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SEC · EDGAR 财务披露·· 4 小时前精选AI 评分65

First Trust Exchange-Traded Fund IV旗下三只ETF 2026财年表现公布

FIRST TRUST EXCHANGE-TRADED FUND IV (0001517936) (Filer)

AI 导读

First Trust Exchange-Traded Fund IV旗下三只ETF(FTCB、CAAA、SCIO)2026财年回报率分别为4.13%、6.08%、8.85%,其中SCIO跑赢基准131个基点。FTCB和SCIO的衍生品久期较长对表现产生拖累,CAAA管理费下调后仍跑赢基准。

推荐理由

First Trust Exchange-Traded Fund IV旗下三只ETF在2026财年表现各异,其中SCIO回报率最高,FTCB和CAAA分别跑赢基准,但衍生品久期较长对表现产生一定拖累。

正文 · 原文

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549


FORM N-CSR


CERTIFIED SHAREHOLDER REPORT OF REGISTERED MANAGEMENT INVESTMENT COMPANIES

Investment Company Act file number

811-22559

First Trust Exchange-Traded Fund IV

(Exact name of registrant as specified in charter)


120 East Liberty Drive, Suite 400

Wheaton, IL 60187

(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip code)

W. Scott Jardine, Esq.

First Trust Portfolios L.P.

120 East Liberty Drive, Suite 400

Wheaton, IL 60187

(Name and address of agent for service)

Registrant's telephone number, including area code:

(630) 765-8000

Date of fiscal year end:

July 31

Date of reporting period:

July 31, 2026

Form N-CSR is to be used by management investment companies to file reports with the Commission not later than 10 days after the transmission to stockholders of any report that is required to be transmitted to stockholders under Rule 30e-1 under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (17 CFR 270.30e-1). The Commission may use the information provided on Form N-CSR in its regulatory, disclosure review, inspection, and policymaking roles.

A registrant is required to disclose the information specified by Form N-CSR, and the Commission will make this information public. A registrant is not required to respond to the collection of information contained in Form N-CSR unless the Form displays a currently valid Office of Management and Budget (“OMB”) control number. Please direct comments concerning the accuracy of the information collection burden estimate and any suggestions for reducing the burden to Secretary, Securities and Exchange Commission, 100 F Street, NE, Washington, DC 20549. The OMB has reviewed this collection of information under the clearance requirements of 44 U.S.C. § 3507.

The information presented in this Form N-CSR relates solely to the fund(s) for which a report is included in Item 1 below, each a series of the Registrant.

Item 1. Reports to Shareholders.

(a) Following is a copy of the annual reports transmitted to shareholders pursuant to Rule 30e-1 under the Act.

TSR - First Trust Fund Logo

First Trust Core Investment Grade ETF

FTCB | NYSE Arca, Inc.

ANNUAL SHAREHOLDER REPORT | July 31, 2026

This annual shareholder report contains important information about the First Trust Core Investment Grade ETF (the “Fund”) for the year of August 1, 2025 to July 31, 2026 (the “Period”). You can find additional information about the Fund at www.ftportfolios.com/fund-documents/etf/FTCB. You can also request this information by contacting us at 1-800-621-1675 or [email protected].

WHAT WERE THE FUND COSTS FOR THE LAST YEAR?

(Based on a hypothetical $10,000 investment)

Fund Costs of a $10,000 investment Costs paid as a percentage
of a $10,000 investment
First Trust Core Investment Grade ETF $56(1) 0.55%(1)

​(1)

Excludes any Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses of the underlying investment companies in which the Fund invests.

HOW DID THE FUND PERFORM LAST YEAR? WHAT AFFECTED THE FUND’S PERFORMANCE?

The Fund returned 3.26% for the 12 months ended July 31, 2026. The Fund outperformed its benchmark, the Bloomberg US Aggregate Bond Index, which returned 2.71% for the same Period.

This 55 basis points (“bps”) of outperformance was due to several factors during the Period:

  • Overall, the Fund generated a greater level of income than its benchmark, which was beneficial to relative performance.

  • The Fund benefited from its overweight allocations to agency mortgage-backed securities (“MBS”) and securitized credit as spreads tightened over the Period. 

  • The Fund benefited from security selection within the corporate sector, particularly in the Industrial and Financial subsectors.

  • Derivatives are typically used to manage interest rate risk as well as offer the potential for income enhancing strategies. Overall, the usage of derivatives was mildly detrimental to Fund’s relative return, as the Fund generally maintained a longer duration compared to the benchmark, which hurt performance as yields moved higher across the curve.

FUND PERFORMANCE (November 7, 2023 to July 31, 2026)

The performance line graph below shows the performance of a hypothetical $10,000 initial investment in the Fund over a ten-year period (or for the life of the Fund, if shorter). The subsequent account value as of the end of the Period is listed next to the name of the Fund or index, as applicable. The performance table below shows the average annual total returns of the Fund for the past one-, five-, and ten-year periods, as applicable (or for the life of the Fund, if shorter), as of the end of the Period. Both the line graph and performance table compare the Fund’s performance to an appropriate broad-based index and may compare to additional indices reflecting the market segment(s) in which the Fund invests over the same periods.

Investment Performance of $10,000

Fund Performance - Growth of 10K

Average Annual Total Returns (as of July 31, 2026) 1 Year Since
Inception
(11/7/23)
First Trust Core Investment Grade ETF 3.26% 5.90%
Bloomberg US Aggregate Bond Index 2.71% 5.06%
ICE BofA US Broad Market Index 2.72% 5.09%

Visit  www.ftportfolios.com/etf/FTCB for more recent performance information.

The Fund’s past performance is not a good predictor of the Fund’s future performance. The graph and table do not reflect the deduction of taxes that a shareholder would pay on Fund distributions or redemption of Fund shares.

Performance in securitized product investment strategies can be impacted from the benefits of purchasing odd lot positions. The impact of these investments can be particularly meaningful when funds have limited assets under management and may not be a sustainable source of performance as a fund grows in size.

KEY FUND STATISTICS (As of July 31, 2026)

Fund net assets $2,551,092,098
Total number of portfolio holdings 794
Total advisory fee paid $10,790,981
Portfolio turnover rate 136%

WHAT DID THE FUND INVEST IN? (As of July 31, 2026)

The tables below show the investment makeup of the Fund, representing the percentage of net assets and percentage of total investments, respectively, of the Fund.

Fund Allocation

U.S. Government Agency Mortgage-Backed Securities 33.5%
Corporate Bonds and Notes 20.5%
Mortgage-Backed Securities 20.1%
U.S. Government Bonds and Notes 17.1%
Asset-Backed Securities 6.3%
Foreign Corporate Bonds and Notes 3.9%
Municipal Bonds 1.5%
U.S. Government Agency Securities 0.1%
Exchange-Traded Funds 0.0%
U.S. Treasury Bills 1.4%
Money Market Funds 0.8%
Purchased Options 0.0%
U.S. Government Agency Mortgage-Backed Securities Sold Short (1.0%)
Written Options (0.4%)
Net Other Assets and Liabilities(1) (3.8%)
Total 100.0%

Credit Quality (2)

Graphical Representation - Allocation 2 Chart

Any amount shown as 0.0% represents less than 0.1%.

(1) Includes variation margin on futures contracts.

(2) The ratings are by one or more nationally recognized statistical rating organizations (NRSROs), including S&P Global Ratings, Moody’s Investors Service, Inc., Fitch Ratings, DBRS, Inc., Kroll Bond Rating Agency, Inc. or a comparably rated NRSRO. For situations in which a security is rated by more than one NRSRO and the ratings are not equivalent, the highest rating is used. A credit rating is an assessment provided by a NRSRO of the creditworthiness of an issuer with respect to debt obligations. Ratings are measured on a scale that generally ranges from AAA (highest) to D (lowest). Investment grade is defined as those issuers that have a long-term credit rating of BBB- or higher. “NR” indicates no rating. The credit ratings shown relate to the creditworthiness of the issuers of the underlying securities in the Fund, and not to the Fund or its shares. U.S. Agency, U.S. Agency mortgage-backed, and U.S. Treasury securities appear under “Government & Agency.” Credit ratings are subject to change.

WHERE CAN I FIND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE FUND?

Visit www.ftportfolios.com/fund-documents/etf/FTCB to view additional information about the Fund such as the prospectus, financial information, Fund holdings and proxy voting information. You may also request this information by contacting us at 1-800-621-1675 or [email protected].

First Trust Core Investment Grade ETF (FTCB)

TSR - First Trust Fund Logo

First Trust AAA CMBS ETF

CAAA | NYSE Arca, Inc.

ANNUAL SHAREHOLDER REPORT | July 31, 2026

This annual shareholder report contains important information about the First Trust AAA CMBS ETF (the “Fund”) for the year of August 1, 2025 to July 31, 2026 (the “Period”). You can find additional information about the Fund at www.ftportfolios.com/fund-documents/etf/CAAA. You can also request this information by contacting us at 1-800-621-1675 or [email protected].

This report describes changes to the Fund that occurred during or after the reporting period.

WHAT WERE THE FUND COSTS FOR THE LAST YEAR?

(Based on a hypothetical $10,000 investment)

Fund Costs of a $10,000 investment Costs paid as a percentage
of a $10,000 investment
First Trust AAA CMBS ETF $36(1) 0.35%(1)

​(1)

Excludes any Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses of the underlying investment companies in which the Fund invests.

HOW DID THE FUND PERFORM LAST YEAR? WHAT AFFECTED THE FUND’S PERFORMANCE?

The Fund returned 3.98% for the 12 months ended July 31, 2026. The Fund outperformed its benchmark, the Bloomberg Non-Agency Investment Grade CMBS: US Aggregate Eligible Aaa Index, which returned 3.90% for the same Period.

This 8 basis points (“bps”) of outperformance was due to several factors during the Period:

  • Overall, the Fund generated a greater level of income than its benchmark, which aided performance.

  • The Fund was overweight to single-asset single-borrower floating-rate securities, which was beneficial to the Fund’s performance.

  • The Fund added exposure to out-of-benchmark agency commercial mortgage-backed securities (“CMBS”) interest-only positions, which helped drive outperformance.

  • While utilized primarily to manage yield curve and duration risk, the use of derivatives was mildly detrimental to the Fund’s relative return, as the Fund generally maintained a longer duration than the benchmark, which hurt performance as yields moved higher across the curve.

FUND PERFORMANCE (February 27, 2024 to July 31, 2026)

The performance line graph below shows the performance of a hypothetical $10,000 initial investment in the Fund over a ten-year period (or for the life of the Fund, if shorter). The subsequent account value as of the end of the Period is listed next to the name of the Fund or index, as applicable. The performance table below shows the average annual total returns of the Fund for the past one-, five-, and ten-year periods, as applicable (or for the life of the Fund, if shorter), as of the end of the Period. Both the line graph and performance table compare the Fund’s performance to an appropriate broad-based index and may compare to additional indices reflecting the market segment(s) in which the Fund invests over the same periods.

Investment Performance of $10,000

Fund Performance - Growth of 10K

Average Annual Total Returns (as of July 31, 2026) 1 Year Since
Inception
(2/27/24)
First Trust AAA CMBS ETF 3.98% 5.58%
Bloomberg Non-Agency Investment Grade CMBS: US Aggregate Eligible Aaa Index 3.90% 5.63%
Bloomberg US Aggregate Bond Index 2.71% 4.09%

Visit  www.ftportfolios.com/etf/CAAA for more recent performance information.

The Fund’s past performance is not a good predictor of the Fund’s future performance. The graph and table do not reflect the deduction of taxes that a shareholder would pay on Fund distributions or redemption of Fund shares. The total returns would have been lower if certain fees had not been waived by the investment advisor.

Performance in securitized product investment strategies can be impacted from the benefits of purchasing odd lot positions. The impact of these investments can be particularly meaningful when funds have limited assets under management and may not be a sustainable source of performance as a fund grows in size.

KEY FUND STATISTICS (As of July 31, 2026)

Fund net assets $35,190,370
Total number of portfolio holdings 118
Total advisory fee paid $100,004
Portfolio turnover rate 18%

WHAT DID THE FUND INVEST IN? (As of July 31, 2026)

The tables below show the investment makeup of the Fund, representing the percentage of net assets and percentage of total investments, respectively, of the Fund.

Fund Allocation

Mortgage-Backed Securities 91.7%
U.S. Government Agency Mortgage-Backed Securities 6.1%
Money Market Funds 2.0%
Net Other Assets and Liabilities(1) 0.2%
Total 100.0%

Credit Quality (2)

Graphical Representation - Allocation 2 Chart

(1) Includes variation margin on futures contracts.

(2) The ratings are by one or more nationally recognized statistical rating organizations (NRSROs), including S&P Global Ratings, Moody’s Investors Service, Inc., Fitch Ratings, DBRS, Inc., Kroll Bond Rating Agency, Inc. or a comparably rated NRSRO. For situations in which a security is rated by more than one NRSRO and the ratings are not equivalent, the highest rating is used. A credit rating is an assessment provided by a NRSRO of the creditworthiness of an issuer with respect to debt obligations. Ratings are measured on a scale that generally ranges from AAA (highest) to D (lowest). Investment grade is defined as those issuers that have a long-term credit rating of BBB- or higher. “NR” indicates no rating. The credit ratings shown relate to the creditworthiness of the issuers of the underlying securities in the Fund, and not to the Fund or its shares. U.S. Agency, U.S. Agency mortgage-backed, and U.S. Treasury securities appear under “Government & Agency.” Credit ratings are subject to change.

HOW HAS THE FUND MATERIALLY CHANGED?

This is a summary of certain changes to the Fund since August 1, 2025. For more complete information, you may review the Fund’s prospectus and any applicable supplements at www.ftportfolios.com/fund-documents/etf/CAAA or upon request at 1-800-621-1675 or [email protected].

Effective February 1, 2026, the Fund’s annual unitary management fee was reduced from 0.45% to 0.29% of the Fund’s average daily net assets. Additionally, the Fund is no longer eligible for any breakpoint discounts described in the Fund’s prospectus or statement of additional information.

WHERE CAN I FIND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE FUND?

Visit www.ftportfolios.com/fund-documents/etf/CAAA to view additional information about the Fund such as the prospectus, financial information, Fund holdings and proxy voting information. You may also request this information by contacting us at 1-800-621-1675 or [email protected].

First Trust AAA CMBS ETF (CAAA)

TSR - First Trust Fund Logo

First Trust Structured Credit Income Opportunities ETF

SCIO | NYSE Arca, Inc.

ANNUAL SHAREHOLDER REPORT | July 31, 2026

This annual shareholder report contains important information about the First Trust Structured Credit Income Opportunities ETF (the “Fund”) for the year of August 1, 2025 to July 31, 2026 (the “Period”). You can find additional information about the Fund at www.ftportfolios.com/fund-documents/etf/SCIO. You can also request this information by contacting us at 1-800-621-1675 or [email protected].

This report describes changes to the Fund that occurred during or after the reporting period.

WHAT WERE THE FUND COSTS FOR THE LAST YEAR?

(Based on a hypothetical $10,000 investment)

Fund Costs of a $10,000 investment Costs paid as a percentage
of a $10,000 investment
First Trust Structured Credit Income Opportunities ETF $73(1) 0.71%(1)

​(1)

Excludes any Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses of the underlying investment companies in which the Fund invests.

HOW DID THE FUND PERFORM LAST YEAR? WHAT AFFECTED THE FUND’S PERFORMANCE?

The Fund returned 5.26% for the 12 months ended July 31, 2026. The Fund outperformed its benchmark, the ICE BofA US ABS & CMBS Index, which returned 3.95% for the same Period.

This 131 basis points (“bps”) of outperformance was due to several factors during the Period:

  • The Fund maintained a significantly higher level of income than its benchmark, which aided performance.

  • The Fund added exposure to out-of-benchmark agency commercial mortgage-backed securities (“CMBS”) interest-only positions, which helped drive outperformance.

  • The Fund increased its allocation to non-agency residential mortgage-backed securities (“RMBS”), which generated strong income and spread returns.

  • Overall, the Fund’s allocation to lower-rated securitized credit sectors aided performance as spreads tightened over the period.

  • Derivatives are typically used to manage interest rate risk as well as offer the potential for income-enhancing strategies. Overall, the usage of derivatives was mildly detrimental to the Fund’s relative return, as the Fund generally maintained a longer duration than the benchmark, which hurt performance as yields moved higher across the curve.

FUND PERFORMANCE (February 27, 2024 to July 31, 2026)

The performance line graph below shows the performance of a hypothetical $10,000 initial investment in the Fund over a ten-year period (or for the life of the Fund, if shorter). The subsequent account value as of the end of the Period is listed next to the name of the Fund or index, as applicable. The performance table below shows the average annual total returns of the Fund for the past one-, five-, and ten-year periods, as applicable (or for the life of the Fund, if shorter), as of the end of the Period. Both the line graph and performance table compare the Fund’s performance to an appropriate broad-based index and may compare to additional indices reflecting the market segment(s) in which the Fund invests over the same periods.

Investment Performance of $10,000

Fund Performance - Growth of 10K

Average Annual Total Returns (as of July 31, 2026) 1 Year Since
Inception
(2/27/24)
First Trust Structured Credit Income Opportunities ETF 5.26% 7.52%
ICE BofA US ABS & CMBS Index 3.95% 5.38%
Bloomberg US Aggregate Bond Index 2.71% 4.09%

Visit  www.ftportfolios.com/etf/SCIO for more recent performance information.

The Fund’s past performance is not a good predictor of the Fund’s future performance. The graph and table do not reflect the deduction of taxes that a shareholder would pay on Fund distributions or redemption of Fund shares. The total returns would have been lower if certain fees had not been waived by the investment advisor.

Performance in securitized product investment strategies can be impacted from the benefits of purchasing odd lot positions. The impact of these investments can be particularly meaningful when funds have limited assets under management and may not be a sustainable source of performance as a fund grows in size.

KEY FUND STATISTICS (As of July 31, 2026)

Fund net assets $500,400,431
Total number of portfolio holdings 441
Total advisory fee paid $1,473,753
Portfolio turnover rate 98%

WHAT DID THE FUND INVEST IN? (As of July 31, 2026)

The tables below show the investment makeup of the Fund, representing the percentage of net assets and percentage of total investments, respectively, of the Fund.

Fund Allocation

Mortgage-Backed Securities 53.8%
Asset-Backed Securities 32.6%
U.S. Government Agency Mortgage-Backed Securities 16.3%
U.S. Treasury Bills 0.6%
Money Market Funds 0.2%
Purchased Options 0.0%
U.S. Government Agency Mortgage-Backed Securities Sold Short (1.2%)
Written Options (0.4%)
Net Other Assets and Liabilities(1) (1.9%)
Total 100.0%

Credit Quality (2)

Graphical Representation - Allocation 2 Chart

Any amount shown as 0.0% represents less than 0.1%.

(1) Includes variation margin on futures contracts.

(2) The ratings are by one or more nationally recognized statistical rating organizations (NRSROs), including S&P Global Ratings, Moody’s Investors Service, Inc., Fitch Ratings, DBRS, Inc., Kroll Bond Rating Agency, Inc. or a comparably rated NRSRO. For situations in which a security is rated by more than one NRSRO and the ratings are not equivalent, the highest rating is used. A credit rating is an assessment provided by a NRSRO of the creditworthiness of an issuer with respect to debt obligations. Ratings are measured on a scale that generally ranges from AAA (highest) to D (lowest). Investment grade is defined as those issuers that have a long-term credit rating of BBB- or higher. “NR” indicates no rating. The credit ratings shown relate to the creditworthiness of the issuers of the underlying securities in the Fund, and not to the Fund or its shares. U.S. Agency, U.S. Agency mortgage-backed, and U.S. Treasury securities appear under “Government & Agency.” Credit ratings are subject to change.

HOW HAS THE FUND MATERIALLY CHANGED?

This is a summary of certain changes to the Fund since August 1, 2025. For more complete information, you may review the Fund’s prospectus and any applicable supplements at www.ftportfolios.com/fund-documents/etf/SCIO or upon request at 1-800-621-1675 or [email protected].

Effective February 1, 2026, the Fund’s annual unitary management fee was reduced from 0.85% to 0.69% of the Fund’s average daily net assets. Additionally, the Fund is no longer eligible for any breakpoint discounts described in the Fund’s prospectus or statement of additional information.

WHERE CAN I FIND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE FUND?

Visit www.ftportfolios.com/fund-documents/etf/SCIO to view additional information about the Fund such as the prospectus, financial information, Fund holdings and proxy voting information. You may also request this information by contacting us at 1-800-621-1675 or [email protected].

First Trust Structured Credit Income Opportunities ETF (SCIO)

(b) Not applicable to the Registrant.

Item 2. Code of Ethics.

(a) The First Trust Exchange-Traded Fund IV (“Registrant”), as of the end of the period covered by this report, has adopted a code of ethics that applies to the Registrant’s principal executive officer, principal financial officer, principal accounting officer or controller, or persons performing similar functions, regardless of whether these individuals are employed by the Registrant or a third party.
(c) There have been no amendments, during the period covered by this report, to a provision of the code of ethics that applies to the Registrant's principal executive officer, principal financial officer, principal accounting officer or controller, or persons performing similar functions, regardless of whether these individuals are employed by the Registrant or a third party, and that relates to any element of the code of ethics description.
(d) The Registrant, during the period covered by this report, has not granted any waivers, including an implicit waiver, from a provision of the code of ethics that applies to the Registrant’s principal executive officer, principal financial officer, principal accounting officer or controller, or persons performing similar functions, regardless of whether these individuals are employed by the Registrant or a third party, that relates to one or more of the items set forth in paragraph (b) of this item’s instructions.
(e) Not applicable.
(f) A copy of the code of ethics that applies to the Registrant’s principal executive officer, principal financial officer, principal accounting officer or controller is filed as an exhibit pursuant to Item 13(a)(1).

Item 3. Audit Committee Financial Expert.

The Registrant’s Board of Trustees has determined that Thomas J. Driscoll, Thomas R. Kadlec and Robert F. Keith are qualified to serve as audit committee financial experts serving on its audit committee and that each of them is “independent,” as defined by Item 3 of Form N-CSR.

Item 4. Principal Accountant Fees and Services.

(a) Audit Fees (Registrant) -- The aggregate fees billed for professional services rendered by the principal accountant for the audit of the Registrant’s annual financial statements or services that are normally provided by the accountant in connection with statutory and regulatory filings or engagements were $105,875 for the fiscal year ended 2025 and $121,000 for the fiscal year ended 2026.
(b) Audit-Related Fees (Registrant) -- The aggregate fees billed for assurance and related services by the principal accountant that are reasonably related to the performance of the audit of the Registrant’s financial statements and are not reported under paragraph (a) of this Item were $0 for the fiscal year ended 2025 and $0 for the fiscal year ended 2026.

Audit-Related Fees (Investment Advisor) -- The aggregate fees billed for assurance and related services by the principal accountant that are reasonably related to the performance of the audit of the Registrant’s financial statements and are not reported under paragraph (a) of this Item were $0 for the fiscal year ended 2025 and $0 for the fiscal year ended 2026.

Audit-Related Fees (Distributor) -- The aggregate fees billed for assurance and related services by the principal accountant that are reasonably related to the performance of the audit of the Registrant’s financial statements and are not reported under paragraph (a) of this Item were $0 for the fiscal year ended 2025 and $0 for the fiscal year ended 2026.

(c) Tax Fees (Registrant) -- The aggregate fees billed for professional services rendered by the principal accountant for tax return review and debt instrument tax analysis and reporting were $74,483 for the fiscal year ended 2025 and $117,764 for the fiscal year ended 2026.

Tax Fees (Investment Advisor) -- The aggregate fees billed for professional services rendered by the principal accountant for tax compliance, tax advice, and tax planning to the Registrant’s advisor were $0 for the fiscal year ended 2025 and $0 for the fiscal year ended 2026.

Tax Fees (Distributor) -- The aggregate fees billed for professional services rendered by the principal accountant for tax compliance, tax advice, and tax planning to the Registrant’s distributor were $0 for the fiscal year ended 2025 and $0 for the fiscal year ended 2026.

These fees were for tax consultation and/or tax return preparation and professional services rendered for PFIC (Passive Foreign Investment Company) Identification Services.

(d) All Other Fees (Registrant) -- The aggregate fees billed for products and services provided by the principal accountant to the Registrant, other than the services reported in paragraphs (a) through (c) of this Item were $0 for the fiscal year ended 2025 and $0 for the fiscal year ended 2026.

All Other Fees (Investment Advisor) -- The aggregate fees billed for products and services provided by the principal accountant to the Registrant’s investment advisor, other than the services reported in paragraphs (a) through (c) of this Item were $0 for the fiscal year ended 2025 and $0 for the fiscal year ended 2026.

All Other Fees (Distributor) -- The aggregate fees billed for products and services provided by the principal accountant to the Registrant’s distributor, other than the services reported in paragraphs (a) through (c) of this Item were $0 for the fiscal year ended 2025 and $0 for the fiscal year ended 2026.

(e)(1) Disclose the audit committee’s pre-approval policies and procedures described in paragraph (c) (7) of Rule 2-01 of Regulation S-X.

Pursuant to its charter and its Audit and Non-Audit Services Pre-Approval Policy, the Audit Committee (the “Committee”) is responsible for the pre-approval of all audit services and permitted non-audit services (including the fees and terms thereof) to be performed for the Registrant by its independent auditors. The Chairman of the Committee is authorized to give such pre-approvals on behalf of the Committee up to $25,000 and report any such pre-approval to the full Committee.

The Committee is also responsible for the pre-approval of the independent auditor’s engagements for non-audit services with the Registrant’s advisor (not including a sub-advisor whose role is primarily portfolio management and is sub-contracted or overseen by another investment advisor) and any entity controlling, controlled by or under common control with the investment advisor that provides ongoing services to the Registrant, if the engagement relates directly to the operations and financial reporting of the Registrant, subject to the de minimis exceptions for non-audit services described in Rule 2-01 of Regulation S-X. If the independent auditor has provided non-audit services to the Registrant’s advisor (other than any sub-advisor whose role is primarily portfolio management and is sub-contracted with or overseen by another investment advisor) and any entity controlling, controlled by or under common control with the investment advisor that provides ongoing services to the Registrant that were not pre-approved pursuant to its policies, the Committee will consider whether the provision of such non-audit services is compatible with the auditor’s independence.

(e)(2) The percentage of services described in each of paragraphs (b) through (d) for the Registrant and the Registrant’s investment advisor and distributor of this Item that were approved by the audit committee pursuant to the pre-approval exceptions included in paragraph (c)(7)(i)(C) or paragraph(C)(7)(ii) of Rule 2-01 of Regulation S-X are as follows:

Registrant:   Advisor and Distributor:
(b) 0%    (b) 0%
(c) 0%    (c) 0%
(d) 0%    (d) 0%
(f) The percentage of hours expended on the principal accountant’s engagement to audit the Registrant’s financial statements for the most recent fiscal year that were attributed to work performed by persons other than the principal accountant’s full-time, permanent employees was less than fifty percent.
(g) The aggregate non-audit fees billed by the Registrant’s accountant for services rendered to the Registrant, and rendered to the Registrant’s investment advisor (not including any sub-advisor whose role is primarily portfolio management and is subcontracted with or overseen by another investment advisor), and any entity controlling, controlled by, or under common control with the advisor that provides ongoing services to the Registrant for the fiscal year ended 2025 were $74,483 for the Registrant, $28,080 for the Registrant’s investment advisor and $32,400 for the Registrant’s distributor; and for the fiscal year ended 2026 were $117,764 for the Registrant, $13,020 for the Registrant’s investment advisor and $14,940 for the Registrant’s distributor.
(h) The Registrant’s audit committee of its Board of Trustees has determined that the provision of non-audit services that were rendered to the Registrant’s investment advisor (not including any sub-advisor whose role is primarily portfolio management and is subcontracted with or overseen by another investment advisor), and any entity controlling, controlled by, or under common control with the investment advisor that provides ongoing services to the Registrant that were not pre-approved pursuant to paragraph (c)(7)(ii) of Rule 2-01 of Regulation S-X is compatible with maintaining the principal accountant’s independence.

(i) Not applicable to the Registrant.

(j) Not applicable to the Registrant.

Item 5. Audit Committee of Listed Registrants.

(a) The Registrant has a separately designated standing audit committee established in accordance with Section 3(a)(58)(A) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 consisting of all the independent directors of the Registrant. The audit committee of the Registrant is comprised of: Thomas J. Driscoll, Richard E. Erickson, Thomas R. Kadlec, Denise M. Keefe, Robert F. Keith, Niel B. Nielson and Bronwyn Wright.
(b) Not applicable to the Registrant.

Item 6. Investments.

(a) The Schedule of Investments in securities of unaffiliated issuers as of the close of the reporting period is included in the Financial Statements and Other Information filed under Item 7(a) of this Form N-CSR.
(b) Not applicable to the Registrant.

Item 7. Financial Statements and Financial Highlights for Open-End Management Investment Companies.

(a) Following is a copy of the annual financial statement(s) required, and for the periods specified, by Regulation S-X.

Annual Financial

Statements and

Other Information

For the Year Ended

July 31, 2026

First Trust Exchange-Traded Fund IV

First Trust Core Investment Grade ETF (FTCB)

First Trust AAA CMBS ETF (CAAA)

First Trust Structured Credit Income Opportunities ETF

(SCIO)


Table of Contents 

First Trust Exchange-Traded Fund IV
Annual Financial Statements and Other Information
July 31, 2026 

Portfolio of Investments

First Trust Core Investment Grade ETF (FTCB)

1

First Trust AAA CMBS ETF (CAAA)

30

First Trust Structured Credit Income Opportunities ETF (SCIO)

36

Statements of Assets and Liabilities

56

Statements of Operations

57

Statements of Changes in Net Assets

58

Financial Highlights

60

Notes to Financial Statements

63

Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

75

Other Information

77

Performance and Risk Disclosure

There is no assurance that any series of First Trust Exchange-Traded Fund IV (the “Trust”) described in this report (each such series is referred to as a “Fund” and collectively, as the “Funds”) will achieve its investment objective. Each Fund is subject to market risk, which is the possibility that the market values of securities owned by the Fund will decline and that the value of the Fund’s shares may therefore be less than what you paid for them. Accordingly, you can lose money by investing in a Fund.

Performance data quoted represents past performance, which is no guarantee of future results, and current performance may be lower or higher than the figures shown. For the most recent month-end performance figures, please visit www.ftportfolios.com or speak with your financial advisor. Investment returns, net asset value and share price will fluctuate and Fund shares, when sold, may be worth more or less than their original cost.

First Trust Advisors L.P., the Funds’ advisor, may also periodically provide additional information on Fund performance on each Fund’s webpage at www.ftportfolios.com.

How to Read This Report

This report contains information that may help you evaluate your investment. It includes details about each Fund and presents data that provides insight into each Fund’s performance and investment approach.

The material risks of investing in each Fund are spelled out in its prospectus, statement of additional information, and other Fund regulatory filings.


First Trust Core Investment Grade ETF (FTCB)

Portfolio of Investments July 31, 2026

Principal

Value

Description

Stated

Coupon

Stated

Maturity

Value

U.S. GOVERNMENT AGENCY MORTGAGE-BACKED SECURITIES — 33.5%

Collateralized Mortgage Obligations — 18.4%

FARM Mortgage Trust

$2,456,752

Series 2024-1, Class A (a) (b)

4.65%

10/01/53

$2,304,180

279,206

Series 2024-2, Class A (a) (b)

5.15%

08/01/54

264,926

Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation

2,746,060

Series 2015-4499, Class CZ

3.50%

08/15/45

2,356,504

8,100,172

Series 2016-4639, Class HZ

3.25%

04/15/53

6,403,036

2,062,931

Series 2019-4885, Class PZ

3.00%

06/15/49

1,422,680

339,460

Series 2019-4942, Class FA, 30 Day Average SOFR + CSA +

0.50% (c)

4.23%

01/25/50

334,815

3,474,697

Series 2022-5202, Class NV

3.00%

01/25/37

3,133,303

4,360,689

Series 2022-5224, Class DZ

4.00%

04/25/52

3,875,281

12,695,000

Series 2022-5224, Class HL

4.00%

04/25/52

11,500,129

8,443,299

Series 2022-5259, Class FA, 30 Day Average SOFR + 0.70% (c)

4.32%

09/25/52

8,350,976

6,374,613

Series 2022-5266, Class FA, 30 Day Average SOFR + 0.82% (c)

4.44%

09/25/52

6,299,950

8,670,965

Series 2023-5325, Class SA, (30 Day Average SOFR) ×-2+

11.40% (d)

4.17%

11/25/52

7,452,645

5,859,622

Series 2023-5351, Class EO, PO

(e)

10/25/53

4,621,745

4,231,980

Series 2024-5435, Class BS, (30 Day Average SOFR) ×-2+

11.93% (d)

4.69%

07/25/54

3,640,826

2,403,957

Series 2024-5460, Class FN, 30 Day Average SOFR + 1.10% (c)

4.72%

10/25/54

2,415,197

5,986,329

Series 2024-5476, Class FA, 30 Day Average SOFR + 1.10% (c)

4.72%

11/25/54

6,013,878

706,481

Series 2024-5478, Class NF, 30 Day Average SOFR + 1.30% (c)

4.92%

12/25/54

713,440

3,560,467

Series 2024-5487, Class ZM

3.50%

12/25/54

2,965,850

4,829,995

Series 2025-5500, Class CZ

4.50%

02/25/55

4,158,926

9,003,282

Series 2025-5506, Class DZ

3.50%

08/25/42

7,267,011

1,440,000

Series 2026-457, Class EC

4.70%

06/25/31

1,426,872

24,923,717

Series 2026-459, Class GE, STRIPS

4.65%

07/25/31

24,732,350

12,635,284

Series 2026-459, Class GH, STRIPS

4.80%

07/25/31

12,556,999

12,500,000

Series 2026-470, Class JA, STRIPS (f)

4.80%

08/25/31

12,430,664

10,808,122

Series 2026-5642, Class FN, 30 Day Average SOFR + 0.90% (c)

4.52%

03/25/56

10,686,759

Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation Seasoned Credit Risk

Transfer Trust

1,074,141

Series 2017-1, Class HA

3.00%

01/25/56

1,016,170

1,557,657

Series 2017-2, Class MA

3.00%

08/25/56

1,460,310

2,090,486

Series 2018-1, Class MA

3.00%

05/25/57

1,957,687

1,319,165

Series 2018-1, Class MT

3.00%

05/25/57

1,116,696

2,660,634

Series 2018-2, Class MZ

3.50%

11/25/57

2,051,274

610,954

Series 2018-3, Class HA

3.00%

08/25/57

571,553

3,645,658

Series 2018-3, Class HV

3.00%

08/25/57

3,234,538

403,224

Series 2018-3, Class MA

3.50%

08/25/57

387,669

2,252,466

Series 2018-3, Class MZ

3.50%

08/25/57

1,695,619

9,447,150

Series 2018-4, Class MA

3.50%

03/25/58

9,050,656

15,000,000

Series 2018-4, Class MB

3.50%

03/25/58

12,180,876

1,544,661

Series 2019-1, Class MA

3.50%

07/25/58

1,476,797

2,650,802

Series 2019-2, Class HV

3.00%

08/25/58

2,348,943

3,262,697

Series 2019-2, Class MA

3.50%

08/26/58

3,099,103

7,116,264

Series 2019-2, Class MV

3.50%

08/25/58

6,579,486

8,404,784

Series 2019-3, Class MA

3.50%

10/25/58

8,059,286

2,956,392

Series 2019-3, Class MV

3.50%

10/25/58

2,757,785

3,041,610

Series 2019-3, Class MZ

3.50%

10/25/58

2,280,146

See Notes to Financial Statements

Page 1


First Trust Core Investment Grade ETF (FTCB)

Portfolio of Investments (Continued) July 31, 2026

Principal

Value

Description

Stated

Coupon

Stated

Maturity

Value

U.S. GOVERNMENT AGENCY MORTGAGE-BACKED SECURITIES (Continued)

Collateralized Mortgage Obligations (Continued)

Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation Seasoned Credit Risk

Transfer Trust (Continued)

$525,203

Series 2019-4, Class HA

3.00%

02/25/59

$482,883

346,879

Series 2019-4, Class MA

3.00%

02/25/59

321,154

4,613,588

Series 2019-4, Class MV

3.00%

02/25/59

4,029,021

Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation Seasoned Loans

Structured Transaction Trust

232,804

Series 2018-2, Class A2

3.50%

11/25/28

223,484

392,980

Series 2019-2, Class A1C

2.75%

09/25/29

373,296

152,923

Series 2019-3, Class A1C

2.75%

11/25/29

144,937

539,326

Series 2020-2, Class AC

2.00%

09/25/30

489,540

865,586

Series 2024-2, Class VF, 30 Day Average SOFR + 1.25% (a) (c)

4.87%

10/25/34

883,291

7,100,000

Series 2025-1, Class A2

3.00%

05/25/35

6,030,825

16,124,000

Series 2025-2, Class A2

3.00%

10/25/35

13,491,185

Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation STACR REMIC Trust

4,796,183

Series 2024-DNA2, Class A1, 30 Day Average SOFR +

1.25% (a) (c)

4.87%

05/25/44

4,818,068

573,333

Series 2024-HQA2, Class A1, 30 Day Average SOFR +

1.25% (a) (c)

4.87%

08/25/44

575,526

890,000

Series 2025-DNA1, Class A1, 30 Day Average SOFR +

0.95% (a) (c)

4.57%

01/25/45

890,923

1,093,750

Series 2025-HQA1, Class A1, 30 Day Average SOFR +

0.95% (a) (c)

4.57%

02/25/45

1,094,907

Federal National Mortgage Association

6,529,609

Series 2012-118, Class VZ

3.00%

11/25/42

5,906,394

3,652,143

Series 2014-60, Class EZ

3.00%

10/25/44

3,286,483

2,050,327

Series 2015-65, Class CZ

3.50%

09/25/45

1,770,569

1,664,415

Series 2016-44, Class ZD

3.00%

07/25/46

1,351,257

2,901,801

Series 2017-49, Class ZJ

4.00%

07/25/57

2,501,133

244,464

Series 2018-45, Class FT, 30 Day Average SOFR + CSA +

0.30% (c)

4.03%

06/25/48

238,968

118,614

Series 2019-33, Class F, 30 Day Average SOFR + CSA +

0.45% (c)

4.18%

07/25/49

117,112

299,190

Series 2020-47, Class FA, 30 Day Average SOFR + CSA +

0.40% (c)

4.13%

07/25/50

293,494

2,908,691

Series 2022-31, Class GZ

2.00%

03/25/52

2,087,800

6,660,227

Series 2022-57, Class FB, 30 Day Average SOFR + 0.70% (c)

