At a glance
FTXN charges 0.6% a year, above the 0.28% average of the 8 funds most like it (the most expensive of 9). It has $180.7M in assets, the 8th largest of that group; it paid 1.7% of its price in distributions over the past 12 months, quarterly. Over the past year it returned +57.0% with distributions reinvested (S&P 500: +11.5%), 5th of those 9 funds; over three years it returned +16.5% a year. At its worst it fell 55.3% in the 2020 crash (S&P 500: 33.7%) and 30.0% in the 2022 bear market (S&P 500: 24.5%), and was back at its earlier high 11 months and 4 months after the lows. Its ten largest positions make up 53.1% of the fund, out of 43 in all.
The short version
First Trust Nasdaq Oil & Gas ETF (FTXN) tracks the Nasdaq US Smart Oil & Gas Index: 30 to 50 U.S. oil and gas stocks chosen by profitability, momentum and cash flow, then weighted by cash flow rather than company size. Its 0.60% expense ratio is more than double the 0.28% average of similar energy funds. It has also swung hard, including a 73.5% drop from October 2018 to March 2020.
Price history
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FTXN +57.0% 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FTXN official prospectus, to Dec 31, 2025 | — | -0.15% | — | +22.14% | — | +6.10% |
| FTXN price data to Oct 27, 2026 | +53.9% | +57.0% | +16.5% | +18.1% | +10.2% | +10.1% |
- Over the year to Oct 27, 2026, FTXN returned +57.0%, 5th of 9 among similar funds.
- Its 5-year annualized return was +18.1% and its 10-year +10.2%.
- In the 2020 COVID crash it fell 55.3% and regained its old high 11 months after the low.
- Its worst full calendar year was 2020 (-28.1%); its best was 2021 (+69.1%).
- The deepest fall in its price history was 73.5% (Oct 3, 2018 to Mar 18, 2020), recovered by Mar 2, 2022.
Show as a table
| Year | Price data | Prospectus (official) |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 (to date) | +53.9% | — |
| 2025 | -0.2% | -0.15% |
| 2024 | +4.1% | +4.06% |
| 2023 | +4.9% | +4.93% |
| 2022 | +47.4% | +47.58% |
| 2021 | +69.1% | +68.93% |
| 2020 | -28.1% | -28.58% |
| 2019 | +3.3% | +3.18% |
| 2018 | -21.0% | -20.19% |
| 2017 | -2.3% | -2.56% |
| 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 54.1% over that stretch · deepest drop along the way 55.3%, back to its old high 11 months after the low |
| 2022 bear market stocks fell Jan 3, 2022 – Oct 12, 2022 | Gained 39.3% over that stretch · deepest drop along the way 30%, back to its old high 3.8 months after the low |
Dividends and income
Show as a table
| Year | Per share | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 (to date) | $0.5000 | |
| 2025 | $0.7900 | +9.7% |
| 2024 | $0.7200 | -25.8% |
| 2023 | $0.9700 | +54.0% |
| 2022 | $0.6300 | +215.0% |
| 2021 | $0.2000 | -4.8% |
| 2020 | $0.2100 | -54.3% |
| 2019 | $0.4600 | +31.4% |
| 2018 | $0.3500 | -6.9% |
| 2017 | $0.3760 |
What's inside
As of Jun 30, 2026, the fund held 43 securities; the ten largest made up 53.09% of assets.
| Holding | Weight | |
|---|---|---|
| CONOCOPHILLIPS | 7.26% | |
| EXXONMOBIL HOLDINGS CORP | 7.10% | |
| CHEVRON CORP | 7.03% | |
| EOG RESOURCES INC | 5.60% | |
| OCCIDENTAL PETROLEUM CORP | 5.23% | |
| MARATHON PETROLEUM CORP | 5.10% | |
| VENTURE GLOBAL INC | 4.19% | |
| VALERO ENERGY CORP | 4.06% | |
| DIAMONDBACK ENERGY INC | 4.00% | |
| DEVON ENERGY CORP | 3.52% | |
| KINDER MORGAN INC | 3.34% | |
| ONEOK INC | 3.27% | |
| WILLIAMS COMPANIES INC (THE) | 3.26% | |
| SLB LTD | 3.13% | |
| CHENIERE ENERGY INC | 3.06% |
By country
United States 96.02%Curaçao 3.13%Ireland 0.4%Switzerland 0.38%By asset type
Stocks 99.93%By sector
Sectors of the companies held, for the 74% of the fund in companies that have a stock page here; other holdings and cash aren't classified. Source: N-PORT holdings report as of Jun 30, 2026. Cash, money-market funds and derivatives are shown separately from the securities list.What changed recently
- Over the three months to Jun 30, 2026, investors added a net $57.7M (creations minus redemptions, per the N-PORT report).
- Monthly total returns reported for that quarter: -1.79%, -7.01%, -4.85%.
How it works
FTXN is an index fund from First Trust. It invests at least 80% of its net assets in the stocks of the Nasdaq US Smart Oil & Gas Index and tries to match the index's results before fees. Nasdaq owns and runs the index. The starting pool is U.S. companies in the Nasdaq US Benchmark Index that fall into six oil and gas groups: integrated oil companies, crude producers, offshore drillers and services, refiners and marketers, equipment and service firms, and pipeline operators.
Stocks that pass size, float (shares available to trade) and trading-volume tests are ranked on four factors: gross income, return on assets, momentum (the recent price trend) and cash flow. Cash flow counts for little in the ranking and can act as a tiebreaker. The top 30 to 50 stocks make the cut. Weights are then set by cash flow. Up to five stocks can hold the 8% maximum, all others are capped at 4%, and none can fall below 0.50%. As of June 30, 2026, the index held 43 stocks, led by ConocoPhillips (7.3%), Exxon Mobil (7.1%) and Chevron (7.0%).
