At a glance
FGD charges 0.55% a year, above the 0.3% average of the 6 funds most like it (the most expensive of 7). It has $1.40B in assets, the 6th largest of that group; it paid 5.72% of its price in distributions over the past 12 months, quarterly. Over the past year it returned +20.6% with distributions reinvested (S&P 500: +11.5%), 3rd of those 7 funds; over three years it returned +26.2% a year. At its worst it fell 44.4% in the 2020 crash (S&P 500: 33.7%) and 28.7% in the 2022 bear market (S&P 500: 24.5%), and was back at its earlier high 10 months and 19 months after the lows. Its ten largest positions make up 15.7% of the fund, out of 99 in all.
The short version
First Trust Dow Jones Global Select Dividend Index Fund (FGD) is an ETF that tracks the Dow Jones Global Select Dividend Index. The index holds 100 high-yielding dividend stocks from developed markets, including the US, and weights them by dividend yield. Its trailing 12-month yield was 5.72% as of October 27, 2026, paid quarterly. The trade-off is cost: its 0.55% expense ratio is above all six similar funds we compared, which average 0.30%.
Price history
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FGD +20.6% over the year to Oct 27, 2026, total return with distributions reinvested.
How it has behaved
| YTD | 1 yr | 3 yr | 5 yr | 10 yr | Since start | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FGD official prospectus, to Dec 31, 2025 | — | +44.22% | — | +13.04% | +9.29% | +5.52% |
| FGD price data to Oct 27, 2026 | +14.7% | +20.6% | +26.2% | +11.9% | +9.9% | +6.0% |
- Over the year to Oct 27, 2026, FGD returned +20.6%, 3rd of 7 among similar funds.
- Its 5-year annualized return was +11.9% and its 10-year +9.9%.
- In the 2020 COVID crash it fell 44.4% and regained its old high 9.7 months after the low.
- Its worst full calendar year was 2008 (-50.2%); its best was 2009 (+60.1%).
- The deepest fall in its price history was 68.1% (Nov 29, 2007 to Mar 9, 2009), recovered by Apr 25, 2013.
Show as a table
| Year | Price data | Prospectus (official) |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 (to date) | +14.7% | — |
| 2025 | +44.4% | +44.22% |
| 2024 | +5.7% | +5.63% |
| 2023 | +8.2% | +8.19% |
| 2022 | -7.2% | -6.98% |
| 2021 | +20.8% | +20.41% |
| 2020 | -5.5% | -4.59% |
| 2019 | +20.7% | +19.88% |
| 2018 | -12.5% | -12.40% |
| 2017 | +17.8% | +17.62% |
| 2016 | +11.9% | +11.80% |
| 2015 | -10.1% | — |
| 2014 | -1.8% | — |
| 2013 | +17.6% | — |
| 2012 | +16.1% | — |
| 2011 | -2.6% | — |
| 2010 | +12.5% | — |
| 2009 | +60.1% | — |
| 2008 | -50.2% | — |
| 2008 financial crisis stocks fell Oct 9, 2007 – Mar 9, 2009 | Before this security existed |
|---|---|
| 2020 COVID crash stocks fell Feb 19, 2020 – Mar 23, 2020 | Lost 44.4% over that stretch · deepest drop along the way 44.4%, back to its old high 9.7 months after the low |
| 2022 bear market stocks fell Jan 3, 2022 – Oct 12, 2022 | Lost 24.7% over that stretch · deepest drop along the way 28.7%, back to its old high 19.1 months after the low |
Dividends and income
Show as a table
| Year | Per share | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 (to date) | $1.2700 | |
| 2025 | $1.7000 | +29.8% |
| 2024 | $1.3100 | -9.0% |
| 2023 | $1.4400 | +13.4% |
| 2022 | $1.2700 | -5.2% |
| 2021 | $1.3400 | -0.7% |
| 2020 | $1.3500 | +3.8% |
| 2019 | $1.3000 | +2.4% |
| 2018 | $1.2700 | +21.0% |
| 2017 | $1.0500 | +2.9% |
| 2016 | $1.0200 | -8.1% |
| 2015 | $1.1100 | -15.3% |
| 2014 | $1.3100 | +6.5% |
| 2013 | $1.2300 | +3.4% |
| 2012 | $1.1900 | +6.2% |
| 2011 | $1.1200 | +10.9% |
| 2010 | $1.0100 | +46.4% |
| 2009 | $0.6900 | -51.1% |
| 2008 | $1.4100 |
What's inside
As of Jun 30, 2026, the fund held 99 securities; the ten largest made up 15.7% of assets.