4.32%

09/25/52

6,549,744

7,731,268

Series 2022-62, Class FM, 30 Day Average SOFR + 0.65% (c)

4.27%

09/25/52

7,585,807

12,967,340

Series 2022-66, Class CF, 30 Day Average SOFR + 0.80% (c)

4.42%

10/25/52

12,805,871

7,259,547

Series 2022-69, Class FA, 30 Day Average SOFR + 0.82% (c)

4.44%

10/25/52

7,174,304

5,963,462

Series 2023-54, Class PO, PO

(e)

11/25/53

4,910,548

4,118,950

Series 2024-20, Class ZQ

4.00%

10/25/45

3,536,532

894,937

Series 2024-39, Class AV

3.00%

11/25/33

840,342

2,798,666

Series 2024-81, Class FE, 30 Day Average SOFR + 1.15% (c)

4.77%

07/25/54

2,815,032

4,466,004

Series 2024-84, Class FD, 30 Day Average SOFR + 1.15% (c)

4.77%

11/25/54

4,492,175

15,950,377

Series 2024-98, Class FG, 30 Day Average SOFR + 1.00% (c)

4.62%

11/25/54

16,028,914

1,304,622

Series 2025-32, Class FD, 30 Day Average SOFR + 1.75% (c)

5.37%

05/25/55

1,321,963

10,952,950

Series 2025-49, Class FA, 30 Day Average SOFR + 0.80% (c)

4.42%

06/25/55

10,874,802

8,058,135

Series 2025-101, Class CZ

3.00%

07/25/51

4,750,958

9,875,520

Series 2026-5, Class CF, 30 Day Average SOFR + 1.05% (c)

4.67%

02/25/56

9,823,201

See Notes to Financial Statements

Page 2


First Trust Core Investment Grade ETF (FTCB)

Portfolio of Investments (Continued) July 31, 2026

Principal

Value

Description

Stated

Coupon

Stated

Maturity

Value

U.S. GOVERNMENT AGENCY MORTGAGE-BACKED SECURITIES (Continued)

Collateralized Mortgage Obligations (Continued)

Government National Mortgage Association

$4,532,071

Series 2012-113, Class BZ

3.00%

09/16/42

$3,781,257

2,192,879

Series 2018-14, Class NZ

3.00%

01/20/48

1,786,121

2,652,896

Series 2018-89, Class VZ

3.50%

06/20/48

2,342,554

3,528,031

Series 2021-1, Class ZQ

3.00%

11/20/50

2,504,561

4,738,828

Series 2021-105, Class DT

5.50%

06/20/51

4,707,763

3,591,011

Series 2021-137, Class MT (g)

4.77%

08/20/51

3,393,779

6,327,353

Series 2022-9, Class AC

5.50%

01/20/52

6,326,539

6,208,267

Series 2022-9, Class GJ

5.50%

01/20/52

6,207,813

4,857,663

Series 2022-139, Class AL

4.00%

07/20/51

4,364,045

14,134,165

Series 2024-79, Class VB, (30 Day Average SOFR) ×-1.50+

10.95% (d)

5.52%

05/20/54

13,129,732

9,854,658

Series 2024-181, Class FQ, 30 Day Average SOFR + 1.15% (c)

4.77%

11/20/54

9,917,359

3,743,814

Series 2025-83, Class SB, (30 Day Average SOFR) ×-2.50+

14.50% (d)

5.45%

05/20/55

3,427,068

3,851,113

Series 2025-95, Class DC, (30 Day Average SOFR) ×-2.50+

14.63% (d)

5.57%

05/20/55

3,487,467

7,838,849

Series 2025-98, Class SX, (30 Day Average SOFR) ×-1.80+

10.44% (d)

3.92%

06/20/55

6,892,271

4,714,442

Series 2025-100, Class JS, (30 Day Average SOFR) ×-2.75+

15.95% (d)

5.99%

06/20/55

4,330,174

7,639,795

Series 2025-131, Class ST, (30 Day Average SOFR) ×-1.80+

10.89% (d)

4.37%

08/20/55

6,622,849

14,195,889

Series 2025-164, Class PO, PO

(e)

08/20/54

11,004,257

2,989,891

Series 2025-192, Class GZ

4.00%

11/20/55

2,330,622

7,343,606

Series 2026-99, Class SC, (30 Day Average SOFR) ×-2.11+

13.03% (d)

5.38%

06/20/56

6,741,712

13,093,280

Series 2026-111, Class AS, (30 Day Average SOFR) ×-2.50+

13.89% (d)

4.83%

06/20/56

11,821,010

468,684,932

Commercial Mortgage-Backed Securities — 1.7%

Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation Multiclass Certificates

5,795,000

Series 2020-RR07, Class BX, IO (g)

2.61%

10/27/28

235,366

5,778,199

Series 2020-RR14, Class X, IO (b)

2.13%

03/27/34

683,178

Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation Multifamily PC REMIC

Trust

23,500,000

Series 2019-RR01, Class X, IO (g)

1.53%

06/25/28

502,623

Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation Multifamily Structured

Pass Through Certificates

4,950,000

Series 2019-K094, Class XAM, IO (b)

1.14%

06/25/29

150,813

5,199,580

Series 2019-K097, Class X1, IO (b)

1.08%

07/25/29

142,872

23,397,662

Series 2019-K101, Class X1, IO (g)

0.83%

10/25/29

530,769

297,246

Series 2019-K103, Class A1

2.31%

06/25/29

288,120

217,105

Series 2019-K1510, Class A3

3.79%

01/25/34

201,582

73,971,871

Series 2019-K1510, Class X1, IO (b)

0.48%

01/25/34

1,859,963

26,332,246

Series 2019-K1512, Class X1, IO (b)

0.90%

04/25/34

1,191,608

24,601,745

Series 2020-K104, Class X1, IO (b)

1.10%

01/25/30

801,099

5,200,000

Series 2020-K104, Class XAM, IO (b)

1.38%

01/25/30

229,726

18,572,696

Series 2020-K110, Class X1, IO (b)

1.63%

04/25/30

911,981

33,622,499

Series 2020-K115, Class X1, IO (b)

1.31%

06/25/30

1,431,938

7,680,899

Series 2020-K116, Class X1, IO (b)

1.40%

07/25/30

343,444

See Notes to Financial Statements

Page 3


First Trust Core Investment Grade ETF (FTCB)

Portfolio of Investments (Continued) July 31, 2026

Principal

Value

Description

Stated

Coupon

Stated

Maturity

Value

U.S. GOVERNMENT AGENCY MORTGAGE-BACKED SECURITIES (Continued)

Commercial Mortgage-Backed Securities (Continued)

Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation Multifamily Structured

Pass Through Certificates (Continued)

$8,257,250

Series 2020-K118, Class X1, IO (b)

0.94%

09/25/30

$267,078

70,830,426

Series 2020-K120, Class X1, IO (b)

1.02%

10/25/30

2,447,418

398,700

Series 2020-K1517, Class X1, IO (b)

1.32%

07/25/35

33,575

8,345,337

Series 2020-KG03, Class X1, IO (b)

1.36%

06/25/30

354,939

9,584,441

Series 2020-KG04, Class X1, IO (b)

0.84%

11/25/30

275,453

29,622,577

Series 2021-K130, Class X1, IO (b)

1.03%

06/25/31

1,222,450

91,554,037

Series 2021-K132, Class X1, IO (b)

0.50%

08/25/31

1,964,109

2,155,787

Series 2021-K743, Class X1, IO (b)

0.90%

05/25/28

29,507

16,549,130

Series 2021-KG05, Class X1, IO (b)

0.31%

01/25/31

188,023

265,851

Series 2022-K142, Class A1

2.40%

12/25/31

246,292

480,482

Series 2022-K152, Class A1

3.78%

01/25/32

473,004

116,788,000

Series 2024-K164, Class XAM, IO (b)

0.27%

06/25/34

2,562,854

4,437,000

Series 2024-K165, Class XAM, IO (b)

0.91%

09/25/34

282,540

22,349,000

Series 2024-K167, Class XAM, IO (b)

0.37%

11/25/34

627,131

919,000

Series 2024-K757, Class XAM, IO (b)

0.99%

08/25/31

41,346

325,000

Series 2024-KJ51, Class A2

4.70%

01/25/32

321,281

71,332,281

Series 2025-K541, Class X1, IO (b)

0.64%

02/25/30

1,466,007

71,798,184

Series 2025-K546, Class X1, IO (b)

0.90%

05/25/30

2,147,089

Federal National Mortgage Association Alternative Credit

Enhancement Securities

361,626

Series 2024-M3, Class Z (b)

4.55%

04/25/53

291,742

9,017,784

Series 2026-M4, Class Z (b)

2.85%

04/25/52

5,160,229

Government National Mortgage Association

34,906,842

Series 2020-24, Class IO (g)

0.59%

04/16/62

1,397,789

10,809,417

Series 2021-31, Class IO, IO (b)

0.94%

01/16/61

740,274

29,643,391

Series 2024-32, Class IO, IO (b)

0.70%

06/16/63

1,533,189

12,860,889

Series 2025-21, Class IO, IO (b)

0.95%

04/16/65

908,325

16,722,480

Series 2025-78, Class IO, IO (b)

1.00%

11/16/63

1,227,440

24,113,336

Series 2025-153, Class IO, IO (b)

0.85%

09/16/67

1,781,836

67,978,425

Series 2025-206, Class IO, IO (b)

0.80%

04/16/64

4,136,473

49,376,000

Series 2026-133, Class IO, IO (b)

0.83%

04/16/65

3,087,832

44,720,307

Pass-Through Securities — 13.4%

Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation

1,925,522

Pool Q43173

3.00%

09/01/46

1,689,726

726,872

Pool RB5112

2.50%

05/01/41

644,030

5,190,388

Pool RB5126

2.50%

09/01/41

4,562,824

1,623,299

Pool RE6076

2.00%

12/01/50

1,243,600

2,110,740

Pool SD0257

3.00%

01/01/50

1,802,466

3,100,907

Pool SD7309

4.00%

02/01/45

2,923,823

540,732

Pool SD7550

3.00%

02/01/52

471,664

5,024,814

Pool SL0847

3.50%

04/01/49

4,523,277

861,722

Pool ZS9776

3.50%

08/01/46

782,772

3,709,309

Pool ZT0794

4.50%

10/01/48

3,554,770

15,430,957

Pool ZT2264

4.00%

03/01/44

14,509,422

Federal National Mortgage Association

427,842

Pool 310208

3.00%

03/01/48

368,831

427,029

Pool 310211

3.50%

07/01/48

384,952

See Notes to Financial Statements

Page 4


First Trust Core Investment Grade ETF (FTCB)

Portfolio of Investments (Continued) July 31, 2026

Principal

Value

Description

Stated

Coupon

Stated

Maturity

Value

U.S. GOVERNMENT AGENCY MORTGAGE-BACKED SECURITIES (Continued)

Pass-Through Securities (Continued)

Federal National Mortgage Association (Continued)

$3,490,268

Pool AL8400

3.00%

08/01/43

$3,133,492

5,105,404

Pool AL9394

3.00%

11/01/46

4,441,455

3,341,245

Pool AS5843

4.00%

09/01/45

3,128,527

217,323

Pool BF0207

4.50%

04/01/47

211,406

2,151,823

Pool BM4629

4.00%

10/01/48

1,979,804

4,208,410

Pool BM6210

3.50%

12/01/47

3,778,375

8,594,917

Pool BM6429

3.00%

09/01/48

7,409,564

1,454,635

Pool BM7345

4.50%

03/01/50

1,345,194

308,722

Pool BM7521

3.50%

10/01/48

279,157

3,480,602

Pool BM7687

3.00%

11/01/46

3,070,209

4,334,125

Pool BM7699

3.50%

02/01/47

3,982,008

3,415,464

Pool BM7914

2.00%

03/01/52

2,616,580

6,560,993

Pool CA7695

1.50%

11/01/50

4,895,904

4,542,883

Pool FA0606

3.50%

09/01/47

4,222,230

2,633,223

Pool FA0983

4.00%

11/01/50

2,438,781

9,057,499

Pool FA1024

2.50%

05/01/51

7,426,903

9,247,342

Pool FA1265

4.50%

12/01/50

8,860,115

4,774,651

Pool FM3972

3.50%

07/01/50

4,253,479

1,945,385

Pool FM9416

3.50%

07/01/45

1,771,970

7,971,389

Pool FM9645

4.50%

11/01/49

7,639,361

329,214

Pool FM9712

3.50%

11/01/50

299,203

2,499,179

Pool FP0122

4.50%

07/01/51

2,379,897

5,425,870

Pool FS0704

4.00%

03/01/47

5,088,366

4,100,686

Pool FS1046

4.50%

11/01/49

3,932,595

3,948,507

Pool FS6440

4.00%

10/01/48

3,672,223

10,962,492

Pool FS8780

3.00%

07/01/50

9,615,767

12,917,855

Pool FS8862

3.50%

05/01/48

11,774,805

5,146,396

Pool FS9392

3.50%

05/01/49

4,672,541

1,039,980

Pool MA1582

3.50%

09/01/43

955,615

2,129,748

Pool MA4025

2.50%

05/01/50

1,725,042

369,165

Pool MA4319

2.00%

04/01/51

282,817

6,821,314

Pool MA4320

2.50%

04/01/51

5,525,009

1,945,000

Pool TBA (h)

4.00%

08/15/41

1,863,319

3,800,000

Pool TBA (h)

5.50%

08/15/41

3,839,449

10,127,000

Pool TBA (h)

4.50%

09/01/55

9,496,656

4,639,000

Pool TBA (h)

3.00%

08/01/56

3,955,652

36,000

Pool TBA (h)

2.50%

08/15/56

29,356

6,611,000

Pool TBA (h)

3.50%

08/15/56

5,865,455

1,674,000

Pool TBA

5.00%

08/15/56

1,615,745

36,300,000

Pool TBA (h)

5.50%

08/15/56

35,928,342

38,501,000

Pool TBA (h)

5.50%

09/15/56

38,046,649

9,984,000

Pool TBA (h)

6.00%

09/15/56

10,077,951

7,464,000

Pool TBA

6.00%

10/15/56

7,528,406

Government National Mortgage Association

2,039,668

Pool AU4920

3.02%

09/15/41

1,760,225

6,430,500

Pool DO5687

5.72%

06/15/53

6,442,582

46,989,965

Pool MA7192

2.00%

02/20/51

37,738,142

8,653,000

Pool TBA (h)

3.50%

08/15/56

7,575,913

See Notes to Financial Statements

Page 5


First Trust Core Investment Grade ETF (FTCB)

Portfolio of Investments (Continued) July 31, 2026

Principal

Value

Description

Stated

Coupon

Stated

Maturity

Value

U.S. GOVERNMENT AGENCY MORTGAGE-BACKED SECURITIES (Continued)

Pass-Through Securities (Continued)

Government National Mortgage Association (Continued)

$3,768,000

Pool TBA (h)

4.00%

08/15/56

$3,409,389

2,501,000

Pool TBA (h)

4.50%

08/15/56

2,344,585

341,788,367

Total U.S. Government Agency Mortgage-Backed Securities

855,193,606

(Cost $865,534,345)

CORPORATE BONDS AND NOTES — 20.5%

Aerospace/Defense — 0.4%

1,500,000

Boeing (The) Co.

6.63%

02/15/38

1,606,531

1,750,000

Boeing (The) Co.

3.55%

03/01/38

1,424,876

3,000,000

Boeing (The) Co.

5.81%

05/01/50

2,835,721

5,385,000

HEICO Corp.

5.40%

08/01/36

5,332,599

11,199,727

Banks — 4.0%

8,170,000

Bank of America Corp. (i)

4.57%

04/27/33

7,911,859

8,000,000

Citigroup, Inc. (i)

4.91%

05/24/33

7,875,049

5,000,000

Fifth Third Bancorp (i)

4.34%

04/25/33

4,755,987

5,000,000

Fifth Third Bancorp (i)

5.14%

01/29/37

4,805,856

12,000,000

First-Citizens Bank & Trust Co. (i)

5.10%

07/13/29

11,972,054

2,500,000

Goldman Sachs Group (The), Inc. (i)

4.52%

01/21/32

2,427,037

7,500,000

Goldman Sachs Group (The), Inc. (i)

5.24%

07/21/32

7,486,868

2,500,000

Goldman Sachs Group (The), Inc. (i)

3.10%

02/24/33

2,235,825

4,500,000

Huntington Bancshares, Inc. (i)

5.02%

05/17/33

4,429,499

6,500,000

Huntington Bancshares, Inc. (i)

5.71%

02/02/35

6,525,295

8,500,000

JPMorgan Chase & Co. (i)

5.04%

07/23/32

8,464,739

2,940,000

JPMorgan Chase & Co. (i)

4.91%

07/25/33

2,901,974

2,450,000

Morgan Stanley (i)

6.34%

10/18/33

2,576,988

10,000,000

Morgan Stanley (i)

5.25%

04/21/34

9,906,098

6,501,000

Morgan Stanley (i)

5.61%

07/17/37

6,464,330

2,500,000

Wells Fargo & Co. (i)

4.90%

07/25/33

2,456,223

3,500,000

Zions Bancorp N.A. (i)

4.70%

08/18/28

3,488,990

4,500,000

Zions Bancorp N.A. (i)

4.48%

02/09/29

4,465,630

101,150,301

Beverages — 0.4%

2,500,000

Constellation Brands, Inc.

4.95%

11/01/35

2,387,925

820,000

Constellation Brands, Inc.

5.25%

11/15/48

726,929

7,000,000

Molson Coors Beverage Co.

5.50%

07/08/36

6,879,615

1,145,000

Molson Coors Beverage Co.

4.20%

07/15/46

874,226

10,868,695

Biotechnology — 0.1%

2,500,000

Biogen, Inc.

5.75%

05/15/35

2,559,976

Building Materials — 0.3%

5,000,000

CRH America Finance, Inc.

5.40%

05/21/34

4,998,717

2,500,000

JH North America Holdings, Inc. (a)

6.13%

07/31/32

2,504,364

7,503,081

Commercial Services — 1.2%

2,000,000

Ashtead Capital, Inc. (a)

5.50%

08/11/32

2,013,192

14,605,000

Ashtead Capital, Inc. (a)

5.80%

04/15/34

14,678,289

See Notes to Financial Statements

Page 6


First Trust Core Investment Grade ETF (FTCB)

Portfolio of Investments (Continued) July 31, 2026

Principal

Value

Description

Stated

Coupon

Stated

Maturity

Value

CORPORATE BONDS AND NOTES (Continued)

Commercial Services (Continued)

$5,000,000

Global Payments, Inc.

5.20%

11/15/32

$4,829,321

5,000,000

Global Payments, Inc.

5.55%

11/15/35

4,764,303

500,000

Sunbelt Rentals Holdings, Inc. (a)

4.95%

08/12/30

496,108

4,765,000

United Rentals North America, Inc. (a)

6.00%

12/15/29

4,820,269

31,601,482

Computers — 0.2%

4,550,000

Crowdstrike Holdings, Inc.

3.00%

02/15/29

4,326,282

Diversified Financial Services — 1.8%

4,000,000

Citadel Securities Global Holdings LLC (a)

5.50%

06/18/30

4,020,557

5,000,000

Citadel Securities Global Holdings LLC (a)

5.13%

01/27/32

4,893,975

2,000,000

LPL Holdings, Inc.

5.15%

06/15/30

1,994,107

6,833,000

LSEG U.S. Fin Corp. (a)

5.25%

03/23/36

6,660,831

9,750,000

Rocket Cos., Inc. (a)

6.38%

08/01/33

9,820,126

8,000,000

Rocket Cos., Inc. (a)

6.50%

06/15/34

8,073,232

3,500,000

Rocket Mortgage LLC / Rocket Mortgage Co-Issuer, Inc. (a)

3.88%

03/01/31

3,244,874

5,586,000

Rocket Mortgage LLC / Rocket Mortgage Co-Issuer, Inc. (a)

4.00%

10/15/33

4,937,175

2,727,000

Synchrony Financial (i)

5.45%

10/15/30

2,731,272

46,376,149

Electric — 1.9%

2,340,000

Duke Energy Carolinas LLC

5.30%

02/15/40

2,263,772

1,000,000

Duke Energy Progress LLC

5.55%

03/15/55

924,648

3,155,000

Florida Power & Light Co.

5.30%

04/01/53

2,827,752

5,000,000

Florida Power & Light Co.

5.75%

06/01/56

4,773,741

5,000,000

Indiana Michigan Power Co.

5.60%

03/15/56

4,609,645

5,963,000

MidAmerican Energy Co.

5.50%

11/15/56

5,445,198

3,000,000

Northern States Power Co.

5.65%

05/15/55

2,806,348

3,500,000

NRG Energy, Inc. (a)

4.73%

10/15/30

3,418,740

5,000,000

NRG Energy, Inc. (a)

5.41%

10/15/35

4,790,941

4,000,000

Virginia Electric and Power Co.

5.70%

03/15/56

3,718,904

3,500,000

Virginia Electric and Power Co., Series D

5.60%

09/15/55

3,216,563

750,000

Vistra Operations Co. LLC (a)

4.60%

10/15/30

730,295

8,500,000

Vistra Operations Co., LLC (a)

5.70%

12/30/34

8,391,799

47,918,346

Engineering & Construction — 0.4%

5,000,000

Jacobs Solutions, Inc.

4.75%

03/03/31

4,891,440

5,000,000

Jacobs Solutions, Inc.

5.38%

03/03/36

4,818,574

9,710,014

Environmental Control — 0.0%

1,000,000

Waste Management, Inc.

5.35%

10/15/54

921,788

Food — 0.9%

1,470,000

Campbell’s (The) Co.

5.40%

03/21/34

1,421,333

2,500,000

Conagra Brands, Inc.

5.40%

08/01/31

2,498,523

4,143,000

Conagra Brands, Inc.

5.75%

08/01/35

4,114,129

970,000

Conagra Brands, Inc.

5.30%

11/01/38

896,435

4,500,000

Conagra Brands, Inc.

5.40%

11/01/48

3,803,547

3,335,000

Kraft Heinz Foods Co.

5.00%

06/04/42

2,886,029

7,000,000

Mars, Inc. (a)

5.70%

05/01/55

6,610,600

22,230,596

See Notes to Financial Statements

Page 7


First Trust Core Investment Grade ETF (FTCB)

Portfolio of Investments (Continued) July 31, 2026

Principal

Value

Description

Stated

Coupon

Stated

Maturity

Value

CORPORATE BONDS AND NOTES (Continued)

Healthcare-Products — 1.5%

$7,500,000

180 Medical, Inc. (a)

3.88%

10/15/29

$7,211,593

5,000,000

180 Medical, Inc. (a)

5.30%

10/08/35

4,796,576

2,265,000

Alcon Finance Corp. (a)

5.75%

12/06/52

2,143,523

13,000,000

Medline Borrower, L.P. (a)

3.88%

04/01/29

12,582,287

11,000,000

Medline Borrower, L.P. / Medline Co-Issuer, Inc. (a)

5.25%

06/15/33

10,828,486

37,562,465

Healthcare-Services — 1.8%

2,360,000

Centene Corp.

4.25%

12/15/27

2,352,540

2,250,000

Centene Corp.

3.00%

10/15/30

2,023,708

975,000

Charles River Laboratories International, Inc. (a)

3.75%

03/15/29

932,476

4,000,000

Cigna Group (The)

4.80%

08/15/38

3,689,631

1,750,000

Cigna Group (The)

4.80%

07/15/46

1,476,495

3,500,000

Cigna Group (The)

6.00%

01/15/56

3,401,802

1,475,000

Elevance Health, Inc.

4.65%

01/15/43

1,260,164

525,000

Elevance Health, Inc.

5.13%

02/15/53

446,771

3,500,000

Elevance Health, Inc.

5.70%

09/15/55

3,244,285

4,864,000

HCA, Inc.

4.90%

11/15/35

4,604,441

3,585,000

HCA, Inc.

4.63%

03/15/52

2,765,801

65,000

IQVIA, Inc. (a)

5.70%

05/15/28

65,831

3,000,000

IQVIA, Inc.

5.70%

05/15/28

3,038,340

6,000,000

UnitedHealth Group, Inc.

5.50%

07/15/44

5,665,478

2,000,000

Universal Health Services, Inc.

4.63%

10/15/29

1,968,980

4,710,000

Universal Health Services, Inc.

2.65%

10/15/30

4,218,155

5,000,000

Universal Health Services, Inc.

5.05%

10/15/34

4,715,387

45,870,285

Household Products/Wares — 0.2%

5,000,000

Clorox (The) Co.

5.25%

05/15/36

4,873,921

Insurance — 1.4%

3,805,000

Arthur J. Gallagher & Co.

5.55%

02/15/55

3,425,842

7,115,000

Brown & Brown, Inc.

4.20%

03/17/32

6,689,603

3,245,000

Brown & Brown, Inc.

5.65%

06/11/34

3,227,920

1,000,000

Brown & Brown, Inc.

4.95%

03/17/52

808,743

5,000,000

Brown & Brown, Inc.

6.25%

06/23/55

4,839,291

5,000,000

Ryan Specialty LLC (a)

4.38%

02/01/30

4,833,961

11,053,000

Ryan Specialty LLC (a)

5.88%

08/01/32

10,907,870

34,733,230

Internet — 0.2%

2,000,000

Amazon.com, Inc.

6.00%

07/09/46

1,945,420

3,855,000

AppLovin Corp.

5.38%

12/01/31

3,860,706

5,806,126

Media — 1.1%

6,500,000

Charter Communications Operating LLC / Charter Communications

Operating Capital

5.85%

12/01/35

6,073,079

8,500,000

FactSet Research Systems, Inc.

3.45%

03/01/32

7,650,932

3,000,000

Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (a)

5.88%

07/15/36

2,804,410

6,000,000

Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (a)

6.60%

07/15/46

5,355,129

6,000,000

Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (a)

6.65%

07/15/56

5,314,941

27,198,491

See Notes to Financial Statements

Page 8


First Trust Core Investment Grade ETF (FTCB)

Portfolio of Investments (Continued) July 31, 2026

Principal

Value

Description

Stated

Coupon

Stated

Maturity

Value

CORPORATE BONDS AND NOTES (Continued)

Packaging & Containers — 0.2%

$2,000,000

Amcor Flexibles North America, Inc.

5.10%

03/17/30

$2,008,269

3,000,000

Amcor Flexibles North America, Inc.

5.50%

03/17/35

2,994,326

45,000

Berry Global, Inc. (a)

5.50%

04/15/28

45,615

300,000

Berry Global, Inc.

5.65%

01/15/34

302,365

5,350,575

Pharmaceuticals — 0.2%

5,000,000

CVS Health Corp.

6.20%

09/15/55

4,872,813

Real Estate — 0.1%

4,000,000

CoStar Group, Inc. (a)

2.80%

07/15/30

3,590,313

Real Estate Investment Trusts — 0.3%

8,500,000

VICI Properties, L.P.

5.13%

05/15/32

8,292,694

Semiconductors — 0.1%

4,000,000

Broadcom, Inc.

3.50%

02/15/41

3,018,067

Shipbuilding — 0.2%

4,441,000

Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc.

5.75%

01/15/35

4,514,899

Software — 0.9%

905,000

Fidelity National Information Services, Inc.

3.10%

03/01/41

637,540

8,065,000

MSCI, Inc. (a)

3.88%

02/15/31

7,568,748

2,667,000

MSCI, Inc.

5.25%

09/01/35

2,560,787

3,500,000

MSCI, Inc.

5.15%

03/15/36

3,323,140

5,000,000

Oracle Corp.

6.25%

11/09/32

4,963,648

2,500,000

Salesforce, Inc.

4.90%

09/15/31

2,464,267

2,500,000

Salesforce, Inc.

5.55%

03/15/36

2,439,024

23,957,154

Telecommunications — 0.5%

6,000,000

Beacon Point DC LLC (a)

6.13%

11/30/42

5,760,841

6,667,000

QTS Fayetteville I DC1-2 LLC / QTS TRS Fayetteville I DC1-

2 LLC (a)

5.70%

04/15/36

6,100,785

11,861,626

Water — 0.2%

4,333,000

American Water Capital Corp.

5.70%

09/01/55

4,101,164

Total Corporate Bonds and Notes

521,970,260

(Cost $536,750,906)

MORTGAGE-BACKED SECURITIES — 20.1%

Collateralized Mortgage Obligations — 14.9%

Arroyo Mortgage Trust

67,694

Series 2020-1, Class A1A (a)

1.66%

03/25/55

66,274

BRAVO Residential Funding Trust

500,000

Series 2019-1, Class A3 (a)

3.50%

03/25/58

422,493

132,322

Series 2019-2, Class A3 (a)

3.50%

10/25/44

125,865

1,220,689

Series 2022-NQM1, Class A1 (a)

4.63%

09/25/61

1,188,027

1,037,647

Series 2025-NQM3, Class A1 (a)

5.57%

03/25/65

1,040,711

Chase Home Lending Mortgage Trust

557,879

Series 2019-ATR2, Class B1 (a) (b)

3.99%

07/25/49

511,780

356,076

Series 2019-ATR2, Class B2 (a) (b)

3.99%

07/25/49

325,852

1,292,384

Series 2025-8, Class A11, 30 Day Average SOFR + 1.30% (a) (c)

4.92%

06/25/56

1,295,216

2,363,969

Series 2025-10, Class A11, 30 Day Average SOFR +

1.30% (a) (c)

4.92%

07/25/56

2,370,125

See Notes to Financial Statements

Page 9


First Trust Core Investment Grade ETF (FTCB)

Portfolio of Investments (Continued) July 31, 2026

Principal

Value

Description

Stated

Coupon

Stated

Maturity

Value

MORTGAGE-BACKED SECURITIES (Continued)

Collateralized Mortgage Obligations (Continued)

Chase Mortgage Finance Corp.

$4,857,876

Series 2026-CINV1, Class A11, 30 Day Average SOFR +

1.20% (a) (c)

4.83%

01/25/57

$4,864,707

CIM Trust

3,297,459

Series 2019-INV3, Class B1A (a)

4.64%

08/25/49

3,145,374

Citigroup Mortgage Loan Trust

255,147

Series 2014-A, Class B3 (a) (b)

5.49%

01/25/35

253,858

COLT Mortgage Loan Trust

555,996

Series 2021-6, Class A1 (a)

1.91%

12/25/66

507,836

1,421,734

Series 2025-4, Class A1, steps up to 6.79% on 05/01/29 (a) (j)

5.79%

04/25/70

1,426,640

Connecticut Avenue Securities Trust

2,220,405

Series 2024-R05, Class 2A1, 30 Day Average SOFR +

1.00% (a) (c)

4.62%

07/25/44

2,223,323

1,686,634

Series 2025-R01, Class 1A1, 30 Day Average SOFR +

0.95% (a) (c)

4.57%

01/25/45

1,687,734

1,605,972

Series 2025-R02, Class 1A1, 30 Day Average SOFR +

1.00% (a) (c)

4.62%

02/25/45

1,607,461

Credit Suisse Mortgage Trust

2,423,944

Series 2018-J1, Class A2 (a)

3.50%

02/25/48

2,162,052

613,891

Series 2018-RPL9, Class A (a)

3.85%

09/25/57

583,942

165,971

Series 2019-AFC1, Class A1 (a)

3.57%

07/25/49

160,915

1,480,457

Series 2021-RPL6, Class A1 (a)

2.00%

10/25/60

1,326,929

Cross Mortgage Trust

1,399,083

Series 2025-H3, Class A1 (a)

5.88%

04/25/70

1,406,182

Ellington Financial Mortgage Trust

289,000

Series 2019-2, Class M1 (a)

3.47%

11/25/59

275,570

1,567,923

Series 2024-INV2, Class A1, steps up to 6.04% on

09/01/28 (a) (j)

5.04%

10/25/69

1,561,213

3,680,933

Series 2025-NQM6, Class A1 (a) (g)

5.00%

12/25/70

3,648,391

2,533,833

Series 2026-AE1, Class A29, 30 Day Average SOFR +

1.15% (a) (c)

4.77%

11/25/60

2,535,297

4,914,257

Series 2026-AE3, Class A28, 30 Day Average SOFR +

1.35% (a) (c)

4.97%

06/25/61

4,916,416

3,313,625

Series 2026-NQM3, Class A1 (a) (g)

5.03%

03/25/71

3,283,200

Flagstar Mortgage Trust

2,005,032

Series 2018-2, Class B1 (a) (b)

4.00%

04/25/48

1,823,617

GCAT Trust

320,161

Series 2019-RPL1, Class A1 (a)

2.65%

10/25/68

313,145

9,017,117

Series 2025-INV5, Class A28, 30 Day Average SOFR +

1.50% (a) (c)

5.12%

12/25/55

9,029,607

GS Mortgage-Backed Securities Trust

129,425

Series 2020-NQM1, Class A3 (a)

2.35%

09/27/60

126,273

9,000,000

Series 2022-LTV1, Class A14 (a)

3.00%

06/25/52

6,293,793

4,012,503

Series 2025-PJ11, Class A27, 30 Day Average SOFR +

1.35% (a) (c)

4.97%

05/25/56

4,022,566

1,366,909

Series 2026-PJ1, Class A27, 30 Day Average SOFR +

1.25% (a) (c)

4.87%

06/25/56

1,360,593

HOMES Trust

4,782,214

Series 2024-AFC1, Class A1, steps up to 6.22% on

09/01/28 (a) (j)

5.22%

08/25/59

4,766,473

2,170,953

Series 2024-AFC2, Class A1 (a)

5.58%

10/25/59

2,172,826

See Notes to Financial Statements

Page 10


First Trust Core Investment Grade ETF (FTCB)

Portfolio of Investments (Continued) July 31, 2026

Principal

Value

Description

Stated

Coupon

Stated

Maturity

Value

MORTGAGE-BACKED SECURITIES (Continued)

Collateralized Mortgage Obligations (Continued)

HOMES Trust (Continued)

$1,688,345

Series 2025-AFC2, Class A1A, steps up to 6.47% on

06/01/29 (a) (j)

5.47%

06/25/60

$1,687,642

3,456,030

Series 2025-AFC4, Class A1 (a) (g)

5.15%

11/25/60

3,433,076

8,023,792

Series 2026-AFC1, Class A1 (a) (g)

4.85%

02/25/61

7,933,883

JP Morgan Mortgage Trust

665,479

Series 2017-6, Class A7 (a)

3.50%

12/25/48

590,562

1,057,197

Series 2019-6, Class B1 (a) (b)

4.25%

12/25/49

977,827

277,364

Series 2019-INV1, Class A11, 1 Mo. CME Term SOFR + CSA +

0.95% (a) (c)

4.79%

09/25/49

273,561

1,562,651

Series 2019-INV1, Class B1 (a) (b)

4.93%

09/25/49

1,498,391

764,390

Series 2019-INV3, Class A13 (a)

3.50%

05/25/50

678,354

450,370

Series 2019-INV3, Class A3 (a)

3.50%

05/25/50

399,679

465,357

Series 2020-LTV2, Class B1 (a) (b)

3.99%

11/25/50

416,851

5,150,000

Series 2025-3, Class A1C, steps up to 6.64% on 04/01/29 (a) (j)

5.64%

09/25/55

5,094,348

5,000,000

Series 2025-5MPR, Class A1C, steps up to 6.82% on

05/01/29 (a) (j)

5.82%

11/25/55

4,950,420

7,191,111

Series 2026-1, Class A11, 30 Day Average SOFR + 1.10% (a) (c)

4.72%

07/25/56

7,137,454

6,555,645

Series 2026-LTV1, Class A1 (a) (g)

5.42%

09/25/56

6,512,137

MetLife Securitization Trust

299,833

Series 2018-1A, Class A (a)

3.75%

03/25/57

288,418

MFRA Trust

1,404,324

Series 2023-INV2, Class A1, steps up to 7.78% on

09/01/27 (a) (j)

6.78%

10/25/58

1,403,704

4,029,587

Series 2024-NQM3, Class A1, steps up to 6.72% on

12/01/28 (a) (j)

5.72%

12/25/69

4,034,213

5,059,641

Series 2025-NQM4, Class A1 (a) (g)

5.23%

08/25/70

5,021,514

3,477,769

Series 2025-NQM5, Class A1 (a) (g)

5.19%

11/25/70

3,445,123

5,708,953

Series 2026-NQM1, Class A1 (a) (g)

5.05%

02/25/71

5,659,002

Morgan Stanley Residential Mortgage Loan Trust

2,634,089

Series 2025-SPL1, Class A1 (a) (g)

4.25%

02/25/65

2,543,433

600,000

Series 2026-CLTR1, Class A1LC, steps up to 6.61% on

07/01/30 (a) (j)

5.61%

07/25/68

596,568

4,591,087

Series 2026-INV1, Class A9, 30 Day Average SOFR +

1.15% (a) (c)

4.77%

02/25/61

4,559,822

New Residential Mortgage Loan Trust

1,602,731

Series 2016-3A, Class B1 (a)

4.00%

09/25/56

1,558,549

5,640,165

Series 2018-3A, Class A1 (a)

4.50%

05/25/58

5,408,911

2,632,330

Series 2018-4A, Class A1S, 1 Mo. CME Term SOFR + CSA +

0.75% (a) (c)

4.59%

01/25/48

2,604,175

Onslow Bay Mortgage Loan Trust

3,936,521

Series 2018-1, Class A2, 1 Mo. CME Term SOFR +

0.76% (a) (c)

4.49%

06/25/57

3,913,902

338,669

Series 2019-EXP3, Class 2A1B, 1 Mo. CME Term SOFR + CSA

+ 0.90% (a) (c)

4.74%

10/25/59

338,882

255,971

Series 2021-NQM4, Class A1 (a)

1.96%

10/25/61

216,538

2,000,000

Series 2022-NQM2, Class A1B (a)

4.38%

01/25/62

1,831,604

1,414,045

Series 2025-NQM13, Class A1 (a) (g)

5.44%

05/25/65

1,412,295

1,646,933

Series 2025-NQM6, Class A1, steps up to 6.60% on

03/01/29 (a) (j)

5.60%

03/25/65

1,647,744

See Notes to Financial Statements

Page 11


First Trust Core Investment Grade ETF (FTCB)

Portfolio of Investments (Continued) July 31, 2026

Principal

Value

Description

Stated

Coupon

Stated

Maturity

Value

MORTGAGE-BACKED SECURITIES (Continued)

Collateralized Mortgage Obligations (Continued)

Onslow Bay Mortgage Loan Trust (Continued)

$4,613,235

Series 2026-INV1, Class AF, 30 Day Average SOFR +

1.35% (a) (c)

4.97%

02/25/56

$4,573,153

6,788,632

Series 2026-INV3, Class AF2, 30 Day Average SOFR +

1.35% (a) (c)

4.97%

04/25/56

6,791,101

2,959,322

Series 2026-INV4, Class AF2, 30 Day Average SOFR +

1.45% (a) (c)

