Table of Contents

First Trust Municipal High Income ETF (FMHI)

Annual Report

July 31, 2023

Shareholder Letter	1
Fund Performance Overview	2
Portfolio Commentary	5
Understanding Your Fund Expenses	8
Portfolio of Investments	9
Statement of Assets and Liabilities	24
Statement of Operations	25
Statements of Changes in Net Assets	26
Financial Highlights	27
Notes to Financial Statements	28
Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm	35
Additional Information	36
Board of Trustees and Officers	42
Privacy Policy	44

Caution Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This report contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Forward-looking statements include statements regarding the goals, beliefs, plans or current expectations of First Trust Advisors L.P. (“First Trust” or the “Advisor”) and its representatives, taking into account the information currently available to them. Forward-looking statements include all statements that do not relate solely to current or historical fact. For example, forward-looking statements include the use of words such as “anticipate,” “estimate,” “intend,” “expect,” “believe,” “plan,” “may,” “should,” “would” or other words that convey uncertainty of future events or outcomes.

Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the series of First Trust Exchange-Traded Fund III (the “Trust”) described in this report (First Trust Municipal High Income ETF; hereinafter referred to as the “Fund”) to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. When evaluating the information included in this report, you are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which reflect the judgment of the Advisor and its representatives only as of the date hereof. We undertake no obligation to publicly revise or update these forward-looking statements to reflect events and circumstances that arise after the date hereof.

Performance and Risk Disclosure

There is no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objectives. The 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 the Fund. See “Risk Considerations” in the Additional Information section of this report for a discussion of certain other risks of investing in the 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.

The Advisor may also periodically provide additional information on Fund performance on the Fund’s web page at www.ftportfolios.com.

How to Read This Report

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

By reading the portfolio commentary by the portfolio management team of the Fund, you may obtain an understanding of how the market environment affected the Fund’s performance. The statistical information that follows may help you understand the Fund’s performance compared to that of relevant market benchmarks.

It is important to keep in mind that the opinions expressed by personnel of the Advisor are just that: informed opinions. They should not be considered to be promises or advice. The opinions, like the statistics, cover the period through the date on the cover of this report. The material risks of investing in the Fund are spelled out in the prospectus, the statement of additional information, and other Fund regulatory filings.

Table of Contents

Shareholder Letter

First Trust Municipal High Income ETF (FMHI)

Annual Letter from the Chairman and CEO

July 31, 2023

Dear Shareholders,

First Trust is pleased to provide you with the annual report for the First Trust Municipal High Income ETF (the “Fund”), which contains detailed information about the Fund for the 12-month period ended July 31, 2023.

In a widely unexpected announcement, Fitch Ratings (“Fitch”), a provider of credit ratings, commentary, and research, downgraded the credit rating of the United States government from its highest rating of AAA to its second-highest rating of AA+ on August 1, 2023. The move marks the first time the U.S. government’s credit rating has been downgraded since 2011. Fitch cited the heightened potential of a near-term economic recession in the U.S. as well as the rising interest burden of government debt as two factors that contributed to their decision to implement the downgrade. We will leave it to the pundits to debate whether the downgrade was warranted or not. What we would like to see is a reduction in government spending. As of June 30, 2023, the U.S. government’s deficit stood at $1.39 trillion, already above the 2022 full year deficit of $1.37 trillion, according to Brian Wesbury, Chief Economist at First Trust. As Fitch noted in the press release of its downgrade, the interest burden on U.S. government debt, among other factors, is expected to catapult the general government deficit to 6.3% of gross domestic product (“GDP”) in 2023, up from 3.7% in 2022.

The Federal Reserve (the “Fed”) has made significant progress in its battle with rising prices. Inflation, as measured by the twelve-month trailing rate on the Consumer Price Index (“CPI”), stood at 3.2% on July 31, 2023, down significantly from its most recent high of 9.1% set on June 30, 2022, but up from 3.0% on June 30, 2023. While a reduction in the CPI is welcome, the metric remains well-above the Fed’s goal of 2.0%. Should the CPI remain stubbornly high, it may prompt further increases to the Federal Funds target rate over the coming months, which could hamper economic growth, in our opinion. That said, U.S. GDP has remained resilient, growing over each of the last four quarters (through June 30, 2023).

Whether the U.S. can avoid an economic recession over the coming months remains to be seen. As mentioned above, despite tighter monetary policy, the U.S. economy posted positive changes to GDP over each of the last four quarters. We continue to hope for a “soft landing,” but also keep our eyes fixated on the data.

Thank you for giving First Trust the opportunity to play a role in your financial future. We value our relationship with you and will report on the Fund again in six months.

Sincerely,

James A. Bowen

Chairman of the Board of Trustees

Chief Executive Officer of First Trust Advisors L.P.

Page 1

Table of Contents

Fund Performance Overview (Unaudited)

First Trust Municipal High Income ETF (FMHI)

The First Trust Municipal High Income ETF’s (the “Fund”) primary investment objective is to provide federally tax-exempt income, and its secondary objective is long-term capital appreciation. Under normal market conditions, the Fund seeks to achieve its investment objectives by investing at least 80% of its net assets (including investment borrowings) in municipal debt securities that pay interest that is exempt from regular federal income taxes (“Municipal Securities”). Under normal market conditions, the Fund invests at least 50% of its net assets in Municipal Securities that are, at the time of investment, rated below investment grade by at least one nationally recognized statistical rating organization rating such securities (or Municipal Securities that are unrated and determined by the Fund’s advisor to be of comparable quality), commonly referred to as “high yield” or “junk” bonds. The Fund lists and principally trades its shares on The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC under the ticker symbol “FMHI.”

Performance
		Average Annual Total Returns		Cumulative Total Returns
	1 Year Ended 7/31/23	5 Years Ended 7/31/23	Inception (11/1/17) to 7/31/23	5 Years Ended 7/31/23	Inception (11/1/17) to 7/31/23
Fund Performance
NAV	-0.44%	2.02%	2.27%	10.53%	13.77%
Market Price	-0.41%	2.03%	2.28%	10.55%	13.81%
Index Performance
Bloomberg Municipal Bond Index	0.93%	1.87%	1.72%	9.69%	10.27%
Blended Benchmark⁽¹⁾	1.59%	2.69%	2.73%	14.17%	16.73%

Total returns for the period since inception are calculated from the inception date of the Fund. “Average Annual Total Returns” represent the average annual change in value of an investment over the periods indicated. “Cumulative Total Returns” represent the total change in value of an investment over the periods indicated. The total returns would have been lower if certain fees had not been waived by the Advisor.

The Fund’s per share net asset value (“NAV”) is the value of one share of the Fund and is computed by dividing the value of all assets of the Fund (including accrued interest and dividends), less all liabilities (including accrued expenses and dividends declared but unpaid), by the total number of outstanding shares. The price used to calculate market return (“Market Price”) is determined by using the midpoint of the national best bid and offer price (“NBBO”) as of the time that the Fund’s NAV is calculated. Under SEC rules, the NBBO consists of the highest displayed buy and lowest sell prices among the various exchanges trading the Fund at the time the Fund’s NAV is calculated. Prior to January 1, 2019, the price used was the midpoint between the highest bid and the lowest offer on the stock exchange on which shares of the Fund were listed for trading as of the time that the Fund’s NAV was calculated. Since shares of the Fund did not trade in the secondary market until after its inception, for the period from inception to the first day of secondary market trading in shares of the Fund, the NAV of the Fund is used as a proxy for the secondary market trading price to calculate market returns. NAV and market returns assume that all distributions have been reinvested in the Fund at NAV and Market Price, respectively.

An index is a statistical composite that tracks a specified financial market or sector. Unlike the Fund, the indices that make up the Blended Benchmark 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. Also, market returns do not include brokerage commissions that may be payable on secondary market transactions. If brokerage commissions were included, market returns would be lower. The total returns presented reflect the reinvestment of dividends on securities in the indices. 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. The investment return and principal value of shares of the Fund will vary with changes in market conditions. Shares of the Fund may be worth more or less than their original cost when they are redeemed or sold in the market. The Fund’s past performance is no guarantee of future performance.

⁽¹⁾

The Blended Benchmark consists of the following two indexes: 50% of the Bloomberg High Yield 10-Year Municipal Index (8-12 years) which is comprised of bonds with a final maturity between 8 and 12 years that are part of the Bloomberg Municipal Bond High Yield Index; and 50% of the Bloomberg Revenue 10-Year Municipal Index (8-12 years), which is comprised of revenue bonds that have a final maturity between 8 and 12 years that are part of the Bloomberg Municipal Bond Index. Indexes do not charge management fees or brokerage expenses, and no such fees or expenses were deducted from the index performance shown. Indexes are unmanaged and an investor cannot invest directly in an index. The Blended Benchmark returns are calculated by using the monthly return of the two indices during each period shown above. At the beginning of each month the two indices are rebalanced to a 50-50 ratio to account for divergence from that ratio that occurred during the course of each month. The monthly returns are then compounded for each period shown above, giving the performance for the Blended Benchmark for each period shown above.

Page 2

Table of Contents

Fund Performance Overview (Unaudited) (Continued)

First Trust Municipal High Income ETF (FMHI) (Continued)

Sector Allocation	% of Total Investments (including cash)
Special Assessment	13.3%
Industrial Development Bond	13.1
Continuing Care Retirement Communities	10.7
Education	8.5
Dedicated Tax	6.2
Government Obligation Bond - Limited Tax	5.9
Government Obligation Bond - Unlimited Tax	5.4
Hospital	5.4
Gas	4.9
Utility	4.4
Airport	4.0
Tobacco	2.5
Tax Increment	2.3
Certificates of Participation	2.0
Insured	2.0
Higher Education	2.0
Water & Sewer	1.7
Student Housing	1.2
Toll Road	1.1
Local Housing	0.9
Skilled Nursing	0.6
Hotel	0.5
Pre-refunded/Escrowed-to-maturity	0.4
Port	0.3
Housing	0.2
Student Loan	0.1
Cash	0.4
Total	100.0%

Credit Rating⁽²⁾	% of Total Investments (including cash)
AAA	1.7%
AA	8.0
A	18.9
BBB	14.6
BB	13.8
B	2.1
Not Rated	40.5
Cash	0.4
Total	100.0%

Fund Allocation	% of Net Assets
Municipal Bonds	98.0%
Net Other Assets and Liabilities*	2.0
Total	100.0%

*	Includes variation margin on futures contracts.

⁽²⁾

The credit quality and ratings information presented above reflect the ratings assigned by one or more nationally recognized statistical rating organizations (NRSROs), including S&P Global Ratings, Moody’s Investors Service, Inc., Fitch Ratings 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. Sub-investment grade ratings are those rated BB+/Ba1 or lower. Investment grade ratings are those rated BBB-/Baa3 or higher. 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. Credit ratings are subject to change.

Page 3

Table of Contents

Portfolio Commentary

First Trust Municipal High Income ETF (FMHI)

Annual Report

July 31, 2023 (Unaudited)

Advisor

First Trust Advisors L.P. (“First Trust” or the “Advisor”) is the investment advisor to the First Trust Municipal High Income ETF (the “Fund”). First Trust is responsible for the ongoing monitoring of the Fund’s investment portfolio, managing the Fund’s business affairs and providing certain administrative services necessary for the management of the Fund.

Portfolio Management Team

Tom Byron, Senior Vice President, Senior Portfolio Manager

Johnathan N. Wilhelm, Senior Vice President, Senior Portfolio Manager

The portfolio managers are primarily and jointly responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund. Tom Byron has served as portfolio manager since 2022 and Johnathan N. Wilhelm has served as portfolio manager since 2017.

Commentary

The Fund is an actively managed exchange-traded fund. The Fund’s primary investment objective is to provide federally tax-exempt income. The Fund’s secondary investment objective is to provide long-term capital appreciation. Under normal market conditions, the Fund seeks to achieve its investment objectives by investing at least 80% of its net assets (including investment borrowings) in municipal debt securities that pay interest that is exempt from regular federal income taxes (collectively, “Municipal Securities”). In addition, under normal market conditions, the Fund invests at least 50% of its net assets in Municipal Securities that are rated non-investment grade at the time of purchase and no more than 50% of its net assets in Municipal Securities that at the time of purchase are rated investment grade. This commentary discusses the market performance and the Fund’s performance for the 12-month period ended July 31, 2023.

Market Recap

For the 12-month period ended July 31, 2023, the Fund’s Blended Benchmark generated a total return of 1.59%. The Blended Benchmark consists of the following two indexes: 50% of the Bloomberg High Yield 10-Year Municipal Index (8-12 years), which generated a total return of 1.53% for the period, and 50% of the Bloomberg Revenue 10-Year Municipal Index (8-12 years), which produced a return of 1.64%. For the same period, municipal bonds generated a total return of 0.93% as measured by the Bloomberg Municipal Bond Index, while the Bloomberg High Yield Total Return Index produced a total return of -0.20%. By comparison, the Bloomberg U.S. Treasury Index generated a total return of -4.01% during the same period. The following were major factors in explaining the municipal bond market performance:

•	Over the past year, U.S. Treasury rates increased all along the yield curve and municipal interest rates followed U.S. Treasury yields higher. During the 12-month period ended July 31, 2023, 5-Year and 10-Year U.S. Treasury yields increased by approximately 150 basis points (“bps”) and 133 bps, respectively, to 4.17% and 3.96%. As a reminder, the price of a bond moves inversely to a given change in yield, so higher yields resulted in lower U.S. Treasury bond prices.
•	Large industry-wide mutual fund and exchange-traded fund (“ETF”) outflows resulted in funds selling municipal bonds to meet redemptions which put additional pressure on municipal bond prices. According to data from the Investment Company Institute, annual fund flows for the 12-month period ended July 31, 2023, were -$55.0 billion (outflow of over $55 billion).
•	New issue municipal bond supply has been lower year-to-date compared to figures from a year ago. Through July 31, 2023, year-to-date issuance was approximately $204.4 billion, down approximately 17% compared to the $246.6 billion issued for the same period a year ago. However, J.P. Morgan noted that new issue supply inside of 10 years to maturity increased slightly compared to the same period a year ago.
•	According to data from Bloomberg, municipal credit spreads tightened year-to-date. From December 30, 2022 through July 31, 2023, for municipal bonds rated AA, A, and BBB, credit spreads decreased approximately 4 bps, 15 bps, and 21 bps, respectively.
•	Looking at the AAA municipal yield curve as prepared by Refinitiv Lipper, year-to-date, 5-Year and 10-Year municipal yields increased by 19 bps and decreased by 11 bps, to 2.66% and 2.57%, respectively.

Performance Analysis

The Fund’s total return based on net asset value (“NAV”) and market performance for the 12-month period ended July 31, 2023 was -0.44% and -0.41%, respectively, versus the Fund’s Blended Benchmark’s return of 1.59%.

Page 5

Table of Contents

Portfolio Commentary (Continued)

First Trust Municipal High Income ETF (FMHI)

Annual Report

July 31, 2023 (Unaudited)

As of July 31, 2023, the Fund’s market price of $47.00 was at a discount of approximately 0.11% to the Fund’s NAV of $47.05. The market value of the Fund’s shares fluctuates from time to time and may be higher or lower than the Fund’s NAV. The Fund’s use of Treasury futures was a positive contributor to the Fund’s performance for the 12-month period ended July 31, 2023. Key factors impacting the Fund’s performance over the 12-month period ended July 31, 2023 were:

•	Years to Maturity: During the period, the portfolio yield curve and effective duration positions were significant reasons the Fund underperformed relative to the Blended Benchmark. In terms of the Fund’s allocation in years to a bond’s final maturity date, the Fund’s allocation to bonds with a final stated maturity date of 18+ years was the largest single contributor to the Fund’s underperformance relative to the Blended Benchmark. In addition, the Fund’s allocation and/or selection of bonds with 10-12 years to maturity, 16-18 years to maturity, and 0-2 years to maturity detracted from Fund performance. The Fund’s allocation to bonds with a stated maturity of 8-10 years was a positive contributor to the Fund’s performance relative to the Blended Benchmark.
•	Effective Duration: Focusing on the Fund’s effective duration allocations, the Fund’s selection of bonds with an effective duration of 10+ years was the largest single contributor to the Fund’s underperformance relative to the Blended Benchmark. The Fund’s selection and allocation of bonds with an effective duration of 0-2 years and selection of bonds with an effective duration of 7-10 years also detracted from Fund performance during the period.
•	Credit Rating: Regarding the Fund’s credit rating allocation relative to its Blended Benchmark, the Fund’s selection of non-rated high yield bonds was the largest single contributor to the Fund’s underperformance. The Fund’s selection of bonds in the BB, BBB, and A credit rating categories were detractors to Fund performance. Finally, the Fund’s allocation and selection of bonds rated single B was a positive contributor to Fund performance.
•	Sector/Industry: In terms of the Fund’s allocation to municipal bond sectors, the Fund’s selection of bonds in the special tax, health care, and charter school sectors were the largest detractors to Fund performance relative to the Blended Benchmark. The Fund’s allocation and selection of bonds in the lease sector was a modest positive contributor to Fund performance relative to the Blended Benchmark.
•	Distribution Rate: The distribution of $0.1545 paid on July 31, 2023 represents a tax-exempt annualized distribution rate of 3.94% based on the Fund’s closing market price of $47.00 on July 31, 2023. During the period, the Fund’s distribution rate increased six times. The Fund’s distribution rate is not constant and is subject to change over time based on the performance of the Fund.

