Walkner Condon Adds 81,000 LMBS Shares in Q4 Buy

What happened

According to a January 20, 2026, SEC filing, Walkner Condon Financial Advisors LLC increased its holdings in First Trust Low Duration Opportunities ETF (NASDAQ:LMBS) by 80,543 shares during the fourth quarter. The estimated value of the trade was $4.03 million, based on the mean unadjusted close during the quarter. The fund’s quarter-end position in the ETF was valued at $21.04 million, up $4.09 million from the prior period, reflecting both share purchases and price changes.

What else to know

• This purchase raised LMBS to 2.92% of Walkner Condon’s 13F AUM after the filing.
• Top holdings after the quarter:
  • SPDR Portfolio Developed World ex-US ETF: $49.91 million (6.9% of AUM)
  • State Street SPDR Portfolio S&P 500 ETF: $40.57 million (5.6% of AUM)
  • JPMorgan 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: $40.09 million (2.92% of AUM)
• As of Jan. 20, 2026, LMBS shares were priced at $50.15, up 7.28% over the past year, underperforming the S&P 500 by 7.5 percentage points.
• LMBS carried a 4.07% dividend yield as of Jan. 21, 2026.

ETF overview

ETF snapshot

• Investment strategy focuses on generating income and preserving capital by allocating at least 60% of assets to mortgage-related debt securities, including both residential and commercial mortgage-backed instruments.
• The portfolio is primarily composed of mortgage-related investments.
• The fund targets investors seeking stable income and reduced interest rate sensitivity compared to traditional longer-duration bond funds.

The ETF is designed to provide exposure to a diversified portfolio of mortgage-related securities while maintaining a low duration profile. Its strategy emphasizes income generation and risk mitigation through active allocation within the mortgage-backed securities market.

What this transaction means for investors

The First Trust Low Duration Opportunities ETF holds over 1,000 mortgage-related securities, primarily including mortgage-backed securities (MBSes), which are pools of mortgages, in this case both residential and commercial. It focuses primarily on low-duration securities, and its weighted average net effective duration is about 2.5 years. This type of fund is suitable for investors with a shorter investment horizon, or those who are looking to diversify their portfolio. The short duration also helps protect investors against interest rate risk, as rates are less likely to change during shorter time frames.

Walkner Condon’s $4 million addition in the latest quarter was modest — just 0.56% of fund’s 13F AUM — and didn’t change the ETF’s No. 5 position in the fund, but may signal the portfolio manager’s confidence in LMBS to achieve its stated objective to generate income, with a secondary objective of capital appreciation.

Indeed, the LMBS ETF may be a good fit for investors looking to add an income-generating investment to their portfolio. Its 12-month distribution rate was about 4.08% in 2025 and it has an expense ratio of 0.65%.

Sarah Sidlow 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.