5.07%

05/25/56

2,965,474

14,083,765

Series 2026-J1, Class AF, 30 Day Average SOFR + 1.35% (a) (c)

4.97%

02/25/56

14,102,826

4,600,000

Series 2026-NQM4, Class A1LC, steps up to 6.23% on

03/01/30 (a) (j)

5.23%

02/25/66

4,556,318

PMT Loan Trust

15,935,700

Series 2025-CNF1, Class A35, 30 Day Average SOFR +

1.35% (a) (c)

4.97%

10/25/56

16,002,872

3,845,565

Series 2025-CNF2, Class A26, 30 Day Average SOFR +

1.40% (a) (c)

5.02%

01/25/57

3,862,142

4,800,040

Series 2025-INV9, Class A34, 30 Day Average SOFR +

1.30% (a) (c)

4.92%

09/01/56

4,812,260

1,951,690

Series 2026-CNF3, Class A23, 30 Day Average SOFR +

1.45% (a) (c)

5.07%

04/25/57

1,952,381

2,928,372

Series 2026-CNF4, Class A23, 30 Day Average SOFR +

1.35% (a) (c)

4.97%

05/25/57

2,933,387

9,481,341

Series 2026-INV1, Class A36, 30 Day Average SOFR +

1.30% (a) (c)

4.92%

01/25/57

9,456,653

10,489,429

Series 2026-INV2, Class A35, 30 Day Average SOFR +

1.15% (a) (c)

4.77%

01/25/57

10,416,094

4,812,074

Series 2026-INV3, Class A36, 30 Day Average SOFR +

1.35% (a) (c)

4.97%

02/25/57

4,816,313

4,895,939

Series 2026-INV5, Class A36, 30 Day Average SOFR +

1.30% (a) (c)

4.92%

05/25/57

4,898,773

4,445,595

Series 2026-J1, Class A25, 30 Day Average SOFR +

1.15% (a) (c)

4.77%

01/25/57

4,420,422

PRKCM Trust

3,252,013

Series 2022-AFC2, Class A1 (a)

5.34%

08/25/57

3,243,321

2,772,125

Series 2025-AFC2, Class A1 (a) (g)

5.02%

12/25/60

2,742,440

1,748,634

Series 2025-HOME1, Class A1A, steps up to 6.55% on

03/01/29 (a) (j)

5.55%

02/25/60

1,749,817

742,520

Series 2025-HOME1, Class A1B, steps up to 6.65% on

03/01/29 (a) (j)

5.65%

02/25/60

742,827

PRPM LLC

1,614,777

Series 2024-RCF1, Class A1, steps up to 5.00% on

01/25/28 (a) (j)

4.00%

01/25/54

1,590,964

3,340,000

Series 2024-RCF1, Class A2, steps up to 5.00% on

01/25/28 (a) (j)

4.00%

01/25/54

3,272,917

2,934,000

Series 2024-RCF1, Class A3, steps up to 5.00% on

01/25/28 (a) (j)

4.00%

01/25/54

2,869,174

1,601,633

Series 2024-RCF2, Class A1, steps up to 4.75% on

03/25/28 (a) (j)

3.75%

03/25/54

1,568,606

2,900,000

Series 2024-RCF2, Class A2, steps up to 4.75% on

03/25/28 (a) (j)

3.75%

03/25/54

2,821,083

3,039,000

Series 2024-RCF4, Class A2, steps up to 5.00% on

07/25/28 (a) (j)

4.00%

07/25/54

2,956,647

See Notes to Financial Statements

Page 12


First Trust Core Investment Grade ETF (FTCB)

Portfolio of Investments (Continued) July 31, 2026

Principal

Value

Description

Stated

Coupon

Stated

Maturity

Value

MORTGAGE-BACKED SECURITIES (Continued)

Collateralized Mortgage Obligations (Continued)

PRPM LLC (Continued)

$2,096,000

Series 2024-RCF5, Class A2, steps up to 5.00% on

08/25/28 (a) (j)

4.00%

08/25/54

$2,033,446

665,127

Series 2024-RPL2, Class A1, steps up to 4.50% on

05/25/28 (a) (j)

3.50%

05/25/54

648,341

218,671

Series 2024-RPL3, Class A1, steps up to 5.00% on

11/25/28 (a) (j)

4.00%

11/25/54

213,014

499,837

Series 2024-RPL4, Class A1, steps up to 5.00% on

12/25/28 (a) (j)

4.00%

12/25/54

486,449

1,160,207

Series 2025-RCF4, Class A1, steps up to 5.50% on

08/01/29 (a) (j)

4.50%

08/25/55

1,136,515

1,255,246

Series 2025-RCF5, Class A1, steps up to 5.84% on

10/01/29 (a) (j)

4.84%

10/25/55

1,248,397

3,325,007

Series 2025-RCF6, Class A1, steps up to 5.94% on

12/01/29 (a) (j)

4.94%

12/25/55

3,274,451

1,128,656

Series 2025-RPL3, Class A1, steps up to 4.25% on

04/01/28 (a) (j)

3.25%

04/25/55

1,092,170

1,897,565

Series 2025-RPL4, Class A1, steps up to 4.00% on

05/01/29 (a) (j)

3.00%

05/25/55

1,798,263

4,265,434

Series 2026-RCF4, Class A1, steps up to 6.25% on

06/01/30 (a) (j)

5.25%

06/25/56

4,234,787

PRPM Trust

519,850

Series 2023-NQM3, Class A1, steps up to 7.22% on

01/01/28 (a) (j)

6.22%

11/25/68

520,704

2,191,366

Series 2025-NQM2, Class A1, steps up to 6.69% on

05/01/29 (a) (j)

5.69%

04/25/70

2,198,633

2,071,251

Series 2025-NQM3, Class A1 (a) (g)

0.00%

05/25/70

2,068,496

4,180,421

Series 2025-NQM6, Class A1 (a) (g)

4.99%

12/25/70

4,127,579

5,776,132

Series 2026-NQM1, Class A1 (a) (g)

5.13%

02/25/71

5,716,236

1,666,650

Series 2026-NQM2, Class A1LC, steps up to 6.26% on

05/01/30 (a) (j)

5.26%

04/25/71

1,634,472

2,200,000

Series 2026-R1, Class A1 (a) (g)

5.00%

01/25/68

2,166,247

10,282,270

Series 2026-RCF1, Class A1, steps up to 5.85% on

01/01/30 (a) (j)

4.85%

01/25/56

10,139,863

Rate Mortgage Trust

7,985,856

Series 2025-J3, Class A27, 30 Day Average SOFR +

1.55% (a) (c)

5.17%

11/25/55

8,015,200

RUN Trust

3,448,592

Series 2022-NQM1, Class A1 (a)

5.00%

03/25/67

3,386,324

Santander Mortgage Asset Receivable Trust

2,685,806

Series 2025-NQM2, Class A1 (a)

5.73%

02/25/65

2,690,343

2,115,000

Series 2026-NQM3, Class A1LC, steps up to 6.23% on

03/01/30 (a) (j)

5.23%

03/25/66

2,075,257

Sequoia Mortgage Trust

4,333,374

Series 2026-HYB1, Class A1B (a)

4.67%

04/25/56

4,208,200

5,737,354

Series 2026-INV2, Class A26F, 30 Day Average SOFR +

1.50% (a) (c)

5.12%

04/25/56

5,739,105

Starwood Mortgage Residential Trust

1,980,048

Series 2022-3, Class A1 (a)

5.16%

03/25/67

1,945,708

See Notes to Financial Statements

Page 13


First Trust Core Investment Grade ETF (FTCB)

Portfolio of Investments (Continued) July 31, 2026

Principal

Value

Description

Stated

Coupon

Stated

Maturity

Value

MORTGAGE-BACKED SECURITIES (Continued)

Collateralized Mortgage Obligations (Continued)

Towd Point Mortgage Trust

$1,321,666

Series 2019-HY2, Class A1, 1 Mo. CME Term SOFR + CSA +

1.00% (a) (c)

4.84%

05/25/58

$1,339,467

1,912,766

Series 2022-1, Class A1 (a)

3.75%

07/25/62

1,790,369

2,407,913

Series 2022-2, Class A1 (a)

3.75%

07/01/62

2,236,235

3,286,439

Series 2022-3, Class A1 (a)

3.75%

08/01/62

3,065,503

TRK Trust

2,529,286

Series 2021-INV1, Class A1 (a)

1.15%

07/25/56

2,281,282

1,981,124

Series 2022-INV1, Class A1 (a)

2.58%

02/25/57

1,844,044

2,036,401

Series 2022-INV2, Class A2 (a) (b)

4.33%

06/25/57

1,935,387

Verus Securitization Trust

2,511,246

Series 2022-1, Class A1 (a)

3.72%

01/25/67

2,344,575

2,191,748

Series 2022-2, Class A1 (a)

4.26%

02/25/67

2,087,193

2,000,000

Series 2026-R6, Class A1LC, steps up to 6.77% on

07/01/30 (a) (j)

5.77%

07/25/68

2,002,074

Vista Point Securitization Trust

1,013,085

Series 2020-1, Class M1 (a)

4.15%

03/25/65

1,009,236

Wells Fargo Mortgage Backed Securities Trust

2,061,019

Series 2018-1, Class B1 (a) (b)

3.64%

07/25/47

1,923,487

112,612

Series 2019-1, Class A1 (a)

3.91%

11/25/48

103,596

379,779,471

Commercial Mortgage-Backed Securities — 5.2%

2023-MIC Trust (The)

2,330,000

Series 2023-MIC, Class A (a) (b)

8.44%

12/05/38

2,445,265

Arbor Multifamily Mortgage Securities Trust

6,000,000

Series 2020-MF1, Class A4 (a)

2.50%

05/15/53

5,543,783

125,000

Series 2020-MF1, Class AS (a)

3.06%

05/15/53

115,854

3,118,057

Series 2020-MF1, Class XA, IO (a) (b)

0.92%

05/15/53

85,272

1,860,000

Series 2021-MF2, Class A4 (a)

2.25%

06/15/54

1,647,968

BANK

28,314,332

Series 2019-BN19, Class XA, IO (b)

0.93%

08/15/61

642,730

325,000

Series 2020-BN26, Class A3

2.16%

03/15/63

298,381

4,759,054

Series 2020-BN26, Class XA, IO (b)

1.19%

03/15/63

143,931

1,486,830

Series 2020-BN29, Class A4

2.00%

11/15/53

1,303,337

6,499,579

Series 2020-BN29, Class XA, IO (b)

1.29%

11/15/53

287,438

53,320,633

Series 2025-BNK49, Class XA, IO (b)

0.62%

03/15/58

2,336,148

BBCMS Mortgage Trust

3,772,000

Series 2018-TALL, Class A, 1 Mo. CME Term SOFR + CSA +

0.87% (a) (c)

4.60%

03/15/37

3,570,723

2,800,000

Series 2020-C8, Class A5

2.04%

10/15/53

2,480,742

51,767,688

Series 2025-C35, Class XA, IO (b)

0.65%

07/15/58

2,444,874

Benchmark Mortgage Trust

8,575,093

Series 2020-B21, Class XA, IO (b)

1.40%

12/17/53

398,250

2,700,000

Series 2021-INV1, Class A4

2.27%

04/15/54

2,443,955

BMO Mortgage Trust

115,000

Series 2023-C6, Class ASB

6.21%

09/15/56

119,640

5,823,819

Series 2024-5C3, Class XA, IO (b)

1.12%

02/15/57

132,847

665,000

Series 2025-C11, Class ASB

5.68%

02/15/58

683,231

3,091,000

Series 2025-C12, Class ASB

5.76%

06/15/58

3,179,377

35,982,586

Series 2025-C13, Class XA, IO (b)

1.01%

10/15/58

2,624,372

See Notes to Financial Statements

Page 14


First Trust Core Investment Grade ETF (FTCB)

Portfolio of Investments (Continued) July 31, 2026

Principal

Value

Description

Stated

Coupon

Stated

Maturity

Value

MORTGAGE-BACKED SECURITIES (Continued)

Commercial Mortgage-Backed Securities (Continued)

BOCA Commercial Mortgage Trust

$1,350,000

Series 2025-BOCA, Class A, 1 Mo. CME Term SOFR +

1.60% (a) (c)

5.28%

12/15/42

$1,354,543

BSTN Commercial Mortgage Trust

1,749,000

Series 2025-1C, Class A (a) (b)

5.37%

06/15/44

1,754,188

BWAY Trust

2,190,000

Series 2025-1535, Class A (a) (b)

6.31%

05/05/42

2,197,949

765,000

Series 2025-1535, Class B (a) (b)

7.46%

05/05/42

787,423

BX Commercial Mortgage Trust

3,081,000

Series 2020-VIV4, Class A (a)

2.84%

03/09/44

2,837,683

1,215,000

Series 2026-CSMO, Class A, 1 Mo. CME Term SOFR +

1.40% (a) (c)

5.08%

02/15/43

1,220,034

2,940,000

Series 2026-VLT10, Class A (a) (b)

5.36%

07/13/58

2,794,121

BX Trust

1,500,000

Series 2025-ARIA, Class A (a) (b)

5.03%

12/13/42

1,491,333

4,000,000

Series 2025-DELC, Class A, 1 Mo. CME Term SOFR +

1.55% (a) (c)

5.23%

12/15/42

4,015,721

2,000,000

Series 2025-GW, Class A, 1 Mo. CME Term SOFR +

1.60% (a) (c)

5.28%

07/15/42

2,008,912

2,438,000

Series 2025-VOLT, Class A, 1 Mo. CME Term SOFR +

1.70% (a) (c)

5.38%

12/15/44

2,436,044

Cantor Commercial Real Estate Lending

1,449,072

Series 2019-CF1, Class A2

3.62%

05/15/52

1,427,851

CHI Commercial Mortgage Trust

2,230,000

Series 2025-SFT, Class A (a) (b)

5.48%

04/15/42

2,237,296

62,200,000

Series 2025-SFT, Class XA, IO (a) (b)

0.30%

04/15/42

464,622

Citigroup Commercial Mortgage Trust

573,971

Series 2018-C5, Class A3

3.96%

06/10/51

565,490

521,987

Series 2019-GC43, Class AAB

2.96%

11/10/52

506,781

1,310,000

Series 2020-420K, Class A (a)

2.46%

11/10/42

1,170,970

COMM Mortgage Trust

7,850,000

Series 2024-277P, Class X, IO (a) (b)

0.66%

08/10/44

154,399

CONE Commercial Mortgage Trust

1,280,000

Series 2026-ACD6, Class A (a)

6.06%

07/15/43

1,271,728

2,500,000

Series 2026-DFW3, Class A (a) (b)

5.57%

05/15/43

2,475,141

Deutsche Bank Commercial Mortgage Trust

400,000

Series 2020-C9, Class A5

1.93%

08/15/53

355,837

Fashion Show Mall LLC

1,400,000

Series 2024-SHOW, Class A (a) (b)

5.10%

10/10/41

1,397,634

FREMF Mortgage Trust

318,625,404

Series 2018-K156, Class X2A, IO (a)

0.10%

07/25/36

1,400,167

997,918,480

Series 2020-K117, Class X2A, IO (a)

0.10%

10/25/53

3,116,599

FS

2,600,000

Series 2026-ORL, Class A, 1 Mo. CME Term SOFR +

1.35% (a) (c)

5.03%

02/15/41

2,605,937

GGP Trust

4,243,630

Series 2026-2PAK, Class A (b)

5.83%

05/10/43

4,222,897

GS Mortgage Securities Trust

25,711

Series 2017-GS5, Class AAB

3.47%

03/10/50

25,675

See Notes to Financial Statements

Page 15


First Trust Core Investment Grade ETF (FTCB)

Portfolio of Investments (Continued) July 31, 2026

Principal

Value

Description

Stated

Coupon

Stated

Maturity

Value

MORTGAGE-BACKED SECURITIES (Continued)

Commercial Mortgage-Backed Securities (Continued)

GS Mortgage Securities Trust (Continued)

$1,743,188

Series 2019-GC39, Class XA, IO (b)

1.07%

05/10/52

$42,796

975,000

Series 2024-FAIR, Class A (a) (b)

5.88%

07/15/29

969,216

Hilton USA Trust

1,395,000

Series 2016-HHV, Class A (a)

3.72%

11/05/38

1,391,539

1,700,000

Series 2025-NVIL, Class A, 1 Mo. CME Term SOFR +

1.74% (a) (c)

5.42%

07/15/42

1,706,766

Houston Galleria Mall Trust

3,845,000

Series 2025-HGLR, Class A (a) (b)

5.46%

02/05/45

3,857,621

INT Commercial Mortgage Trust

1,500,000

Series 2025-PLAZA, Class A (a) (b)

4.88%

11/05/37

1,483,079

JP Morgan Chase Commercial Mortgage Securities Trust

3,085,000

Series 2025-PHNY, Class A, 1 Mo. CME Term SOFR +

1.64% (a) (c)

5.32%

01/15/41

3,094,652

JW Trust

1,240,000

Series 2024-BERY, Class A, 1 Mo. CME Term SOFR +

1.59% (a) (c)

5.27%

11/15/39

1,242,984

KRE Commercial Mortgage Trust

3,330,250

Series 2026-ICNA, Class A, 1 Mo. CME Term SOFR +

1.85% (a) (c)

5.53%

05/15/43

3,340,598

Manhattan West Mortgage Trust

2,315,000

Series 2026-2MW, Class A (a) (b)

5.32%

06/10/48

2,288,875

Morgan Stanley Capital I Trust

5,576,008

Series 2019-L2, Class XA, IO (b)

0.99%

03/15/52

114,901

MSWF Commercial Mortgage Trust

40,283,134

Series 2023-1, Class XA, IO (b)

0.86%

05/15/56

1,789,204

NRTH Commercial Mortgage Trust

1,313,500

Series 2025-PARK, Class A, 1 Mo. CME Term SOFR +

1.39% (a) (c)

5.07%

10/15/40

1,318,427

NY Commercial Mortgage Trust

1,520,000

Series 2025-299P, Class A (a) (b)

5.66%

02/10/47

1,546,845

NYO Commercial Mortgage Trust

3,100,000

Series 2021-1290, Class A, 1 Mo. CME Term SOFR + CSA +

1.10% (a) (c)

4.89%

11/15/38

3,102,390

One New York Plaza Trust

2,359,771

Series 2020-1NYP, Class A, 1 Mo. CME Term SOFR + CSA +

0.95% (a) (c)

4.74%

01/15/36

2,299,523

SFO Commercial Mortgage Trust

3,288,100

Series 2021-555, Class A, 1 Mo. CME Term SOFR + CSA +

1.40% (a) (c)

5.19%

05/15/38

3,287,631

SHOPS Commercial Mortgage Trust

2,700,000

Series 2026-CSTL, Class A (a) (b)

4.81%

05/05/39

2,657,755

SKY Trust

3,655,650

Series 2025-LINE, Class A, 1 Mo. CME Term SOFR +

2.59% (a) (c)

6.26%

04/15/42

3,679,140

SWCH Commercial Mortgage Trust

2,745,000

Series 2025-DATA, Class A, 1 Mo. CME Term SOFR +

1.44% (a) (c)

5.12%

02/15/42

2,728,111

UBS Commercial Mortgage Trust

21,945,204

Series 2019-C17, Class XA, IO (b)

1.44%

10/15/52

794,697

See Notes to Financial Statements

Page 16


First Trust Core Investment Grade ETF (FTCB)

Portfolio of Investments (Continued) July 31, 2026

Principal

Value

Description

Stated

Coupon

Stated

Maturity

Value

MORTGAGE-BACKED SECURITIES (Continued)

Commercial Mortgage-Backed Securities (Continued)

Wells Fargo Commercial Mortgage Trust

$12,327,668

Series 2017-C41, Class XA, IO (b)

1.14%

11/15/50

$111,445

2,737,274

Series 2018-C47, Class AS

4.67%

09/15/61

2,690,282

22,809,009

Series 2019-C49, Class XA, IO (b)

1.21%

03/15/52

575,423

420,196

Series 2020-C58, Class A3

1.81%

07/15/53

375,969

2,950,000

Series 2022-C62, Class A4

4.00%

04/15/55

2,763,326

2,549,723

Series 2025-B33RP, Class A, 1 Mo. CME Term SOFR +

1.35% (a) (c)

5.03%

08/15/42

2,552,813

WHARF Commercial Mortgage Trust

2,175,000

Series 2025-DC, Class A (a) (b)

5.35%

07/15/40

2,189,404

133,220,505

Total Mortgage-Backed Securities

512,999,976

(Cost $514,019,086)

U.S. GOVERNMENT BONDS AND NOTES — 17.1%

1,136,000

U.S. Treasury Bond

3.25%

05/15/42

900,191

5,600,000

U.S. Treasury Bond

5.00%

05/15/46

5,417,563

4,000,000

U.S. Treasury Bond

2.25%

08/15/46

2,489,922

12,800,000

U.S. Treasury Bond

2.25%

08/15/49

7,563,000

17,300,000

U.S. Treasury Bond

1.25%

05/15/50

7,782,635

13,900,000

U.S. Treasury Bond

1.63%

11/15/50

6,879,686

3,100,000

U.S. Treasury Bond

4.25%

02/15/54

2,632,699

3,100,000

U.S. Treasury Bond

4.63%

05/15/54

2,804,168

8,200,000

U.S. Treasury Bond

5.00%

05/15/56

7,888,016

24,500,000

U.S. Treasury Bond, STRIPS

(e)

11/15/33

17,507,173

9,800,000

U.S. Treasury Bond, STRIPS

(e)

02/15/34

6,914,340

15,100,000

U.S. Treasury Bond, STRIPS

(e)

05/15/34

10,520,690

24,800,000

U.S. Treasury Bond, STRIPS

(e)

08/15/34

17,064,115

30,455,000

U.S. Treasury Bond, STRIPS

(e)

11/15/34

20,672,227

21,100,000

U.S. Treasury Bond, STRIPS

(e)

02/15/35

14,137,076

21,500,000

U.S. Treasury Bond, STRIPS

(e)

05/15/35

14,219,584

22,750,000

U.S. Treasury Bond, STRIPS

(e)

08/15/35

14,848,579

10,500,000

U.S. Treasury Bond, STRIPS

(e)

11/15/35

6,758,120

4,280,000

U.S. Treasury Bond, STRIPS

(e)

02/15/36

2,719,796

16,100,000

U.S. Treasury Bond, STRIPS

(e)

05/15/36

10,102,131

18,600,000

U.S. Treasury Bond, STRIPS

(e)

08/15/36

11,491,972

4,000,000

U.S. Treasury Bond, STRIPS

(e)

11/15/36

2,434,210

6,500,000

U.S. Treasury Bond, STRIPS

(e)

02/15/37

3,897,680

11,700,000

U.S. Treasury Bond, STRIPS

(e)

05/15/37

6,921,422

27,400,000

U.S. Treasury Bond, STRIPS

(e)

05/15/38

15,258,439

30,000,000

U.S. Treasury Bond, STRIPS

(e)

02/15/39

15,983,076

30,575,000

U.S. Treasury Bond, STRIPS

(e)

05/15/39

16,036,159

32,113,000

U.S. Treasury Bond, STRIPS

(e)

08/15/39

16,574,768

10,000,000

U.S. Treasury Bond, STRIPS

(e)

11/15/39

5,083,363

25,700,000

U.S. Treasury Bond, STRIPS

(e)

02/15/40

12,849,320

27,071,000

U.S. Treasury Bond, STRIPS

(e)

05/15/40

13,320,412

11,000,000

U.S. Treasury Bond, STRIPS

(e)

08/15/40

5,319,218

8,000,000

U.S. Treasury Bond, STRIPS

(e)

11/15/40

3,804,024

1,000,000

U.S. Treasury Bond, STRIPS

(e)

02/15/41

467,398

14,600,000

U.S. Treasury Bond, STRIPS

(e)

11/15/41

6,505,444

7,000,000

U.S. Treasury Bond, STRIPS

(e)

08/15/42

3,023,001

See Notes to Financial Statements

Page 17


First Trust Core Investment Grade ETF (FTCB)

Portfolio of Investments (Continued) July 31, 2026

Principal

Value

Description

Stated

Coupon

Stated

Maturity

Value

U.S. GOVERNMENT BONDS AND NOTES (Continued)

$8,000,000

U.S. Treasury Bond, STRIPS

(e)

11/15/42

$3,402,218

2,000,000

U.S. Treasury Bond, STRIPS

(e)

11/15/43

783,856

2,100,000

U.S. Treasury Bond, STRIPS

(e)

08/15/44

786,644

1,900,000

U.S. Treasury Bond, STRIPS

(e)

11/15/44

701,235

11,866,800

U.S. Treasury Inflation Indexed Bond

0.13%

04/15/27

11,607,578

13,126,800

U.S. Treasury Inflation Indexed Bond

2.38%

10/15/28

13,207,495

5,849,496

U.S. Treasury Inflation Indexed Bond

2.13%

04/15/29

5,833,266

6,016,290

U.S. Treasury Inflation Indexed Bond

1.63%

10/15/29

5,939,982

6,315,240

U.S. Treasury Inflation Indexed Bond

1.63%

04/15/30

6,195,479

6,214,920

U.S. Treasury Inflation Indexed Bond

1.13%

10/15/30

5,989,022

7,250,638

U.S. Treasury Inflation Indexed Bond

0.13%

07/15/31

6,602,844

6,768,720

U.S. Treasury Inflation Indexed Bond

0.13%

01/15/32

6,073,938

5,000,000

U.S. Treasury Note (k)

3.50%

03/15/29

4,899,609

10,000,000

U.S. Treasury Note (k)

3.88%

05/15/29

9,882,813

34,900,000

U.S. Treasury Note (k)

4.13%

06/15/29

34,711,867

1,000,000

U.S. Treasury Note

4.00%

06/30/32

974,727

Total U.S. Government Bonds and Notes

436,384,190

(Cost $452,731,917)

ASSET-BACKED SECURITIES — 6.3%

AGL CLO 32 Ltd.

400,000

Series 2024-32A, Class A1, 3 Mo. CME Term SOFR +

1.38% (a) (c)

5.11%

07/21/37

400,149

AIMCO CLO 17 Ltd.

590,000

Series 2022-17A, Class A1R, 3 Mo. CME Term SOFR +

1.35% (a) (c)

5.08%

07/20/37

590,976

Allegro CLO X Ltd.

300,000

Series 2019-1A, Class BRR, 3 Mo. CME Term SOFR +

1.60% (a) (c)

5.33%

04/20/32

300,000

American Heritage Auto Receivables Trust

640,000

Series 2024-1A, Class A3 (a)

4.90%

09/17/29

642,316

Aquarian CLO 1 Ltd.

4,000,000

Series 2026-1A, Class A1, 3 Mo. CME Term SOFR +

1.30% (a) (c)

5.15%

07/20/39

3,992,794

Battalion CLO XXIV Ltd.

2,000,000

Series 2022-24A, Class AR, 3 Mo. CME Term SOFR +

1.33% (a) (c)

5.07%

07/14/36

2,000,000

BlueMountain CLO Ltd.

500,000

Series 2018-3A, Class A2R, 3 Mo. CME Term SOFR +

1.60% (a) (c)

5.41%

10/25/30

500,303

Bridge Street CLO IV Ltd.

3,000,000

Series 2024-1A, Class A1R, 3 Mo. CME Term SOFR +

1.29% (a) (c)

4.93%

04/20/39

2,998,445

Capital Street Master Trust

2,500,000

Series 2025-1, Class A, 30 Day Average SOFR + 1.10% (a) (c)

4.72%

08/16/29

2,500,140

CARLYLE US CLO Ltd.

950,000

Series 2019-1A, Class A1B2, 3 Mo. CME Term SOFR +

1.30% (a) (c)

5.03%

04/20/31

951,019

2,000,000

Series 2021-11A, Class A1R2, 3 Mo. CME Term SOFR +

1.26% (a) (c)

5.04%

07/25/39

2,001,996

Cbam Ltd.

1,495,000

Series 2019-1A, Class B1, 3 Mo. CME Term SOFR + CSA +

1.60% (a) (c)

5.59%

07/20/31

1,500,224

See Notes to Financial Statements

Page 18


First Trust Core Investment Grade ETF (FTCB)

Portfolio of Investments (Continued) July 31, 2026

Principal

Value

Description

Stated

Coupon

Stated

Maturity

Value

ASSET-BACKED SECURITIES (Continued)

Cedar Funding X CLO Ltd.

$1,000,000

Series 2019-1A, Class AR2, 3 Mo. CME Term SOFR +

1.36% (a) (c)

5.09%

10/20/37

$1,001,709

Chase Auto Owner Trust

310,900

Series 2022-AA, Class A4 (a)

3.99%

03/27/28

310,838

95,000

Series 2024-1A, Class A4 (a)

5.05%

10/25/29

95,724

CoreVest American Finance Trust

131,479

Series 2019-3, Class A (a)

2.71%

10/15/52

131,236

151,119

Series 2020-1, Class A2 (a)

2.30%

03/15/50

142,763

349,224

Series 2020-2, Class B (a)

4.24%

05/15/52

347,882

564,488

Series 2021-1, Class A (a)

1.57%

04/15/53

555,118

1,566,879

Series 2021-2, Class A (a)

1.41%

07/15/54

1,517,079

CTM CLO Ltd.

6,000,000

Series 2025-2A, Class A1, 3 Mo. CME Term SOFR +

1.32% (a) (c)

5.05%

10/20/38

6,011,277

Elmwood CLO X Ltd.

2,000,000

Series 2021-3A, Class AR2, 3 Mo. CME Term SOFR +

1.30% (a) (c)

5.03%

07/20/38

2,003,690

Empower CLO Ltd.

2,000,000

Series 2023-3A, Class AR, 3 Mo. CME Term SOFR +

1.24% (a) (c)

4.97%

01/20/39

2,001,913

FIGRE Trust

1,339,332

Series 2026-FL1, Class A1FC, steps up to 6.49% on

03/01/30 (a) (j)

5.49%

03/25/56

1,336,257

2,000,000

Series 2026-FL1, Class A1LC, steps up to 6.49% on

03/01/30 (a) (j)

5.49%

03/25/56

1,980,268

4,121,202

Series 2026-FL2, Class A1LC, steps up to 6.52% on

06/01/30 (a) (j)

5.52%

06/25/56

4,085,221

10,072,162

Series 2026-HF3, Class A1A, 30 Day Average SOFR +

1.40% (a) (c)

5.02%

03/25/56

10,104,497

FNA VI LLC

451,217

Series 2021-1A, Class A (a)

1.35%

01/10/32

425,922

Fortress Credit BSL IX Ltd.

2,148,000

Series 2020-1A, Class A2R, 3 Mo. CME Term SOFR +

1.40% (a) (c)

5.13%

10/20/33

2,149,077

Fortress Credit BSL XI Ltd.

4,000,000

Series 2021-3A, Class A, 3 Mo. CME Term SOFR + CSA +

1.25% (a) (c)

5.24%

07/20/34

4,006,582

Garnet CLO 2 Ltd.

2,000,000

Series 2025-2A, Class A, 3 Mo. CME Term SOFR +

1.35% (a) (c)

5.08%

10/20/38

2,004,742

GLS Auto Select Receivables Trust

360,806

Series 2023-1A, Class A3 (a)

5.96%

10/16/28

362,210

GP-Honor Collateral Trust

3,500,000

Series 2026-A, Class A (a) (f)

5.11%

07/15/30

3,499,863

Gracie Point International Funding LLC

4,296,000

Series 2025-1A, Class A, 30 Day Average SOFR + 1.50% (a) (c)

5.13%

08/15/28

4,302,962

HalseyPoint CLO 4 Ltd.

3,000,000

Series 2021-4A, Class A1R, 3 Mo. CME Term SOFR +

1.27% (a) (c)

0.00%

07/20/37

3,000,765

See Notes to Financial Statements

Page 19


First Trust Core Investment Grade ETF (FTCB)

Portfolio of Investments (Continued) July 31, 2026

Principal

Value

Description

Stated

Coupon

Stated

Maturity

Value

ASSET-BACKED SECURITIES (Continued)

Harriman Park CLO Ltd.

$2,000,000

Series 2020-1A, Class ARR, 3 Mo. CME Term SOFR +

1.30% (a) (c)

5.03%

07/20/38

$2,003,715

Home Partners of America Trust

850,821

Series 2020-2, Class A (a)

1.53%

01/17/41

787,480

Invesco US CLO Ltd.

2,625,000

Series 2023-4A, Class A1R, 3 Mo. CME Term SOFR +

1.22% (a) (c)

4.95%

01/18/39

2,627,517

Kennedy Lewis CLO 16 Ltd.

1,600,000

Series 2024-16A, Class A1, 3 Mo. CME Term SOFR +

1.54% (a) (c)

5.27%

07/20/37

1,604,481

Kennedy Lewis CLO 4 Ltd.

750,000

Series 2024-4A, Class ARR, 3 Mo. CME Term SOFR +

1.43% (a) (c)

5.16%

07/20/37

751,833

Kennedy Lewis CLO 9 Ltd.

500,000

Series 2024-9A, Class AR, 3 Mo. CME Term SOFR +

1.35% (a) (c)

5.08%

01/20/38

501,090

KKR CLO 18 Ltd.

2,000,000

Series 2025-18, Class A2R2, 3 Mo. CME Term SOFR +

1.40% (a) (c)

5.13%

10/18/35

2,001,987

LCM 38 Ltd.

600,000

Series 2025-38A, Class AR2, 3 Mo. CME Term SOFR +

1.27% (a) (c)

5.02%

11/04/38

600,000

Luxury Lease Partners Auto Lease Trust

3,382,501

Series 2025-A, Class A (a)

5.51%

03/15/32

3,369,362

Madison Park Funding LV Ltd.

1,907,456

Series 2022-55A, Class A1R, 3 Mo. CME Term SOFR +

1.36% (a) (c)

5.09%

07/18/37

1,910,616

Madison Park Funding LXII Ltd.

632,000

Series 2022-62A, Class A1R2, 3 Mo. CME Term SOFR +

1.30% (a) (c)

5.09%

07/16/38

633,174

Madison Park Funding LXIII Ltd.

2,000,000

Series 2023-63A, Class A1R, 3 Mo. CME Term SOFR +

1.40% (a) (c)

5.13%

07/21/38

2,006,509

Magnetite XL Ltd.

2,000,000

Series 2024-40A, Class A1, 3 Mo. CME Term SOFR +

1.45% (a) (c)

5.20%

07/15/37

2,000,000

Neuberger Berman CLO XVI-S Ltd.

1,000,000

Series 2018-15A, Class A1R2, 3 Mo. CME Term SOFR +

1.18% (a) (c)

4.93%

04/15/39

1,000,318

OCP CLO Ltd.

122,284

Series 2014-5A, Class BR, 3 Mo. CME Term SOFR + CSA +

1.80% (a) (c)

5.87%

04/26/31

122,544

300,000

Series 2018-15A, Class AR, 3 Mo. CME Term SOFR +

1.25% (a) (c)

4.98%

01/20/38

300,399

OHA Credit Funding 15-R Ltd.

2,200,000

Series 2023-15RA, Class A, 3 Mo. CME Term SOFR +

1.29% (a) (c)

5.02%

07/20/38

2,203,024

Oscar US Funding XV LLC

142,182

Series 2023-1A, Class A3 (a)

5.81%

12/10/27

142,570

Oscar US Funding XVII LLC

100,000

Series 2024-2A, Class A3 (a)

4.47%

03/12/29

99,815

See Notes to Financial Statements

Page 20


First Trust Core Investment Grade ETF (FTCB)

Portfolio of Investments (Continued) July 31, 2026

Principal

Value

Description

Stated

Coupon

Stated

Maturity

Value

ASSET-BACKED SECURITIES (Continued)

Pagaya AI Debt Grantor Trust

$81,894

Series 2024-8, Class A (a)

5.33%

01/15/32

$81,913

117,969

Series 2024-9, Class A (a)

5.07%

03/15/32

118,064

439,764

Series 2024-10, Class A (a)

5.18%

06/15/32

440,411

531,866

Series 2024-11, Class A (a)

5.09%

07/15/32

532,739

3,364,214

Series 2025-1, Class A2 (a)

5.16%

07/15/32

3,368,432

428,471

Series 2025-2, Class A (a) (g)

4.96%

10/15/32

428,826

645,801

Series 2025-4, Class A2 (a)

5.37%

01/17/33

647,429

1,571,108

Series 2025-5, Class A2 (a)

5.11%

03/15/33

1,571,147

1,140,231

Series 2025-R3, Class A (a)

4.84%

01/18/33

1,137,160

335,508

Series 2026-1, Class A1 (a)

4.23%

02/15/27

335,459

499,674

Series 2026-1, Class A2 (a)

4.74%

09/15/33

498,208

2,450,665

Series 2026-R1, Class A (a)

4.71%

12/15/33

2,439,013

Pagaya AI Debt Trust

1,383,279

Series 2025-R1, Class A2 (a)

5.34%

06/15/32

1,385,323

Palmer Square Loan Funding Ltd.

1,750,000

Series 2023-2A, Class A2R, 3 Mo. CME Term SOFR +

1.50% (a) (c)

5.31%

01/25/32

1,752,433

PFS Financing Corp.

1,000,000

Series 2025-C, Class A, 30 Day Average SOFR + 0.95% (a) (c)

4.58%

04/15/29

1,003,477

Progress Residential Trust

5,472,158

Series 2025-SFR1, Class A (a)

3.40%

02/17/42

5,170,343

2,600,000

Series 2025-SFR3, Class A (a)

3.39%

07/17/42

2,436,532

Research-Driven Pagaya Motor Asset Trust

2,254,824

Series 2025-1A, Class A (a)

5.04%

06/27/33

2,255,838

2,200,000

Series 2025-3A, Class A2 (a)

5.15%

02/27/34

2,206,657

3,691,951

Series 2026-R1A, Class A (a)

5.66%

07/25/34

3,685,543

Research-Driven Pagaya Motor Trust

2,825,000

Series 2025-5A, Class A3 (a)

4.84%

06/26/34

2,815,580

4,100,000

Series 2025-6A, Class A3 (a)

5.01%

08/25/34

4,090,579

Rockford Tower CLO Ltd.

300,000

Series 2019-2A, Class BR2, 3 Mo. CME Term SOFR +

1.65% (a) (c)

5.29%

08/20/32

300,559

Rockland Park CLO Ltd.

2,000,000

Series 2021-1A, Class A1R, 3 Mo. CME Term SOFR +

1.30% (a) (c)

5.03%

07/20/38

2,003,683

Sandstone Peak III Ltd.

