Annual
Report |
For
the Year Ended
December
31, 2023 |
First
Trust Global Tactical Commodity Strategy Fund
(FTGC) |
1 | |
2 | |
4 | |
6 | |
7 | |
9 | |
10 | |
11 | |
12 | |
13 | |
20 | |
21 | |
26 | |
28 |
Performance | |||||||
|
|
Average
Annual Total Returns |
Cumulative
Total Returns | ||||
|
1
Year
Ended
12/31/23 |
5
Years
Ended
12/31/23 |
10
Years
Ended
12/31/23 |
Inception
(10/21/13)
to
12/31/23 |
5
Years
Ended
12/31/23 |
10
Years
Ended
12/31/23 |
Inception
(10/21/13)
to
12/31/23 |
Fund
Performance |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
NAV |
-5.01% |
9.09% |
-0.53% |
-0.59% |
54.50% |
-5.13% |
-5.83% |
Market
Price |
-5.21% |
9.04% |
-0.54% |
-0.60% |
54.17% |
-5.29% |
-5.92% |
Index
Performance |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Bloomberg
Commodity Index |
-7.91% |
7.23% |
-1.11% |
-1.27% |
41.77% |
-10.57% |
-12.20% |
S&P
GSCI®
Total Return Index |
-4.27% |
8.72% |
-3.60% |
-3.58% |
51.88% |
-30.71% |
-31.04% |
S&P
500®
Index |
26.29% |
15.69% |
12.03% |
12.41% |
107.21% |
211.49% |
229.54% |
Fund
Allocation |
%
of
Net
Assets |
U.S.
Government Bonds and Notes |
45.4% |
U.S.
Treasury Bills |
6.2 |
Money
Market Funds |
39.9 |
Net
Other Assets and Liabilities*
|
8.5 |
Total |
100.0% |
* |
Includes variation
margin on futures contracts.
|
|
Performance
figures assume reinvestment of
all
distributions and do not reflect the
deduction
of taxes that a shareholder would
pay
on Fund distributions or the redemption
or
sale of Fund shares. An index is a statistical
composite
that tracks a specified financial
market
or sector. Unlike the Fund, the indices
do
not actually hold a portfolio of securities
and
therefore do not incur the expenses
incurred
by the Fund. These expenses
negatively
impact the performance of the
Fund.
The Fund’s past performance does not
predict
future performance. |
|
Beginning
Account
Value
July
1, 2023
|
Ending
Account
Value
December
31, 2023
|
Annualized
Expense
Ratio
Based
on the
Six-Month
Period
|
Expenses
Paid
During
the
Six-Month
Period
(a) |
First
Trust Global Tactical Commodity Strategy Fund (FTGC)
| ||||
Actual |
$1,000.00 |
$1,001.30 |
0.95% |
$4.79 |
Hypothetical
(5% return before expenses) |
$1,000.00 |
$1,020.42 |
0.95% |
$4.84 |
(a) |
Expenses
are equal to the annualized expense ratio as indicated in the table
multiplied by the average account value over the period (July 1, 2023
through
December 31, 2023), multiplied by 184/365 (to reflect the six-month
period). |
Principal
Value |
Description |
Stated
Coupon |
Stated
Maturity |
Value | |
U.S.
GOVERNMENT BONDS AND NOTES — 45.4% | |||||
$150,000,000 |
U.S.
Treasury Note
|
0.25% |
06/15/24 |
$146,727,841 | |
150,000,000 |
U.S.
Treasury Note
|
0.38% |
09/15/24 |
145,270,589 | |
175,000,000 |
U.S.
Treasury Note
|
1.00% |
12/15/24 |
168,766,605 | |
170,000,000 |
U.S.
Treasury Note
|
0.50% |
03/31/25 |
161,662,695 | |
150,000,000 |
U.S.
Treasury Note
|
0.25% |
06/30/25 |
140,912,109 | |
185,000,000 |
U.S.
Treasury Note
|
0.25% |
09/30/25 |
172,313,769 | |
170,000,000 |
U.S.
