First Trust Institutional Preferred Securities and Income ETF (FPEI) is an exchange-traded fund that seeks total return and current income by investing primarily in preferred securities issued by financial and other companies. The fund's portfolio includes floating-rate and fixed-to-floating-rate preferred securities, contingent convertible securities, hybrid securities, and subordinated debt; it emphasizes U.S.-domiciled issuers with investment-grade ratings while employing active management to optimize yield and credit quality. FPEI operates globally through its investments, targeting institutional investors seeking high income with moderate risk in the fixed income segment of financial markets.
Managed by First Trust Advisors LP, headquartered in Wheaton, Illinois, and founded in 1991, the firm oversees FPEI as part of its suite of income-focused ETFs. The fund was launched in 2017 and trades on the Nasdaq exchange under the ticker FPEI.
In recent developments, FPEI has benefited from portfolio adjustments amid rising interest rates, including increased allocations to floating-rate preferreds for enhanced income stability; no major acquisitions, partnerships, or structural changes have been announced in the last 1-2 years, reflecting steady operations in a volatile preferred securities market.