2,000,000

Series 2024-1A, Class A1R, 3 Mo. CME Term SOFR +

1.30% (a) (c)

5.11%

04/25/37

2,003,229

SBNA Auto Receivables Trust

3,750,000

Series 2024-A, Class B (a)

5.29%

09/17/29

3,774,415

Silver Point CLO 16 Ltd.

4,000,000

Series 2026-16A, Class A1, 3 Mo. CME Term SOFR +

1.23% (a) (c)

4.92%

04/18/39

4,003,804

Silver Point CLO 7 Ltd.

500,000

Series 2024-7A, Class A1, 3 Mo. CME Term SOFR +

1.36% (a) (c)

5.11%

01/15/38

501,098

Silver Point CLO 9 Ltd.

1,500,000

Series 2025-9A, Class A1, 3 Mo. CME Term SOFR +

1.52% (a) (c)

5.27%

03/31/38

1,506,155

See Notes to Financial Statements

Page 21


First Trust Core Investment Grade ETF (FTCB)

Portfolio of Investments (Continued) July 31, 2026

Principal

Value

Description

Stated

Coupon

Stated

Maturity

Value

ASSET-BACKED SECURITIES (Continued)

Sixth Street CLO XX Ltd.

$2,000,000

Series 2021-20A, Class A1R, 3 Mo. CME Term SOFR +

1.32% (a) (c)

5.07%

07/17/38

$2,003,660

Sound Point CLO XXII Ltd.

250,000

Series 2019-1A, Class BRR, 3 Mo. CME Term SOFR +

1.65% (a) (c)

5.38%

01/20/32

250,626

Sound Point CLO XXVIII Ltd.

383,284

Series 2020-3A, Class A1R, 3 Mo. CME Term SOFR +

1.28% (a) (c)

5.09%

01/25/32

383,624

STAR Trust

4,993,410

Series 2025-SFR5, Class A, 1 Mo. CME Term SOFR +

1.45% (a) (c)

5.13%

02/17/42

4,989,812

Steele Creek CLO Ltd.

89,386

Series 2018-1A, Class B, 3 Mo. CME Term SOFR + CSA +

1.48% (a) (c)

5.49%

04/15/31

89,691

Stratus Funding CLO Ltd.

2,250,000

Series 2025-1A, Class A2, 3 Mo. CME Term SOFR +

1.33% (a) (c)

5.08%

07/15/33

2,252,242

Venture XIX CLO Ltd.

30,664

Series 2014-19A, Class ARR, 3 Mo. CME Term SOFR + CSA +

1.26% (a) (c)

5.27%

01/15/32

30,702

Voya CLO Ltd.

730,000

Series 2024-4A, Class A1, 3 Mo. CME Term SOFR +

1.35% (a) (c)

5.08%

07/20/37

730,179

Whitebox CLO III Ltd.

2,000,000

Series 2021-3A, Class A1R, 3 Mo. CME Term SOFR +

1.27% (a) (c)

5.02%

10/15/35

2,002,251

Total Asset-Backed Securities

159,649,227

(Cost $159,430,721)

FOREIGN CORPORATE BONDS AND NOTES — 3.9%

Apparel — 0.5%

6,500,000

Gildan Activewear, Inc. (a)

4.70%

10/07/30

6,354,312

6,000,000

Gildan Activewear, Inc. (a)

5.40%

10/07/35

5,763,736

12,118,048

Banks — 1.4%

5,000,000

Bank of Montreal, Series J (i)

5.30%

06/02/37

4,891,851

3,500,000

Barclays PLC (i)

5.75%

08/09/33

3,559,066

3,500,000

Cooperatieve Rabobank U.A. (a) (i)

5.71%

01/21/33

3,589,616

8,500,000

Credit Agricole S.A. (a) (i)

4.82%

09/25/33

8,222,610

3,500,000

Lloyds Banking Group PLC (i)

4.94%

11/04/36

3,327,066

2,710,000

UBS Group AG (a) (i)

4.19%

04/01/31

2,627,610

6,000,000

UBS Group AG (a) (i)

4.84%

11/06/33

5,821,581

2,500,000

UBS Group AG (a) (i)

5.58%

05/09/36

2,490,441

34,529,841

Building Materials — 0.5%

8,000,000

Cemex S.A.B. de C.V. (a)

3.88%

07/11/31

7,464,810

5,000,000

Cemex S.A.B. de C.V.

5.75%

06/05/36

4,890,500

12,355,310

See Notes to Financial Statements

Page 22


First Trust Core Investment Grade ETF (FTCB)

Portfolio of Investments (Continued) July 31, 2026

Principal

Value

Description

Stated

Coupon

Stated

Maturity

Value

FOREIGN CORPORATE BONDS AND NOTES (Continued)

Entertainment — 0.2%

$1,105,000

Flutter Treasury DAC (a)

6.38%

04/29/29

$1,119,334

3,333,000

Flutter Treasury DAC (a)

5.88%

06/04/31

3,284,909

4,404,243

Healthcare-Services — 0.3%

3,800,000

Icon Investments Six DAC

5.85%

05/08/29

3,878,053

4,915,000

Icon Investments Six DAC

6.00%

05/08/34

4,974,643

8,852,696

Insurance — 0.1%

1,530,000

Aon Global Ltd.

4.75%

05/15/45

1,285,291

Leisure Time — 0.3%

6,000,000

Carnival Corp. Ltd. (a)

5.75%

08/01/32

5,952,203

2,500,000

Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.

4.75%

05/15/33

2,394,144

8,346,347

Packaging & Containers — 0.1%

3,500,000

CCL Industries, Inc. (a)

3.05%

06/01/30

3,252,032

Pharmaceuticals — 0.4%

6,000,000

Teva Pharmaceutical Finance Netherlands III BV

6.00%

12/01/32

6,115,080

6,000,000

Teva Pharmaceutical Finance Netherlands III BV

4.10%

10/01/46

4,425,906

10,540,986

Software — 0.1%

2,670,000

Constellation Software, Inc. (a)

5.46%

02/16/34

2,572,141

Total Foreign Corporate Bonds and Notes

98,256,935

(Cost $100,248,898)

MUNICIPAL BONDS — 1.5%

New Jersey — 0.2%

6,000,000

NJ Transprtn Trust Fund Auth, Ser AA

5.00%

06/15/50

6,142,427

New York — 0.7%

4,000,000

City of NY, Ser G-1

5.25%

02/01/50

4,166,589

9,140,000

NY City Transitional Fin Auth, Ser A

5.50%

05/01/50

9,790,484

3,000,000

NY St Dorm Auth, Ser C

5.50%

03/15/53

3,199,414

17,156,487

Texas — 0.6%

7,000,000

Dallas Fort Worth Intl Arpts, Ser A-1, AMT

5.25%

11/01/46

7,285,269

6,700,000

New Hope Cultural Edu Facs Fin Corp TX Hosp Rev Children’s

Hlth Sys of TX, Ser A

5.50%

08/15/49

7,218,886

14,504,155

Total Municipal Bonds

37,803,069

(Cost $37,322,474)

U.S. GOVERNMENT AGENCY SECURITIES — 0.1%

4,000,000

Tennessee Valley Authority

5.25%

02/01/55

3,765,188

(Cost $3,917,442)

See Notes to Financial Statements

Page 23


First Trust Core Investment Grade ETF (FTCB)

Portfolio of Investments (Continued) July 31, 2026

Shares

Description

Value

EXCHANGE-TRADED FUNDS — 0.0%

Capital Markets — 0.0%

20,000

First Trust AAA CMBS ETF (l)

$402,700

(Cost $407,187)

Principal

Value

Description

Stated

Coupon

Stated

Maturity

Value

U.S. TREASURY BILLS — 1.4%

$5,000,000

U.S. Treasury Bill

(e)

08/04/26

4,999,500

5,000,000

U.S. Treasury Bill

(e)

08/06/26

4,998,502

5,000,000

U.S. Treasury Bill

(e)

08/11/26

4,995,998

5,000,000

U.S. Treasury Bill

(e)

08/13/26

4,995,000

5,000,000

U.S. Treasury Bill

(e)

08/18/26

4,992,495

5,000,000

U.S. Treasury Bill

(e)

08/20/26

4,991,488

5,000,000

U.S. Treasury Bill

(e)

09/03/26

4,984,363

Total U.S. Treasury Bills

34,957,346

(Cost $34,949,952)

Shares

Description

Value

MONEY MARKET FUNDS — 0.8%

21,143,625

Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds - Treasury Portfolio - Institutional Class - 3.54% (m)

21,143,625

(Cost $21,143,625)

Total Investments — 105.2%

2,682,526,122

(Cost $2,726,456,553)

Number of

Contracts

Description

Notional

Amount

Exercise

Price

Expiration

Date

Value

PURCHASED OPTIONS — 0.0%

Call Options Purchased — 0.0%

49

U.S. Treasury Long Bond Futures, expiring

September 2026

$5,307,313

$110.00

08/21/26

21,437

(Cost $38,566)

Put Options Purchased — 0.0%

50

U.S. 10-Year Treasury Note Futures, expiring

September 2026

5,400,000

107.50

08/21/26

20,313

(Cost $15,177)

Total Purchased Options

41,750

(Cost $53,743)

Principal

Value

Description

Stated

Coupon

Stated

Maturity

Value

U.S. GOVERNMENT AGENCY MORTGAGE-BACKED SECURITIES SOLD SHORT — (1.0)%

Pass-Through Securities — (1.0)%

Federal National Mortgage Association

$(2,304,000)

Pool TBA

5.00%

09/01/56

(2,220,941

)

(11,221,000)

Pool TBA (h)

3.00%

09/15/56

(9,559,763

)

(4,793,000)

Pool TBA

4.00%

09/15/56

(4,372,602

)

(2,486,000)

Pool TBA

4.00%

10/15/56

(2,267,077

)

See Notes to Financial Statements

Page 24


First Trust Core Investment Grade ETF (FTCB)

Portfolio of Investments (Continued) July 31, 2026

Principal

Value

Description

Stated

Coupon

Stated

Maturity

Value

U.S. GOVERNMENT AGENCY MORTGAGE-BACKED SECURITIES SOLD SHORT (Continued)

Pass-Through Securities (Continued)

Government National Mortgage Association

$(7,001,000)

Pool TBA (h)

3.00%

09/15/56

$(6,066,255

)

Total Investments Sold Short — (1.0)%

(24,486,638

)

(Proceeds $24,975,536)

Number of

Contracts

Description

Notional

Amount

Exercise

Price

Expiration

Date

Value

WRITTEN OPTIONS — (0.4)%

Call Options Written — (0.0)%

(247)

3 Month SOFR Futures, expiring December 2027

$(59,190,462

)

$97.50

12/10/27

(47,856

)

(25)

U.S. 2-Year Treasury Note Futures, expiring

September 2026

(5,140,234

)

103.75

08/21/26

(0

)

(6)

U.S. 2-Year Treasury Note Futures, expiring

September 2026

(1,233,656

)

104.75

08/21/26

(0

)

(181)

U.S. 5-Year Treasury Note Futures, expiring

September 2026

(19,181,758

)

109.00

08/21/26

(1,414

)

(172)

U.S. 5-Year Treasury Note Futures, expiring

September 2026

(18,227,969

)

109.50

08/21/26

(1,344

)

(37)

U.S. 5-Year Treasury Note Futures, expiring

September 2026

(3,921,133

)

110.00

08/21/26

(0

)

(51)

U.S. 5-Year Treasury Note Futures, expiring

September 2026

(5,404,805

)

111.00

08/21/26

(0

)

(902)

U.S. 5-Year Treasury Note Futures, expiring

December 2026

(95,485,156

)

107.50

11/20/26

(246,641

)

(127)

U.S. 5-Year Treasury Note Futures, expiring

December 2026

(13,444,141

)

108.00

11/20/26

(23,812

)

(24)

U.S. 10-Year Treasury Note Futures, expiring

September 2026

(2,592,000

)

109.00

08/21/26

(4,500

)

(39)

U.S. 10-Year Treasury Note Futures, expiring

September 2026

(4,212,000

)

114.00

08/21/26

(0

)

(32)

U.S. 10-Year Treasury Note Futures, expiring

September 2026

(3,456,000

)

115.00

08/21/26

(0

)

(101)

U.S. 10-Year Treasury Note Futures, expiring

December 2026

(10,879,594

)

109.50

11/20/26

(75,750

)

(175)

U.S. 10-Year Treasury Note Futures, expiring

December 2026

(18,850,781

)

109.50

11/20/26

(101,172

)

(54)

U.S. 10-Year Treasury Note Futures, expiring

December 2026

(5,816,813

)

110.00

11/20/26

(24,469

)

(37)

U.S. 10-Year Treasury Note Futures, expiring

December 2026

(3,985,594

)

111.00

11/20/26

(10,406

)

(187)

U.S. 10-Year Treasury Note Futures, expiring

December 2026

(20,143,406

)

112.00

11/20/26

(32,141

)

(61)

U.S. Treasury Long Bond Futures, expiring

September 2026

(6,607,063

)

113.00

08/21/26

(3,813

)

(244)

U.S. Treasury Long Bond Futures, expiring

September 2026

(26,428,250

)

119.00

08/21/26

(3,813

)

(360)

U.S. Treasury Long Bond Futures, expiring

September 2026

(38,992,500

)

121.00

08/21/26

(0

)

(153)

U.S. Treasury Long Bond Futures, expiring

December 2026

(16,500,094

)

114.00

11/20/26

(83,672

)

See Notes to Financial Statements

Page 25


First Trust Core Investment Grade ETF (FTCB)

Portfolio of Investments (Continued) July 31, 2026

Number of

Contracts

Description

Notional

Amount

Exercise

Price

Expiration

Date

Value

WRITTEN OPTIONS (Continued)

Call Options Written (Continued)

(216)

U.S. Treasury Long Bond Futures, expiring

December 2026

$(23,294,250

)

$115.00

11/20/26

$(91,125

)

(28)

U.S. Treasury Long Bond Futures, expiring

December 2026

(3,019,625

)

116.00

11/20/26

(9,187

)

(24)

U.S. Treasury Long Bond Futures, expiring

December 2026

(2,588,250

)

120.00

11/20/26

(3,375

)

(74)

Ultra U.S. Treasury Long Bond Futures, expiring

September 2026

(8,116,875

)

116.00

08/21/26

(4,625

)

(56)

Ultra U.S. Treasury Long Bond Futures, expiring

September 2026

(6,142,500

)

118.00

08/21/26

(1,750

)

Total Call Options Written

(770,865

)

(Premiums received $2,467,721)

Put Options Written — (0.4)%

(118)

3 Month SOFR Futures, expiring December 2027

(28,277,225

)

95.50

12/10/27

(94,400

)

(275)

3 Month SOFR Futures, expiring December 2027

(65,900,312

)

96.00

12/10/27

(355,781

)

(184)

3 Month SOFR Futures, expiring December 2027

(44,093,300

)

96.38

12/10/27

(341,550

)

(26)

U.S. 2-Year Treasury Note Futures, expiring

September 2026

(5,345,844

)

102.50

08/21/26

(3,656

)

(99)

U.S. 2-Year Treasury Note Futures, expiring

September 2026

(20,355,328

)

102.75

08/21/26

(29,391

)

(114)

U.S. 2-Year Treasury Note Futures, expiring

September 2026

(23,439,469

)

103.00

08/21/26

(64,125

)

(79)

U.S. 2-Year Treasury Note Futures, expiring

September 2026

(16,243,141

)

103.25

08/21/26

(75,297

)

(89)

U.S. 2-Year Treasury Note Futures, expiring

September 2026

(18,299,234

)

103.50

08/21/26

(125,156

)

(6)

U.S. 2-Year Treasury Note Futures, expiring

September 2026

(1,233,656

)

103.75

08/21/26

(11,344

)

(271)

U.S. 2-Year Treasury Note Futures, expiring

December 2026

(55,656,625

)

102.50

11/20/26

(165,141

)

(125)

U.S. 2-Year Treasury Note Futures, expiring

December 2026

(25,671,875

)

102.63

11/20/26

(87,891

)

(121)

U.S. 2-Year Treasury Note Futures, expiring

December 2026

(24,850,375

)

102.75

11/20/26

(98,313

)

(155)

U.S. 5-Year Treasury Note Futures, expiring

September 2026

(16,426,367

)

107.00

08/21/26

(168,320

)

(572)

U.S. 5-Year Treasury Note Futures, expiring

September 2026

(60,618,594

)

107.50

08/21/26

(884,812

)

(27)

U.S. 5-Year Treasury Note Futures, expiring

September 2026

(2,861,367

)

108.00

08/21/26

(55,055

)

(353)

U.S. 5-Year Treasury Note Futures, expiring

September 2026

(37,409,727

)

108.50

08/21/26

(893,531

)

(170)

U.S. 5-Year Treasury Note Futures, expiring

December 2026

(17,996,094

)

105.00

11/20/26

(92,969

)

(203)

U.S. 5-Year Treasury Note Futures, expiring

December 2026

(21,489,453

)

105.50

11/20/26

(145,906

)

(12)

U.S. 5-Year Treasury Note Futures, expiring

December 2026

(1,270,313

)

106.50

11/20/26

(14,531

)

(63)

U.S. 10-Year Treasury Note Futures, expiring

December 2026

(6,786,281

)

106.50

11/20/26

(55,125

)

(347)

U.S. 10-Year Treasury Note Futures, expiring

December 2026

(37,378,406

)

107.00

11/20/26

(357,844

)

See Notes to Financial Statements

Page 26


First Trust Core Investment Grade ETF (FTCB)

Portfolio of Investments (Continued) July 31, 2026

Number of

Contracts

Description

Notional

Amount

Exercise

Price

Expiration

Date

Value

WRITTEN OPTIONS (Continued)

Put Options Written (Continued)

(39)

U.S. 10-Year Treasury Note Futures, expiring

December 2026

$(4,201,031

)

$107.50

11/20/26

$(48,141

)

(6)

U.S. Treasury Long Bond Futures, expiring

September 2026

(649,875

)

106.00

08/21/26

(2,906

)

(178)

U.S. Treasury Long Bond Futures, expiring

September 2026

(19,279,625

)

111.00

08/21/26

(517,312

)

(63)

U.S. Treasury Long Bond Futures, expiring

October 2026

(6,794,156

)

109.00

09/25/26

(153,563

)

(60)

U.S. Treasury Long Bond Futures, expiring

November 2026

(6,470,625

)

108.00

10/23/26

(137,813

)

(179)

U.S. Treasury Long Bond Futures, expiring

November 2026

(19,304,031

)

110.00

10/23/26

(604,125

)

(12)

U.S. Treasury Long Bond Futures, expiring

December 2026

(1,294,125

)

104.00

11/20/26

(15,375

)

(228)

U.S. Treasury Long Bond Futures, expiring

December 2026

(24,588,375

)

105.00

11/20/26

(352,687

)

(224)

U.S. Treasury Long Bond Futures, expiring

December 2026

(24,157,000

)

106.00

11/20/26

(416,500

)

(380)

U.S. Treasury Long Bond Futures, expiring

December 2026

(40,980,625

)

107.00

11/20/26

(837,187

)

(169)

U.S. Treasury Long Bond Futures, expiring

December 2026

(18,225,594

)

108.00

11/20/26

(446,266

)

(307)

U.S. Treasury Long Bond Futures, expiring

December 2026

(33,108,031

)

109.00

11/20/26

(959,375

)

(99)

U.S. Treasury Long Bond Futures, expiring

December 2026

(10,676,531

)

110.00

11/20/26

(366,609

)

(46)

Ultra U.S. Treasury Long Bond Futures, expiring

September 2026

(5,045,625

)

112.00

08/21/26

(127,938

)

Total Put Options Written

(9,105,935

)

(Premiums received $4,863,449)

Total Written Options

(9,876,800

)

(Premiums received $7,331,170)

Net Other Assets and Liabilities — (3.8)%

(97,112,336

)

Net Assets — 100.0%

$2,551,092,098

Futures Contracts at July 31, 2026 (See Note 2D - Futures Contracts in the Notes to Financial Statements):

Futures Contracts Long

Number of

Contracts

Expiration

Date

Notional

Value

Unrealized

Appreciation

(Depreciation)/

Value

U.S. 2-Year Treasury Notes

2,256

Sep-2026

$463,854,752

$(1,479,832

)

U.S. 5-Year Treasury Notes

940

Sep-2026

99,617,969

(657,825

)

U.S. 10-Year Treasury Notes

220

Sep-2026

23,760,000

(275,547

)

U.S. Treasury Long-Term Bond Futures

620

Sep-2026

67,153,750

(481,275

)

Ultra U.S. Treasury Bond Futures

441

Sep-2026

48,372,188

(1,942,944

)

$702,758,659

$(4,837,423

)

Futures Contracts Short

Ultra 10-Year U.S. Treasury Notes

2,148

Sep-2026

$(235,642,313

)

$4,712,521

Total

$467,116,346

$(124,902

)

See Notes to Financial Statements

Page 27


First Trust Core Investment Grade ETF (FTCB)

Portfolio of Investments (Continued) July 31, 2026

(a)

This security, sold within the terms of a private placement memorandum, is exempt from registration upon resale under

Rule 144A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and may be resold in transactions exempt from registration, normally to

qualified institutional buyers. Pursuant to procedures adopted by the Trust’s Board of Trustees, this security has been determined

to be liquid by First Trust Advisors L.P., the Fund’s advisor. Although market instability can result in periods of increased overall

market illiquidity, liquidity for each security is determined based on security specific factors and assumptions, which require

subjective judgment. At July 31, 2026, securities noted as such amounted to $887,063,284 or 34.8% of net assets.

(b)

Collateral Strip Rate security. Coupon is based on the weighted net interest rate of the investment’s underlying collateral. The

interest rate resets periodically.

(c)

Floating or variable rate security.

(d)

Inverse floating rate security.

(e)

Zero coupon security.

(f)

This security is fair valued by the Advisor’s Pricing Committee in accordance with procedures approved by the Trust’s Board of

Trustees, and in accordance with provisions of the Investment Company Act of 1940 and rules thereunder, as amended. At

July 31, 2026, securities noted as such are valued at $15,930,527 or 0.6% of net assets.

(g)

Weighted Average Coupon security. Coupon is based on the blended interest rate of the underlying holdings, which may have

different coupons. The coupon may change in any period.

(h)

All or a portion of this security is part of a mortgage dollar roll agreement (see Note 2I - Mortgage Dollar Rolls and TBA

Transactions in the Notes to Financial Statements).

(i)

Fixed-to-floating or fixed-to-variable rate security. The interest rate shown reflects the fixed rate in effect at July 31, 2026. At a

predetermined date, the fixed rate will change to a floating rate or a variable rate.

(j)

Step-up security. A security where the coupon increases or steps up at a predetermined date.

(k)

All or a portion of this security is segregated as collateral for open futures and options contracts. At July 31, 2026, the segregated

value of this security amounts to $29,701,563.

(l)

Investment in an affiliated fund.

(m)

Rate shown reflects yield as of July 31, 2026.

Abbreviations throughout the Portfolio of Investments:

AMT

–  Alternative Minimum Tax

CME

–  Chicago Mercantile Exchange

CSA

–  Credit Spread Adjustment

IO

–  Interest-Only Security - Principal amount shown represents par value on which interest payments are based

PO

–  Principal-Only Security

REMIC

–  Real Estate Mortgage Investment Conduit

SOFR

–  Secured Overnight Financing Rate

STACR

–  Structured Agency Credit Risk

STRIPS

–  Separate Trading of Registered Interest and Principal of Securities

TBA

–  To-Be-Announced Security

See Notes to Financial Statements

Page 28


First Trust Core Investment Grade ETF (FTCB)

Portfolio of Investments (Continued) July 31, 2026


Valuation Inputs

A summary of the inputs used to value the Fund’s investments as of July 31, 2026 is as follows (see Note 2A - Portfolio Valuation in the Notes to Financial Statements):

ASSETS TABLE

Total

Value at

7/31/2026

Level 1

Quoted

Prices

Level 2

Significant

Observable

Inputs

Level 3

Significant

Unobservable

Inputs

U.S. Government Agency Mortgage-Backed

Securities

$855,193,606

$—

$855,193,606

$—

Corporate Bonds and Notes*

521,970,260

—

521,970,260

—

Mortgage-Backed Securities

512,999,976

—

512,999,976

—

U.S. Government Bonds and Notes

436,384,190

—

436,384,190

—

Asset-Backed Securities

159,649,227

—

159,649,227

—

Foreign Corporate Bonds and Notes*

98,256,935

—

98,256,935

—

Municipal Bonds**

37,803,069

—

37,803,069

—

U.S. Government Agency Securities

3,765,188

—

3,765,188

—

Exchange-Traded Funds*

402,700

402,700

—

—

U.S. Treasury Bills

34,957,346

—

34,957,346

—

Money Market Funds

21,143,625

21,143,625

—

—

Total Investments

2,682,526,122

21,546,325

2,660,979,797

—

Purchased Options

41,750

41,750

—

—

Futures Contracts***

4,712,521

4,712,521

—

—

Total

$2,687,280,393

$26,300,596

$2,660,979,797

$—

LIABILITIES TABLE

Total

Value at

7/31/2026

Level 1

Quoted

Prices

Level 2

Significant

Observable

Inputs

Level 3

Significant

Unobservable

Inputs

U.S. Government Agency Mortgage-Backed

Securities Sold Short

$(24,486,638

)

$—

$(24,486,638

)

$—

Written Options

(9,876,800

)

(9,876,800

)

—

—

Futures Contracts***

(4,837,423

)

(4,837,423

)

—

—

Total

$(39,200,861

)

$(14,714,223

)

$(24,486,638

)

$—

*

See Portfolio of Investments for industry breakout.

**

See Portfolio of Investments for state breakout.

***

Includes cumulative appreciation/depreciation on futures contracts as reported in the Futures Contracts table. Only the current

day’s variation margin is presented on the Statements of Assets and Liabilities.

See Notes to Financial Statements

Page 29


First Trust AAA CMBS ETF (CAAA)

Portfolio of Investments July 31, 2026

Principal

Value

Description

Stated

Coupon

Stated

Maturity

Value

MORTGAGE-BACKED SECURITIES — 91.7%

Commercial Mortgage-Backed Securities — 91.7%

2023-MIC Trust (The)

$530,000

Series 2023-MIC, Class A (a) (b)

8.44%

12/05/38

$556,219

Arbor Multifamily Mortgage Securities Trust

390,000

Series 2020-MF1, Class A4 (a)

2.50%

05/15/53

360,346

150,000

Series 2020-MF1, Class AS (a)

3.06%

05/15/53

139,025

390,000

Series 2021-MF2, Class A4 (a)

2.25%

06/15/54

345,542

3,791,000

Series 2021-MF3, Class XB, IO (a) (b)

0.49%

10/15/54

88,331

BANK

2,843,681

Series 2018-BN10, Class XA, IO (b)

0.68%

02/15/61

21,619

208,467

Series 2018-BN13, Class A4

3.95%

08/15/61

205,449

7,431,336

Series 2019-BN19, Class XA, IO (b)

0.93%

08/15/61

168,690

2,988,794

Series 2019-BN21, Class XA, IO (b)

0.81%

10/17/52

62,265

4,084,069

Series 2019-BN23, Class XA, IO (b)

0.68%

12/15/52

75,750

542,000

Series 2020-BN25, Class A5

2.65%

01/15/63

499,198

325,000

Series 2020-BN26, Class A3

2.16%

03/15/63

298,381

2,377,205

Series 2020-BN26, Class XA, IO (b)

1.19%

03/15/63

71,895

305,000

Series 2020-BN27, Class A5

2.14%

04/15/63

272,232

500,170

Series 2020-BN29, Class A4

2.00%

11/15/53

438,443

414,000

Series 2020-BN30, Class A4

1.93%

12/15/53

362,563

7,500,000

Series 2021-BN31, Class XB, IO (b)

0.87%

02/15/54

250,255

318,750

Series 2021-BN33, Class A5

2.56%

05/15/64

284,170

8,563,870

Series 2023-BNK46, Class XA, IO (b)

0.62%

08/15/56

256,745

5,159,323

Series 2025-BNK49, Class XA, IO (b)

0.62%

03/15/58

226,046

BBCMS Mortgage Trust

400,000

Series 2017-C1, Class A4

3.67%

02/15/50

397,357

300,000

Series 2018-C2, Class A4

4.05%

12/15/51

296,020

543,000

Series 2018-TALL, Class A, 1 Mo. CME Term SOFR + CSA +

0.87% (a) (c)

4.60%

03/15/37

514,025

354,867

Series 2020-C6, Class ASB

2.60%

02/15/53

343,015

550,000

Series 2020-C8, Class A5

2.04%

10/15/53

487,289

300,000

Series 2022-C16, Class A5

4.60%

06/15/55

288,544

300,000

Series 2022-C18, Class A5

5.71%

12/15/55

305,610

5,785,214

Series 2025-C35, Class XA, IO (b)

0.65%

07/15/58

273,223

Benchmark Mortgage Trust

329,000

Series 2020-B18, Class A5

1.93%

07/15/53

290,118

500,000

Series 2021-INV1, Class A4

2.27%

04/15/54

452,584

425,000

Series 2023-B40, Class ASB

6.25%

12/15/56

446,334

2,441,721

Series 2024-V6, Class XA, IO (b)

1.33%

03/15/57

71,288

BMO Mortgage Trust

260,000

Series 2023-C5, Class ASB

5.99%

06/15/56

268,162

235,000

Series 2023-C6, Class ASB

6.21%

09/15/56

244,482

300,000

Series 2024-C9, Class ASB

5.77%

07/15/57

308,435

250,000

Series 2025-C11, Class ASB

5.68%

02/15/58

256,854

350,000

Series 2025-C12, Class ASB

5.76%

06/15/58

360,007

3,668,225

Series 2025-C13, Class XA, IO (b)

1.01%

10/15/58

267,540

BPR Mortgage Trust

250,000

Series 2023-STON, Class A (a)

7.50%

12/05/39

255,050

BSTN Commercial Mortgage Trust

551,000

Series 2025-1C, Class A (a) (b)

5.37%

06/15/44

552,635

See Notes to Financial Statements

Page 30


First Trust AAA CMBS ETF (CAAA)

Portfolio of Investments (Continued) July 31, 2026

Principal

Value

Description

Stated

Coupon

Stated

Maturity

Value

MORTGAGE-BACKED SECURITIES (Continued)

Commercial Mortgage-Backed Securities (Continued)

BWAY Trust

$415,000

Series 2025-1535, Class A (a) (b)

6.31%

05/05/42

$416,506

131,000

Series 2025-1535, Class B (a) (b)

7.46%

05/05/42

134,840

BX Commercial Mortgage Trust

489,000

Series 2020-VIV4, Class A (a)

2.84%

03/09/44

450,382

405,000

Series 2026-VLT10, Class A (a) (b)

5.36%

07/13/58

384,904

BX Trust

650,000

Series 2025-ARIA, Class A (a) (b)

5.03%

12/13/42

646,244

600,000

Series 2025-DELC, Class A, 1 Mo. CME Term SOFR +

1.55% (a) (c)

5.23%

12/15/42

602,358

260,000

Series 2025-GW, Class A, 1 Mo. CME Term SOFR +

1.60% (a) (c)

5.28%

07/15/42

261,159

255,000

Series 2025-VOLT, Class A, 1 Mo. CME Term SOFR +

1.70% (a) (c)

5.38%

12/15/44

254,795

CALI

389,000

Series 2024-SUN, Class A, 1 Mo. CME Term SOFR +

1.89% (a) (c)

5.56%

07/15/41

389,515

Cantor Commercial Real Estate Lending

359,548

Series 2019-CF1, Class A2

3.62%

05/15/52

354,282

CENT

550,000

Series 2025-CITY, Class A (a) (b)

4.92%

07/10/40

545,270

CFCRE Commercial Mortgage Trust

6,936,271

Series 2017-C8, Class XA, IO (b)

1.43%

06/15/50

29,949

CHI Commercial Mortgage Trust

520,000

Series 2025-SFT, Class A (a) (b)

5.48%

04/15/42

521,701

Citigroup Commercial Mortgage Trust

295,357

Series 2019-C7, Class AAB

3.04%

12/15/72

286,783

326,242

Series 2019-GC43, Class AAB

2.96%

11/10/52

316,739

500,000

Series 2020-420K, Class A (a)

2.46%

11/10/42

446,935

CONE Commercial Mortgage Trust

260,000

Series 2026-ACD6, Class A (a)

6.06%

07/15/43

258,320

500,000

Series 2026-DFW3, Class A (a) (b)

5.57%

05/15/43

495,028

CRSNT Trust

135,000

Series 2026-MOON, Class A, 1 Mo. CME Term SOFR + CSA +

1.35% (a) (c)

5.08%

02/15/43

135,230

Deutsche Bank Commercial Mortgage Trust

300,000

Series 2020-C9, Class A5

1.93%

08/15/53

266,878

FS

400,000

Series 2026-ORL, Class A, 1 Mo. CME Term SOFR +

1.35% (a) (c)

5.03%

02/15/41

400,913

GGP Trust

499,251

Series 2026-2PAK, Class A (b)

5.83%

05/10/43

496,811

GS Mortgage Securities Trust

217,195

Series 2017-GS6, Class A2

3.16%

05/10/50

215,252

8,400,329

Series 2019-GC39, Class XA, IO (b)

1.07%

05/10/52

206,232

300,000

Series 2024-FAIR, Class A (a) (b)

5.88%

07/15/29

298,220

Hawaii Hotel Trust

257,500

Series 2025-MAUI, Class A, 1 Mo. CME Term SOFR +

1.39% (a) (c)

5.07%

03/15/42

258,109

See Notes to Financial Statements

Page 31


First Trust AAA CMBS ETF (CAAA)

Portfolio of Investments (Continued) July 31, 2026

Principal

Value

Description

Stated

Coupon

Stated

Maturity

Value

MORTGAGE-BACKED SECURITIES (Continued)

Commercial Mortgage-Backed Securities (Continued)

Hilton USA Trust

$300,000

Series 2016-HHV, Class A (a)

3.72%

11/05/38

$299,256

300,000

Series 2025-NVIL, Class A, 1 Mo. CME Term SOFR +

1.74% (a) (c)

5.42%

07/15/42

301,194

Houston Galleria Mall Trust

530,000

Series 2025-HGLR, Class A (a) (b)

5.46%

02/05/45

531,740

ILPT Trust

325,000

Series 2019-SURF, Class A (a)

4.15%

02/11/41

316,550

INT Commercial Mortgage Trust

500,000

Series 2025-PLAZA, Class A (a) (b)

4.88%

11/05/37

494,360

IRV Trust

100,000

Series 2025-200P, Class A (a) (b)

5.29%

03/14/47

99,317

JP Morgan Chase Commercial Mortgage Securities Trust

6,962,825

Series 2019-COR5, Class XA, IO (b)

1.41%

06/13/52

211,947

500,000

Series 2025-PHNY, Class A, 1 Mo. CME Term SOFR +

1.64% (a) (c)

5.32%

01/15/41

501,564

JW Trust

260,000

Series 2024-BERY, Class A, 1 Mo. CME Term SOFR +

1.59% (a) (c)

5.27%

11/15/39

260,626

KRE Commercial Mortgage Trust

300,000

Series 2026-ICNA, Class A, 1 Mo. CME Term SOFR +

1.85% (a) (c)

5.53%

05/15/43

300,932

Manhattan West Mortgage Trust

287,000

Series 2020-1MW, Class A (a)

2.13%

09/10/39

278,206

410,000

Series 2026-2MW, Class A (a) (b)

5.32%

06/10/48

405,373

MCR Mortgage Trust

305,000

Series 2024-TWA, Class A (a)

5.92%

06/12/39

305,730

Morgan Stanley Capital I Trust

216,953

Series 2018-L1, Class A3

4.14%

10/15/51

214,506

310,015

Series 2019-L2, Class A3

3.81%

03/15/52

301,256

12,173,227

Series 2019-L2, Class XA, IO (b)

0.99%

03/15/52

250,845

MSWF Commercial Mortgage Trust

5,339,510

Series 2023-1, Class XA, IO (b)

0.86%

05/15/56

237,158

NRTH Commercial Mortgage Trust

275,000

Series 2025-PARK, Class A, 1 Mo. CME Term SOFR +

1.39% (a) (c)

5.07%

10/15/40

276,032

NY Commercial Mortgage Trust

500,000

Series 2025-299P, Class A (a) (b)

5.66%

02/10/47

508,831

NYO Commercial Mortgage Trust

375,000

Series 2021-1290, Class A, 1 Mo. CME Term SOFR + CSA +

1.10% (a) (c)

4.89%

11/15/38

375,289

One New York Plaza Trust

311,490

Series 2020-1NYP, Class A, 1 Mo. CME Term SOFR + CSA +

0.95% (a) (c)

4.74%

01/15/36

303,537

SFO Commercial Mortgage Trust

319,200

Series 2021-555, Class A, 1 Mo. CME Term SOFR + CSA +

1.40% (a) (c)

5.19%

05/15/38

319,155

SHOPS Commercial Mortgage Trust

300,000

Series 2026-CSTL, Class A (a) (b)

4.81%

05/05/39

295,306

See Notes to Financial Statements

Page 32


First Trust AAA CMBS ETF (CAAA)

Portfolio of Investments (Continued) July 31, 2026

Principal

Value

Description

Stated

Coupon

Stated

Maturity

Value

MORTGAGE-BACKED SECURITIES (Continued)

Commercial Mortgage-Backed Securities (Continued)

SKY Trust

$448,210

Series 2025-LINE, Class A, 1 Mo. CME Term SOFR +

2.59% (a) (c)

6.26%

04/15/42

$451,090

SLG Office Trust

323,000

Series 2021-OVA, Class A (a)

2.59%

07/15/41

285,744

SWCH Commercial Mortgage Trust

555,000

Series 2025-DATA, Class A, 1 Mo. CME Term SOFR +

1.44% (a) (c)

5.12%

02/15/42

551,585

TEXAS Commercial Mortgage Trust

500,000

Series 2025-TWR, Class A, 1 Mo. CME Term SOFR +

1.29% (a) (c)

4.97%

04/15/42

499,926

VRTX Trust

500,000

Series 2025-HQ, Class A (a) (b)

4.93%

08/05/42

483,837

Wells Fargo Commercial Mortgage Trust

375,000

Series 2018-C47, Class A4

4.44%

09/15/61

370,848

76,100

Series 2018-C47, Class AS

4.67%

09/15/61

74,794

4,030,871

Series 2021-C59, Class XA, IO (b)

1.46%

04/15/54

204,159

3,540,077

Series 2021-C60, Class XA, IO (b)

1.51%

08/15/54

205,444

380,000

Series 2022-C62, Class A4

4.00%

04/15/55

355,954

349,962

Series 2025-B33RP, Class A, 1 Mo. CME Term SOFR +

1.35% (a) (c)

5.03%

08/15/42

350,386

WHARF Commercial Mortgage Trust

325,000

Series 2025-DC, Class A (a) (b)

5.35%

07/15/40

327,152

Total Mortgage-Backed Securities

32,284,720

(Cost $32,343,074)

U.S. GOVERNMENT AGENCY MORTGAGE-BACKED SECURITIES — 6.1%

Commercial Mortgage-Backed Securities — 4.5%

Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation Multiclass Certificates

160,000

Series 2020-RR05, Class X, IO

2.01%

01/27/29

6,635

Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation Multifamily Structured

Pass Through Certificates

8,606,412

Series 2020-K104, Class X1, IO (b)

1.10%

01/25/30

280,248

1,591,613

Series 2020-K122, Class X1, IO (b)

0.86%

11/25/30

48,913

1,184,933

Series 2025-K546, Class X1, IO (b)

0.90%

05/25/30

35,435

Government National Mortgage Association

3,489,082

Series 2021-31, Class IO, IO (b)

0.94%

01/16/61

238,947

4,779,543

Series 2024-47, Class AI, IO

0.75%

06/16/64

246,761

3,238,838

Series 2025-153, Class IO, IO (b)

0.85%

09/16/67

239,331

4,062,375

Series 2025-206, Class IO, IO (b)

0.80%

04/16/64

247,195

3,488,778

Series 2025-21, Class IO, IO (b)

0.95%

04/16/65

246,402

1,589,867

Pass-Through Securities — 1.6%

Federal National Mortgage Association

300,000

Pool BZ0874

4.76%

06/01/29

301,108

Government National Mortgage Association

250,000

Pool DO5687

5.72%

06/15/53

250,470

551,578

Total U.S. Government Agency Mortgage-Backed Securities

2,141,445

(Cost $2,143,080)

See Notes to Financial Statements

Page 33


First Trust AAA CMBS ETF (CAAA)

Portfolio of Investments (Continued) July 31, 2026

Shares

Description

Value

MONEY MARKET FUNDS — 2.0%

707,168

Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds - Treasury Portfolio - Institutional Class - 3.54% (d)

$707,168

(Cost $707,168)

Total Investments — 99.8%

35,133,333

(Cost $35,193,322)

Net Other Assets and Liabilities — 0.2%

57,037

Net Assets — 100.0%

$35,190,370

Futures Contracts at July 31, 2026 (See Note 2D - Futures Contracts in the Notes to Financial Statements):

Futures Contracts Long

Number of

Contracts

Expiration

Date

Notional

Value

Unrealized

Appreciation

(Depreciation)/

Value

U.S. 2-Year Treasury Notes

46

Sep-2026

$9,458,031

$(33,031

)

U.S. 5-Year Treasury Notes

15

Sep-2026

1,589,649

(8,930

)

U.S. 10-Year Treasury Notes

25

Sep-2026

2,700,000

(35,695

)

Ultra 10 Year U.S. Treasury Notes

7

Sep-2026

767,922

(14,851

)

$14,515,602

$(92,507

)

Futures Contracts Short

U.S. Treasury Long-Term Bond Futures

1

Sep-2026

$(108,313

)

$5,187

Total

$14,407,289

$(87,320

)

(a)

This security, sold within the terms of a private placement memorandum, is exempt from registration upon resale under

Rule 144A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and may be resold in transactions exempt from registration, normally to

qualified institutional buyers. Pursuant to procedures adopted by the Trust’s Board of Trustees, this security has been determined

to be liquid by First Trust Advisors L.P., the Fund’s advisor. Although market instability can result in periods of increased overall

market illiquidity, liquidity for each security is determined based on security specific factors and assumptions, which require

subjective judgment. At July 31, 2026, securities noted as such amounted to $18,834,320 or 53.5% of net assets.

