FSC Wealth Advisors Sells $6 Million of First Trust Enhanced Short Maturity ETF

Source The Motley Fool

Key Points

  • Sold 99,329 shares of First Trust Enhanced Short Maturity ETF; estimated transaction value $5.96 million based on quarterly average price.

  • Quarter-end stake value declined by $5.9 million, reflecting both trading and price movement.

  • Transaction represented 9.67% of 13F reportable assets under management (AUM).

  • Position after sale: 99,879 shares valued at $5.9 million.

  • Move aligns with fund’s broader liquidation pattern.

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On Jan. 22, 2026, FSC Wealth Advisors, LLC disclosed in an SEC filing that it sold 99,329 shares of First Trust Enhanced Short Maturity ETF (NASDAQ:FTSM), an estimated $5.96 million trade based on quarterly average pricing.

What happened

According to a SEC filing dated Jan. 22, 2026, FSC Wealth Advisors, LLC reduced its holdings in First Trust Enhanced Short Maturity ETF by 99,329 shares. The estimated transaction value was $5.96 million, based on the average unadjusted closing price for the quarter ended Dec. 31, 2025. The quarter-end value of the stake decreased by $5.95 million, reflecting both trading activity and changes in share price.

What else to know

  • This sale brought the FTSM holding to 9.7% of 13F reportable AUM.
  • Top holdings after the filing:
    • NYSEMKT:SPY: $7.64 million (12.4% of AUM)
    • NYSEMKT:FTSM: $5.9 million (9.7% of AUM)
    • NYSEMKT:BIL: $5.4 million (8.8% of AUM)
    • NYSEMKT:CWB: $5.4 million (8.8% of AUM)
    • NYSEMKT:SCHD: $3.1 million (5.1% of AUM)
  • As of Jan. 21, 2026, FTSM shares were priced at $60.04, up 4.6% over the past year, underperforming the S&P 500 by 10.5 percentage points.

ETF overview

MetricValue
AUMN/A
Price (as of market close January 21, 2026)$60.04
Dividend yield4.28%
1-year total return4.62%

ETF snapshot

  • Seeks to provide current income and preserve capital by investing primarily in U.S. dollar-denominated fixed- and variable-rate debt securities with an average duration of less than one year.
  • Portfolio is composed of short-maturity U.S. dollar-denominated fixed- and variable-rate debt securities with an average duration of less than one year.
  • Structured as an ETF investing in U.S. dollar-denominated fixed- and variable-rate debt securities with an average duration of less than one year.

First Trust Enhanced Short Maturity ETF (FTSM) is a large, actively managed short-duration fixed income ETF with a market capitalization of $6.2 billion. The fund aims to deliver attractive, risk-adjusted yields while maintaining a conservative duration profile, making it suitable for investors seeking enhanced cash management. FTSM's diversified portfolio and focus on high-quality securities provide a competitive edge in the short-term bond ETF space.

What this transaction means for investors

FSC Wealth Advisors made broad reductions across the fund in the fourth quarter. In addition to cutting its FTSM stake in half, it also sold shares in the SPDR S&P 500 ETF and SPDR Bloomberg 1-3 Month T-Bill ETF.

It even reduced positions in the Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF, which holds a diversified portfolio of blue chip dividend payers. These moves are not surprising after three years of returns in the current bull market.

There are many reasons a fund manager might reduce positions across the portfolio, including uncertainty about the near-term direction of markets, taking profits, or raising cash for client withdrawals.

Investors shouldn’t take FSC Wealth Advisors’ $6 million sale as reflecting negatively on FTSM’s prospects, as it has a solid history of delivering returns over the last 10 years. The prospect of falling interest rates in 2026 may increase the appeal of its approximately 4% dividend yield.

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John Ballard has positions in Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Disclaimer: For information purposes only. Past performance is not indicative of future results.
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