ETF Evaluator:
First Trust WCM Devpg Wld Eq ETF ()
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(as of Aug 26)
Best Performing in Diversified Emerging Mkts Over the Last Year
| 114.0% | Nomura Focused Emerging Mrkts Eq ETF (EMEQ) |
| 81.0% | FT EM Human Flourishing ETF (FTHF) |
| 68.7% | First Trust Bloomberg Emr Mkt Dem ETF (EMDM) |
| 67.8% | Freedom 100 Emerging Markets ETF (FRDM) |
| 59.4% | Pacific NoS Global EM Equity Active ETF (GEME) |
Risk
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Risk
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ETF Details
First Trust WCM Devpg Wld Eq ETF Overview
First Trust WCM Devpg Wld Eq ETF (WCME) is an actively managed International Equity Diversified Emerging Mkts exchange-traded fund (ETF). First Trust launched the ETF in 2020.
The investment seeks to provide investors with long-term capital appreciation.
Under normal circumstances, the fund will invest at least 80% of its net assets (plus any borrowings for investment purposes) in equity securities of companies located in developing countries. The fund is non-diversified.
About First Trust WCM Devpg Wld Eq ETF (WCME)
There are 3 members of the management team with an average tenure of 2.50 years: Andrew Wiechert (2025), Drew French (2025) and Rob Quirk (2021). Management tenure is more important for actively managed ETFs than passive index ETFs.
The ETF has 1 primary benchmark: MSCI EM NR USD index with a weighting of 100%. First Trust WCM Devpg Wld Eq ETF has 41 securities in its portfolio. The top 10 holdings constitute 45.0% of the ETF’s assets. The ETF meets the SEC requirement of being classified as a nondiversified fund. The ETF is not considered to have an ESG focus with its investment selection and management.
First Trust WCM Devpg Wld Eq ETF is part of the Equity global asset class and is within the International Equity ETF group. First Trust WCM Devpg Wld Eq ETF has 92.0% of its portfolio invested in foreign issues. The overall assets allocated to domestic stock is 6.0% There is 92.0% allocated to foreign stock, and 0.0% is allocated to preferred stocks. The bond allocation as a percentage of total assets is 0.0% (0.0% domestic bond, 0.0% foreign bond and 0.0% convertible bond). First Trust WCM Devpg Wld Eq ETF has 2.1% of the portfolio in cash.
Assets Under Management
The fund has $36 million in total assets, which is below the $3 billion average for the Diversified Emerging Mkts category. Normally, lower assets under management translates to higher average expense ratios, and greater total assets are desired. However, for some investment categories, such as small-cap investing, it may be difficult for the manager to fully employ the desired active strategy if assets grow too large or too quickly.
WCME Performance and Fees
The expense ratio measures how much of a fund’s assets are used for administrative expenses and operating expenses, including adviser fees and fees for the transfer agent and custodial services. The First Trust WCM Devpg Wld Eq ETF expense ratio is high compared to funds in the Diversified Emerging Mkts category. First Trust WCM Devpg Wld Eq ETF has an expense ratio of 0.95%, which is 83% higher than its category average, making the fund expense ratio grade a F. While it is difficult to predict returns, it is known that high annual expense ratios reduce your rate of return, and excessive fees are difficult to overcome. Active management normally comes with higher expense ratios than passive index management. Certain investment categories such as small company and foreign also normally have higher expense ratios. It is best to compare fund expense ratios against the category averages for meaningful assessments.
High portfolio turnover can translate to higher expenses and lower aftertax returns. First Trust WCM Devpg Wld Eq ETF has a portfolio turnover rate of 62%, which indicates that it holds its assets around / 0.0 years. By way of comparison, the average portfolio turnover is 44% for the Diversified Emerging Mkts category.
Recently, in the month of July 2026, First Trust WCM Devpg Wld Eq ETF returned -3.1%, which earned it a grade of C, as the Diversified Emerging Mkts category had an average return of -3.0%. The letter grades of A, B, C, D and F are based upon relative rankings within the investment category. A grade of A, for example, would indicate that the return is in the highest 20% for that time period compared to all ETFs in that category.
First Trust WCM Devpg Wld Eq ETF has a trailing yield of 0.35%, which is below the 2.41% category average.
The fund normally distributes its income semi-annually and its capital gains annually.
It’s natural to seek the best-performing investments, but you must consider the relationship between risk and return and the impact of costs and taxes on your realized returns.
