. Mr. Kadlec has served as a Trustee of each First Trust Fund since its inception. Mr. Kadlec also served on the Executive Committee from the organization of the first First Trust closed-end fund in 2003 until he was elected as the first Lead Independent Trustee in December 2005, serving as such through 2007 (and 20142016). He also served as Chairman of the Valuation Committee (20082009), Chairman of the Audit Committee (20102011) and Chairman of the Nominating and Governance Committee (20122013). He currently serves as Chairman of the Valuation Committee and on the Executive Committee (since January 1, 2017) of the First Trust Funds.
Robert F. Keith is President of Hibs Enterprises, a financial and management consulting firm. Mr. Keith has been with Hibs Enterprises since 2003. Prior thereto, Mr. Keith spent 18 years with ServiceMaster and Aramark, including three years as President and COO of ServiceMaster Consumer Services, where he led the initial expansion of certain products overseas; five years as President and COO of ServiceMaster Management Services; and two years as President of Aramark ServiceMaster Management Services. Mr. Keith is a certified public accountant and also has held the positions of Treasurer and Chief Financial Officer of ServiceMaster, at which time he oversaw the financial aspects of ServiceMaster’s expansion of its Management Services division into Europe, the Middle East and Asia. Mr. Keith has served as a Trustee of the First Trust Funds since June 2006. Mr. Keith has also served as the Chairman of the Audit Committee (20082009) and Chairman of the Nominating and Governance Committee (20102011) and Chairman of the Valuation Committee (20142016) of the First Trust Funds. He served as Lead Independent Trustee and on the Executive Committee (20122016) and currently serves as Chairman of the Audit Committee (since January 1, 2017) of the First Trust Funds.
20

Niel B. Nielson, Ph.D., has been the Managing Director and Chief Operating Officer of Pelita Harapan Educational Foundation, a global provider of educational products and services since January 2015. Mr. Nielson formerly served as the President and Chief Executive Officer of Dew Learning LLC from June 2012 through September 2014. Mr. Nielson formerly served as President of Covenant College (20022012), and as a partner and trader (of options and futures contracts for hedging options) for Ritchie Capital Markets Group (19961997), where he held an administrative management position at this proprietary derivatives trading company. He also held prior positions in new business development for ServiceMaster Management Services Company and in personnel and human resources for NationsBank of North Carolina, N.A. and Chicago Research and Trading Group, Ltd. (“CRT”). His international experience includes serving as a director of CRT Europe, Inc. for two years, directing out of London all aspects of business conducted by the U.K. and European subsidiary of CRT. Prior to that, Mr. Nielson was a trader and manager at CRT in Chicago. Mr. Nielson has served as a Trustee of each First Trust Fund since its inception and of the First Trust Funds since 1999. Mr. Nielson has also served as the Chairman of the Audit Committee (20032006 and 20142016), Chairman of the Valuation Committee (20072008), Chairman of the Nominating and Governance Committee (20082009) and Lead Independent Trustee and a member of the Executive Committee (20102011). He currently serves as Chairman of the Nominating and Governance Committee (since January 1, 2017) of the First Trust Funds.
James A. Bowen is Chief Executive Officer of First Trust Advisors L.P. and First Trust Portfolios L.P. Mr. Bowen is involved in the day-to-day management of the First Trust Funds and serves on the Executive Committee. He has over 26 years of experience in the investment company business in sales, sales management and executive management. Mr. Bowen has served as a Trustee of each First Trust Fund since its inception and of the First Trust Funds since 1999.
Effective January 1, 2016, the fixed annual retainer paid to the Independent Trustees is $230,000 per year and an annual per fund fee of $2,500 for each closed-end fund and actively managed fund and $250 for each index fund. The fixed annual retainer is allocated equally among each fund in the First Trust Fund Complex rather than being allocated pro rata based on each fund’s net assets. Additionally, the Lead Independent Trustee is paid $30,000 annually, the Chairman of the Audit Committee or Valuation Committee are each paid $20,000 annually and the Chairman of the Nominating and Governance Committee is paid $10,000 annually to serve in such capacities with compensation allocated pro rata among each fund in the First Trust Fund Complex based on its net assets.
The following table sets forth the compensation (including reimbursement for travel and out-of-pocket expenses) paid by the Funds and the First Trust Fund Complex to each of the Independent Trustees for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2017 and the calendar year ended December 31, 2017, respectively. The Trust has no retirement or pension plans. The officers and Trustee who are “interested persons” as designated above serve without any compensation from the Trust. The Trust has no employees. Its officers are compensated by First Trust.
Name of Trustee Total Compensation from
the Funds (1)
Total Compensation from
the First Trust Fund Complex (2)
Richard E. Erickson $8,299 $414,011
Thomas R. Kadlec $8,296 $403,267
Robert F. Keith $8,293 $403,163
Niel B. Nielson $8,286 $392,987
(1) The compensation paid by the Funds to the Independent Trustees for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2017 for services to the Funds.
(2) The total compensation paid to the Independent Trustees for the calendar year ended December 31, 2017 for services to the 151 portfolios existing in 2017, which consisted of 7 open-end mutual funds, 16 closed-end funds and 128 exchange-traded funds.
The following table sets forth the dollar range of equity securities beneficially owned by the Trustees in the Funds and in other funds overseen by the Trustees in the First Trust Fund Complex as of December 31, 2017:
Dollar Range of Equity Securities in the Funds
  Interested Trustee Independent Trustees
Fund James A. Bowen Richard E. Erickson Thomas R. Kadlec Robert F. Keith Niel B. Nielson
First Trust BuyWrite Income ETF None None $10,001-$50,000 None None
First Trust Hedged BuyWrite Income ETF None None None None None
21

  Interested Trustee Independent Trustees
Fund James A. Bowen Richard E. Erickson Thomas R. Kadlec Robert F. Keith Niel B. Nielson
Aggregate Dollar Range of
Equity Securities in All
Registered Investment
Companies Overseen by
Trustee in the First Trust
Fund Complex
Over $100,000 Over $100,000 Over $100,000 Over $100,000 Over $100,000
As of December 31, 2017, the Independent Trustees of the Trust and their immediate family members did not own beneficially or of record any class of securities of an investment advisor or principal underwriter of the Funds or any person directly or indirectly controlling, controlled by or under common control with an investment advisor or principal underwriter of the Funds.
As of December 31, 2017, the officers and Trustees, in the aggregate, owned less than 1% of the shares of each Fund.
The table set forth in Exhibit A shows the percentage ownership of each person or “group” (as that term is used in Section 13(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “1934 Act”)) who, as of December 31, 2017, owned of record, or is known by the Trust to have owned of record or beneficially, 5% or more of the shares of a Fund (the “Principal Holders”). A control person is one who owns, either directly or indirectly, more than 25% of the voting securities of a Fund or acknowledges the existence of control. A party that controls a Fund may be able to significantly influence the outcome of any item presented to shareholders for approval.
Information as to the Principal Holders is based on the securities position listing reports as of December 31, 2017. The Fund does not have any knowledge of who the ultimate beneficiaries are of the shares.
Investment Advisor. First Trust, 120 East Liberty Drive, Suite 400, Wheaton, Illinois 60187, is the investment advisor to the Funds. First Trust is a limited partnership with one limited partner, Grace Partners of DuPage L.P., and one general partner, The Charger Corporation. Grace Partners of DuPage L.P. is a limited partnership with one general partner, The Charger Corporation, and a number of limited partners. The Charger Corporation is an Illinois corporation controlled by James A. Bowen, the Chief Executive Officer of First Trust. First Trust discharges its responsibilities to the Funds subject to the policies of the Board of Trustees.
First Trust provides investment tools and portfolios for advisors and investors. First Trust is committed to theoretically sound portfolio construction and empirically verifiable investment management approaches. Its asset management philosophy and investment discipline are deeply rooted in the application of intuitive factor analysis and model implementation to enhance investment decisions.
First Trust acts as investment advisor for and manages the investment and reinvestment of the assets of the Funds. First Trust also administers the Trust’s business affairs, provides office facilities and equipment and certain clerical, bookkeeping and administrative services, and permits any of its officers or employees to serve without compensation as Trustees or officers of the Trust if elected to such positions.
Pursuant to an investment agreement between First Trust and the Trust (the “Investment Management Agreement”), First Trust will manage the investment of the Funds’ assets and will be responsible for paying all expenses of the Funds, excluding the fee payments under the Investment Management Agreement, interest, taxes, brokerage commissions and other expenses connected with the execution of portfolio transactions, distribution and service fees payable pursuant to a Rule 12b-1 plan, if any, and extraordinary expenses.
First Trust provides fund reporting services to the Funds for a flat annual fee in the amount of $9,250 per Fund, which is included in the annual management fee. Each Fund has agreed to pay an annual management fee equal to 0.85% of its average daily net assets.
Under the Investment Management Agreement, First Trust shall not be liable for any loss sustained by reason of the purchase, sale or retention of any security, whether or not such purchase, sale or retention shall have been based upon the investigation and research made by any other individual, firm or corporation, if such recommendation shall have been selected with due care and in good faith, except loss resulting from willful misfeasance, bad faith, or gross negligence on the part of First Trust in the performance of its obligations and duties, or by reason of its reckless disregard of its obligations and duties.
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The Investment Management Agreement terminates automatically upon assignment and is terminable at any time without penalty as to a Fund by the Board of Trustees, including a majority of the Independent Trustees, or by vote of the holders of a majority of the Fund’s outstanding voting securities on 60 days’ written notice to First Trust, or by First Trust on 60 days’ written notice to the Fund.
The following table sets forth the unitary management fees paid by each Fund for the specified periods for the services provided and expenses described above.
Amount of Unitary Fees

Fund Fiscal Year Ended September 30,
2017 2016 2015
First Trust BuyWrite Income ETF $396,064 $59,278 $40,771
First Trust Hedged BuyWrite Income ETF $47,958 $46,849 $29,737
Portfolio Managers.    The portfolio managers are primarily and jointly responsible for the day-to-day management of the Funds. There are currently two portfolio managers, as follows:
Name Position with
First Trust
Length of Service
with First Trust
Principal Occupation
During Past Five Years
John Gambla Senior Portfolio Manager Since 2011 Senior Portfolio Manager, First Trust Advisors L.P.
Rob A. Guttschow Senior Portfolio Manager Since 2011 Senior Portfolio Manager, First Trust Advisors L.P.
John Gambla, CFA, FRM, PRM:  Mr. Gambla is a senior portfolio manager for the Alternatives Investment Team at First Trust.
Rob A. Guttschow, CFA:  Mr. Guttschow is a senior portfolio manager for the Alternatives Investment Team at First Trust.
As of September 30, 2017, Mr. Gambla did not beneficially own any shares of the Funds, Mr. Guttschow beneficially owned shares of each Fund in the $10,001$50,000 range.
Compensation.    The compensation structure for each portfolio manager is based upon a fixed salary as well as a discretionary bonus determined by the management of First Trust. Salaries are determined by management and are based upon an individual’s position and overall value to the firm. Bonuses are also determined by management and are based upon an individual’s overall contribution to the success of the firm and the profitability of the firm. Salaries and bonuses for the portfolio managers are not based upon criteria such as performance of the Funds or the value of assets included in the Funds’ portfolios.
The portfolio managers manage the investment vehicles (other than the Funds of the Trust) with the number of accounts and assets, as of the fiscal year ended September 30, 2017, set forth in the table below:
Accounts Managed by Portfolio Managers
Portfolio Managers Registered
Investment Companies
Number of Accounts
($ Assets)
Other Pooled
Investment Vehicles
Number of Accounts
($ Assets)
Other Accounts
Number of Accounts
($ Assets)
John Gambla 8 ($848,973,814) N/A N/A
Rob A. Guttschow 8 ($848,973,814) N/A N/A
Conflicts.    None of the accounts managed by the portfolio managers pay an advisory fee that is based upon the performance of the account. In addition, First Trust believes that there are no material conflicts of interest that may arise in connection with the portfolio managers’ management of the Funds' investments and the investments of the other accounts managed by the portfolio managers. However, because the investment strategy of the Funds and the investment strategies of many of the other accounts managed by the portfolio managers are based on fairly mechanical investment processes, the portfolio managers may recommend that certain clients sell and other clients buy a given security at the same time. In addition, because the investment strategies of the Funds and other accounts managed by the portfolio managers generally result in the clients investing in readily available securities, First Trust believes that there should not be material conflicts in the allocation of investment opportunities between the Funds and other accounts managed by the portfolio managers.
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Brokerage Allocations
First Trust is responsible for decisions to buy and sell securities for the Funds and for the placement of the Funds’ securities business, the negotiation of the commissions to be paid on brokered transactions, the prices for principal trades in securities, and the allocation of portfolio brokerage and principal business. It is the policy of First Trust to seek the best execution at the best security price available with respect to each transaction, and with respect to brokered transactions in light of the overall quality of brokerage and research services provided to First Trust and its clients. The best price to a Fund means the best net price without regard to the mix between purchase or sale price and commission, if any. Purchases may be made from underwriters, dealers and, on occasion, the issuers. Commissions will be paid on a Fund’s futures and options transactions, if any. The purchase price of portfolio securities purchased from an underwriter or dealer may include underwriting commissions and dealer spreads. The Funds may pay markups on principal transactions. In selecting broker-dealers and in negotiating commissions, First Trust considers, among other things, the firm’s reliability, the quality of its execution services on a continuing basis and its financial condition. Fund portfolio transactions may be effected with broker-dealers who have assisted investors in the purchase of shares.
Section  28(e) of the 1934 Act, permits an investment advisor, under certain circumstances, to cause an account to pay a broker or dealer who supplies brokerage and research services a commission for effecting a transaction in excess of the amount of commission another broker or dealer would have charged for effecting the transaction. Brokerage and research services include (a) furnishing advice as to the value of securities, the advisability of investing, purchasing or selling securities, and the availability of securities or purchasers or sellers of securities; (b) furnishing analyses and reports concerning issuers, industries, securities, economic factors and trends, portfolio strategy and the performance of accounts; and (c) effecting securities transactions and performing functions incidental thereto (such as clearance, settlement and custody). Such brokerage and research services are often referred to as “soft dollars.” First Trust has advised the Board of Trustees that it does not currently intend to use soft dollars.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, in selecting brokers, First Trust may in the future consider investment and market information and other research, such as economic, securities and performance measurement research, provided by such brokers, and the quality and reliability of brokerage services, including execution capability, performance and financial responsibility. Accordingly, the commissions charged by any such broker may be greater than the amount another firm might charge if First Trust determines in good faith that the amount of such commissions is reasonable in relation to the value of the research information and brokerage services provided by such broker to First Trust or the Trust. In addition, First Trust must determine that the research information received in this manner provides the Funds with benefits by supplementing the research otherwise available to the Funds. The Investment Management Agreement provides that such higher commissions will not be paid by the Funds unless the Advisor determines in good faith that the amount is reasonable in relation to the services provided. The investment advisory fees paid by the Funds to First Trust under the Investment Management Agreement would not be reduced as a result of receipt by First Trust of research services.
First Trust places portfolio transactions for other advisory accounts advised by it, and research services furnished by firms through which the Funds effect their securities transactions may be used by First Trust in servicing all of its accounts; not all of such services may be used by First Trust in connection with the Funds. First Trust believes it is not possible to measure separately the benefits from research services to each of the accounts (including the Funds) advised by it. Because the volume and nature of the trading activities of the accounts are not uniform, the amount of commissions in excess of those charged by another broker paid by each account for brokerage and research services will vary. However, First Trust believes such costs to the Funds will not be disproportionate to the benefits received by the Funds on a continuing basis. First Trust seeks to allocate portfolio transactions equitably whenever concurrent decisions are made to purchase or sell securities by the Funds and another advisory account. In some cases, this procedure could have an adverse effect on the price or the amount of securities available to the Funds. In making such allocations between the Funds and other advisory accounts, the main factors considered by First Trust are the respective investment objectives, the relative size of portfolio holding of the same or comparable securities, the availability of cash for investment and the size of investment commitments generally held.
Brokerage Commissions
The following table sets forth the aggregate amount of brokerage commissions paid by each Fund for the specified periods. Any significant variations in brokerage commissions from year-to-year resulted from fluctuation in size of the Funds.
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Aggregate Amount of Brokerage Commissions