(b)

Collateral Strip Rate security. Coupon is based on the weighted net interest rate of the investment’s underlying collateral. The

interest rate resets periodically.

(c)

Floating or variable rate security.

(d)

Rate shown reflects yield as of July 31, 2026.

Abbreviations throughout the Portfolio of Investments:

CME

–  Chicago Mercantile Exchange

CSA

–  Credit Spread Adjustment

IO

–  Interest-Only Security - Principal amount shown represents par value on which interest payments are based

SOFR

–  Secured Overnight Financing Rate

See Notes to Financial Statements

Page 34


First Trust AAA CMBS ETF (CAAA)

Portfolio of Investments (Continued) July 31, 2026


Valuation Inputs

A summary of the inputs used to value the Fund’s investments as of July 31, 2026 is as follows (see Note 2A - Portfolio Valuation in the Notes to Financial Statements):

ASSETS TABLE

Total

Value at

7/31/2026

Level 1

Quoted

Prices

Level 2

Significant

Observable

Inputs

Level 3

Significant

Unobservable

Inputs

Mortgage-Backed Securities

$32,284,720

$—

$32,284,720

$—

U.S. Government Agency Mortgage-Backed Securities

2,141,445

—

2,141,445

—

Money Market Funds

707,168

707,168

—

—

Total Investments

35,133,333

707,168

34,426,165

—

Futures Contracts*

5,187

5,187

—

—

Total

$35,138,520

$712,355

$34,426,165

$—

LIABILITIES TABLE

Total

Value at

7/31/2026

Level 1

Quoted

Prices

Level 2

Significant

Observable

Inputs

Level 3

Significant

Unobservable

Inputs

Futures Contracts*

$(92,507

)

$(92,507

)

$—

$—

*

Includes cumulative appreciation/depreciation on futures contracts as reported in the Futures Contracts table. Only the current day’s

variation margin is presented on the Statements of Assets and Liabilities.

See Notes to Financial Statements

Page 35


First Trust Structured Credit Income Opportunities ETF (SCIO)

Portfolio of Investments July 31, 2026

Principal

Value

Description

Stated

Coupon

Stated

Maturity

Value

MORTGAGE-BACKED SECURITIES — 53.8%

Collateralized Mortgage Obligations — 42.7%

Ajax Mortgage Loan Trust

$913,000

Series 2021-E, Class A2 (a)

2.69%

12/25/60

$694,663

BINOM Securitization Trust

6,150,000

Series 2021-INV1, Class B1 (a)

4.35%

06/25/56

4,597,324

BRAVO Residential Funding Trust

380,000

Series 2024-NQM5, Class B1 (a)

7.38%

06/25/64

383,884

255,000

Series 2024-NQM6, Class B1 (a)

7.30%

08/01/64

257,521

CIM Trust

1,200,000

Series 2019-R5, Class B2 (a) (b)

5.00%

09/25/59

1,132,745

Citigroup Mortgage Loan Trust

3,963,100

Series 2020-EXP1, Class M1 (a) (b)

4.47%

05/25/60

3,555,477

COLT Mortgage Loan Trust

1,485,000

Series 2021-5, Class B2 (a) (b)

4.26%

11/26/66

1,218,323

340,000

Series 2021-HX1, Class B3A (a) (b)

4.11%

10/25/66

250,994

Connecticut Avenue Securities Trust

4,000,000

Series 2021-R01, Class 1B2, 30 Day Average SOFR +

6.00% (a) (c)

9.62%

10/25/41

4,042,887

445,000

Series 2022-R06, Class 1B2, 30 Day Average SOFR +

10.60% (a) (c)

14.22%

05/25/42

477,790

1,500,000

Series 2023-R06, Class 1B2, 30 Day Average SOFR +

5.90% (a) (c)

9.52%

07/25/43

1,622,495

Credit Suisse Mortgage Trust

2,811,041

Series 2021-NQM6, Class B1 (a)

3.29%

07/25/66

2,000,977

3,373,000

Series 2021-NQM7, Class B2 (a) (b)

4.35%

10/25/66

2,887,961

2,792,899

Series 2021-NQM8, Class B1 (a)

4.21%

10/25/66

2,201,440

Cross Mortgage Trust

450,000

Series 2025-H6, Class B1B (a)

7.54%

07/25/70

446,297

Deephaven Residential Mortgage Trust

700,000

Series 2021-2, Class M1 (a)

2.22%

04/25/66

556,311

500,000

Series 2022-1, Class B1 (a)

4.25%

01/25/67

408,957

Easy Street Mortgage Loan Trust

1,950,000

Series 2025-RTL2, Class A1, steps up to 7.50% on

12/25/27 (a) (d)

5.61%

10/25/40

1,944,797

Ellington Financial Mortgage Trust

289,000

Series 2019-2, Class M1 (a)

3.47%

11/25/59

275,570

1,345,000

Series 2021-1, Class B2 (a)

4.14%

02/25/66

1,004,123

258,000

Series 2024-INV1, Class B2 (a) (b)

7.34%

03/25/69

258,963

920,233

Series 2025-NQM6, Class A3, steps up to 6.40% on

12/01/29 (a) (d)

5.40%

12/25/70

911,022

1,673,000

Series 2025-RTL1, Class M1 (a)

6.39%

11/25/40

1,664,405

860,000

Series 2025-RTL1, Class M2 (a)

8.33%

11/25/40

858,771

FARM Mortgage Trust

308,333

Series 2021-1, Class B (a) (b)

3.22%

07/25/51

243,308

481,601

Series 2024-1, Class B (a) (b)

5.05%

10/01/53

418,662

1,632,106

Series 2025-2, Class B (a) (b)

5.71%

09/25/55

1,435,720

Fidelis Mortgage Trust

1,940,000

Series 2025-RTL1, Class A2 (a)

6.22%

02/27/40

1,942,906

1,260,000

Series 2025-RTL2, Class A1 (a) (d)

5.57%

07/25/40

1,259,920

See Notes to Financial Statements

Page 36


First Trust Structured Credit Income Opportunities ETF (SCIO)

Portfolio of Investments (Continued) July 31, 2026

Principal

Value

Description

Stated

Coupon

Stated

Maturity

Value

MORTGAGE-BACKED SECURITIES (Continued)

Collateralized Mortgage Obligations (Continued)

Fidelis Mortgage Trust (Continued)

$2,700,000

Series 2025-RTL2, Class A2, steps up to 7.06% on

02/25/28 (a) (d)

6.06%

07/25/40

$2,695,399

1,450,000

Series 2026-RTL2, Class B (a)

7.90%

07/25/41

1,431,253

Flagstar Mortgage Trust

1,609,090

Series 2020-2, Class B3 (a) (b)

3.65%

08/25/50

1,396,800

Galton Funding Mortgage Trust

110,128

Series 2018-2, Class B2 (a)

4.51%

10/25/58

105,360

GCAT Trust

853,328

Series 2025-INV5, Class A28, 30 Day Average SOFR +

1.50% (a) (c)

5.12%

12/25/55

854,510

GS Mortgage-Backed Securities Trust

1,795,000

Series 2020-NQM1, Class B1 (a)

5.14%

09/27/60

1,724,239

1,500,000

Series 2022-LTV1, Class A14 (a)

3.00%

06/25/52

1,048,965

929,828

Series 2025-PJ11, Class A27, 30 Day Average SOFR +

1.35% (a) (c)

4.97%

05/25/56

932,160

HOMES Trust

3,500,000

Series 2025-NQM2, Class B2 (a) (b)

7.37%

02/25/70

3,449,931

Homeward Opportunities Fund Trust

1,000,000

Series 2024-RRTL2, Class M1 (a)

8.16%

09/25/39

1,000,730

654,000

Series 2024-RRTL2, Class M2 (a) (b)

9.08%

09/25/39

656,985

J.P. Morgan Mortgage Trust

3,749,000

Series 2022-DSC1, Class M1 (a)

4.95%

01/25/63

3,390,485

JP Morgan Mortgage Trust

279,764

Series 2020-INV1, Class A15 (a)

3.50%

08/25/50

246,530

264,743

Series 2020-INV1, Class B4 (a) (b)

4.17%

08/25/50

234,062

81,459

Series 2020-INV1, Class B5 (a) (b)

4.17%

08/25/50

70,956

293,959

Series 2020-INV1, Class B6Z (a) (e)

7.03%

08/25/50

263,839

1,505,274

Series 2021-12, Class B5 (a) (b)

3.16%

02/25/52

1,204,560

635,177

Series 2026-1, Class A11, 30 Day Average SOFR + 1.10% (a) (c)

4.72%

07/25/56

630,438

LHOME Mortgage Trust

3,500,000

Series 2024-RTL5, Class M2 (a)

8.18%

09/25/39

3,508,947

MFA Trust

1,170,000

Series 2024-RTL3, Class A1, steps up to 6.91% on

04/25/27 (a) (d)

5.91%

11/25/39

1,172,450

1,000,000

Series 2024-RTL3, Class A2, steps up to 7.53% on

04/25/27 (a) (d)

6.54%

11/25/39

1,003,656

Mill City Mortgage Loan Trust

1,025,000

Series 2019-GS2, Class B2 (a) (b)

3.25%

08/25/59

780,016

Morgan Stanley Residential Mortgage Loan Trust

290,000

Series 2025-SPL1, Class B1, steps up to 5.25% on

09/01/29 (a) (d)

4.25%

02/25/65

258,191

380,000

Series 2025-SPL1, Class M1, steps up to 5.25% on

09/01/29 (a) (d)

4.25%

02/25/65

353,523

New Residential Mortgage Loan Trust

377,319

Series 2014-3A, Class B4 (a) (b)

5.27%

11/25/54

371,165

1,080,000

Series 2019-NQM4, Class B2 (a) (e)

5.06%

09/25/59

992,385

2,872,000

Series 2021-NQ1R, Class B1 (a)

3.53%

07/25/55

2,456,228

930,000

Series 2021-NQ1R, Class B2 (a)

4.33%

07/25/55

813,277

3,545,000

Series 2023-NQM1, Class B2 (a) (b)

7.41%

10/25/63

3,548,117

See Notes to Financial Statements

Page 37


First Trust Structured Credit Income Opportunities ETF (SCIO)

Portfolio of Investments (Continued) July 31, 2026

Principal

Value

Description

Stated

Coupon

Stated

Maturity

Value

MORTGAGE-BACKED SECURITIES (Continued)

Collateralized Mortgage Obligations (Continued)

New Residential Mortgage Loan Trust (Continued)

$785,000

Series 2024-NQM1, Class B2 (a) (b)

7.88%

03/25/64

$791,388

440,000

Series 2024-NQM3, Class B2 (a) (b)

7.14%

11/25/64

443,956

NLT Trust

334,000

Series 2021-INV2, Class B1 (a)

3.32%

08/25/56

246,632

Onslow Bay Mortgage Loan Trust

620,000

Series 2022-NQM2, Class A1B (a)

4.38%

01/25/62

567,797

PMT Loan Trust

1,220,155

Series 2026-CNF4, Class A23, 30 Day Average SOFR +

1.35% (a) (c)

4.97%

05/25/57

1,222,245

1,314,245

Series 2026-INV1, Class A36, 30 Day Average SOFR +

1.30% (a) (c)

4.92%

01/25/57

1,310,823

1,924,829

Series 2026-INV3, Class A36, 30 Day Average SOFR +

1.35% (a) (c)

4.97%

02/25/57

1,926,525

889,119

Series 2026-J1, Class A25, 30 Day Average SOFR +

1.15% (a) (c)

4.77%

01/25/57

884,084

PRET LLC

375,000

Series 2025-NPL11, Class A2, steps up to 11.02% on

09/25/29 (a) (d)

7.02%

10/25/55

375,960

630,513

Series 2025-NPL6, Class A1, steps up to 8.74% on

06/25/28 (a) (d)

5.74%

06/25/55

631,413

300,000

Series 2025-NPL6, Class A2, steps up to 12.72% on

06/25/29 (a) (d)

8.72%

06/25/55

300,678

259,095

Series 2025-NPL7, Class A1, steps up to 8.65% on

07/25/28 (a) (d)

5.66%

07/25/55

259,388

500,000

Series 2025-NPL9, Class A2, steps up to 11.51% on

08/25/29 (a) (d)

7.51%

08/25/55

500,728

1,100,000

Series 2026-NPL1, Class A2, steps up to 10.53% on

12/25/29 (a) (d)

6.54%

01/25/56

1,094,909

1,222,151

Series 2026-NPL2, Class A1, steps up to 8.15% on

01/25/29 (a) (d)

5.07%

02/25/56

1,212,890

2,418,345

Series 2026-NPL4, Class A1, steps up to 8.51% on

03/25/29 (a) (d)

5.51%

04/25/56

2,409,187

2,000,000

Series 2026-NPL4, Class A2, steps up to 10.14% on

03/25/30 (a) (d)

7.14%

04/25/56

2,002,427

976,053

Series 2026-NPL5, Class A1, steps up to 8.66% on

04/25/29 (a) (d)

5.71%

04/25/56

974,879

2,000,000

Series 2026-NPL5, Class A2, steps up to 11.38% on

04/25/30 (a) (d)

7.05%

04/25/56

1,994,486

PRET Trust

3,190,000

Series 2026-RPL3, Class M2, steps up to 5.40% on

06/01/30 (a) (d)

4.40%

06/25/70

2,856,050

PRKCM Trust

1,000,000

Series 2022-AFC1, Class M1 (a) (b)

4.16%

04/25/57

917,544

371,000

Series 2023-AFC1, Class M1 (a) (b)

7.29%

02/25/58

370,097

PRPM

1,500,000

Series 2024-NQM3, Class B1 (a) (b)

7.30%

08/25/69

1,504,324

853,314

Series 2025-3, Class A1, steps up to 9.25% on 05/01/28 (a) (d)

6.26%

05/25/30

853,218

PRPM LLC

1,426,000

Series 2023-RCF2, Class A3, steps up to 5.00% on

11/25/27 (a) (d)

4.00%

11/25/53

1,399,430

See Notes to Financial Statements

Page 38


First Trust Structured Credit Income Opportunities ETF (SCIO)

Portfolio of Investments (Continued) July 31, 2026

Principal

Value

Description

Stated

Coupon

Stated

Maturity

Value

MORTGAGE-BACKED SECURITIES (Continued)

Collateralized Mortgage Obligations (Continued)

PRPM LLC (Continued)

$400,000

Series 2024-8, Class A2, steps up to 11.83% on 12/25/27 (a) (d)

8.84%

12/25/29

$400,335

2,066,000

Series 2024-RCF1, Class A3, steps up to 5.00% on

01/25/28 (a) (d)

4.00%

01/25/54

2,020,353

1,550,000

Series 2024-RCF4, Class A2, steps up to 5.00% on

07/25/28 (a) (d)

4.00%

07/25/54

1,507,997

1,542,000

Series 2024-RCF4, Class M1, steps up to 5.00% on

07/25/28 (a) (d)

4.00%

07/25/54

1,493,172

1,000,000

Series 2024-RCF5, Class A2, steps up to 5.00% on

08/25/28 (a) (d)

4.00%

08/25/54

970,155

3,171,000

Series 2024-RPL3, Class M1, steps up to 5.00% on

11/25/28 (a) (d)

4.00%

11/25/54

3,047,179

2,993,000

Series 2024-RPL3, Class M2, steps up to 5.00% on

11/25/28 (a) (d)

4.00%

11/25/54

2,805,864

325,000

Series 2024-RPL4, Class M2, steps up to 5.00% on

12/25/28 (a) (d)

4.00%

12/25/54

298,670

2,000,000

Series 2025-5, Class A2, steps up to 11.56% on 07/01/28 (a) (d)

8.57%

07/25/30

1,992,293

1,000,000

Series 2025-6, Class M1 (a)

10.56%

08/25/28

994,622

427,653

Series 2025-7, Class A1, steps up to 8.50% on 08/01/28 (a) (d)

5.50%

08/25/30

426,243

500,000

Series 2025-8, Class A2, steps up to 10.19% on 10/01/28 (a) (d)

7.20%

10/25/30

498,582

290,000

Series 2025-RCF4, Class M2, steps up to 5.50% on

08/01/29 (a) (d)

4.50%

08/25/55

271,493

1,000,000

Series 2025-RCF5, Class A3, steps up to 6.46% on

10/01/29 (a) (d)

5.46%

10/25/55

991,095

600,000

Series 2025-RCF6, Class M1, steps up to 6.50% on

12/01/29 (a) (d)

5.50%

12/25/55

587,395

350,000

Series 2025-RPL3, Class M1, steps up to 4.25% on

04/01/28 (a) (d)

3.25%

04/25/55

333,869

2,452,447

Series 2026-4, Class A1, steps up to 9.30% on 06/01/29 (a) (d)

6.30%

06/25/31

2,454,743

2,000,000

Series 2026-4, Class A2, steps up to 9.82% on 06/01/29 (a) (d)

6.82%

06/25/31

1,999,463

2,049,000

Series 2026-RCF2, Class M1 (a)

5.50%

03/25/56

1,983,594

1,950,000

Series 2026-RCF2, Class M2 (a)

5.50%

03/25/56

1,833,996

2,690,000

Series 2026-RCF3, Class M1 (a)

5.25%

05/25/56

2,574,188

1,140,000

Series 2026-RCF3, Class M2 (a)

5.25%

05/25/56

1,090,089

PRPM Trust

2,150,000

Series 2023-NQM3, Class B2 (a) (b)

7.31%

11/25/68

2,155,705

990,000

Series 2026-RCF1, Class M2, steps up to 6.50% on

01/01/30 (a) (d)

5.50%

01/25/56

947,137

Rate Mortgage Trust

887,317

Series 2025-J3, Class A27, 30 Day Average SOFR +

1.55% (a) (c)

5.17%

11/25/55

890,578

RCO IX Mortgage LLC

527,419

Series 2025-4, Class A1, steps up to 8.30% on 10/25/28 (a) (d)

5.31%

10/25/30

527,456

4,150,000

Series 2025-4, Class A2, steps up to 10.90% on 10/25/28 (a) (d)

6.90%

10/25/30

4,147,732

2,883,828

Series 2026-2, Class A1, steps up to 8.76% on 05/25/29 (a) (d)

5.76%

05/25/31

2,874,245

2,750,000

Series 2026-2, Class M1, steps up to 13.07% on 05/25/29 (a) (d)

9.08%

05/25/31

2,735,491

Redwood Funding Trust

1,235,097

Series 2025-3, Class A (a)

6.23%

12/27/56

1,245,632

3,505,000

Series 2025-3, Class B (a)

7.75%

12/27/56

3,528,041

2,563,470

Series 2026-1, Class A, steps up to 9.00% on 02/27/28 (a) (d)

5.93%

09/27/56

2,554,870

4,500,000

Series 2026-1, Class B, steps up to 10.60% on 07/27/28 (a) (d)

7.76%

09/27/56

4,487,026

See Notes to Financial Statements

Page 39


First Trust Structured Credit Income Opportunities ETF (SCIO)

Portfolio of Investments (Continued) July 31, 2026

Principal

Value

Description

Stated

Coupon

Stated

Maturity

Value

MORTGAGE-BACKED SECURITIES (Continued)

Collateralized Mortgage Obligations (Continued)

Redwood Funding Trust (Continued)

$6,572,143

Series 2026-2, Class A (a)

6.26%

11/27/56

$6,568,101

1,785,000

Series 2026-2, Class B (a)

8.00%

11/27/56

1,783,704

3,690,000

Series 2026-RR1, Class A1, steps up to 9.55% on

07/27/28 (a) (d) (f)

6.63%

07/27/30

3,689,947

2,525,000

Series 2026-RR1, Class A2, steps up to 11.28% on

07/27/28 (a) (d) (f)

7.99%

07/27/30

2,524,995

Residential Mortgage Loan Trust

3,340,000

Series 2021-1R, Class B2 (a)

4.47%

01/25/65

3,035,374

Saluda Grade Alternative Mortgage Trust

325,000

Series 2024-INV1, Class B1 (a) (b)

6.85%

08/25/59

324,593

Saluds Grade Alternative Mortgage Trust

500,000

Series 2025-RRTL1, Class M2 (a)

8.42%

10/25/40

488,392

Sequoia Mortgage Trust

1,580,845

Series 2026-HYB1, Class A1B (a)

4.67%

04/25/56

1,535,180

SG Residential Mortgage Trust

521,000

Series 2019-3, Class B2 (a)

5.66%

09/25/59

497,794

884,858

Series 2022-1, Class A1 (a)

3.95%

03/27/62

826,517

Starwood Mortgage Residential Trust

895,000

Series 2020-3, Class B2 (a) (b)

4.75%

04/25/65

762,876

Toorak Mortgage Trust

750,000

Series 2024-2, Class A2, steps up to 10.15% on 04/25/27 (a) (d)

8.65%

10/25/31

753,093

Towd Point Mortgage Trust

1,250,000

Series 2017-4, Class B4 (a)

3.64%

06/25/57

954,941

VCAT LLC

2,601,719

Series 2026-NPL2, Class A1, steps up to 8.06% on

02/25/29 (a) (d)

5.06%

02/25/56

2,585,474

1,063,873

Series 2026-NPL3, Class A1, steps up to 8.56% on

05/25/29 (a) (d)

5.57%

05/25/56

1,063,280

Verus Securitization Trust

4,598,000

Series 2021-4, Class B2 (a)

3.81%

07/25/66

3,267,510

367,000

Series 2021-5, Class B2 (a)

3.94%

09/25/66

275,060

3,240,000

Series 2021-6, Class B2 (a)

4.53%

10/25/66

2,565,252

1,500,000

Series 2021-8, Class B2 (a)

4.33%

11/25/66

1,162,541

375,000

Series 2021-R2, Class B2 (a)

4.26%

02/25/64

308,827

735,000

Series 2022-1, Class B1 (a)

4.01%

01/25/67

569,855

3,305,000

Series 2022-1, Class B2 (a) (b)

3.97%

01/25/67

2,447,737

3,760,792

Series 2022-3, Class A3 (a)

4.13%

02/25/67

3,534,215

1,100,000

Series 2023-6, Class B2 (a) (b)

7.75%

09/25/68

1,098,870

265,000

Series 2024-2, Class B1 (a)

7.86%

02/25/69

267,267

4,000,000

Series 2024-2, Class B2 (a) (b)

8.67%

02/25/69

4,037,311

385,000

Series 2024-3, Class B1 (a)

8.03%

04/25/69

390,083

125,000

Series 2024-5, Class B1 (a)

7.79%

06/25/69

126,871

248,000

Series 2024-6, Class B1 (a) (b)

7.22%

07/25/69

250,421

1,500,000

Series 2024-7, Class B2 (a) (b)

7.78%

09/25/69

1,506,697

510,000

Series 2024-INV2, Class B2 (a) (b)

7.90%

08/26/69

513,972

315,000

Series 2025-1, Class B1 (a)

7.01%

01/25/70

316,661

3,063,000

Series 2025-4, Class B2 (a) (b)

7.45%

05/25/70

3,067,683

150,000

Series 2025-INV1, Class B1 (a)

6.95%

02/25/70

151,083

See Notes to Financial Statements

Page 40


First Trust Structured Credit Income Opportunities ETF (SCIO)

Portfolio of Investments (Continued) July 31, 2026

Principal

Value

Description

Stated

Coupon

Stated

Maturity

Value

MORTGAGE-BACKED SECURITIES (Continued)

Collateralized Mortgage Obligations (Continued)

Visio Trust

$330,000

Series 2023-2, Class M1 (a) (b)

7.71%

10/25/58

$329,114

Wells Fargo Mortgage Backed Securities Trust

840,579

Series 2020-1, Class B2 (a) (b)

3.36%

12/25/49

735,503

213,586,525

Commercial Mortgage-Backed Securities — 11.1%

BANK

2,046,743

Series 2019-BN16, Class XA, IO (b)

0.93%

02/15/52

35,572

2,712,313

Series 2019-BN21, Class XA, IO (b)

0.81%

10/17/52

56,505

1,045,166

Series 2019-BN22, Class XA, IO (b)

0.58%

11/15/62

17,150

478,000

Series 2020-BN25, Class A5

2.65%

01/15/63

440,252

7,500,000

Series 2021-BN31, Class XB, IO (b)

0.87%

02/15/54

250,255

9,994,337

Series 2023-BNK46, Class XA, IO (b)

0.62%

08/15/56

299,630

BBCMS Mortgage Trust

3,368,000

Series 2018-TALL, Class A, 1 Mo. CME Term SOFR + CSA +

0.87% (a) (c)

4.60%

03/15/37

3,188,281

3,283,711

Series 2020-C6, Class XA, IO (b)

1.02%

02/15/53

92,651

1,230,551

Series 2020-C7, Class XA, IO (b)

1.59%

04/15/53

44,935

4,998,412

Series 2024-5C25, Class XA, IO (b)

1.19%

03/15/57

130,403

Benchmark Mortgage Trust

4,911,427

Series 2019-B13, Class XA, IO (b)

1.08%

08/15/57

130,445

1,221,555

Series 2020-B20, Class XA, IO (b)

1.51%

10/15/53

50,037

4,144,032

Series 2021-B29, Class XA, IO (b)

0.99%

09/15/54

126,086

4,434,962

Series 2024-V6, Class XA, IO (b)

1.33%

03/15/57

129,482

BMO Mortgage Trust

9,495,405

Series 2025-C13, Class XA, IO (b)

1.01%

10/15/58

692,543

BWAY Trust

415,000

Series 2025-1535, Class A (a) (b)

6.31%

05/05/42

416,506

1,000,000

Series 2025-1535, Class B (a) (b)

7.46%

05/05/42

1,029,311

BX Commercial Mortgage Trust

1,382,973

Series 2019-IMC, Class A, 1 Mo. CME Term SOFR + CSA +

1.00% (a) (c)

4.72%

04/15/34

1,376,920

2,000,000

Series 2026-VLT10, Class C (a) (b)

6.40%

07/13/58

1,928,145

BX Trust

2,000,000

Series 2025-DELC, Class D, 1 Mo. CME Term SOFR +

2.60% (a) (c)

6.28%

12/15/42

2,009,686

600,000

Series 2025-DELC, Class E, 1 Mo. CME Term SOFR +

3.05% (a) (c)

6.73%

12/15/42

601,651

2,500,000

Series 2025-VOLT, Class A, 1 Mo. CME Term SOFR +

1.70% (a) (c)

5.38%

12/15/44

2,497,994

CALI

739,000

Series 2024-SUN, Class A, 1 Mo. CME Term SOFR +

1.89% (a) (c)

5.56%

07/15/41

739,979

300,000

Series 2024-SUN, Class D, 1 Mo. CME Term SOFR +

3.63% (a) (c)

7.30%

07/15/41

299,517

CFCRE Commercial Mortgage Trust

6,936,271

Series 2017-C8, Class XA, IO (b)

1.43%

06/15/50

29,949

CONE Commercial Mortgage Trust

3,375,000

Series 2026-ACD6, Class A (a)

6.06%

07/15/43

3,353,189

3,000,000

Series 2026-DFW3, Class E (a) (b)

7.84%

05/15/43

2,991,324

See Notes to Financial Statements

Page 41


First Trust Structured Credit Income Opportunities ETF (SCIO)

Portfolio of Investments (Continued) July 31, 2026

Principal

Value

Description

Stated

Coupon

Stated

Maturity

Value

MORTGAGE-BACKED SECURITIES (Continued)

Commercial Mortgage-Backed Securities (Continued)

GGP Trust

$3,494,754

Series 2026-2PAK, Class A (b)

5.83%

05/10/43

$3,477,680

Great Wolf Trust

2,000,000

Series 2024-WOLF, Class A, 1 Mo. CME Term SOFR +

1.54% (a) (c)

5.22%

03/15/39

2,004,946

GS Mortgage Securities Trust

920,200

Series 2020-GC45, Class XA, IO (b)

0.61%

02/13/53

15,568

1,641,125

Series 2020-GC47, Class XA, IO (b)

1.12%

05/12/53

56,536

JP Morgan Chase Commercial Mortgage Securities Trust

3,859,966

Series 2019-COR5, Class XA, IO (b)

1.41%

06/13/52

117,497

KRE Commercial Mortgage Trust

2,109,750

Series 2026-ICNA, Class A, 1 Mo. CME Term SOFR +

1.85% (a) (c)

5.53%

05/15/43

2,116,305

MCR Mortgage Trust

2,690,000

Series 2024-TWA, Class A (a)

5.92%

06/12/39

2,696,440

300,000

Series 2024-TWA, Class E (a)

8.73%

06/12/39

299,997

1,715,000

Series 2024-TWA, Class F (a)

10.38%

06/12/39

1,724,214

Morgan Stanley Capital I Trust

11,168,098

Series 2019-L2, Class XA, IO (b)

0.99%

03/15/52

230,133

5,598,687

Series 2019-L3, Class XA, IO (b)

0.60%

11/15/52

93,074

NYO Commercial Mortgage Trust

320,000

Series 2021-1290, Class D, 1 Mo. CME Term SOFR + CSA +

2.54% (a) (c)

6.34%

11/15/38

319,132

One New York Plaza Trust

2,048,281

Series 2020-1NYP, Class A, 1 Mo. CME Term SOFR + CSA +

0.95% (a) (c)

4.74%

01/15/36

1,995,986

SFO Commercial Mortgage Trust

500,000

Series 2021-555, Class A, 1 Mo. CME Term SOFR + CSA +

1.40% (a) (c)

5.19%

05/15/38

499,929

1,000,000

Series 2021-555, Class D, 1 Mo. CME Term SOFR + CSA +

2.40% (a) (c)

6.44%

05/15/38

999,653

SHR Trust

250,000

Series 2024-LXRY, Class E, 1 Mo. CME Term SOFR +

4.45% (a) (c)

8.13%

10/15/41

251,809

SKY Trust

972,959

Series 2025-LINE, Class A, 1 Mo. CME Term SOFR +

2.59% (a) (c)

6.26%

04/15/42

979,211

SWCH Commercial Mortgage Trust

3,000,000

Series 2025-DATA, Class A, 1 Mo. CME Term SOFR +

1.44% (a) (c)

5.12%

02/15/42

2,981,542

VCC

3,024,021

Series 2026-MC1, Class A1, steps up to 9.49% on

01/01/29 (a) (d)

6.49%

01/27/31

3,018,922

2,000,000

Series 2026-MC1, Class A2, steps up to 11.66% on

01/01/29 (a) (d)

8.67%

01/27/31

1,972,099

VCC Trust

1,967,107

Series 2026-MC2, Class A1, steps up to 10.60% on

07/01/30 (a) (d)

7.60%

06/25/56

1,961,889

2,000,000

Series 2026-MC2, Class A2, steps up to 12.51% on

07/01/30 (a) (d)

9.52%

06/25/56

1,988,946

See Notes to Financial Statements

Page 42


First Trust Structured Credit Income Opportunities ETF (SCIO)

Portfolio of Investments (Continued) July 31, 2026

Principal

Value

Description

Stated

Coupon

Stated

Maturity

Value

MORTGAGE-BACKED SECURITIES (Continued)

Commercial Mortgage-Backed Securities (Continued)

Velocity Commercial Capital Loan Trust

$1,994,324

Series 2026-3, Class M4 (a)

9.05%

07/25/56

$1,994,993

Wells Fargo Commercial Mortgage Trust

3,314,861

Series 2021-C59, Class XA, IO (b)

1.46%

04/15/54

167,894

9,848,008

Series 2021-C60, Class XA, IO (b)

1.51%

08/15/54

571,516

55,494,309

Total Mortgage-Backed Securities

269,080,834

(Cost $272,101,171)

ASSET-BACKED SECURITIES — 32.6%

AB BSL CLO 1 Ltd.

2,000,000

Series 2020-1A, Class D2R2, 3 Mo. CME Term SOFR +

4.55% (a) (c)

8.30%

10/15/38

1,991,998

Adams Outdoor Advertising, L.P.

2,500,000

Series 2026-1, Class B (a)

6.39%

07/20/56

2,502,492

2,000,000

Series 2026-1, Class C (a)

8.43%

07/20/56

2,015,470

AGL CLO 17 Ltd.

2,000,000

Series 2022-17A, Class DR, 3 Mo. CME Term SOFR +

2.45% (a) (c)

6.18%

01/21/35

1,959,010

AGL CLO 23 Ltd.

1,000,000

Series 2022-23A, Class D1R, 3 Mo. CME Term SOFR +

2.45% (a) (c)

6.18%

04/20/38

983,760

Anchorage Capital CLO 29 Ltd.

2,000,000

Series 2024-29A, Class DR, 3 Mo. CME Term SOFR +

3.10% (a) (c)

6.76%

03/31/39

2,008,843

Apidos CLO XXIX

260,000

Series 2018-29A, Class D2R, 3 Mo. CME Term SOFR +

4.65% (a) (c)

8.46%

07/25/38

257,628

Benefit Street Partners CLO XXIII Ltd.

1,000,000

Series 2021-23A, Class D1RR, 3 Mo. CME Term SOFR +

2.70% (a) (c)

6.34%

04/25/39

1,003,044

Benefit Street Partners CLO XXV Ltd.

1,000,000

Series 2021-25A, Class CR, 3 Mo. CME Term SOFR +

1.65% (a) (c)

5.40%

01/15/35

1,002,151

Birch Grove CLO 8 Ltd.

1,000,000

Series 2024-8A, Class D2R, 3 Mo. CME Term SOFR +

4.80% (a) (c)

8.53%

04/20/39

1,004,252

BlueMountain CLO XXIX Ltd.

895,439

Series 2020-29A, Class D1R, 3 Mo. CME Term SOFR + CSA +

3.15% (a) (c)

7.22%

07/25/34

891,057

Carmax Select Receivables Trust

2,350,000

Series 2025-B, Class E (a)

6.89%

09/15/32

2,344,630

CarMax Select Receivables Trust

3,800,000

Series 2026-A, Class D

4.90%

05/17/32

3,729,261

CBAMR Ltd.

1,000,000

Series 2020-13A, Class D2R, 3 Mo. CME Term SOFR +

5.35% (a) (c)

9.08%

04/20/39

999,351

Consolidated Communications LLC/Fidium Fiber Finance Holdco LLC

4,500,000

Series 2025-1A, Class C (a)

9.41%

05/20/55

4,658,998

1,000,000

Series 2025-4A, Class B (a)

5.77%

12/20/55

994,422

See Notes to Financial Statements

Page 43


First Trust Structured Credit Income Opportunities ETF (SCIO)

Portfolio of Investments (Continued) July 31, 2026

Principal

Value

Description

Stated

Coupon

Stated

Maturity

Value

ASSET-BACKED SECURITIES (Continued)

CoreVest American Finance Trust

$97,209

Series 2021-1, Class A (a)

1.57%

04/15/53

$95,596

261,520

Series 2021-2, Class A (a)

1.41%

07/15/54

253,208

CTM CLO Ltd.

2,000,000

Series 2025-2A, Class D3, 3 Mo. CME Term SOFR +

3.90% (a) (c)

7.63%

10/20/38

1,985,238

Diameter Capital CLO 4 Ltd.

1,000,000

Series 2022-4A, Class ERR, 3 Mo. CME Term SOFR +

4.55% (a) (c)

8.30%

01/15/39

990,969

Diameter Capital CLO 5 Ltd.