Market Outlook

According to the Federal Reserve’s (the “Fed”) “Dot Plot,” the Federal Funds rate is expected to reach approximately 5.625% by December 31, 2023. We expect the Fed to raise interest rates by 25 bps at either its September 20, 2023 or November 1, 2023 meeting. During the final months of 2023, we expect longer U.S. Treasury rates to become range-bound. For example, regarding the 10-Year U.S. Treasury yield, we forecast the 10-Year bonds will trade within a range of 3.75%-4.25% and would not be surprised if the yield curve inverts more significantly whereby 2-Year yields are significantly higher than 10-Year yields. During the first half of 2024, given that we forecast that U.S. gross domestic product will grow very slowly or turn negative, we would expect the 10-Year U.S. Treasury yield to gradually decline to a range of 3.50%-3.75%.

Due to our belief that the Fed will only have one more 25 bps interest rate increase before hitting the Federal Funds terminal rate of 5.50%-5.75%, we expect municipal bond price trends to become more dependent on new issue supply and municipal mutual fund/ETF fund flows, rather than U.S. Treasury price and Fed moves. Since the municipal bond market has experienced significantly lower new issue supply year-to-date and forecast revisions for all of 2023, the key variable going forward will likely be mutual fund/ETF flows. We forecast that fund flows will turn consistently positive at some point during the fourth quarter of 2023 and fund inflows will continue during the first half of 2024. In a $4 trillion market dominated by retail investors, mutual fund, ETF, and separately managed account fund flows are a key determinant to municipal market total returns, in our view. Along with U.S. Treasury yields becoming range-bound and then gradually declining during the fourth quarter of 2023 and first half of 2024, fund flows are the other key variable to our forecast for distinctly positive total returns over the next twelve months.

As measured by municipal bond defaults and credit rating upgrade to downgrade ratios, municipal bond credit quality is currently healthy. Certain sectors have seen significant credit quality recovery including airports, toll roads, and select general obligation bonds. However, for 5 of the past 6 months, negative outlook revisions exceeded positive revisions by the S&P 500^® Index. We expect certain sectors of the municipal bond universe will remain under margin pressure, including hospitals and senior living facilities, as well as

Page 6

Table of Contents

First Trust Municipal High Income ETF (FMHI)

Understanding Your Fund Expenses

July 31, 2023 (Unaudited)

As a shareholder of the First Trust Municipal High Income ETF (the “Fund”), you incur two types of costs: (1) transaction costs; and (2) ongoing costs, including management fees, distribution and/or service (12b-1) fees, if any, and other Fund expenses. This Example is intended to help you understand your ongoing costs of investing in the Fund and to compare these costs with the ongoing costs of investing in other funds.

The Example is based on an investment of $1,000 invested at the beginning of the period and held through the six-month period ended July 31, 2023.

Actual Expenses

The first line in the following table provides information about actual account values and actual expenses. You may use the information in this line, together with the amount you invested, to estimate the expenses that you paid over the period. Simply divide your account value by $1,000 (for example, an $8,600 account value divided by $1,000 = 8.6), then multiply the result by the number in the first line under the heading entitled “Expenses Paid During the Six-Month Period” to estimate the expenses you paid on your account during this six-month period.

Hypothetical Example for Comparison Purposes

The second line in the following table provides information about hypothetical account values and hypothetical expenses based on the Fund’s actual expense ratio and an assumed rate of return of 5% per year before expenses, which is not the Fund’s actual return. The hypothetical account values and expenses may not be used to estimate the actual ending account balance or expenses you paid for the period. You may use this information to compare the ongoing costs of investing in the Fund and other funds. To do so, compare this 5% hypothetical example with the 5% hypothetical examples that appear in the shareholder reports of the other funds.

Please note that the expenses shown in the table are meant to highlight your ongoing costs only and do not reflect any transactional costs such as brokerage commissions. Therefore, the second line in the table is useful in comparing ongoing costs only, and will not help you determine the relative total costs of owning different funds. In addition, if these transactional costs were included, your costs would have been higher.

	Beginning Account Value February 1, 2023	Ending Account Value July 31, 2023	Annualized Expense Ratio Based on the Six-Month Period	Expenses Paid During the Six-Month Period (a)
First Trust Municipal High Income ETF (FMHI)
Actual	$1,000.00	$1,005.70	0.70%	$3.48
Hypothetical (5% return before expenses)	$1,000.00	$1,021.32	0.70%	$3.51

(a)	Expenses are equal to the annualized expense ratios as indicated in the table multiplied by the average account value over the period (February 1, 2023 through July 31, 2023), multiplied by 181/365 (to reflect the six-month period).

Page 8

Table of Contents

First Trust Municipal High Income ETF (FMHI)

Portfolio of Investments

July 31, 2023

Principal Value	Description	Stated Coupon	Stated Maturity	Value
MUNICIPAL BONDS – 98.0%
	Alabama – 2.0%
$2,000,000	Black Belt Energy Gas Dist AL Gas Proj Rev Proj No. 6, Ser B (Mandatory put 12/01/26)	4.00%	10/01/52	$1,980,404
530,000	Black Belt Energy Gas Dist AL Gas Proj Rev, Ser C-1 (Mandatory put 6/01/29)	5.25%	02/01/53	556,676
1,340,000	Black Belt Energy Gas Dist AL Gas Proj Rev, Ser F (Mandatory put 12/01/28)	5.50%	11/01/53	1,413,573
1,000,000	Energy SE AL A Cooperative Dist Energy Sply Rev, Ser A-1 (Mandatory put 01/01/31)	5.50%	11/01/53	1,076,847
2,425,000	SE Energy Auth AL Cmdy Sply Rev Proj #1, Ser A (Mandatory put 10/01/28)	4.00%	11/01/51	2,389,101
800,000	SE Energy Auth AL Cmdy Sply Rev Proj #4, Ser B-1 (Mandatory put 08/01/28)	5.00%	05/01/53	825,653
				8,242,254
	Arizona – 3.3%
1,790,000	AZ St Indl Dev Auth Edu Rev Acads of Math & Science Proj (a)	5.00%	07/01/39	1,736,411
750,000	AZ St Indl Dev Auth Edu Rev Doral Acdmy NV Fire Mesa & Red Rock Cmps Proj, Ser A	5.00%	07/15/39	734,926
500,000	AZ St Indl Dev Auth Edu Rev Doral Acdmy NV Pebble, Ser A (a)	5.00%	07/15/40	486,386
400,000	AZ St Indl Dev Auth Edu Rev Lone Mountain Cmps Proj, Ser A (a)	5.00%	12/15/39	378,984
1,000,000	AZ St Indl Dev Auth Edu Rev Pinecrest Acdmy Horizon Inspirada & St Rose Cmps, Ser A (a)	5.75%	07/15/38	1,012,660
1,055,000	AZ St Indl Dev Auth Edu Rev Ref Basis Sch Projs, Ser D (a)	4.00%	07/01/27	1,021,882
290,000	AZ St Indl Dev Auth Edu Rev Ref Doral Acdmy of Northern NV Proj, Ser A (a)	4.00%	07/15/41	237,876
1,000,000	AZ St Indl Dev Auth Edu Rev Ref Doral Acdmy of Northern NV Proj, Ser A (a)	4.00%	07/15/51	745,730
1,740,000	AZ St Indl Dev Auth Edu Rev Somerset Acdmy of LV Aliante & Skye Canyon Cmps Proj, Ser A (a)	4.00%	12/15/41	1,402,366
1,000,000	AZ St Indl Dev Auth Edu Rev Somerset Acdmy of LV Aliante & Skye Canyon Cmps Proj, Ser A (a)	4.00%	12/15/51	731,068
500,000	Glendale AZ Indl Dev Auth Sr Living Facs Rev Royal Oaks Inspirata Pointe Proj, Ser A	5.00%	05/15/41	462,731
1,035,000	Maricopa Cnty AZ Indl Dev Auth Edu Rev Ref Legacy Trad Schs Proj Auth, Ser B (a)	5.00%	07/01/49	940,338
1,000,000	Maricopa Cnty AZ Indl Dev Auth Edu Rev Ref Legacy Trad Schs Proj Auth, Ser B (a)	5.00%	07/01/54	888,184
2,000,000	Phoenix AZ Indl Dev Auth Hotel Rev Sr Falcon Properties LLC Proj, Ser A (a)	4.00%	12/01/51	1,538,174
100,000	Phoenix AZ Indl Dev Auth Stdt Hsg Rev Ref Downtown Phoenix Stdt Hsg LLC AZ St Univ Proj, Ser A	5.00%	07/01/27	103,586
1,000,000	Pima Cnty AZ Indl Dev Auth Sr Living Rev La Posada at Pusch Ridge Proj, Ser A (a)	6.75%	11/15/42	1,012,925
				13,434,227
	Arkansas – 1.5%
3,000,000	AR Dev Fin Auth Envrnmntl Rev Green Bond United States Steel Corp Proj, AMT	5.45%	09/01/52	2,999,851
1,000,000	AR Dev Fin Auth Envrnmntl Rev Green Bond US Steel Corp Proj, AMT	5.70%	05/01/53	1,014,889
2,000,000	AR St Dev Fin Auth Indl Dev Rev Green Bonds Hybar Steel Proj, Ser A, AMT (a)	6.88%	07/01/48	2,071,764
				6,086,504

See Notes to Financial Statements

Page 9

Table of Contents

First Trust Municipal High Income ETF (FMHI)

Portfolio of Investments (Continued)

July 31, 2023

Principal Value	Description	Stated Coupon	Stated Maturity	Value
MUNICIPAL BONDS (Continued)
	California – 6.2%
$2,500,000	CA Cmnty Choice Fing Auth Clean Energy Proj Rev Green Bonds, Ser D (Mandatory put 11/01/28)	5.50%	05/01/54	$2,638,421
250,000	CA Pub Fin Auth Sr Living Rev Enso Vlg Proj Green Bond, Ser A (a)	5.00%	11/15/46	225,783
250,000	CA Pub Fin Auth Sr Living Rev Enso Vlg Proj Green Bond, Ser A (a)	5.00%	11/15/51	220,450
250,000	CA Sch Fin Auth Sch Fac Rev Ref Value Schs, Ser A (a)	5.25%	07/01/48	252,604
1,050,000	CA St Muni Fin Auth Chrt Sch Rev Palmdale Aerospace Acdmy Proj, Ser A (a)	5.00%	07/01/38	1,028,348
450,000	CA St Muni Fin Auth Chrt Sch Rev, Ser A (a)	5.50%	06/01/38	451,013
2,000,000	CA St Muni Fin Auth Rev CA Baptist Univ, Ser A (a)	5.00%	11/01/46	1,943,611
205,000	CA St Muni Fin Auth Rev Ref Eisenhower Med Ctr, Ser A	5.00%	07/01/32	214,655
1,250,000	CA St Muni Fin Auth Rev Ref HumanGood Oblig Grp, Ser A	5.00%	10/01/44	1,274,079
1,000,000	CA St Muni Fin Auth Spl Fac Rev United Airls Inc Proj, AMT	4.00%	07/15/29	992,663
1,250,000	CA St Poll Control Fing Auth Wtr Furnishing Rev Plant Bonds, AMT (a)	5.00%	07/01/37	1,250,298
2,000,000	CA St Poll Control Fing Auth Wtr Furnishing Rev Plant Bonds, AMT (a)	5.00%	11/21/45	1,990,058
1,000,000	CA St Sch Fin Auth Chrt Sch Rev Ref Classical Academies Oceanside Proj, Ser A (a)	5.00%	10/01/42	1,005,846
550,000	CA Stwd Cmntys Dev Auth Rev Loma Linda Univ Med Ctr, Ser A (a)	5.00%	12/01/33	560,610
1,500,000	CSCDA Cmnty Impt Auth CA Essential Hsg Rev the Link Glendale Social Bonds, Ser A-2 (a)	4.00%	07/01/56	1,053,386
500,000	CSCDA Cmnty Impt Auth CA Essential Hsg Rev Union S Bay Social Bonds, Ser A-2 (a)	4.00%	07/01/56	367,862
1,000,000	Golden St Tobacco Securitization Corp CA Tobacco Stlmt Ref, Tobacco Stlmt Asset Backed Bonds, Ser A-1	5.00%	06/01/51	1,042,097
300,000	Morongo Band of Mission Indians CA Rev Ref, Ser B (a)	5.00%	10/01/42	296,013
450,000	Palm Desert CA Spl Tax Ref Univ Park	4.00%	09/01/41	410,770
400,000	Roseville CA Spl Tax Svsp Westpark Federico Cmnty Facs Dt No. 1	4.00%	09/01/41	366,957
850,000	Roseville CA Spl Tax The Ranch at Sierra Vista Cmnty Facs Dt No. 1	5.00%	09/01/48	857,491
1,100,000	Roseville CA Spl Tax The Ranch at Sierra Vista Cmnty Facs Dt No. 1	5.00%	09/01/53	1,105,111
1,000,000	San Diego Cnty CA Regl Arpt Auth Arpt Rev Subord, Ser B, AMT	5.00%	07/01/46	1,045,165
2,000,000	San Francisco CA City & Cnty Arpts Commn Intl Arpt Rev, Ser A, AMT	5.00%	05/01/44	2,071,541
1,000,000	San Francisco City & Cnty CA Cmnty Facs Dist #2016-1, Ser 2021	4.00%	09/01/46	887,848
1,615,000	San Luis Obispo Cnty CA Fing Auth Lease Rev Multiple Capital Projs Ref, Ser A	5.25%	11/15/42	1,794,153
				25,346,833
	Colorado – 7.5%
1,125,000	Allison Vly Met Dist #2 CO Ref	4.70%	12/01/47	926,546
1,000,000	Baseline Met Dist #1 CO Spl Rev, Ser A	5.00%	12/01/51	891,857
525,000	Brighton Crossing Met Dist #6 CO, Ser A	5.00%	12/01/35	500,323
1,000,000	Cascade Ridge Met Dist CO	5.00%	12/01/51	838,096
515,000	Chambers Highpoint Met Dist #2 CO	5.00%	12/01/41	461,861
750,000	CO St Eductnl & Cultural Facs Auth Rev Ref & Impt Chrt Sch Skyview Acdmy Proj (a)	5.50%	07/01/49	741,788
1,000,000	CO St Eductnl & Cultural Facs Auth Rev Ref & Impt Chrt Sch Univ Lab Bldg Corp (a)	5.00%	12/15/45	1,009,454

Page 10

See Notes to Financial Statements

Table of Contents

First Trust Municipal High Income ETF (FMHI)

Portfolio of Investments (Continued)

