Get the weekly note
ETFIQetfiq.com · independent ETF data

FGSI FT Vest Growth Strength & Target Income ETF

Option income on SPY, paying monthly

Over the year to Sep 11, 2026, FGSI paid 8.1% in cash and still finished 12.2 points behind SPY.

First Trust · Income ETFs · data as of

Key facts

8.1%Cash paid, 1 year, on its starting price
+5.3%Total return, 1 year
−12.2 ptsAgainst SPY
8.6%Latest payout, annualized

Method

ETFIQ Return Stability Score

33.3129th of 161

FGSI paid 8.1% in cash. Its price fell 3.2%, so 40% of what you were paid came back out of your own capital.

Was the payout funded by returns, or by your own capital?

Against its benchmark
MLPD −38.1 ptsMDST −30.2 ptsSLTY −29.1 ptsBLOX −27.8 ptsEIPI −27.8 ptsYQQQ −27.6 ptsULTY −23.3 ptsGDXY −22.0 ptsHIGH −20.8 ptsTOPW −18.6 ptsTDVI −18.3 ptsYMAX −18.1 ptsHISF −17.3 ptsACKY −17.2 ptsWEEI −16.9 ptsNDIV −16.6 ptsLQDW −16.2 ptsOARK −15.8 ptsFDND −15.5 ptsTCAL −15.0 ptsQRMI −14.8 ptsSDVD −14.8 ptsLFGY −14.5 ptsSLJY −14.5 ptsSCLZ −14.1 ptsYFYA −13.9 ptsQUSA −13.5 ptsHYGW −13.0 ptsJULH −13.0 ptsXLRI −13.0 ptsMAGY −12.9 ptsYYY −12.7 ptsXLKI −12.6 ptsJULJ −12.4 ptsLJUL −12.4 ptsJANJ −12.3 ptsLJAN −12.3 ptsLOCT −12.1 ptsRNTY −12.1 ptsAIPI −12.0 ptsIWMY −12.0 ptsOCTJ −11.9 ptsHIPS −11.7 ptsJUCY −11.6 ptsXLEI −11.6 ptsAPRJ −11.3 ptsLAPR −11.3 ptsXISE −11.3 ptsXIJN −11.1 ptsCVRD −11.0 ptsJANH −11.0 ptsAPRH −10.9 ptsXBTY −10.7 ptsXIDE −10.7 ptsOCTH −10.6 ptsJEPI −10.3 ptsXIMR −10.1 ptsSRHR −9.7 ptsXRMI −8.7 ptsVEGA −8.3 ptsBUYW −8.2 ptsIAUI −7.9 ptsBAGY −7.7 ptsXV −7.5 ptsKHPI −7.3 ptsYBTC −7.3 ptsFTHI −7.0 ptsYLDE −6.8 ptsIGLD −6.1 ptsQQQI −6.1 ptsRDVI −6.0 ptsSPIN −5.9 ptsFEPI −5.8 ptsIWMW −5.8 ptsTYLG −5.7 ptsBITY −5.6 ptsSPUT −5.4 ptsWTPI −5.2 ptsPAPI −4.7 ptsXLVI −4.7 ptsETCO −4.3 ptsJEPQ −4.1 ptsCAIE −4.0 ptsFTKI −3.9 ptsGPTY −3.7 ptsIQQQ −3.7 ptsGIAX −3.4 ptsBIGY −3.3 ptsISPY −3.1 ptsRYLD −3.1 ptsWEEL −2.9 ptsYMAG −2.9 ptsRDTY −2.6 ptsXLBI −2.5 ptsNBOS −1.8 ptsRYLG −1.8 ptsSPYI −1.7 ptsFTQI −1.6 ptsKNG −1.6 ptsTSPY −1.6 ptsTHTA −1.5 ptsQQQY −1.3 ptsRDTE −1.3 ptsDIVO −1.2 ptsSIXH −1.2 ptsXYLD −1.2 ptsDFII −1.1 ptsGPIQ −1.1 ptsQDTY −1.1 ptsXYLG −1.1 ptsXDTE −0.9 ptsQDTE −0.7 ptsQYLD −0.7 ptsXLII −0.7 ptsXPAY −0.7 ptsEGGY −0.6 ptsJOYT −0.6 ptsSDTY −0.6 ptsWDTE −0.4 ptsBTCC −0.3 ptsQYLG −0.3 ptsGPIX 0.0 ptsDJIA +0.1 ptsDYLG +0.3 ptsIWMI +0.3 ptsKGLD +0.3 ptsXLFI +0.3 ptsIVVW +0.4 ptsLTTI +0.5 ptsLQTI +0.6 ptsPBP +0.6 ptsHYTI +0.9 ptsTDAQ +0.9 ptsCSHI +1.3 ptsBALI +1.4 ptsYETH +1.5 ptsHYBL +1.6 ptsXLUI +1.6 ptsCHPY +1.9 ptsBTCI +2.1 ptsSOXY +2.3 ptsITWO +2.5 ptsDOGG +2.7 ptsCEPI +2.9 ptsXLYI +2.9 ptsYBIT +2.9 ptsTLTP +3.4 ptsDUBS +4.0 ptsSEPI +4.7 ptsXLCI +5.2 ptsIDVO +5.4 ptsTLTW +5.4 ptsBCCC +6.3 ptsOMAH +6.5 ptsIDUB +6.9 ptsXLSI +8.8 ptsUSOY +10.5 ptsBUCK +10.9 ptsKLIP +20.9 ptsNVYY +24.6 ptsFGSI −12.2 ptsFGSI −12.2 pts−38.1 pts+24.6 pts

