EMDM ETF — First Trust Bloomberg Emerging Market Democracies ETF

First Trust Bloomberg Emerging Market Democracies ETF (EMDM)

Updated October 16, 2026.

EMDM is an ETF. its distribution rate is 1.84%, its trailing-12-month yield is 2.89%, its expense ratio is 0.75%. Dividend Vision Distribution Safety Score™ is 78/100 (Generally safe). Total return is 124.2% over the past 3.6 years, 26.2 points ahead of SPY at 98.0%.

First Trust Bloomberg Emerging Market Democracies ETF is an equity fund that tracks an index of companies in emerging market countries meeting minimum standards for political rights and civil liberties as designated by Freedom House, holding at least 80% of assets in common stocks, depositary receipts, preferred shares, and real estate investment trusts from these markets. The fund carries a modest current distribution rate with quarterly distributions and an expense ratio of 0.75%. It may appeal to income investors seeking exposure to emerging markets with a governance-focused screen, though the fund's non-diversified structure and emerging market focus present higher volatility than developed market alternatives.

EMDM performance versus SPY

Price and return data through 2026-10-16.

Total return is 124.2% over the past 3.6 years, 26.2 points ahead of SPY at 98.0%. Over the past year its total return — price change plus distributions reinvested — is 40.0%. Its deepest 1-year drawdown was 15.7%.

EMDM key facts

Distribution Safety Score™

78 · Generally safe

Safety-Adjusted Yield

1.44%

Issuer

First Trust

Asset type

ETF

Asset class

Equity

Inception date

03/02/2023

Expense ratio

0.75%

Distribution rate

1.84%

Distribution frequency

Quarterly

Trailing yield

2.89%

Last close

$40.17 (as of 2026-10-16)

AUM

$42,010,878

Average volume

3734.0

Dividend

$0.185

Ex-dividend date

09/24/2026

Payment date

09/30/2026

Beta

1.24

How Dividend Vision calculates yield and returns

Distribution rate (1.84%) uses calculation basis unavailable. Issuer rates can use a different denominator and date, including ex-date NAV. Trailing-12-month yield (2.89%) 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.

EMDM risks and drawbacks

EMDM'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. The deepest 1-year drawdown on record here is 15.7%.

Who may consider EMDM — and who may not

It is a weaker fit for investors who need monthly cash flow (EMDM pays quarterly); investors hunting double-digit covered-call yields. This is educational context, not a recommendation to buy or sell.

More on EMDM

• All tickers starting with E

Tagged: Emerging Markets, International.

Frequently asked questions

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