July 31, 2023

Principal Value	Description	Stated Coupon	Stated Maturity	Value
MUNICIPAL BONDS (Continued)
	Colorado (Continued)
$2,000,000	CO St Hlth Facs Auth Hosp Rev Aberdeen Ridge, Ser A (b)	5.00%	05/15/58	$1,458,491
1,400,000	CO St Hlth Facs Auth Rev Ref Christian Living Neighborhoods Proj	5.00%	01/01/37	1,272,173
950,000	CO St Hlth Facs Auth Rev Ref Commonspirit Hlth, Ser A-1	4.00%	08/01/39	918,719
670,000	CO St Hlth Facs Auth Rev Ref Frasier Proj, Ser 2023A	4.00%	05/15/35	606,378
1,125,000	CO St Hlth Facs Auth Rev Ref Frasier Proj, Ser 2023A	4.00%	05/15/41	930,517
625,000	CO St Hlth Facs Auth Rev Sr Living Ralston Creek Arvada Proj, Ser A (b) (c)	5.25%	11/01/32	300,000
1,120,000	Denver City & Cnty CO Arpt Rev Ref, Ser D, AMT	5.75%	11/15/40	1,283,418
1,100,000	Denver City & Cnty CO Arpt Rev Ref, Ser D, AMT	5.75%	11/15/45	1,242,370
1,220,000	Denver City & Cnty CO Arpt Rev, Ser A, AMT	5.00%	11/15/41	1,301,878
500,000	Denver CO Intl Busn Ctr CO Met Dist #1 Subord, Ser B	6.00%	12/01/48	499,953
1,700,000	Elbert & Hwy 86 CO Comml Spl Rev & Tax Supported Ref Sr Bonds, Ser A (a)	5.00%	12/01/41	1,541,613
1,510,000	Elbert & Hwy 86 CO Comml Spl Rev & Tax Supported Ref Sr Bonds, Ser A (a)	5.00%	12/01/51	1,269,523
1,500,000	Four Corners Busn Impt Dist CO Ltd Tax Supported	6.00%	12/01/52	1,382,857
1,000,000	Grandview Reserve Met Dist #3 CO Sr Bonds, Ser A	6.25%	12/01/52	948,565
500,000	Independence Met Dist #3 CO, Ser A	6.25%	12/01/49	462,324
575,000	Jefferson Ctr CO Met Dist #1 Spl Rev, Ser A-2	4.13%	12/01/40	486,541
1,000,000	Meridian Ranch Met Dist 2018 Subdistrict CO	6.75%	12/01/52	991,045
2,000,000	Mirabelle Met Dist #2 CO Sr, Ser A	5.00%	12/01/49	1,790,147
905,000	Mountain Brook Met Dist CO	4.50%	12/01/41	731,841
500,000	Murphy Creek Met Dist #5 CO Sr Bonds, Ser A	6.00%	12/01/52	488,490
500,000	Peak Met Dist #1 CO, Ser A (a)	4.00%	12/01/35	428,209
1,000,000	Peak Met Dist #1 CO, Ser A (a)	5.00%	12/01/41	923,864
1,500,000	Prairie Ctr CO Met Dist #3 Ltd Property Tax Supported Pri Ref, Ser A (a)	5.00%	12/15/41	1,483,392
500,000	Prairie Ctr Met Dist #7 CO	4.13%	12/15/36	443,413
785,000	Siena Lake Met Dist CO	3.25%	12/01/31	666,864
500,000	Siena Lake Met Dist CO	4.00%	12/01/51	371,610
500,000	Trails at Crowfoot Met Dist #3 CO Sr Ser, Ser A	5.00%	12/01/39	480,538
700,000	W Meadow Met Dist CO Ref Sr Bonds, Ser A (a)	6.00%	12/01/38	719,312
				30,793,970
	Connecticut – 2.4%
250,000	Bridgeport CT, Ser A, BAM	5.00%	02/01/31	276,191
2,000,000	CT St Hlth & Eductnl Facs Auth Rev Covenant Home Inc, Ser B	5.00%	12/01/40	1,996,606
2,725,000	CT St Hlth & Eductnl Facs Auth Rev Trinity Hlth Corp	5.00%	12/01/45	2,776,476
800,000	CT St Hlth & Eductnl Facs Auth Rev, Ser A	4.00%	07/01/37	782,374
1,250,000	CT St Spl Tax Oblig Rev, Ser A	5.00%	05/01/41	1,376,918
2,500,000	Harbor Point CT Infra Impt Dist Spl Oblig Rev Ref Harbor Point Proj Ltd (a)	5.00%	04/01/39	2,507,294
				9,715,859
	Delaware – 0.1%
415,000	Millsboro DE Spl Oblig Ref Plantation Lakes Spl Dev Dist (a)	5.00%	07/01/28	417,862
	Florida – 13.8%
500,000	Alachua Cnty FL Hlth Facs Auth CCRC Ref Oak Hammock at The Univ of FL Inc Proj	4.00%	10/01/40	397,842
1,000,000	Ave Maria FL Stewardship Cmnty Dist Capital Impt Rev Phase 4 Master Impt Proj (a) (d)	5.25%	05/01/43	996,393
485,000	Babcock Ranch Cmnty Indep Spl Dist FL Spl Assmnt Rev Proj, Ser 2021	4.00%	05/01/52	381,272

See Notes to Financial Statements

Page 11

Table of Contents

First Trust Municipal High Income ETF (FMHI)

Portfolio of Investments (Continued)

July 31, 2023

Principal Value	Description	Stated Coupon	Stated Maturity	Value
MUNICIPAL BONDS (Continued)
	Florida (Continued)
$1,000,000	Berry Bay CDD FL Spl Assmnt Rev Assmnt Area One	3.63%	05/01/41	$806,812
735,000	Bridgewater N Cmnty Dev Dist FL Capital Impt Rev	4.00%	05/01/42	626,975
1,000,000	Broward Cnty FL Indl Dev Rev Var FL Pwr & Light Co Proj, Ser A, AMT (e)	4.65%	12/01/48	1,000,000
895,000	Capital Trust Agy FL Eductnl Facs Rev Academir Chrt Schs Inc Proj, Ser A (a)	4.00%	07/01/41	722,964
525,000	Capital Trust Agy FL Eductnl Facs Rev Academir Chrt Schs Inc Proj, Ser A (a)	4.00%	07/01/51	384,143
200,000	Capital Trust Agy FL Eductnl Facs Rev Liza Jackson Preparatory Sch Inc Proj, Ser A	4.00%	08/01/30	197,401
1,070,000	Capital Trust Agy FL Eductnl Facs Rev Liza Jackson Preparatory Sch Inc Proj, Ser A	5.00%	08/01/40	1,074,752
750,000	Charlotte Cnty FL Indl Dev Auth Util Sys Rev Town & Country Utils Proj, Ser A, AMT (a)	4.00%	10/01/41	658,511
1,000,000	Charlotte Cnty FL Indl Dev Auth Util Sys Rev Town & Country Utils Proj, Ser A, AMT (a)	4.00%	10/01/51	825,855
595,000	Coco Palms FL CDD Spl Assmnt	4.50%	05/01/32	590,947
1,000,000	Coco Palms FL CDD Spl Assmnt	5.00%	05/01/46	957,962
1,500,000	Connerton E CDD FL Spl Assmnt Area One	5.25%	06/15/43	1,520,669
600,000	Cypress Bluff CDD FL Spl Assmnt Del Web Proj, Ser A (a)	3.63%	05/01/40	487,567
2,650,000	Edgewater E CDD FL Spl Assmnt Rev Assmnt Area Two	4.00%	05/01/42	2,254,287
3,470,000	Epperson N CDD FL Capital Impt Rev Assmnt Area #2	4.00%	05/01/51	2,741,460
1,250,000	Fallschase Cmnty Dev Dist FL Spl Assmnt	3.38%	05/01/41	976,567
1,385,000	FL St Dev Fin Corp Eductnl Facs Rev Ref Global Outreach Chrt Acdmy Proj, Ser A (a)	4.00%	06/30/56	974,128
2,000,000	FL St Dev Fin Corp Sol Wst Disp Rev Var Waste Pro USA Inc Proj, AMT (Mandatory put 07/01/26) (a)	6.13%	07/01/32	2,014,673
1,005,000	FL St Dev Fin Corp Sr Living Rev Ref Mayflower Retmnt Cmnty Proj, Ser A (a)	4.00%	06/01/41	729,179
500,000	Forest Lake Cmnty Dev Dist FL Spl Assmnt Area 1 Proj (a)	4.00%	05/01/40	460,253
1,060,000	Gulfstream Polo Cmnty Dev Dist FL Spl Assmnt Phase 2 Proj	4.38%	11/01/49	929,961
1,000,000	Hills Minneola Cmnty Dev Dist FL Spl Assmnt Rev S Parcel Assmnt Area (a)	4.00%	05/01/40	865,939
750,000	Lakewood Ranch FL Stewardship Dist Spl Assmnt Rev N E Sector Proj Phase 1A	5.00%	05/01/38	753,073
1,325,000	Lakewood Ranch FL Stewardship Dist Spl Assmnt Rev Stewardship Dist Azario Proj	4.00%	05/01/50	1,054,097
2,575,000	Lee Cnty FL Indl Dev Auth Hlthcr Facs Rev Shell Point Waterside Hlth Proj	5.00%	11/15/49	2,411,231
1,500,000	LTC Ranch West Rsdl Cmnty Dev Dist Spl Assmnt Rev Assmnt Area One Proj, Ser A	4.00%	05/01/52	1,177,611
2,570,000	Miami-Dade Cnty FL Aviation Rev Ref, Ser A, AMT	5.00%	10/01/38	2,590,509
1,000,000	Miami-Dade Cnty FL Seaport Rev Ref Sr Bonds, Ser A, AMT	5.00%	10/01/36	1,082,283
2,245,000	Miami-Dade Cnty FL Wtr & Swr Rev Sub	5.00%	10/01/46	2,375,947
1,250,000	Mirada II Cmnty Dev Dist FL Cap Impt Rev	4.00%	05/01/51	981,519
1,520,000	N Park Isle Cmnty Dev Dist FL Spl Assmnt Rev Assmnt Area One	4.50%	05/01/40	1,408,192
1,000,000	N Springs FL Impt Dist Parkland Bay Assmt Area (a)	4.88%	05/01/38	981,003
1,300,000	Old Hickory CDD FL Spl Assmnt Spl Asmt	4.00%	06/15/40	1,143,476
465,000	Parkland Preserve CDD FL Spl Assmnt Rev, Ser A	5.25%	05/01/39	469,703
1,000,000	Pine Isle Cmnty Dev Dist FL Spl Assmnt 2021 Proj (a)	3.25%	12/15/41	799,525
1,000,000	Polk Cnty FL Indl Dev Auth Mineral Dev LLC Secondary Phosphate Tailings Recovery Proj (a)	5.88%	01/01/33	1,009,655
1,710,000	Reunion E FL CDD Spl Assmnt, Ser 2021	4.00%	05/01/51	1,383,386
770,000	Rivington CDD FL Spl Assmnt Rev Assmnt Area	3.38%	05/01/31	698,257

Page 12

See Notes to Financial Statements

Table of Contents

First Trust Municipal High Income ETF (FMHI)

Portfolio of Investments (Continued)

July 31, 2023

Principal Value	Description	Stated Coupon	Stated Maturity	Value
MUNICIPAL BONDS (Continued)
	Florida (Continued)
$500,000	Saint Johns Cnty FL Indl Dev Auth Sr Living Rev Ref Vicar’s Landing Proj, Ser A	4.00%	12/15/36	$428,776
750,000	Saint Johns Cnty FL Indl Dev Auth Sr Living Rev Ref Vicar’s Landing Proj, Ser A	4.00%	12/15/41	595,737
1,000,000	Saint Lucie Cnty FL Sol Wst Disp Ref FL Pwr & Light Co Pj (e)	4.65%	05/01/24	1,000,000
2,055,000	Sawyers Landing CDD FL Spl Assmnt Rev	4.13%	05/01/41	1,760,732
250,000	SE Overtown Park W Cmnty Redev Agy FL Tax, Ser A-1 (a)	5.00%	03/01/30	251,575
490,000	Shell Point Cmnty Dev Dist FL Spl Assmnt (a)	5.25%	11/01/39	494,357
1,000,000	Shingle Creek At Bronson CDD FL Spl Assmnt	3.50%	06/15/41	789,116
750,000	Six Mile Creek FL CDD Capital Impt Rev Assmnt Area 3 Phase 1	4.00%	05/01/51	592,534
2,580,000	Stillwater CDD FL Sp Assmnt Spl Assmt 2021 Proj (a)	3.50%	06/15/41	2,045,191
835,000	Triple Creek FL CDD Spl Assmnt Villages Q&R Proj (a)	4.00%	11/01/51	660,752
1,055,000	Trout Creek CDD FL Capital Impt Rev	4.00%	05/01/51	810,905
230,000	Villamar CDD FL Spl Assmnt	4.00%	05/01/29	226,008
2,000,000	Westview S CDD FL Spl Assmnt Area One 2023 Proj Area	5.38%	05/01/43	1,984,282
1,190,000	Wildblue CDD FL Spl Assmnt (a)	4.25%	06/15/39	1,065,231
				56,601,175
	Georgia – 3.3%
1,000,000	Atlanta GA Arpt Passenger Fac Charge Rev Arpt Rev Subord, Ser D, AMT	4.00%	07/01/37	992,531
1,000,000	Bartow Cnty GA Dev Auth Solidwaste Disp Fac Rev Var GA Pwr Co Plant Bowen Proj, AMT (e)	4.80%	11/01/62	1,000,000
4,000,000	Burke Cnty GA Dev Auth Poll Control Rev Adj GA Pwr Co Plant Vogtle Proj Remk (e)	4.78%	11/01/52	4,000,000
55,000	Fulton Cnty GA Rsdl Care Facs Elderly Auth Retmnt Fac Rev Ref Lenbrook Sq Fdtn Inc	5.00%	07/01/31	55,338
1,500,000	Fulton Cnty GA Rsdl Care Facs Elderly Auth Retmnt Fac Rev Ref Lenbrook Sq Fdtn Inc	5.00%	07/01/42	1,414,114
500,000	Geo L Smith II GA Congress Ctr Auth Convention Ctr Hotel Second Tier, Ser B (a)	5.00%	01/01/36	473,076
1,750,000	Main Street Nat Gas Inc GA Gas Sply Rev, Ser A (Mandatory put 12/01/29)	4.00%	09/01/52	1,720,381
1,285,000	Main Street Nat Gas Inc GA Gas Sply Rev, Ser C (Mandatory put 09/01/26)	4.00%	03/01/50	1,278,557
1,000,000	Main Street Nat Gas Inc GA Gas Sply Rev, Ser C (Mandatory put 09/01/30)	5.00%	09/01/53	1,051,797
1,000,000	Main Street Nat Gas Inc GA Gas Sply Rev, Ser C (Mandatory put 12/01/28)	4.00%	05/01/52	987,791
350,000	Muni Elec Auth of GA Plant Vogtle Units 3&4 Proj J, Ser A, AGM	5.00%	07/01/30	391,126
				13,364,711
	Guam – 0.1%
250,000	Guam Govt Busn Privilege Tax Rev Ref, Ser D	5.00%	11/15/35	252,023
155,000	Guam Govt Wtrwks Auth Wtr & Wstwtr Sys Rev, Ser A	5.00%	01/01/50	157,490
				409,513
	Idaho – 0.6%
1,000,000	ID Falls ID Auditorium Dist Annual Approp Ctfs, COPS (a)	5.25%	05/15/51	957,667
1,265,000	ID St Hlth Facs Auth Rev Ref Madison Memorial Hosp	5.00%	09/01/30	1,284,563
				2,242,230
	Illinois – 3.2%
300,000	Chicago IL Brd of Edu Ref Dedicated, Ser C	5.00%	12/01/30	307,533
3,500,000	Chicago IL Brd of Edu Ref, Ser B	5.00%	12/01/30	3,697,512

See Notes to Financial Statements

Page 13

Table of Contents

First Trust Municipal High Income ETF (FMHI)

Portfolio of Investments (Continued)

July 31, 2023

Principal Value	Description	Stated Coupon	Stated Maturity	Value
MUNICIPAL BONDS (Continued)
	Illinois (Continued)
$1,000,000	Chicago IL Brd of Edu, Ser A	5.00%	12/01/35	$1,040,375
750,000	Chicago IL Chicago Wks, Ser A	5.50%	01/01/40	819,035
400,000	Chicago IL O’Hare Intl Arpt Rev Ref Sr Lien, Ser A, AMT	5.00%	01/01/37	420,783
400,000	Chicago IL Ref 2003B Remk	5.25%	01/01/29	407,174
515,000	Chicago IL Ref, Ser C, CABS	(f)	01/01/25	485,757
65,000	Hillside IL Tax Incr Rev Ref	5.00%	01/01/24	65,135
100,000	IL St	5.00%	04/01/24	100,888
250,000	IL St	5.50%	05/01/26	263,442
200,000	IL St	5.00%	06/01/27	208,461
250,000	IL St Fin Auth Chrt Sch Rev Ref & Impt Chicago Intl Chrt Sch Proj	5.00%	12/01/30	258,488
250,000	IL St Fin Auth Chrt Sch Rev Ref & Impt Chicago Intl Chrt Sch Proj	5.00%	12/01/31	258,174
100,000	IL St Fin Auth Stdt Hsg & Acad Fac Rev Chf Chicago LLC Univ IL Chicago Proj, Ser A	5.00%	02/15/26	100,684
300,000	IL St Fin Auth Stdt Hsg & Acad Fac Rev Chf Chicago LLC Univ IL Chicago Proj, Ser A	5.00%	02/15/27	303,674
145,000	IL St Fin Auth Stdt Hsg & Acad Fac Rev Chf Chicago LLC Univ IL Chicago Proj, Ser A	5.00%	02/15/28	147,218
2,000,000	IL St, Ser C	5.00%	11/01/29	2,128,206
545,000	IL St, Ser D	5.00%	11/01/24	554,441
1,660,000	Lincolnwood IL Tax Incr Allocation Rev Nts Dist 1860 Dev Proj, Ser A, COPS (a)	4.82%	01/01/41	1,524,700
				13,091,680
	Indiana – 1.7%
250,000	Fort Wayne IN Mf Hsg Rev Silver Birch at Cook Road (a)	5.30%	01/01/32	219,818
2,000,000	IN Fin Auth Midwestern Disaster Relief Rev OH Vly Elec Corp Proj Remk, Ser A	4.25%	11/01/30	2,015,445
1,360,000	IN St Fin Auth Envrnmntl Rev Ref Var Duke Energy IN Inc Proj Remk, Ser A-1, AMT (Mandatory put 06/01/32)	4.50%	05/01/35	1,363,779
750,000	IN St Fin Auth Hosp Rev Reid Hlth, AGM	5.00%	01/01/41	802,446
1,275,000	IN St Fin Auth Rev BHI Sr Living, Ser A (Pre-refunded maturity 11/15/23)	5.88%	11/15/41	1,282,492
200,000	IN St Fin Auth Rev Eductnl Facs Rock Creek Cmnty Acdmy Proj, Ser A (g)	5.25%	07/01/28	198,710
595,000	Plainfield IN Mf Hsg Rev Glasswater Creek Proj	5.38%	09/01/38	480,532
600,000	Terre Haute IN Mf Hsg Rev Silver Birch of Terre Haute Proj	5.10%	01/01/32	518,393
				6,881,615
	Iowa – 0.8%
3,000,000	IA St Fin Auth Midwstrn Disaster Area Rev Ref IA Fertilizer Company Proj	5.00%	12/01/50	3,035,498
300,000	IA St Fin Auth Midwstrn Disaster Area Rev Ref IA Fertilizer Company Proj (Mandatory put 12/01/42)	5.00%	12/01/50	306,261
				3,341,759
	Kansas – 0.5%
500,000	Goddard KS Sales Tax Spl Oblg Rev Ref Olympic Park Star Bond Proj	3.60%	06/01/30	474,331
175,000	Shawnee Cnty KS Pub Bldg Commn Rev Corrections and Parks & Rec Projs	5.50%	09/01/34	208,045
1,250,000	Wyandotte Cnty KS Kansas City Unif Govt Spl Oblg Rev Ref Vlg E Proj Areas 2B 3 5 (a)	5.75%	09/01/39	1,214,225
				1,896,601