23.3% of the 161 sit at or below FGSI on this measure.

What happened to the principal
ETCO −75.0%XBTY −74.7%YETH −67.4%YBTC −61.4%BTCC −59.9%YBIT −58.9%BAGY −58.0%SLTY −54.4%ULTY −53.3%NVYY −52.4%BITY −51.9%BCCC −49.4%BTCI −46.9%DFII −44.8%LFGY −43.0%YMAX −41.0%BLOX −38.8%TOPW −36.6%OARK −33.3%KLIP −32.8%GDXY −32.5%YMAG −27.1%YQQQ −26.3%MAGY −25.8%IWMY −23.1%CEPI −21.0%RDTY −19.9%RDTE −19.4%QDTE −18.5%EGGY −15.1%TLTP −14.5%XLYI −14.1%LTTI −13.8%ACKY −13.7%WDTE −13.7%QQQY −13.0%QDTY −12.8%XDTE −12.8%AIPI −12.2%QUSA −11.8%LQTI −10.4%TLTW −10.3%SDTY −9.9%GIAX −9.8%XLUI −9.5%HIGH −9.3%LQDW −9.3%TCAL −9.0%FEPI −8.5%XV −8.4%IGLD −8.1%XLRI −8.0%XLCI −7.9%FDND −7.6%YYY −7.5%XLSI −7.3%RNTY −6.5%HYTI −6.3%GPTY −6.0%OMAH −6.0%XLBI −5.7%HYGW −5.6%IWMW −5.3%HIPS −5.2%XPAY −4.9%HISF −4.7%QRMI −4.2%USOY −4.0%XLFI −3.8%BUCK −2.5%HYBL −2.5%JUCY −2.3%XRMI −2.3%MLPD −1.7%CAIE −1.6%IAUI −1.6%YFYA −1.6%IVVW −1.4%CVRD −1.3%JEPI −1.1%KNG −0.9%XIJN −0.7%JULJ −0.6%WTPI −0.5%CSHI −0.4%JULH −0.3%LJUL −0.2%XISE 0.0%JANH +0.1%JANJ +0.1%LAPR +0.1%LOCT +0.1%LJAN +0.2%OCTJ +0.2%XLII +0.2%APRJ +0.3%OCTH +0.3%XIDE +0.3%XIMR +0.4%APRH +0.5%TSPY +0.6%KHPI +0.7%BIGY +0.8%WEEL +0.9%SRHR +1.0%FTHI +1.1%QQQI +1.5%XLVI +2.1%SPYI +2.6%QYLG +2.8%YLDE +2.8%BUYW +2.9%SDVD +3.0%XYLG +3.4%KGLD +3.8%THTA +3.9%DJIA +4.2%FTKI +4.3%SCLZ +4.4%PAPI +4.5%RYLD +4.7%XLKI +5.0%PBP +5.1%IWMI +5.3%DYLG +5.4%TDAQ +5.9%XYLD +5.9%JEPQ +6.0%SPIN +6.1%NBOS +6.5%SPUT +6.5%RYLG +7.1%GPIX +7.9%FTQI +8.0%DOGG +8.2%ISPY +8.4%QYLD +8.4%DIVO +8.9%MDST +9.3%VEGA +9.4%BALI +9.5%GPIQ +9.8%SLJY +11.0%RDVI +11.7%TDVI +11.7%IQQQ +12.3%SEPI +13.8%XLEI +13.8%SIXH +14.1%ITWO +14.3%EIPI +14.6%JOYT +16.1%IDVO +16.4%DUBS +18.9%WEEI +18.9%IDUB +19.0%TYLG +21.2%NDIV +22.9%CHPY +24.9%SOXY +68.6%FGSI −3.2%FGSI −3.2%−75.0%+68.6%

43.2% of the 161 sit at or below FGSI on this measure.

