RBLD ETF — First Trust Exchange-Traded Fund II - First Trust Alerian U.S. NextGen Infrastructure ETF

First Trust Exchange-Traded Fund II - First Trust Alerian U.S. NextGen Infrastructure ETF (RBLD)

Updated October 16, 2026.

RBLD is an ETF. its distribution rate is 1.05%, its trailing-12-month yield is 1.05%, its expense ratio is 0.65%. Dividend Vision Distribution Safety Score™ is 69/100 (Generally safe). Total return is 315.1% over the past 18 years, 719.5 points behind SPY at 1034.6%.

This ETF tracks an index of U.S. infrastructure companies, including stocks and REITs that build, operate, and own infrastructure assets, with at least 90% of assets normally invested in index constituents. The fund carries a low expense ratio of 0.65% and distributes quarterly with a modest current distribution rate. The fund appeals to income investors seeking exposure to infrastructure assets with regular quarterly payouts.

RBLD performance versus SPY

Price and return data through 2026-10-16.

Total return is 315.1% over the past 18 years, 719.5 points behind SPY at 1034.6%. Over the past year its total return — price change plus distributions reinvested — is 11.9%. Its deepest 1-year drawdown was 8.7%.

RBLD key facts

Distribution Safety Score™

69 · Generally safe

Safety-Adjusted Yield

0.72%

Issuer

First Trust

Asset type

ETF

Asset class

Equity

Inception date

10/13/2008

Expense ratio

0.65%

Distribution rate

1.05%

Distribution frequency

Quarterly

Trailing yield

1.05%

Last close

$83.89 (as of 2026-10-16)

AUM

$42,070,178

Average volume

2083.0

Dividend

$0.22

Ex-dividend date

09/24/2026

Payment date

09/30/2026

Beta

0.96

How Dividend Vision calculates yield and returns

Distribution rate (1.05%) uses calculation basis unavailable. Issuer rates can use a different denominator and date, including ex-date NAV. Trailing-12-month yield (1.05%) 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.

RBLD risks and drawbacks

RBLD'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 8.7%.

Who may consider RBLD — and who may not

It is a weaker fit for investors who need monthly cash flow (RBLD 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 RBLD

• All tickers starting with R

Tagged: MLP, Infrastructure.

Frequently asked questions

More securities from First Trust.