Page 14

See Notes to Financial Statements

Table of Contents

First Trust Municipal High Income ETF (FMHI)

Portfolio of Investments (Continued)

July 31, 2023

Principal Value	Description	Stated Coupon	Stated Maturity	Value
MUNICIPAL BONDS (Continued)
	Kentucky – 2.6%
$2,000,000	Boyle Cnty KY Eductnl Facs Rev Ref Centre Clg, Ser A	5.25%	06/01/43	$2,160,748
875,000	Henderson KY Exempt Facs Rev Pratt Paper LLC Proj, Ser A, AMT (a)	4.45%	01/01/42	846,744
1,000,000	KY St Econ Dev Fin Auth Ref Owensboro Hlth, Ser A	5.00%	06/01/41	993,865
230,000	KY St Univ KY St Univ Proj, COPS, BAM	4.00%	11/01/41	228,620
1,000,000	Louisville & Jefferson Cnty KY Met Govt Hlth Sys Rev Norton Hlthcare Inc, Ser A	4.00%	10/01/39	969,059
5,600,000	Meade Cnty KY Indl Bldg Rev Var Nucor Steel Brandenburg Proj Green Bond, Ser B-1 (e)	5.40%	08/01/61	5,600,000
				10,799,036
	Louisiana – 1.2%
1,500,000	LA St Loc Govt Envrnmntl Facs & Cmnty Dev Auth Rev Ref Westlake Chemical Corp Proj Remk	3.50%	11/01/32	1,450,331
200,000	Monroe LA Wtr Rev, BAM	5.00%	11/01/32	219,697
1,000,000	Saint James Parish LA Rev NuStar Logistics LP Proj Remk, Ser 2010 (a)	6.35%	07/01/40	1,079,619
500,000	Saint James Parish LA Rev Var NuStar Logistics LP Proj Remk, Ser 2010B (Mandatory put 06/01/30) (a)	6.10%	12/01/40	538,641
1,500,000	Saint John the Baptist Parish LA Rev Ref Var Marathon Oil Corp Proj Remk, Ser A-1 (Mandatory put 07/01/26)	4.05%	06/01/37	1,491,408
				4,779,696
	Maryland – 0.9%
1,020,000	Baltimore MD Spl Oblig Ref E Baltimore Rsrch Park Proj, Ser A	5.00%	09/01/38	1,023,514
175,000	Baltimore MD Spl Oblig Ref Sr Lien Harbor Point Proj, Ser A (a)	2.95%	06/01/27	164,992
185,000	Baltimore MD Spl Oblig Ref Sr Lien Harbor Point Proj, Ser A (a)	3.05%	06/01/28	171,554
200,000	Baltimore MD Spl Oblig Ref Sr Lien Harbor Point Proj, Ser A (a)	3.15%	06/01/29	183,300
190,000	Baltimore MD Spl Oblig Ref Sr Lien Harbor Point Proj, Ser A (a)	3.20%	06/01/30	172,127
900,000	Frederick Cnty MD Tax Incr & Spl Tax Ref Jefferson Technology Park Proj, Ser B (a)	4.63%	07/01/43	873,172
1,000,000	MD St Econ Dev Corp Stdt Hsg Rev Morgan St Univ Proj, Ser A	5.38%	07/01/38	1,091,240
				3,679,899
	Massachusetts – 1.2%
2,000,000	MA St Bay Transprtn Auth Sales Tax Rev Sr, Ser A	5.00%	07/01/45	2,042,647
500,000	MA St Dev Fin Agy Rev Linden Ponds Inc Fac (a)	5.00%	11/15/28	516,290
500,000	MA St Dev Fin Agy Rev Ref Boston Med Ctr Sustainability Bonds, Ser G	5.25%	07/01/48	528,570
1,020,000	MA St Dev Fin Agy Rev Ref Salem Cmnty Corp	5.13%	01/01/40	933,540
1,000,000	MA St Dev Fin Agy Rev Umass Dartmouth Stdt Hsg Proj	5.00%	10/01/48	920,737
				4,941,784
	Michigan – 1.3%
300,000	Detroit MI Downtown Dev Auth Tax Incr Rev Ref Catalyst Dev Proj, Ser A, AGM	5.00%	07/01/31	303,159
100,000	Detroit MI Social Bonds, Ser A	5.00%	04/01/46	100,692
2,000,000	Detroit MI Social Bonds, Ser A	5.00%	04/01/50	2,003,124
2,000,000	MI St Fin Auth Rev Henry Ford Hlth Sys, Ser A	5.00%	11/15/48	2,069,489
1,000,000	MI St Strategic Fund Ltd Oblg Rev Var Green Bond Recycled Brd Machine Proj, AMT (Mandatory put 10/01/26)	4.00%	10/01/61	994,671
				5,471,135
	Minnesota – 0.7%
150,000	Minneapolis MN Stdt Hsg Rev Riverton Cmnty Hsg Proj (a)	3.80%	08/01/27	144,128

See Notes to Financial Statements

Page 15

Table of Contents

First Trust Municipal High Income ETF (FMHI)

Portfolio of Investments (Continued)

July 31, 2023

Principal Value	Description	Stated Coupon	Stated Maturity	Value
MUNICIPAL BONDS (Continued)
	Minnesota (Continued)
$1,300,000	Saint Paul MN Hsg & Redev Auth Chrt Sch Lease Rev Ref Hgr Ground Acdmy Proj	4.25%	12/01/32	$1,285,141
105,000	Saint Paul MN Hsg & Redev Auth Chrt Sch Lease Rev Ref, Ser A	5.00%	12/01/30	105,767
850,000	Woodbury MN Chrt Sch Lease Rev Woodbury Leadership Proj, Ser A	4.00%	07/01/41	676,846
660,000	Woodbury MN Chrt Sch Lease Rev Woodbury Leadership Proj, Ser A	4.00%	07/01/51	478,691
				2,690,573
	Mississippi – 1.3%
3,000,000	MS St Busn Fin Corp Sol Wst Disp Rev Adj MS Pwr Co Proj Remk, AMT (e)	4.90%	07/01/25	3,000,000
2,500,000	MS St Busn Fin Corp Sol Wst Disp Rev Adj MS Pwr Co Proj Remk, AMT (e)	4.90%	05/01/28	2,500,000
				5,500,000
	Missouri – 1.0%
550,000	MO St Hlth & Eductnl Facs Auth Lutheran Sr Svc Projs Svcs Projs, Ser A	5.00%	02/01/29	553,626
1,000,000	MO St Hlth & Eductnl Facs Auth Lutheran Sr Svc Projs Svcs Projs, Ser A	5.00%	02/01/42	964,904
80,000	MO St Hlth & Eductnl Facs Auth Lutheran Sr Svcs	5.00%	02/01/35	79,861
550,000	MO St Hlth & Eductnl Facs Auth Lutheran Sr Svcs Projs	4.00%	02/01/32	511,578
10,000	MO St Hlth & Eductnl Facs Auth Med Rsrch Lutheran Svcs, Ser A	5.00%	02/01/29	10,054
2,000,000	Taney Cnty MO Indl Dev Auth Sales Tax Rev Big Cedar Infra Proj (a)	6.00%	10/01/49	1,978,977
				4,099,000
	Nebraska – 0.4%
1,425,000	Centrl Plains Energy Proj NE Gas Proj Rev Proj No. 4 (Mandatory put 01/01/24)	5.00%	03/01/50	1,429,684
	Nevada – 0.6%
775,000	Henderson NV Loc Impt Dists Rainbow Canyon Phase II Roject	5.00%	03/01/38	773,381
1,000,000	Henderson NV Loc Impt Dists Rainbow Canyon Phase II Roject	5.25%	03/01/48	986,359
190,000	N Las Vegas NV Loc Impt Vly Vista Spl Impt Dist #64	4.00%	06/01/29	184,991
700,000	NV Dept of Busn & Ind NV Doral Acdmy, Ser A	5.00%	07/15/37	696,797
				2,641,528
	New Hampshire – 0.4%
2,000,000	Natl Fin Auth NH Rev Ref Green Bond, Ser B, AMT (Mandatory put 07/02/40) (a)	3.75%	07/01/45	1,565,404
	New Jersey – 0.4%
100,000	NJ St Econ Dev Auth Spl Fac Rev Ref Port Newark Container Terminal LLC Proj, AMT	5.00%	10/01/25	101,819
430,000	NJ St Hgr Edu Asst Auth Stdt Loan Rev, Ser 1A, AMT	4.00%	12/01/30	425,331
560,000	NJ St Transprtn Trust Fund Auth Fun Auth Transprtn Prog Bonds, Ser CC	5.25%	06/15/41	619,203
500,000	NJ St Transprtn Trust Fund Auth Ref Transprtn Sys, Ser A	5.00%	12/15/30	544,988
				1,691,341
	New Mexico – 0.3%
535,000	Winrock Town Ctr NM Tax Incr Dev Dist #1 Ref Sr Lien (a)	3.75%	05/01/28	506,584
500,000	Winrock Town Ctr NM Tax Incr Dev Dist #1 Ref Sr Lien (a)	4.00%	05/01/33	443,918

Page 16

See Notes to Financial Statements

Table of Contents

First Trust Municipal High Income ETF (FMHI)

Portfolio of Investments (Continued)

July 31, 2023

Principal Value	Description	Stated Coupon	Stated Maturity	Value
MUNICIPAL BONDS (Continued)
	New Mexico (Continued)
$500,000	Winrock Town Ctr NM Tax Incr Dev Dist #1 Ref Sr Lien (a)	4.25%	05/01/40	$421,626
				1,372,128
	New York – 5.4%
1,000,000	Build NYC Res Corp NY Rev Social Bond Kipp NYC Pub Sch Facs Canal W Proj	5.25%	07/01/52	1,017,224
950,000	Nassau Cnty NY Loc Econ Asst Corp Edl Rev Roosevelt Children Acdmy Chrt Sch Proj, Ser A	5.00%	07/01/43	972,899
3,000,000	New York City NY Indl Dev Agy Rev Liberty 123 Wash Proj Remk (e)	5.25%	10/01/42	3,000,000
2,000,000	New York City NY Muni Wtr Fin Auth Wtr & Swr Sys Rev Adjustable 2nd General Resolution Fiscal 2014, Ser AA-2 (e)	4.65%	06/15/50	2,000,000
595,000	New York City NY Muni Wtr Fin Auth Wtr & Swr Sys Rev Ref 2nd Gen Resolution Fiscal 2018 Block 4, Ser AA	5.00%	06/15/38	632,212
2,625,000	New York City NY Transitional Fin Auth Rev Future Tax Secured Subord Bonds, Ser C-1	4.00%	02/01/42	2,598,226
2,000,000	NY NY, Ser B, Subser B-1	5.25%	10/01/41	2,275,293
1,925,000	NY St Dorm Auth St Personal Income Tax Rev Ref, Ser A	3.00%	03/15/42	1,602,610
500,000	NY St Transprtn Dev Corp Exempt Fac Rev NY St Thruway Srvc Areas Proj, AMT	4.00%	10/31/46	439,228
1,000,000	NY St Transprtn Dev Corp Spl Fac Rev Ref American Airls Inc John F Kennedy Intl Arpt Proj, AMT	5.00%	08/01/31	1,001,086
1,865,000	NY St Transprtn Dev Corp Spl Fac Rev Ref John F. Kennedy Intl Arpt Proj, AMT	5.25%	08/01/31	1,937,198
500,000	Oyster Bay NY, Ser A, AGM	2.00%	03/01/35	422,542
2,810,000	Tsasc Inc NY Tsasc Inc Rev Ref Turbo Sub, Ser B	5.00%	06/01/48	2,631,529
100,000	Westchester Cnty NY Loc Dev Corp Rev Ref Miriam Osborn Memorial Home Assn Proj	5.00%	07/01/34	105,038
1,000,000	Westchester Cnty NY Loc Dev Corp Rev Ref Pur Sr Learning Cmnty Inc Proj, Ser A (a)	5.00%	07/01/56	783,906
460,000	Westchester NY Tobacco Asset Securitization Ref Sr, Ser B	5.00%	06/01/41	470,370
				21,889,361
	North Carolina – 2.0%
3,300,000	NC St Med Care Commn Hlth Care Facs Rev Lutheran Svcs For The Aging Ref, Ser A	4.00%	03/01/41	2,561,782
500,000	NC St Med Care Commn Hlth Care Facs Rev Ref Pennybyrn at Maryfield	5.00%	10/01/30	497,292
1,940,000	NC St Med Care Commn Retmnt Facs Rev Pennybyrn at Maryfield Proj, Ser A	5.00%	10/01/45	1,716,729
2,850,000	NC St Med Care Commn Retmnt Facs Rev Ref Southminster Inc	5.00%	10/01/37	2,670,834
715,000	NC St Med Care Commn Retmnt Facs Rev The Forest at Duke Proj	4.00%	09/01/46	580,545
				8,027,182
	North Dakota – 0.1%
520,000	Horace ND Ref	3.00%	05/01/36	435,433
	Ohio – 3.8%
1,000,000	Brunswick OH City Sch Dist, BAM	5.25%	12/01/53	1,086,744
6,360,000	Buckeye OH Tobacco Stlmt Fing Auth Ref Sr, Ser B-2, Class 2	5.00%	06/01/55	5,920,160
1,000,000	Cleveland Cuyahoga Cnty OH Port Auth Tax Incr Fing Rev Ref Sr Flats E Bank Proj, Ser A (a)	4.00%	12/01/55	853,235
1,000,000	Cleveland OH, Ser A	5.00%	12/01/44	1,088,575

See Notes to Financial Statements

Page 17

Table of Contents

First Trust Municipal High Income ETF (FMHI)

Portfolio of Investments (Continued)

