Flaharty Buys $15 Million of First Trust Enhanced Short Maturity ETF
Key Points
Flaherty acquired 247,122 shares of FTSM in the fourth quarter.
The firm's quarter-end position value increased by $14.8 million due to the purchase.
The position represents a 1.8% change in fund 13F assets under management (AUM).
Post-trade holding: 247,122 shares valued at $14.8 million.
Following the trade, FTSM ranks outside the fund’s top five holdings.
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On February 6, 2026, Flaharty Asset Management, LLC disclosed a new position in First Trust Enhanced Short Maturity ETF (NASDAQ:FTSM) , where it bought 247,122 shares in the fourth quarter.
What happened
According to a SEC filing dated February 6, 2026, Flaharty Asset Management, LLC reported a new stake in First Trust Enhanced Short Maturity ETF by purchasing 247,122 shares during the fourth quarter of 2025. As of the end of the quarter, Dec. 31, 2025, the position had a market value of $14.8 million, reflecting the purchase activity and prevailing market prices.
What else to know
- This was a new position, representing 1.85% of Flaharty Asset Management, LLC’s 13F reportable AUM as of December 31, 2025.
- Top five holdings after this filing:
- NYSEMKT: MINT: $45.5 million (5.7% of AUM)
- NYSEMKT: JAAA: $37.9 million (4.7% of AUM)
- NASDAQ: FTSL: $35.9 million (4.5% of AUM)
- NYSEMKT: RSPG: $34.8 million (4.3% of AUM)
- NYSEMKT: XLF: $34.6 million (4.3% of AUM)
- As of February 5, 2026, shares were priced at $59.99.
- FTSM’s one-year total return was 4.63%, underperforming the S&P 500 by 8.9 percentage points.
- Annualized dividend yield stands at 4.24%.
ETF overview
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Net assets | $6.3 billion |
| Price (as of market close February 5, 2026) | $59.99 |
| Dividend yield | 4.24% |
| 1-year total return | 4.6% |
ETF snapshot
- Investment strategy focuses on U.S. dollar-denominated fixed- and variable-rate debt securities with an average duration of less than one year and an average maturity of less than three years.
- The portfolio is composed primarily of short-term, investment-grade bonds and money market instruments, aiming to enhance yield while managing interest rate risk.
- Targets investors seeking a conservative approach to cash management through high-quality, short-term debt exposure.
First Trust Enhanced Short Maturity ETF (FTSM) is a short-duration, actively managed fixed income ETF with a market capitalization of $6.3 billion. The fund seeks to provide current income while preserving capital by investing in high-quality, short-term debt securities. Its strategy is designed for investors seeking a conservative approach to cash management.
What this transaction means for investors
Flaherty Asset Management made several adjustments to its holdings in the quarter, buying and trimming many positions. It trimmed positions in some bond funds, such as MINT and JAAA, while adding to bond funds from the same company, First Trust, in FTSL and FTSM.
There’s no way to know why the firm made these moves. All these bond funds have delivered similar returns over the past 12 months. For whatever reason, Flaherty likes the income-generating prospects of FTSM and FTSL.
Many institutional investors have been buying bond funds recently, likely anticipating lower interest rates in 2026. Buying now helps lock in higher yields before rates drop.
There’s also a lot of uncertainty in the economy, as investors receive mixed signals about the near-term health of business conditions. Short-term bond funds like FTSM are offering yields of around 4% right now, which looks attractive amid market uncertainty.
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John Ballard 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.
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