ILDR ETF — First Trust Exchange-Traded Fund VIII - First Trust Innovation Leaders ETF

First Trust Exchange-Traded Fund VIII - First Trust Innovation Leaders ETF (ILDR)

Updated October 16, 2026.

ILDR is an ETF. its expense ratio is 0.75%. Total return is 83.6% over the past 5.4 years, 12.4 points behind SPY at 96.0%.

First Trust Innovation Leaders ETF is an exchange-traded fund that invests at least 80% of its assets in U.S. and non-U.S. common stocks issued by companies positioned to benefit from scientific and technological innovation, with a concentrated focus in the information technology sector. The fund does not currently distribute to shareholders, though it did make a special one-time distribution that may not recur regularly. The fund carries an expense ratio of 0.75% and appeals to growth-oriented investors seeking exposure to technology-driven innovation rather than current income.

ILDR performance versus SPY

Price and return data through 2026-10-16.

Total return is 83.6% over the past 5.4 years, 12.4 points behind SPY at 96.0%. Over the past year its total return — price change plus distributions reinvested — is 11.9%. Its deepest 1-year drawdown was 17.7%.

ILDR key facts

Issuer

First Trust

Asset type

ETF

Asset class

Equity

Inception date

05/25/2021

Expense ratio

0.75%

Distribution frequency

None

Last close

$37.27 (as of 2026-10-16)

AUM

$359,881,526

Average volume

15439.0

Ex-dividend date

12/23/2021

Payment date

12/31/2021

Beta

1.59

How Dividend Vision calculates yield and returns

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

ILDR risks and drawbacks

Total return has trailed SPY over the available window. The deepest 1-year drawdown on record here is 17.7%.

Who may consider ILDR — and who may not

It is a weaker fit for investors who need monthly cash flow (ILDR does not currently distribute); investors whose main goal is matching SPY total return. This is educational context, not a recommendation to buy or sell.

More on ILDR

• All tickers starting with I

Frequently asked questions

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