July 31, 2023

Principal Value	Description	Stated Coupon	Stated Maturity	Value
MUNICIPAL BONDS (Continued)
	Ohio (Continued)
$3,000,000	OH St Air Quality Dev Auth Exempt Facs Rev AMG Vanadium Proj, AMT (a)	5.00%	07/01/49	$2,755,250
1,000,000	OH St Hgr Eductnl Fac Commn Ref Rev Judson Oblig Grp 2020 Proj, Ser A	5.00%	12/01/45	903,940
2,535,000	OH St Hosp Rev Ref Var Univ Hosps Hlth Sys Inc, Ser C (e)	4.50%	01/15/51	2,535,000
490,000	Port of Gtr Cincinnati Dev Auth OH Rev (a)	3.75%	12/01/31	432,374
				15,575,278
	Oklahoma – 0.9%
2,500,000	OK St Dev Fin Auth Sr OK Proton Ctr, Ser A1 (a)	7.25%	09/01/51	2,563,725
1,165,000	Tulsa Cnty OK Indl Auth Sr Living Cmnty Rev Ref Montereau Inc Proj	5.25%	11/15/37	1,170,224
				3,733,949
	Oregon – 1.2%
290,000	Clackamas Cnty OR Hosp Fac Auth Rev Mary’s Woods at Marylhurst Inc Proj, Ser A	5.00%	05/15/26	287,234
1,000,000	Clackamas Cnty OR Hosp Fac Auth Rev Ref Rose Villa Proj, Ser A	5.13%	11/15/40	949,865
2,250,000	Clackamas Cnty OR Hosp Fac Auth Rev Ref Rose Villa Proj, Ser A	5.38%	11/15/55	2,080,206
500,000	OR St Facs Auth Rev Legacy Hlth Proj, Ser A	4.13%	06/01/52	470,825
500,000	Salem OR Hosp Fac Auth Rev Capital Manor Proj	5.00%	05/15/38	489,418
750,000	Union Cnty OR Hosp Fac Auth Grande Ronde Hosp	5.00%	07/01/42	760,251
				5,037,799
	Pennsylvania – 2.7%
300,000	Allegheny Cnty PA Hosp Dev Auth Ref Allegheny Hlth Network Obligted Grp Issue, Ser A	5.00%	04/01/32	317,193
1,855,000	Allegheny Cnty PA Hosp Dev Auth Ref Allegheny Hlth Network Obligted Grp Issue, Ser A	5.00%	04/01/47	1,871,406
500,000	Allegheny Cnty PA Indl Dev Auth Envrnmtl Impt Rev Ref United States Steel Corp Proj	4.88%	11/01/24	503,604
1,030,000	Berks Cnty PA Muni Auth Univ Rev Alvernia Univ Proj	5.00%	10/01/39	982,668
100,000	Chester Cnty PA Indl Dev Auth Renaissance Acdmy Chrt Sch	5.00%	10/01/34	99,671
250,000	Lancaster Cnty PA Hosp Auth Hlthcare Facs Rev Moravian Manors Inc Proj, Ser A	5.00%	06/15/28	246,802
1,110,000	Lancaster Cnty PA Hosp Auth Hlthcare Facs Rev Moravian Manors Inc Proj, Ser A	5.00%	06/15/38	1,016,036
250,000	Latrobe PA Indl Dev Auth Univ Rev Ref Seton Hill Univ	4.00%	03/01/38	220,172
1,200,000	Latrobe PA Indl Dev Auth Univ Rev Ref Seton Hill Univ	4.00%	03/01/46	966,207
1,655,000	Montgomery Cnty PA Indl Dev Auth Exempt Facs Rev Var Constellation Energy Genration LLC Proj Ref, Ser C, AMT (Mandatory Put 04/03/28)	4.45%	10/01/34	1,684,942
1,250,000	PA St Econ Dev Fing Auth T/E Priv Activity Rev The Penndot Major Bridges Package One Proj P3 Proj, AMT	5.25%	06/30/35	1,408,668
10,000	PA St Turnpike Commn Turnpike Rev Ref Sub, Ser B	5.00%	06/01/39	10,282
1,000,000	Philadelphia PA Arpt Rev Ref Priv Activity, AGM, AMT	4.00%	07/01/38	980,663
850,000	Philadelphia PA Auth For Indl Dev Chrt Sch Rev Philadelphia E&T Chrt High Sch, Ser A	4.00%	06/01/56	623,578
215,000	Philadelphia PA Auth for Indl Dev Revs Kipp Philadelphia Chrt Sch Proj, Ser A	5.00%	04/01/36	210,642
125,000	W Cornwall Twp PA Muni Auth Ref Lebanon Vly Brethren Home Proj, Ser A	4.00%	11/15/41	101,173
				11,243,707

Page 18

See Notes to Financial Statements

Table of Contents

First Trust Municipal High Income ETF (FMHI)

Portfolio of Investments (Continued)

July 31, 2023

Principal Value	Description	Stated Coupon	Stated Maturity	Value
MUNICIPAL BONDS (Continued)
	Puerto Rico – 3.5%
$1,000,000	Puerto Rico Cmwlth Hwy & Transprtn Auth Restructured Toll Restructured, Ser A, CABS	5.00%	07/01/62	$985,000
2,000,000	Puerto Rico Cmwlth Hwy & Transprtn Auth Restructured Toll Restructured, Ser B, CABS	(f)	07/01/32	1,274,700
2,900,000	Puerto Rico Cmwlth Restructured, Ser A1	4.00%	07/01/33	2,758,182
2,500,000	Puerto Rico Cmwlth Restructured, Ser A1	4.00%	07/01/35	2,315,745
2,000,000	Puerto Rico Cmwlth Restructured, Ser A1	4.00%	07/01/41	1,722,391
1,559,000	Puerto Rico Sales Tax Fing Corp Sales Tax Rev Restructured, Ser A-1	4.50%	07/01/34	1,549,647
2,294,000	Puerto Rico Sales Tax Fing Corp Sales Tax Rev Restructured, Ser A-1	4.55%	07/01/40	2,223,344
1,500,000	Puerto Rico Sales Tax Fing Corp Sales Tax Rev Restructured, Ser A-2	4.33%	07/01/40	1,415,752
				14,244,761
	South Carolina – 0.6%
425,000	Berkeley Cnty SC Assmnt Rev Nexton Impt Dist	4.00%	11/01/30	402,622
230,000	Lancaster Cnty SC Assmnt Rev Ref Walnut Creek Impt Dist, Ser A-1	5.00%	12/01/31	230,090
245,000	SC St Jobs Econ Dev Auth Econ Dev Rev Ref The Woodlands at Furman	4.00%	11/15/32	223,886
1,045,000	SC St Jobs Econ Dev Auth Econ Dev Rev Ref The Woodlands at Furman	5.25%	11/15/47	962,875
865,000	SC St Jobs Econ Dev Auth Econ Dev Rev Woodlands at Furman Proj, Ser A	5.00%	11/15/42	783,359
				2,602,832
	Tennessee – 1.1%
1,200,000	Chattanooga TN Hlth Eductnl & Hsg Fac Brd Rev Ref Commonspirit Hlth, Ser A-1	4.00%	08/01/37	1,180,859
25,000	Chattanooga TN Hlth Eductnl & Hsg Fac Brd Rev Ref Stdt Hsg CDFI Phase I	5.00%	10/01/23	25,026
1,000,000	Memphis TN Hlth Eductnl & Hsg Fac Brd Mf Hsg Rev Var Memphis Towers Apts Proj Remk	3.40%	12/01/23	996,166
2,500,000	TN St Energy Acq Corp Gas Rev (Mandatory put 11/01/25)	4.00%	11/01/49	2,486,771
				4,688,822
	Texas – 6.4%
1,200,000	Arlington TX Hgr Edu Fin Corp Edu Rev Ref Legacy Trad Schs TX Proj, Ser A	4.00%	02/15/31	1,066,906
1,645,000	Arlington TX Hgr Edu Fin Corp Edu Rev Ref Legacy Trad Schs TX Proj, Ser A	4.13%	02/15/41	1,248,214
2,000,000	Austin TX Arpt Sys Rev, Ser B, AMT	5.00%	11/15/46	2,016,748
556,000	Crandall TX Spl Assmnt Rev Cartwright Ranch Pub Impt Dt Impt Area #1 Proj (a)	4.25%	09/15/41	490,023
500,000	Harris Cnty TX Indl Dev Corp Var Ref Energy Transfer Proj (Mandatory put 06/01/33)	4.05%	11/01/50	503,777
2,500,000	Houston TX Arpt Sys Rev Ref Subord Lien, Ser A, AGM, AMT	5.25%	07/01/48	2,696,729
1,000,000	Houston TX Arpt Sys Rev Ref United Airls Inc Arpt Impt Proj, Ser C, AMT	5.00%	07/15/27	1,011,298
1,250,000	Houston TX Arpt Sys Rev Ref United Airls Inc Terminal E Proj, Ser A, AMT	5.00%	07/01/27	1,263,864
1,085,000	Houston TX Arpt Sys Rev United Airlines Inc Terminal E Proj, Ser A, AMT	4.00%	07/01/41	969,402

See Notes to Financial Statements

Page 19

Table of Contents

First Trust Municipal High Income ETF (FMHI)

Portfolio of Investments (Continued)

July 31, 2023

Principal Value	Description	Stated Coupon	Stated Maturity	Value
MUNICIPAL BONDS (Continued)
	Texas (Continued)
$1,065,000	Houston TX Arpt Sys Rev United Airls Inc Terminal Impt Proj, Ser B-1, AMT	4.00%	07/15/41	$951,393
450,000	Justin TX Spl Assmnt Rev Timberbrook Pub Imp Dt #1 Imp Area #2 Proj (a)	3.38%	09/01/41	356,738
690,000	Kyle TX Spl Assmnt Rev 6 Creeks Pub Impt Dist Area #4 (a)	4.50%	09/01/33	688,316
250,000	Kyle TX Spl Assmnt Rev 6 Creeks Pub Impt Dist Impt Area #1 (a)	4.13%	09/01/29	244,012
500,000	Kyle TX Spl Assmnt Rev 6 Creeks Pub Impt Dist Impt Area #1 (a)	4.63%	09/01/39	477,779
225,000	La Vernia TX Hgr Edu Fin Corp Edu Rev Meridian World Sch (a)	4.35%	08/15/25	226,906
1,000,000	Liberty Hill TX Spl Assmnt Rev Butler Farms Pub Imp Dt Areas #1 and 2 Proj (a)	3.38%	09/01/42	762,626
1,350,000	Liberty Hill TX Spl Assmnt Rev Butler Farms Pub Imp Dt Areas #1 and 2 Proj (a)	4.00%	09/01/52	1,057,753
1,410,000	Matagorda Cnty TX Nav Dist #1 Ref AEP Tex Centrl Company Proj, Ser B-2 Remk	4.00%	06/01/30	1,404,896
300,000	New Hope Cultural Ed Facs Fin Corp TX Retmnt Fac Rev Ref Longhorn Vlg Proj	5.00%	01/01/37	281,549
285,000	New Hope Cultural Edu Facs Fin Corp TX Retmnt Fac Rev Ref Longhorn Vlg Proj	5.00%	01/01/32	275,490
600,000	Newark Hgr Edu Fin Corp TX Edu Rev Hughen Ctr Inc Proj, Ser A	5.00%	08/15/42	650,369
2,750,000	North Parkway Muni Mgmt Dist #1 TX Spl Assmnt Rev Major Impts Proj (a)	5.00%	09/15/51	2,530,129
1,100,000	Princeton TX Spl Assmnt Rev Whitewing Trails Pub Impr Dist #2 Phase 2 Proj Rev (a)	5.13%	09/01/43	1,091,098
1,550,000	Princeton TX Spl Assmnt Rev Winchester Pub Impr Dist #2 Proj (a)	5.13%	09/01/42	1,527,361
223,000	Rowlett TX Spl Assmnt Rev Trails at Cottonwood Creek Pub Imp Dist Major Imp Area Proj (a)	3.75%	09/15/31	206,036
500,000	Rowlett TX Spl Assmnt Rev Trails at Cottonwood Creek Pub Imp Dist Major Imp Area Proj (a)	4.13%	09/15/41	440,637
765,000	Rowlett TX Spl Assmnt Rev Trails at Cottonwood Creek Pub Imp Dist Major Imp Area Proj (a)	4.25%	09/15/51	647,721
1,000,000	Tarrant Cnty TX Cultural Edu Facs Fin Corp Hosp Rev Methodist Hosp of Dallas Proj	4.00%	10/01/41	986,981
250,000	TX St Transprtn Commn Central TX Turnpike Sys Rev Ref, Ser B	5.00%	08/15/37	252,523
				26,327,274
	Utah – 3.2%
3,000,000	Black Desert Pub Infra Dist Sr Bonds, Ser A (a)	4.00%	03/01/51	2,284,811
500,000	Downtown E Streetcar Swr Pub Infra Dist Sr Lien, Ser A (a)	5.75%	03/01/42	500,251
1,000,000	Med Sch Cmps Pub Infra Dist UT, Ser A (a)	5.25%	02/01/40	874,290
1,000,000	Mida Golf & Equestrian Ctr Pub Infra Dist UT Ltd (a)	4.25%	06/01/41	771,240
3,000,000	Mida Golf & Equestrian Ctr Pub Infra Dist UT Ltd (a)	4.63%	06/01/57	2,112,461
3,000,000	Military Installation Dev Auth UT Tax Allocation Rev, Ser A-2	4.00%	06/01/52	2,224,372
500,000	Red Bridge Pub Infra Dist #1 UT Sr Infra Dist, Ser 1-A (a)	4.13%	02/01/41	392,865
1,500,000	Red Bridge Pub Infra Dist #1 UT Sr Infra Dist, Ser 1-A (a)	4.38%	02/01/51	1,134,436
475,000	UT St Chrt Sch Fin Auth Chrt Sch Rev Mountain W Montessori Acdmy Proj, Ser A (a)	5.00%	06/15/39	456,357
675,000	UT St Chrt Sch Fin Auth Chrt Sch Rev Wallace Stegner Acdmy Proj, Ser A (a)	5.00%	06/15/39	624,044
1,605,000	UT St Chrt Sch Fin Auth Chrt Sch Rev Wallace Stegner Acdmy, Ser A (a)	5.63%	06/15/42	1,564,834
				12,939,961

Page 20

See Notes to Financial Statements

Table of Contents

First Trust Municipal High Income ETF (FMHI)

Portfolio of Investments (Continued)

July 31, 2023

Principal Value	Description	Stated Coupon	Stated Maturity	Value
MUNICIPAL BONDS (Continued)
	Virginia – 1.7%
$2,250,000	Botetourt Cnty VA Rsdl Care Fac Rev Ref Glebe Inc, Ser A	6.00%	07/01/44	$2,231,339
1,000,000	Henrico Cnty VA Econ Dev Auth Rsdl Care Fac Rev Westminster Cantebury Richmond, Ser A	5.00%	10/01/42	1,028,138
2,000,000	VA Small Busn Fing Auth Priv Activity Rev Sr Transform 66 P3 Proj, AMT	5.00%	12/31/49	2,021,837
750,000	VA St Small Busn Fing Auth Rsdl Fac Care Rev Ref Lifespire of VA	4.00%	12/01/31	721,121
1,000,000	Virginia Beach VA Dev Auth Rsdl Care Fac Rev Ref Westminster Canterbury on Chesapeake Bay	5.00%	09/01/29	1,004,409
				7,006,844
	Washington – 1.5%
560,000	Kalispel Tribe of Indians Priority Dist WA Rev, Ser A (a)	5.00%	01/01/32	575,658
2,000,000	Port of Seattle WA Rev Ref Intermediate Lein Priv Activity, Ser C, AMT	5.00%	08/01/46	2,093,956
1,000,000	Port of Seattle WA Rev Ref Intermediate Lien Priv Activity, Ser C, AMT	5.00%	08/01/39	1,061,784
875,000	WA St Hgr Edu Facs Auth Seattle Univ Proj Rev	4.00%	05/01/45	830,747
710,000	WA St Hsg Fin Commn Nonprofit Rev Spokane Int Acad Proj, Ser A (a)	5.00%	07/01/50	658,585
968,350	WA St Hsg Fin Commn Social Ctf, Ser A-1	3.50%	12/20/35	895,291
				6,116,021
	West Virginia – 0.9%
750,000	Monongalia Cnty WV Commn TX Incr Rev Ref Dev Dist #4 Univ Twn Centre, Ser A (a)	5.00%	06/01/33	768,714
500,000	Monongalia Cnty WV Commn TX Incr Rev Ref Dev Dist #4 Univ Twn Centre, Ser A (a)	5.75%	06/01/43	526,423
2,000,000	S Charleston WV Spl Dist Excise Tax Ref S Charleston Park Place Proj, Ser A (a)	4.50%	06/01/50	1,549,018
1,000,000	WV St Econ Dev Auth Sol Wst Disp Facs Var Sr Arch Res Proj, AMT (Mandatory put 07/01/25)	5.00%	07/01/45	1,001,713
				3,845,868
	Wisconsin – 3.4%
445,000	Pub Fin Auth WI Chrt Sch Rev Eno River Acdmy Proj, Ser A (a)	4.00%	06/15/30	425,612
810,000	Pub Fin Auth WI Chrt Sch Rev Eno River Acdmy Proj, Ser A (a)	5.00%	06/15/40	776,967
685,000	Pub Fin Auth WI Chrt Sch Rev Eno River Acdmy Proj, Ser A (a)	5.00%	06/15/54	614,759
475,000	Pub Fin Auth WI Chrt Sch Rev Founders of Acdmy Las Vegas Proj, Ser A (a)	4.00%	07/01/30	439,104
405,000	Pub Fin Auth WI Chrt Sch Rev Ltd American Prep Acdmy Las Vegas Proj, Ser A (a)	4.20%	07/15/27	389,848
375,000	Pub Fin Auth WI Chrt Sch Rev Ltd American Prep Acdmy Las Vegas Proj, Ser A (a)	5.13%	07/15/37	361,414
250,000	Pub Fin Auth WI Edu Rev Coral Acdmy Science Las Vegas, Ser A	5.00%	07/01/45	249,263
200,000	Pub Fin Auth WI Edu Rev Ref Mountain Island Chrt Sch Ltd	5.00%	07/01/52	192,957
160,000	Pub Fin Auth WI Eductnl Rev Piedmont Cmnty Chrt Sch	5.00%	06/15/27	163,345
1,500,000	Pub Fin Auth WI Hosp Rev Ref Carson Vly Med Ctr, Ser A	4.00%	12/01/41	1,288,521
1,000,000	Pub Fin Auth WI Hotel Rev Sr Lien Grand Hyatt San Antonio Hotel Acq Proj, Ser A	5.00%	02/01/42	1,018,777
1,335,000	Pub Fin Auth WI Retmnt Cmntys Rev Acts Retmnt Life Cmntys Inc Oblig Grp, Ser A	5.00%	11/15/41	1,289,877
2,000,000	Pub Fin Auth WI Rev Sr Proton Intl AR LLC, Ser A (a)	6.85%	01/01/51	1,501,072
1,000,000	Pub Fin Auth WI Rev Unrefunded Roseman Univ Hlth Sciences Proj (a)	4.00%	04/01/42	838,666