Fund Fiscal Year Ended September 30,
2017 2016 2015
First Trust BuyWrite Income ETF $75,536 $5,310 $4,625
First Trust Hedged BuyWrite Income ETF $5,586 $4,691 $3,840
During the last fiscal year First Trust BuyWrite Income ETF held securities of Bank of America Corporation and The Goldman Sachs Group, each a regular broker or dealer of the Fund as defined in Rule 10b-1 under the 1940 Act. As of September 30, 2017, the Fund’s investment in each was 1.32% and 0.00% of the Fund’s net assets, respectively.
During the last fiscal year First Trust Hedged BuyWrite Income ETF held securities of Bank of America Corporation and The Goldman Sachs Group, each a regular broker or dealer of the Fund as defined in Rule 10b-1 under the 1940 Act. As of September 30, 2017, the Fund’s investment in each was 1.32% and 0.00% of the Fund’s net assets, respectively.
Custodian, Administrator, Fund Accountant, Transfer Agent, Distributor, Index Providers and Exchange
Custodian, Administrator, Fund Accountant and Transfer Agent. Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. (“BBH”), as custodian for the Funds pursuant to a Custodian Agreement, holds the Funds’ assets. Also, pursuant to an Administrative Agency Agreement, BBH provides certain administrative and accounting services to the Funds, including maintaining the Funds’ books of account, records of the Funds’ securities transactions and certain other books and records; acting as liaison with the Funds’ independent registered public accounting firm by providing such accountant with various audit-related information with respect to the Funds; and providing other continuous accounting and administrative services. BBH also serves as the Funds’ transfer agent pursuant to an Administrative Agency Agreement. BBH is located at 50 Post Office Square, Boston, Massachusetts 02110.
Pursuant to the Administrative Agency Agreement, the Trust on behalf of the Funds have agreed to indemnify the Administrator for certain liabilities, including certain liabilities arising under the federal securities laws, unless such loss or liability results from negligence or willful misconduct in the performance of its duties.
Pursuant to the Administrative Agency Agreement between BBH and the Trust, the Funds have agreed to pay such compensation as is mutually agreed from time to time and such out-of-pocket expenses as incurred by BBH in the performance of its duties. The Funds have not paid any fees to BBH under the Administrative Agency Agreement, as the Advisor has assumed responsibility for payment of these fees as part of the unitary management fee.
Distributor. First Trust Portfolios L.P., an affiliate of First Trust, is the distributor (“FTP” or the “Distributor”) and principal underwriter of the shares of the Funds. Its principal address is 120 East Liberty Drive, Suite 400, Wheaton, Illinois 60187. The Distributor has entered into a Distribution Agreement with the Trust pursuant to which it distributes Fund shares. Shares are continuously offered for sale by the Funds through the Distributor only in Creation Unit Aggregations, as described in the Prospectus and below under the heading “Creation and Redemption of Creation Unit Aggregations.”
For the fiscal years ended September 30, 2015, September 30, 2016 and September 30, 2017, there were no underwriting commissions with respect to the sale of Fund shares, and FTP did not receive compensation on redemptions for the Funds for those years.
12b-1 Plan. The Trust has adopted a Plan of Distribution pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act (the “Plan”) pursuant to which the Funds may reimburse the Distributor up to a maximum annual rate of 0.25% of their average daily net assets.
Under the Plan and as required by Rule 12b-1, the Trustees will receive and review after the end of each calendar quarter a written report provided by the Distributor of the amounts expended under the Plan and the purpose for which such expenditures were made. With the exception of the Distributor and its affiliates, no “interested person” of the Trust (as that term is defined in the 1940 Act) and no Trustee of the Trust has a direct or indirect financial interest in the operation of the Plan or any related agreement.
No fee is currently paid by a Fund under the Plan, and pursuant to a contractual agreement, the Funds will not pay 12b-1 fees any time before January 31, 2019.
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Aggregations. Fund shares in less than Creation Unit Aggregations are not distributed by the Distributor. The Distributor will deliver the Prospectus and, upon request, this SAI to persons purchasing Creation Unit Aggregations and will maintain records of both orders placed with it and confirmations of acceptance furnished by it. The Distributor is a broker-dealer registered under the 1934 Act and a member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”).
The Distribution Agreement provides that it may be terminated at any time, without the payment of any penalty, on at least 60 days’ written notice by the Trust to the Distributor (i) by vote of a majority of the Independent Trustees or (ii) by vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities (as defined in the 1940 Act) of the Funds. The Distribution Agreement will terminate automatically in the event of its assignment (as defined in the 1940 Act).
The Distributor may also enter into agreements with participants that utilize the facilities of the Depository Trust Company (the “DTC Participants”), which have international, operational, capabilities and place orders for Creation Unit Aggregations of Fund shares. Participating Parties (which are participants in the Continuous Net Settlement System of the National Securities Clearing Corporation) shall be DTC Participants.
Additional Service Provider. First Trust, on behalf of the Funds, has engaged Interactive Data Pricing and Reference Data, LLC or its designee (the “IPV Calculator”), to calculate the intra-day values for the shares of the Funds.
Exchange. The only relationship that Nasdaq has with First Trust or the Distributor of the Funds in connection with the Funds is that Nasdaq lists the shares of the Funds and disseminates the intra-day portfolio values that are calculated by the IPV Calculator pursuant to its listing agreement with the Trust. Nasdaq is not responsible for and has not participated in the determination of pricing or the timing of the issuance or sale of the shares of the Funds or in the determination or calculation of the net asset value of the Funds. Nasdaq has no obligation or liability in connection with the administration, marketing or trading of the Funds.
Additional Payments to Financial Intermediaries
First Trust or its affiliates may from time to time make payments, out of their own resources, to certain financial intermediaries that sell shares of First Trust mutual funds and ETFs (“First Trust Funds”) to promote the sales and retention of Fund shares by those firms and their customers.  The amounts of these payments vary by intermediary.  The level of payments that First Trust is willing to provide to a particular intermediary may be affected by, among other factors, (i) the firm’s total assets or Fund shares held in and recent net investments into First Trust Funds, (ii) the value of the assets invested in the First Trust Funds by the intermediary’s customers, (iii) redemption rates, (iv) its ability to attract and retain assets, (v) the intermediary’s reputation in the industry, (vi) the level and/or type of marketing assistance and educational activities provided by the intermediary, (vii) the firm’s level of participation in First Trust Funds’ sales and marketing programs, (viii) the firm’s compensation program for its registered representatives who sell Fund shares and provide services to Fund shareholders, and (ix) the asset class of the First Trust Funds for which these payments are provided. Such payments are generally asset-based but also may include the payment of a lump sum.
First Trust may also make payments to certain intermediaries for certain administrative services and shareholder processing services, including record keeping and sub-accounting of shareholder accounts pursuant to a sub-transfer agency, omnibus account service or sub-accounting agreement.  All fees payable by First Trust under this category of services may be charged back to a Fund, subject to approval by the Board.
First Trust and/or its affiliates may make payments, out of its own assets, to those firms as compensation and/or reimbursement for marketing support and/or program servicing to selected intermediaries that are registered as holders or dealers of record for accounts invested in one or more of the First Trust Funds or that make First Trust Fund shares available through certain selected Fund no-transaction fee institutional platforms and fee-based wrap programs at certain financial intermediaries. Program servicing payments typically apply to employee benefit plans, such as retirement plans, or fee-based advisory programs but may apply to retail sales and assets in certain situations. The payments are based on such factors as the type and nature of services or support furnished by the intermediary and are generally asset-based. Services for which an intermediary receives marketing support payments may include, but are not limited to, business planning assistance, advertising, educating the intermediary’s personnel about First Trust Funds in connection with shareholder financial planning needs, placement on the intermediary’s preferred or recommended fund list, and access to sales meetings, sales representatives and management representatives of the intermediary. In addition, intermediaries may be compensated for enabling representatives of First Trust and/or its affiliates to participate in and/or present at conferences or seminars, sales or training programs for invited registered representatives and other employees, client and investor events and other events sponsored by the intermediary. Services for which an intermediary receives program servicing payments typically include, but are not limited to, record keeping,
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reporting or transaction processing and shareholder communications and other account administration services, but may also include services rendered in connection with Fund/investment selection and monitoring, employee enrollment and education, plan balance rollover or separation, or other similar services. An intermediary may perform program services itself or may arrange with a third party to perform program services. These payments, if any, are in addition to the service fee and any applicable omnibus sub-accounting fees paid to these firms with respect to these services by the First Trust Funds out of Fund assets.
From time to time, First Trust and/or its affiliates, at its expense, may provide other compensation to intermediaries that sell or arrange for the sale of shares of the First Trust Funds, which may be in addition to marketing support and program servicing payments described above. For example, First Trust and/or its affiliates may: (i) compensate intermediaries for National Securities Clearing Corporation networking system services (e.g., shareholder communication, account statements, trade confirmations and tax reporting) on an asset-based or per-account basis; (ii) compensate intermediaries for providing Fund shareholder trading information; (iii) make one time or periodic payments to reimburse selected intermediaries for items such as ticket charges (i.e., fees that an intermediary charges its representatives for effecting transactions in Fund shares) or exchange order, operational charges (e.g., fees that an intermediary charges for establishing a Fund on its trading system) and literature printing and/or distribution costs; (iv) at the direction of a retirement plan’s sponsor, reimburse or pay direct expenses of an employee benefit plan that would otherwise be payable by the plan; and (v) provide payments to broker-dealers to help defray their technology or infrastructure costs.
When not provided for in a marketing support or program servicing agreement, First Trust and/ or its affiliates may also pay intermediaries for enabling First Trust and/or its affiliates to participate in and/or present at conferences or seminars, sales or training programs for invited registered representatives and other intermediary employees, client and investor events and other intermediary-sponsored events, and for travel expenses, including lodging incurred by registered representatives and other employees in connection with prospecting, asset retention and due diligence trips. These payments may vary depending upon the nature of the event. First Trust and/or its affiliates make payments for such events as it deems appropriate, subject to its internal guidelines and applicable law.
First Trust and/or its affiliates occasionally sponsor due diligence meetings for registered representatives during which they receive updates on various First Trust Funds and are afforded the opportunity to speak with portfolio managers. Although invitations to these meetings are not conditioned on selling a specific number of shares, those who have shown an interest in First Trust Funds are more likely to be considered. To the extent permitted by their firm’s policies and procedures, all or a portion of registered representatives’ expenses in attending these meetings may be covered by First Trust and/or its affiliates.
The amounts of payments referenced above made by First Trust and/or its affiliates could be significant and may create an incentive for an intermediary or its representatives to recommend or offer shares of the First Trust Funds to its customers. The intermediary may elevate the prominence or profile of the First Trust Funds within the intermediary’s organization by, for example, placing the First Trust Funds on a list of preferred or recommended funds and/or granting First Trust and/or its affiliates preferential or enhanced opportunities to promote the First Trust Funds in various ways within the intermediary’s organization. These payments are made pursuant to negotiated agreements with intermediaries. The payments do not change the price paid by investors for the purchase of a share or the amount a Fund will receive as proceeds from such sales. Furthermore, many of these payments are not reflected in the fees and expenses listed in the fee table section of a Fund’s Prospectus because they are not paid by the Fund. The types of payments described herein are not mutually exclusive, and a single intermediary may receive some or all types of payments as described.
Other compensation may be offered to the extent not prohibited by state laws or any self-regulatory agency, such as FINRA. Investors can ask their intermediaries for information about any payments they receive from First Trust and/or its affiliates and the services it provides for those payments. Investors may wish to take intermediary payment arrangements into account when considering and evaluating any recommendations relating to Fund shares.
Additional Information
Book Entry Only System. The following information supplements and should be read in conjunction with the Prospectus.
DTC Acts as Securities Depository for Fund Shares. Shares of the Funds are represented by securities registered in the name of The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) or its nominee, Cede & Co., and deposited with, or on behalf of, DTC.
DTC, a limited-purpose trust company, was created to hold securities of its participants (the “DTC Participants”) and to facilitate the clearance and settlement of securities transactions among the DTC Participants in such securities through
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electronic book-entry changes in accounts of the DTC Participants, thereby eliminating the need for physical movement of securities certificates. DTC Participants include securities brokers and dealers, banks, trust companies, clearing corporations and certain other organizations, some of whom (and/or their representatives) own DTC. More specifically, DTC is owned by a number of its DTC Participants and by the New York Stock Exchange (the “NYSE”) and FINRA. Access to the DTC system is also available to others such as banks, brokers, dealers and trust companies that clear through or maintain a custodial relationship with a DTC Participant, either directly or indirectly (the “Indirect Participants”).
Beneficial ownership of shares is limited to DTC Participants, Indirect Participants and persons holding interests through DTC Participants and Indirect Participants. Ownership of beneficial interests in shares (owners of such beneficial interests are referred to herein as “Beneficial Owners”) is shown on, and the transfer of ownership is effected only through, records maintained by DTC (with respect to DTC Participants) and on the records of DTC Participants (with respect to Indirect Participants and Beneficial Owners that are not DTC Participants). Beneficial Owners will receive from or through the DTC Participant a written confirmation relating to their purchase and sale of shares.
Conveyance of all notices, statements and other communications to Beneficial Owners is effected as follows. Pursuant to a letter agreement between DTC and the Trust, DTC is required to make available to the Trust upon request and for a fee to be charged to the Trust a listing of the shares of the Funds held by each DTC Participant. The Trust shall inquire of each such DTC Participant as to the number of Beneficial Owners holding shares, directly or indirectly, through such DTC Participant. The Trust shall provide each such DTC Participant with copies of such notice, statement or other communication, in such form, number and at such place as such DTC Participant may reasonably request, in order that such notice, statement or communication may be transmitted by such DTC Participant, directly or indirectly, to such Beneficial Owners. In addition, the Trust shall pay to each such DTC Participants a fair and reasonable amount as reimbursement for the expenses attendant to such transmittal, all subject to applicable statutory and regulatory requirements.
Fund distributions shall be made to DTC or its nominee, as the registered holder of all Fund shares. DTC or its nominee, upon receipt of any such distributions, shall immediately credit DTC Participants’ accounts with payments in amounts proportionate to their respective beneficial interests in shares of the Funds as shown on the records of DTC or its nominee. Payments by DTC Participants to Indirect Participants and Beneficial Owners of shares held through such DTC Participants will be governed by standing instructions and customary practices, as is now the case with securities held for the accounts of customers in bearer form or registered in a “street name,” and will be the responsibility of such DTC Participants.
The Trust has no responsibility or liability for any aspect of the records relating to or notices to Beneficial Owners, or payments made on account of beneficial ownership interests in such shares, or for maintaining, supervising or reviewing any records relating to such beneficial ownership interests, or for any other aspect of the relationship between DTC and the DTC Participants or the relationship between such DTC Participants and the Indirect Participants and Beneficial Owners owning through such DTC Participants.
DTC may decide to discontinue providing its service with respect to shares at any time by giving reasonable notice to the Trust and discharging its responsibilities with respect thereto under applicable law. Under such circumstances, the Trust shall take action to find a replacement for DTC to perform its functions at a comparable cost.
Intra-Day Portfolio Value.    The price of a non-U.S. security that is primarily traded on a non-U.S. exchange shall be updated every 15 seconds throughout its trading day. Upon the closing of such non-U.S. exchange the closing price of the security will be used throughout the remainder of the U.S. business day. The exchange rates used to calculate the value of such non-U.S. securities may differ from those used by First Trust and consequently result in intra-day portfolio values that may vary. Furthermore, in calculating the intra-day portfolio values of each Fund’s shares, the exchange rates used throughout the day (9:00 a.m. to 4:15 p.m., Eastern Time) shall be those that are deemed to be most appropriate.
Policy Regarding Investment in Other Investment Companies. The Funds will not rely on Sections 12(d)(1)(F) or 12(d)(1)(G) of the 1940 Act to invest in other investment companies.
INFORMATION FOR INVESTORS IN THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AREA
In relation to each Member State of the European Economic Area (“EEA”) which has implemented the EU Directive on Alternative Investment Fund Managers (Directive (2011/61/EU)) (the “AIFM Directive”), the Prospectus, and any summary Prospectus or SAI relating to the Funds, may only be distributed and shares may only be offered or placed in a Member State to the extent that: (1) the Funds are permitted to be marketed to professional investors in the relevant member state in accordance with the AIFM Directive (as implemented into the local law/regulations of the relevant Member State); or otherwise (2) the
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Prospectus and SAI may be lawfully distributed and the shares may lawfully be offered or placed in that Member State (including at the initiative of the investor).
In relation to each Member State of the EEA which, at the date of this SAI, has not implemented the AIFM Directive, the Prospectus and the SAI may only be distributed and shares may only be offered or placed to the extent that this SAI may be lawfully distributed and the shares may lawfully be offered or placed in that Member State (including at the initiative of the investor).
In addition, the following restrictions apply to the distribution of the Prospectus and SAI in the following Member States:
INFORMATION FOR INVESTORS IN THE UNITED KINGDOM
Subject always to the foregoing notice in respect of the EEA, this SAI is being issued in the United Kingdom by First Trust Global Portfolios Limited (which is authorized and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (the “FCA”)) only to and/or is directed only at persons who are professional clients or eligible counterparties for the purposes of the FCA’s Conduct of Business Sourcebook. The opportunity to invest in the Funds is only available to such persons in the United Kingdom, and the Prospectus and SAI must not be relied on or acted upon by any other persons in the United Kingdom.
INFORMATION FOR INVESTORS IN IRELAND
The distribution of this Prospectus and SAI in Ireland and the offering or purchase of shares is restricted to the individual to whom it is addressed. Accordingly, it may not be reproduced in whole or in part, nor may its contents be distributed in writing or orally to any third party and it may be read solely by the person to whom it is addressed and his/her professional advisers. Shares in the Funds will not be offered or sold by any person:
(a) otherwise than in conformity with the provisions of the European Communities (Markets in Financial Instruments) Regulations 2007 and the European Union (Alternative Investment Fund Managers) Regulations 2013, each as amended; or
(b) in any way which would require the publication of a prospectus under the Companies Act 2014 or any regulations made thereunder; or
(c) in Ireland except in all circumstances that will result in compliance with all applicable laws and regulations in Ireland.
AIFM DIRECTIVE DISCLOSURES
Background. The AIFM Directive is a European Union (“EU”) directive which regulates the management and marketing of funds within the EEA. The AIFM Directive distinguishes between EU and non-EU funds and EU and non-EU fund managers and different obligations apply under the AIFM Directive depending on where the fund is based and where the manager is based. Certain disclosure, transparency and reporting obligations are imposed on non-EU fund managers wishing to market funds to investors in the EEA. There are additional requirements imposed on EU fund managers, which do not currently apply to First Trust.
To the extent not already disclosed to you prior to your investment in the Funds, the purpose of this section of the SAI is to satisfy the disclosures which are required to be provided to you under the AIFM Directive.
Overview of the Funds and the Service Providers. The Funds are non-EU AIFs (“AIF” means an alternative investment fund for the purposes of the AIFM Directive).
First Trust Advisors L.P. (“First Trust”) is the AIFM of the Funds (“AIFM” means an alternative investment fund manager for the purposes of the AIFM Directive). First Trust is a non-EU AIFM.
The Trust has entered into agreements with various service providers including First Trust (as the Investment Advisor), the Custodian, Distributor, Transfer Agent, Administrator and the exchange where each Fund is listed in respect of the Funds. Further details regarding the duties and roles of such service providers can be found in the Prospectus and SAI for the Funds.
