Walkner Condon Buys $3.8 Million Worth of First Trust Capital Strength ETF in Q4

What happened

According to a Jan. 20, 2026, SEC filing, Walkner Condon Financial Advisors LLC increased its holding in First Trust Capital Strength ETF (NASDAQ:FTCS) by 41,581 shares. The estimated value of this trade is $3.84 million, calculated using the average fourth-quarter 2025 closing price. The fund’s FTCS position value at quarter’s end increased by $3.70 million, reflecting both share purchases and market price changes.

What else to know

This transaction was a buy. Post-trade, FTCS represents 2.26% of Walkner Condon Financial Advisors LLC’s 13F AUM.

• Top holdings after the filing:
  • SPDR Portfolio Developed World Ex-U.S. ETF: $49.91 million (6.9% of AUM)
  • State Street SPDR Portfolio S&P 500 ETF: $40.57 million (5.6% of AUM)
  • JP Morgan Core Plus Bond ETF: $24.76 million (3.4% of AUM)
  • iShares Core S&P 500 ETF: $23.67 million (3.3% of AUM)
  • First Trust Low Duration Opportunities ETF: $21.04 million (2.9% of AUM)

As of Jan. 26, 2026, FTCS shares were priced at $96.33, up 7% over the past year, underperforming the S&P 500 by 6 percentage points.

ETF overview

ETF snapshot

First Trust Capital Strength ETF’s:

• Investment strategy focuses on tracking an index of well-capitalized companies with strong market positions, aiming for stability and consistent performance over time.
• Underlying holdings primarily consist of common stocks and REITs, with at least 90% of assets invested in these securities to mirror the index composition.
• Fund structure is an exchange-traded fund (ETF) designed for institutional and retail investors seeking capital strength exposure.

First Trust Capital Strength ETF (FTCS) is a large, US-listed exchange-traded fund with a market capitalization of $8 billion. The fund targets companies with robust balance sheets and strong market positions, aiming to deliver stability and long-term growth potential. Its disciplined index-based approach and diversified holdings provide investors with exposure to high-quality equities while maintaining a focus on capital strength.

What this transaction means for investors

Investors should take note of Walkner Condon’s purchase of First Trust Capital Strength ETF, after the firm made it its tenth-largest holding. Since 2006, FTCS has generated total returns of 9.9% compared to the S&P 500’s 11.1%. However, FTCS has a beta of just 0.66, which means it has delivered these impressive returns with much less volatility than the broader market, making it easier to hold for the long haul.

The ETF screens for stocks with:

• at least $1 billion in cash
• a long-term debt to market cap ratio under 30%
• a return on equity of at least 14%

From here, it filters these stocks down to the 50 least volatile stocks — and those 50 make up the ETF. This simple selection process gives the ETF exposure to some of the market’s strongest, undeniably steady compounders. While its lack of high-flying growth stocks may cause it to slightly lag the S&P 500 in bull markets — as we’ve seen in the last couple of years — FTCS produces returns similar to the market while helping its investors sleep peacefully at night.

While I’m not a huge fan of its slightly lofty expense ratio of 0.59%, FTCS is a great core holding for Walkner Condon and would make an excellent investment for more risk-averse investors still looking to hold equities. Trading at a discount to the S&P 500’s average P/E ratio of 28, at 25 times earnings, now is as good a time as any to consider the steady ETF.

Josh Kohn-Lindquist has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.