Weighted evenly, those two positions are what the score combines, across the 161 income ETFs writing on an index or proxy. Neither spread above is the score: a fund can sit further right on one and score lower. A position in this set, not a rating: it moves when the set moves, and it is not a figure to average against another desk's.

What the score is computed from
What it measuresThis fundIts percentileWeight
against its benchmark−12.2 pts23.350%
what happened to the principal−3.2%43.250%

All income ETFs ranked by this score · How it is computed

314th of 354 income ETFs by net assets

What a holder got

FGSI against SPYFGSI returned +5.3% with distributions reinvested against +17.5% for S&P 500 (SPY), used as a default proxy, a gap of −12.2 pts. Of that, 8.1% arrived as cash rather than price.+5.3%FGSI total return+17.5%S&P 500 (SPY), used as a default proxy8.1% of it arrived as cash

Over the year to Sep 11, 2026, FGSI returned +5.3% with distributions reinvested and S&P 500 (SPY), used as a default proxy returned +17.5%, so a holder came out behind it by 12.2 points. The lighter segment is the 8.1% that arrived as cash rather than as price.

Its ten largest equity positions

FGSI top ten by weight, 23.2% of its 51 equity positions, from the holdings published by its issuer for Sep 10, 2026. The options the fund writes are not positions of this kind and are not listed. Source: the issuer’s own daily file.
HoldingTickerWeight
Newmont CorporationNEM2.78%
Palantir Technologies Inc. (Class A)PLTR2.47%
Microsoft CorporationMSFT2.46%
Marvell Technology, Inc.MRVL2.37%
Arista Networks, Inc.ANET2.22%
CME Group Inc.CME2.21%
Target CorporationTGT2.20%
DexCom, Inc.DXCM2.18%
Seagate Technology Holdings PlcSTX2.18%
Netflix, Inc.NFLX2.17%

Method

Period by period

FGSI over each window to Sep 11, 2026. Every figure is an ETFIQ calculation. Source: ETFIQ.
WindowCash paidPriceTotal returnSPYAhead or behind
3 months2.1%+0.5%+2.6%+3.3%−0.7 pts
6 months4.3%+4.3%+8.8%+16.0%−7.3 pts
1 year8.1%−3.2%+5.3%+17.5%−12.2 pts
Since launch9.8%+1.8%+12.2%+26.3%−14.1 pts

Method

When FGSI pays

FGSI pays monthly. The last distribution was $0.1465 a share, which went ex on Aug 21, 2026 and was paid on Aug 31, 2026. The next has not been declared. On its own cadence of about 30 days the ex-date falls near Sep 21, 2026; that date is an ETFIQ projection, not the issuer’s.

Expected distributions for FGSI. Where the basis is a projection, ETFIQ has carried the fund’s own spacing forward from its last ex-date and held the amount at the last one paid; neither is an issuer statement. Source: ETFIQ.
Ex-datePay dateAmountBasis
Sep 21, 2026Sep 29, 2026$0.1465ETFIQ projection from the fund’s own cadence
Oct 21, 2026Oct 29, 2026$0.1465ETFIQ projection from the fund’s own cadence
Every distribution ETFIQ holds for FGSI (13, most recent first)
Cash distributions per share for FGSI. Source: ETFIQ from Tiingo end-of-day distributions.
Ex-dateAmount
Aug 21, 2026$0.1465
Jul 21, 2026$0.1432
Jun 25, 2026$0.14
May 21, 2026$0.1387
Apr 21, 2026$0.1406
Mar 26, 2026$0.1372
Feb 20, 2026$0.1395
Jan 21, 2026$0.1435
Dec 12, 2025$0.1416
Nov 21, 2025$0.1378
Oct 21, 2025$0.145
Sep 25, 2025$0.1467
Aug 21, 2025$0.1444

Every income ETF going ex-dividend in the next fortnight

Method

In plain words

Since it launched on Jun 26, 2025, FGSI has returned +12.2% with distributions reinvested, against +26.3% for S&P 500 (SPY), used as a default proxy, and has paid out 9.8% of its starting value in cash along the way. It pays monthly, and at its current price the latest distribution annualizes to 8.6%. No Rule 19a-1 notice has been published for this fund, so there is no issuer estimate of how much of its distributions was a return of capital.

