FTCS vs LCDS

FTCS vs LCDS

Which is better, FTCS or LCDS?

LCDS has been ahead.

LCDS has a lower expense ratio. LCDS led over 1Y and the full window. FTCS is less concentrated, with 22.5% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 44.3%.

Lower Fees: LCDSHigher Returns: LCDSLess Concentrated: FTCS

MarketXLS is not an investment adviser. This comparison is generated automatically from market data and is for information only. A Best mark means the better reading on that one measure, not a recommendation to buy.

Side-by-Side Comparison

MetricFTCSLCDS
Expense Ratio0.52%0.30%Best
AUM$7.5B$17M
Dividend Yield1.22%0.86%
Holdings102230
YTD Return+6.41%+13.43%Best
1Y Return+5.59%+18.13%Best
3Y Return (annualized)+10.51%-
5Y Return (annualized)+6.06%-
Volatility (annualized)11.3%Best11.9%
Max Drawdown-12.6%Best-18.4%
$10,000 over 2.2 years$11,686$14,806Best
Top 10 Weight22.5%Best44.3%
Fund FamilyFirst Trust Portfolios (US)J.P. Morgan Asset Management
CategoryEquityEquity
StyleLarge Cap BlendLarge Cap Blend
InceptionJul 6, 2006Aug 7, 2024

Volatility and max drawdown, and the $10,000 over 2.2 years row, are measured over the window both funds cover: Aug 8, 2024 to Oct 14, 2026 (2.2 years).

FTCS vs LCDS growth

Month-end closes. Both lines start at 0% in the first month shown, so the gap between them is the difference in growth across that window. The full view covers the 2.2 years both funds cover.

Compare FTCS against instead:FTCS vs SPYFTCS vs QQQFTCS vs VOOFTCS vs VTILCDS against:LCDS vs VXUS

FTCS vs LCDS Performance

First Trust Capital Strength ETF (FTCS) is an ETF from First Trust Portfolios (US) and JPMorgan Fundamental Data Science Large Core ETF (LCDS) is an ETF from J.P. Morgan Asset Management. Over the past year FTCS returned +5.59% while LCDS returned +18.13%. Year to date, FTCS is up 6.41% versus a gain of 13.43% for LCDS.

Past performance does not guarantee future results.

Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns

LCDS has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 11.9% compared with 11.3% for FTCS. Lower volatility generally means a smoother ride, though it often comes with lower long-run returns.

The deepest peak-to-trough decline in our data was -12.6% for FTCS and -18.4% for LCDS. Drawdown depth is what each fund did in the worst stretch of the window measured above.

The two funds' monthly returns correlate at 0.48. They move together some of the time, and apart the rest.

Fees and Cost Over Time

FTCS charges 0.52% per year while LCDS charges 0.30%. On a $10,000 position that is $52 vs $30 annually, a gap of $22 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, FTCS currently yields 1.22% against 0.86% for LCDS.

Holdings Overlap

FTCS already in LCDS37.8%
LCDS already in FTCS18.5%

37.8% of FTCS's money is in holdings LCDS also owns. 18.5% of LCDS's money is in holdings FTCS also owns.

The two portfolios partly overlap.

19 positions in common, counted across the 50 positions we hold weights for in FTCS and 113 in LCDS, against full books of 102 and 230.

What only one of them owns

Our book lists 91 positions for LCDS that do not appear in our book for FTCS (80.8% of the fund), and 30 for FTCS that do not appear in LCDS (62.1%).

Some of those will be the same company recorded under a different code in one of the two books, so the real difference in what you would own is no larger than this and may be smaller. We do not name the individual positions here for that reason.

Top Shared Holdings

StockWeight in FTCSWeight in LCDSDifference
AAPLApple, Inc2.07%7.46%5.39%
MAMastercard Inc. Cl A2.10%1.63%0.47%
CSXCsx Corp1.93%1.14%0.79%
EOGEog Resources Inc2.09%0.82%1.27%
CMECme Group, Inc2.22%0.54%1.68%
MMM3m Co.2.09%0.66%1.43%
AXPAmerican Express Co.1.76%0.93%0.83%
SCHWSchwab (Charles) Corp1.97%0.69%1.28%
AMPAmeriprise Financial Inc1.92%0.67%1.25%
VRTXVertex Pharmaceuticals Inc2.15%0.39%1.76%

37.8% of FTCS is already inside LCDS.

You probably hold more than these two. Add the rest and see how much of the whole book is the same companies twice.

FTCSLCDS

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Frequently Asked Questions

Which is cheaper, FTCS or LCDS?

FTCS has an expense ratio of 0.52% while LCDS charges 0.30%. LCDS is the cheaper option, by $22 a year on a $10,000 investment.

Which performed better, FTCS or LCDS?

Over the past year FTCS returned +5.59% vs +18.13% for LCDS, so LCDS leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (2 years), FTCS annualized +7.34% vs +19.53% for LCDS. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.

Which is riskier, FTCS or LCDS?

LCDS has been the more volatile fund at 11.9% annualized versus 11.3% for FTCS. Worst drawdown: FTCS -12.6% vs LCDS -18.4%.

Should I hold both FTCS and LCDS?

FTCS and LCDS have a monthly-return correlation of 0.48, so their returns are far enough apart for the mix to behave differently from either one alone. This is information, not a recommendation.

What is the holdings overlap between FTCS and LCDS?

37.8% of FTCS's money is in holdings LCDS also owns. 18.5% of LCDS's is in holdings FTCS also owns. They hold 19 positions in common, counted across the 50 positions we hold weights for in FTCS and 113 in LCDS.

Which pays a higher dividend, FTCS or LCDS?

FTCS yields 1.22% while LCDS yields 0.86%, so FTCS currently pays the higher dividend yield.

Is LCDS better than FTCS?

LCDS has a lower expense ratio. LCDS led over 1Y and the full window. FTCS is less concentrated, with 22.5% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 44.3%. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.