| Holding | Weight | |
|---|---|---|
| ROBERT HALF INC | 2.03% | |
| HYUNDAI ELEVATOR COMPANY LTD | 1.86% | |
| BANCO BPM SPA | 1.70% | |
| CAL-MAINE FOODS INC | 1.52% | |
| LEGAL & GENERAL GROUP PLC | 1.50% | |
| ONEMAIN HOLDINGS INC | 1.44% | |
| WESTERN UNION COMPANY (THE) | 1.43% | |
| STANDARD LIFE PLC | 1.42% | |
| TELEFONICA SA | 1.41% | |
| OMV AG | 1.38% | |
| ENAGAS SA | 1.35% | |
| ABERDEEN GROUP PLC | 1.34% | |
| UNICAJA BANCO SA | 1.33% | |
| NATURGY ENERGY GROUP SA | 1.32% | |
| ZIGUP PLC | 1.32% |
By country
United States 21.96%Spain 11.03%United Kingdom 10.06%Canada 8.82%France 6.35%By asset type
Stocks 97.28%Preferred stock 2.07%What changed recently
- Over the three months to Jun 30, 2026, investors added a net $135.8M (creations minus redemptions, per the N-PORT report).
- Monthly total returns reported for that quarter: +5.32%, +1.11%, -4.20%.
How it works
FGD, a First Trust index fund, aims to match the price and yield, before fees, of the Dow Jones Global Select Dividend Index from S&P Dow Jones Indices. The index picks from developed-market stocks, excluding real estate investment trusts (REITs). To qualify, a company needs five straight years of dividends, a dividend per share at least equal to its five-year average, and no net loss over the past 12 months. Earnings must also have averaged at least 167% of dividends over five years (125% outside the US and Europe).
Eligible stocks are ranked by indicated annual dividend yield: the annualized regular dividend, excluding special payouts, divided by the share price. The top 100 make the cut, and existing members stay until they fall outside the top 200. Weights also follow yield, not company size. Yields used for weighting are capped at 20%, and no stock may exceed 10% of the index.
The index refreshes its members and weights once a year, with caps enforced quarterly, and the fund trades shortly after changes are announced. As of June 30, 2026, Robert Half was the largest holding at about 2%. The fund concentrates where the index does; as of December 31, 2025, that meant significant stakes in financial companies and Asian and European issuers.
What it really costs
- FGD charges 0.55% a year, versus an average of 0.3% for the similar funds below (7th of 7, cheapest first).
- Of that, 0.4% is the management fee; the rest covers other fund expenses.
In a retirement portfolio
FGD's main draw is a high, quarterly dividend from a broad set of developed-market stocks, not growth or downside protection.
FGD may add dividend income from a broad mix of developed-market companies, many outside the US. Its trailing 12-month yield was 5.72% as of October 27, 2026, paid quarterly. That income has come with deep drops. The fund launched in November 2007, just before the financial crisis. 2008 was its worst calendar year, at -50.2%. Its deepest fall, 68.1% from November 2007 to March 2009, took until April 2013 to recover. In the 2020 COVID crash it fell 44.4% and recovered in about 10 months. In 2022 it fell 28.7% and needed about 19 months. Anyone who has to sell shares near a low locks in the loss, and companies can cut dividends in hard times. The 0.55% expense ratio is also above the 0.30% average of similar funds. Past results don't predict the future, and a plan should look at the whole portfolio, not one fund.