Treasury Note
|
0.38% |
11/30/25 |
157,890,820 | |
|
Total
U.S. Government Bonds and Notes |
1,093,544,428 | |||
|
(Cost
$1,088,606,381) |
| |||
U.S.
TREASURY BILLS — 6.2% | |||||
150,000,000 |
U.S.
Treasury Bill
|
(a) |
03/12/24 |
148,485,375 | |
|
(Cost
$148,454,419) |
|
|
|
Shares |
Description |
Value | |||
MONEY
MARKET FUNDS — 39.9% | |||||
479,489,436 |
Dreyfus
Government Cash Management Fund, Institutional Shares - 5.25%
(b) |
479,489,436 | |||
479,489,436 |
Morgan
Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds - Treasury Portfolio - Institutional
Class - 5.22% (b) |
479,489,436 | |||
|
Total
Money Market Funds |
958,978,872 | |||
|
(Cost
$958,978,872) |
| |||
| |||||
| |||||
|
Total
Investments — 91.5% |
2,201,008,675 | |||
|
(Cost
$2,196,039,672) |
| |||
|
Net
Other Assets and Liabilities — 8.5% |
204,032,084 | |||
|
Net
Assets — 100.0% |
$2,405,040,759 |
Futures
Contracts |
Position |
Number
of
Contracts |
Expiration
Date |
Notional
Value |
Unrealized
Appreciation
(Depreciation)/
Value |
Brent
Crude Oil Futures |
Long |
363 |
Jan-2024 |
$27,965,520 |
$(3,150,534
) |
Brent
Crude Oil Futures |
Long |
399 |
Feb-2024 |
30,687,090 |
(1,550,298
) |
Cocoa
Futures |
Long |
2,293 |
Mar-2024 |
96,214,280 |
360,909 |
Coffee
“C” Futures |
Long |
2,017 |
Mar-2024 |
142,425,413 |
11,886,889 |
Copper
Futures |
Long |
1,330 |
Mar-2024 |
129,359,125 |
5,927,951 |
Corn
Futures |
Long |
2,596 |
Mar-2024 |
61,168,250 |
(2,431,930
) |
Cotton
No. 2 Futures |
Long |
1,313 |
Mar-2024 |
53,176,500 |
(1,280,280
) |
Gasoline
RBOB Futures |
Long |
1,772 |
Jan-2024 |
156,759,271 |
946,633 |
Gold
100 Oz. Futures |
Long |
1,101 |
Feb-2024 |
228,105,180 |
9,030,694 |
Kansas
City Hard Red Winter Wheat
Futures |
Long |
1,757 |
Mar-2024 |
56,399,700 |
(402,694
) |
Lean
Hogs Futures |
Long |
701 |
Feb-2024 |
19,060,190 |
(2,012,820
) |
Live
Cattle Futures |
Long |
633 |
Feb-2024 |
42,664,200 |
(1,986,097
) |
LME
Aluminum Futures |
Long |
1,249 |
Mar-2024 |
74,346,725 |
4,612,778 |
LME
Lead Futures |
Long |
486 |
Mar-2024 |
25,180,875 |
(1,299,169
) |
LME
Nickel Futures |
Long |
560 |
Mar-2024 |
55,752,480 |
102,795 |
LME
Zinc Futures |
Long |
602 |
Mar-2024 |
40,085,675 |
1,981,453 |
Low
Sulphur Gasoil “G” Futures |
Long |
976 |
Feb-2024 |
72,443,600 |
(3,096,474
) |
Low
Sulphur Gasoil “G” Futures |
Long |
760 |
Mar-2024 |
55,841,000 |
(3,364,926
) |
Futures
Contracts |
Position |
Number
of
Contracts |
Expiration
Date |
Notional
Value |
Unrealized
Appreciation
(Depreciation)/
Value |
Natural
Gas Futures |
Long |
3,742 |
Jan-2024 |
$94,073,880 |
$(6,922,210
) |
NY
Harbor ULSD Futures |
Long |
723 |
Jan-2024 |
76,792,577 |
(6,552,384
) |
NY
Harbor ULSD Futures |
Long |
731 |
Feb-2024 |
76,607,630 |
(3,960,434
) |
Silver
Futures |
Long |
684 |
Mar-2024 |
82,374,120 |
1,216,289 |
Soybean
Futures |
Long |
1,562 |
Mar-2024 |
101,373,800 |
(2,853,708
) |
Soybean
Meal Futures |
Long |
2,650 |
Mar-2024 |
102,290,000 |
(6,792,064
) |
Soybean
Meal Futures |
Long |
1,744 |
May-2024 |
67,109,120 |
(3,263,054
) |
Soybean
Oil Futures |
Long |
897 |
Mar-2024 |
25,930,476 |
