Is First Trust NASDAQ-100 Ex-Technology Sector ETF (QQXT) a Strong ETF Right Now?

The First Trust NASDAQ-100 Ex-Technology Sector ETF (QQXT) was launched on 02/08/2007, and is a smart beta exchange traded fund designed to offer broad exposure to the Style Box - Large Cap Growth category of the market.What Are Smart Beta ETFs?The ETF industry has long been dominated by products based on market cap weighted indexes, a strategy created to reflect the market or a particular market segment.Investors who believe in market efficiency should consider market cap indexes, as they replicate market returns in a low-cost, convenient, and transparent way.But, there are some investors who would rather invest in smart beta funds; these funds track non-cap weighted strategies, and are a strong option for those who prefer choosing great stocks in order to beat the market.This kind of index follows this same mindset, as it attempts to pick stocks that have better chances of risk-return performance; non-cap weighted strategies base selection on certain fundamental characteristics, or a mix of such characteristics.The smart beta space gives investors many different choices, from equal-weighting, one of the simplest strategies, to more complicated ones like fundamental and volatility/momentum based weighting. However, not all of these methodologies have been able to deliver remarkable returns.Fund Sponsor & IndexManaged by First Trust Advisors, QQXT has amassed assets over $1.09 billion, making it one of the average sized ETFs in the Style Box - Large Cap Growth. This particular fund, before fees and expenses, seeks to match the performance of the NASDAQ-100 Ex-Tech Sector Index.The NASDAQ-100 Ex-Tech Sector Index is an equal-weighted index based on the securities of the NASDAQ-100 Index that are not classified as technology and, as a result, is a subset of the NASDAQ-100 Index. The NASDAQ-100 Index includes 100 of the largest domestic and international non-financial companies listed on NASDAQ based on market capitalization.Cost & Other ExpensesInvestors should also pay attention to an ETF's expense ratio. Lower cost products will produce better results than those with a higher cost, assuming all other metrics remain the same.Operating expenses on an annual basis are 0.60% for QQXT, making it one of the more expensive products in the space.The fund has a 12-month trailing dividend yield of 0.85%.Sector Exposure and Top HoldingsIt is important to delve into an ETF's holdings before investing despite the many upsides to these kinds of funds like diversified exposure, which minimizes single stock risk. And, most ETFs are very transparent products that disclose their holdings on a daily basis.This ETF has heaviest allocation in the Industrials sector - about 19.9% of the portfolio. Healthcare and Consumer Discretionary round out the top three.Looking at individual holdings, Netflix, Inc. (NFLX) accounts for about 2.13% of total assets, followed by Tesla, Inc. (TSLA) and Copart, Inc. (CPRT).The top 10 holdings account for about 20.04% of total assets under management.Performance and RiskYear-to-date, the First Trust NASDAQ-100 Ex-Technology Sector ETF has added about 3.67% so far, and is up roughly 9.74% over the last 12 months (as of 06/20/2025). QQXT has traded between $84.34 and $99.49 in this past 52-week period. QQXT has a beta of 0.94 and standard deviation of 16.46% for the trailing three-year period, which makes the fund a medium risk choice in the space. With about 57 holdings, it effectively diversifies company-specific risk .AlternativesFirst Trust NASDAQ-100 Ex-Technology Sector ETF is a reasonable option for investors seeking to outperform the Style Box - Large Cap Growth segment of the market. However, there are other ETFs in the space which investors could consider.Vanguard Growth ETF (VUG) tracks CRSP U.S. Large Cap Growth Index and the Invesco QQQ (QQQ) tracks NASDAQ-100 Index. Vanguard Growth ETF has $167.44 billion in assets, Invesco QQQ has $338.42 billion. VUG has an expense ratio of 0.04% and QQQ changes 0.20%.Investors looking for cheaper and lower-risk options should consider traditional market cap weighted ETFs that aim to match the returns of the Style Box - Large Cap GrowthBottom LineTo learn more about this product and other ETFs, screen for products that match your investment objectives and read articles on latest developments in the ETF investing universe, please visit Zacks ETF Center.Want key ETF info delivered straight to your inbox?Zacks’ free Fund Newsletter will brief you on top news and analysis, as well as top-performing ETFs, each week.Get it free >>Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report First Trust NASDAQ-100 Ex-Technology Sector ETF (QQXT): ETF Research ReportsThis article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).Zacks Investment ResearchWeiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Zacks Weiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Zacks