In addition to the parties listed above, the Trust has appointed: (i) Chapman and Cutler LLP as its legal counsel which advises it on US legal matters; (ii) Deloitte & Touche LLP as the Funds’ auditors who undertake to audit the Funds’ financial statements in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB) (United States); and (iii) CT Corporation System as the Funds’ registered agent.
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First Trust is not required to ensure that the Funds appoint, and the Funds have not appointed, a depositary for purposes of the AIFM Directive. (A depositary in the context of the AIFM Directive, has a specific role and function. The appointment of such depositary is not required for non-EU AIFs with non-EU AIFMs.) As such investors in the Funds have no rights as against any person in respect of the duties or liabilities of a depositary under the AIFM Directive.
Investors’ Contractual Rights. In respect of each of the service providers to the Funds, investors who purchase shares in the Funds in the secondary market have no direct rights of action against the service providers, as a matter of contract law or under the establishment documents of the Trust. The proper plaintiff in an action in respect of which a wrongdoing is alleged to have been committed against the Funds or the Trust by a service provider is, prima facie, the Trust itself. An investor may bring a derivative or similar action or proceeding (“Derivative Action”) against the Trust or a Fund to recover a judgment in its favor in accordance with the provisions of the Declaration. Accordingly, investors would have no direct contractual right against the relevant service provider for breach of the agreement governing its appointment by the Trust. The foregoing disclosure is without prejudice to such other rights of action (for example, under the securities laws, tort law or in respect of breach of fiduciary duty) which might in certain situations be separately available to investors.
Investment in the Funds. Investors will buy shares in the Funds in secondary market transactions through brokers and will not subscribe for shares from the Trust directly. As such, there is no direct contractual relationship between the Funds and the investor in connection with the purchase or sale of shares. While the Funds are established under Massachusetts law and Massachusetts law does facilitate the enforcement of judgments obtained in foreign jurisdictions, investors who buy shares on the secondary market will have no direct contractual right of action against the Funds. Investors should refer to “How to Buy and Sell Shares” in the main body of the Prospectus for more detail. The foregoing disclosure is without prejudice to such other rights of action (for example, under the securities laws, tort law or in respect of breach of fiduciary duty) which might in certain situations be separately available to investors.
Redemption from the Funds. Non-US investors will sell shares in secondary market transactions through brokers and will not redeem shares from the Funds directly. Shares can be sold throughout the trading day like other publically traded shares. Investors should refer to “How to Buy and Sell Shares” in the main body of the Prospectus for more detail.
Liquidity Risk Management. Investors should note that while First Trust is not required to implement liquidity management arrangements in accordance with the AIFM Directive in respect of the Funds, the Funds are subject to the liquidity limitations established by the SEC. The Trustees have delegated to First Trust the day-to-day determination of illiquidity of equity and fixed income securities as described under “Investment Strategies Types of Investments Illiquid Securities” in this SAI.
Treatment of Investors. The Trust and the AIFM do not offer any investors preferential treatment or the right to obtain preferential treatment. Whilst the Trust does not take specific steps to ensure the fair treatment of investors, under the 1940 Act the Trustees are required to monitor how a Fund operates and oversee matters where the interests of the Fund and its shareholders may differ from those of its investment adviser.
First Trust is registered as an investment adviser with the SEC, and is subject to regulation and oversight designed to protect shareholders. Under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, First Trust is a fiduciary to its clients, including the Funds, and is therefore required to act in the best interests of clients and to place the interests of clients before its own.
Information Regarding the use of Leverage and Collateral. The AIFM Directive requires disclosure of certain information relating to leverage, collateral and asset re-use arrangements. The Funds may obtain leverage through the use of derivatives and other non-fully funded investments such as reverse repurchase agreements, firm commitment agreements and standby commitment agreements if, and to the extent that, such transactions are (i) disclosed in the Funds’ Prospectus and SAI and (ii) deemed appropriate investments by First Trust. These leveraged trading practices generally have not been prohibited by the SEC, though the SEC has published guidance on the manner in which the Funds may cover their leveraged trading practices to limit leverage and avoid the need to address the leverage concerns in Section 18 of the 1940 Act, which severely restricts how the Funds may use leverage. All arrangements entered into by First Trust on behalf of the Funds which result in leverage follow the parameter of the guidance published by the SEC.
As a non-EU AIFM, First Trust is not obliged to set a maximum permitted level of leverage which it may employ in its management of the Funds. The total amount of leverage employed by the Funds is provided at https://www.ftglobalportfolios.com.
Investors should refer to the “Investment Objectives and Policies” and “Investment Strategies” section of this SAI for more details on the use and risk of leverage by the Funds.
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Shareholder Voting Rights. The Declaration requires a shareholder vote only on those matters where the 1940 Act requires a vote of shareholders and otherwise permits the Trustees to take actions without seeking the consent of shareholders. The Funds’ fundamental policies, as described in the “Investment Objectives and Policies” section of this SAI, may not be changed without approval of the holders of a majority of the outstanding voting securities (as such term is defined in the 1940 Act) of a Fund. The 1940 Act defines a majority vote as the vote of the lesser of (i) 67% or more of the voting securities represented at a meeting at which more than 50% of the outstanding securities are represented or (ii) more than 50% of the outstanding voting securities.
Net Asset Value. The latest NAV of the Funds, and the latest NAV per share of each class of share of the Funds, is available online at: https://www.ftglobalportfolios.com and online stock quote services. Generally investors will buy and sell shares of the Funds in secondary market transactions through brokers. Shares of the Funds will therefore be available at the relevant market price rather than NAV.
The historical performance of the Funds since inception is available online at: https://www.ftglobalportfolios.com.
Accounts. Under the AIFM Directive, First Trust is required to make available the annual report of the Funds that it markets in the EEA. This must be prepared by no later than 6 months following the end of the financial year and contain certain specific content requirements set out in the AIFM Directive. Once the annual report has been produced, it will be made available to investors in the manner as set out in the Prospectus.
Professional Liability Requirements/Delegation by the AIFM/Valuation. As a non-EU AIFM, First Trust is not subject to certain EU requirements relating to (i) the cover of professional liability risk by holding either additional of its own funds or appropriate professional liability insurance; (ii) permitted delegation and the management and disclosure of conflicts of interest relating to any such delegation; and (iii) valuation as set out in Article 19 of the AIFM Directive. As such, no disclosures for the purposes of the AIFM Directive have been made. Notwithstanding this, First Trust and the Funds continue to comply with their requirements under US law.
Periodic Disclosure Obligations. The following information will be disclosed to Fund shareholders on a periodic basis by way of a posting being made on https://www.ftglobalportfolios.com:
the percentage of the Funds’ assets, if any, that are subject to special arrangements arising from their illiquid nature (including, but not limited to, deferrals of redemptions and suspensions);
the current risk profile of each Fund and the risk management systems employed by the AIFM to manage those risks; and
the total amount of leverage employed by each Fund, if any.
Whenever any new arrangements for managing the liquidity of the Funds are introduced including, but not limited to, any material changes to the liquidity management systems and procedures employed by First Trust, a disclosure to this effect will be uploaded on the Funds’ website. The Funds will ensure that a notice is uploaded on an expedited basis whenever deferrals or other similar special arrangements are activated or where redemptions of shares are suspended.
A notice will be posted without undue delay whenever there is a change to a maximum level of leverage which may be employed on behalf of a Fund; and any changes are made to the right of re-use of collateral or any changes to any guarantee granted under any leveraging arrangement.
Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures
The Trust has adopted a proxy voting policy that seeks to ensure that proxies for securities held by the Funds are voted consistently with the best interests of the Funds.
The Board has delegated to First Trust the proxy voting responsibilities for the Funds and has directed First Trust to vote proxies consistent with the Funds’ best interests. First Trust has engaged the services of ISS Institutional Services, Inc. (“ISS”), to make recommendations to First Trust on the voting of proxies relating to securities held by the Funds. If First Trust manages the assets of a company or its pension plan and any of First Trust’s clients hold any securities of that company, First Trust will vote proxies relating to such company’s securities in accordance with the ISS recommendations to avoid any conflict of interest.
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To the extent that the Fund invests in other registered investment companies (“acquired funds”), it may do so pursuant to an exemptive order granted by the SEC. The relief granted by that order is conditioned upon complying with a number of undertakings, some of which require the Fund to vote its shares in an acquired fund in the same proportion as other holders of the acquired fund’s shares. As a result, to the extent that the Fund, or another registered investment company advised by First Trust, relies on the relief granted by the exemptive order to invest in a particular acquired fund, First Trust will vote shares of that acquired fund in the same proportion as the other holders of that acquired fund’s shares.
First Trust has adopted the ISS Proxy Voting Guidelines. While these guidelines are not intended to be all-inclusive, they do provide guidance on First Trust’s general voting policies. The ISS Proxy Voting Guidelines are attached hereto as Exhibit B. Information regarding how the Funds voted proxies (if any) relating to portfolio securities during the most recent 12-month period ended June 30 is available upon request and without charge on the Funds’ website at https://www.ftportfolios.com, by calling (800) 621-1675 or by accessing the SEC’s website at https://www.sec.gov.
Quarterly Portfolio Schedule. The Trust is required to disclose, after its first and third fiscal quarters, the complete schedule of the Funds’ portfolio holdings with the SEC on Form N-Q. Forms N-Q for the Trust are available on the SEC’s website at https://www.sec.gov. The Funds’ Forms N-Q may also be reviewed and copied at the SEC’s Public Reference Room in Washington, D.C. and information on the operation of the Public Reference Room may be obtained by calling 1-800-SEC-0330. The Trust’s Forms N-Q are available without charge, upon request, by calling (800) 621-1675 or by writing to First Trust Portfolios L.P., 120 East Liberty Drive, Suite 400, Wheaton, Illinois 60187.
Policy Regarding Disclosure of Portfolio Holdings. The Trust has adopted a policy regarding the disclosure of information about each Fund’s portfolio holdings. The Board of Trustees must approve all material amendments to this policy. Each Fund’s portfolio holdings are publicly disseminated each day the Fund is open for business through financial reporting and news services, including publicly accessible Internet websites. In addition, a basket composition file, which includes the security names and share quantities to deliver in exchange for Fund shares, together with estimates and actual cash components, is publicly disseminated each day the NYSE is open for trading via the National Securities Clearing Corporation (“NSCC”). The basket represents one Creation Unit of a Fund. Each Fund’s portfolio holdings are also available on the Funds’ website at https://www.ftportfolios.com. The Trust, First Trust, FTP and BBH will not disseminate non-public information concerning the Trust.
Codes of Ethics. In order to mitigate the possibility that the Funds will be adversely affected by personal trading, the Trust, First Trust and the Distributor have adopted Codes of Ethics under Rule 17j-1 of the 1940 Act. These Codes of Ethics contain policies restricting securities trading in personal accounts of the officers, Trustees and others who normally come into possession of information on portfolio transactions. Personnel subject to the Codes of Ethics may invest in securities that may be purchased or held by the Funds; however, the Codes of Ethics require that each transaction in such securities be reviewed by the Chief Compliance Officer or his or her designee. These Codes of Ethics are on public file with, and are available from, the SEC.
Creation and Redemption of Creation Unit Aggregations
Creation. The Trust issues and sells shares of the Funds only in Creation Unit Aggregations on a continuous basis through the Distributor, without a sales load, at their net asset value next determined after receipt, on any Business Day (as defined below), of an order in proper form.
A “Business Day” is any day on which the NYSE is open for business. As of the date of this SAI, the NYSE observes the following holidays: New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Presidents’ Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.
Deposit of Securities and Deposit or Delivery of Cash. The consideration for purchase of Creation Unit Aggregations of a Fund may consist of (i) cash in lieu of all or a portion of the Deposit Securities, as defined below, and/or (ii) a designated portfolio of equity securities determined by First Trustthe “Deposit Securities”per each Creation Unit Aggregation and generally an amount of cashthe “Cash Component”computed as described below. Together, the Deposit Securities and the Cash Component (including the cash in lieu amount) constitute the “Fund Deposit,” which represents the minimum initial and subsequent investment amount for a Creation Unit Aggregation of a Fund.
The Cash Component is sometimes also referred to as the Balancing Amount. The Cash Component serves the function of compensating for any differences between the net asset value per Creation Unit Aggregation and the Deposit Amount (as defined below). The Cash Component is an amount equal to the difference between (i) the net asset value of Fund shares (per Creation Unit Aggregation) and (ii) the “Deposit Amount”an amount equal to the market value of the Deposit Securities
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and/or cash in lieu of all or a portion of the Deposit Securities. If the Cash Component is a positive number (i.e., the net asset value per Creation Unit Aggregation exceeds the Deposit Amount), the creator will deliver the Cash Component. If the Cash Component is a negative number (i.e., the net asset value per Creation Unit Aggregation is less than the Deposit Amount), the creator will receive the Cash Component.
The Custodian, through the NSCC (discussed below), makes available on each Business Day, prior to the opening of business of the NYSE (currently 9:30 a.m., Eastern Time), the list of the names and the required number of shares of each Deposit Security to be included in the current Fund Deposit (based on information at the end of the previous Business Day) for the Fund.
Such Fund Deposit is applicable, subject to any adjustments as described below, in order to effect creations of Creation Unit Aggregations of a Fund until such time as the next-announced composition of the Deposit Securities is made available.
The identity and number of shares of the Deposit Securities required for a Fund Deposit for a Fund change as corporate action events are reflected within a Fund from time to time by First Trust with a view to the investment objective of the Fund. In addition, the Trust reserves the right to permit or require the substitution of an amount of cashi.e., a “cash in lieu” amount
to be added to the Cash Component to replace any Deposit Security that may not be available, that may not be available in sufficient quantity for delivery or which might not be eligible for trading by an Authorized Participant (as defined below) or the investor for which it is acting or other relevant reason. The Trust also reserves the right to permit or require, under certain circumstances, the substitution of a different security in lieu of depositing some or all of the Deposit Securities The adjustments described above will reflect changes known to First Trust on the date of announcement to be in effect by the time of delivery of the Fund Deposit or resulting from certain corporate actions.
In addition to the list of names and numbers of securities constituting the current Deposit Securities of a Fund Deposit, the Custodian, through the NSCC, also makes available on each Business Day, the estimated Cash Component, for the current day as well as the Cash Component for the previous Business Day, per outstanding Creation Unit Aggregation of a Fund.
Procedures for Creation of Creation Unit Aggregations. In order to be eligible to place orders with the Distributor and to create a Creation Unit Aggregation of a Fund, an entity must be a DTC Participant (see the section entitled “Book Entry Only System”), must have executed an agreement with the Distributor and transfer agent, with respect to creations and redemptions of Creation Unit Aggregations (“Participant Agreement”) (discussed below) and must have international operational capabilities. A DTC Participant is also referred to as an “Authorized Participant.” Investors should contact the Distributor for the names of Authorized Participants that have signed a Participant Agreement. All Fund shares, however created, will be entered on the records of DTC in the name of Cede & Co. for the account of a DTC Participant.
All standard orders to create Creation Unit Aggregations must be received by the transfer agent no later than the closing time of the regular trading session on the NYSE (“Closing Time”) (ordinarily 4:00 p.m., Eastern Time) in each case on the date such order is placed in order for the creation of Creation Unit Aggregations to be effected based on the net asset value of shares of the Funds as next determined on such date after receipt of the order in proper form. Subject to the provisions of the applicable Participant Agreement, in the case of custom orders, the order must be received by the transfer agent no later than 3:00 p.m. Eastern Time on the trade date. A custom order may be placed by an Authorized Participant in the event that the Trust permits or requires the substitution of an amount of cash to be added to the Cash Component to replace any Deposit Security which may not be available, which may not be available in sufficient quantity for delivery or which may not be eligible for trading by such Authorized Participant or the investor for which it is acting or other relevant reason. The date on which an order to create Creation Unit Aggregations (or an order to redeem Creation Unit Aggregations, as discussed below) is placed is referred to as the “Transmittal Date.” Orders must be transmitted by an Authorized Participant by telephone or other transmission method acceptable to the transfer agent pursuant to procedures set forth in the Participant Agreement, as described below. Severe economic or market disruptions or changes, or telephone or other communications failure may impede the ability to reach the transfer agent or an Authorized Participant.
All orders from investors who are not Authorized Participants to create Creation Unit Aggregations shall be placed with an Authorized Participant, as applicable, in the form required by such Authorized Participant. In addition, the Authorized Participant may request the investor to make certain representations or enter into agreements with respect to the order, e.g., to provide for payments of cash, when required. Investors should be aware that their particular broker may not have executed a Participant Agreement and that, therefore, orders to create Creation Unit Aggregations of a Fund have to be placed by the investor’s broker through an Authorized Participant that has executed a Participant Agreement. In such cases there may be additional charges to such investor. At any given time, there may be only a limited number of broker-dealers that have executed a Participant Agreement. Those persons placing orders should ascertain the deadlines applicable to DTC and the Federal Reserve
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Bank wire system by contacting the operations department of the broker or depository institution effectuating such transfer of Deposit Securities and Cash Component.
Placement of Creation Orders. Deposit Securities must be delivered to the Trust through DTC or NSCC, subject to and in accordance with the applicable provisions set forth in the Participant Agreement and Deposit Securities which are non-U.S. securities must be delivered to an account maintained at the applicable local subcustodian of the Trust on or before the International Contractual Settlement Date, as defined below all in accordance with the terms of the Participant Agreement. If a Deposit Security is an ADR or similar domestic instrument, it may be delivered to the Custodian. The Authorized Participant must also pay on or before the International Contractual Settlement Date immediately available or same-day funds estimated by Trust to be sufficient to pay the Cash Component next determined after acceptance of the creation order, together with the applicable Creation Transaction Fee (as defined below) and, if applicable, any operational processing and brokerage costs, transfer fees or stamp taxes. The “International Contractual Settlement Date” is the earlier of (i) the date upon which all of the required Deposit Securities, the Cash Component and any other cash amounts which may be due are delivered to the Funds or (ii) the latest day for settlement on the customary settlement cycle in the jurisdiction(s) where any of the securities of such Fund are customarily traded. Any excess funds will be returned following settlement of the issue of the Creation Unit Aggregation.
Issuance of Creation Unit Aggregations. A Creation Unit Aggregation will generally not be issued until the transfer of good title to the Trust of the portfolio of Deposit Securities and the payment of the Cash Component, the payment of the Creation Transaction Fee (as defined below) and any other required cash amounts have been completed. When the required Deposit Securities which are U.S. securities have been delivered to the Trust through DTC or NSCC, and each relevant subcustodian confirms to Custodian that the required Deposit Securities which are non-U.S. securities (or, when permitted in the sole discretion of Trust, the cash in lieu thereof) have been delivered to the account of the relevant subcustodian, the Custodian shall notify the Distributor and the transfer agent which, acting on behalf of the Trust, will issue and cause the delivery of the Creation Unit Aggregations. The Trust may in its sole discretion permit or require the substitution of an amount of cash (i.e., a “cash in lieu” amount) to be added to the Cash Component to replace any Deposit Security which may not be available in sufficient quantity for delivery or for other relevant reasons. If the Distributor, acting on behalf of the Trust, determines that a “cash in lieu” amount will be accepted, the Distributor will notify the Authorized Participant and the transfer agent, and the Authorized Participant shall deliver, on behalf of itself or the party on whose behalf it is acting, the “cash in lieu” amount, with any appropriate adjustments as advised by the Trust as discussed below.
