The takeaway
First Trust Active Factor Large Cap ETF shows a moderate seasonal pattern over 7 years of data — strongest in July (+3.2%) and softest in September (−2.2%).
Right now
In July, the fund has risen 100% of years, averaging +3.2%, about +1.1 pts better than the S&P 500.
The full picture
First Trust Active Factor Large Cap ETF's most dependable month has been July, higher in 6 of 6 years; September has been its least reliable, up just 33% of the time.
| Year | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
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| 2019 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Month by month
The fund's clearest edge over the S&P 500 lands in November (+2.2 pts); it has trailed the market most in March (−2.4 pts).
“vs S&P” is First Trust Active Factor Large Cap ETF’s average for a month minus the S&P 500’s average for that same month — isolating First Trust Active Factor Large Cap ETF’s own seasonal edge from broad market drift.
Reality check
Over the last 5 years, July has closed higher 100% of the time versus 100% across the last 7 years — the pattern is holding.
Figures are the typical (median) July return and how often it rose — the last 5 years versus the last 7(the heatmap’s default window). This verdict stays anchored to that 7-year window even if you zoom the chart, so it never disagrees with the badges above.
In plain English
This is a fund you can almost set a calendar by, and July is the anchor — it has closed higher in all 6 Julys, the steadiest beat on its year.
The strength looks broad-based rather than freakish: its average (+3.2%) and median (+2.3%) sit close together, so no single blow-out year is flattering the figure. No month is steadier: July's returns vary by just 2.0% year to year, and even its worst July in 7 years lost only 1.2% — the gentlest downside anywhere on its calendar. Better still, that strength is the fund's own and not just a buoyant market — July has outpaced the S&P 500 by +1.1 points on average. Few peers keep such company in July — the typical stock clears it just 61% of the time.
July anchors a run, too: the May-through-August window has been the fund's reliable season. The weaker half of the year is plainer: September has been the soft spot — the weakest of 3 months that average a loss (−2.2%), and the edge isn't year-round — the fund has trailed the S&P 500 in March, September, and February. Its roughest month on record was a −17.9% March in 2020 — a reminder of how hard even a seasonal name can fall.
July has now closed higher 6 years running. Reassuringly, the tendency has held its shape: the recent five years still track the years behind them.
For a fund this dependable in July, the sharper question is the rest of the year — outside its strong stretch, the calendar gives far less to lean on. With a short 7-year record, the signal is best held loosely.
Short answers on the fund's best month (July), its worst (September), and whether it really trades seasonally.
Yes, to a moderate degree. Since 2019 its best month (July, +3.2%) has run well ahead of its worst (September, −2.2%) — the heatmap above shows how steady that gap has been year to year.
July has been the strongest, averaging +3.2% and closing higher in all 6 years on record since 2019.
It's the weakest, averaging −2.2% — historically a soft spot, though it still varies from year to year.
Explore
These names have the strongest July track records on record — a starting point for comparison.
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