Who it may suit — and who should look elsewhere
May suit
- Investors who want quarterly dividend income from stocks; the trailing 12-month yield was 5.72% as of October 27, 2026.
- Those who want high-yield stocks across developed markets: about 22% US, plus Spain, the UK, Canada and France, as of June 30, 2026.
- People who prefer rules that screen for five-year dividend records and earnings coverage, with no holding above about 2% as of June 30, 2026.
Look elsewhere if
- Cost-focused investors: the 0.55% expense ratio compares with 0.17% for VYMI and 0.11% for DIVI.
- Anyone who can't stomach deep losses: it fell 68.1% in 2008–09, taking over four years to recover, and 44.4% in 2020.
- Investors who want growth stocks or less exposure to currency swings, financial companies, and Asian and European markets.
Close alternatives
Matched by closest holdings overlap from the latest N-PORT reports (no similar fund shares 20% or more of its holdings).
| Fund | Overlap | Cost | Net assets | 1 yr | 3 yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FGD this fund | — | 0.55% | $1.40B | +20.6% | +26.2% |
| IDV iShares International Select Dividend ETF | 46% | 0.49% | $8.45B | +19.5% | +27.1% |
| WDIV SPDR S&P Global Dividend ETF | 15% | 0.4% | $262.4M | +16.2% | +21.6% |
| LVHI Franklin International Low Volatility High … | 13% | 0.4% | $5.00B | +27.0% | +24.7% |
| DIVI Franklin International Core Dividend Tilt I… | 11% | 0.11% | $2.56B | +15.4% | +21.6% |
| VYMI Vanguard International High Dividend Yield … | 8% | 0.17% | $21.87B | +23.2% | +24.4% |
| DFIC Dimensional International Core Equity 2 ETF | 5% | 0.23% | $14.82B | +17.4% | +20.7% |
Questions investors ask
Does FGD pay monthly dividends?
No. FGD pays dividends quarterly, not monthly. Over the 12 months to October 27, 2026, it paid $1.91 per share, a trailing yield of 5.72%. That yield comes from the index's design, which ranks and weights stocks by dividend yield. Payments can change from quarter to quarter, and the prospectus warns that companies are not required to keep paying dividends and could cut them.
What's the difference between FGD and IDV?
They are similar but not identical. The iShares International Select Dividend ETF (IDV) shares about 46% of its holdings with FGD, the most of any similar fund. IDV costs 0.49% a year against FGD's 0.55%. It is also much larger, at about $8.4 billion as of July 31, 2026, against FGD's $1.4 billion as of June 30, 2026. As of October 27, 2026, FGD returned 20.6% over one year against IDV's 19.5%. Over three years (yearly average), FGD returned 26.2% and IDV 27.1%.
What stocks does FGD hold?
FGD holds about 100 high-yielding stocks from developed markets. As of June 30, 2026, the largest were Robert Half (2.0%), Hyundai Elevator (1.9%), Banco BPM (1.7%), Cal-Maine Foods (1.5%) and Legal & General (1.5%). The top 10 made up only 15.7% of the fund. By country, 22% was in the US, 11% in Spain, 10% in the UK and 8.8% in Canada. The prospectus notes significant stakes in financial companies, Asian issuers and European issuers as of December 31, 2025.
How has FGD performed over the long term?
Its long-term returns have been modest but uneven. According to the prospectus, as of December 31, 2025, FGD returned 44.22% over one year and 13.04% a year over five years. It returned 9.29% a year over ten years and 5.52% a year since its 2007 launch. The ride has been bumpy: it lost 12.4% in 2018 and 6.98% in 2022, and it fell 34.05% in the first quarter of 2020 alone.
Is FGD good for retirement income?
It may suit retirees who want a high, quarterly dividend and accept stock-market swings. The trailing yield was 5.72% as of October 27, 2026. Its one-year beta was 0.57, so it moved less than the broad market over that stretch. Beta measures how much a fund tends to move with the market. Even so, it has fallen 68.1% in 2008–09 and 44.4% in 2020. Its 0.55% expense ratio is also above the 0.30% average of similar funds.