In the event that an order for a Creation Unit is incomplete because certain or all of the Deposit Securities are missing, the Trust may issue a Creation Unit notwithstanding such deficiency in reliance on the undertaking of the Authorized Participant to deliver the missing Deposit Securities as soon as possible, which undertaking shall be secured by an additional cash deposit (described below) with respect to the undelivered Deposit Securities. To the extent contemplated by the applicable Participant Agreement, Creation Unit Aggregations of the Funds will be issued to such Authorized Participant notwithstanding the fact that the corresponding Fund Deposits have not been received in part or in whole, in reliance on the undertaking of the Authorized Participant to deliver the missing Deposit Securities as soon as possible, which undertaking shall be secured by such Authorized Participant’s delivery and maintenance of collateral consisting of cash in the form of U.S. dollars in immediately available funds having a value (marked to market daily) at least equal to 115% which First Trust may change from time to time of the value of the missing Deposit Securities. Such cash collateral must be delivered no later than 2:00 p.m., Eastern time, on the contractual settlement date. The Participant Agreement will permit the Funds to buy the missing Deposit Securities at any time and will subject the Authorized Participant to liability for any shortfall between the cost to the Trust of purchasing such securities and the value of the collateral.
Acceptance of Orders for Creation Unit Aggregations. The Trust reserves the absolute right to reject a creation order transmitted to it by the Distributor with respect to a Fund if: (i) the order is not in proper form; (ii) the investor(s), upon obtaining the Fund shares ordered, would own 80% or more of the currently outstanding shares of the Fund; (iii) the required Fund Deposit is not delivered; (iv) acceptance of the Deposit Securities would have certain adverse tax consequences to the Fund; (v) acceptance of the Fund Deposit would, in the opinion of the Trust, be unlawful; (vi) acceptance of the Fund Deposit would otherwise have an adverse effect on the Trust, the Fund or the rights of Beneficial Owners; or (vii) circumstances outside the control of the Trust or the Fund make it impossible to process creation orders for all practical purposes. Examples of such circumstances include: acts of God or public service or utility problems such as fires, floods, extreme weather conditions and power outages resulting in telephone, telecopy and computer failures; market conditions or activities causing trading halts; systems failures involving computer or other information systems affecting the Fund, the Trust, First Trust, the Distributor, the transfer agent, DTC, NSCC, the Custodian or sub-custodian or any other participant in the creation process; the imposition by a foreign government or a regulatory body of controls, or other monetary, currency or trading restrictions that directly affect the portfolio securities held; and similar extraordinary events. The Distributor shall notify a prospective creator of a
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Creation Unit and/or the Authorized Participant acting on behalf of such prospective creator of its rejection of the order of such person. The Trust, the Custodian, any sub-custodian and the Distributor are under no duty, however, to give notification of any defects or irregularities in the delivery of Fund Deposits, nor shall any of them incur any liability for the failure to give any such notification.
All questions as to the number of shares of each security in the Deposit Securities and the validity, form, eligibility, and acceptance for deposit of any securities to be delivered shall be determined by the Trust, and the Trust’s determination shall be final and binding.
Creation Transaction Fee. Purchasers of Creation Units must pay a creation transaction fee (the “Creation Transaction Fee”) that is currently $750. The Creation Transaction Fee is applicable to each purchase transaction regardless of the number of Creation Units purchased in the transaction. The Creation Transaction Fee may vary and is based on the composition of the securities included in the Funds’ portfolio and/or the countries in which the transactions are settled. The price for each Creation Unit will equal the daily net asset value per share times the number of shares in a Creation Unit plus the fees described above and, if applicable, any operational processing and brokerage costs, transfer fees or stamp taxes. When a Fund permits an Authorized Participant to substitute cash or a different security in lieu of depositing one or more of the requisite Deposit Securities, the Authorized Participant may also be assessed an amount to cover the cost of purchasing the Deposit Securities and/or disposing of the substituted securities, including operational processing and brokerage costs, transfer fees, stamp taxes, and part or all of the spread between the expected bid and offer side of the market related to such Deposit Securities and/or substitute securities.
As discussed above, shares of a Fund may be issued in advance of receipt of all Deposit Securities subject to various conditions including a requirement to maintain on deposit with a Fund cash at least equal to 115% of the market value of the missing Deposit Securities.
Redemption of Fund Shares in Creation Unit Aggregations. Fund shares may be redeemed only in Creation Unit Aggregations at their net asset value next determined after receipt of a redemption request in proper form by a Fund through the transfer agent and only on a Business Day. A Fund will not redeem shares in amounts less than Creation Unit Aggregations. Beneficial Owners must accumulate enough shares in the secondary market to constitute a Creation Unit Aggregation in order to have such shares redeemed by the Trust. Shares generally will be redeemed in Creation Unit Aggregations in exchange for a particular portfolio of securities (“Fund Securities”), although the Funds have the right to make redemption payments in cash, in-kind or a combination of each. There can be no assurance, however, that there will be sufficient liquidity in the public trading market at any time to permit assembly of a Creation Unit Aggregation. Investors should expect to incur customary brokerage and other costs in connection with assembling a sufficient number of Fund shares to constitute a redeemable Creation Unit Aggregation.
With respect to the Funds, the Custodian, through the NSCC, makes available prior to the opening of business on the NYSE (currently 9:30 a.m. Eastern Time) on each Business Day, the identity of the Fund Securities that will be applicable (subject to possible amendment or correction) to redemption requests received in proper form on that day. Fund Securities received on redemption may not be identical to Deposit Securities that are applicable to creations of Creation Unit Aggregations.
Unless cash redemptions are available or specified for a Fund (as discussed below), the redemption proceeds for a Creation Unit Aggregation generally consist of Fund Securitiesas announced on the Business Day of the request for redemption received in proper formplus or minus cash in an amount equal to the difference between the net asset value of the Creation Unit Aggregation being redeemed, as next determined after a receipt of a request in proper form, and the value of the Fund Securities (the “Cash Redemption Amount”), less the applicable Redemption Transaction Fee as listed below and, if applicable, any operational processing and brokerage costs, transfer fees or stamp taxes. In the event that the Fund Securities have a value greater than the net asset value of the Fund shares, a compensating cash payment equal to the difference plus, the applicable Redemption Transaction Fee and, if applicable, any operational processing and brokerage costs, transfer fees or stamp taxes is required to be made by or through an Authorized Participant by the redeeming shareholder.
The right of redemption may be suspended or the date of payment postponed (i) for any period during which the NYSE is closed (other than customary weekend and holiday closings); (ii) for any period during which trading on the NYSE is suspended or restricted; (iii) for any period during which an emergency exists as a result of which disposal of the shares of the Fund or determination of the Fund’s net asset value is not reasonably practicable; or (iv) in such other circumstances as are permitted by the SEC.
Redemption Transaction Fee. Parties redeeming Creation Units must pay a redemption transaction fee (the “Redemption Transaction Fee”) that is currently $750. The Redemption Transaction Fee is applicable to each redemption transaction
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regardless of the number of Creation Units redeemed in the transaction. The Redemption Transaction Fee may vary and is based on the composition of the securities included in a Fund’s portfolio and/or the countries in which the transactions are settled. Investors will also bear the costs of transferring the Fund Securities from the Trust to their account or on their order. Investors who use the services of a broker or other such intermediary in addition to an Authorized Participant to effect a redemption of a Creation Unit Aggregation may also be assessed an amount to cover the cost of such services.
Placement of Redemption Orders. Orders to redeem Creation Unit Aggregations must be delivered through an Authorized Participant that has executed a Participant Agreement. Investors other than APs are responsible for making arrangements for a redemption request to be made through an Authorized Participant. An order to redeem Creation Unit Aggregations of a Fund is deemed received by the Trust on the Transmittal Date if: (i) such order is received by BBH (in its capacity as transfer agent) not later than the Closing Time on the Transmittal Date; (ii) such order is accompanied or followed by the requisite number of shares of a Fund specified in such order, which delivery must be made through DTC to BBH; and (iii) all other procedures set forth in the Participant Agreement are properly followed.
Deliveries of Fund Securities to investors are generally expected to be made within three Business Days.
To the extent contemplated by an Authorized Participant’s agreement, in the event the Authorized Participant has submitted a redemption request in proper form but is unable to transfer all or part of the Creation Unit Aggregation to be redeemed to the Funds’ transfer agent, the transfer agent may nonetheless accept the redemption request in reliance on the undertaking by the Authorized Participant to deliver the missing shares as soon as possible. Such undertaking shall be secured by the Authorized Participant’s delivery and maintenance of collateral consisting of cash having a value (marked to market daily) at least equal to 115%, which First Trust may change from time to time, of the value of the missing shares.
The current procedures for collateralization of missing shares require, among other things, that any cash collateral shall be in the form of U.S. dollars in immediately available funds and shall be held by BBH and marked to market daily, and that the fees of BBH and any sub-custodians in respect of the delivery, maintenance and redelivery of the cash collateral shall be payable by the Authorized Participant. If the Authorized Participant’s agreement provides for collateralization, it will permit the Trust, on behalf of the affected Fund, to purchase the missing shares at any time and will subject the Authorized Participant to liability for any shortfall between the cost to the Trust of purchasing such shares and the value of the collateral.
The calculation of the value of the Fund Securities and the Cash Redemption Amount to be delivered/received upon redemption will be made by BBH according to the procedures set forth in this SAI under “Determination of Net Asset Value” computed on the Business Day on which a redemption order is deemed received by the Trust. Therefore, if a redemption order in proper form is submitted to BBH by a DTC Participant not later than Closing Time on the Transmittal Date, and the requisite number of shares of the Fund are delivered to BBH prior to the specified time, then the value of the Fund Securities and the Cash Redemption Amount to be delivered will be determined by BBH on such Transmittal Date. If, however, a redemption order is submitted to BBH by a DTC Participant not later than the Closing Time on the Transmittal Date but either (i) the requisite number of shares of the relevant Fund are not delivered by the specified time, as described above, on such Transmittal Date, or (ii) the redemption order is not submitted in proper form, then the redemption order will not be deemed received as of the Transmittal Date. In such case, the value of the Fund Securities and the Cash Redemption Amount to be delivered/received will be computed on the Business Day that such order is deemed received by the Trust, i.e., the Business Day on which the shares of the Fund are delivered through DTC to BBH by the specified time on such Business Day pursuant to a properly submitted redemption order.
If it is not possible to effect deliveries of the Fund Securities, the Trust may in its discretion exercise its option to redeem such Fund shares in cash, and the redeeming Beneficial Owner will be required to receive its redemption proceeds in cash. In addition, an investor may request a redemption in cash that the Fund may, in its sole discretion, permit. In either case, the investor will receive a cash payment equal to the net asset value of its Fund shares based on the net asset value of shares of the relevant Fund next determined after the redemption request is received in proper form (minus a redemption transaction fee and additional charges for requested cash redemptions specified above, to offset the Trust’s brokerage and other transaction costs associated with the disposition of Fund Securities). A Fund may also, in its sole discretion, upon request of a shareholder, provide such redeemer cash in lieu of some securities added to the Cash Redemption Amount, but in no event will the total value of the securities delivered and the cash transmitted differ from the net asset value.
Redemptions of Fund shares for Fund Securities will be subject to compliance with applicable federal and state securities laws and the Fund (whether or not it otherwise permits cash redemptions) reserves the right to redeem Creation Unit Aggregations for cash to the extent that the Trust could not lawfully deliver specific Fund Securities upon redemptions or could not do so without first registering the Fund Securities under such laws. An Authorized Participant or an investor for which it is acting
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subject to a legal restriction with respect to a particular stock included in the Fund Securities applicable to the redemption of a Creation Unit Aggregation may be paid an equivalent amount of cash. The Authorized Participant may request the redeeming Beneficial Owner of the Fund shares to complete an order form or to enter into agreements with respect to such matters as compensating cash payment, beneficial ownership of shares or delivery instructions.
Because the portfolio securities of the Funds may trade on the relevant exchange(s) on days that the listing exchange for a Fund is closed or are otherwise not Business Days for such Fund, shareholders may not be able to redeem their shares of such Fund, or purchase and sell shares of such Fund on the listing exchange for a Fund, on days when the net asset value of such Fund could be significantly affected by events in the relevant foreign markets.
Federal Tax Matters
This section summarizes some of the main U.S. federal income tax consequences of owning shares of the Funds. This section is current as of the date of the SAI. Tax laws and interpretations change frequently, and these summaries do not describe all of the tax consequences to all taxpayers. For example, these summaries generally do not describe your situation if you are a corporation, a non-U.S. person, a broker-dealer, or other investor with special circumstances. In addition, this section does not describe your state, local or foreign tax consequences.
This federal income tax summary is based in part on the advice of counsel to the Funds. The Internal Revenue Service could disagree with any conclusions set forth in this section. In addition, our counsel was not asked to review, and has not reached a conclusion with respect to the federal income tax treatment of the assets to be deposited in the Funds. This may not be sufficient for prospective investors to use for the purpose of avoiding penalties under federal tax law.
As with any investment, prospective investors should seek advice based on their individual circumstances from their own tax advisor.
Each Fund intends to qualify annually and to elect to be treated as a regulated investment company under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”).
To qualify for the favorable U.S. federal income tax treatment generally accorded to regulated investment companies, each Fund must, among other things, (i) derive in each taxable year at least 90% of its gross income from dividends, interest, payments with respect to securities loans and gains from the sale or other disposition of stock, securities or foreign currencies or other income derived with respect to its business of investing in such stock, securities or currencies, or net income derived from interests in certain publicly traded partnerships; (ii) diversify its holdings so that, at the end of each quarter of the taxable year, (i) at least 50% of the market value of each Fund’s assets is represented by cash and cash items (including receivables), U.S. government securities, the securities of other regulated investment companies and other securities, with such other securities of any one issuer generally limited for the purposes of this calculation to an amount not greater than 5% of the value of each Fund’s total assets and not greater than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of such issuer, and (ii) not more than 25% of the value of its total assets is invested in the securities (other than U.S. government securities or the securities of other regulated investment companies) of any one issuer, or two or more issuers which a Fund controls which are engaged in the same, similar or related trades or businesses, or the securities of one or more of certain publicly traded partnerships; and (iii) distribute at least 90% of its investment company taxable income (which includes, among other items, dividends, interest and net short-term capital gains in excess of net long-term capital losses) and at least 90% of its net tax-exempt interest income each taxable year. There are certain exceptions for failure to qualify if the failure is for reasonable cause or is de minimis, and certain corrective action is taken and certain tax payments are made by the Fund.
As a regulated investment company, a Fund generally will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax on its investment company taxable income (as that term is defined in the Code, but without regard to the deduction for dividends paid) and net capital gain (the excess of net long-term capital gain over net short-term capital loss), if any, that it distributes to shareholders. Each Fund intends to distribute to its shareholders, at least annually, substantially all of its investment company taxable income and net capital gain. If a Fund retains any net capital gain or investment company taxable income, it will generally be subject to federal income tax at regular corporate rates on the amount retained. In addition, amounts not distributed on a timely basis in accordance with a calendar year distribution requirement are subject to a nondeductible 4% excise tax unless, generally, a Fund distributes during each calendar year an amount equal to the sum of (1) at least 98% of its ordinary income (not taking into account any capital gains or losses) for the calendar year, (2) at least 98.2% of its capital gains in excess of its capital losses (adjusted for certain ordinary losses) for the one-year period ending October 31 of the calendar year, and (3) any ordinary income and capital gains for previous years that were not distributed during those years. In order to prevent application of the excise tax, each Fund intends to make its distributions in accordance with the calendar year distribution requirement. A
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distribution will be treated as paid on December 31 of the current calendar year if it is declared by a Fund in October, November or December with a record date in such a month and paid by the Fund during January of the following calendar year. Such distributions will be taxable to shareholders in the calendar year in which the distributions are declared, rather than the calendar year in which the distributions are received.
Subject to certain reasonable cause and de minimis exceptions, if a Fund fails to qualify as a regulated investment company or fails to satisfy the 90% distribution requirement in any taxable year, the Fund would be taxed as an ordinary corporation on its taxable income (even if such income were distributed to its shareholders) and all distributions out of earnings and profits would be taxed to shareholders as ordinary income.
Distributions
Dividends paid out of a Fund’s investment company taxable income are generally taxable to a shareholder as ordinary income to the extent of the Fund’s earnings and profits, whether paid in cash or reinvested in additional shares. However, certain ordinary income distributions received from a Fund may be taxed at capital gains tax rates. In particular, ordinary income dividends received by an individual shareholder from a regulated investment company such as each of the Funds are generally taxed at the same rates that apply to net capital gain, provided that certain holding period requirements are satisfied and provided the dividends are attributable to qualifying dividends received by a Fund itself. Dividends received by a Fund from REITs and foreign corporations are qualifying dividends eligible for this lower tax rate only in certain circumstances. A Fund will provide notice to its shareholders of the amount of any distributions that may be taken into account as a dividend which is eligible for the capital gains tax rates. A Fund cannot make any guarantees as to the amount of any distribution which will be regarded as a qualifying dividend.
Income from a Fund may also be subject to a 3.8% “Medicare tax.” This tax generally applies to net investment income if the taxpayer’s adjusted gross income exceeds certain threshold amounts, which are $250,000 in the case of married couples filing joint returns and $200,000 in the case of single individuals.
A corporation that owns shares generally will not be entitled to the dividends received deduction with respect to many dividends received from a Fund because the dividends received deduction is generally not available for distributions from regulated investment companies. However, certain ordinary income dividends on shares that are attributable to qualifying dividends received by the Funds from certain domestic corporations may be reported by a Fund as being eligible for the dividends received deduction.
Distributions of net capital gain (the excess of net long-term capital gain over net short-term capital loss), if any, properly reported as capital gain dividends are taxable to a shareholder as long-term capital gains, regardless of how long the shareholder has held Fund shares. Shareholders receiving distributions in the form of additional shares, rather than cash, generally will have a tax basis in each such share equal to the value of a share of a Fund on the reinvestment date. A distribution of an amount in excess of a Fund’s current and accumulated earnings and profits will be treated by a shareholder as a return of capital which is applied against and reduces the shareholder’s basis in his or her shares. To the extent that the amount of any such distribution exceeds the shareholder’s basis in his or her shares, the excess will be treated by the shareholder as gain from a sale or exchange of the shares.
Shareholders will be notified annually as to the U.S. federal income tax status of distributions, and shareholders receiving distributions in the form of additional shares will receive a report as to the value of those shares.
Sale or Exchange of Fund Shares
Upon the sale or other disposition of shares of a Fund, which a shareholder holds as a capital asset, such a shareholder may realize a capital gain or loss which will be long-term or short-term, depending upon the shareholder’s holding period for the shares. Generally, a shareholder’s gain or loss will be a long-term gain or loss if the shares have been held for more than one year.
