Significant Rise in Short Interest for First Trust Developed Markets ex-US AlphaDEX Fund (NASDAQ:FDT)

The First Trust Developed Markets ex-US AlphaDEX Fund (NASDAQ:FDT) experienced a notable increase in short interest during December. As of December 31, the total short interest stood at 17,400 shares, marking a substantial rise of 123.1% from the 7,800 shares recorded on December 15. With the average daily trading volume at 25,800 shares, the current days-to-cover ratio is approximately 0.7 days.

Recent Changes in Institutional Holdings

Several institutional investors have recently made adjustments to their positions in FDT. TrueWealth Advisors LLC increased its ownership by 5.5% in the third quarter, now holding 4,042 shares worth $233,000 after acquiring an additional 212 shares. Similarly, Apollon Wealth Management LLC raised its stake by 5.4%, bringing their total to 5,384 shares valued at $310,000 after adding 274 shares in the last quarter. Furthermore, FMR LLC expanded its holdings in the fund by an impressive 220.8%, now owning 555 shares valued at $32,000 following the acquisition of 382 additional shares. Pine Valley Investments LLC increased its position by 4.2%, resulting in a total of 10,458 shares valued at $603,000 after purchasing 423 shares. Lastly, GAMMA Investing LLC boosted its stake significantly by 26.9% in the fourth quarter, now owning 2,177 shares worth $118,000 after an additional purchase of 462 shares.

First Trust Developed Markets ex-US AlphaDEX Fund Performance

On Tuesday, FDT's stock saw a slight rise of 0.1%, trading up $0.08 to reach $53.64. The trading volume for the day was 78,338 shares, surpassing its average volume of 48,167. The fund boasts a market capitalization of $388.35 million, with a price-to-earnings ratio of 7.34 and a beta of 0.96. The fifty-day simple moving average is $55.23, while the 200-day average is $55.86. Over the past year, FDT has seen a low of $50.47 and a high of $58.95.

Dividend Announcement from First Trust Developed Markets ex-US AlphaDEX Fund

The fund recently declared a dividend, which was distributed to shareholders on December 31. Those who were on record as of December 13 received a dividend payment of $0.789 per share. The ex-dividend date was also set for December 13.

About First Trust Developed Markets ex-US AlphaDEX Fund

The First Trust Developed Markets Ex-US AlphaDEX Fund (FDT) is an exchange-traded fund that seeks to track the NASDAQ AlphaDEX DM Ex-US index. This fund includes international stocks from developed markets, selected based on growth and value characteristics, with an equal-weighted approach. FDT was launched on April 18, 2011, and is overseen by First Trust.

Market Considerations

Investors considering whether to invest in First Trust Developed Markets ex-US AlphaDEX Fund should be aware of its current market standing and recent shifts in institutional support. While the fund holds a "Hold" rating among analysts, there are other stocks suggested as better investment opportunities, according to some financial experts.

FDT, Short, Investors