250,000

Series 2023-5A, Class C2R, 3 Mo. CME Term SOFR +

3.60% (a) (c)

7.35%

01/15/39

245,494

500,000

Series 2023-5A, Class DR, 3 Mo. CME Term SOFR +

4.85% (a) (c)

8.60%

01/15/39

497,497

Elmwood CLO 27 Ltd.

1,000,000

Series 2024-3A, Class D2R, 3 Mo. CME Term SOFR +

4.60% (a) (c)

8.33%

04/18/39

1,000,475

Exeter Automobile Receivables Trust

994,000

Series 2024-1A, Class E (a)

7.89%

08/15/31

1,025,919

1,154,000

Series 2024-2A, Class E (a)

7.98%

10/15/31

1,203,417

750,000

Series 2025-2A, Class E (a)

7.81%

10/15/32

767,684

2,000,000

Series 2025-3A, Class E (a)

7.52%

12/15/32

2,029,397

1,000,000

Series 2025-5A, Class D

5.16%

03/15/32

993,107

Exeter Select Automobile Receivables Trust

2,290,000

Series 2025-1, Class D

6.14%

09/15/31

2,332,706

337,000

Series 2025-1, Class E (a)

8.44%

12/15/32

347,051

350,000

Series 2025-2, Class E (a)

6.87%

02/15/33

341,805

500,000

Series 2025-3, Class C

5.00%

03/15/32

498,853

2,363,000

Series 2025-3, Class D

5.54%

05/17/32

2,361,928

FIGRE Trust

1,360,000

Series 2026-HE2, Class E (a)

7.06%

01/25/56

1,353,171

3,087,000

Series 2026-HE5, Class F (a)

8.13%

06/25/56

3,074,356

1,144,564

Series 2026-HF3, Class C, 30 Day Average SOFR +

2.00% (a) (c)

5.62%

03/25/56

1,148,213

FNA VI LLC

26,727

Series 2021-1A, Class A (a)

1.35%

01/10/32

25,229

GLS Auto Receivables Issuer Trust

1,005,000

Series 2024-4A, Class E (a)

7.51%

08/15/31

1,033,868

GLS Auto Select Receivables Issuer Trust

500,000

Series 2025-4A, Class C (a)

5.14%

12/15/31

500,168

4,045,000

Series 2025-4A, Class D (a)

5.61%

01/18/33

4,049,501

1,000,000

Series 2026-1A, Class D (a)

5.25%

04/18/33

987,521

Golub Capital Partners 48, L.P.

3,000,000

Series 2020-48A, Class D1R, 3 Mo. CME Term SOFR +

2.75% (a) (c)

6.50%

04/17/38

2,991,298

Golub Capital Partners CLO B Ltd.

2,315,000

Series 2024-77A, Class D1, 3 Mo. CME Term SOFR +

2.70% (a) (c)

6.51%

01/25/38

2,321,875

Gracie Point International Funding LLC

1,250,000

Series 2025-1A, Class A, 30 Day Average SOFR + 1.50% (a) (c)

5.13%

08/15/28

1,252,026

1,200,000

Series 2025-1A, Class D, 30 Day Average SOFR + 4.50% (a) (c)

8.13%

08/15/28

1,199,516

See Notes to Financial Statements

Page 44


First Trust Structured Credit Income Opportunities ETF (SCIO)

Portfolio of Investments (Continued) July 31, 2026

Principal

Value

Description

Stated

Coupon

Stated

Maturity

Value

ASSET-BACKED SECURITIES (Continued)

Invesco U.S. CLO Ltd.

$750,000

Series 2024-1RA, Class D1R, 3 Mo. CME Term SOFR +

3.75% (a) (c)

7.50%

04/15/37

$747,215

Island Finance Trust

2,000,000

Series 2025-1A, Class A (a)

6.54%

03/19/35

2,006,734

650,000

Series 2025-1A, Class B (a)

7.95%

03/19/35

654,336

300,000

Series 2025-1A, Class C (a)

10.00%

03/19/35

301,682

Kinetic ABS Issuer LLC

3,500,000

Series 2026-1A, Class C (a)

7.65%

02/25/56

3,533,164

LMRK Issuer Co. 2 LLC

1,000,000

Series 2025-1A, Class A (a)

5.52%

09/15/55

989,359

500,000

Series 2025-1A, Class C (a)

8.12%

09/15/55

501,632

Luxury Lease Partners Auto Lease Trust

676,500

Series 2025-A, Class A (a)

5.51%

03/15/32

673,872

Magnetite XLVII Ltd.

1,000,000

Series 2024-47A, Class F, 3 Mo. CME Term SOFR +

7.22% (a) (c)

11.03%

01/25/38

973,128

Magnetite XXIII Ltd.

1,000,000

Series 2019-23A, Class ER2, 3 Mo. CME Term SOFR +

4.60% (a) (c)

8.41%

01/25/35

977,926

Magnetite XXVII Ltd.

260,000

Series 2020-27A, Class FRR, 3 Mo. CME Term SOFR +

6.84% (a) (c)

10.57%

10/20/38

251,227

Magnetite XXVIII Ltd.

1,000,000

Series 2020-28A, Class D2RR, 3 Mo. CME Term SOFR +

3.75% (a) (c)

7.50%

01/15/38

993,897

Magnetite XXXVIII Ltd.

2,000,000

Series 2024-38A, Class D2R, 3 Mo. CME Term SOFR +

3.80% (a) (c)

7.49%

07/15/39

1,975,156

MetroNet Infrastructure Issuer LLC

3,000,000

Series 2026-1A, Class C (a)

7.10%

04/20/56

2,973,931

Neuberger Berman CLO XXI Ltd.

2,500,000

Series 2016-21A, Class D2R3, 3 Mo. CME Term SOFR +

3.95% (a) (c)

7.68%

01/20/39

2,486,172

Neuberger Berman CLO XXII Ltd.

1,000,000

Series 2016-22A, Class ER3, 3 Mo. CME Term SOFR +

6.25% (a) (c)

10.00%

04/17/40

1,019,380

Neuberger Berman Loan Advisers CLO 47 Ltd.

250,000

Series 2022-47A, Class DR, 3 Mo. CME Term SOFR +

2.80% (a) (c)

6.54%

04/16/35

249,889

Neuberger Berman Loan Advisers CLO 55 Ltd.

1,500,000

Series 2024-55A, Class D2R, 3 Mo. CME Term SOFR +

4.50% (a) (c)

8.23%

04/22/40

1,500,646

Neuberger Berman Loan Advisers CLO Ltd.

250,000

Series 2020-39A, Class ER, 3 Mo. CME Term SOFR +

7.20% (a) (c)

10.93%

04/20/38

248,129

OCP CLO 2020-20 Ltd.

1,000,000

Series 2020-20A, Class D1R2, 3 Mo. CME Term SOFR +

3.00% (a) (c)

6.73%

04/18/37

1,003,858

OHA Credit Partners VII Ltd.

2,000,000

Series 2012-7A, Class D2R4, 3 Mo. CME Term SOFR +

3.50% (a) (c)

7.14%

02/20/38

1,981,512

See Notes to Financial Statements

Page 45


First Trust Structured Credit Income Opportunities ETF (SCIO)

Portfolio of Investments (Continued) July 31, 2026

Principal

Value

Description

Stated

Coupon

Stated

Maturity

Value

ASSET-BACKED SECURITIES (Continued)

OHA Credit Partners XV Ltd.

$1,000,000

Series 2017-15A, Class D2R2, 3 Mo. CME Term SOFR +

4.50% (a) (c)

8.23%

04/20/39

$997,935

OHA Credit Partners XVII Ltd.

1,000,000

Series 2024-17A, Class D2, 3 Mo. CME Term SOFR +

3.95% (a) (c)

7.68%

01/18/38

995,862

Pagaya AI Debt Grantor Trust

116,920

Series 2024-8, Class D (a)

6.53%

01/15/32

116,983

151,402

Series 2024-10, Class E (a)

10.41%

06/15/32

152,633

399,985

Series 2025-5, Class C (a)

5.64%

03/15/33

400,183

1,499,733

Series 2025-7, Class E (a)

8.89%

05/15/33

1,504,612

1,998,696

Series 2026-1, Class E (a)

9.23%

09/15/33

2,000,235

2,000,000

Series 2026-3, Class E (a)

10.16%

12/15/33

2,013,961

Palmer Square CLO Ltd.

1,000,000

Series 2022-4A, Class D2R, 3 Mo. CME Term SOFR +

4.10% (a) (c)

7.83%

10/20/37

982,693

Point Securitization Trust

3,955,000

Series 2026-2, Class A1 (a)

5.25%

07/25/56

3,853,357

2,128,000

Series 2026-2, Class B1 (a) (f)

6.50%

07/25/56

1,910,313

Regatta 36 Funding Ltd.

1,000,000

Series 2026-1A, Class E, 3 Mo. CME Term SOFR +

6.05% (a) (c)

9.76%

04/15/39

1,012,711

Regatta XVIII Funding Ltd.

2,000,000

Series 2021-1A, Class D1R, 3 Mo. CME Term SOFR +

2.60% (a) (c)

6.35%

04/15/38

1,985,726

Research-Driven Pagaya Motor Asset Trust

275,000

Series 2025-3A, Class A2 (a)

5.15%

02/27/34

275,832

3,500,000

Series 2026-1A, Class E (a)

11.07%

01/25/35

3,461,939

3,138,159

Series 2026-R1A, Class A (a)

5.66%

07/25/34

3,132,712

Research-Driven Pagaya Motor AssetTrust

3,000,000

Series 2026-4A, Class D (a)

8.62%

05/25/35

2,951,134

1,500,000

Series 2026-4A, Class XS (a)

10.00%

05/25/35

1,425,165

Research-Driven Pagaya Motor Trust

250,000

Series 2025-5A, Class C (a)

5.47%

06/26/34

248,128

250,000

Series 2025-5A, Class D (a)

6.01%

06/26/34

246,031

750,000

Series 2025-5A, Class E (a)

9.22%

06/26/34

738,741

725,000

Series 2025-6A, Class C (a)

5.53%

08/25/34

718,207

Rockland Park CLO Ltd.

260,000

Series 2021-1A, Class FR, 3 Mo. CME Term SOFR +

7.82% (a) (c)

11.55%

07/20/38

225,147

Santander Drive Auto Receivables Trust

3,220,000

Series 2026-1, Class D

4.75%

04/15/32

3,154,700

Signal Peak CLO 5 Ltd.

1,000,000

Series 2018-5A, Class D1R2, 3 Mo. CME Term SOFR +

4.00% (a) (c)

7.81%

04/25/37

995,304

Silver Point CLO 11 Ltd.

275,000

Series 2025-11A, Class F, 3 Mo. CME Term SOFR +

6.93% (a) (c)

10.68%

07/15/38

263,519

Silver Point CLO 9 Ltd.

1,250,000

Series 2025-9A, Class D1, 3 Mo. CME Term SOFR +

3.60% (a) (c)

7.35%

03/31/38

1,253,860

See Notes to Financial Statements

Page 46


First Trust Structured Credit Income Opportunities ETF (SCIO)

Portfolio of Investments (Continued) July 31, 2026

Principal

Value

Description

Stated

Coupon

Stated

Maturity

Value

ASSET-BACKED SECURITIES (Continued)

Sixth Street CLO XVIII Ltd.

$400,000

Series 2021-18A, Class FR, 3 Mo. CME Term SOFR +

8.02% (a) (c)

11.77%

10/17/38

$394,168

Symphony CLO 30 Ltd.

2,000,000

Series 2023-30A, Class D2R2, 3 Mo. CME Term SOFR +

5.15% (a) (c)

8.88%

10/20/37

1,996,314

Texas Debt Capital CLO Ltd.

3,000,000

Series 2024-1A, Class D2R, 3 Mo. CME Term SOFR +

4.10% (a) (c)

7.75%

07/22/39

3,003,271

TICP CLO VI Ltd.

2,000,000

Series 2016-6A, Class D2R3, 3 Mo. CME Term SOFR +

4.50% (a) (c)

8.25%

07/01/39

1,989,322

Trinitas CLO XIX Ltd.

2,500,000

Series 2022-19A, Class D2R, 3 Mo. CME Term SOFR +

3.80% (a) (c)

7.53%

10/20/33

2,472,273

Uniti Fiber Abs Issuer, LLC

1,605,000

Series 2025-1A, Class A2 (a)

5.88%

04/20/55

1,619,375

1,600,000

Series 2025-2A, Class B (a)

5.62%

01/20/56

1,570,120

Vertical Bridge CC LLC

2,000,000

Series 2025-1A, Class B (a)

5.60%

08/16/55

1,980,826

2,500,000

Series 2025-1A, Class D (a)

9.38%

08/16/55

2,556,862

Westlake Automobile Receivables Trust

3,700,000

Series 2026-2A, Class D (a)

5.25%

03/15/32

3,680,926

Whitebox CLO V Ltd.

500,000

Series 2025-5A, Class D2, 3 Mo. CME Term SOFR +

4.10% (a) (c)

7.83%

07/20/38

495,302

1,000,000

Series 2025-5A, Class E, 3 Mo. CME Term SOFR +

5.25% (a) (c)

8.98%

07/20/38

1,007,368

Zayo Issuer LLC

3,500,000

Series 2025-2A, Class B (a)

6.59%

06/20/55

3,539,965

4,500,000

Series 2025-2A, Class C (a)

9.49%

06/20/55

4,713,734

4,000,000

Series 2026-1A, Class C (a)

7.78%

04/20/56

4,030,166

Total Asset-Backed Securities

163,363,913

(Cost $163,646,195)

U.S. GOVERNMENT AGENCY MORTGAGE-BACKED SECURITIES — 16.3%

Collateralized Mortgage Obligations — 7.5%

Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation

1,203,874

Series 2022-5266, Class FA, 30 Day Average SOFR + 0.82% (c)

4.44%

09/25/52

1,189,774

1,919,606

Series 2023-5325, Class SA, (30 Day Average SOFR) ×-2+

11.40% (g)

4.17%

11/25/52

1,649,891

652,843

Series 2024-5435, Class BS, (30 Day Average SOFR) ×-2+

11.93% (g)

4.69%

07/25/54

561,649

279,887

Series 2024-5460, Class FN, 30 Day Average SOFR + 1.10% (c)

4.72%

10/25/54

281,195

1,135,258

Series 2025-5508, Class FE, 30 Day Average SOFR + 1.60% (c)

5.22%

02/25/55

1,157,093

4,746,810

Series 2026-5642, Class FN, 30 Day Average SOFR + 0.90% (c)

4.52%

03/25/56

4,693,509

4,600,000

Series 2026-5690, Class NS, (30 Day Average SOFR ) ×-1.80+

13.07% (f) (g)

6.50%

08/25/56

4,457,687

Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation Seasoned Credit Risk

Transfer Trust

978,414

Series 2017-4, Class M (a)

4.75%

06/25/57

970,292

See Notes to Financial Statements

Page 47


First Trust Structured Credit Income Opportunities ETF (SCIO)

Portfolio of Investments (Continued) July 31, 2026

Principal

Value

Description

Stated

Coupon

Stated

Maturity

Value

U.S. GOVERNMENT AGENCY MORTGAGE-BACKED SECURITIES (Continued)

Collateralized Mortgage Obligations (Continued)

Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation STACR REMIC Trust

$1,850,000

Series 2021-HQA1, Class B2, 30 Day Average SOFR +

5.00% (a) (c)

8.62%

08/25/33

$2,210,139

2,500,000

Series 2022-HQA1, Class B2, 30 Day Average SOFR +

11.00% (a) (c)

14.62%

03/25/42

2,649,860

Federal National Mortgage Association

76,418

Series 2016-63, Class AF, 30 Day Average SOFR + CSA +

0.50% (c)

4.23%

09/25/46

75,505

703,717

Series 2023-51, Class PO, PO

(h)

11/25/53

588,403

938,314

Series 2023-54, Class PO, PO

(h)

11/25/53

772,644

3,356,303

Series 2025-6, Class FB, 30 Day Average SOFR + 2.00% (c)

5.62%

02/25/55

3,425,624

1,074,483

Series 2025-6, Class LF, 30 Day Average SOFR + 1.80% (c)

5.42%

02/25/55

1,090,324

893,177

Series 2025-49, Class FA, 30 Day Average SOFR + 0.80% (c)

4.42%

06/25/55

886,804

Government National Mortgage Association

1,247,120

Series 2024-79, Class VB, (30 Day Average SOFR) ×-1.50+

10.95% (g)

5.52%

05/20/54

1,158,495

695,267

Series 2025-4, Class FY, 30 Day Average SOFR + 1.60% (c)

5.22%

01/20/55

701,629

701,981

Series 2025-100, Class JS, (30 Day Average SOFR) ×-2.75+

15.95% (g)

5.99%

06/20/55

644,764

1,072,460

Series 2025-164, Class PO, PO

(h)

08/20/54

831,341

4,354,576

Series 2026-99, Class HS, (30 Day Average SOFR) ×-2.25+

12.60% (g)

4.45%

06/20/56

3,820,569

1,178,536

Series 2026-99, Class SC, (30 Day Average SOFR) ×-2.11+

13.03% (g)

5.38%

06/20/56

1,081,941

2,025,866

Series 2026-111, Class AS, (30 Day Average SOFR) ×-2.50+

13.89% (g)

4.83%

06/20/56

1,829,013

1,163,637

Series 2026-118, Class SP, (30 Day Average SOFR) ×-2.65+

14.71% (g)

5.08%

07/20/56

969,088

37,697,233

Commercial Mortgage-Backed Securities — 4.3%

Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation Multifamily Structured

Pass-Through Certificates

48,691,227

Series 2021-K124, Class X1, IO (b)

0.71%

12/25/30

1,275,389

940,000

Series 2024-K755, Class X3, IO (b)

5.65%

02/25/31

201,620

Federal National Mortgage Association Alternative Credit

Enhancement Securities

3,137,860

Series 2026-M4, Class Z (b)

2.85%

04/25/52

1,795,572

Government National Mortgage Association

21,891,862

Series 2021-31, Class IO, IO (b)

0.94%

01/16/61

1,499,247

48,540,633

Series 2024-32, Class IO, IO (b)

0.70%

06/16/63

2,510,575

26,451,667

Series 2024-47, Class AI, IO

0.75%

06/16/64

1,365,665

20,522,336

Series 2025-21, Class IO, IO (b)

0.95%

04/16/65

1,449,429

60,842,693

Series 2025-78, Class IO, IO (b)

1.00%

11/16/63

4,465,890

15,879,053

Series 2025-153, Class IO, IO (b)

0.85%

09/16/67

1,173,370

55,211,100

Series 2025-206, Class IO, IO (b)

0.80%

04/16/64

3,359,584

39,055,000

Series 2026-133, Class IO, IO (b)

0.83%

04/16/65

2,442,386

21,538,727

Pass-Through Securities — 4.5%

Federal National Mortgage Association

723,177

Pool MA4271

1.50%

02/01/51

525,367

See Notes to Financial Statements

Page 48


First Trust Structured Credit Income Opportunities ETF (SCIO)

Portfolio of Investments (Continued) July 31, 2026

Principal

Value

Description

Stated

Coupon

Stated

Maturity

Value

U.S. GOVERNMENT AGENCY MORTGAGE-BACKED SECURITIES (Continued)

Pass-Through Securities (Continued)

Federal National Mortgage Association (Continued)

$500,000

Pool TBA (i)

5.50%

08/15/41

$505,191

1,441,000

Pool TBA

4.50%

09/01/55

1,351,307

1,670,000

Pool TBA (i)

3.00%

08/01/56

1,424,001

325,000

Pool TBA (i)

2.50%

08/15/56

265,024

1,519,000

Pool TBA (i)

3.50%

08/15/56

1,347,697

600,000

Pool TBA

5.00%

08/15/56

579,120

4,800,000

Pool TBA (i)

5.50%

08/15/56

4,750,855

5,389,000

Pool TBA (i)

5.50%

09/15/56

5,325,404

1,682,000

Pool TBA (i)

6.00%

09/15/56

1,697,828

1,465,000

Pool TBA

6.00%

10/15/56

1,477,641

Government National Mortgage Association

1,000,000

Pool DO5687

5.72%

06/15/53

1,001,879

306,000

Pool TBA (i)

3.50%

08/15/56

267,911

114,000

Pool TBA (i)

4.00%

08/15/56

103,150

318,000

Pool TBA (i)

4.50%

08/15/56

298,112

1,496,000

Pool TBA (i)

5.00%

08/15/56

1,447,689

132,000

Pool TBA (i)

3.00%

08/20/56

114,474

22,482,650

Total U.S. Government Agency Mortgage-Backed Securities

81,718,610

(Cost $82,738,273)

U.S. TREASURY BILLS — 0.6%

800,000

U.S. Treasury Bill

(h)

09/08/26

797,108

2,000,000

U.S. Treasury Bill

(h)

09/15/26

1,991,346

Total U.S. Treasury Bills

2,788,454

(Cost $2,787,531)

Shares

Description

Value

MONEY MARKET FUNDS — 0.2%

1,118,655

Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds - Treasury Portfolio - Institutional Class - 3.54% (j)

1,118,655

(Cost $1,118,655)

Total Investments — 103.5%

518,070,466

(Cost $522,391,825)

Number of

Contracts

Description

Notional

Amount

Exercise

Price

Expiration

Date

Value

PURCHASED OPTIONS — 0.0%

Call Options Purchased — 0.0%

1

3 Month SOFR Futures, expiring December 2026

$239,800

$96.75

12/11/26

56

29

U.S. Treasury Long Bond Futures, expiring

September 2026

3,141,063

110.00

08/21/26

12,688

Total Call Options Purchased

12,744

(Cost $24,040)

See Notes to Financial Statements

Page 49


First Trust Structured Credit Income Opportunities ETF (SCIO)

Portfolio of Investments (Continued) July 31, 2026

Number of

Contracts

Description

Notional

Amount

Exercise

Price

Expiration

Date

Value

PURCHASED OPTIONS (Continued)

Put Options Purchased — 0.0%

10

U.S. 10-Year Treasury Note Futures, expiring

September 2026

$1,080,000

$107.50

08/21/26

$4,062

(Cost $3,042)

Total Purchased Options

16,806

(Cost $27,082)

Principal

Value

Description

Stated

Coupon

Stated

Maturity

Value

U.S. GOVERNMENT AGENCY MORTGAGE-BACKED SECURITIES SOLD SHORT — (1.2)%

Pass-Through Securities — (1.2)%

Federal National Mortgage Association

$(1,665,000)

Pool TBA (i)

5.00%

09/01/56

(1,604,977

)

(1,223,000)

Pool TBA

3.00%

09/15/56

(1,041,938

)

(3,386,000)

Pool TBA (i)

4.00%

09/15/56

(3,089,011

)

(488,000)

Pool TBA

4.00%

10/15/56

(445,026

)

Total Investments Sold Short — (1.2)%

(6,180,952

)

(Proceeds $6,290,412)

Number of

Contracts

Description

Notional

Amount

Exercise

Price

Expiration

Date

Value

WRITTEN OPTIONS — (0.4)%

Call Options Written — (0.0)%

(13)

3 Month SOFR Futures, expiring December 2027

$(3,115,287

)

$97.50

12/10/27

(2,519

)

(2)

3 Month SOFR Futures, expiring December 2026

(479,600

)

97.50

12/11/26

(62

)

(4)

U.S. 2-Year Treasury Note Futures, expiring

September 2026

(822,438

)

103.75

08/21/26

(0

)

(1)

U.S. 2-Year Treasury Note Futures, expiring

September 2026

(205,609

)

104.75

08/21/26

(0

)

(28)

U.S. 5-Year Treasury Note Futures, expiring

September 2026

(2,967,344

)

109.00

08/21/26

(219

)

(37)

U.S. 5-Year Treasury Note Futures, expiring

September 2026

(3,921,133

)

109.50

08/21/26

(289

)

(9)

U.S. 5-Year Treasury Note Futures, expiring

September 2026

(953,789

)

110.00

08/21/26

(0

)

(175)

U.S. 5-Year Treasury Note Futures, expiring

December 2026

(18,525,391

)

107.50

11/20/26

(47,852

)

(20)

U.S. 5-Year Treasury Note Futures, expiring

December 2026

(2,117,188

)

108.00

11/20/26

(3,750

)

(4)

U.S. 10-Year Treasury Note Futures, expiring

September 2026

(432,000

)

109.00

08/21/26

(750

)

(20)

U.S. 10-Year Treasury Note Futures, expiring

December 2026

(2,154,375

)

109.50

11/20/26

(15,000

)

(27)

U.S. 10-Year Treasury Note Futures, expiring

December 2026

(2,908,406

)

109.50

11/20/26

(15,609

)

(5)

U.S. 10-Year Treasury Note Futures, expiring

December 2026

(538,594

)

110.00

11/20/26

(2,266

)

(6)

U.S. 10-Year Treasury Note Futures, expiring

December 2026

(646,313

)

111.00

11/20/26

(1,687

)

(34)

U.S. 10-Year Treasury Note Futures, expiring

December 2026

(3,662,437

)

112.00

11/20/26

(5,844

)

See Notes to Financial Statements

Page 50


First Trust Structured Credit Income Opportunities ETF (SCIO)

Portfolio of Investments (Continued) July 31, 2026

Number of

Contracts

Description

Notional

Amount

Exercise

Price

Expiration

Date

Value

WRITTEN OPTIONS (Continued)

Call Options Written (Continued)

(8)

U.S. Treasury Long Bond Futures, expiring

September 2026

$(866,500

)

$113.00

08/21/26

$(500

)

(45)

U.S. Treasury Long Bond Futures, expiring

September 2026

(4,874,062

)

119.00

08/21/26

(703

)

(70)

U.S. Treasury Long Bond Futures, expiring

September 2026

(7,581,875

)

121.00

08/21/26

(0

)

(27)

U.S. Treasury Long Bond Futures, expiring

December 2026

(2,911,781

)

114.00

11/20/26

(14,766

)

(68)

U.S. Treasury Long Bond Futures, expiring

December 2026

(7,333,375

)

115.00

11/20/26

(28,687

)

(5)

U.S. Treasury Long Bond Futures, expiring

December 2026

(539,219

)

116.00

11/20/26

(1,641

)

(15)

U.S. Treasury Long Bond Futures, expiring

December 2026

(1,617,656

)

118.00

11/20/26

(3,047

)

(19)

U.S. Treasury Long Bond Futures, expiring

December 2026

(2,049,031

)

120.00

11/20/26

(2,672

)

(12)

Ultra U.S. Treasury Long Bond Futures, expiring

September 2026

(1,316,250

)

116.00

08/21/26

(750

)

(5)

Ultra U.S. Treasury Long Bond Futures, expiring

September 2026

(548,438

)

118.00

08/21/26

(156

)

Total Call Options Written

(148,769

)

(Premiums received $453,318)

Put Options Written — (0.4)%

(14)

3 Month SOFR Futures, expiring December 2027

(3,354,925

)

96.00

12/10/27

(18,113

)

(16)

3 Month SOFR Futures, expiring December 2027

(3,834,200

)

96.38

12/10/27

(29,700

)

(4)

U.S. 2-Year Treasury Note Futures, expiring

September 2026

(822,438

)

102.50

08/21/26

(563

)

(16)

U.S. 2-Year Treasury Note Futures, expiring

September 2026

(3,289,750

)

102.75

08/21/26

(4,750

)

(18)

U.S. 2-Year Treasury Note Futures, expiring

September 2026

(3,700,969

)

103.00

08/21/26

(10,125

)

(12)

U.S. 2-Year Treasury Note Futures, expiring

September 2026

(2,467,313

)

103.25

08/21/26

(11,438

)

(9)

U.S. 2-Year Treasury Note Futures, expiring

September 2026

(1,850,484

)

103.50

08/21/26

(12,656

)

(1)

U.S. 2-Year Treasury Note Futures, expiring

September 2026

(205,609

)

103.75

08/21/26

(1,891

)

(46)

U.S. 2-Year Treasury Note Futures, expiring

December 2026

(9,447,250

)

102.50

11/20/26

(28,031

)

(23)

U.S. 2-Year Treasury Note Futures, expiring

December 2026

(4,723,625

)

102.63

11/20/26

(16,172

)

(20)

U.S. 2-Year Treasury Note Futures, expiring

December 2026

(4,107,500

)

102.75

11/20/26

(16,250

)

(35)

U.S. 5-Year Treasury Note Futures, expiring

September 2026

(3,709,180

)

107.00

08/21/26

(38,008

)

(134)

U.S. 5-Year Treasury Note Futures, expiring

September 2026

(14,200,859

)

107.50

08/21/26

(207,281

)

(2)

U.S. 5-Year Treasury Note Futures, expiring

September 2026

(211,953

)

108.00

08/21/26

(4,078

)

(21)

U.S. 5-Year Treasury Note Futures, expiring

September 2026

(2,225,508

)

108.50

08/21/26

(53,156

)

See Notes to Financial Statements

Page 51


First Trust Structured Credit Income Opportunities ETF (SCIO)

Portfolio of Investments (Continued) July 31, 2026

Number of

Contracts

Description

Notional

Amount

Exercise

Price

Expiration

Date

Value

WRITTEN OPTIONS (Continued)

Put Options Written (Continued)

(89)

U.S. 5-Year Treasury Note Futures, expiring

December 2026

$(9,421,484

)

$105.00

11/20/26

$(48,672

)

(38)

U.S. 5-Year Treasury Note Futures, expiring

December 2026

(4,022,656

)

105.50

11/20/26

(27,312

)

(6)

U.S. 5-Year Treasury Note Futures, expiring

December 2026

(635,156

)

106.25

11/20/26

(6,422

)

(2)

U.S. 5-Year Treasury Note Futures, expiring

December 2026

(211,719

)

106.50

11/20/26

(2,422

)

(35)

U.S. 10-Year Treasury Note Futures, expiring

September 2026

(3,780,000

)

110.00

08/21/26

(71,641

)

(10)

U.S. 10-Year Treasury Note Futures, expiring

December 2026

(1,077,188

)

106.50

11/20/26

(8,750

)

(62)

U.S. 10-Year Treasury Note Futures, expiring

December 2026

(6,678,562

)

107.00

11/20/26

(63,937

)

(13)

U.S. 10-Year Treasury Note Futures, expiring

December 2026

(1,400,344

)

107.50

11/20/26

(16,047

)

(1)

U.S. Treasury Long Bond Futures, expiring

September 2026

(108,313

)

106.00

08/21/26

(484

)

(34)

U.S. Treasury Long Bond Futures, expiring

September 2026

(3,682,625

)

111.00

08/21/26

(98,812

)

(11)

U.S. Treasury Long Bond Futures, expiring

October 2026

(1,186,281

)

109.00

09/25/26

(26,812

)

(11)

U.S. Treasury Long Bond Futures, expiring

November 2026

(1,186,281

)

108.00

10/23/26

(25,266

)

(34)

U.S. Treasury Long Bond Futures, expiring

November 2026

(3,666,688

)

110.00

10/23/26

(114,750

)

(2)

U.S. Treasury Long Bond Futures, expiring

December 2026

(215,688

)

104.00

11/20/26

(2,563

)

(15)

U.S. Treasury Long Bond Futures, expiring

December 2026

(1,617,656

)

105.00

11/20/26

(23,203

)

(16)

U.S. Treasury Long Bond Futures, expiring

December 2026

(1,725,500

)

106.00

11/20/26

(29,750

)

(66)

U.S. Treasury Long Bond Futures, expiring

December 2026

(7,117,687

)

107.00

11/20/26

(145,406

)

(38)

U.S. Treasury Long Bond Futures, expiring

December 2026

(4,098,063

)

108.00

11/20/26

(100,344

)

(55)

U.S. Treasury Long Bond Futures, expiring

December 2026

(5,931,406

)

109.00

11/20/26

(171,875

)

(58)

U.S. Treasury Long Bond Futures, expiring

December 2026

(6,254,937

)

110.00

11/20/26

(214,781

)

(8)

Ultra U.S. Treasury Long Bond Futures, expiring

September 2026

(877,500

)

112.00

08/21/26

(22,250

)

Total Put Options Written

(1,673,711

)

(Premiums received $891,483)

Total Written Options

(1,822,480

)

(Premiums received $1,344,801)

Net Other Assets and Liabilities — (1.9)%

(9,683,409

)

Net Assets — 100.0%

$500,400,431

See Notes to Financial Statements

Page 52


First Trust Structured Credit Income Opportunities ETF (SCIO)

Portfolio of Investments (Continued) July 31, 2026

Futures Contracts at July 31, 2026 (See Note 2D - Futures Contracts in the Notes to Financial Statements):

Futures Contracts Long

Number of

Contracts

Expiration

Date

Notional

Value

Unrealized

Appreciation

(Depreciation)/

Value

U.S. 2-Year Treasury Notes

176

Sep-2026

$36,187,250

$(81,539

)

U.S. 5-Year Treasury Notes

456

Sep-2026

48,325,313

(352,568

)

U.S. 10-Year Treasury Notes

317

Sep-2026

34,236,000

(432,597

)

$118,748,563

$(866,704

)

Futures Contracts Short

U.S. Treasury Long-Term Bond Futures

278

Sep-2026

$(30,110,875

)

$1,007,858

Ultra 10-Year U.S. Treasury Notes

68

Sep-2026

(7,459,812

)

44,766

Ultra U.S. Treasury Bond Futures

31

Sep-2026

(3,400,313

)

75,626

$(40,971,000

)

$1,128,250

Total

$77,777,563

$261,546

(a)

This security, sold within the terms of a private placement memorandum, is exempt from registration upon resale under

Rule 144A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and may be resold in transactions exempt from registration, normally to

qualified institutional buyers. Pursuant to procedures adopted by the Trust’s Board of Trustees, this security has been determined

to be liquid by First Trust Advisors L.P., the Fund’s advisor. Although market instability can result in periods of increased overall

market illiquidity, liquidity for each security is determined based on security specific factors and assumptions, which require

subjective judgment. At July 31, 2026, securities noted as such amounted to $417,948,690 or 83.5% of net assets.

(b)

Collateral Strip Rate security. Coupon is based on the weighted net interest rate of the investment’s underlying collateral. The

interest rate resets periodically.

(c)

Floating or variable rate security.

(d)

Step-up security. A security where the coupon increases or steps up at a predetermined date.

(e)

Weighted Average Coupon security. Coupon is based on the blended interest rate of the underlying holdings, which may have

different coupons. The coupon may change in any period.

(f)

This security is fair valued by the Advisor’s Pricing Committee in accordance with procedures approved by the Trust’s Board of

Trustees, and in accordance with provisions of the Investment Company Act of 1940 and rules thereunder, as amended. At

July 31, 2026, securities noted as such are valued at $12,582,942 or 2.5% of net assets.

(g)

Inverse floating rate security.

(h)

Zero coupon security.

(i)

All or a portion of this security is part of a mortgage dollar roll agreement (see Note 2I - Mortgage Dollar Rolls and TBA

Transactions in the Notes to Financial Statements).

(j)

Rate shown reflects yield as of July 31, 2026.

Abbreviations throughout the Portfolio of Investments:

CME

–  Chicago Mercantile Exchange

CSA

–  Credit Spread Adjustment

IO

–  Interest-Only Security - Principal amount shown represents par value on which interest payments are based

PO

–  Principal-Only Security

REMIC

–  Real Estate Mortgage Investment Conduit

SOFR

–  Secured Overnight Financing Rate

STACR

–  Structured Agency Credit Risk

TBA

–  To-Be-Announced Security

See Notes to Financial Statements

Page 53


First Trust Structured Credit Income Opportunities ETF (SCIO)

Portfolio of Investments (Continued) July 31, 2026


Valuation Inputs

A summary of the inputs used to value the Fund’s investments as of July 31, 2026 is as follows (see Note 2A - Portfolio Valuation in the Notes to Financial Statements):

ASSETS TABLE

Total

Value at

7/31/2026

Level 1

Quoted

Prices

Level 2

Significant

Observable

Inputs

Level 3

Significant

Unobservable

Inputs

Mortgage-Backed Securities

$269,080,834

$—

$269,080,834

$—

Asset-Backed Securities

163,363,913

—

163,363,913

—

U.S. Government Agency Mortgage-Backed Securities

81,718,610

—

81,718,610

—

U.S. Treasury Bills

2,788,454

—

2,788,454

—

Money Market Funds

1,118,655

1,118,655

—

—

Total Investments

518,070,466

1,118,655

516,951,811

—

Purchased Options

16,806

16,806

—

—

Futures Contracts*

1,128,250

1,128,250

—

—

Total

$519,215,522

$2,263,711

$516,951,811

$—

LIABILITIES TABLE

Total

Value at

7/31/2026

Level 1

Quoted

Prices

Level 2

Significant

Observable

Inputs

Level 3

Significant

Unobservable

Inputs

U.S. Government Agency Mortgage-Backed Securities

Sold Short

$(6,180,952

)

$—

$(6,180,952

)

$—

Written Options

(1,822,480

)

(1,822,480

)

—

—

Futures Contracts*

(866,704

)

(866,704

)

—

—

Total

$(8,870,136

)

$(2,689,184

)

$(6,180,952

)

$—

*

Includes cumulative appreciation/depreciation on futures contracts as reported in the Futures Contracts table. Only the current day’s

variation margin is presented on the Statements of Assets and Liabilities.

See Notes to Financial Statements

Page 54


This page intentionally left blank.