Any loss realized on a sale or exchange will be disallowed to the extent that shares disposed of are replaced (including through reinvestment of dividends) within a period of 61 days beginning 30 days before and ending 30 days after disposition of shares or to the extent that the shareholder, during such period, acquires or enters into an option or contract to acquire, substantially identical stock or securities. In such a case, the basis of the shares acquired will be adjusted to reflect the disallowed loss. Any loss realized by a shareholder on a disposition of Fund shares held by the shareholder for six months or less will be
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treated as a long-term capital loss to the extent of any distributions of long-term capital gain received by the shareholder with respect to such shares.
Taxes on Purchase and Redemption of Creation Units
If a shareholder exchanges securities for Creation Units, the shareholder will generally recognize a gain or a loss. The gain or loss will be equal to the difference between the market value of the Creation Units at the time and the shareholder’s aggregate basis in the securities surrendered and the Cash Component paid. If a shareholder exchanges Creation Units for securities, then the shareholder will generally recognize a gain or loss equal to the difference between the shareholder’s basis in the Creation Units and the aggregate market value of the securities received and the Cash Redemption Amount. The Internal Revenue Service, however, may assert that a loss realized upon an exchange of securities for Creation Units or Creation Units for securities cannot be deducted currently under the rules governing “wash sales,” or on the basis that there has been no significant change in economic position.
Nature of Fund’s Investments
Certain of the Funds’ investment practices are subject to special and complex federal income tax provisions that may, among other things, (i) disallow, suspend or otherwise limit the allowance of certain losses or deductions, (ii) convert lower taxed long-term capital gain into higher taxed short-term capital gain or ordinary income, (iii) convert an ordinary loss or a deduction into a capital loss (the deductibility of which is more limited), (iv) cause a Fund to recognize income or gain without a corresponding receipt of cash, (v) adversely affect the time as to when a purchase or sale of stock or securities is deemed to occur and (vi) adversely alter the characterization of certain complex financial transactions.
Futures Contracts and Options
The Funds’ transactions in futures contracts and options will be subject to special provisions of the Code that, among other things, may affect the character of gains and losses realized by a Fund (i.e., may affect whether gains or losses are ordinary or capital, or short-term or long-term), may accelerate recognition of income to a Fund and may defer Fund losses. These rules could, therefore, affect the character, amount and timing of distributions to shareholders. These provisions also (a) will require a Fund to mark-to-market certain types of the positions in its portfolio (i.e., treat them as if they were closed out); and (b) may cause a Fund to recognize income without receiving cash with which to make distributions in amounts necessary to satisfy the 90% distribution requirement for qualifying to be taxed as a regulated investment company and the distribution requirements for avoiding excise taxes.
Investments in Certain Foreign Corporations
If a Fund holds an equity interest in any PFICs, which are generally certain foreign corporations that receive at least 75% of their annual gross income from passive sources (such as interest, dividends, certain rents and royalties or capital gains) or that hold at least 50% of their assets in investments producing such passive income, the Fund could be subject to U.S. federal income tax and additional interest charges on gains and certain distributions with respect to those equity interests, even if all the income or gain is timely distributed to its shareholders. A Fund will not be able to pass through to its shareholders any credit or deduction for such taxes. A Fund may be able to make an election that could ameliorate these adverse tax consequences. In this case, a Fund would recognize as ordinary income any increase in the value of such PFIC shares, and as ordinary loss any decrease in such value to the extent it did not exceed prior increases included in income. Under this election, a Fund might be required to recognize in a year income in excess of its distributions from PFICs and its proceeds from dispositions of PFIC stock during that year, and such income would nevertheless be subject to the distribution requirement and would be taken into account for purposes of the 4% excise tax (described above). Dividends paid by PFICs are not treated as qualified dividend income.
Backup Withholding
A Fund may be required to withhold U.S. federal income tax from all taxable distributions and sale proceeds payable to shareholders who fail to provide the Fund with its correct taxpayer identification number or fail to make required certifications, or who have been notified by the Internal Revenue Service that they are subject to backup withholding. Corporate shareholders and certain other shareholders specified in the Code generally are exempt from such backup withholding. This withholding is not an additional tax. Any amounts withheld may be credited against the shareholder’s U.S. federal income tax liability.
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Non-U.S. Shareholders
U.S. taxation of a shareholder who, as to the United States, is a nonresident alien individual, a foreign trust or estate, a foreign corporation or foreign partnership (“non-U.S. shareholder”) depends on whether the income of a Fund is “effectively connected” with a U.S. trade or business carried on by the shareholder.
In addition to the rules described in this section concerning the potential imposition of withholding on distributions to non-U.S. persons, distributions to non-U.S. persons that are “financial institutions” may be subject to a withholding tax of 30% unless an agreement is in place between the financial institution and the U.S. Treasury to collect and disclose information about accounts, equity investments, or debt interests in the financial institution held by one or more U.S. persons or the institution is resident in a jurisdiction that has entered into such an agreement with the U.S. Treasury. For these purposes, a “financial institution” means any entity that (i) accepts deposits in the ordinary course of a banking or similar business, (ii) holds financial assets for the account of others as a substantial portion of its business, or (iii) is engaged (or holds itself out as being engaged) primarily in the business of investing, reinvesting or trading in securities, partnership interests, commodities or any interest (including a futures contract or option) in such securities, partnership interests or commodities. Dispositions of shares by such persons may be subject to such withholding after December 31, 2018.
Distributions to non-financial non-U.S. entities (other than publicly traded foreign entities, entities owned by residents of U.S. possessions, foreign governments, international organizations, or foreign central banks) will also be subject to a withholding tax of 30% if the entity does not certify that the entity does not have any substantial U.S. owners or provide the name, address and TIN of each substantial U.S. owner.  Dispositions of shares by such persons may be subject to such withholding after December 31, 2018.
Income Not Effectively Connected. If the income from a Fund is not “effectively connected” with a U.S. trade or business carried on by the non-U.S. shareholder, distributions of investment company taxable income will generally be subject to a U.S. tax of 30% (or lower treaty rate), which tax is generally withheld from such distributions.
Distributions of capital gain dividends and any amounts retained by a Fund which are properly reported by the Fund as undistributed capital gains will not be subject to U.S. tax at the rate of 30% (or lower treaty rate) unless the non-U.S. shareholder is a nonresident alien individual and is physically present in the United States for more than 182 days during the taxable year and meets certain other requirements. However, this 30% tax on capital gains of nonresident alien individuals who are physically present in the United States for more than the 182 day period only applies in exceptional cases because any individual present in the United States for more than 182 days during the taxable year is generally treated as a resident for U.S. income tax purposes; in that case, he or she would be subject to U.S. income tax on his or her worldwide income at the graduated rates applicable to U.S. citizens, rather than the 30% U.S. tax. In the case of a non-U.S. shareholder who is a nonresident alien individual, the Funds may be required to withhold U.S. income tax from distributions of net capital gain unless the non-U.S. shareholder certifies his or her non-U.S. status under penalties of perjury or otherwise establishes an exemption. If a non-U.S. shareholder is a nonresident alien individual, any gain such shareholder realizes upon the sale or exchange of such shareholder’s shares of the Funds in the United States will ordinarily be exempt from U.S. tax unless the gain is U.S. source income and such shareholder is physically present in the United States for more than 182 days during the taxable year and meets certain other requirements.
Distributions from a Fund that are properly reported by the Fund as an interest-related dividend attributable to certain interest income received by the Fund or as a short-term capital gain dividend attributable to certain net short-term capital gain income received by the Fund may not be subject to U.S. federal income taxes, including withholding taxes when received by certain non-U.S. investors, provided that the Fund makes certain elections and certain other conditions are met.
In addition, capital gain distributions attributable to gain from U.S. real property interests (including certain U.S. real property holding corporations) will generally be subject to United States withholding tax and will give rise to an obligation on the part of the foreign shareholder to file a United States tax return.
Income Effectively Connected. If the income from a Fund is “effectively connected” with a U.S. trade or business carried on by a non-U.S. shareholder, then distributions of investment company taxable income and capital gain dividends, any amounts retained by the Fund which are properly reported by the Fund as undistributed capital gains and any gains realized upon the sale or exchange of shares of the Fund will be subject to U.S. income tax at the graduated rates applicable to U.S. citizens, residents and domestic corporations. Non-U.S. corporate shareholders may also be subject to the branch profits tax imposed by the Code. The tax consequences to a non-U.S. shareholder entitled to claim the benefits of an applicable tax treaty may differ from those described herein. Non-U.S. shareholders are advised to consult their own tax advisors with respect to the particular tax consequences to them of an investment in the Funds.
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Capital Loss Carry-forward
Under the Regulated Investment Company Modernization Act of 2010 (the “RIC Modernization Act”), net capital losses may be carried forward indefinitely, and their character is retained as short-term and/or long-term losses. At September 30, 2017, the Funds had net capital losses for federal income tax purposes as shown in the table below. To the extent that these loss carry-forwards are used to offset future capital gains, it is probable that the capital gains so offset will not be distributed to Fund shareholders. The Funds are subject to certain limitations, under U.S. tax rules, on the use of capital loss carry-forwards and net unrealized built-in losses. These limitations apply when there has been a 50% change in ownership.
Fund Capital Loss Available through Post-
Enactment
No Expiration
Total
Capital Loss
Available
9/30/2018 9/30/2019
First Trust BuyWrite Income ETF $5,877,626 $1,094,433 $8,097,998 $15,070,057
First Trust Hedged BuyWrite Income ETF 965,440 965,440
Other Taxation
Fund shareholders may be subject to state, local and foreign taxes on their Fund distributions. Shareholders are advised to consult their own tax advisors with respect to the particular tax consequences to them of an investment in the Funds.
Determination of Net Asset Value
The following information supplements and should be read in conjunction with the section in the Prospectus entitled “Net Asset Value.”
The per-share net asset value of a Fund is determined by dividing the total value of the securities and other assets, less liabilities, by the total number of shares outstanding. Under normal circumstances, daily calculation of the net asset value will utilize the last closing sale price of each security held by a Fund at the close of the market on which such security is principally listed. In determining net asset value, portfolio securities for a Fund for which accurate market quotations are readily available will be valued by the Fund accounting agent as follows:
(1) Common stocks and other equity securities listed on any national or foreign exchange other than Nasdaq and the London Stock Exchange Alternative Investment Market (“AIM”) will be valued at the last sale price on the exchange on which they are principally traded, or the official closing price for Nasdaq and AIM securities. Portfolio securities traded on more than one securities exchange are valued at the last sale price or official closing price, as applicable, on the Business Day as of which such value is being determined at the close of the exchange representing the principal market for such securities.
(2) Shares of open-end funds are valued at fair value which is based on NAV per share.
(3) Securities traded in the OTC market are fair valued at the mean of their most recent bid and asked price, if available, and otherwise at their closing bid price.
(4) Exchange-traded options and futures contracts are valued at the closing price in the market where such contracts are principally traded. If no closing price is available, they will be fair valued at the mean of their most recent bid and asked price, if available, and otherwise at their closing bid price. OTC options and futures contracts are fair valued at the mean of their most recent bid and asked price, if available, and otherwise at their closing bid price.
(5) Forward foreign currency contracts are fair valued at the current day’s interpolated foreign exchange rate, as calculated using the current day’s spot rate, and the 30, 60, 90 and 180-day forward rates provided by a pricing service or by certain independent dealers in such contracts.
In addition, the following types of securities will be fair valued by the Fund accounting agent as follows:
(1) Fixed-income securities, convertible securities, interest rate swaps, credit default swaps, total return swaps, currency swaps, currency-linked notes, credit-linked notes and other similar instruments will be fair valued using a pricing service.
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(2) Fixed income and other debt securities having a remaining maturity of 60 days or less when purchased are fair valued at cost adjusted for amortization of premiums and accretion of discounts (amortized cost), provided the Advisor’s Pricing Committee has determined that the use of amortized cost is an appropriate reflection of fair value given market and issuer-specific conditions existing at the time of the determination. Factors that may be considered in determining the appropriateness of the use of amortized cost include, but are not limited to, the following:
(i) the credit conditions in the relevant market and changes thereto;
(ii) the liquidity conditions in the relevant market and changes thereto;
(iii) the interest rate conditions in the relevant market and changes thereto (such as significant changes in interest rates);
(iv) issuer-specific conditions (such as significant credit deterioration); and
(v) any other market-based data the Advisor’s Pricing Committee considers relevant. In this regard, the Advisor’s Pricing Committee may use last-obtained market-based data to assist it when valuing portfolio securities using amortized cost.
(3) Repurchase agreements will be valued as follows: Overnight repurchase agreements will be fair valued at amortized cost when it represents the best estimate of fair value. Term repurchase agreements (i.e., those whose maturity exceeds seven days) will be fair valued by the Advisor’s Pricing Committee at the average of the bid quotations obtained daily from at least two recognized dealers.
If the Advisor’s Pricing Committee has reason to question the accuracy or reliability of a price supplied or the use of the amortized cost methodology, the Advisor’s Pricing Committee shall determine if “it needs to fair value” such portfolio security pursuant to established valuation procedures. From time to time, the Advisor’s Pricing Committee will request that the Fund accounting agent submit price challenges to a pricing service, usually in response to any updated broker prices received.
Certain securities may not be able to be priced by pre-established pricing methods. Such securities may be valued by the Board of Trustees or its delegate, the Advisor’s Pricing Committee, at fair value. These securities generally include but are not limited to, restricted securities (securities that may not be publicly sold without registration under the 1933 Act) for which a pricing service is unable to provide a market price; securities whose trading has been formally suspended; a security whose market or fair value price is not available from a pre-established pricing source; a security with respect to which an event has occurred that is likely to materially affect the value of the security after the market has closed but before the calculation of Fund net asset value (as may be the case in foreign markets on which the security is primarily traded) or is likely to make it difficult or impossible to obtain a reliable market quotation; and a security whose price, as provided by the pricing service, does not reflect the security’s fair value. Fair value prices represent any prices not considered market value prices and are either obtained from a pricing service or are determined by the Advisor’s Pricing Committee. Market value prices represent last sale or official closing prices from a national or foreign exchange (i.e., a regulated market) and are primarily obtained from pricing services. If no market price or official close price is available from either a pricing service or no quotations are available from one or more brokers or if the Advisor’s Pricing Committee has reason to question the reliability or accuracy of a price supplied or the use of amortized cost, the value of any portfolio security held by a Fund for which reliable market prices/quotations are not readily available will be determined by the Advisor’s Pricing Committee in a manner that most appropriately reflects fair market value of the security on the valuation date, based on a consideration of all available information. When fair value prices are used, generally they will differ from market quotations or official closing prices on the applicable exchange.
Because foreign markets may be open on different days than the days during which a shareholder may purchase the shares of a Fund, the value of a Fund’s investments may change on the days when shareholders are not able to purchase the shares of the Fund. For foreign securities, if an extraordinary market event occurs between the time the last “current” market quotation is available for a security in a Fund’s portfolio and the time the Fund’s net asset value is determined and calls into doubt whether that earlier market quotation represents fair value at the time the Fund’s net asset value is determined, the Fund accounting agent will immediately notify the Advisor’s Pricing Committee and the Advisor’s Pricing Committee shall determine the fair valuation. For foreign securities, the Advisor’s Pricing Committee may seek to determine the “fair value” of such securities by retaining a pricing service to determine the value of the securities.
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Foreign securities, currencies and other assets denominated in foreign currencies are translated into U.S. dollars at the exchange rate of such currencies against the U.S. dollar as provided by a pricing service. All assets denominated in foreign currencies will be converted into U.S. dollars at the exchange rates in effect at the time of valuation.
Dividends and Distributions
The following information supplements and should be read in conjunction with the section in the Prospectus entitled “Dividends, Distributions and Taxes.”
General Policies. Dividends from net investment income of a Fund, if any, are declared and paid monthly. Distributions of net realized securities gains, if any, generally are declared and paid once a year, but the Trust may make distributions on a more frequent basis. The Trust reserves the right to declare special distributions if, in its reasonable discretion, such action is necessary or advisable to preserve the status of such Fund as a regulated investment company or to avoid imposition of income or excise taxes on undistributed income.
Dividends and other distributions of Fund shares are distributed, as described below, on a pro rata basis to Beneficial Owners of such shares. Dividend payments are made through DTC Participants and Indirect Participants to Beneficial Owners then of record with proceeds received from the Funds.
Dividend Reinvestment Service. No reinvestment service is provided by the Trust. Broker-dealers may make available the DTC book-entry Dividend Reinvestment Service for use by Beneficial Owners of the Funds for reinvestment of their dividend distributions. Beneficial Owners should contact their brokers in order to determine the availability and costs of the service and the details of participation therein. Brokers may require Beneficial Owners to adhere to specific procedures and timetables. If this service is available and used, dividend distributions of both income and realized gains will be automatically reinvested in additional whole shares of each Fund purchased in the secondary market.
Miscellaneous Information
Counsel.     Chapman and Cutler LLP, 111 West Monroe Street, Chicago, Illinois 60603, is counsel to the Trust.
Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm.    Deloitte & Touche LLP, 111 South Wacker Drive, Chicago, Illinois 60606, serves as the Funds' independent registered public accounting firm. The firm audits each Fund's financial statements and performs other related audit services.
Financial Statements
The audited financial statements and notes thereto for the Funds, contained in the Annual Report to Shareholders dated September 30, 2017, are incorporated by reference into this Statement of Additional Information and have been audited by Deloitte & Touche LLP, independent registered public accounting firm, whose report also appears in the Annual Report and is also incorporated by reference herein. No other parts of the Annual Report are incorporated by reference herein. The Annual Report is available without charge by calling (800) 621-1675 or by visiting the SEC's website at https://www.sec.gov.
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Exhibit APrincipal Holders Table
NAME OF BENEFICIAL OWNER % OF
OUTSTANDING
SHARES OWNED
FIRST TRUST BUYWRITE INCOME ETF
Wells Fargo Clearing Services, LLC 12.27%
Raymond James & Associates, Inc. 11.67%
TD Ameritrade Clearing, Inc. 10.92%
National Financial Services LLC 10.25%
Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. 10.03%
Pershing LLC 8.11%
LPL Financial Corporation 6.59%
Cetera Investment Services LLC 5.35%
FIRST TRUST HEDGED BUYWRITE INCOME ETF
LPL Financial Corporation 25.63%
National Financial Services LLC 16.93%
RBC Capital Markets, LLC 15.53%
Pershing LLC 11.78%
(1) Cetera Investment Services LLC: 400 1st Street South Suite 300, St. Cloud, Minnesota 56301
(2) Charles Schwab & CO., Inc.: 2423 E Lincoln Drive, Phoenix , Arizona 85016
(3) LPL Financial Corporation: 9785 Towne Centre Drive, San Diego, California 92121
(4) National Financial Services LLC: 499 Washington Boulevard, Jersey City, New Jersey 07310
(5) Pershing LLC: One Pershing Plaza, Jersey City, New Jersey 07399
(6) Raymond James & Associates, Inc.: 880 Carillon Parkway, St. Petersburg, Florida 33716
(7) RBC Capital Markets, LLC: 60 S 6th St - P09, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55402
(8) TD Ameritrade Clearing, Inc.: 1005 N. Ameritrade Place, Bellevue, Nebraska 68005
(9) Wells Fargo Clearing Services, LLC: 2801 Market Street H0006-09B, St. Louis, Missouri 63103
A-1