(1,162,699
) |
Soybean
Oil Futures |
Long |
1,450 |
May-2024 |
42,255,900 |
(2,390,695
) |
Soybean
Oil Futures |
Long |
555 |
Jul-2024 |
16,267,050 |
(508,732
) |
Sugar
#11 (World) Futures |
Long |
5,608 |
Feb-2024 |
129,262,157 |
(28,358,899
) |
Wheat
Futures |
Long |
2,031 |
Mar-2024 |
63,773,400 |
1,672,948 |
WTI
Crude Futures |
Long |
221 |
Jan-2024 |
15,834,650 |
(1,167,883
) |
WTI
Crude Futures |
Long |
438 |
Feb-2024 |
31,465,920 |
(4,228,364
) |
|
|
|
|
$2,293,045,754 |
$(50,997,009
) |
(a) |
Zero
coupon security. |
(b) |
Rate
shown reflects yield as of December 31,
2023. |
ASSETS
TABLE | ||||
|
Total
Value
at
12/31/2023 |
Level
1
Quoted
Prices |
Level
2
Significant
Observable
Inputs |
Level
3
Significant
Unobservable
Inputs |
U.S.
Government Bonds and Notes |
$1,093,544,428 |
$— |
$1,093,544,428 |
$— |
U.S.
Treasury Bills |
148,485,375 |
— |
148,485,375 |
— |
Money
Market Funds |
958,978,872 |
958,978,872 |
— |
— |
Total
Investments |
2,201,008,675 |
958,978,872 |
1,242,029,803 |
— |
Futures
Contracts* |
39,599,045 |
39,599,045 |
— |
— |
Total |
$2,240,607,720 |
$998,577,917 |
$1,242,029,803 |
$— |
LIABILITIES
TABLE | ||||
|
Total
Value
at
12/31/2023 |
Level
1
Quoted
Prices |
Level
2
Significant
Observable
Inputs |
Level
3
Significant
Unobservable
Inputs |
Futures
Contracts* |
$(90,596,054
) |
$(90,596,054
) |
$— |
$— |
* |
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 Consolidated Statement of Assets and
Liabilities. |
ASSETS: |
|
Investments,
at value |
$2,201,008,675 |
Cash
segregated as collateral for open futures contracts |
245,060,108 |
Receivables: |
|
Dividends |
4,664,230 |
Interest |
843,370 |
Capital
shares sold |
4,718 |
Total
Assets |
2,451,581,101 |
| |
LIABILITIES: |
|
Payables: |
|
Variation
margin |
28,754,512 |
Capital
shares redeemed |
15,726,601 |
Investment
advisory fees |
2,059,229 |
Total
Liabilities |
46,540,342 |
NET
ASSETS |
$2,405,040,759 |
| |
NET
ASSETS consist of: |
|
Paid-in
capital |
$2,494,654,567 |
Par
value |
1,070,533 |
Accumulated
distributable earnings (loss) |
(90,684,341
) |
NET
ASSETS |
$2,405,040,759 |
NET
ASSET VALUE,
per share |
$22.47 |
Number
of shares outstanding (unlimited number of shares authorized, par value
$0.01 per share) |
107,053,334 |
Investments,
at cost |
$2,196,039,672 |
INVESTMENT
INCOME: |
|
Interest |
$77,411,559 |
Dividends |
57,757,542 |
Total
investment income |
135,169,101 |
| |
EXPENSES: |
|
Investment
advisory fees |
26,968,057 |
Total
expenses |
26,968,057 |
NET
INVESTMENT INCOME (LOSS) |
108,201,044 |
| |
NET
REALIZED AND UNREALIZED GAIN (LOSS): |
|
Net
realized gain (loss) on: |
|
Investments |
(60,457
) |
Futures
contracts |
(164,480,805
) |
Net
realized gain (loss) |
(164,541,262
) |
Net
change in unrealized appreciation (depreciation) on: |
|
Investments |
4,578,787 |
Futures
contracts |
(122,109,271
) |
Net
change in unrealized appreciation (depreciation) |
(117,530,484
) |
NET
REALIZED AND UNREALIZED GAIN (LOSS) |
(282,071,746
) |
NET
INCREASE (DECREASE) IN NET ASSETS RESULTING FROM
OPERATIONS |
$(173,870,702
) |
|
Year
Ended
12/31/2023 |
Year
