First Trust Merger Arbitrage ETF
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- First Trust Merger Arbitrage ETF (MARB) is an actively managed exchange-traded fund that seeks capital appreciation through a merger arbitrage strategy, establishing long positions in equity securities of publicly announced takeover targets and short positions in the acquiring companies; it also holds cash when no suitable merger and acquisition deals are available. The fund, launched in February 2020 and listed on NYSE Arca, focuses on U.S. and Canadian transactions with a targeted average days-to-close of approximately 120 days, maintaining a portfolio of 20 to 30 diversified positions across sectors and industries that are reconstituted and rebalanced twice monthly based on quantitative risk/return metrics. First Trust Advisors L.P., headquartered in Wheaton, Illinois and founded in 1991, serves as the investment adviser. MARB emphasizes tax efficiency via its ETF structure to mitigate capital gain distributions, low correlation to traditional stocks and bonds, downside mitigation potential, and relatively stable volatility through rigorous deal selection. The fund targets institutional and retail investors seeking alternative strategies in the event-driven space, with assets under management around $32 million and a net expense ratio of approximately 1.55%. In a significant 2021-2022 reorganization, the fund's original sub-adviser, Vivaldi Asset Management LLC, entered a joint venture with an affiliate of First Trust, forming First Trust Capital Solutions L.P. and First Trust Capital Management L.P., which became the new sub-adviser following shareholder approval in February 2022; this assignment under the Investment Company Act preserved the strategy while integrating closer alignment with First Trust entities. Recent portfolio activity as of late 2025 includes new positions in Olo Inc., E2open Parent Holdings Inc., Couchbase Inc., SpartanNash Company, and Skechers U.S.A. Inc., alongside holdings like Amedisys Inc., reflecting ongoing active management amid rising global M&A momentum reaching $1.29 trillion in Q3 2025. No major acquisitions, funding rounds, or product launches for the ETF itself have been reported in the last 1-2 years, with operations centered in North America.
First Trust Announces Timeline for Changes to Investment Strategies, Name and Other Related Matters for First Trust Merger Arbitrage ETF
Assetmark Inc. Buys 42,126 Shares of First Trust Merger Arbitrage ETF $MARB
Center For Asset Management LLC Buys Shares of 35,816 First Trust Merger Arbitrage ETF $MARB
Assetmark Inc. Cuts Holdings in First Trust Merger Arbitrage ETF $MARB
First Trust Merger Arbitrage ETF (NYSEARCA:MARB) Short Interest Up 496.8% in January
First Trust Announces Changes to Investment Strategies, Name and Other Related Matters for First Trust Merger Arbitrage ETF
First Trust Advisors L.P. Announces Distributions for Exchange-Traded Funds
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