See Notes to Financial Statements

Page 21

Table of Contents

First Trust Municipal High Income ETF (FMHI)

Portfolio of Investments (Continued)

July 31, 2023

Principal Value	Description	Stated Coupon	Stated Maturity	Value
MUNICIPAL BONDS (Continued)
	Wisconsin (Continued)
$1,275,000	Pub Fin Auth WI Sr Living Rev Ref Mary’s Woods at Marylhurst Proj, Ser A (a)	5.00%	05/15/32	$1,224,936
1,900,000	Pub Fin Auth WI Stdt Hsg Rev NC A&T Real Estate Fdtn LLC Proj, Ser B	5.00%	06/01/44	1,851,869
1,000,000	WI St Hlth & Eductnl Facs Auth Rev Bellin Memorial Hosp Inc, Ser A	5.50%	12/01/52	1,082,779
				13,709,766
	Wyoming – 0.3%
1,000,000	Consol Muni Elec Pwr Sys WY Jt Pwrs Brd Sys Jt Pwrs Brd Ref Electrical Sys Proj	5.25%	06/01/40	1,100,438

	Total Investments – 98.0%		401,053,297
	(Cost $414,464,751)
	Net Other Assets and Liabilities – 2.0%		8,274,267
	Net Assets – 100.0%		$409,327,564

Futures Contracts (See Note 2D - Futures Contracts in the Notes to Financial Statements):

Futures Contracts	Position	Number of Contracts	Expiration Date	Notional Value	Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation)/ Value
10-Year U.S. Treasury Notes	Short	91	Sep 2023	$ (10,137,969)	$21,922
Ultra 10-Year U.S. Treasury Notes	Short	92	Sep 2023	(10,762,562)	108,660
				$(20,900,531)	$130,582

(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 (the “1933 Act”), 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 “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, 2023, securities noted as such amounted to $105,818,387 or 25.9% of net assets.
(b)	Pursuant to procedures adopted by the Trust’s Board of Trustees, this security has been determined to be illiquid by the Advisor.
(c)	This issuer is in default and interest is not being accrued by the Fund.
(d)	When-issued security. The interest rate shown reflects the rate in effect at July 31, 2023. Interest will begin accruing on the security’s first settlement date.
(e)	Variable Rate Demand bond. Interest rate is reset periodically by the agent based on current market conditions.
(f)	Zero coupon bond.
(g)	This security, sold within the terms of a private placement memorandum, is exempt from registration upon resale under Rule 144A of the 1933 Act, and may be resold in transactions exempt from registration, normally to qualified institutional buyers (see Note 2C - Restricted Securities in the Notes to Financial Statements).

Abbreviations throughout the Portfolio of Investments:
AGM	Assured Guaranty Municipal Corp.
AMT	Alternative Minimum Tax
BAM	Build America Mutual
CABS	Capital Appreciation Bonds
COPS	Certificates of Participation

Page 22

See Notes to Financial Statements

Table of Contents

First Trust Municipal High Income ETF (FMHI)

Financial Highlights

For a share outstanding throughout each period

	Year Ended July 31,
	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019
Net asset value, beginning of period	$ 49.12	$ 56.69	$ 51.93	$ 52.48	$ 50.32
Income from investment operations:
Net investment income (loss)	1.82 (a)	1.50	1.59	1.64	1.69
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss)	(2.08)	(7.50)	4.83 (b)	(0.48)	2.27
Total from investment operations	(0.26)	(6.00)	6.42	1.16	3.96
Distributions paid to shareholders from:
Net investment income	(1.78)	(1.49)	(1.59)	(1.62)	(1.67)
Return of capital	(0.03)	(0.08)	(0.07)	(0.09)	(0.13)
Total distributions	(1.81)	(1.57)	(1.66)	(1.71)	(1.80)
Net asset value, end of period	$47.05	$49.12	$56.69	$51.93	$52.48
Total return (c)	(0.44)%	(10.74)%	12.57% (b)	2.25%	8.05%
Ratios to average net assets/supplemental data:
Net assets, end of period (in 000’s)	$ 409,328	$ 338,955	$ 283,461	$ 111,650	$ 62,979
Ratio of total expenses to average net assets	0.70%	0.70%	0.70%	0.70%	0.70%
Ratio of net expenses to average net assets	0.65%	0.55%	0.55%	0.55%	0.55%
Ratio of net investment income (loss) to average net assets	3.88%	2.87%	3.00%	3.22%	3.44%
Portfolio turnover rate (d)	69%	79%	19%	89%	71%

(a)	Based on average shares outstanding.
(b)	The Fund received a reimbursement from the advisor in the amount of $469 in connection with a trade error, which represents less than $0.01 per share. Since the advisor reimbursed the Fund, there was no effect on the Fund’s total return.
(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)	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 27

Table of Contents

Notes to Financial Statements

First Trust Municipal High Income ETF (FMHI)

July 31, 2023

1. Organization

First Trust Exchange-Traded Fund III (the “Trust”) is an open-end management investment company organized as a Massachusetts business trust on January 9, 2008, and is registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”).

The Trust currently consists of seventeen funds that are offering shares. This report covers the First Trust Municipal High Income ETF (the “Fund”), a diversified series of the Trust, which trades under the ticker “FMHI” on The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC (“Nasdaq”). The Fund represents a separate series of beneficial interest in the Trust. Unlike conventional mutual funds, the Fund issues and redeems shares on a continuous basis, at net asset value (“NAV”), only in large blocks of shares known as “Creation Units.”

The primary investment objective of the Fund is to provide federally tax-exempt income, and its secondary objective is long-term capital appreciation. Under normal market conditions, the Fund seeks to achieve its investment objectives by investing at least 80% of its net assets (including investment borrowings) in municipal debt securities that pay interest that is exempt from regular federal income taxes. There can be no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objectives. The Fund may not be appropriate for all investors.

2. Significant Accounting Policies

The Fund is considered an investment company and follows 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 Fund 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

The 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. The Fund’s NAV is calculated by dividing the value of all assets of the Fund (including accrued interest and dividends), less all liabilities (including accrued expenses and dividends declared but unpaid), by the total number of shares outstanding.

The 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 Pricing Committee of the Fund’s 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. The Fund’s investments are valued as follows:

Municipal securities and other debt securities are fair valued on the basis of fair 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.

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

Page 28

Table of Contents

Notes to Financial Statements (Continued)

First Trust Municipal High Income ETF (FMHI)

July 31, 2023

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 (the “1933 Act”)) 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 the Fund’s NAV or make it difficult or 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 fundamental business data relating to the issuer;
2)	an evaluation of the forces which influence the market in which these securities are purchased and sold;
3)	the type, size and cost of the security;
4)	the financial statements of the issuer;
5)	the credit quality and cash flow of the issuer, based on the Advisor’s or external analysis;
6)	the information as to any transactions in or offers for the security;
7)	the price and extent of public trading in similar securities (or equity securities) of the issuer/borrower, or comparable companies;
8)	the coupon payments;
9)	the quality, value and salability of collateral, if any, securing the security; and
10)	other relevant factors.

The Fund is 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.

Page 29

Table of Contents

Notes to Financial Statements (Continued)

First Trust Municipal High Income ETF (FMHI)

July 31, 2023

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 the Fund’s investments as of July 31, 2023, is included with the 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. Interest income is recorded daily on the accrual basis. Amortization of premiums and accretion of discounts are recorded using the effective interest method.

Securities purchased or sold on a when-issued or delayed-delivery basis may have extended settlement periods. The value of the security so purchased is subject to market fluctuations during this period. The Fund maintains liquid assets with a current value at least equal to the amount of its when-issued or delayed-delivery securities. At July 31, 2023, the Fund held $996,393 of when-issued or delayed-delivery securities.

C. Restricted Securities

The Fund invests in restricted securities, which are securities that may not be offered for public sale without first being registered under the 1933 Act. Prior to registration, restricted securities may only be resold in transactions exempt from registration under Rule 144A under the 1933 Act, normally to qualified institutional buyers. As of July 31, 2023, the Fund held restricted securities as shown in the following table that the Advisor has deemed illiquid pursuant to procedures adopted by the Trust’s Board of Trustees. 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. The Fund does not have the right to demand that such securities be registered. These securities are valued according to the valuation procedures as stated in the Portfolio Valuation note (Note 2A) and are not expressed as a discount to the carrying value of a comparable unrestricted security. There are no unrestricted securities with the same maturity dates and yields for these issuers.

Security	Acquisition Date	Principal Value	Current Price	Carrying Cost	Value	% of Net Assets
IN St Fin Auth Rev Eductnl Facs Rock Creek Cmnty Acdmy Proj, Ser A, 5.25%, 07/01/28	08/31/18	$200,000	$99.36	$201,282	$198,710	0.05%

D. Futures Contracts

The Fund may purchase or sell (i.e., is long or short) exchange-listed futures contracts to hedge against changes in interest rates (interest rate risk). Futures contracts are agreements between the 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 the Fund is not able to enter into an offsetting transaction, the Fund will continue to be required to maintain margin deposits on the futures contract. When the contract is closed or expires, the 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 Statement of Operations.

Upon entering into a futures contract, the 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 Statement of Operations. This daily fluctuation in the value of the contracts is also known as variation margin and is included in “Variation margin” payable or receivable on the Statement of Assets and Liabilities.

If market conditions change unexpectedly, the 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.

Restricted cash segregated as collateral for futures contracts in the amount of $439,600 is shown as “Cash segregated as collateral for open futures contracts” on the Statement of Assets and Liabilities.

Page 30

Table of Contents

Notes to Financial Statements (Continued)

First Trust Municipal High Income ETF (FMHI)

July 31, 2023

E. Dividends and Distributions to Shareholders

Dividends from net investment income, if any, are declared and paid monthly by the Fund, or as the Board of Trustees may determine from time to time. Distributions of net realized capital gains earned by the Fund, if any, are distributed at least annually. The Fund may
also designate a portion of the amount paid to redeeming shareholders as a distribution for tax purposes.

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 Fund 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.

The tax character of distributions paid by the Fund during the fiscal years ended July 31, 2023 and 2022, was as follows:

Distributions paid from:	2023	2022
Ordinary income	$122,735	$19,097
Capital gains	—	—
Tax-exempt income	12,521,817	9,541,080
Return of capital	178,777	505,451

As of July 31, 2023, the components of distributable earnings on a tax basis were as follows:

Undistributed ordinary income	$—
Accumulated capital and other gain (loss)	(33,632,415)
Net unrealized appreciation (depreciation)	(13,832,815)

F. Income Taxes

The 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 (the “Code”), 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, the Fund may be subject to an excise tax of 4% of the amount by which approximately 98% of the Fund’s taxable income exceeds the distributions from such taxable income for the calendar year.

In addition, the Fund intends to invest in such municipal securities to allow it to pay shareholders “exempt dividends” as defined in the Code.

The Fund is 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. Taxable years ended 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023 remain open to federal and state audit. As of July 31, 2023, management has evaluated the application of these standards to the Fund, and has determined that no provision for income tax is required in the Fund’s financial statements for uncertain tax positions.

The 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. The 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, 2023, for federal income tax purposes, the Fund had $33,632,415 of capital loss carryforwards available, to the extent provided by regulations, to offset future capital gains.

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, 2023, the Fund had no net ordinary losses.

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 Statement 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

Page 31

Table of Contents

Notes to Financial Statements (Continued)

First Trust Municipal High Income ETF (FMHI)

July 31, 2023

Fund. The results of operations and net assets were not affected by these adjustments. For the fiscal year ended July 31, 2023, the adjustments for the Fund were as follows:

Accumulated Net Investment Income (Loss)		Accumulated Net Realized Gain (Loss) on Investments		Paid-in Capital
$(47,011)		$47,011		$—

As of July 31, 2023, 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)
$415,016,694		$4,928,454		$(18,761,269)		$(13,832,815)

G. Expenses

Expenses, other than the investment advisory fee and other excluded expenses, are paid by the Advisor (See Note 3).

3. Investment Advisory Fee, Affiliated Transactions and Other Fee Arrangements

First Trust, the investment advisor to the Fund, 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 the Fund’s portfolio, managing the Fund’s business affairs and providing certain administrative services necessary for the management of the Fund.

Pursuant to the Investment Management Agreement between the Trust and the Advisor, First Trust manages the investment of the Fund’s assets and is responsible for the Fund’s expenses, 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, acquired fund fees and expenses, if any, 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. First Trust also provides fund reporting services to the Fund for a flat annual fee in the amount of $9,250, which is covered under the annual unitary management fee. Effective November 1, 2022, the annual unitary management fee payable by the Fund to First Trust for these services will be reduced at certain levels of the Fund’s net assets (“breakpoints”) and calculated pursuant to the following schedule:

Breakpoints
Fund net assets up to and including $2.5 billion	0.7000%
Fund net assets greater than $2.5 billion up to and including $5 billion	0.6825%
Fund net assets greater than $5 billion up to and including $7.5 billion	0.6650%
Fund net assets greater than $7.5 billion up to and including $10 billion	0.6475%
Fund net assets greater than $10 billion	0.6300%

Prior to November 1, 2022, the Fund paid First Trust an annual unitary management fee equal to 0.70% of its average daily net assets.

The Trust’s Board of Trustees and the Advisor have entered into a Fee Waiver Agreement for the Fund pursuant to which the Advisor contractually agreed to waive management fees of 0.15% of average daily net assets until November 30, 2022. First Trust does not have the right to recover the fees waived. The Fee Waiver Agreement terminated on November 30, 2022. During the fiscal year ended July 31, 2023, the Advisor waived fees of $155,286.

The Trust has multiple service agreements with Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. (“BBH”). Under the service agreements, BBH
performs custodial, fund accounting, certain administrative services, and transfer agency services for the Fund. As custodian, BBH is responsible for custody of the Fund’s assets. As fund accountant and administrator, BBH is responsible for maintaining the books and records of the Fund’s securities and cash. As transfer agent, BBH is responsible for maintaining shareholder records for the Fund.

Page 32

Table of Contents

Notes to Financial Statements (Continued)

First Trust Municipal High Income ETF (FMHI)

July 31, 2023

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 Lead Independent Trustee and the Chairs of the Audit Committee, Nominating and Governance Committee and Valuation Committee are paid annual fees to serve in such capacities, with such compensation allocated pro rata among each fund in the First Trust Fund Complex based on net assets. Independent Trustees are reimbursed for travel and out-of-pocket expenses in connection with all meetings. The Lead Independent Trustee and Committee Chairs rotate every three years. 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, 2023, the cost of purchases and proceeds from sales of investments, excluding short term investments and in-kind transactions, were $303,156,488 and $221,943,850, respectively.

For the fiscal year ended July 31, 2023, the Fund had no in-kind transactions.

5. Derivative Transactions

The following table presents the type of derivatives held by the Fund at July 31, 2023, the primary underlying risk exposure and the location of these instruments as presented on the Statement of Assets and Liabilities.

		Asset Derivatives		Liability Derivatives
Derivative Instrument	Risk Exposure	Statement of Assets and Liabilities Location	Value	Statement of Assets and Liabilities Location	Value
Futures contracts	Interest Rate Risk	Unrealized appreciation on futures contracts*	$ 130,582	Unrealized depreciation on futures contracts*	$ –

*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 Statement 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 fiscal year ended July 31, 2023, on derivative instruments, as well as the primary underlying risk exposure associated with each instrument.

