The short interest in the First Trust Developed Markets ex-US Small Cap AlphaDEX Fund (NASDAQ: FDTS) saw a significant decline of 31.2% in February. As of February 27, 2024, short interest totaled 6,654 shares, down from 9,676 shares recorded on February 12, 2024. This decrease reflects a change in market sentiment, with approximately 4.4% of the fund’s shares currently short sold. The average daily trading volume stands at 5,737 shares, translating to a days-to-cover ratio of 1.2 days.
Institutional investors have recently engaged with the fund, indicating a growing interest. For example, Crusonia Wealth Advisors LLC purchased a new stake valued at about $2,522,000 during the fourth quarter. In addition, Citadel Advisors LLC increased its stake by 32.5% in the third quarter, now owning 17,298 shares worth approximately $969,000 after acquiring an additional 4,238 shares. Furthermore, Osaic Holdings Inc. expanded its holdings by an astonishing 3,365.8% in the fourth quarter, bringing its total to 2,738 shares worth $160,000.
Current Trading Performance
On Friday, FDTS shares traded down by $0.49 to reach $64.67. Trading volume for the day reached 18,706 shares, significantly higher than the average of 4,341 shares. The fund has seen a 52-week low of $37.10 and a high of $72.53. The fifty-day simple moving average is $65.87, while the 200-day simple moving average stands at $59.69. Currently, the market capitalization of the fund is approximately $9.70 million, with a price-to-earnings ratio of 8.58 and a beta of 0.86.
About the Fund
The First Trust Developed Markets ex-US Small Cap AlphaDEX Fund is an exchange-traded fund that tracks the NASDAQ AlphaDEX DM Ex-US Small Cap Index. Launched on February 15, 2012, the fund aims to provide exposure to a tiered equal-weighted index of 400 small-cap companies selected from the S&P Developed Markets ex-US BMI, utilizing S&P’s AlphaDex selection methodology. The fund’s focus on international markets offers investors a unique opportunity to diversify their portfolios beyond domestic equities.
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