DVLU ETF — First Trust Dorsey Wright Momentum & Value ETF

First Trust Dorsey Wright Momentum & Value ETF (DVLU)

Updated October 16, 2026.

DVLU is an ETF. its distribution rate is 0.94%, its trailing-12-month yield is 0.78%, its expense ratio is 0.60%. Dividend Vision Distribution Safety Score™ is 67/100 (Generally safe). Total return is 121.2% over the past 8.1 years, 79.3 points behind SPY at 200.5%.

First Trust Dorsey Wright Momentum & Value ETF is an equity fund that tracks a rules-based index of the 50 most undervalued stocks from the NASDAQ U.S. Large Mid Cap Index that also demonstrate strong relative strength momentum. The fund maintains a modest current distribution rate and pays distributions quarterly, with an expense ratio of 0.60%. It appeals to value-oriented income investors seeking exposure to large-cap and mid-cap equities with both value and momentum characteristics.

DVLU performance versus SPY

Price and return data through 2026-10-16.

Total return is 121.2% over the past 8.1 years, 79.3 points behind SPY at 200.5%. Over the past year its total return — price change plus distributions reinvested — is 18.0%. Its deepest 1-year drawdown was 12.2%.

DVLU key facts

Distribution Safety Score™

67 · Generally safe

Safety-Adjusted Yield

0.63%

Issuer

First Trust

Asset type

ETF

Asset class

Equity

Inception date

09/05/2018

Expense ratio

0.60%

Distribution rate

0.94%

Distribution frequency

Quarterly

Trailing yield

0.78%

Last close

$38.95 (as of 2026-10-16)

AUM

$47,391,048

Average volume

1664.0

Dividend

$0.092

Ex-dividend date

09/24/2026

Payment date

09/30/2026

Beta

1.2

How Dividend Vision calculates yield and returns

Distribution rate (0.94%) uses calculation basis unavailable. Issuer rates can use a different denominator and date, including ex-date NAV. Trailing-12-month yield (0.78%) is the sum of split-adjusted cash distributions with ex-dates in the last 12 months, divided by the published price. It lags a recent raise or cut. Total return uses split-adjusted close with distributions reinvested on the ex-dividend date (a modeling convention, not the cash-settlement date) from the first stored bar on or after inception through the latest bar, compared with the same window on the benchmark. That is the security's total return, not your personal gain/loss.

Yield and safety methodology · Distribution rate methodology · Distribution Safety Score methodology

Sources and review

Primary sources: First Trust or company page; prices and distributions from Dividend Vision, derived from vendor EOD data.

Reviewed by Bert Sweet, CEO and Co-owner of Dividend Vision. Methodology: Distribution Safety Score.

DVLU risks and drawbacks

DVLU's current distribution rate is moderate, not a high-yield payout — the strategy is dividend quality more than maximum income. Payments are quarterly, so cash flow is lumpy versus a monthly fund. Total return has trailed SPY over the available window. The deepest 1-year drawdown on record here is 12.2%.

Who may consider DVLU — and who may not

It is a weaker fit for investors who need monthly cash flow (DVLU pays quarterly); investors hunting double-digit covered-call yields; investors whose main goal is matching SPY total return. This is educational context, not a recommendation to buy or sell.

More on DVLU

• All tickers starting with D

Tagged: Value.

Frequently asked questions

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