Statement of Operations Location
Interest Rate Risk Exposure
Net realized gain (loss) on futures contracts	$1,373,309
Net change in unrealized appreciation (depreciation) on futures contracts	726,895

During the fiscal year ended July 31, 2023, the notional value of futures contracts opened and closed were $188,293,979 and $186,507,053, respectively.

The Fund does not have the right to offset financial assets and liabilities related to futures contracts on the Statement of Assets and Liabilities.

6. Creations, Redemptions and Transaction Fees

The 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 the Fund or one of the Fund’s service providers to purchase and redeem Fund shares directly with the Fund in large blocks of shares known as “Creation Units.” Prior to the start of trading on every business day, the Fund publishes through the National Securities Clearing Corporation (“NSCC”) 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 the 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 the Fund’s shares for a basket of securities, cash or other assets. The combination of the creation and redemption

Page 33

Table of Contents

Notes to Financial Statements (Continued)

First Trust Municipal High Income ETF (FMHI)

July 31, 2023

process with secondary market trading in the Fund’s shares and underlying securities provides arbitrage opportunities that are designed to help keep the market price of the Fund’s shares at or close to the NAV per share of the Fund.

The 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 the 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.

The 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 the 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 the 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.

7. 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 Fund is authorized to pay an amount up to 0.25% of its average daily net assets each year to reimburse First Trust Portfolios L.P. (“FTP”), the distributor of the Fund, for amounts expended to finance activities primarily intended to result in the sale of Creation Units or to provide 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 Fund, and pursuant to a contractual arrangement, no 12b-1 fees will be paid any time before November 30, 2024.

8. Borrowings

The Trust, on behalf of the Fund, along with First Trust Series Fund and First Trust Exchange-Traded Fund IV have a $550 million Credit Agreement with The Bank of Nova Scotia (“Scotia”) as administrative agent for a group of lenders. Between October 30, 2022 and March 1, 2023, the commitment amount was $305 million, and prior to October 30, 2022, the commitment amount was $280 million. Scotia charges a commitment fee of 0.25% of the daily amount of the excess of the commitment amount over the outstanding principal balance of the loans and an agency fee. First Trust allocates the commitment fee and agency fee amongst the funds that have access to the credit line. To the extent that the Fund accesses the credit line, there would also be an interest fee charged. The Fund did not have any borrowings outstanding during the fiscal year ended July 31, 2023.

9. Indemnification

The Trust, on behalf of the Fund, 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 Fund 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 34

Table of Contents

Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

To the Shareholders and the Board of Trustees of First Trust Exchange-Traded Fund III:

Opinion on the Financial Statements and Financial Highlights

We have audited the accompanying statement of assets and liabilities, including the portfolio of investments, of First Trust Municipal High Income ETF (the “Fund”), one of the funds constituting the First Trust Exchange-Traded Fund III, as of July 31, 2023, the related statement of operations for the year then ended, the statements of changes in net assets for each of the two years in the period then ended, the financial highlights for each of the five years in the period then ended, and the related notes. In our opinion, the financial statements and financial highlights present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Fund as of July 31, 2023, and the results of its operations for the year then ended, the changes in its net assets for each of the two years in the period then ended, and the financial highlights for each of the five years in the period then ended in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.

Basis for Opinion

These financial statements and financial highlights are the responsibility of the Fund’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Fund’s 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 Fund 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 Fund is not required to have, nor were we engaged to perform, an audit of its 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 Fund’s 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, 2023, 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.

Chicago, Illinois

September 22, 2023

We have served as the auditor of one or more First Trust investment companies since 2001.

Page 35

Table of Contents

Additional Information

First Trust Municipal High Income ETF (FMHI)

July 31, 2023 (Unaudited)

Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures

A description of the policies and procedures that the Trust uses to determine how to vote proxies and information on how the Fund voted proxies relating to portfolio securities during the most recent 12-month period ended June 30 is available (1) without charge, upon request, by calling (800) 988-5891; (2) on the Fund’s website at www.ftportfolios.com; and (3) on the Securities and Exchange Commission’s (“SEC”) website at www.sec.gov.

Portfolio Holdings

The Fund files portfolio holdings information for each month in a fiscal quarter within 60 days after the end of the relevant fiscal quarter on Form N-PORT. Portfolio holdings information for the third month of each fiscal quarter will be publicly available on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. The Fund’s complete schedule of portfolio holdings for the second and fourth quarters of each fiscal year is included in the semi-annual and annual reports to shareholders, respectively, and is filed with the SEC on Form N-CSR. The semi-annual and annual report for the Fund is available to investors within 60 days after the period to which it relates. The Fund’s Forms N-PORT and Forms N-CSR are available on the SEC’s website listed above.

Federal Tax Information

For the taxable year ended July 31, 2023, the following distribution information is being provided as required by the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, or to meet a specific state’s requirement. The Fund designates the following percentages or, if subsequently determined to be different, the maximum amount allowable for its fiscal year ended July 31, 2023:

Federal and State Income Tax		Percentages
Tax-Exempt Interest Dividends		99.03%
Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT)		15.09%

Risk Considerations

Risks are inherent in all investing. Certain general risks that may be applicable to a Fund are identified below, but not all of the material risks relevant to each Fund are included in this report and not all of the risks below apply to each Fund. The material risks of investing in each Fund are spelled out in its prospectus, statement of additional information and other regulatory filings. Before investing, you should consider each Fund’s investment objective, risks, charges and expenses, and read each Fund’s prospectus and statement of additional information carefully. You can download each Fund’s prospectus at www.ftportfolios.com or contact First Trust Portfolios L.P. at (800) 621-1675 to request a prospectus, which contains this and other information about each Fund.

Concentration Risk. To the extent that a fund is able to invest a significant percentage of its assets in a single asset class or the securities of issuers within the same country, state, region, industry or sector, an adverse economic, business or political development may affect the value of the fund’s investments more than if the fund were more broadly diversified. A fund that tracks an index will be concentrated to the extent the fund’s corresponding index is concentrated. A concentration makes a fund more susceptible to any single occurrence and may subject the fund to greater market risk than a fund that is more broadly diversified.

Credit Risk. Credit risk is the risk that an issuer of a security will be unable or unwilling to make dividend, interest and/or principal payments when due and the related risk that the value of a security may decline because of concerns about the issuer’s ability to make such payments.

Cyber Security Risk. The funds are susceptible to potential operational risks through breaches in cyber security. A breach in cyber security refers to both intentional and unintentional events that may cause a fund to lose proprietary information, suffer data corruption or lose operational capacity. Such events could cause a fund to incur regulatory penalties, reputational damage, additional compliance costs associated with corrective measures and/or financial loss. In addition, cyber security breaches of a fund’s third-party service providers, such as its administrator, transfer agent, custodian, or sub-advisor, as applicable, or issuers in which the fund invests, can also subject a fund to many of the same risks associated with direct cyber security breaches.

Defined Outcome Funds Risk. To the extent a fund’s investment strategy is designed to deliver returns tied to the price performance of an underlying ETF, an investor may not realize the returns the fund seeks to achieve if that investor does not hold shares for the entire target outcome period. In the event an investor purchases shares after the first day of the target outcome period or sells shares prior to the end of the target outcome period, the buffer that the fund seeks to provide against a decline in the value of the underlying ETF may not be available, the enhanced returns that the fund seeks to provide (if any) may not be available and the investor may not participate in a gain in the value of the underlying ETF up to the cap for the investor’s investment period. Additionally, the fund will

Page 36

Table of Contents

Additional Information (Continued)

First Trust Municipal High Income ETF (FMHI)

July 31, 2023 (Unaudited)

not participate in gains of the underlying ETF above the cap and a shareholder may lose their entire investment. If the fund seeks enhanced returns, there are certain time periods when the value of the fund may fall faster than the value of the underlying ETF, and it is very unlikely that, on any given day during which the underlying ETF share price increases in value, the fund’s share price will increase at the same rate as the enhanced returns sought by the fund, which is designed for an entire target outcome period. Trading flexible exchange options involves risks different from, or possibly greater than, the risks associated with investing directly in securities, such as less liquidity and correlation and valuation risks. A fund may experience substantial downside from specific flexible exchange option positions and certain positions may expire worthless.

Derivatives Risk. To the extent a fund uses derivative instruments such as futures contracts, options contracts and swaps, the fund may experience losses because of adverse movements in the price or value of the underlying asset, index or rate, which may be magnified by certain features of the derivative. These risks are heightened when a fund’s portfolio managers use derivatives to enhance the fund’s return or as a substitute for a position or security, rather than solely to hedge (or offset) the risk of a position or security held by the fund.

Equity Securities Risk. To the extent a fund invests in equity securities, the value of the fund’s shares will fluctuate with changes in the value of the equity securities. Equity securities prices fluctuate for several reasons, including changes in investors’ perceptions of the financial condition of an issuer or the general condition of the relevant stock market, such as market volatility, or when political or economic events affecting the issuers occur. In addition, common stock prices may be particularly sensitive to rising interest rates, as the cost of capital rises and borrowing costs increase. Equity securities may decline significantly in price over short or extended periods of time, and such declines may occur in the equity market as a whole, or they may occur in only a particular country, company, industry or sector of the market.

ETF Risk. The shares of an ETF trade like common stock and represent an interest in a portfolio of securities. The risks of owning an ETF generally reflect the risks of owning the underlying securities, although lack of liquidity in an ETF could result in it being more volatile and ETFs have management fees that increase their costs. Shares of an ETF trade on an exchange at market prices rather than net asset value, which may cause the shares to trade at a price greater than net asset value (premium) or less than net asset value (discount). In times of market stress, decisions by market makers to reduce or step away from their role of providing a market for an ETF’s shares, or decisions by an ETF’s authorized participants that they are unable or unwilling to proceed with creation and/or redemption orders of an ETF’s shares, could result in shares of the ETF trading at a discount to net asset value and in greater than normal intraday bid-ask spreads.

Fixed Income Securities Risk. To the extent a fund invests in fixed income securities, the fund will be subject to credit risk, income risk, interest rate risk, liquidity risk and prepayment risk. Income risk is the risk that income from a fund’s fixed income investments could decline during periods of falling interest rates. Interest rate risk is the risk that the value of a fund’s fixed income securities will decline because of rising interest rates. Liquidity risk is the risk that a security cannot be purchased or sold at the time desired, or cannot be purchased or sold without adversely affecting the price. Prepayment risk is the risk that the securities will be redeemed or prepaid by the issuer, resulting in lower interest payments received by the fund. In addition to these risks, high yield securities, or “junk” bonds, are subject to greater market fluctuations and risk of loss than securities with higher ratings, and the market for high yield securities is generally smaller and less liquid than that for investment grade securities.

Index or Model Constituent Risk. Certain funds may be a constituent of one or more indices or ETF models. As a result, such a fund may be included in one or more index-tracking exchange-traded funds or mutual funds. Being a component security of such a vehicle could greatly affect the trading activity involving a fund, the size of the fund and the market volatility of the fund. Inclusion in an index could increase demand for the fund and removal from an index could result in outsized selling activity in a relatively short period of time. As a result, a fund’s net asset value could be negatively impacted and the fund’s market price may be significantly below its net asset value during certain periods. In addition, index rebalances may potentially result in increased trading activity in a fund’s shares.

Index Provider Risk. To the extent a fund seeks to track an index, it is subject to Index Provider Risk. There is no assurance that the Index Provider will compile the Index accurately, or that the Index will be determined, maintained, constructed, reconstituted, rebalanced, composed, calculated or disseminated accurately. To correct any such error, the Index Provider may carry out an unscheduled rebalance or other modification of the Index constituents or weightings, which may increase the fund’s costs. The Index Provider does not provide any representation or warranty in relation to the quality, accuracy or completeness of data in the Index, and it does not guarantee that the Index will be calculated in accordance with its stated methodology. Losses or costs associated with any Index Provider errors generally will be borne by the fund and its shareholders.

Investment Companies Risk. To the extent a fund invests in the securities of other investment vehicles, the fund will incur additional fees and expenses that would not be present in a direct investment in those investment vehicles. Furthermore, the fund’s investment performance and risks are directly related to the investment performance and risks of the investment vehicles in which the fund invests.

Page 37

Table of Contents

Additional Information (Continued)

First Trust Municipal High Income ETF (FMHI)

July 31, 2023 (Unaudited)

LIBOR Risk. To the extent a fund invests in floating or variable rate obligations that use the London Interbank Offered Rate (“LIBOR”) as a reference interest rate, it is subject to LIBOR Risk. The United Kingdom’s Financial Conduct Authority, which regulates LIBOR has ceased making LIBOR available as a reference rate over a phase-out period that began December 31, 2021. There is no assurance that any alternative reference rate, including the Secured Overnight Financing Rate (“SOFR”) will be similar to or produce the same value or economic equivalence as LIBOR or that instruments using an alternative rate will have the same volume or liquidity. The unavailability or replacement of LIBOR may affect the value, liquidity or return on certain fund investments and may result in costs incurred in connection with closing out positions and entering into new trades. Any potential effects of the transition away from LIBOR on the fund or on certain instruments in which the fund invests can be difficult to ascertain, and they may vary depending on a variety of factors, and they could result in losses to the fund.

Management Risk. To the extent that a fund is actively managed, it is subject to management risk. In managing an actively-managed fund’s investment portfolio, the fund’s portfolio managers will apply investment techniques and risk analyses that may not have the desired result. There can be no guarantee that a fund will meet its investment objective.

Market Risk. Market risk is the risk that a particular security, or shares of a fund in general, may fall in value. Securities held by a fund, as well as shares of a fund itself, are subject to market fluctuations caused by factors such as general economic conditions, political events, regulatory or market developments, changes in interest rates and perceived trends in securities prices. Shares of a fund could decline in value or underperform other investments as a result of the risk of loss associated with these market fluctuations. In addition, local, regional or global events such as war, acts of terrorism, spread of infectious diseases or other public health issues, recessions, or other events could have a significant negative impact on a fund and its investments. Such events may affect certain geographic regions, countries, sectors and industries more significantly than others. In February 2022, Russia invaded Ukraine which has caused and could continue to cause significant market disruptions and volatility within the markets in Russia, Europe, and the United States. The hostilities and sanctions resulting from those hostilities could have a significant impact on certain fund investments as well as fund performance. The COVID-19 global pandemic and the ensuing policies enacted by governments and central banks have caused and may continue to cause significant volatility and uncertainty in global financial markets. While the U.S. has resumed “reasonably” normal business activity, many countries continue to impose lockdown measures. Additionally, there is no guarantee that vaccines will be effective against emerging variants of the disease. These events also adversely affect the prices and liquidity of a fund’s portfolio securities or other instruments and could result in disruptions in the trading markets. Any of such circumstances could have a materially negative impact on the value of a fund’s shares and result in increased market volatility. During any such events, a fund’s shares may trade at increased premiums or discounts to their net asset value and the bid/ask spread on a fund’s shares may widen.

Non-U.S. Securities Risk. To the extent a fund invests in non-U.S. securities, it is subject to additional risks not associated with securities of domestic issuers. Non-U.S. securities are subject to higher volatility than securities of domestic issuers due to: possible adverse political, social or economic developments; restrictions on foreign investment or exchange of securities; capital controls; lack of liquidity; currency exchange rates; excessive taxation; government seizure of assets; the imposition of sanctions by foreign governments; different legal or accounting standards; and less government supervision and regulation of exchanges in foreign countries. Investments in non-U.S. securities may involve higher costs than investments in U.S. securities, including higher transaction and custody costs, as well as additional taxes imposed by non-U.S. governments. These risks may be heightened for securities of companies located, or with significant operations, in emerging market countries.

Operational Risk. Each fund is subject to risks arising from various operational factors, including, but not limited to, human error, processing and communication errors, errors of a fund’s service providers, counterparties or other third-parties, failed or inadequate processes and technology or systems failures. Each fund relies on third-parties for a range of services, including custody. Any delay or failure relating to engaging or maintaining such service providers may affect a fund’s ability to meet its investment objective. Although the funds and the funds’ investment advisor seek to reduce these operational risks through controls and procedures, there is no way to completely protect against such risks.

Passive Investment Risk. To the extent a fund seeks to track an index, the fund will invest in the securities included in, or representative of, the index regardless of their investment merit. A fund generally will not attempt to take defensive positions in declining markets.

Preferred Securities Risk. Preferred securities combine some of the characteristics of both common stocks and bonds. Preferred securities are typically subordinated to bonds and other debt securities in a company’s capital structure in terms of priority to corporate income, subjecting them to greater credit risk than those debt securities. Generally, holders of preferred securities have no voting rights with respect to the issuing company unless preferred dividends have been in arrears for a specified number of periods, at which time the preferred security holders may obtain limited rights. In certain circumstances, an issuer of preferred securities may defer payment on the securities and, in some cases, redeem the securities prior to a specified date. Preferred securities may also be substantially less liquid than other securities, including common stock.