Exhibit BProxy Voting Guidelines
United States
Concise Proxy Voting Guidelines

Benchmark Policy Recommendations
Effective for Meetings on or after February 1, 2018
Published January 9, 2018
www.issgovernance.com
© 2018 ISS | Institutional Shareholder Services

B-1

U.S. Concise Proxy Voting Guidelines

The policies contained herein are a sampling only of selected key ISS U.S. proxy voting guidelines,
and are not intended to be exhaustive. The complete guidelines can be found at:
https://www.issgovernance.com/policy-gateway/voting-policies/
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Voting on Director Nominees in Uncontested Elections
General Recommendation: Generally vote for director nominees, except under the following circumstances:
Independence
Vote against1 or withhold from non-independent directors (Executive Directors and Non-Independent Non-Executive Directors per ISS’ Categorization of Directors) when:
Independent directors comprise 50 percent or less of the board;
The non-independent director serves on the audit, compensation, or nominating committee;
The company lacks an audit, compensation, or nominating committee so that the full board functions as that committee; or
The company lacks a formal nominating committee, even if the board attests that the independent directors fulfill the functions of such a committee.
Composition
Attendance at Board and Committee Meetings: Generally vote against or withhold from directors (except new nominees, who should be considered case-by-case2) who attend less than 75 percent of the aggregate of their board and committee meetings for the period for which they served, unless an acceptable reason for absences is disclosed in the proxy or another SEC filing. Acceptable reasons for director absences are generally limited to the following:
Medical issues/illness;
Family emergencies; and
Missing only one meeting (when the total of all meetings is three or fewer).
If the proxy disclosure is unclear and insufficient to determine whether a director attended at least 75 percent of the aggregate of his/her board and committee meetings during his/her period of service, vote against or withhold from the director(s) in question.
Overboarded Directors: Generally vote against or withhold from individual directors who:
Sit on more than five public company boards; or
Are CEOs of public companies who sit on the boards of more than two public companies besides their own— withhold only at their outside boards3.

1 In general, companies with a plurality vote standard use “Withhold” as the contrary vote option in director elections; companies with a majority vote standard use “Against”. However, it will vary by company and the proxy must be checked to determine the valid contrary vote option for the particular company.
2 New nominees who served for only part of the fiscal year are generally exempted from the attendance policy.
3 Although all of a CEO’s subsidiary boards will be counted as separate boards, ISS will not recommend a withhold vote for the CEO of a parent company board or any of the controlled (>50 percent ownership) subsidiaries of that parent, but may do so at subsidiaries that are less than 50 percent controlled and boards outside the parent/subsidiary relationships.

B-2
Enabling the financial community to manage governance risk for the benefit of shareholders.
© 2018 ISS | Institutional Shareholder Services

U.S. Concise Proxy Voting Guidelines

Diversity: Highlight boards with no gender diversity. However, no adverse vote recommendations will be made due to any lack of gender diversity.
Responsiveness
Vote case-by-case on individual directors, committee members, or the entire board of directors as appropriate if:
The board failed to act on a shareholder proposal that received the support of a majority of the shares cast in the previous year. Factors that will be considered are:
Disclosed outreach efforts by the board to shareholders in the wake of the vote;
Rationale provided in the proxy statement for the level of implementation;
The subject matter of the proposal;
The level of support for and opposition to the resolution in past meetings;
Actions taken by the board in response to the majority vote and its engagement with shareholders;
The continuation of the underlying issue as a voting item on the ballot (as either shareholder or management proposals); and
Other factors as appropriate.
The board failed to act on takeover offers where the majority of shares are tendered;
At the previous board election, any director received more than 50 percent withhold/against votes of the shares cast and the company has failed to address the issue(s) that caused the high withhold/against vote.
Vote case-by-case on Compensation Committee members (or, in exceptional cases, the full board) and the Say on Pay proposal if:
The company’s previous say-on-pay received the support of less than 70 percent of votes cast. Factors that will be considered are:
The company's response, including:
Disclosure of engagement efforts with major institutional investors, including the frequency and timing of engagements and the company participants (including whether independent directors participated);
Disclosure of the specific concerns voiced by dissenting shareholders that led to the say-on-pay opposition;
Disclosure of specific and meaningful actions taken to address shareholders' concerns;
Other recent compensation actions taken by the company;
Whether the issues raised are recurring or isolated;
The company's ownership structure; and
Whether the support level was less than 50 percent, which would warrant the highest degree of responsiveness.
The board implements an advisory vote on executive compensation on a less frequent basis than the frequency that received the plurality of votes cast.
Accountability
Vote against or withhold from the entire board of directors (except new nominees4, who should be considered case-by-case) for the following:
4 A “new nominee” is any current nominee who has not already been elected by shareholders and who joined the board after the problematic action in question transpired. If ISS cannot determine whether the nominee joined the board before or after the problematic action transpired, the nominee will be considered a “new nominee” if he or she joined the board within the 12 months prior to the upcoming shareholder meeting.

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Problematic Takeover Defenses/Governance Structure
Poison Pills: Vote against or withhold from all nominees (except new nominees, who should be considered case-by-case) if:
The company has a poison pill that was not approved by shareholders5. However, vote case-by-case on nominees if the board adopts an initial pill with a term of one year or less, depending on the disclosed rationale for the adoption, and other factors as relevant (such as a commitment to put any renewal to a shareholder vote).
The board makes a material adverse modification to an existing pill, including, but not limited to, extension, renewal, or lowering the trigger, without shareholder approval.
Classified Board Structure: The board is classified, and a continuing director responsible for a problematic governance issue at the board/committee level that would warrant a withhold/against vote recommendation is not up for election. All appropriate nominees (except new) may be held accountable.
Removal of Shareholder Discretion on Classified Boards: The company has opted into, or failed to opt out of, state laws requiring a classified board structure.
Director Performance Evaluation: The board lacks mechanisms to promote accountability and oversight, coupled with sustained poor performance relative to peers. Sustained poor performance is measured by one- and three-year total shareholder returns in the bottom half of a company’s four-digit GICS industry group (Russell 3000 companies only). Take into consideration the company’s five-year total shareholder return and operational metrics. Problematic provisions include but are not limited to:
A classified board structure;
A supermajority vote requirement;
Either a plurality vote standard in uncontested director elections, or a majority vote standard in contested elections;
The inability of shareholders to call special meetings;
The inability of shareholders to act by written consent;
A multi-class capital structure; and/or
A non-shareholder-approved poison pill.
Unilateral Bylaw/Charter Amendments and Problematic Capital Structures: Generally vote against or withhold from directors individually, committee members, or the entire board (except new nominees, who should be considered case-by-case) if the board amends the company's bylaws or charter without shareholder approval in a manner that materially diminishes shareholders' rights or that could adversely impact shareholders, considering the following factors:
The board's rationale for adopting the bylaw/charter amendment without shareholder ratification;
Disclosure by the company of any significant engagement with shareholders regarding the amendment;
The level of impairment of shareholders' rights caused by the board's unilateral amendment to the bylaws/charter;
The board's track record with regard to unilateral board action on bylaw/charter amendments or other entrenchment provisions;
The company's ownership structure;
The company's existing governance provisions;
The timing of the board's amendment to the bylaws/charter in connection with a significant business development; and,
Other factors, as deemed appropriate, that may be relevant to determine the impact of the amendment on shareholders.
Unless the adverse amendment is reversed or submitted to a binding shareholder vote, in subsequent years vote case-by-case on director nominees. Generally vote against (except new nominees, who should be considered case-by-case) if the directors:
Classified the board;
Adopted supermajority vote requirements to amend the bylaws or charter; or
5 Public shareholders only, approval prior to a company’s becoming public is insufficient.

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Eliminated shareholders' ability to amend bylaws.
Problematic Governance Structure Newly public companies: For newly public companies, generally vote against or withhold from directors individually, committee members, or the entire board (except new nominees, who should be considered case-by-case) if, prior to or in connection with the company's public offering, the company or its board adopted bylaw or charter provisions materially adverse to shareholder rights, or implemented a multi-class capital structure in which the classes have unequal voting rights considering the following factors:
The level of impairment of shareholders' rights;
The disclosed rationale;
The ability to change the governance structure (e.g., limitations on shareholders’ right to amend the bylaws or charter, or supermajority vote requirements to amend the bylaws or charter);
The ability of shareholders to hold directors accountable through annual director elections, or whether the company has a classified board structure;
Any reasonable sunset provision; and
Other relevant factors.
Unless the adverse provision and/or problematic capital structure is reversed or removed, vote case-by-case on director nominees in subsequent years.
Restrictions on Shareholders’ Rights
Restricting Binding Shareholder Proposals: Generally vote against or withhold from the members of the governance committee if:
The company’s governing documents impose undue restrictions on shareholders’ ability to amend the bylaws. Such restrictions include, but are not limited to: outright prohibition on the submission of binding shareholder proposals, or share ownership requirements or time holding requirements in excess of SEC Rule 14a-8. Vote against on an ongoing basis.
Problematic Audit-Related Practices
Generally vote against or withhold from the members of the Audit Committee if:
The non-audit fees paid to the auditor are excessive;
The company receives an adverse opinion on the company’s financial statements from its auditor; or
There is persuasive evidence that the Audit Committee entered into an inappropriate indemnification agreement with its auditor that limits the ability of the company, or its shareholders, to pursue legitimate legal recourse against the audit firm.
Vote case-by-case on members of the Audit Committee and potentially the full board if:
Poor accounting practices are identified that rise to a level of serious concern, such as: fraud; misapplication of GAAP; and material weaknesses identified in Section 404 disclosures. Examine the severity, breadth, chronological sequence, and duration, as well as the company’s efforts at remediation or corrective actions, in determining whether withhold/against votes are warranted.
Problematic Compensation Practices
In the absence of an Advisory Vote on Executive Compensation (Say on Pay) ballot item or in egregious situations, vote against or withhold from the members of the Compensation Committee and potentially the full board if:
There is a significant misalignment between CEO pay and company performance (pay for performance) (see Primary Evaluation Factors for Executive Pay);

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The company maintains significant problematic pay practices (see Problematic Pay Practices); or
The board exhibits a significant level of poor communication and responsiveness (see Compensation Committee Communications and Responsiveness) to shareholders.
Generally vote against or withhold from the Compensation Committee chair, other committee members, or potentially the full board if:
The company fails to include a Say on Pay ballot item when required under SEC provisions, or under the company’s declared frequency of say on pay; or
The company fails to include a Frequency of Say on Pay ballot item when required under SEC provisions.
Generally vote against members of the board committee responsible for approving/setting non-employee director compensation if there is a pattern (i.e. two or more years) of awarding excessive non-employee director compensation without disclosing a compelling rationale or other mitigating factors.
Problematic Pledging of Company Stock:
Vote against the members of the committee that oversees risks related to pledging, or the full board, where a significant level of pledged company stock by executives or directors raises concerns. The following factors will be considered:
The presence of an anti-pledging policy, disclosed in the proxy statement, that prohibits future pledging activity;
The magnitude of aggregate pledged shares in terms of total common shares outstanding, market value, and trading volume;
Disclosure of progress or lack thereof in reducing the magnitude of aggregate pledged shares over time;
Disclosure in the proxy statement that shares subject to stock ownership and holding requirements do not include pledged company stock; and
Any other relevant factors.
Governance Failures
Under extraordinary circumstances, vote against or withhold from directors individually, committee members, or the entire board, due to:
Material failures of governance, stewardship, risk oversight6, or fiduciary responsibilities at the company;
Failure to replace management as appropriate; or
Egregious actions related to a director’s service on other boards that raise substantial doubt about his or her ability to effectively oversee management and serve the best interests of shareholders at any company.
Voting on Director Nominees in Contested Elections
Vote-No Campaigns
General Recommendation: In cases where companies are targeted in connection with public “vote-no” campaigns, evaluate director nominees under the existing governance policies for voting on director nominees in uncontested elections. Take into consideration the arguments submitted by shareholders and other publicly available information.
6 Examples of failure of risk oversight include, but are not limited to: bribery; large or serial fines or sanctions from regulatory bodies; significant adverse legal judgments or settlement; or hedging of company stock.

