Rise and Fall: Analyzing First Trust Advisors' Q3-2022 vs. Q4-2022 Holdings

First Trust Advisors is a US-based investment firm that has been in operation since 1991. It is renowned for offering diversified investment solutions to its clients through various mutual funds and exchange-traded funds (ETFs). As of Q4-2022, the firm managed a portfolio worth over $201 billion.

One investment activity that the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) requires First Trust and other institutional investors to report every quarter is their 13F holdings. These are securities worth over $100 million held at the end of each quarter. By analyzing the Q3-2022 vs. Q4-2022 13F holdings comparison, we can get insights into the fund's investment strategy, sector preferences, and exit or entry positions in various stocks.

Cisco Systems Inc

Cisco Systems Inc. was the top holding in First Trust Advisors' portfolio as of Q3-2022, representing over 5.72% of the managed asset base. However, its stake in the company reduced by 11.3% in the subsequent quarter, to 4.59% of the portfolio. The company's Q4-2022 value share was $1.28 billion. Cisco's stock has been on a bullish trajectory over the past year, with a price increase of 33.8%.

First Trust ETFs

First Trust Advisors has several ETFs that it actively manages, such as the First Trust Dow Jones Internet Index Fund (FDN). The company increased its holdings in this ETF by 15.2%, from 39,497,004 to 41,561,578, representing 2.3% of the portfolio's value. The fund's Q4-2022 value share was $710,287.

Similarly, First Trust Nasdaq Oil & Gas ETF's (FXN) holdings increased by 15.2%, from 23,400,223 to 24,612,706, representing 0.34% of the portfolio's value. The ETF Q4-2022 value share was $688,171.

Exxon Mobil Corporation

First Trust Advisors increased its holdings in the Exxon Mobil Corporation by 49.6%. The company's stake in the corporation increased from 5,136,016 to 6,083,779 shares, representing 0.33% of the portfolio's value. Exxon Mobil's Q4-2022 share value was $671,036.

Intel Corporation

Intel Corporation's stake in First Trust Advisors' portfolio's value rose by 14.3% from Q3-2022 to Q4-2022. The company's shares increased from 15,248,128 to 16,995,746, taking up 2.3% of the total portfolio value. Intel's Q4-2022 share value was $449,183.

AWS Bucket Misconfiguration

On April 14, 2017, Upguard cybersecurity researchers discovered a data breach caused by a misconfigured AWS S3 bucket belonging to a Canadian pension plan services provider. The data breach exposed the personal data of 36,000 plan members, including their names, Social Insurance Numbers, addresses, and dates of birth.

Conclusion

By keeping an eye on First Trust Advisors' Q3-2022 and Q4-2022 holdings, investors can get investment insights on its strategies, sector preferences, and investment positions. The data reveals that the company has been strategically increasing and reducing its holdings in specific companies and ETFs based on their market performance and market forecasts.