Ended
12/31/2022 |
OPERATIONS: |
|
|
Net
investment income (loss) |
$108,201,044 |
$19,079,378 |
Net
realized gain (loss) |
(164,541,262
) |
198,246,266 |
Net
change in unrealized appreciation (depreciation) |
(117,530,484
) |
45,214,928 |
Net
increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from
operations |
(173,870,702
) |
262,540,572 |
| ||
DISTRIBUTIONS
TO SHAREHOLDERS FROM: |
|
|
Investment
operations |
(86,724,096
) |
(355,942,657
) |
| ||
SHAREHOLDER
TRANSACTIONS: |
|
|
Proceeds
from shares sold |
430,212,741 |
2,714,257,172 |
Cost
of shares redeemed |
(1,140,520,073
) |
(1,224,296,838
) |
Net
increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from shareholder
transactions |
(710,307,332
) |
1,489,960,334 |
Total
increase (decrease) in net assets |
(970,902,130
) |
1,396,558,249 |
| ||
NET
ASSETS: |
|
|
Beginning
of period |
3,375,942,889 |
1,979,384,640 |
End
of period |
$2,405,040,759 |
$3,375,942,889 |
| ||
CHANGES
IN SHARES OUTSTANDING: |
|
|
Shares
outstanding, beginning of period |
138,203,334 |
86,003,334 |
Shares
sold |
18,200,000 |
98,950,000 |
Shares
redeemed |
(49,350,000
) |
(46,750,000
) |
Shares
outstanding, end of period |
107,053,334 |
138,203,334 |
|
Year
Ended December
31,
| ||||
|
2023
|
2022 |
2021 |
2020 |
2019 |
Net
asset value, beginning of period |
$24.43 |
$23.02 |
$19.27 |
$18.94 |
$17.92 |
Income
from investment operations: |
|
|
|
|
|
Net
investment income (loss)
|
0.90
(a) |
0.13
(a) |
(0.22
) (a) |
(0.14
) |
0.26 |
Net
realized and unrealized gain (loss) |
(2.11
) |
3.82 |
5.63 |
0.47 |
0.91 |
Total
from investment operations |
(1.21
) |
3.95 |
5.41 |
0.33 |
1.17 |
Distributions
paid to shareholders from: |
|
|
|
|
|
Net
investment income |
(0.75
) |
(2.54
) |
(1.66
) |
— |
(0.15
) |
Net
asset value, end of period |
$22.47 |
$24.43 |
$23.02 |
$19.27 |
$18.94 |
Total
return
(b) |
(5.01
)% |
17.14
% |
28.09
% |
1.74
% |
6.55
% |
| |||||
Ratios
to average net assets/supplemental data: |
|
|
|
|
|
Net
assets, end of period (in 000’s) |
$2,405,041 |
$3,375,943 |
$1,979,385 |
$238,039 |
$163,876 |
Ratio
of total expenses to average net assets
|
0.95
% |
0.95
% |
0.95
% |
0.95
% |
0.95
% |
Ratio
of net investment income (loss) to average net
assets
|
3.80
% |
0.48
% |
(0.94
)% |
(0.54
)% |
1.13
% |
Portfolio
turnover rate (c) |
0
% |
0
% |
0
% |
0
% |
0
% |
(a) |
Based
on average shares outstanding. |
(b) |
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. |
(c) |
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, derivatives and
in-kind transactions. |
Distributions
paid from: |
2023 |
2022 |
Ordinary
income |
$86,724,096 |
$355,942,657 |
Capital
gains |
— |
— |
Return
of capital |
— |
— |
Undistributed
ordinary income |
$2,028,055 |
Accumulated
capital and other gain (loss) |
(22,709,770
) |
Net
unrealized appreciation (depreciation) |
(23,378,693
) |
Accumulated
Net
Investment
Income
(Loss) |
Accumulated
Net
Realized
Gain
(Loss) |
Paid-In
Capital |
$(557,016
) |
$164,480,805 |
$(163,923,789
) |
Tax
Cost |
Gross
Unrealized
Appreciation |
Gross
Unrealized
(Depreciation) |
Net