First Trust WCM Devpg Wld Eq ETF Grades
Year to date, the ETF has returned 9.2%, 7.9 percentage points worse than the category, which translates into a grade of F. The fund has returned 19.7% over the past year (grade of D), 13.2% over the past three years (grade of D) and 6.6% per year over the past five years (grade of D).
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WCME Trailing NAV Total Returns Data as of 7/31/26
| Last Month |
Last Quarter |
Ann'l. 1Yr |
Ann'l. 3Yr |
Ann'l. 5Yr |
Ann'l. 10Yr |
|
| WCME Return (NAV) | -3.1% | 0.6% | 19.7% | 13.2% | 6.6% | na |
| WCME Return (Price) | -6.1% | -1.9% | 17.4% | 12.6% | 6.2% | na |
| NAV +/- Price Return | 3.031% | 2.482% | 2.326% | 0.619% | 0.350% | na |
| Diversified Emerging Mkts Avg | -3.0% | 3.0% | 31.9% | 16.6% | 7.1% | 7.8% |
| WCME Grade (NAV) | C | D | D | D | D | na |
| +/- Category (NAV) | -0.0% | -2.4% | -12.2% | -3.4% | -0.5% | na |
| WCME Tax-Cost Ratio | na | na | 0.1% | 0.4% | 0.5% | na |
WCME Annual NAV Total ReturnsData as of 7/31/26
| 2026 | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | |
| WCME Return (NAV) | 9.2% | 35.2% | 0.4% | 6.9% | -13.6% | -1.9% | na | na | na | na | na |
| WCME Return (Price) | 7.3% | 35.2% | 0.6% | 6.9% | -13.6% | -1.9% | na | na | na | na | na |
| NAV +/- Price Ret | -0.211% | -0.001% | 0.410% | 0.000% | 0.000% | 0.000% | na | na | na | na | na |
| Diversified Emerging Mkts Avg | 17.1% | 29.2% | 6.7% | 12.8% | -18.8% | 2.3% | 12.7% | 18.2% | -14.6% | 33.7% | 10.9% |
| WCME Grade (NAV) | F | A | F | F | A | D | na | na | na | na | na |
| +/- Category | -7.9% | 6.0% | -6.2% | -5.9% | 5.2% | -4.2% | na | na | na | na | na |
| Risk Measures | |
| Beta: | 1.09 |
| R-Squared: | 84% |
| Standard Deviation: | 16.4% |
| Category Risk Index: | 1.01 |
| Category Risk Rating: | Average |
| Total Risk Index: | 1.34 |
| Total Risk Rating: | Above Average |
| Portfolio Characteristics | |
| Yield: | 0.4% |
| Total Assets: | $ 36 Mil |
| Share Class Assets: | $ 36 Mil |
| Turnover: | 62.0% |
| Expense Ratio: | 0.95% |
| Index Fund: | No |
| Index Tracked: | MSCI EM NR USD |
| Index Weighting: | 100% |
| Leveraged: | No |
| Socially Responsible Fund: | No |
| Capital Gains Distribution Frequency: | Annually |
| Income Distribution Frequency: | Semi-Annually |
Management Team
| Number of Managers: 3 | |||
| Longest Tenure: 5.1 years | |||
| Average Tenure: 2.5 years | |||
| Managers (Year): Quirk Rob (2021), Wiechert Andrew (2025), French Drew (2025) | |||
Portfolio Composition (as of 7/30/26)
| # of Holdings: | 41 |
| % in Top 10 Holdings: | 45.0% |
| Fund is Non-Diversified: | Yes |
| % in Foreign Issues: | 92.0% |
Portfolio Allocation |
|
| Domestic Stock: | 6.0% |
| Foreign Stock: | 92.0% |
| Preferred Stock: | 0.0% |
| Domestic Bond: | 0.0% |
| Foreign Bond: | 0.0% |
| Convertible Bond: | 0.0% |
| Other: | 0.0% |
| Cash: | 2.1% |
Purchase Information
| Legal Structure: | Open Ended Investment Company |
| Fund Family: | First Trust |
| Phone Number: | 800-621-1675 |
| Website: | www.ftportfolios.com |
| Inception Date: | March 31, 2020 |
Expenses and Fees
| Expense Ratio (%): | 0.95% (Rating: High) |
| Category Average Expense Ratio (%): | 0.52% |