FGSI (FT Vest Growth Strength & Target Income ETF), income ETFs fields as of Sep 11, 2026. Source: ETFIQ.
Strategyoption income
BenchmarkS&P 500 (SPY), used as a default proxy (proxy)
Paysmonthly
Net assets (issuer page, as of Sep 11, 2026)$2m
Latest payout, annualized (ETFIQ)8.6%
Expense ratio (485BPOS XBRL, Feb 27, 2026)0.85%
Cash paid, last 12 months, over today’s price (ETFIQ)8.3%
LaunchedJun 26, 2025
Paysmonthly
Typical gap between ex-dates30 days
Typical wait from ex-date to payment8 days
Last paid, per share$0.1465 ex Aug 21, 2026
Sum of the last 12 distributions$1.7003

Every figure is an ETFIQ calculation from exchange prices and cash distributions (Tiingo end-of-day), total return with distributions reinvested. Return of capital is the issuer’s estimate. How these figures are computed

Questions people ask

How much has FGSI paid over the last year?
Over the year to Sep 11, 2026, FGSI paid 8.1% of its starting price in cash distributions, while the price fell 3.2%.
Is FGSI ahead of SPY?
Over the year to Sep 11, 2026, with every distribution reinvested, FGSI returned +5.3% against +17.5% for S&P 500 (SPY), used as a default proxy, so a holder was behind it by 12.2 points.
How often does FGSI pay, and how much?
FGSI pays monthly. The latest distribution annualizes to 8.6% at its price on Sep 11, 2026, which is not a promise; the next one can differ.
When does FGSI next pay a distribution?
FGSI pays monthly. The last distribution went ex on Aug 21, 2026 at $0.1465 a share. The next is not declared; on a cadence of about 30 days the ex-date falls near Sep 21, 2026, which is an ETFIQ projection. Payment usually follows the ex-date by 8 days.
What does FGSI cost?
The prospectus expense ratio is 0.85% a year.

The words on this page

Total return
What a holder actually ended up with: price change plus every distribution, reinvested. The only figure that answers whether you came out ahead.
Cash paid
Distributions over the window as a share of what the fund cost at the start. A measure of cash delivered, not of return: a fund can pay a great deal and still lose money.
Ahead or behind
The fund’s total return minus the benchmark’s over exactly the same days, in percentage points. Both sides reinvest.
Return of capital
The issuer’s own estimate, in a Rule 19a-1 notice, of how much of a distribution was your own money returned. An estimate and a tax characterization, not a measure of erosion.
Covered call
Selling call options on shares the fund holds. It collects a premium and gives up the gains above the strike, which is why these funds pay well and lag a rising market.

Every term used here, defined in full on the income ETFs vocabulary page.

Where these figures came from

ETFIQ links to the documents behind every figure. It is not affiliated with any issuer, and a link is not an endorsement.

Funds near this one

Put this on your own page

The payout bar for FGSI, redrawn every trading night. Free to use with the credit link.

FGSI payout bar, ETFIQ

Copy the embed code
<a href="https://etfiq.com/funds/fgsi"><img src="https://etfiq.com/embed/income/fgsi.svg" alt="FGSI payout bar, ETFIQ" width="640"></a>
<p><a href="https://etfiq.com/funds/fgsi">FGSI payout bar, updated daily by ETFIQ</a></p>

Where FGSI is written about

FGSI, Income ETFs, ETFIQ, data as of Sep 11, 2026. Every figure is arithmetic on a named public source; the method is at etfiq.com/methodology. ETFIQ is an independent publisher, is not a fund issuer, broker-dealer or investment adviser, and makes no recommendations.
Use this data, or open the live card

Open FGSI live on ETFIQ, where the figures refresh with the data.

Cite this page. ETFIQ, FGSI, income ETFs, data as of Sep 11, 2026. https://etfiq.com/funds/fgsi Free to use with attribution; the underlying files are at Open data.

How these figures are computed · Standards and sources