Page 55


First Trust Exchange-Traded Fund IV

Statements of Assets and Liabilities

July 31, 2026

First Trust Core

Investment

Grade ETF

(FTCB)

First Trust AAA

CMBS ETF

(CAAA)

First Trust

Structured

Credit Income

Opportunities

ETF

(SCIO)

ASSETS:

Investments, at value - Unaffiliated

$2,682,123,422

$35,133,333

$518,070,466

Investments, at value - Affiliated

402,700

—

—

Total investments, at value

2,682,526,122

35,133,333

518,070,466

Options contracts purchased, at value

41,750

—

16,806

Cash

4,685,225

—

—

Cash segregated as collateral

913,766

135,198

3,487,699

Receivables:

Investment securities sold

141,647,840

—

32,414,439

Interest

15,138,150

208,054

2,058,381

Capital shares sold

8,188,902

—

—

Variation margin

527,104

—

69,334

Dividends

107,074

3,303

42,737

Total Assets

2,853,775,933

35,479,888

556,159,862

LIABILITIES:

Investments sold short, at value

24,486,638

—

6,180,952

Options contracts written, at value

9,876,800

—

1,822,480

Due to broker

3,609,970

—

—

Payables:

Investment securities purchased

263,526,444

250,701

47,474,259

Investment advisory fees

1,183,983

8,666

281,740

Variation margin

—

30,151

—

Total Liabilities

302,683,835

289,518

55,759,431

NET ASSETS

$2,551,092,098

$35,190,370

$500,400,431

NET ASSETS consist of:

Paid-in capital

$2,604,860,318

$35,434,010

$505,677,217

Par value

1,247,000

17,500

245,000

Accumulated distributable earnings (loss)

(55,015,220

)

(261,140

)

(5,521,786

)

NET ASSETS

$2,551,092,098

$35,190,370

$500,400,431

NET ASSET VALUE, per share

$20.46

$20.11

$20.42

Number of shares outstanding (unlimited number of shares authorized,

par value $0.01 per share)

124,700,002

1,750,002

24,500,002

Investments, at cost - Unaffiliated

$2,726,049,366

$35,193,322

$522,391,825

Investments, at cost - Affiliated

$407,187

$—

$—

Total investments, at cost

$2,726,456,553

$35,193,322

$522,391,825

Premiums paid on options contracts purchased

$53,743

$—

$27,082

Investments sold short, proceeds

$24,975,536

$—

$6,290,412

Premiums received on options contracts written

$7,331,170

$—

$1,344,801

See Notes to Financial Statements

Page 56


First Trust Exchange-Traded Fund IV

Statements of Operations

For the Year Ended July 31, 2026

First Trust Core

Investment

Grade ETF

(FTCB)

First Trust AAA

CMBS ETF

(CAAA)

First Trust

Structured

Credit Income

Opportunities

ETF

(SCIO)

INVESTMENT INCOME:

Interest

$95,420,659

$1,254,086

$12,915,518

Dividends - Unaffiliated

1,103,323

35,236

256,262

Dividends - Affiliated

19,300

—

—

Total investment income

96,543,282

1,289,322

13,171,780

EXPENSES:

Investment advisory fees

10,790,981

103,898

1,493,042

Other expenses

81,478

1,220

768

Total expenses

10,872,459

105,118

1,493,810

Less fees waived by the investment advisor

—

(3,894

)

(19,289

)

Net expenses

10,872,459

101,224

1,474,521

NET INVESTMENT INCOME (LOSS)

85,670,823

1,188,098

11,697,259

NET REALIZED AND UNREALIZED GAIN (LOSS):

Net realized gain (loss) on:

Investments - Unaffiliated

2,729,975

70,311

(546,128

)

Investments sold short

108,780

—

68,943

Purchased options contracts

(137,656

)

—

(43,076

)

Written options contracts

6,290,543

—

372,853

Distribution of capital gains from investment companies - Affiliated

960

—

—

Futures contracts

(6,386,337

)

(122,045

)

(1,657,990

)

Net realized gain (loss)

2,606,265

(51,734

)

(1,805,398

)

Net change in unrealized appreciation (depreciation) on:

Investments - Unaffiliated

(51,499,712

)

(189,720

)

(4,492,312

)

Investments - Affiliated

(4,000

)

—

—

Investments sold short

477,270

—

109,460

Purchased options contracts

(11,609

)

—

(8,800

)

Written options contracts

(3,465,891

)

—

(477,679

)

Futures contracts

(282,605

)

(85,254

)

290,129

Net change in unrealized appreciation (depreciation)

(54,786,547

)

(274,974

)

(4,579,202

)

NET REALIZED AND UNREALIZED GAIN (LOSS)

(52,180,282

)

(326,708

)

(6,384,600

)

NET INCREASE (DECREASE) IN NET ASSETS RESULTING

FROM OPERATIONS

$33,490,541

$861,390

$5,312,659

See Notes to Financial Statements

Page 57


First Trust Exchange-Traded Fund IV

Statements of Changes in Net Assets

First Trust Core Investment

Grade ETF (FTCB)

First Trust AAA CMBS ETF

(CAAA)

Year

Ended

7/31/2026 

Year

Ended

7/31/2025 

Year

Ended

7/31/2026 

Year

Ended

7/31/2025 

OPERATIONS:

Net investment income (loss)

$85,670,823

$23,173,334

$1,188,098

$760,361

Net realized gain (loss)

2,606,265

21,821

(51,734

)

142,294

Net change in unrealized appreciation (depreciation)

(54,786,547

)

7,928,282

(274,974

)

(89,064

)

Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from

operations

33,490,541

31,123,437

861,390

813,591

DISTRIBUTIONS TO SHAREHOLDERS FROM:

Investment operations

(96,374,043

)

(24,184,002

)

(1,312,572

)

(874,253

)

Return of capital

(8,090,914

)

—

(108,830

)

—

Total distributions to shareholders

(104,464,957

)

(24,184,002

)

(1,421,402

)

(874,253

)

SHAREHOLDER TRANSACTIONS:

Proceeds from shares sold

1,348,899,895

1,241,959,124

19,512,138

8,159,133

Cost of shares redeemed

—

—

(2,048,015

) 

(5,073,018

) 

Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from

shareholder transactions

1,348,899,895

1,241,959,124

17,464,123

3,086,115

Total increase (decrease) in net assets

1,277,925,479

1,248,898,559

16,904,111

3,025,453

NET ASSETS:

Beginning of period

1,273,166,619

24,268,060

18,286,259

15,260,806

End of period

$2,551,092,098

$1,273,166,619

$35,190,370

$18,286,259

CHANGES IN SHARES OUTSTANDING:

Shares outstanding, beginning of period

60,950,002

1,150,002

900,002

750,002

Shares sold

63,750,000

59,800,000

950,000

400,000

Shares redeemed

—

—

(100,000

)

(250,000

)

Shares outstanding, end of period

124,700,002

60,950,002

1,750,002

900,002

See Notes to Financial Statements

Page 58


First Trust Structured Credit

Income Opportunities ETF

(SCIO)

Year

Ended

7/31/2026 

Year

Ended

7/31/2025 

$11,697,259

$1,046,998

(1,805,398

)

176,033

(4,579,202

)

(81,498

)

5,312,659

1,141,533

(11,135,148

)

(1,128,103

)

(912,605

)

—

(12,047,753

)

(1,128,103

)

481,451,479

16,469,221

—

(6,108,418

) 

481,451,479

10,360,803

474,716,385

10,374,233

25,684,046

15,309,813

$500,400,431

$25,684,046

1,250,002

750,002

23,250,000

800,000

—

(300,000

)

24,500,002

1,250,002

See Notes to Financial Statements

Page 59


First Trust Exchange-Traded Fund IV

Financial Highlights

For a share outstanding throughout each period

First Trust Core Investment Grade ETF (FTCB)

Year Ended July 31,

Period

Ended

7/31/2024 (a)

2026

2025

Net asset value, beginning of period

$20.89

$21.10

$20.00

Income from investment operations:

Net investment income (loss) (b)

0.92

0.93

0.67

Net realized and unrealized gain (loss)

(0.23

) 

(0.08

) (c)

1.07

 (d)

Total from investment operations

0.69

0.85

1.74

Distributions paid to shareholders from:

Net investment income

(0.93

) 

(1.01

) 

(0.64

) 

Net realized gain

(0.10

) 

(0.05

) 

—

Return of capital

(0.09

) 

—

—

Total distributions

(1.12

) 

(1.06

) 

(0.64

) 

Net asset value, end of period

$20.46

$20.89

$21.10

Total return (e)

3.26

% 

4.13

% 

8.77

% (d)

Ratios to average net assets/supplemental data:

Net assets, end of period (in 000’s)

$2,551,092

$1,273,167

$24,268

Ratio of total expenses to average net assets

0.55

% (f)

0.55

% (f)

0.56

% (g) (h)

Ratio of net investment income (loss) to average net assets

4.37

% (f)

4.52

% (f)

4.46

% (g)

Portfolio turnover rate (i)

136

% 

183

% 

212

% 

(a)

Inception date is November 7, 2023, which is consistent with the commencement of investment operations and is the date the initial creation

units were established.

(b)

Based on average shares outstanding.

(c)

The per share amount does not correlate with the aggregate realized and unrealized gain (loss) due to the timing of the Fund share sales and

repurchases in relation to market value fluctuation of the underlying investments.

(d)

The Fund received a reimbursement from the advisor in the amount of $195, which represents less than $0.01 per share. Since the advisor

reimbursed the Fund, there was no effect on the Fund’s total return.

(e)

Total return is calculated assuming an initial investment made at the net asset value at the beginning of the period, reinvestment of all

distributions at net asset value during the period, and redemption at net asset value on the last day of the period. The returns presented do not

reflect the deduction of taxes that a shareholder would pay on Fund distributions or the redemption or sale of Fund shares. Total return is

calculated for the time period presented and is not annualized for periods of less than a year.

(f)

Ratio of total expenses to average net assets and ratio of net investment income (loss) to average net assets do not reflect the Fund’s

proportionate share of expenses and income of underlying investment companies in which the Fund invests.

(g)

Annualized.

(h)

Includes excise tax. If this excise tax expense was not included, the expense ratio would have been 0.55%.

(i)

Portfolio turnover is calculated for the time period presented and is not annualized for periods of less than a year and does not include securities

received or delivered from processing creations or redemptions and in-kind transactions.

See Notes to Financial Statements

Page 60


First Trust Exchange-Traded Fund IV

Financial Highlights (Continued)

For a share outstanding throughout each period

First Trust AAA CMBS ETF (CAAA)

Year Ended July 31,

Period

Ended

7/31/2024 (a)

2026

2025

Net asset value, beginning of period

$20.32

$20.35

$20.00

Income from investment operations:

Net investment income (loss) (b)

0.84

1.06

0.36

Net realized and unrealized gain (loss)

(0.03

) 

0.15

0.32

Total from investment operations

0.81

1.21

0.68

Distributions paid to shareholders from:

Net investment income

(0.90

) 

(1.24

) 

(0.33

) 

Net realized gain

(0.04

) 

—

—

Return of capital

(0.08

) 

—

—

Total distributions

(1.02

) 

(1.24

) 

(0.33

) 

Net asset value, end of period

$20.11

$20.32

$20.35

Total return (c)

3.98

% 

6.08

% 

3.41

% 

Ratios to average net assets/supplemental data:

Net assets, end of period (in 000’s)

$35,190

$18,286

$15,261

Ratio of total expenses to average net assets

0.36

% (d)

0.55

% (d) (e)

0.55

% (f)

Ratio of net expenses to average net assets

0.35

% (d)

0.55

% (d) (e)

0.55

% (f)

Ratio of net investment income (loss) to average net assets

4.12

% (d)

5.21

% (d)

4.28

% (f)

Portfolio turnover rate (g)

18

% 

92

% 

97

% 

(a)

Inception date is February 27, 2024, which is consistent with the commencement of investment operations and is the date the initial creation

units were established.

(b)

Based on average shares outstanding.

(c)

Total return is calculated assuming an initial investment made at the net asset value at the beginning of the period, reinvestment of all

distributions at net asset value during the period, and redemption at net asset value on the last day of the period. The returns presented do not

reflect the deduction of taxes that a shareholder would pay on Fund distributions or the redemption or sale of Fund shares. Total return is

calculated for the time period presented and is not annualized for periods of less than a year. The total returns would have been lower if certain

fees had not been waived by the investment advisor.

(d)

Ratios of expenses to average net assets and ratio of net investment income (loss) to average net assets do not reflect the Fund’s proportionate

share of expenses and income of underlying investment companies in which the Fund invests.

(e)

Includes excise tax. If this excise tax expense was not included, the expense ratio would have been 0.54%.

(f)

Annualized.

(g)

Portfolio turnover is calculated for the time period presented and is not annualized for periods of less than a year and does not include securities

received or delivered from processing creations or redemptions and in-kind transactions.

See Notes to Financial Statements

Page 61


First Trust Exchange-Traded Fund IV

Financial Highlights (Continued)

For a share outstanding throughout each period

First Trust Structured Credit Income Opportunities ETF (SCIO)

Year Ended July 31,

Period

Ended

7/31/2024 (a)

2026

2025

Net asset value, beginning of period

$20.55

$20.41

$20.00

Income from investment operations:

Net investment income (loss) (b)

1.15

1.54

0.45

Net realized and unrealized gain (loss)

(0.09

) 

0.20

0.36

Total from investment operations

1.06

1.74

0.81

Distributions paid to shareholders from:

Net investment income

(1.10

) 

(1.58

) 

(0.40

) 

Net realized gain

(0.00

) (c)

(0.02

) 

—

Return of capital

(0.09

) 

—

—

Total distributions

(1.19

) 

(1.60

) 

(0.40

) 

Net asset value, end of period

$20.42

$20.55

$20.41

Total return (d)

5.26

% 

8.85

% 

4.06

% 

Ratios to average net assets/supplemental data:

Net assets, end of period (in 000’s)

$500,400

$25,684

$15,310

Ratio of total expenses to average net assets

0.72

% (e)

0.94

% (e)

0.95

% (f)

Ratio of net expenses to average net assets

0.71

% (e)

0.94

% (e)

0.95

% (f)

Ratio of net investment income (loss) to average net assets

5.65

% (e)

7.55

% (e)

5.27

% (f)

Portfolio turnover rate (g)

98

% 

100

% 

116

% 

(a)

Inception date is February 27, 2024, which is consistent with the commencement of investment operations and is the date the initial creation

units were established.

(b)

Based on average shares outstanding.

(c)

Amount represents less than $0.01.

(d)

Total return is calculated assuming an initial investment made at the net asset value at the beginning of the period, reinvestment of all

distributions at net asset value during the period, and redemption at net asset value on the last day of the period. The returns presented do not

reflect the deduction of taxes that a shareholder would pay on Fund distributions or the redemption or sale of Fund shares. Total return is

calculated for the time period presented and is not annualized for periods of less than a year. The total returns would have been lower if certain

fees had not been waived by the investment advisor.

(e)

Ratios of expenses to average net assets and ratio of net investment income (loss) to average net assets do not reflect the Fund’s proportionate

share of expenses and income of underlying investment companies in which the Fund invests.

(f)

Annualized.

(g)

Portfolio turnover is calculated for the time period presented and is not annualized for periods of less than a year and does not include securities

received or delivered from processing creations or redemptions and in-kind transactions.

See Notes to Financial Statements

Page 62


Notes to Financial Statements

First Trust Exchange-Traded Fund IV

July 31, 2026


1. Organization

First Trust Exchange-Traded Fund IV (the “Trust”) is an open-end management investment company organized as a Massachusetts business trust on September 15, 2010, and is registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”).

This report covers the three funds (each a “Fund” and collectively, the “Funds”) listed below, each a non-diversified series of the Trust. The shares of each Fund are listed and traded on the NYSE Arca, Inc.

First Trust Core Investment Grade ETF (ticker “FTCB”)

First Trust AAA CMBS ETF (ticker “CAAA”)

First Trust Structured Credit Income Opportunities ETF (ticker “SCIO”)

Each Fund represents a separate series of shares of beneficial interest in the Trust. Unlike conventional mutual funds, each Fund issues and redeems shares on a continuous basis, at net asset value (“NAV”), only in large blocks of shares known as “Creation Units.”

Each Fund is an actively managed exchange-traded fund (“ETF”). FTCB and CAAA’s investment objective seeks to maximize long-term total return. SCIO’s investment objective seeks to maximize long-term income.

Under normal market conditions, FTCB seeks to invest 100% of its Investment Portfolio in investment grade securities. Investment grade securities are those securities that are, at the time of purchase, rated as investment grade (i.e., rated Baa3/BBB- or above) by at least one nationally recognized statistical rating organization (“NRSRO”) rating such securities, or if unrated, debt securities determined by the Fund’s investment advisor to be of comparable quality. The Fund’s Investment Portfolio includes only investment grade securities purchased by the Fund’s portfolio managers (the “Investment Portfolio”) and does not include uninvested cash or any other Fund asset unconnected to the Fund’s intended portfolio, including, but not limited to, accounts receivable or assets received as part of an issuer workout.

Under normal market conditions, CAAA will invest at least 80% of its net assets (plus any borrowings for investment purposes) in commercial mortgage-backed securities with a ‘AAA’ rating (or equivalent) at the time of purchase, as determined by at least one NRSRO or, if unrated, as determined by the Fund’s investment advisor to be of comparable credit quality at the time of purchase.

Under normal market conditions, SCIO will invest at least 80% of its net assets (plus any borrowings for investment purposes) in structured credit investments.

There can be no assurance that a Fund will achieve its investment objective. The Funds may not be appropriate for all investors.

2. Significant Accounting Policies

The Funds are each considered an investment company and follow accounting and reporting guidance under Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) Accounting Standards Codification Topic 946, “Financial Services-Investment Companies.” The following is a summary of significant accounting policies consistently followed by the Funds in the preparation of the financial statements. The preparation of the financial statements in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“U.S. GAAP”) requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

A. Portfolio Valuation

Each Fund’s NAV is determined daily as of the close of regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”), normally 4:00 p.m. Eastern time, on each day the NYSE is open for trading. If the NYSE closes early on a valuation day, the NAV is determined as of that time. Domestic debt securities are priced using data reflecting the earlier closing of the principal markets for those securities. Each Fund’s NAV is calculated by dividing the value of all assets of each Fund (including accrued interest and dividends), less all liabilities (including accrued expenses and dividends declared but unpaid), by the total number of shares outstanding.

Each Fund’s investments are valued daily at market value or, in the absence of market value with respect to any portfolio securities, at fair value. Market value prices represent readily available market quotations such as last sale or official closing prices from a national or foreign exchange (i.e., a regulated market) and are primarily obtained from third-party pricing services. Fair value prices represent any prices not considered market value prices and are either obtained from a third-party pricing service or are determined by the

Page 63


Notes to Financial Statements (Continued)

First Trust Exchange-Traded Fund IV

July 31, 2026

Pricing Committee of the Funds’ investment advisor, First Trust Advisors L.P. (“First Trust” or the “Advisor”), in accordance with valuation procedures approved by the Trust’s Board of Trustees, and in accordance with provisions of the 1940 Act and rules thereunder. Investments valued by the Advisor’s Pricing Committee, if any, are footnoted as such in the footnotes to the Portfolio of Investments. Each Fund’s investments are valued as follows:

Corporate bonds, corporate notes, U.S. government securities, mortgage-backed securities, asset-backed securities, municipal securities, and other debt securities are fair valued on the basis of valuations provided by a third-party pricing service approved by the Advisor’s Pricing Committee, which may use the following valuation inputs when available:

 1)

benchmark yields;

 2)

reported trades;

 3)

broker/dealer quotes;

 4)

issuer spreads;

 5)

benchmark securities;

 6)

bids and offers; and

 7)

reference data including market research publications.

Pricing services generally value fixed-income securities assuming orderly transactions of an institutional round lot size, but a Fund may hold or transact in such securities in smaller, odd lot sizes. Odd lots may trade at lower prices than institutional round lots.

ETFs and other equity securities listed on any national or foreign exchange (excluding Nasdaq, Inc. (“Nasdaq”) and the London Stock Exchange Alternative Investment Market (“AIM”)) are valued at the last sale price on the exchange on which they are principally traded or, for Nasdaq and AIM securities, the official closing price. Securities traded on more than one securities exchange are valued at the last sale price or official closing price, as applicable, at the close of the securities exchange representing the primary exchange for such securities.

Shares of open-end funds are valued based on NAV per share.

Exchange-traded futures contracts are valued at the end of the day settlement price.

Exchange-traded options contracts are valued at the closing price in the market where such contracts are principally traded. If no closing price is available, exchange-traded options contracts are valued at the mean of their most recent bid and ask price, if both are available. Options contracts traded in the over-the-counter market may be valued as follows, depending on the market in which the investment trades: (1) the mean of the most recent bid and ask price, if available; or (2) a price based on the equivalent exchange-traded option.

Fixed income and other debt securities having a remaining maturity of sixty days or less when purchased are fair valued at cost adjusted for amortization of premiums and accretion of discounts (amortized cost), provided the Advisor’s Pricing Committee has determined that the use of amortized cost is an appropriate reflection of fair value given market and issuer-specific conditions existing at the time of the determination. Factors that may be considered in determining the appropriateness of the use of amortized cost include, but are not limited to, the following:

 1)

the credit conditions in the relevant market and changes thereto;

 2)

the liquidity conditions in the relevant market and changes thereto;

 3)

the interest rate conditions in the relevant market and changes thereto (such as significant changes in interest rates);

 4)

issuer-specific conditions (such as significant credit deterioration); and

 5)

any other market-based data the Advisor’s Pricing Committee considers relevant. In this regard, the Advisor’s Pricing Committee may use last-obtained market-based data to assist it when valuing portfolio securities using amortized cost.

Certain securities may not be able to be priced by pre-established pricing methods. Such securities may be valued by the Advisor’s Pricing Committee at fair value. These securities generally include, but are not limited to, restricted securities (securities which may not be publicly sold without registration under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended) for which a third-party pricing service is unable to provide a market price; securities whose trading has been formally suspended; a security whose market or fair value price is not available from a pre-established pricing source; a security with respect to which an event has occurred that is likely to materially affect the value of the security after the market has closed but before the calculation of a Fund’s NAV or make it difficult or

Page 64


Notes to Financial Statements (Continued)

First Trust Exchange-Traded Fund IV

July 31, 2026

impossible to obtain a reliable market quotation; and a security whose price, as provided by the third-party pricing service, does not reflect the security’s fair value. As a general principle, the current fair value of a security would appear to be the amount which the owner might reasonably expect to receive for the security upon its current sale. When fair value prices are used, generally they will differ from market quotations or official closing prices on the applicable exchanges. A variety of factors may be considered in determining the fair value of such securities, including, but not limited to, the following:

 1)

the most recent price provided by a pricing service;

 2)

available market prices for the fixed-income security;

 3)

the fundamental business data relating to the borrower/issuer;

 4)

an evaluation of the forces which influence the market in which these securities are purchased and sold;

 5)

the type, size and cost of a security;

 6)

the financial statements of the borrower/issuer or the financial condition of the country of issue;

 7)

the credit quality and cash flow of the borrower/issuer, or country of issue, based on the Pricing Committee’s, sub-advisor’s or portfolio manager’s analysis, as applicable, or external analysis;

 8)

the information as to any transactions in or offers for the security;

 9)

the price and extent of public trading in similar securities of the borrower/issuer, or comparable companies;

10)

the coupon payments;

11)

the quality, value and salability of collateral, if any, securing the security;

12)

the business prospects of the borrower/issuer, including any ability to obtain money or resources from a parent or affiliate and an assessment of the borrower’s/issuer’s management (for corporate debt only);

13)

the prospects for the borrower’s/issuer’s industry, and multiples (of earnings and/or cash flows) being paid for similar businesses in that industry (for corporate debt only); and

14)

other relevant factors.

The Funds are subject to fair value accounting standards that define fair value, establish the framework for measuring fair value and provide a three-level hierarchy for fair valuation based upon the inputs to the valuation as of the measurement date. The three levels of the fair value hierarchy are as follows:

•  Level 1 – Level 1 inputs are quoted prices in active markets for identical investments. An active market is a market in which transactions for the investment occur with sufficient frequency and volume to provide pricing information on an ongoing basis.

•  Level 2 – Level 2 inputs are observable inputs, either directly or indirectly, and include the following:

o  Quoted prices for similar investments in active markets.

o  Quoted prices for identical or similar investments in markets that are non-active. A non-active market is a market where there are few transactions for the investment, the prices are not current, or price quotations vary substantially either over time or among market makers, or in which little information is released publicly.

o  Inputs other than quoted prices that are observable for the investment (for example, interest rates and yield curves observable at commonly quoted intervals, volatilities, prepayment speeds, loss severities, credit risks, and default rates).

o  Inputs that are derived principally from or corroborated by observable market data by correlation or other means.

•  Level 3 – Level 3 inputs are unobservable inputs. Unobservable inputs may reflect the reporting entity’s own assumptions about the assumptions that market participants would use in pricing the investment.

The inputs or methodologies used for valuing investments are not necessarily an indication of the risk associated with investing in those investments. A summary of the inputs used to value each Fund’s investments as of July 31, 2026, is included with each Fund’s Portfolio of Investments.

B. Securities Transactions and Investment Income

Securities transactions are recorded as of the trade date. Realized gains and losses from securities transactions are recorded on the identified cost basis. Dividend income is recorded on the ex-dividend date. Interest income is recorded daily on the accrual basis. Amortization of premiums and accretion of discounts are recorded using the effective interest method.

The Funds invest in interest-only securities. For these securities, if there is a change in the estimated cash flows, based on an evaluation of current information, then the estimated yield is adjusted. Additionally, if the evaluation of current information indicates a permanent impairment of the security, the cost basis of the security is written down and a loss is recognized. Debt obligations may be placed on non-accrual status and the related interest income may be reduced by ceasing current accruals and writing off interest

Page 65


Notes to Financial Statements (Continued)

First Trust Exchange-Traded Fund IV

July 31, 2026

receivables when the collection of all or a portion of interest has become doubtful based on consistently applied procedures. A debt obligation is removed from non-accrual status when the issuer resumes interest payments or when collectability of interest is reasonably assured.

Securities purchased or sold on a when-issued, delayed-delivery or forward purchase commitment basis may have extended settlement periods. The value of the security so purchased is subject to market fluctuations during this period. Each Fund maintains liquid assets with a current value at least equal to the amount of its when-issued, delayed-delivery or forward purchase commitments until payment is made. At July 31, 2026, the Funds had no when-issued or delayed-delivery securities. At July 31, 2026, FTCB held $112,738,543 of forward purchase commitments and $10,328,575 of forward purchase commitments sold short. At July 31, 2026, SCIO held $15,602,697 of forward purchase commitments and $3,146,115 of forward purchase commitments sold short.

C. Short Sales

Short sales are utilized to manage interest rate and spread risk, and are transactions in which securities or other instruments (such as options, forwards, futures or other derivative contracts) are sold that are not currently owned in a Fund’s portfolio. When a Fund engages in a short sale, a Fund must borrow the security sold short and deliver the security to the counterparty. Short selling allows a Fund to profit from a decline in a market price to the extent such decline exceeds the transaction costs and the costs of borrowing the securities. A Fund is charged a fee or premium to borrow the securities sold short and is obligated to repay the lenders of the securities. Any dividends or interest that accrues on the securities during the period of the loan are due to the lenders. A gain, limited to the price at which the security was sold short, or a loss, unlimited in size, will be recognized upon the termination of the short sale; which is effected by a Fund purchasing the security sold short and delivering the security to the lender. Any such gain or loss may be offset, completely or in part, by the change in the value of the long portion of a Fund’s portfolio. A Fund is subject to the risk it may be unable to reacquire a security to terminate a short position except at a price substantially in excess of the last quoted price. Also, there is the risk that the counterparty to a short sale may fail to honor its contractual terms, causing a loss to a Fund.

D. Futures Contracts

Each Fund may purchase or sell (i.e., is long or short) exchange-listed futures contracts to hedge against or gain exposure to changes in interest rates (interest rate risk). Futures contracts are agreements between a Fund and a counterparty to buy or sell a specific quantity of an underlying instrument at a specified price and at a specified date. Depending on the terms of the contract, futures contracts are settled either through physical delivery of the underlying instrument on the settlement date or by payment of a cash settlement amount on the settlement date. Open futures contracts can also be closed out prior to settlement by entering into an offsetting transaction in a matching futures contract. If a Fund is not able to enter into an offsetting transaction, a Fund will continue to be required to maintain margin deposits on the futures contract. When the contract is closed or expires, a Fund records a realized gain or loss equal to the difference between the value of the contract at the time it was opened and the value at the time it was closed or expired. This gain or loss is included in “Net realized gain (loss) on futures contracts” on the Statements of Operations.

Upon entering into a futures contract, a Fund must deposit funds, called margin, with its custodian in the name of the clearing broker equal to a specified percentage of the current value of the contract. Open futures contracts are marked-to-market daily with the change in value recognized as a component of “Net change in unrealized appreciation (depreciation) on futures contracts” on the Statements of Operations. Pursuant to the contracts, a Fund agrees to receive from or pay to the broker an amount of cash equal to the daily fluctuation in value of the contract. Such receipts or payments are known as variation margin and are included in “Variation margin” payable or receivable on the Statements of Assets and Liabilities.

If market conditions change unexpectedly, a Fund may not achieve the anticipated benefits of the futures contract and may realize a loss. The use of futures contracts involves the risk of imperfect correlation in movements in the price of the futures contracts, interest rates and the underlying instruments.

E. Options Contracts

Each Fund may invest in exchange-listed options on U.S. Treasury securities, exchange-listed options on U.S. Treasury futures contracts, exchange-listed U.S. Treasury futures contracts and exchange-listed options on secured overnight financing rate futures contracts. FTCB and SCIO use derivative instruments primarily to hedge interest rate risk and actively manage interest rate exposure. The primary risk exposure is interest rate risk.

Each Fund may purchase (buy) or write (sell) put and call options on futures contracts and enter into closing transactions with respect to such options to terminate an existing position. A futures option gives the holder the right, in return for the premium paid, to assume

Page 66


Notes to Financial Statements (Continued)

First Trust Exchange-Traded Fund IV

July 31, 2026

a long position (call) or short position (put) in a futures contract at a specified exercise price prior to the expiration of the option. Upon exercise of a call option, the holder acquires a long position in the futures contract and the writer is assigned the opposite short position. In the case of a put option, the opposite is true. Prior to exercise or expiration, a futures option contract may be closed out by an offsetting purchase or sale of a futures option of the same series. When a Fund purchases an option, the premium paid represents the cost of the option, which is included in “Options contracts purchased, at value” on the Statements of Assets and Liabilities. When a Fund writes (sells) an option, an amount equal to the premium received by a Fund is included in “Options contracts written, at value” on the Statements of Assets and Liabilities. Options are marked-to-market daily and their value is affected by changes in the value of the underlying security, changes in interest rates, changes in the actual or perceived volatility of the securities markets and the underlying securities, and the remaining time to the option’s expiration. The value of options may also be adversely affected if the market for the options becomes less liquid or the trading volume diminishes.

FTCB and SCIO use options on futures contracts in connection with hedging strategies. Generally, these strategies are applied under the same market and market sector conditions in which a Fund uses put and call options on securities. The purchase of put options on futures contracts is analogous to the purchase of puts on securities so as to hedge a Fund’s securities holdings against the risk of declining market prices. The writing of a call option or the purchasing of a put option on a futures contract constitutes a partial hedge against declining prices of securities which are deliverable upon exercise of the futures contract. If the price at expiration of a written call option is below the exercise price, a Fund will retain the full amount of the option premium which provides a partial hedge against any decline that may have occurred in a Fund’s holdings of securities. If the price when the option is exercised is above the exercise price, however, a Fund will incur a loss, which may be offset, in whole or in part, by the increase in the value of the securities held by a Fund that were being hedged. Writing a put option or purchasing a call option on a futures contract serves as a partial hedge against an increase in the value of the securities a Fund intends to acquire. Realized gains and losses on written options are included in “Net realized gain (loss) on written options contracts” on the Statements of Operations. Realized gains and losses on purchased options are included in “Net realized gain (loss) on purchased options contracts” on the Statements of Operations.

A Fund is required to deposit and maintain margin with respect to put and call options on futures contracts written by it. Such margin deposits will vary depending on the nature of the underlying futures contract (and the related initial margin requirements), the current market value of the option and other futures positions held by a Fund. A Fund will pledge in a segregated account at a Fund’s custodian, liquid assets, such as cash, U.S. government securities or other high-grade liquid debt obligations equal in value to the amount due on the underlying obligation. Such segregated assets will be marked-to-market daily, and additional assets will be pledged in the segregated account whenever the total value of the pledged assets falls below the amount due on the underlying obligation.

The risks associated with the use of options on future contracts include the risk that a Fund may close out its position as a writer of an option only if a liquid secondary market exists for such options, which cannot be assured. A Fund’s successful use of options on futures contracts depends on the Advisor’s ability to correctly predict the movement in prices on futures contracts and the underlying instruments, which may prove to be incorrect. In addition, there may be imperfect correlation between the instruments being hedged and the futures contract subject to option.

F. Interest-Only Securities

An interest-only security (“IO Security”) is the interest-only portion of a mortgage-backed security that receives some or all of the interest portion of the underlying mortgage-backed security and little or no principal. A reference principal value called a notional value is used to calculate the amount of interest due to the IO Security. IO Securities are sold at a deep discount to their notional principal amount. Generally speaking, when interest rates are falling and prepayment rates are increasing, the value of an IO Security will fall. Conversely, when interest rates are rising and prepayment rates are decreasing, generally the value of an IO Security will rise. These securities, if any, are identified on each Fund’s Portfolio of Investments.

G. Principal-Only Securities

A principal-only security (“PO Security”) is the principal-only portion of a mortgage-backed security that does not receive any interest, is priced at a deep discount to its redemption value and ultimately receives the redemption value. Generally speaking, when interest rates are falling and prepayment rates are increasing, the value of a PO Security will rise. Conversely, when interest rates are rising and prepayment rates are decreasing, generally the value of a PO Security will fall. These securities, if any, are identified on the Portfolio of Investments.

Page 67


Notes to Financial Statements (Continued)

First Trust Exchange-Traded Fund IV

July 31, 2026

H. Stripped Mortgage-Backed Securities

Stripped mortgage-backed securities are created by segregating the cash flows from underlying mortgage loans or mortgage securities to create two or more new securities, each with a specified percentage of the underlying security’s principal or interest payments. Mortgage-backed securities may be partially stripped so that each investor class receives some interest and some principal. When securities are completely stripped, however, all of the interest is distributed to holders of one type of security known as an IO Security and all of the principal is distributed to holders of another type of security known as a PO Security. These securities, if any, are identified on the Portfolio of Investments.

I. Mortgage Dollar Rolls and TBA Transactions

Each Fund may invest, without limitation, in mortgage dollar rolls. The Funds intend to enter into mortgage dollar rolls only with high quality securities dealers and banks, as determined by the Funds’ investment advisor. In a mortgage dollar roll, a Fund will sell (or buy) mortgage-backed securities for delivery on a specified date and simultaneously contract to repurchase (or sell) substantially similar (same type, coupon and maturity) securities on a future date. Mortgage dollar rolls are recorded as separate purchases and sales in a Fund. Each Fund may also invest in TBA Transactions. A TBA Transaction is a method of trading mortgage-backed securities. TBA Transactions generally are conducted in accordance with widely-accepted guidelines which establish commonly observed terms and conditions for execution, settlement and delivery. In a TBA Transaction, the buyer and the seller agree on general trade parameters such as agency, settlement date, par amount and price.

J. Affiliated Transactions

FTCB invests in securities of affiliated funds. FTCB investment performance and risks are directly related to the investment performance and risks of the affiliated funds. The affiliated funds’ financial statements may be found at SEC.gov. Dividend income, if any, realized gains and losses, and change in appreciation (depreciation) from affiliated funds are presented on the Statements of Operations.

Amounts relating to investments in affiliated funds at July 31, 2026, and for the fiscal year then ended are as follows:

Security Name

Shares at

7/31/2026

Value at

7/31/2025

Purchases

Sales

Change in

Unrealized

Appreciation

(Depreciation)

Realized

Gain

(Loss)

Value at

7/31/2026

Dividend

Income

First Trust AAA CMBS ETF

20,000

$406,700

$—

$—

$(4,000

)

$—

$402,700

$19,300

Distributions of capital gains from investments in First Trust AAA CMBS ETF were $960.

K. Dividends and Distributions to Shareholders

Dividends from net investment income of each Fund, if any, are declared and paid monthly, or as the Board of Trustees may determine from time to time. Distributions of net realized capital gains earned by each Fund, if any, are distributed at least annually. Each Fund may also designate a portion of the amount paid to redeeming shareholders as a distribution for tax purposes.

Distributions in cash may be reinvested automatically in additional whole shares only if the broker through whom the shares were purchased makes such option available. Such shares will generally be reinvested by the broker based upon the market price of those shares and investors may be subject to customary brokerage commissions charged by the broker.

Distributions from net investment income and realized capital gains are determined in accordance with federal income tax regulations, which may differ from U.S. GAAP. Certain capital accounts in the financial statements are periodically adjusted for permanent differences in order to reflect their tax character. These permanent differences are primarily due to the varying treatment of income and gain/loss on portfolio securities held by the Funds and have no impact on net assets or NAV per share. Temporary differences, which arise from recognizing certain items of income, expense and gain/loss in different periods for financial statement and tax purposes, will reverse at some time in the future.

Page 68


Notes to Financial Statements (Continued)

First Trust Exchange-Traded Fund IV

July 31, 2026

The tax character of distributions paid by each Fund during the fiscal year ended July 31, 2026 were as follows:

Distributions

paid from

Ordinary

Income

Distributions

paid from

Capital

Gains

Distributions

paid from

Return of

Capital

First Trust Core Investment Grade ETF

$92,712,509

$3,661,534

$8,090,914

First Trust AAA CMBS ETF

1,312,572

—

108,830

First Trust Structured Credit Income Opportunities ETF

11,135,148

—

912,605

The tax character of distributions paid by each Fund during the fiscal year ended July 31, 2025 were as follows:

Distributions

paid from

Ordinary

Income

Distributions

paid from

Capital

Gains

Distributions

paid from

Return of

Capital

First Trust Core Investment Grade ETF

$23,758,132

$425,870

$—

First Trust AAA CMBS ETF

874,253

—

—

First Trust Structured Credit Income Opportunities ETF

1,128,103

—

—

As of July 31, 2026, the components of distributable earnings on a tax basis for each Fund were as follows:

Undistributed

Ordinary

Income

Accumulated

Capital and

Other

Gain (Loss)

Net

Unrealized

Appreciation

(Depreciation)

First Trust Core Investment Grade ETF

$—

$(10,123,336

)

$(44,891,884

)

First Trust AAA CMBS ETF

—

(183,486

)

(77,654

)

First Trust Structured Credit Income Opportunities ETF

—

(1,894,828

)

(3,626,958

)

L. Income Taxes

Each Fund intends to continue to qualify as a regulated investment company by complying with the requirements under Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, which includes distributing substantially all of its net investment income and net realized gains to shareholders. Accordingly, no provision has been made for federal and state income taxes. However, due to the timing and amount of distributions, each Fund may be subject to an excise tax of 4% of the amount by which approximately 98% of each Fund’s taxable income exceeds the distributions from such taxable income for the calendar year.

The Funds are subject to accounting standards that establish a minimum threshold for recognizing, and a system for measuring, the benefits of a tax position taken or expected to be taken in a tax return. The taxable period ended 2024, and taxable years ended 2025 and 2026 remain open to federal and state audit. As of July 31, 2026, management has evaluated the application of these standards to the Funds and has determined that no provision for income tax is required in the Funds’ financial statements for uncertain tax positions.

Each Fund intends to utilize provisions of the federal income tax laws, which allow it to carry a realized capital loss forward indefinitely following the year of the loss and offset such loss against any future realized capital gains. Each Fund is subject to certain limitations under U.S. tax rules on the use of capital loss carryforwards and net unrealized built-in losses. These limitations apply when there has been a 50% change in ownership. At July 31, 2026, for federal income tax purposes, each applicable Fund had a capital loss carryforward available that is shown in the following table, to the extent provided by regulations, to offset future capital gains. To the extent that these loss carryforwards are used to offset future capital gains, it is probable that the capital gains so offset will not be distributed to each applicable Fund’s shareholders.

