At a glance
FTRI charges 0.7% a year, above the 0.47% average of the 6 funds most like it (the most expensive of 7). It has $121.7M in assets, the 4th largest of that group; it paid 2.07% of its price in distributions over the past 12 months, quarterly. Over the past year it returned +13.8% with distributions reinvested (S&P 500: +11.5%), 3rd of those 7 funds; over three years it returned +14.9% a year. At its worst it fell 40.9% in the 2020 crash (S&P 500: 33.7%) and 27.5% in the 2022 bear market (S&P 500: 24.5%), and was back at its earlier high 8 months and 35 months after the lows. Its ten largest positions make up 57.7% of the fund, out of 51 in all.
The short version
First Trust Indxx Global Natural Resources Income ETF (FTRI) is an index fund that holds about 50 dividend-paying natural resources companies around the world, from gold miners and oil producers to utilities, water and fertilizer companies. It screens for a steady dividend record and picks the highest yielders, which sets it apart from broader resource funds. The trade-off is cost: its 0.70% expense ratio is the highest of the seven funds compared, against a 0.47% average.
Price history
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FTRI +13.8% 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FTRI official prospectus, to Dec 31, 2025 | — | +33.04% | — | +12.02% | +10.22% | -0.13% |
| FTRI price data to Oct 27, 2026 | +9.6% | +13.8% | +14.9% | +10.6% | +9.9% | +10.4% |
- Over the year to Oct 27, 2026, FTRI returned +13.8%, 3rd of 7 among similar funds.
- Its 5-year annualized return was +10.6% and its 10-year +9.9%.
- In the 2020 COVID crash it fell 40.9% and regained its old high 8.4 months after the low.
- Its worst full calendar year was 2018 (-8.3%); its best was 2025 (+33.6%).
- The deepest fall in its price history was 44% (Jan 17, 2020 to Mar 24, 2020), recovered by Jan 6, 2021.
Show as a table
| Year | Price data | Prospectus (official) |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 (to date) | +9.6% | — |
| 2025 | +33.6% | +33.04% |
| 2024 | -4.0% | -4.01% |
| 2023 | +1.6% | +1.67% |
| 2022 | +7.7% | +7.94% |
| 2021 | +25.2% | +25.89% |
| 2020 | -0.9% | -1.15% |
| 2019 | +21.9% | +21.57% |
| 2018 | -8.3% | -9.03% |
| 2017 | +11.8% | +12.53% |
| 2016 | +22.1% | +21.96% |
| 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 40.9% over that stretch · deepest drop along the way 40.9%, back to its old high 8.4 months after the low |
| 2022 bear market stocks fell Jan 3, 2022 – Oct 12, 2022 | Lost 2.4% over that stretch · deepest drop along the way 27.5%, back to its old high 35 months after the low |
Dividends and income
Show as a table
| Year | Per share | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 (to date) | $0.2400 | |
| 2025 | $0.3700 | -27.5% |
| 2024 | $0.5100 | -40.7% |
| 2023 | $0.8600 | -25.9% |
| 2022 | $1.1600 | +27.5% |
| 2021 | $0.9100 | +116.7% |
| 2020 | $0.4200 | -46.2% |
| 2019 | $0.7800 | +69.6% |
| 2018 | $0.4600 | +2.7% |
| 2017 | $0.4480 | +31.4% |
| 2016 | $0.3410 |
What's inside
As of Jun 30, 2026, the fund held 51 securities; the ten largest made up 57.71% of assets.
| Holding | Weight | |
|---|---|---|
| BARRICK MINING CORP | 9.64% | |
| TOTALENERGIES SE | 9.03% | |
| E.ON SE | 7.24% | |
| ANGLOGOLD ASHANTI PLC | 6.46% | |
| VEOLIA ENVIRONNEMENT SA | 4.86% | |
| NUTRIEN LTD | 4.80% | |
| GOLD FIELDS LTD | 4.42% | |
| AMERICAN WATER WORKS COMPANY INC | 4.09% | |
| AXIA ENERGIA SA | 3.94% | |
| ZIJIN MINING GROUP CO LTD | 3.23% | |
| WEYERHAEUSER COMPANY | 2.74% | |
| BUNGE GLOBAL SA | 2.74% | |
| CF INDUSTRIES HOLDINGS INC | 2.64% | |
| PTT PCL | 2.16% | |
| ORIGIN ENERGY LTD | 2.08% |
By country
United States 17.84%Canada 17.82%France 13.89%United Kingdom 12.88%Germany 7.24%By asset type
Stocks 99.74%RA 0.51%What changed recently
- Over the three months to Jun 30, 2026, investors added a net $2.8M (creations minus redemptions, per the N-PORT report).
- Monthly total returns reported for that quarter: -1.18%, -2.33%, -6.79%.
How it works
FTRI tracks the Indxx Global Natural Resources Income Index, which is run by Indxx, Inc. The fund normally keeps at least 90% of its net assets in the index's stocks. The index covers "upstream" businesses, the companies that produce raw materials rather than finished goods, across five sub-themes: energy, materials, agriculture, water and timber. To qualify, a company needs positive earnings over the past 12 months. It must have paid dividends in each of the prior three years and avoided a dividend cut in at least one of the last two. It must also earn at least half its revenue from its sub-theme.