The index is rebalanced and reconstituted twice a year, and the fund follows shortly after each change. Portfolio turnover was 30%. As of June 30, 2026, the fund held 99.9% stocks and no derivatives. It stays concentrated in energy whenever the index is.
What it really costs
- FTXN charges 0.6% a year, versus an average of 0.28% for the similar funds below (9th of 9, cheapest first).
In a retirement portfolio
FTXN is a concentrated bet on one volatile industry, so it fits as a small add-on to a broad portfolio, not its foundation.
FTXN adds focused exposure to U.S. oil and gas, and energy stocks have sometimes held up when the wider market didn't. In the 2022 bear market the fund gained 39.3%. The 2020 crash went the other way: it fell 55.3% in under a month and took 11 months to recover. Its worst calendar year was 2020 (-28.58%). Its deepest drop, 73.5% from October 2018 to March 2020, took about two years from the low to recover. The fund launched in 2016, so it has no 2008 record. A retiree drawing cash in a slump like that could have been forced to cash out shares near the bottom.
It yielded 1.7% over the 12 months to October 27, 2026, paid quarterly. It charges 0.60% a year, against 0.08% for XLE. Past results don't predict future returns, 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 oil and gas position screened for gross income, return on assets and momentum, not just weighted by company size.
- Those who want a mix of producers, refiners and pipelines, such as Marathon Petroleum, Valero, Kinder Morgan and Cheniere, alongside ConocoPhillips, Exxon and Chevron.
- Long-term holders who could sit through deep drops, like the 55.3% fall in early 2020, without needing that money.
Look elsewhere if
- Cost-focused investors: the 0.60% expense ratio ranked 9th of 9 similar funds, while XLE charges 0.08% and VDE 0.09%.
- Anyone who needs meaningful income; the trailing 12-month yield was 1.7% as of October 27, 2026, paid quarterly.
- Retirees who may need cash in a downturn; the fund fell 73.5% from October 2018 to March 2020 and needed about two years to recover.
Close alternatives
Matched by holdings overlap from the latest N-PORT reports.
| Fund | Overlap | Cost | Net assets | 1 yr | 3 yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FTXN this fund | — | 0.6% | $180.7M | +57.0% | +16.5% |
| XLE Energy Select Sector SPDR Fund | 67% | 0.08% | $35.72B | +64.6% | -4.0% |
| RSPG Invesco S&P 500 Equal Weight Energy ETF | 64% | 0.4% | $573.6M | +56.1% | +19.7% |
| IYE iShares U.S. Energy ETF | 60% | 0.39% | $1.76B | +56.7% | +20.5% |
| VDE Vanguard Energy ETF | 60% | 0.09% | $13.26B | +62.1% | +21.4% |
| FENY Fidelity MSCI Energy Index ETF | 59% | 0.084% | $2.01B | +56.9% | +20.5% |
| IEO iShares U.S. Oil & Gas Exploration & Produc… | 50% | 0.4% | $516.1M | +67.3% | +18.3% |
| OILT Texas Capital Texas Oil Index ETF | 50% | 0.35% | $12.0M | +64.5% | — |
Questions investors ask
What does FTXN invest in?
FTXN holds U.S. oil and gas stocks picked by the Nasdaq US Smart Oil & Gas Index. As of June 30, 2026, it owned 43 companies. The largest were ConocoPhillips (7.3%), Exxon Mobil (7.1%), Chevron (7.0%), EOG Resources (5.6%), Occidental Petroleum (5.2%) and Marathon Petroleum (5.1%). The top 10 made up 53.1% of the fund. Holdings span producers, refiners, equipment and service firms, and pipelines such as Kinder Morgan, ONEOK and Williams.
What's the difference between FTXN and XLE?
The biggest difference is cost. XLE charges 0.08% a year and FTXN charges 0.60%. Based on their latest N-PORT reports, about 67% of their holdings overlap. FTXN picks stocks by profitability, momentum and cash flow, and it weights them by cash flow. XLE is far larger, with about $35.7 billion in net assets against FTXN's $180.7 million as of June 30, 2026. Over one year, XLE returned 64.6% as of October 30, 2026, while FTXN returned 57% as of October 27, 2026.
Does FTXN pay dividends?
Yes. FTXN pays dividends quarterly. Over the 12 months to October 27, 2026, it paid $0.72 per share, a yield of 1.7%. The payouts come from dividends paid by the oil and gas companies it holds, so they can rise or fall with energy profits. The yield is modest, and the fund's main draw is its exposure to energy stocks rather than income.
How has FTXN performed over the long term?
Its long-term results have been strong in some stretches and poor in others. As of December 31, 2025, the fund returned -0.15% over one year, 22.14% a year over five years and 6.1% a year since its 2016 launch. Calendar years ranged from -28.58% in 2020 to 68.93% in 2021. In 2026 it was up 53.9% year to date through October 27, 2026. Its price-based 10-year return was 10.2% a year as of that date.
Is FTXN a good investment for retirement?
For most retirement portfolios, FTXN works at most as a small, higher-risk add-on. It holds only one industry, and it fell 55.3% in early 2020 and 73.5% from October 2018 to March 2020. On the other hand, it gained 39.3% during the 2022 bear market, when most stocks fell. Its 1.7% yield (as of October 27, 2026) is modest. Its 0.60% expense ratio is well above the 0.28% average of similar energy funds.