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Proxy Contests/Proxy Access Voting for Director Nominees in Contested Elections
General Recommendation: Vote case-by-case on the election of directors in contested elections, considering the following factors:
Long-term financial performance of the company relative to its industry;
Management’s track record;
Background to the contested election;
Nominee qualifications and any compensatory arrangements;
Strategic plan of dissident slate and quality of the critique against management;
Likelihood that the proposed goals and objectives can be achieved (both slates); and
Stock ownership positions.
In the case of candidates nominated pursuant to proxy access, vote case-by-case considering any applicable factors listed above or additional factors which may be relevant, including those that are specific to the company, to the nominee(s) and/or to the nature of the election (such as whether or not there are more candidates than board seats).
Independent Chair (Separate Chair/CEO)
General Recommendation: Generally vote for shareholder proposals requiring that the chairman’s position be filled by an independent director, taking into consideration the following:
The scope of the proposal;
The company's current board leadership structure;
The company's governance structure and practices;
Company performance; and
Any other relevant factors that may be applicable.
Regarding the scope of the proposal, consider whether the proposal is precatory or binding and whether the proposal is seeking an immediate change in the chairman role or the policy can be implemented at the next CEO transition.
Under the review of the company's board leadership structure, ISS may support the proposal under the following scenarios absent a compelling rationale: the presence of an executive or non-independent chair in addition to the CEO; a recent recombination of the role of CEO and chair; and/or departure from a structure with an independent chair. ISS will also consider any recent transitions in board leadership and the effect such transitions may have on independent board leadership as well as the designation of a lead director role.
When considering the governance structure, ISS will consider the overall independence of the board, the independence of key committees, the establishment of governance guidelines, board tenure and its relationship to CEO tenure, and any other factors that may be relevant. Any concerns about a company's governance structure will weigh in favor of support for the proposal.
The review of the company's governance practices may include, but is not limited to, poor compensation practices, material failures of governance and risk oversight, related-party transactions or other issues putting director independence at risk, corporate or management scandals, and actions by management or the board with potential or realized negative impact on shareholders. Any such practices may suggest a need for more independent oversight at the company thus warranting support of the proposal.
ISS' performance assessment will generally consider one-, three-, and five-year TSR compared to the company's peers and the market as a whole. While poor performance will weigh in favor of the adoption of an independent chair policy, strong performance over the long term will be considered a mitigating factor when determining whether the proposed leadership change warrants support.

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Proxy Access
General Recommendation: Generally vote for management and shareholder proposals for proxy access with the following provisions:
Ownership threshold: maximum requirement not more than three percent (3%) of the voting power;
Ownership duration: maximum requirement not longer than three (3) years of continuous ownership for each member of the nominating group;
Aggregation: minimal or no limits on the number of shareholders permitted to form a nominating group;
Cap: cap on nominees of generally twenty-five percent (25%) of the board.
Review for reasonableness any other restrictions on the right of proxy access.
Generally vote against proposals that are more restrictive than these guidelines.
CAPITAL/RESTRUCTURING
Common Stock Authorization
General Recommendation: Vote for proposals to increase the number of authorized common shares where the primary purpose of the increase is to issue shares in connection with a transaction on the same ballot that warrants support.
Vote against proposals at companies with more than one class of common stock to increase the number of authorized shares of the class of common stock that has superior voting rights.
Vote against proposals to increase the number of authorized common shares if a vote for a reverse stock split on the same ballot is warranted despite the fact that the authorized shares would not be reduced proportionally.
Vote case-by-case on all other proposals to increase the number of shares of common stock authorized for issuance. Take into account company-specific factors that include, at a minimum, the following:
Past Board Performance:
The company's use of authorized shares during the last three years
The Current Request:
Disclosure in the proxy statement of the specific purposes of the proposed increase;
Disclosure in the proxy statement of specific and severe risks to shareholders of not approving the request; and
The dilutive impact of the request as determined relative to an allowable increase calculated by ISS (typically 100 percent of existing authorized shares) that reflects the company's need for shares and total shareholder returns.
ISS will apply the relevant allowable increase below to requests to increase common stock that are for general corporate purposes (or to the general corporate purposes portion of a request that also includes a specific need):
A. Most companies: 100 percent of existing authorized shares.
B. Companies with less than 50 percent of existing authorized shares either outstanding or reserved for issuance: 50 percent of existing authorized shares.
C. Companies with one- and three-year total shareholder returns (TSRs) in the bottom 10 percent of the U.S. market as of the end of the calendar quarter that is closest to their most recent fiscal year end: 50 percent of existing authorized shares.

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D. Companies at which both conditions (B and C) above are both present: 25 percent of existing authorized shares.
If there is an acquisition, private placement, or similar transaction on the ballot (not including equity incentive plans) that ISS is recommending FOR, the allowable increase will be the greater of (i) twice the amount needed to support the transactions on the ballot, and (ii) the allowable increase as calculated above.
Mergers and Acquisitions
General Recommendation: Vote case-by-case on mergers and acquisitions. Review and evaluate the merits and drawbacks of the proposed transaction, balancing various and sometimes countervailing factors including:
Valuation - Is the value to be received by the target shareholders (or paid by the acquirer) reasonable? While the fairness opinion may provide an initial starting point for assessing valuation reasonableness, emphasis is placed on the offer premium, market reaction, and strategic rationale.
Market reaction - How has the market responded to the proposed deal? A negative market reaction should cause closer scrutiny of a deal.
Strategic rationale - Does the deal make sense strategically? From where is the value derived? Cost and revenue synergies should not be overly aggressive or optimistic, but reasonably achievable. Management should also have a favorable track record of successful integration of historical acquisitions.
Negotiations and process - Were the terms of the transaction negotiated at arm's-length? Was the process fair and equitable? A fair process helps to ensure the best price for shareholders. Significant negotiation "wins" can also signify the deal makers' competency. The comprehensiveness of the sales process (e.g., full auction, partial auction, no auction) can also affect shareholder value.
Conflicts of interest - Are insiders benefiting from the transaction disproportionately and inappropriately as compared to non-insider shareholders? As the result of potential conflicts, the directors and officers of the company may be more likely to vote to approve a merger than if they did not hold these interests. Consider whether these interests may have influenced these directors and officers to support or recommend the merger. The CIC figure presented in the "ISS Transaction Summary" section of this report is an aggregate figure that can in certain cases be a misleading indicator of the true value transfer from shareholders to insiders. Where such figure appears to be excessive, analyze the underlying assumptions to determine whether a potential conflict exists.
Governance - Will the combined company have a better or worse governance profile than the current governance profiles of the respective parties to the transaction? If the governance profile is to change for the worse, the burden is on the company to prove that other issues (such as valuation) outweigh any deterioration in governance.
COMPENSATION
Executive Pay Evaluation
Underlying all evaluations are five global principles that most investors expect corporations to adhere to in designing and administering executive and director compensation programs:
1. Maintain appropriate pay-for-performance alignment, with emphasis on long-term shareholder value: This principle encompasses overall executive pay practices, which must be designed to attract, retain, and appropriately motivate the key employees who drive shareholder value creation over the long term. It will take into consideration, among other factors, the link between pay and performance; the mix between fixed and variable pay; performance goals; and equity-based plan costs;

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2. Avoid arrangements that risk “pay for failure”: This principle addresses the appropriateness of long or indefinite contracts, excessive severance packages, and guaranteed compensation;
3. Maintain an independent and effective compensation committee: This principle promotes oversight of executive pay programs by directors with appropriate skills, knowledge, experience, and a sound process for compensation decision-making (e.g., including access to independent expertise and advice when needed);
4. Provide shareholders with clear, comprehensive compensation disclosures: This principle underscores the importance of informative and timely disclosures that enable shareholders to evaluate executive pay practices fully and fairly;
5. Avoid inappropriate pay to non-executive directors: This principle recognizes the interests of shareholders in ensuring that compensation to outside directors is reasonable and does not compromise their independence and ability to make appropriate judgments in overseeing managers’ pay and performance. At the market level, it may incorporate a variety of generally accepted best practices.
Advisory Votes on Executive CompensationManagement Proposals (Management Say-on-Pay)
General Recommendation: Vote case-by-case on ballot items related to executive pay and practices, as well as certain aspects of outside director compensation.
  Vote against Advisory Votes on Executive Compensation (Say-on-Pay or “SOP”) if:
There is a significant misalignment between CEO pay and company performance (pay for performance) (see Primary Evaluation Factors for Executive Pay);
The company maintains significant problematic pay practices (see Problematic Pay Practices);
The board exhibits a significant level of poor communication and responsiveness (see Compensation Committee Communications and Responsiveness) to shareholders.
Vote against or withhold from the members of the Compensation Committee and potentially the full board if:
There is no SOP on the ballot, and an against vote on an SOP is warranted due to pay-for-performance misalignment, problematic pay practices, or the lack of adequate responsiveness on compensation issues raised previously, or a combination thereof;
The board fails to respond adequately to a previous SOP proposal that received less than 70 percent support of votes cast;
The company has recently practiced or approved problematic pay practices, including option repricing or option backdating; or
The situation is egregious.
Primary Evaluation Factors for Executive Pay
Pay-for-Performance Evaluation
ISS annually conducts a pay-for-performance analysis to identify strong or satisfactory alignment between pay and performance over a sustained period. With respect to companies in the Russell 3000 or Russell 3000E Indices7, this analysis considers the following:
7 The Russell 3000E Index includes approximately 4,000 of the largest U.S. equity securities.

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Peer Group8 Alignment:
The degree of alignment between the company's annualized TSR rank and the CEO's annualized total pay rank within a peer group, each measured over a three-year period.
The rankings of CEO total pay and company financial performance within a peer group, each measured over a three-year period.
The multiple of the CEO's total pay relative to the peer group median in the most recent fiscal year.
2. Absolute Alignment9 the absolute alignment between the trend in CEO pay and company TSR over the prior five fiscal years i.e., the difference between the trend in annual pay changes and the trend in annualized TSR during the period.
If the above analysis demonstrates significant unsatisfactory long-term pay-for-performance alignment or, in the case of companies outside the Russell indices, misaligned pay and performance are otherwise suggested, our analysis may include any of the following qualitative factors, as relevant to evaluating how various pay elements may work to encourage or to undermine long-term value creation and alignment with shareholder interests:
The ratio of performance- to time-based equity awards;
The overall ratio of performance-based compensation;
The completeness of disclosure and rigor of performance goals;
The company's peer group benchmarking practices;
Actual results of financial/operational metrics, such as growth in revenue, profit, cash flow, etc., both absolute and relative to peers;
Special circumstances related to, for example, a new CEO in the prior FY or anomalous equity grant practices (e.g., bi-annual awards);
Realizable pay10 compared to grant pay; and
Any other factors deemed relevant.
Problematic Pay Practices
The focus is on executive compensation practices that contravene the global pay principles, including:
Problematic practices related to non-performance-based compensation elements;
Incentives that may motivate excessive risk-taking; and
Options backdating.
Problematic Pay Practices related to Non-Performance-Based Compensation Elements
Pay elements that are not directly based on performance are generally evaluated case-by-case considering the context of a company's overall pay program and demonstrated pay-for-performance philosophy. Please refer to ISS' Compensation FAQ document for detail on specific pay practices that have been identified as potentially problematic and may lead to negative recommendations if they are deemed to be inappropriate or unjustified relative to executive pay best practices. The list below highlights the problematic practices that carry significant weight in this overall consideration and may result in adverse vote recommendations:
8 The revised peer group is generally comprised of 14-24 companies that are selected using market cap, revenue (or assets for certain financial firms), GICS industry group, and company's selected peers' GICS industry group, with size constraints, via a process designed to select peers that are comparable to the subject company in terms of revenue/assets and industry, and also within a market-cap bucket that is reflective of the company's. For Oil, Gas & Consumable Fuels companies, market cap is the only size determinant.
9 Only Russell 3000 Index companies are subject to the Absolute Alignment analysis.
10 ISS research reports include realizable pay for S&P1500 companies.

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Repricing or replacing of underwater stock options/SARS without prior shareholder approval (including cash buyouts and voluntary surrender of underwater options);
Extraordinary perquisites or tax gross-ups, including any gross-up related to a secular trust or restricted stock vesting, or lifetime perquisites;
New or extended agreements that provide for:
Excessive CIC payments (generally exceeding 3 times base salary and average/target/most recent bonus);
CIC severance payments without involuntary job loss or substantial diminution of duties ("single" or "modified single" triggers);
CIC payments with excise tax gross-ups (including "modified" gross-ups);
Multi-year guaranteed awards that are not at risk due to rigorous performance conditions;
Liberal CIC definition combined with any single-trigger CIC benefits;
Insufficient executive compensation disclosure by externally-managed issuers (EMIs) such that a reasonable assessment of pay programs and practices applicable to the EMI's executives is not possible;
Any other provision or practice deemed to be egregious and present a significant risk to investors.
Incentives that may Motivate Excessive Risk-Taking
Multi-year guaranteed awards;
A single or common performance metric used for short- and long-term incentives;
Lucrative severance packages;
High pay opportunities relative to industry peers;
Disproportionate supplemental pensions; or
Mega equity grants that provide overly large upside opportunity.
Factors that potentially mitigate the impact of risky incentives include rigorous claw-back provisions, robust stock ownership/holding guidelines, and limitations on accelerated vesting triggers.
Options Backdating
The following factors should be examined case-by-case to allow for distinctions to be made between “sloppy” plan administration versus deliberate action or fraud:
Reason and motive for the options backdating issue, such as inadvertent vs. deliberate grant date changes;
Duration of options backdating;
Size of restatement due to options backdating;
Corrective actions taken by the board or compensation committee, such as canceling or re-pricing backdated options, the recouping of option gains on backdated grants; and
Adoption of a grant policy that prohibits backdating, and creates a fixed grant schedule or window period for equity grants in the future.
Compensation Committee Communications and Responsiveness
Consider the following factors case-by-case when evaluating ballot items related to executive pay on the board’s responsiveness to investor input and engagement on compensation issues:
Failure to respond to majority-supported shareholder proposals on executive pay topics; or
Failure to adequately respond to the company's previous say-on-pay proposal that received the support of less than 70 percent of votes cast, taking into account:
The company's response, including:

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Disclosure of engagement efforts with major institutional investors, including the frequency and timing of engagements and the company participants (including whether independent directors participated);
Disclosure of the specific concerns voiced by dissenting shareholders that led to the say-on-pay opposition;
Disclosure of specific and meaningful actions taken to address shareholders’ concerns;
Other recent compensation actions taken by the company;
Whether the issues raised are recurring or isolated;
The company's ownership structure; and
Whether the support level was less than 50 percent, which would warrant the highest degree of responsiveness.
Equity-Based and Other Incentive Plans
General Recommendation: Vote case-by-case on certain equity-based compensation plans11 depending on a combination of certain plan features and equity grant practices, where positive factors may counterbalance negative factors, and vice versa, as evaluated using an "equity plan scorecard" (EPSC) approach with three pillars:
Plan Cost: The total estimated cost of the company’s equity plans relative to industry/market cap peers, measured by the company's estimated Shareholder Value Transfer (SVT) in relation to peers and considering both:
SVT based on new shares requested plus shares remaining for future grants, plus outstanding unvested/unexercised grants; and
SVT based only on new shares requested plus shares remaining for future grants.
Plan Features:
Discretionary or automatic single-triggered award vesting upon a change in control (CIC);
Discretionary vesting authority;
Liberal share recycling on various award types;
Lack of minimum vesting period for grants made under the plan;
Dividends payable prior to award vesting.
Grant Practices:
The company’s three year burn rate relative to its industry/market cap peers;
Vesting requirements in most recent CEO equity grants (3-year look-back);
The estimated duration of the plan (based on the sum of shares remaining available and the new shares requested, divided by the average annual shares granted in the prior three years);
The proportion of the CEO's most recent equity grants/awards subject to performance conditions;
Whether the company maintains a claw-back policy;
Whether the company has established post exercise/vesting share-holding requirements.
Generally vote against the plan proposal if the combination of above factors indicates that the plan is not, overall, in shareholders' interests, or if any of the following egregious factors apply:
Awards may vest in connection with a liberal change-of-control definition;
The plan would permit repricing or cash buyout of underwater options without shareholder approval (either by expressly permitting itfor NYSE and Nasdaq listed companiesor by not prohibiting it when the company has a history of repricingfor non-listed companies);
11 Proposals evaluated under the EPSC policy generally include those to approve or amend (1) stock option plans for employees and/or employees and directors, (2) restricted stock plans for employees and/or employees and directors, and (3) omnibus stock incentive plans for employees and/or employees and directors; amended plans will be further evaluated case-by-case.