Unrealized
Appreciation
(Depreciation) |
$2,173,390,359 |
$42,708,342 |
$(66,087,035
) |
$(23,378,693
) |
Breakpoints |
|
Fund
net assets up to and including $2.5 billion |
0.95000
% |
Fund
net assets greater than $2.5 billion up to and including $5
billion |
0.92625
% |
Fund
net assets greater than $5 billion up to and including $7.5
billion |
0.90250
% |
Fund
net assets greater than $7.5 billion up to and including $10
billion |
0.87875
% |
Fund
net assets greater than $10 billion |
0.85500
% |
|
|
Asset
Derivatives |
Liability
Derivatives | ||
Derivative
Instrument |
Risk
Exposure |
Consolidated
Statement
of Assets and
Liabilities
Location |
Value |
Consolidated
Statement
of Assets and
Liabilities
Location |
Value |
Futures
contracts |
Commodity
Risk |
Unrealized
appreciation on
futures
contracts* |
$37,739,339 |
Unrealized
depreciation on
futures
contracts* |
$88,736,348 |
* |
Includes
cumulative appreciation/depreciation on futures contracts as reported in
the Fund’s Consolidated Portfolio of Investments.
Only
the current day’s variation margin is presented on the
Consolidated Statement of Assets and
Liabilities. |
| |
Consolidated
Statement of Operations Location |
|
Commodity
Risk Exposure |
|
Net
realized gain (loss) on futures contracts |
$(164,480,805
) |
Net
change in unrealized appreciation (depreciation) on
futures
contracts |
(122,109,271
) |
Dividend
Received Deduction |
Qualified
Dividend Income |
0.00
% |
0.00
% |
Name,
Year
of Birth and
Position
with the Trust |
Term
of Office
and
Year First
Elected
or
Appointed |
Principal
Occupations
During
Past 5 Years |
Number
of
Portfolios
in
the
First Trust
Fund
Complex
Overseen
by
Trustee |
Other
Trusteeships
or
Directorships
Held
by Trustee
During
Past
5
Years |
INDEPENDENT
TRUSTEES | ||||
Richard
E. Erickson, Trustee
(1951) |
• Indefinite
Term
• Since
Inception |
Retired;
Physician, Edward-Elmhurst
Medical
Group (2021 to September
2023);
Physician and Officer,
Wheaton
Orthopedics (1990 to 2021) |
257 |
None |
Thomas
R. Kadlec, Trustee
(1957) |
• Indefinite
Term
• Since
Inception |
Retired;
President, ADM Investors
Services,
Inc. (Futures Commission
Merchant)
(2010 to July 2022) |
257 |
Director,
National Futures
Association
and ADMIS
Singapore
Ltd.; Formerly,
Director
of ADM Investor
Services,
Inc., ADM Investor
Services
International,
ADMIS
Hong Kong Ltd., and
Futures
Industry Association |
Denise
M. Keefe, Trustee
(1964) |
• Indefinite
Term
• Since
2021 |
Executive
Vice President, Advocate
Aurora
Health and President,
Advocate
Aurora Continuing Health
Division
(Integrated Healthcare
System) |
257 |
Director
and Board Chair of
Advocate
Home Health
Services,
Advocate Home
Care
Products and Advocate
Hospice;
Director and Board
Chair
of Aurora At Home
(since
2018); Director of
Advocate
Physician Partners
Accountable
Care
Organization;
Director of
RML
Long Term Acute Care
Hospitals;
Director of Senior
Helpers
(since 2021); and
Director
of MobileHelp
(since
2022) |
Robert
F. Keith, Trustee
(1956) |
• Indefinite
Term
• Since
Inception |
President,
Hibs Enterprises (Financial
and