Non-Expiring

Capital Loss

Carryforwards

First Trust Core Investment Grade ETF

$—

First Trust AAA CMBS ETF

—

Page 69


Notes to Financial Statements (Continued)

First Trust Exchange-Traded Fund IV

July 31, 2026

Non-Expiring

Capital Loss

Carryforwards

First Trust Structured Credit Income Opportunities ETF

$1,894,828

Certain losses realized during the current fiscal year may be deferred and treated as occurring on the first day of the following fiscal year for federal income tax purposes. For the fiscal year ended July 31, 2026, the following Funds incurred and elected to defer net late year ordinary or capital losses as follows:

Qualified Late Year Losses

Ordinary Losses

Capital Losses

First Trust Core Investment Grade ETF

$—

$10,123,336

First Trust AAA CMBS ETF

—

183,486

In order to present paid-in capital and accumulated distributable earnings (loss) (which consists of accumulated net investment income (loss), accumulated net realized gain (loss) on investments and net unrealized appreciation (depreciation) on investments) on the Statements of Assets and Liabilities that more closely represent their tax character, certain adjustments have been made to paid-in capital, accumulated net investment income (loss) and accumulated net realized gain (loss) on investments. These adjustments are primarily due to the difference between book and tax treatments of income and gains on various investment securities held by the Funds. The results of operations and net assets were not affected by these adjustments. For the fiscal year ended July 31, 2026, the adjustments for each Fund were as follows:

Accumulated

Net Investment

Income (Loss)

Accumulated

Net Realized

Gain (Loss)

on Investments

Paid-In

Capital

First Trust Core Investment Grade ETF

$(23,903

)

$23,903

$—

First Trust AAA CMBS ETF

5,494

(5,494

)

—

First Trust Structured Credit Income Opportunities ETF

(15,609

)

15,609

—

As of July 31, 2026, the aggregate cost, gross unrealized appreciation, gross unrealized depreciation, and net unrealized appreciation/(depreciation) on investments (including short positions and derivatives, if any) for federal income tax purposes were as follows:

Tax Cost

Gross

Unrealized

Appreciation

Gross

Unrealized

(Depreciation)

Net Unrealized

Appreciation

(Depreciation)

First Trust Core Investment Grade ETF

$2,692,971,416

$5,119,827

$(50,011,711

)

$(44,891,884

)

First Trust AAA CMBS ETF

35,123,667

242,961

(320,615

)

(77,654

)

First Trust Structured Credit Income Opportunities ETF

513,972,344

1,944,941

(5,571,899

)

(3,626,958

)

M. Expenses

Expenses, other than the investment advisory fee and other excluded expenses, are paid by the Advisor (see Note 3).

N. Segment Reporting

An operating segment is defined in FASB Accounting Standards Update 2023-07, Segment Reporting (Topic 280) - Improvements to Reportable Segment Disclosures as a component of a public entity that engages in business activities from which it may recognize revenues and incur expenses, has operating results that are regularly reviewed by the public entity’s chief operating decision maker (“CODM”) to make decisions about resources to be allocated to the segment and assess its performance, and has discrete financial information available. The CODM is the President and Chief Executive Officer of each Fund. Each Fund operates as a single operating segment. Each Fund’s income, expenses, assets, changes in net assets resulting from operations and performance are regularly monitored and assessed as a whole by the CODM responsible for oversight functions of each Fund, using the information presented in the financial statements and financial highlights.

Page 70


Notes to Financial Statements (Continued)

First Trust Exchange-Traded Fund IV

July 31, 2026

3. Investment Advisory Fee, Affiliated Transactions and Other Fee Arrangements

First Trust, the investment advisor to the Funds, is a limited partnership with one limited partner, Grace Partners of DuPage L.P., and one general partner, The Charger Corporation. The Charger Corporation is an Illinois corporation controlled by James A. Bowen, Chief Executive Officer of First Trust. First Trust is responsible for the selection and ongoing monitoring of the securities in each Fund’s portfolio, managing the Funds’ business affairs and providing certain administrative services necessary for the management of the Funds.

Pursuant to the Investment Management Agreement between the Trust and the Advisor, First Trust manages the investment of each Fund’s assets and is responsible for the expenses of each Fund, including the cost of transfer agency, custody, fund administration, legal, audit, and other services, but excluding fee payments under the Investment Management Agreement, interest, taxes, if any, brokerage commissions and other expenses connected with the execution of portfolio transactions, distribution and service fees payable pursuant to a Rule 12b-1 plan, if any, acquired fund fees and expenses, and extraordinary expenses, which are paid by each respective Fund. The annual unitary management fee payable by FTCB to First Trust for these services will be reduced at certain levels of FTCB’s net assets (“breakpoints”) and calculated pursuant to the following schedule:

Breakpoints

FTCB

Fund net assets up to and including $2.5 billion

0.55000

%

Fund net assets greater than $2.5 billion up to and including $5 billion

0.53625

%

Fund net assets greater than $5 billion up to and including $7.5 billion

0.52250

%

Fund net assets greater than $7.5 billion up to and including $10 billion

0.50875

%

Fund net assets greater than $10 billion

0.49500

%

Effective February 1, 2026, CAAA and SCIO have agreed to pay First Trust an annual unitary management fee based on each Fund’s average daily net assets at a rate set forth below:

Rate

First Trust AAA CMBS ETF

0.29

%

First Trust Structured Credit Income Opportunities ETF

0.69

%

Prior to February 1, 2026, the annual unitary management fee payable by CAAA and SCIO to First Trust for these services was reduced at certain breakpoints and calculated pursuant to the following schedule:

Breakpoints

CAAA

SCIO

Fund net assets up to and including $2.5 billion

0.45000

%

0.85000

%

Fund net assets greater than $2.5 billion up to and including $5 billion

0.43875

%

0.82875

%

Fund net assets greater than $5 billion up to and including $7.5 billion

0.42750

%

0.80750

%

Fund net assets greater than $7.5 billion up to and including $10 billion

0.41625

%

0.78625

%

Fund net assets greater than $10 billion

0.40500

%

0.76500

%

From January 1, 2026 to January 31, 2026, for each of CAAA and SCIO, the Advisor waived management fees of 0.16% of average daily net assets. During any period in which such waiver was in effect, each such Fund was not eligible for any breakpoint discounts. During the year ended July 31, 2026, the Advisor waived fees of $3,894 and $19,289 for CAAA and SCIO, respectively.

The Trust has multiple service agreements with The Bank of New York Mellon (“BNY”). Under the service agreements, BNY performs custodial, fund accounting, certain administrative services, and transfer agency services for each Fund. As custodian, BNY is responsible for custody of each Fund’s assets. As fund accountant and administrator, BNY is responsible for maintaining the books and records of each Fund’s securities and cash. As transfer agent, BNY is responsible for maintaining shareholder records for each Fund. BNY is a subsidiary of The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation, a financial holding company.

Each Trustee who is not an officer or employee of First Trust, any sub-advisor or any of their affiliates (“Independent Trustees”) is paid a fixed annual retainer that is allocated equally among each fund in the First Trust Fund Complex. Each Independent Trustee is also paid an annual per fund fee that varies based on whether the fund is a closed-end or other actively managed fund, a target outcome fund or an index fund.

Additionally, the Chairs of the Audit Committee, Nominating and Governance Committee and Valuation, Risk and Regulatory Oversight Committee, the Vice Chair of the Audit Committee, the Lead Independent Trustee and the Vice Lead Independent Trustee

Page 71


Notes to Financial Statements (Continued)

First Trust Exchange-Traded Fund IV

July 31, 2026

are paid annual fees to serve in such capacities, with such compensation, prior to January 1, 2026, allocated pro rata among each fund in the First Trust Fund Complex based on net assets, and effective January 1, 2026, allocated equally among each fund in the First Trust Fund Complex. Independent Trustees are reimbursed for travel and out-of-pocket expenses in connection with all meetings. The officers and “Interested” Trustee receive no compensation from the Trust for acting in such capacities.

4. Purchases and Sales of Securities

For the fiscal year ended July 31, 2026, the cost of purchases and proceeds from sales and paydowns of U.S. Government securities and non-U.S. Government securities for each Fund, excluding short-term investments, investments sold short and in-kind transactions, were as follows:

Purchases

Sales

First Trust Core Investment Grade ETF

U.S. Government securities

$2,096,843,897

$1,396,617,165

Non-U.S. Government securities

1,168,603,793

416,199,156

First Trust AAA CMBS ETF

U.S. Government securities

3,148,994

1,005,644

Non-U.S. Government securities

19,946,345

3,995,015

First Trust Structured Credit Income Opportunities ETF

U.S. Government securities

176,769,262

80,462,760

Non-U.S. Government securities

464,204,210

55,830,858

For FTCB, the cost of purchases to cover short sales and the proceeds from short sales were $791,622,868 and $854,634,124, respectively.

For SCIO, the cost of purchases to cover short sales and the proceeds from short sales were $62,352,129 and $72,251,539, respectively.

For the fiscal year ended July 31, 2026, the Funds had no in-kind transactions.

5. Borrowings

The Trust, on behalf of SCIO, along with First Trust Exchange-Traded Fund III, First Trust Series Fund and First Trust Variable Insurance Trust, has a credit agreement with BNY (the “Credit Agreement”) as administrative agent for a group of lenders. The borrowing rate is the higher of the federal funds effective rate and the adjusted daily simple SOFR rate plus 1.00%. The commitment amount under the Credit Agreement is $620 million and such commitment amount may be increased up to $700 million with the consent of one or more lenders. BNY charges on behalf of the lenders a commitment fee of 0.15% of the daily amount of the excess of the commitment amount over the outstanding principal balance of the loans and an agency fee. The commitment fee and agency fee are allocated amongst the funds that have access to the credit line pursuant to procedures approved by the Board of Trustees. To the extent that SCIO accesses the credit line, there would also be an interest fee charged. SCIO did not draw on the credit line during the fiscal year ended July 31, 2026.

6. Derivative Transactions

The following table presents the types of derivatives held by each Fund at July 31, 2026, the primary underlying risk exposure and the location of these instruments as presented on the Statements of Assets and Liabilities.

Asset Derivatives

Liability Derivatives

Derivative

Instrument

Risk

Exposure

Statements of Assets and

Liabilities Location

Value

Statements of Assets and

Liabilities Location

Value

FTCB

Options contracts

Interest Rate Risk

Options contracts

purchased, at value

$41,750

Options contracts written,

at value

$9,876,800

Futures contracts

Interest Rate Risk

Unrealized appreciation on

futures contracts*

4,712,521

Unrealized depreciation on

futures contracts*

4,837,423

Page 72


Notes to Financial Statements (Continued)

First Trust Exchange-Traded Fund IV

July 31, 2026

Asset Derivatives

Liability Derivatives

Derivative

Instrument

Risk

Exposure

Statements of Assets and

Liabilities Location

Value

Statements of Assets and

Liabilities Location

Value

CAAA

Futures contracts

Interest Rate Risk

Unrealized appreciation on

futures contracts*

$5,187

Unrealized depreciation on

futures contracts*

$92,507

SCIO

Options contracts

Interest Rate Risk

Options contracts

purchased, at value

16,806

Options contracts written,

at value

1,822,480

Futures contracts

Interest Rate Risk

Unrealized appreciation on

futures contracts*

1,128,250

Unrealized depreciation on

futures contracts*

866,704

*

Includes cumulative appreciation/depreciation on futures contracts as reported in each Fund’s Portfolio of Investments. Only the

current day’s variation margin is presented on the Statements of Assets and Liabilities.

The following table presents the amount of net realized gain (loss) and change in net unrealized appreciation (depreciation) recognized for the period ended July 31, 2026, on each Fund’s derivative instruments, as well as the primary underlying risk exposure associated with the instruments.

Statements of Operations Location

FTCB  

CAAA  

SCIO  

Interest Rate Risk Exposure

Net realized gain (loss) on:

Purchased options contracts

$(137,656

)

$—

$(43,076

)

Written options contracts

6,290,543

—

372,853

Futures contracts

(6,386,337

)

(122,045

)

(1,657,990

)

Net change in unrealized appreciation

(depreciation) on:

Purchased options contracts

(11,609

)

—

(8,800

)

Written options contracts

(3,465,891

)

—

(477,679

)

Futures contracts

(282,605

)

(85,254

)

290,129

FTCB

The average notional value of futures contracts outstanding during the fiscal year ended July 31, 2026, which is indicative of the volume of this derivative type, was $684,646,742.

During the fiscal year ended July 31, 2026, the premiums for purchased options contracts opened were $163,406 and the premiums for purchased options contracts closed, exercised and expired were $137,656.

During the fiscal year ended July 31, 2026, the premiums for written options contracts opened were $16,747,832 and the premiums for written options contracts closed, exercised and expired were $12,133,100.

CAAA

The average notional value of futures contracts outstanding during the fiscal year ended July 31, 2026, which is indicative of the volume of this derivative type, was $10,098,993.

SCIO

The average notional value of futures contracts outstanding during the fiscal year ended July 31, 2026, which is indicative of the volume of this derivative type, was $79,796,886.

During the fiscal year ended July 31, 2026, the premiums for purchased options contracts opened were $69,939 and the premiums for purchased options contracts closed, exercised and expired were $50,739.

During the fiscal year ended July 31, 2026, the premiums for written options contracts opened were $2,259,064 and the premiums for written options contracts closed, exercised and expired were $914,263.

Page 73


Notes to Financial Statements (Continued)

First Trust Exchange-Traded Fund IV

July 31, 2026

The Funds do not have the right to offset financial assets and financial liabilities related to futures and options contracts on the Statements of Assets and Liabilities.

7. Creations, Redemptions and Transaction Fees

Each Fund generally issues and redeems its shares in primary market transactions through a creation and redemption mechanism and does not sell or redeem individual shares. Instead, financial entities known as “Authorized Participants” have contractual arrangements with a Fund or one of the Fund’s service providers to purchase and redeem Fund shares directly with the Fund in Creation Units. Prior to the start of trading on every business day, a Fund publishes through the National Securities Clearing Corporation the “basket” of securities, cash or other assets that it will accept in exchange for a Creation Unit of the Fund’s shares. An Authorized Participant that wishes to effectuate a creation of a Fund’s shares deposits with the Fund the “basket” of securities, cash or other assets identified by the Fund that day, and then receives the Creation Unit of the Fund’s shares in return for those assets. After purchasing a Creation Unit, the Authorized Participant may continue to hold the Fund’s shares or sell them in the secondary market. The redemption process is the reverse of the purchase process: the Authorized Participant redeems a Creation Unit of a Fund’s shares for a basket of securities, cash or other assets. The combination of the creation and redemption process with secondary market trading in a Fund’s shares and underlying securities provides arbitrage opportunities that are designed to help keep the market price of a Fund’s shares at or close to the NAV per share of the Fund.

Each Fund imposes fees in connection with the purchase of Creation Units. These fees may vary based upon various fact-based circumstances, including, but not limited to, the composition of the securities included in the Creation Unit or the countries in which the transactions are settled. The price for each Creation Unit will equal the daily NAV per share of a Fund times the number of shares in a Creation Unit, plus the fees described above and, if applicable, any operational processing and brokerage costs, transfer fees, stamp taxes and part or all of the spread between the expected bid and offer side of the market related to the securities comprising the creation basket.

Each Fund also imposes fees in connection with the redemption of Creation Units. These fees may vary based upon various fact-based circumstances, including, but not limited to, the composition of the securities included in the Creation Unit or the countries in which the transactions are settled. The price received for each Creation Unit will equal the daily NAV per share of a Fund times the number of shares in a Creation Unit, minus the fees described above and, if applicable, any operational processing and brokerage costs, transfer fees, stamp taxes and part or all of the spread between the expected bid and offer side of the market related to the securities comprising the redemption basket. Investors who use the services of a broker or other such intermediary in addition to an Authorized Participant to effect a redemption of a Creation Unit may also be assessed an amount to cover the cost of such services. The redemption fee charged by a Fund will comply with Rule 22c-2 of the 1940 Act which limits redemption fees to no more than 2% of the value of the shares redeemed.

8. Distribution Plan

The Board of Trustees adopted a Distribution and Service Plan pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act. In accordance with the Rule 12b-1 plan, the Funds are authorized to pay an amount up to 0.25% of their average daily net assets each year to reimburse First Trust Portfolios L.P. (“FTP”), the distributor of the Funds, for amounts expended to finance activities primarily intended to result in the sale of Creation Units or the provision of investor services. FTP may also use this amount to compensate securities dealers or other persons that are Authorized Participants for providing distribution assistance, including broker-dealer and shareholder support and educational and promotional services.

No 12b-1 fees are currently paid by the Funds, and pursuant to a contractual arrangement, no 12b-1 fees will be paid any time before March 31, 2027.

9. Indemnification

The Trust, on behalf of the Funds, has a variety of indemnification obligations under contracts with its service providers. The Trust’s maximum exposure under these arrangements is unknown. However, the Trust has not had prior claims or losses pursuant to these contracts and expects the risk of loss to be remote.

10. Subsequent Events

Management has evaluated the impact of all subsequent events on the Funds through the date the financial statements were issued and has determined that there were no subsequent events requiring recognition or disclosure in the financial statements that have not already been disclosed.

Page 74


Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

To the Shareholders and the Board of Trustees of First Trust Exchange-Traded Fund IV:

Opinion on the Financial Statements and Financial Highlights

We have audited the accompanying statements of assets and liabilities, of First Trust Core Investment Grade ETF, First Trust AAA CMBS ETF, and First Trust Structured Credit Income Opportunities ETF (the “Funds”), each a series of the First Trust Exchange-Traded Fund IV, including the portfolios of investments, as of July 31, 2026, and the related statements of operations, statements of changes in net assets, financial highlights for the periods indicated in the table below, and the related notes (collectively referred to as the “financial statements and financial highlights”). In our opinion, the financial statements and financial highlights present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Funds as of July 31, 2026, and the results of their operations for the year then ended, the changes in their net assets, and the financial highlights for the periods listed in the table below in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.

Individual Funds Included

in the Trust

Statements of

Operations

Statements of Changes in

Net Assets

Financial Highlights

First Trust Core Investment Grade ETF

For the year ended

July 31, 2026

For the years ended July 31,

2026 and 2025

For the years ended July 31, 2026,

2025, and for the period from

November 7, 2023

(commencement of investment

operations) through July 31, 2024

First Trust AAA CMBS ETF

For the year ended

July 31, 2026

For the years ended July 31,

2026 and 2025

For the years ended July 31, 2026,

2025 and for the period from

February 27, 2024 (commencement

of investment operations) through

July 31, 2024

First Trust Structured Credit Income

Opportunities ETF

For the year ended

July 31, 2026

For the years ended July 31,

2026 and 2025

For the years ended July 31, 2026,

2025 and for the period from

February 27, 2024 (commencement

of investment operations) through

July 31, 2024

Basis for Opinion

These financial statements and financial highlights are the responsibility of the Funds’ management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Funds’ financial statements and financial highlights based on our audits. We are a public accounting firm registered with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (PCAOB) and are required to be independent with respect to the Funds in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.

We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements and financial highlights are free of material misstatement, whether due to error or fraud. The Funds are not required to have, nor were we engaged to perform, an audit of their internal control over financial reporting. As part of our audits, we are required to obtain an understanding of internal control over financial reporting but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the Funds’ internal control over financial reporting. Accordingly, we express no such opinion.

Our audits included performing procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements and financial highlights, whether due to error or fraud, and performing procedures that respond to those risks. Such procedures included examining, on a test basis, evidence regarding the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements and financial highlights. Our audits also included evaluating the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the financial statements and financial highlights. Our procedures included confirmation of securities owned as of July 31, 2026, by correspondence with the custodian and brokers; when replies were not received from brokers, we performed other auditing procedures. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.

/s/ Deloitte & Touche LLP

Chicago, Illinois
September 23, 2026

Page 75


Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm (Continued)

We have served as the auditor of one or more First Trust investment companies since 2001.

Page 76


Other Information

First Trust Exchange-Traded Fund IV

July 31, 2026 (Unaudited)


Changes in and Disagreements with Accountants (Item 8 of Form N-CSR)

There were no changes in or disagreements with the Funds’ accountants during the fiscal year ended July 31, 2026.

Proxy Disclosures (Item 9 of Form N-CSR)

At a special meeting of shareholders of First Trust Exchange-Traded Fund IV (the “Trust”) that was held on August 12, 2025 (the “Special Meeting”), shareholders of record as of June 9, 2025 (the “Record Date”) approved a proposal (the “Proposal”) to elect or re-elect, as applicable, each of the eight nominees listed below to the Board of Trustees of the Trust (the “Board”). Shareholders of each series of the Trust that had publicly offered shares as of the Record Date (each, a “fund”) voted together with shareholders of the other funds on the Proposal, and the results are set forth below. There were no broker non-votes.

James A. Bowen*

Votes For

Votes Withheld

628,680,173

2,971,002

Thomas J. Driscoll**

Votes For

Votes Withheld

628,326,094

3,325,081

Richard E. Erickson*

Votes For

Votes Withheld

627,601,340

4,049,835

Thomas R. Kadlec*

Votes For

Votes Withheld

628,267,057

3,384,118

Denise M. Keefe***

Votes For

Votes Withheld

628,669,113

2,982,062

Robert F. Keith*

Votes For

Votes Withheld

627,601,979

4,049,196

Niel B. Nielson*

Votes For

Votes Withheld

628,257,742

3,393,433

Bronwyn Wright***

Votes For

Votes Withheld

379,700,285

251,950,890

*

This nominee was re-elected to the Board at the Special Meeting.

**

This nominee was elected to the Board as a new Trustee at the Special Meeting.

***

This nominee was elected to the Board at the Special Meeting and had previously been appointed to the Board.

Remuneration Paid to Directors, Officers, and Others (Item 10 of Form N-CSR)

Independent Trustees of each Fund are compensated through the unitary management fee paid by each Fund to the advisor and not directly by each Fund. The investment advisory fee paid is included in the Statements of Operations.

Statement Regarding the Basis for the Board’s Approval of Investment Advisory Contract (Item 11 of Form N-CSR)

The Board of Trustees of First Trust Exchange-Traded Fund VIII (the “Trust”), including the Independent Trustees, unanimously approved the continuation of the Investment Management Agreement (the “Agreement”) with First Trust Advisors L.P. (the “Advisor”) on behalf of each of the following series of the Trust (each a “Fund” and collectively, the “Funds”):

First Trust AAA CMBS ETF (CAAA)
First Trust Core Investment Grade ETF (FTCB)
First Trust Structured Credit Income Opportunities ETF (SCIO)

Page 77


Other Information (Continued)

First Trust Exchange-Traded Fund IV

July 31, 2026 (Unaudited)

The Board approved the continuation of the Agreement for each Fund for a one-year period ending June 30, 2027 at a meeting held on June 7–8, 2026. The Board determined for each Fund that the continuation of the Agreement is in the best interests of the Fund in light of the nature, extent and quality of the services provided and such other matters as the Board considered to be relevant in the exercise of its business judgment.

To reach this determination for each Fund, the Board considered its duties under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”), as well as under the general principles of state law, in reviewing and approving advisory contracts; the requirements of the 1940 Act in such matters; the fiduciary duty of investment advisors with respect to advisory agreements and compensation; the standards used by courts in determining whether investment company boards have fulfilled their duties; and the factors to be considered by the Board in voting on such agreements. At meetings held on April 13, 2026 and June 7–8, 2026, the Board, including the Independent Trustees, reviewed materials provided by the Advisor responding to requests for information from counsel to the Independent Trustees, submitted on behalf of the Independent Trustees, that, among other things, outlined: the services provided by the Advisor to each Fund (including the relevant personnel responsible for these services and their experience); the unitary fee rate schedule payable by each Fund as compared to fees charged to a peer group of funds (the “Expense Group”) and a broad peer universe of funds (the “Expense Universe”), each assembled by Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc. (“Broadridge”), an independent source, and as compared to fees charged to other clients of the Advisor, including other exchange-traded funds (“ETFs”) managed by the Advisor; the expense ratio of each Fund as compared to expense ratios of the funds in the Fund’s Expense Group and Expense Universe; performance information for each Fund, including comparisons of each Fund’s performance to that of one or more relevant benchmark indexes and to that of a performance group of funds and a broad performance universe of funds (the “Performance Universe”), each assembled by Broadridge; the nature of expenses incurred in providing services to each Fund and the potential for the Advisor to realize economies of scale, if any; profitability and other financial data for the Advisor; any indirect benefits to the Advisor and its affiliate, First Trust Portfolios L.P. (“FTP”); and information on the Advisor’s compliance program. The Board reviewed initial materials with the Advisor at the meeting held on April 13, 2026, prior to which the Independent Trustees and their counsel met separately to discuss the information provided by the Advisor. Following the April meeting, counsel to the Independent Trustees, on behalf of the Independent Trustees, requested certain clarifications and supplements to the materials provided, and the information provided in response to those requests was considered at an executive session of the Independent Trustees and their counsel held prior to the June 7–8, 2026 meeting, as well as at the June meeting. The Board applied its business judgment to determine whether the arrangement between the Trust and the Advisor continues to be a reasonable business arrangement from each Fund’s perspective. The Board determined that, given the totality of the information provided with respect to the Agreement, the Board had received sufficient information to renew the Agreement. The Board considered that shareholders chose to invest or remain invested in a Fund knowing that the Advisor manages the Fund and knowing the Fund’s unitary fee.

In reviewing the Agreement for each Fund, the Board considered the nature, extent and quality of the services provided by the Advisor under the Agreement. The Board considered that the Advisor is responsible for the overall management and administration of the Trust and each Fund and reviewed all of the services provided by the Advisor to the Funds, as well as the background and experience of the persons responsible for such services. The Board noted that each Fund is an actively-managed ETF. The Board noted that the Advisor’s Government & Securitized Products Team is responsible for the day-to-day management of CAAA’s and SCIO’s investments, and that the Advisor’s Government & Securitized Products Team and Investment Grade Fixed Income Team are responsible for day-to-day management of FTCB’s investments. The Board considered the background and experience of the members of the Teams and noted the Board’s prior meetings with members of the Teams. The Board considered the Advisor’s statement that it applies the same oversight model internally with its Government & Securitized Products Team and Investment Grade Fixed Income Team as it uses for overseeing external sub-advisors, including portfolio risk monitoring and performance review. In reviewing the services provided, the Board noted the compliance program that had been developed by the Advisor and considered that it includes a robust program for monitoring the Advisor’s and each Fund’s compliance with the 1940 Act, as well as each Fund’s compliance with its investment objective, policies and restrictions. The Board also considered a report from the Advisor with respect to its risk management functions related to the operation of the Funds. Finally, as part of the Board’s consideration of the Advisor’s services, the Advisor, in its written materials and at the April 13, 2026 meeting, described to the Board the scope of its ongoing investment in additional personnel and infrastructure to maintain and improve the quality of services provided to the Funds and the other funds in the First Trust Fund Complex. In light of the information presented and the considerations made, the Board concluded that the nature, extent and quality of the services provided to the Trust and each Fund by the Advisor under the Agreement have been and are expected to remain satisfactory and that the Advisor has managed each Fund consistent with its investment objective, policies and restrictions.

The Board considered the unitary fee rate schedule payable by each Fund under the Agreement for the services provided. The Board considered that as part of the unitary fee the Advisor is responsible for each Fund’s expenses, including the cost of transfer agency,

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Other Information (Continued)

First Trust Exchange-Traded Fund IV

July 31, 2026 (Unaudited)

custody, fund administration, legal, audit and other services and license fees, if any, but excluding the fee payment under the Agreement and interest, taxes, acquired fund fees and expenses, brokerage commissions and other expenses connected with the execution of portfolio transactions, distribution and service fees pursuant to a Rule 12b-1 plan, if any, and extraordinary expenses, if any. The Board received and reviewed information showing the fee rates and expense ratios of the peer funds in the Expense Groups, as well as advisory and unitary fee rates charged by the Advisor to other fund (including ETFs) and non-fund clients, as applicable. Because each Fund pays a unitary fee, the Board determined that expense ratios were the most relevant comparative data point. The Board noted that, effective February 1, 2026, CAAA’s and SCIO’s unitary fee rate was reduced to an annual rate of 0.29% and 0.69% of its average daily net assets, respectively. Based on the information provided, the Board noted that the total (net) expense ratio for FTCB and SCIO was above the median total (net) expense ratio of the peer funds in its respective Expense Group and that the total (net) expense ratio for CAAA was below the median total (net) expense ratio of the peer funds in its Expense Group. With respect to the Expense Groups, the Board discussed with the Advisor limitations in creating peer groups for actively-managed ETFs, and different business models that may affect the pricing of services among ETF sponsors. The Board took these limitations and differences into account in considering the peer data. With respect to fees charged to other non-ETF clients, the Board considered differences between the Funds and other non-ETF clients that limited their comparability. In considering the unitary fee rate schedules overall, the Board also considered the Advisor’s statement that it seeks to meet investor needs through innovative and value-added investment solutions and the Advisor’s demonstrated long-term commitment to each Fund and the other funds in the First Trust Fund Complex.

The Board considered performance information for each Fund. The Board noted the process it has established for monitoring each Fund’s performance and portfolio risk on an ongoing basis, which includes quarterly performance reporting from the Advisor for the Funds. The Board determined that this process continues to be effective for reviewing each Fund’s performance. The Board also received and reviewed information comparing each Fund’s performance for the one-year period ended December 31, 2025 to the performance of the funds in its Performance Universe and to that of a benchmark index.

On the basis of all the information provided on the unitary fee and performance of each Fund and the ongoing oversight by the Board, the Board concluded that the unitary fee for each Fund continues to be reasonable and appropriate in light of the nature, extent and quality of the services provided by the Advisor to each Fund under the Agreement.

The Board considered information and discussed with the Advisor whether there were any economies of scale in connection with providing advisory services to the Funds at current asset levels and whether the Funds may benefit from any economies of scale. The Board noted that the unitary fee rate schedule for FTCB includes breakpoints pursuant to which the unitary fee rate will be reduced as assets of the Fund meet certain thresholds. The Board considered the Advisor’s statement that it believes that its expenses relating to providing advisory services to the Funds will increase during the next twelve months as the Advisor continues to build infrastructure, including technology, and add new staff. The Board also noted that under the unitary fee structure, any reduction in expenses associated with the management and operations of the Funds would benefit the Advisor, but that the unitary fee structure provides a level of certainty in expenses for shareholders of the Funds. The Board concluded that the unitary fee rate schedule for each Fund reflects an appropriate level of sharing of any economies of scale that may be realized in the management of the Fund at current asset levels. The Board considered the revenues and allocated costs (including the allocation methodology) of the Advisor in serving as investment advisor to each Fund for the twelve months ended December 31, 2025 and the estimated profitability level for each Fund calculated by the Advisor based on such data, as well as complex-wide and product-line profitability data, for the same period. The Board noted the inherent limitations in the profitability analysis and concluded that, based on the information provided, the Advisor’s profitability level for each Fund was not unreasonable. In addition, the Board considered indirect benefits described by the Advisor that may be realized from its relationship with the Funds. The Board considered that the Advisor had identified as an indirect benefit to the Advisor and FTP the exposure of their products to investors and brokers who, absent their exposure to the Funds, may have had no dealings with the Advisor or FTP, and noted that the Advisor does not utilize soft dollars in connection with the Funds. The Board concluded that the character and amount of potential indirect benefits to the Advisor were not unreasonable.

Based on all of the information considered and the conclusions reached, the Board, including the Independent Trustees, unanimously determined that the terms of the Agreement continue to be fair and reasonable and that the continuation of the Agreement is in the best interests of each Fund. No single factor was determinative in the Board’s analysis.

Remuneration Disclosure Under the Alternative Investment Fund Managers Directive

First Trust Advisors L.P. (“First Trust”) is authorised and regulated by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and is entitled to market shares of certain First Trust Exchange-Traded Fund IV funds it manages (the “Funds”) in certain member states in the

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Other Information (Continued)

First Trust Exchange-Traded Fund IV

July 31, 2026 (Unaudited)

European Economic Area in accordance with the cooperation arrangements in Article 42 of the Alternative Investment Fund Managers Directive (the “Directive”). First Trust is required under the Directive to make disclosures in respect of remuneration. The following disclosures are made in line with First Trust’s interpretation of currently available regulatory guidance on remuneration disclosures.

During the year ended December 31, 2025, the amount of remuneration paid (or to be paid) by First Trust Advisors L.P. in respect of the Funds is $1,159,188. This figure is comprised of $63,957 paid (or to be paid) in fixed compensation and $1,095,231 paid (or to be paid) in variable compensation. There were a total of 26 beneficiaries of the remuneration described above. Those amounts include $275,639 paid (or to be paid) to senior management of First Trust Advisors L.P. and $883,549 paid (or to be paid) to other employees whose professional activities have a material impact on the risk profiles of First Trust Advisors L.P. or the Funds (collectively, “Code Staff”).

Code Staff included in the aggregated figures disclosed above are rewarded in line with First Trust’s remuneration policy (the “Remuneration Policy”) which is determined and implemented by First Trust’s senior management. The Remuneration Policy reflects First Trust’s ethos of good governance and encapsulates the following principal objectives:

i. 

to provide a clear link between remuneration and performance of First Trust and to avoid rewarding for failure;

ii. 

to promote sound and effective risk management consistent with the risk profiles of the funds managed by First Trust; and

iii. 

to remunerate staff in line with the business strategy, objectives, values and interests of First Trust and the funds managed by First Trust in a manner that avoids conflicts of interest.

First Trust assesses various risk factors which it is exposed to when considering and implementing remuneration for Code Staff and considers whether any potential award to such person(s) would give rise to a conflict of interest. First Trust does not reward failure, or consider the taking of risk or failure to take risk in its remuneration of Code Staff.

First Trust assesses performance for the purposes of determining payments in respect of performance-related remuneration of Code Staff by reference to a broad range of measures including (i) individual performance (using financial and non-financial criteria), and (ii) the overall performance of First Trust. Remuneration is not based upon the performance of the Funds.

The elements of remuneration are balanced between fixed and variable and the senior management sets fixed salaries at a level sufficient to ensure that variable remuneration incentivises and rewards strong individual performance but does not encourage excessive risk taking.

No individual is involved in setting his or her own remuneration.

Federal Tax Information

Distributions paid to foreign shareholders during each Fund’s fiscal year ended July 31, 2026 that were properly designated by each Fund as “interest-related dividends” or “short-term capital gain dividends,” may not be subject to federal income tax provided that the income was earned directly by such foreign shareholders.

Of the ordinary income (including short-term capital gain) distributions made by each Fund during the fiscal year ended July 31, 2026, none qualify for the corporate dividends received deduction available to corporate shareholders or as qualified dividend income.

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(b) The Financial Highlights is included in the Financial Statements and Other Information filed under Item 7(a) of this Form N-CSR.

Item 8. Changes in and Disagreements with Accountants for Open-End Management Investment Companies.

This information is included in the Financial Statements and Other Information filed under Item 7(a) of this Form N-CSR.

Item 9. Proxy Disclosures for Open-End Management Investment Companies.

This information is included in the Financial Statements and Other Information filed under Item 7(a) of this Form N-CSR.

Item 10. Remuneration Paid to Directors, Officers, and Others of Open-End Management Investment Companies.

This information is included in the Financial Statements and Other Information filed under Item 7(a) of this Form N-CSR.

Item 11. Statement Regarding Basis for Approval of Investment Advisory Contract.

This information is included in the Financial Statements and Other Information filed under Item 7(a) of this Form N-CSR.

Item 12. Disclosure of Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures for Closed-End Management Investment Companies.

Not applicable to the Registrant.

Item 13. Portfolio Managers of Closed-End Management Investment Companies.

Not applicable to the Registrant.

Item 14. Purchases of Equity Securities by Closed-End Management Investment Company and Affiliated Purchasers.

Not applicable to the Registrant.

Item 15. Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders.

There have been no material changes to the procedures by which the shareholders may recommend nominees to the Registrant’s board of directors, where those changes were implemented after the Registrant last provided disclosure in response to the requirements of Item 407(c)(2)(iv) of Regulation S-K (17 CFR 229.407) (as required by Item 22(b)(15) of Schedule 14A (17 CFR 240.14a-101)), or this Item.

Item 16. Controls and Procedures.

(a) The Registrant’s principal executive and principal financial officers, or persons performing similar functions, have concluded that the Registrant’s disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rule 30a-3(c) under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”) (17 CFR 270.30a-3(c))) are effective, as of a date within 90 days of the filing date of the report that includes the disclosure required by this paragraph, based on their evaluation of these controls and procedures required by Rule 30a-3(b) under the 1940 Act (17 CFR 270.30a-3(b)) and Rules 13a-15(b) or 15d-15(b) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (17 CFR 240.13a-15(b) or 240.15d-15(b)).
(b) There were no changes in the Registrant’s internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Rule 30a-3(d) under the 1940 Act (17 CFR 270.30a-3(d)) that occurred during the period covered by this report that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the Registrant’s internal control over financial reporting.

Item 17. Disclosure of Securities Lending Activities for Closed-End Management Investment Companies.

(a) Not applicable to the Registrant.
(b) Not applicable to the Registrant.

Item 18. Recovery of Erroneously Awarded Compensation.

(a) Not applicable to the Registrant.
(b) Not applicable to the Registrant.

Item 19. Exhibits.

(a)(1) Code of ethics, or any amendment thereto, that is the subject of disclosure required by Item 2 is attached hereto.
(a)(2) Not applicable to the Registrant.
(a)(3) The certifications required by Rule 30a-2(a) under the 1940 Act and Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 are attached hereto.
(a)(4) Not applicable to the Registrant.
(a)(5) Not applicable to the Registrant.
(b) Certifications pursuant to Rule 30a-2(b) under the 1940 Act and Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 are attached hereto.

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the Investment Company Act of 1940, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.

(registrant)  

First Trust Exchange-Traded Fund IV

By (Signature and Title)*   /s/ James M. Dykas
    James M. Dykas, President and Chief Executive Officer
(principal executive officer)
Date:   October 9, 2026  

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the Investment Company Act of 1940, this report has been signed below by the following persons on behalf of the registrant and in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

By (Signature and Title)*   /s/ James M. Dykas
    James M. Dykas, President and Chief Executive Officer
(principal executive officer)
Date:   October 9, 2026  
By (Signature and Title)*   /s/ Derek D. Maltbie
    Derek D. Maltbie, Treasurer, Chief Financial Officer
and Chief Accounting Officer
(principal financial officer)
Date:   October 9, 2026  

* Print the name and title of each signing officer under his or her signature.

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