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The plan is a vehicle for problematic pay practices or a significant pay-for-performance disconnect under certain circumstances; or
Any other plan features are determined to have a significant negative impact on shareholder interests.
SOCIAL/ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES
Global Approach
Issues covered under the policy include a wide range of topics, including consumer and product safety, environment and energy, labor standards and human rights, workplace and board diversity, and corporate political issues. While a variety of factors goes into each analysis, the overall principle guiding all vote recommendations focuses on how the proposal may enhance or protect shareholder value in either the short or long term.
General Recommendation: Generally vote case-by-case, taking into consideration whether implementation of the proposal is likely to enhance or protect shareholder value, and in addition the following will also be considered:
If the issues presented in the proposal are more appropriately or effectively dealt with through legislation or government regulation;
If the company has already responded in an appropriate and sufficient manner to the issue(s) raised in the proposal;
Whether the proposal's request is unduly burdensome (scope or timeframe) or overly prescriptive;
The company's approach compared with any industry standard practices for addressing the issue(s) raised by the proposal;
If the proposal requests increased disclosure or greater transparency, whether or not reasonable and sufficient information is currently available to shareholders from the company or from other publicly available sources; and
If the proposal requests increased disclosure or greater transparency, whether or not implementation would reveal proprietary or confidential information that could place the company at a competitive disadvantage.
Climate Change/Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions
General Recommendation: Generally vote for resolutions requesting that a company disclose information on the financial, physical, or regulatory risks it faces related to climate change on its operations and investments or on how the company identifies, measures, and manages such risks, considering:
Whether the company already provides current, publicly-available information on the impact that climate change may have on the company as well as associated company policies and procedures to address related risks and/or opportunities;
The company’s level of disclosure compared to industry peers; and
Whether there are significant controversies, fines, penalties, or litigation associated with the company’s climate change-related performance.
Generally vote for proposals requesting a report on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from company operations and/or products and operations, unless:
The company already discloses current, publicly-available information on the impacts that GHG emissions may have on the company as well as associated company policies and procedures to address related risks and/or opportunities;
The company's level of disclosure is comparable to that of industry peers; and
There are no significant, controversies, fines, penalties, or litigation associated with the company's GHG emissions.

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Vote case-by-case on proposals that call for the adoption of GHG reduction goals from products and operations, taking into account:
Whether the company provides disclosure of year-over-year GHG emissions performance data;
Whether company disclosure lags behind industry peers;
The company's actual GHG emissions performance;
The company's current GHG emission policies, oversight mechanisms, and related initiatives; and
Whether the company has been the subject of recent, significant violations, fines, litigation, or controversy related to GHG emissions.
Board Diversity
General Recommendation: Generally vote for requests for reports on a company's efforts to diversify the board, unless:
The gender and racial minority representation of the company’s board is reasonably inclusive in relation to companies of similar size and business; and
The board already reports on its nominating procedures and gender and racial minority initiatives on the board and within the company.
Vote case-by-case on proposals asking a company to increase the gender and racial minority representation on its board, taking into account:
The degree of existing gender and racial minority diversity on the company’s board and among its executive officers;
The level of gender and racial minority representation that exists at the company’s industry peers;
The company’s established process for addressing gender and racial minority board representation;
Whether the proposal includes an overly prescriptive request to amend nominating committee charter language;
The independence of the company’s nominating committee;
Whether the company uses an outside search firm to identify potential director nominees; and
Whether the company has had recent controversies, fines, or litigation regarding equal employment practices.
Gender Pay Gap
General Recommendation: Generally vote case-by-case on requests for reports on a company's pay data by gender, or a report on a company’s policies and goals to reduce any gender pay gap, taking into account:
The company's current policies and disclosure related to both its diversity and inclusion policies and practices and its compensation philosophy and fair and equitable compensation practices;
Whether the company has been the subject of recent controversy, litigation, or regulatory actions related to gender pay gap issues; and
Whether the company's reporting regarding gender pay gap policies or initiatives is lagging its peers.
Data Security, Privacy, and Internet Issues
General Recommendation: Vote case-by-case on proposals requesting the disclosure or implementation of data security, privacy, or information access and management policies and procedures, considering:
The level of disclosure of company policies and procedures relating to data security, privacy, freedom of speech, information access and management, and Internet censorship;
Engagement in dialogue with governments or relevant groups with respect to data security, privacy, or the free flow of information on the Internet;

B-15
Enabling the financial community to manage governance risk for the benefit of shareholders.
© 2018 ISS | Institutional Shareholder Services

U.S. Concise Proxy Voting Guidelines

The scope of business involvement and of investment in countries whose governments censor or monitor the Internet and other telecommunications;
Applicable market-specific laws or regulations that may be imposed on the company; and
Controversies, fines, or litigation related to data security, privacy, freedom of speech, or Internet censorship.
Lobbying
General Recommendation: Vote case-by-case on proposals requesting information on a company’s lobbying (including direct, indirect, and grassroots lobbying) activities, policies, or procedures, considering:
The company’s current disclosure of relevant lobbying policies, and management and board oversight;
The company’s disclosure regarding trade associations or other groups that it supports, or is a member of, that engage in lobbying activities; and
Recent significant controversies, fines, or litigation regarding the company’s lobbying-related activities.
Political Contributions
General Recommendation: Generally vote for proposals requesting greater disclosure of a company's political contributions and trade association spending policies and activities, considering:
The company's policies, and management and board oversight related to its direct political contributions and payments to trade associations or other groups that may be used for political purposes;
The company's disclosure regarding its support of, and participation in, trade associations or other groups that may make political contributions; and
Recent significant controversies, fines, or litigation related to the company's political contributions or political activities.
Vote against proposals barring a company from making political contributions. Businesses are affected by legislation at the federal, state, and local level; barring political contributions can put the company at a competitive disadvantage.
Vote against proposals to publish in newspapers and other media a company's political contributions. Such publications could present significant cost to the company without providing commensurate value to shareholders.

B-16
Enabling the financial community to manage governance risk for the benefit of shareholders.
© 2018 ISS | Institutional Shareholder Services

U.S. Concise Proxy Voting Guidelines

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The Information has not been submitted to, nor received approval from, the United States Securities and Exchange Commission or any other regulatory body. None of the Information constitutes an offer to sell (or a solicitation of an offer to buy), or a promotion or recommendation of, any security, financial product or other investment vehicle or any trading strategy, and ISS does not endorse, approve, or otherwise express any opinion regarding any issuer, securities, financial products or instruments or trading strategies.
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B-17
Enabling the financial community to manage governance risk for the benefit of shareholders.
© 2018 ISS | Institutional Shareholder Services

 


 

 
 

First Trust Exchange-Traded Fund VI

Part C – Other Information

Item 28.Exhibits

Exhibit No. Description

(a)(1) Declaration of Trust of the Registrant (1)

(2) Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust, dated June 12, 2017 (12)

(3) Amended and Restated Establishment and Designation of Series, effective as of January 23, 2018 (11)

(b)By-Laws of the Registrant (1)
(c)Not Applicable
(d)(1) Investment Management Agreement, dated August 10, 2012 (2)

(2) Investment Management Agreement, dated August 16, 2013 (3)

(3) Amended Schedule A to Investment Management Agreement, dated August 16, 2013 (4)

(4) Investment Management Agreement, dated July 17, 2014 (6)

(5) Investment Management Agreement, dated March 8, 2016 (9)

(6) Form of Fee Offset Agreement for the Multi-Asset Diversified Income Index Fund (8)

(e)(1) Distribution Agreement, dated August 10, 2012 (2)

(2) Exhibit A to Distribution Agreement (11)

(f)Not Applicable
(g)(1) Custody Agreement between the Registrant and Brown Brothers Harriman Co. dated August 2, 2012 (2)

(2) Appendix A to the Custody Agreement between the Registrant and Brown Brothers Harriman Co. (11)

(h)(1) Administrative Agency Agreement between the Registrant and Brown Brothers Harriman Co. dated August 2, 2012 (2)

(2) Appendix A to the Administrative Agency Agreement between the Registrant and Brown Brothers Harriman Co. (11)

(3) Form of Subscription Agreement (2)

(4) Exhibit A to the CMS Authorization Letter between the Registrant and Brown Brothers Harriman Co. dated August 30, 2016 (10)

(i)Not applicable
(j)Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm (12)
(k)Not Applicable
(l)Not Applicable
(m)(1) 12b-1 Service Plan (2)

(2) Exhibit A to 12b-1 Service Plan (11)

(3) 12b-1 Plan Extension Letter Agreement (12)

(n)Not Applicable
(o)Not Applicable
(p)(1) First Trust Advisors L.P., First Trust Portfolios L.P. Code of Ethics, amended on July 1, 2013 (5)

(2) First Trust Funds Code of Ethics, amended on October 30, 2013 (5)

(q)Powers of Attorney for Messrs. Bowen, Erickson, Kadlec and Keith authorizing W. Scott Jardine, James M. Dykas, Kristi A. Maher and Eric F. Fess to execute the Registration Statement (7)

__________________

(1)Incorporated by reference to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File No. 333-182308) filed on June 25, 2012.
(2)Incorporated by reference to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File No. 333-182308) filed on January 28, 2013.
(3)Incorporated by reference to the Registrant's Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File No. 333-182308) filed on December 18, 2013.
(4)Incorporated by reference to the Registrant's Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File No. 333-182308) filed on March 4, 2014.
(5)Incorporated by reference to the Registrant's Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File No. 333-182308) filed on July 16, 2014.
(6)Incorporated by reference to the Registrant's Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File No. 333-182308) filed on January 21, 2015.
(7)Incorporated by reference to the Registrant's Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File No. 333-182308) filed on January 14, 2016.
(8)Incorporated by reference to the Registrant's Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File No. 333-182308) filed on January 27, 2016.
(9)Incorporated by reference to the Registrant's Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File No. 333-182308) filed on March 16, 2016.
(10)Incorporated by reference to the Registrant's Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File No. 333-182308) filed on August 30, 2016.
(11)Incorporated by reference to the Registrant's Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File No. 333-182308) filed on January 23, 2018.
(12)Filed herewith.
Item 29.Persons Controlled By or Under Common Control with Registrant

Not Applicable

Item 30.Indemnification

Section 9.5 of the Registrant’s Declaration of Trust provides as follows:

Section 9.5. Indemnification and Advancement of Expenses. Subject to the exceptions and limitations contained in this Section 9.5, every person who is, or has been, a Trustee, officer, or employee of the Trust, including persons who serve at the request of the Trust as directors, trustees, officers, employees or agents of another organization in which the Trust has an interest as a shareholder, creditor or otherwise (hereinafter referred to as a “Covered Person”), shall be indemnified by the Trust to the fullest extent permitted by law against liability and against all expenses reasonably incurred or paid by him or in connection with any claim, action, suit or proceeding in which he becomes involved as a party or otherwise by virtue of his being or having been such a Trustee, director, officer, employee or agent and against amounts paid or incurred by him in settlement thereof.

 

No indemnification shall be provided hereunder to a Covered Person to the extent such indemnification is prohibited by applicable federal law.

 

The rights of indemnification herein provided may be insured against by policies maintained by the Trust, shall be severable, shall not affect any other rights to which any Covered Person may now or hereafter be entitled, shall continue as to a person who has ceased to be such a Covered Person and shall inure to the benefit of the heirs, executors and administrators of such a person.

 

Subject to applicable federal law, expenses of preparation and presentation of a defense to any claim, action, suit or proceeding subject to a claim for indemnification under this Section 9.5 shall be advanced by the Trust prior to final disposition thereof upon receipt of an undertaking by or on behalf of the recipient to repay such amount if it is ultimately determined that he is not entitled to indemnification under this Section 9.5.

 

To the extent that any determination is required to be made as to whether a Covered Person engaged in conduct for which indemnification is not provided as described herein, or as to whether there is reason to believe that a Covered Person ultimately will be found entitled to indemnification, the Person or Persons making the determination shall afford the Covered Person a rebuttable presumption that the Covered Person has not engaged in such conduct and that there is reason to believe that the Covered Person ultimately will be found entitled to indemnification.

 

As used in this Section 9.5, the words “claim,” “action,” “suit” or “proceeding” shall apply to all claims, demands, actions, suits, investigations, regulatory inquiries, proceedings or any other occurrence of a similar nature, whether actual or threatened and whether civil, criminal, administrative or other, including appeals, and the words “liability” and “expenses” shall include without limitation, attorneys’ fees, costs, judgments, amounts paid in settlement, fines, penalties and other liabilities.

Item 31.Business and Other Connections of the Investment Adviser

First Trust Advisors L.P. (“First Trust”), investment adviser to the Registrant, serves as adviser or sub-adviser to various other open-end and closed-end management investment companies and is the portfolio supervisor of certain unit investment trusts. The principal business of certain of First Trust’s principal executive officers involves various activities in connection with the family of unit investment trusts sponsored by First Trust Portfolios L.P. (“FTP”). The principal address for all these investment companies, First Trust, FTP and the persons below is 120 East Liberty Drive, Suite 400, Wheaton, Illinois 60187.

A description of any business, profession, vocation or employment of a substantial nature in which the officers of First Trust who serve as officers or trustees of the Registrant have engaged during the last two years for his or her account or in the capacity of director, officer, employee, partner or trustee appears under “Management of the Fund” in the Statement of Additional Information. Such information for the remaining senior officers of First Trust appears below:

Name and Position with First Trust Employment During Past Two Years
Andrew S. Roggensack, President Managing Director and President, First Trust
R. Scott Hall, Managing Director Managing Director, First Trust
Ronald D. McAlister, Managing Director Managing Director, First Trust
David G. McGarel, Chief Investment Officer, Chief Operating Officer and Managing Director Managing Director; Senior Vice President, First Trust
Kathleen Brown,  Chief Compliance Officer and Senior Vice President Chief Compliance Officer and Senior Vice President, First Trust
Brian Wesbury, Chief Economist and Senior Vice President Chief Economist and Senior Vice President, First Trust
Item 32.Principal Underwriter

(a) FTP serves as principal underwriter of the shares of the Registrant, First Trust Exchange-Traded Fund, First Trust Exchange-Traded Fund II, First Trust Exchange-Traded Fund III, First Trust Exchange-Traded Fund IV, First Trust Exchange Traded Fund V, First Trust Exchange-Traded Fund VII, First Trust Exchange-Traded Fund VIII, First Trust Exchange-Traded AlphaDEX® Fund, First Trust Exchange-Traded AlphaDEX® Fund II, First Trust Variable Insurance Trust and First Trust Series Fund. FTP serves as principal underwriter and depositor of the following investment companies registered as unit investment trusts: the First Trust Combined Series, FT Series (formerly known as the First Trust Special Situations Trust), the First Trust Insured Corporate Trust, the First Trust of Insured Municipal Bonds and the First Trust GNMA.

(b) Positions and Offices with Underwriter

Name and Principal
Business Address*
Positions and Offices
with Underwriter
Positions and
Offices with Fund
The Charger Corporation General Partner None
Grace Partners of DuPage L.P. Limited Partner None
James A. Bowen Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director Trustee and Chairman of the Board
James M. Dykas Chief Financial Officer President and Chief Executive Officer
Frank L. Fichera Managing Director None
Russell J. Graham Managing Director None
R. Scott Hall Managing Director None
W. Scott Jardine General Counsel, Secretary and Managing Director Secretary
Daniel J. Lindquist Managing Director Vice President
Ronald D. McAlister Managing Director None
David G. McGarel Chief Investment Officer, Chief Operating Officer and Managing Director None
Richard A. Olson Managing Director None
Marisa Bowen Managing Director None
Andrew S. Roggensack President and Managing Director None
Kristi A. Maher Deputy General Counsel Chief Compliance Officer and Assistant Secretary

 

* All addresses are
120 East Liberty Drive,
Wheaton, Illinois 60187.

   

(c) Not Applicable

Item 33.Location of Accounts and Records

First Trust, 120 East Liberty Drive, Wheaton, Illinois 60187, maintains the Registrant’s organizational documents, minutes of meetings, contracts of the Registrant and all advisory material of the investment adviser.

Item 34.Management Services

Not Applicable

Item 35.Undertakings

Not Applicable

 

 
 

Signatures

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933 and the Investment Company Act of 1940, the Registrant certifies that it meets all of the requirements for effectiveness of this Registration Statement under Rule 485(b) under the Securities Act of 1933 and has duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, duly authorized, in the City of Wheaton, and State of Illinois, on the 29th day of January, 2018.

  First Trust Exchange-Traded Fund VI
  By: /s/ James M. Dykas
    James M. Dykas, President and
Chief Executive Officer

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this Registration Statement has been signed below by the following persons in the capacities and on the date indicated:

Signature Title   Date
/s/ James M. Dykas President and Chief Executive
Officer
January 29, 2018
James M. Dykas      
/s/ Donald P. Swade Treasurer, Chief Financial Officer
and Chief Accounting Officer
January 29, 2018
Donald P. Swade      
James A. Bowen* )
Trustee )
   
  )    
Richard E. Erickson* )
Trustee )
   
  )    
Thomas R. Kadlec* )
Trustee )
   
  ) By: /s/ W. Scott Jardine
Robert F. Keith* )
Trustee )
  W. Scott Jardine
Attorney-In-Fact
  )   January 29, 2018
Niel B. Nielson * )
Trustee )
   
  )    
*Original powers of attorney authorizing W. Scott Jardine, James M. Dykas, Eric F. Fess and Kristi A. Maher to execute Registrant's Registration Statement, and Amendments thereto, for each of the trustees of the Registrant on whose behalf this Registration Statement is filed, were previously executed, filed as an exhibit and are incorporated by reference herein.

 

Index to Exhibits 

(a)(2)Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust, dated June 12, 2017
(j)Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
(m)(3)12b-1 Plan Extension Letter Agreement