Management Consulting) |
257 |
Formerly,
Director of Trust
Company
of Illinois |
Niel
B. Nielson, Trustee
(1954) |
• Indefinite
Term
• Since
Inception |
Senior
Advisor (2018 to Present),
Managing
Director and Chief
Operating
Officer (2015 to 2018),
Pelita
Harapan Educational
Foundation
(Educational Products
and
Services) |
257 |
None |
Bronwyn
Wright, Trustee
(1971) |
• Indefinite
Term
• Since
2023 |
Independent
Director to a number of
Irish
collective investment funds
(2009
to Present); Various roles at
international
affiliates of Citibank
(1994
to 2009), including Managing
Director,
Citibank Europe plc and
Head
of Securities and Fund Services,
Citi
Ireland (2007 to 2009) |
233 |
None |
Name,
Year
of Birth and
Position
with the Trust |
Term
of Office
and
Year First
Elected
or
Appointed |
Principal
Occupations
During
Past 5 Years |
Number
of
Portfolios
in
the
First Trust
Fund
Complex
Overseen
by
Trustee |
Other
Trusteeships
or
Directorships
Held
by Trustee
During
Past
5
Years |
INTERESTED
TRUSTEE | ||||
James
A. Bowen(1),
Trustee,
Chairman
of the Board
(1955) |
• Indefinite
Term
• Since
Inception |
Chief
Executive Officer, First Trust
Advisors
L.P. and First Trust
Portfolios
L.P., Chairman of the
Board
of Directors, BondWave LLC
(Software
Development Company)
and
Stonebridge Advisors LLC
(Investment
Advisor) |
257 |
None |
Name
and
Year
of Birth |
Position
and
Offices
with
Trust |
Term
of Office
and
Length of
Service |
Principal
Occupations
During
Past 5 Years |
OFFICERS(2) | |||
James
M. Dykas
(1966) |
President
and Chief
Executive
Officer |
• Indefinite
Term
• Since 2016 |
Managing
Director and Chief Financial Officer, First Trust
Advisors
L.P. and First Trust Portfolios L.P.; Chief Financial
Officer,
BondWave LLC (Software Development Company) and
Stonebridge
Advisors LLC (Investment Advisor) |
Derek
D. Maltbie
(1972) |
Treasurer,
Chief Financial
Officer
and Chief
Accounting
Officer |
• Indefinite
Term
• Since
2023 |
Senior
Vice President, First Trust Advisors L.P. and First Trust
Portfolios
L.P., July 2021 to Present. Previously, Vice President,
First
Trust Advisors L.P. and First Trust Portfolios L.P., 2014 -
2021. |
W.
Scott Jardine
(1960) |
Secretary
and Chief Legal
Officer |
• Indefinite
Term
• Since
Inception |
General
Counsel, First Trust Advisors L.P. and First Trust
Portfolios
L.P.; Secretary and General Counsel, BondWave LLC;
Secretary,
Stonebridge Advisors LLC |
Daniel
J. Lindquist
(1970) |
Vice
President |
• Indefinite
Term
• Since
Inception |
Managing
Director, First Trust Advisors L.P. and First Trust
Portfolios
L.P. |
Kristi
A. Maher
(1966) |
Chief
Compliance Officer
and
Assistant Secretary |
• Indefinite
Term
• Since
Inception |
Deputy
General Counsel, First Trust Advisors L.P. and First
Trust
Portfolios L.P. |
Roger
F. Testin
(1966) |
Vice
President |
• Indefinite
Term
• Since
Inception |
Senior
Vice President, First Trust Advisors L.P. and First Trust
Portfolios
L.P. |
Stan
Ueland
(1970) |
Vice
President |
• Indefinite
Term
• Since
Inception |
Senior
Vice President, First Trust Advisors L.P. and First Trust
Portfolios
L.P.
|