The 50 qualifying stocks with the highest dividend yield get in, and no sub-theme can exceed 30%. Stocks are weighted by free-float market value, meaning only the shares available for public trading count. No stock can top 9.9%, and all positions above 4.5% are capped at 40% combined. Indxx can also use its own judgment to add or drop a stock.
The index is rebuilt once a year and rebalanced every quarter. Portfolio turnover was 41% in the latest prospectus. At least 40% of assets go to non-U.S. companies, so currency moves affect returns. As of June 30, 2026, the fund held 51 positions and no derivatives. The largest were Barrick Mining (9.6%), TotalEnergies (9.0%) and E.ON (7.2%).
What it really costs
- FTRI charges 0.7% a year, versus an average of 0.47% for the similar funds below (7th of 7, cheapest first).
In a retirement portfolio
FTRI is a concentrated, single-sector fund that has suffered deep drops, so it fits better as a small add-on than as a foundation.
FTRI could add exposure to gold miners, energy producers, utilities and agriculture companies. It also pays a 2.07% trailing yield, paid quarterly (as of October 27, 2026). Its 0.70% expense ratio is well above the 0.47% average of similar funds. The fund launched in March 2010, so it has no record from the 2008 crisis. In the 2020 COVID crash it fell 40.9% and took about 8 months to recover. In 2022 it dropped 27.5% between April and July and did not regain that peak until June 2025, about 35 months later. Its worst calendar year was 2018, when it lost 9.03%. Anyone who has to sell shares or draw income during a slump like these could lock in losses. 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 a small, dividend-screened slice of global miners, energy producers, utilities and agriculture companies alongside a broad core fund.
- Those comfortable with heavy foreign exposure: Canadian, French, British and German stocks made up over half of assets as of June 30, 2026.
- Holders who value quarterly dividends, with a 2.07% trailing yield as of October 27, 2026, and accept that natural resource stocks swing sharply.
Look elsewhere if
- Cost-focused investors: the 0.70% expense ratio ranks last of seven compared funds, while GNR charges 0.40% and GUNR 0.46%.
- Anyone who can't stomach steep falls, like the 44% drop in early 2020 or the 35-month recovery after its 2022 decline.
- Investors who want broad diversification: the top 10 holdings made up 57.7% of assets as of June 30, 2026, led by Barrick Mining at 9.6%.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FTRI this fund | — | 0.7% | $121.7M | +13.8% | +14.9% |
| GUNR FlexShares Morningstar Global Upstream Natu… · different strategy | 17% | 0.46% | $7.24B | +26.3% | +14.9% |
| TBLU Tortoise Global Water ESG Fund · different strategy | 16% | 0.4% | $56.7M | -4.8% | — |
| EFRA iShares Environmental Infrastructure and In… · different strategy | 15% | 0.47% | $5.7M | +3.3% | +15.7% |
| GNR SPDR S&P Global Natural Resources ETF · different strategy | 12% | 0.4% | $4.48B | +31.7% | +16.3% |
| CGW Invesco S&P Global Water Index ETF · different strategy | 11% | 0.59% | $1.05B | -1.3% | +14.8% |
| AQWA Global X Clean Water ETF · different strategy | 10% | 0.5% | $21.4M | -5.3% | +12.3% |
Questions investors ask
Does FTRI pay monthly dividends?
No. FTRI pays dividends quarterly, not monthly. As of October 27, 2026, its trailing 12-month yield was 2.07%, or about $0.35 per share. The index only admits companies with a multi-year dividend record, but that doesn't guarantee future payouts. The prospectus warns that companies are not required to keep paying dividends and could reduce or eliminate them, so the fund's income can rise or fall over time.
What is FTRI's expense ratio?
FTRI's expense ratio is 0.70%, made up entirely of its management fee, according to the prospectus filed January 28, 2026. No fee waiver is listed. That is well above the 0.47% average of the similar funds compared here, and it ranks last of seven on cost. For comparison, SPDR S&P Global Natural Resources ETF (GNR) charges 0.40%, and the FlexShares Morningstar Global Upstream Natural Resources Index Fund (GUNR) charges 0.46%.
What's the difference between FTRI and GUNR?
Both invest in global upstream natural resources companies, but they use different strategies and share only about 17% of their holdings. FTRI picks the 50 highest-yielding stocks that pass dividend and earnings screens. GUNR follows a Morningstar index without that income focus. GUNR is much larger, with $7.2 billion in net assets against FTRI's $121.7 million, and cheaper at 0.46% versus 0.70%. As of October 27, 2026, GUNR returned 26.3% over one year versus FTRI's 13.8%. Over three years, both returned 14.9% a year.
Is FTRI good for retirement income?
It can add some income, but it is a volatile sector fund rather than a steady income holding. The yield was 2.07% as of October 27, 2026, paid quarterly. The fund fell 40.9% in the 2020 COVID crash. After dropping 27.5% in 2022, it took about 35 months to get back to its peak. Its 0.70% fee also takes a noticeable share of that yield. Retirees drawing income in a downturn could have to sell shares at low prices.
How has FTRI performed over the long term?
Results have been strong over the last decade but weak overall since launch. As of December 31, 2025, the prospectus shows average annual returns of 33.04% for one year, 12.02% for five years and 10.22% for ten years. Since its March 2010 launch, however, the average annual return was -0.13%, which reflects losses in its early years. Calendar-year results ranged from a 9.03% loss in 2018 to a 33.04% gain in 2025.