An equity market neutral strategy is an investment approach that holds both long and short positions in stocks in roughly equal amounts so overall exposure to broad market moves is minimized; think of it as a seesaw kept level while the manager tries to profit from individual stock picks. It matters to investors because it aims to reduce the impact of market-wide swings, providing diversification and potentially steadier returns, though it can be complex and fee-intensive.
exchange-traded fundfinancial
An exchange-traded fund (ETF) is a type of investment fund that holds a collection of assets, such as stocks or bonds, and is traded on stock exchanges like individual stocks. It allows investors to buy and sell a diversified group of investments easily and efficiently, often at a lower cost. ETFs provide a simple way to gain exposure to a broad market or specific sectors without having to buy each asset separately.
financial derivative instrumentsfinancial
Contracts whose value comes from an underlying asset or metric—such as a stock, bond, commodity, interest rate or index—used to transfer risk or take a position without owning the asset itself. Think of them like an insurance policy or a bet tied to the future price or performance of something else: they let investors hedge against losses, enhance returns with leverage, or speculate, and therefore can materially change a portfolio’s risk, potential return and liquidity.
over-the-countertechnical
Over-the-counter describes securities or trades that occur directly between buyers and sellers rather than on a formal stock exchange. Think of it like buying at a flea market instead of a big supermarket: prices, rules and transparency can vary, which can mean lower liquidity, wider price swings and less regulatory oversight—factors investors watch because they affect ease of trading and risk level.
total return swapsfinancial
A total return swap is a contract where one party agrees to pay another the full economic performance—price changes plus income—of an asset, while the other party pays a regular fee or interest. Think of it like renting the gains and losses of a stock or bond without owning it: investors can gain exposure, hedge positions, or add leverage more cheaply, but they take on the risk that the counterparty might fail to honor payments and that synthetic holdings can affect leverage and transparency.
unit investment trustsfinancial
A unit investment trust (UIT) is a pooled investment that sells investors fixed “units” representing a pre-selected, unchanging bundle of stocks, bonds or other securities held for a set period. Think of it like buying a pre-packed grocery basket that won’t be rearranged — you know exactly what you own and roughly when it will end. UITs matter to investors because they offer predictable holdings and income patterns, lower active management, and clear tax and fee implications compared with regularly traded funds.
net asset valuefinancial
Net asset value is the total value of an investment fund's assets minus any liabilities, divided by the number of shares or units outstanding. It represents the per-share worth of the fund, similar to how the value of a house is determined by its total worth after debts are subtracted. Investors use it to gauge the true value of their holdings and to compare different investment options.
WHEATON, Ill.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
First Trust Advisors L.P. (“FTA”) announces the First Trust Merger Arbitrage ETF (NYSE Arca: MARB) (the “Fund”), a series of First Trust Exchange-Traded Fund III (the “Trust”), will change its investment strategies, name and other related matters, expected to occur early in the second quarter of 2026. The Fund’s new name will be the First Trust Equity Market Neutral ETF and the Fund’s new ticker will be NTRL. In connection with the change to the Fund’s name, the Fund will adopt a non-fundamental investment policy to invest at least 80% of its net assets (plus any borrowings for investment purposes) in financial derivative instruments (exchange-traded or over-the-counter) that provide exposure to U.S exchange-listed equity securities, U.S. exchange-traded funds (“ETFs”) that provide exposure to U.S. exchange-listed equity securities and/or U.S. exchange-listed equity securities.
In connection with the changes described above, the Fund’s principal investment strategies will be revised such that the Fund will no longer pursue its current merger arbitrage strategy, and it will instead seek an equity market neutral approach where the overall performance of the Fund is driven primarily by the net performance of long and short positions, independent of directional movements in the market. The Fund will pursue its investment objective by establishing long and short positions in U.S. exchange-listed equity securities, including exposure obtained through ETFs and financial derivative instruments such as futures or total return swaps. The Fund will generally seek to have exposure ranging from approximately 150%-250% to long positions and approximately 150%-250% to short positions. Additionally, the Fund’s annual unitary management fee will be reduced to 0.95% of the Fund’s average daily net assets. The Fund’s portfolio management team will change to members of the First Trust Alternatives Investment Team, and the Fund will no longer have a sub-advisor.
FTA is a federally registered investment advisor and serves as the Fund’s investment advisor. FTA and its affiliate, First Trust Portfolios L.P. (“FTP”), a FINRA registered broker-dealer, are privately-held companies that provide a variety of investment services. FTA has collective assets under management or supervision of approximately $309 billion as of December 31, 2025 through unit investment trusts, exchange-traded funds, closed-end funds, mutual funds and SMAs. FTA is the supervisor of the First Trust unit investment trusts, while FTP is the sponsor. FTP is also a distributor of mutual fund shares and exchange-traded fund creation units. FTA and FTP are based in Wheaton, Illinois.
You should consider the Fund’s investment objective, risks, charges and expenses carefully before investing. You can download a prospectus or contact FTA to request a prospectus, which contains other information about the Fund. Read it carefully before you invest. The risks of investing in the Fund are spelled out in its prospectus, shareholder reports and other regulatory filings.
The information presented is not intended to constitute an investment recommendation for, or advice to, any specific person. By providing this information, First Trust is not undertaking to give advice in any fiduciary capacity within the meaning of ERISA and the Internal Revenue Code. First Trust has no knowledge of and has not been provided any information regarding any investor. Financial advisors must determine whether particular investments are appropriate for their clients. First Trust believes the financial advisor is a fiduciary, is capable of evaluating investment risks independently and is responsible for exercising independent judgment with respect to its retirement plan clients.
This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation to buy, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer or solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the laws of such state or jurisdiction.
This press release contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Forward-looking statements include statements regarding the goals, beliefs, plans or current expectations of FTA and its respective representatives, taking into account the information currently available to them. Forward-looking statements include all statements that do not relate solely to current or historical fact. For example, forward-looking statements include the use of words such as “anticipate,” “estimate,” “intend,” “expect,” “believe,” “plan,” “may,” “should,” “would,” “will” or other words that convey uncertainty of future events or outcomes. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of a Fund to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. When evaluating the information included in this press release, you are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which reflect the judgment of FTA and its respective representatives only as of the date hereof. No obligation will be undertaken to publicly revise or update these forward-looking statements to reflect events and circumstances that arise after the date hereof.
The Fund’s daily closing price and net asset value per share as well as other information can be found at www.ftportfolios.com.