Page 38

Table of Contents

Additional Information (Continued)

First Trust Municipal High Income ETF (FMHI)

July 31, 2023 (Unaudited)

Valuation Risk. The valuation of certain securities may carry more risk than that of common stock. Uncertainties in the conditions of the financial markets, unreliable reference data, lack of transparency and inconsistency of valuation models and processes may lead to inaccurate asset pricing. A fund may hold investments in sizes smaller than institutionally sized round lot positions (sometimes referred to as odd lots). However, third-party pricing services generally provide evaluations on the basis of institutionally-sized round lots. If a fund sells certain of its investments in an odd lot transaction, the sale price may be less than the value at which such securities have been held by the fund. Odd lots often trade at lower prices than institutional round lots. There is no assurance that the fund will be able to sell a portfolio security at the price established by the pricing service, which could result in a loss to the fund.

NOT FDIC INSURED

NOT BANK GUARANTEED

MAY LOSE VALUE

Advisory Agreement

Board Considerations Regarding Approval of Continuation of Investment Management Agreement

The Board of Trustees of First Trust Exchange-Traded Fund III (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 the First Trust Municipal High Income ETF (the “Fund”). The Board approved the continuation of the Agreement for a one-year period ending June 30, 2024 at a meeting held on June 4–5, 2023. The Board determined 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, 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 17, 2023 and June 4–5, 2023, 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 the Fund (including the relevant personnel responsible for these services and their experience); the unitary fee rate schedule payable by the 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 the Fund as compared to expense ratios of the funds in the Fund’s Expense Group and Expense Universe; performance information for the Fund, including comparisons of the 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 the 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 17, 2023, 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 4–5, 2023 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 the 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 the Fund knowing that the Advisor manages the Fund and knowing the Fund’s unitary fee.

In reviewing the Agreement, 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 the Fund and reviewed all of the services provided by the Advisor to the Fund, as well as the background and experience of the persons responsible for such services. The Board noted that the Fund is an actively-managed ETF and noted that the Advisor’s Municipal Securities Team is responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund’s investments. The Board considered the background and experience of the members of the Municipal Securities Team. The Board considered the Advisor’s statement that it applies the same oversight model internally with its Municipal Securities 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 the Fund’s compliance with the 1940 Act, as well as the Fund’s compliance with its investment objectives, policies and restrictions. The Board also

Page 39

Table of Contents

Additional Information (Continued)

First Trust Municipal High Income ETF (FMHI)

July 31, 2023 (Unaudited)

considered a report from the Advisor with respect to its risk management functions related to the operation of the Fund. Finally, as part of the Board’s consideration of the Advisor’s services, the Advisor, in its written materials and at the April 17, 2023 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 Fund and the other funds in the First Trust Fund Complex. In addition to the written materials provided by the Advisor, at the April 17, 2023 meeting, the Board also received a presentation from representatives of the Advisor’s Municipal Securities Team, who discussed the services that the Team provides to the Fund, including the Team’s day-to-day management of the Fund’s investments. 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 the Fund by the Advisor under the Agreement have been and are expected to remain satisfactory and that the Advisor has managed the Fund consistent with its investment objectives, policies and restrictions.

The Board considered the unitary fee rate schedule payable by the Fund under the Agreement for the services provided. The Board considered that as part of the unitary fee the Advisor is responsible for the Fund’s expenses, including the cost of transfer agency, custody, fund administration, legal, audit and other services and license fees, if any, but excluding the fee payment under the Agreement and interest, taxes, 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 Group, as well as advisory and unitary fee rates charged by the Advisor to other fund (including ETFs) and non-fund clients, as applicable. Because the Fund pays a unitary fee, the Board determined that expense ratios were the most relevant comparative data point. Based on the information provided, the Board noted that the total (net) expense ratio for the Fund was above the median total (net) expense ratio of the peer funds in the Expense Group. With respect to the Expense Group, the Board, at the April 17, 2023 meeting, discussed with Broadridge its methodology for assembling peer groups and 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 Fund and other non-ETF clients that limited their comparability. In considering the unitary fee rate schedule 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 the Fund and the other funds in the First Trust Fund Complex.

The Board considered performance information for the Fund. The Board noted the process it has established for monitoring the Fund’s performance and portfolio risk on an ongoing basis, which includes quarterly performance reporting from the Advisor for the Fund. The Board determined that this process continues to be effective for reviewing the Fund’s performance. The Board received and reviewed information comparing the Fund’s performance for periods ended December 31, 2022 to the performance of the funds in the Performance Universe and to that of a benchmark index. Based on the information provided, the Board noted that the Fund underperformed the Performance Universe median for the one-year period ended December 31, 2022 and outperformed the Performance Universe median for the three-year and five-year periods ended December 31, 2022. The Board also noted that the Fund underperformed the benchmark index for the one- and three-year periods ended December 31, 2022 and outperformed the benchmark index for the five-year period ended December 31, 2022.

On the basis of all the information provided on the unitary fee and performance of the Fund and the ongoing oversight by the Board, the Board concluded that the unitary fee for the Fund continues to be reasonable and appropriate in light of the nature, extent and quality of the services provided by the Advisor to the 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 Fund at current asset levels and whether the Fund may benefit from any economies of scale. The Board noted that the unitary fee rate schedule for the Fund 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 Fund will increase during the next twelve months as the Advisor continues to build infrastructure 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 Fund would benefit the Advisor, but that the unitary fee structure provides a level of certainty in expenses for shareholders of the Fund. The Board concluded that the unitary fee rate schedule for the 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 the Fund for the twelve months ended December 31, 2022 and the estimated profitability level for the 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 the Fund was not unreasonable. In addition, the Board considered indirect benefits described by the Advisor that may be realized from its relationship with the Fund. The Board considered that the Advisor had identified as an indirect benefit to the Advisor and FTP their

Page 40

Table of Contents

Additional Information (Continued)

First Trust Municipal High Income ETF (FMHI)

July 31, 2023 (Unaudited)

exposure to investors and brokers who, absent their exposure to the Fund, may have had no dealings with the Advisor or FTP, and noted that the Advisor does not utilize soft dollars in connection with the Fund. The Board also considered the Advisor’s compensation for fund reporting services provided to the Fund pursuant to a separate Fund Reporting Services Agreement, which is paid from the unitary fee. 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 the Fund. No single factor was determinative in the Board’s analysis.

Liquidity Risk Management Program

In accordance with Rule 22e-4 under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”), the Fund and each other fund in the First Trust Fund Complex, other than the closed-end funds, have adopted and implemented a liquidity risk management program (the “Program”) reasonably designed to assess and manage the funds’ liquidity risk, i.e., the risk that a fund could not meet requests to redeem shares issued by the fund without significant dilution of remaining investors’ interests in the fund. The Board of Trustees of the First Trust Funds has appointed First Trust Advisors L.P. (the “Advisor”) as the person designated to administer the Program, and in this capacity the Advisor performs its duties primarily through the activities and efforts of the First Trust Liquidity Committee (the “Liquidity Committee”).

Pursuant to the Program, the Liquidity Committee classifies the liquidity of each fund’s portfolio investments into one of the four liquidity categories specified by Rule 22e-4: highly liquid investments, moderately liquid investments, less liquid investments and illiquid investments. The Liquidity Committee determines certain of the inputs for this classification process, including reasonably anticipated trade sizes and significant investor dilution thresholds. The Liquidity Committee also determines and periodically reviews a highly liquid investment minimum for certain funds, monitors the funds’ holdings of assets classified as illiquid investments to seek to ensure they do not exceed 15% of a fund’s net assets and establishes policies and procedures regarding redemptions in kind.

At the April 17, 2023 meeting of the Board of Trustees, as required by Rule 22e-4 and the Program, the Advisor provided the Board with a written report prepared by the Advisor that addressed the operation of the Program during the period from March 17, 2022 through the Liquidity Committee’s annual meeting held on March 23, 2023 and assessed the Program’s adequacy and effectiveness of implementation during this period, including the operation of the highly liquid investment minimum for each fund that is required under the Program to have one, and any material changes to the Program. Note that because the Fund primarily holds assets that are highly liquid investments, the Fund has not adopted any highly liquid investment minimum.

As stated in the written report, during the review period, two funds breached the 15% limitation on illiquid investments for one day each, as a result of an unscheduled week-long closure of the stock exchange in Istanbul following devastating earthquakes in February, causing all Turkish equities to be re-classified as “illiquid” for one day. Each fund filed a Form N-RN on the day after the breach occurred, and one day later after the breach was cured. No fund with a highly liquid investment minimum breached that minimum during the reporting period. The Advisor concluded that each fund’s investment strategy is appropriate for an open-end fund; that the Program operated effectively in all material respects during the review period; and that the Program is reasonably designed to assess and manage the liquidity risk of each fund and to maintain compliance with Rule 22e-4.

Board of Trustees

Effective September 10, 2023, the exchange-traded funds, closed-end funds, mutual funds and variable insurance funds (collectively, the “Funds”) advised by First Trust Advisors L.P. (“FTA”) announced the appointment of Ms. Bronwyn Wright as a Trustee of all Funds except the exchange-traded funds included in the First Trust Exchange-Traded Fund and the First Trust Dynamic Europe Equity Income Fund, a closed-end fund. Ms. Wright has acted as an independent director to a number of Irish collective investment funds since 2009. Ms. Wright is a former Managing Director of Citibank Europe plc and Head of Securities and Fund Services for Citi Ireland. In these positions, she was responsible for the management and strategic direction of Citi Ireland’s securities and fund services business which included funds, custody, security finance/lending and global agency and trust. She also had responsibility for leading, managing and growing the Trustee, Custodian and Depositary business in Ireland, the United Kingdom, Luxembourg, Jersey and Cayman.

Page 41

Table of Contents

Board of Trustees and Officers

First Trust Municipal High Income ETF (FMHI)

July 31, 2023 (Unaudited)

The following tables identify the Trustees and Officers of the Trust. Unless otherwise indicated, the address of all persons is 120 East Liberty Drive, Suite 400, Wheaton, IL 60187.

The Trust’s statement of additional information includes additional information about the Trustees and is available, without charge, upon request, by calling (800) 988-5891.

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	Physician, Edward-Elmhurst Medical Group; Physician and Officer, Wheaton Orthopedics (1990 to 2021)	238	None
Thomas R. Kadlec, Trustee (1957)	• Indefinite Term • Since Inception	Retired; President, ADM Investor Services, Inc. (Futures Commission Merchant) (2010 to July 2022)	238	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)	238	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)	238	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)	238	None
INTERESTED TRUSTEE
James A. Bowen⁽¹⁾, Trustee and 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)	238	None

⁽¹⁾	Mr. Bowen is deemed an “interested person” of the Trust due to his position as CEO of First Trust Advisors L.P., investment advisor of the Trust.

Page 42

Table of Contents

Board of Trustees and Officers (Continued)

First Trust Municipal High Income ETF (FMHI)

July 31, 2023 (Unaudited)

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 to 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.

⁽²⁾	The term “officer” means the president, vice president, secretary, treasurer, controller or any other officer who performs a policy making function.

Page 43

Table of Contents

First Trust Municipal High Income ETF (FMHI)

July 31, 2023 (Unaudited)

First Trust values our relationship with you and considers your privacy an important priority in maintaining that relationship. We are committed to protecting the security and confidentiality of your personal information.

Sources of Information

We collect nonpublic personal information about you from the following sources:

•	Information we receive from you and your broker-dealer, investment professional or financial representative through interviews, applications, agreements or other forms;
•	Information about your transactions with us, our affiliates or others;
•	Information we receive from your inquiries by mail, e-mail or telephone; and
•	Information we collect on our website through the use of “cookies.” For example, we may identify the pages on our website that your browser requests or visits.

Information Collected

The type of data we collect may include your name, address, social security number, age, financial status, assets, income, tax information, retirement and estate plan information, transaction history, account balance, payment history, investment objectives, marital status, family relationships and other personal information.

Disclosure of Information

We do not disclose any nonpublic personal information about our customers or former customers to anyone, except as permitted by law. In addition to using this information to verify your identity (as required under law), the permitted uses may also include the disclosure of such information to unaffiliated companies for the following reasons:

•

In order to provide you with products and services and to effect transactions that you request or authorize, we may disclose your personal information as described above to unaffiliated financial service providers and other companies that perform administrative or other services on our behalf, such as transfer agents, custodians and trustees, or that assist us in the distribution of investor materials such as trustees, banks, financial representatives, proxy services, solicitors and printers.

•

We may release information we have about you if you direct us to do so, if we are compelled by law to do so, or in other legally limited circumstances (for example to protect your account from fraud).

In addition, in order to alert you to our other financial products and services, we may share your personal information within First Trust.

Use of Website Analytics

We currently use third party analytics tools, Google Analytics and AddThis, to gather information for purposes of improving First Trust’s website and marketing our products and services to you. These tools employ cookies, which are small pieces of text stored in a file by your web browser and sent to websites that you visit, to collect information, track website usage and viewing trends such as the number of hits, pages visited, videos and PDFs viewed and the length of user sessions in order to evaluate website performance and enhance navigation of the website. We may also collect other anonymous information, which is generally limited to technical and web navigation information such as the IP address of your device, internet browser type and operating system for purposes of analyzing the data to make First Trust’s website better and more useful to our users. The information collected does not include any personal identifiable information such as your name, address, phone number or email address unless you provide that information through the website for us to contact you in order to answer your questions or respond to your requests. To find out how to opt-out of these services click on: Google Analytics and AddThis.

Confidentiality and Security

With regard to our internal security procedures, First Trust restricts access to your nonpublic personal information to those First Trust employees who need to know that information to provide products or services to you. We maintain physical, electronic and procedural safeguards to protect your nonpublic personal information.

Policy Updates and Inquiries

As required by federal law, we will notify you of our privacy policy annually. We reserve the right to modify this policy at any time, however, if we do change it, we will tell you promptly. For questions about our policy, or for additional copies of this notice, please go to www.ftportfolios.com, or contact us at 1-800-621-1675 (First Trust Portfolios) or 1-800-222-6822 (First Trust Advisors).

March 2023

Page 44

	Total Value at 7/31/2023	Level 1 Quoted Prices	Level 2 Significant Observable Inputs	Level 3 Significant Unobservable Inputs
Municipal Bonds*	$ 401,053,297	$ —	$ 401,053,297	$ —
Futures Contracts**	130,582	130,582	—	—
Total	$ 401,183,879	$ 130,582	$ 401,053,297	$—

ASSETS:
Investments, at value	$ 401,053,297
Cash	1,060,677
Cash segregated as collateral for open futures contracts	439,600
Receivables:
Fund shares sold	4,706,411
Interest	4,058,992
Investment securities sold	222,816
Miscellaneous	7,625
Total Assets	411,549,418
LIABILITIES:
Payables:
Investment securities purchased	1,973,630
Investment advisory fees	233,912
Variation margin	14,312
Total Liabilities	2,221,854
NET ASSETS	$409,327,564
NET ASSETS consist of:
Paid-in capital	$ 456,705,794
Par value	87,000
Accumulated distributable earnings (loss)	(47,465,230)
NET ASSETS	$409,327,564
NET ASSET VALUE, per share	$47.05
Number of shares outstanding (unlimited number of shares authorized, par value $0.01 per share)	8,700,002
Investments, at cost	$414,464,751

INVESTMENT INCOME:
Interest		$ 15,006,589
Other		18,000
Total investment income		15,024,589
EXPENSES:
Investment advisory fees		2,321,932
Total expenses		2,321,932
Fees waived by the investment advisor		(155,286)
Net expenses		2,166,646
NET INVESTMENT INCOME (LOSS)		12,857,943
NET REALIZED AND UNREALIZED GAIN (LOSS):
Net realized gain (loss) on:
Investments		(16,034,892)
Futures contracts		1,373,309
Net realized gain (loss)		(14,661,583)
Net change in unrealized appreciation (depreciation) on:
Investments		(256,896)
Futures contracts		726,895
Net change in unrealized appreciation (depreciation)		469,999
NET REALIZED AND UNREALIZED GAIN (LOSS)		(14,191,584)
NET INCREASE (DECREASE) IN NET ASSETS RESULTING FROM OPERATIONS		$(1,333,641)

	Year Ended 7/31/2023	Year Ended 7/31/2022
OPERATIONS:
Net investment income (loss)	$ 12,857,943	$ 9,675,790
Net realized gain (loss)	(14,661,583)	(17,058,308)
Net change in unrealized appreciation (depreciation)	469,999	(32,136,292)
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations	(1,333,641)	(39,518,810)
DISTRIBUTIONS TO SHAREHOLDERS FROM:
Investment operations	(12,644,552)	(9,560,177)
Return of capital	(178,777)	(505,451)
Total distributions to shareholders	(12,823,329)	(10,065,628)
SHAREHOLDER TRANSACTIONS:
Proceeds from shares sold	198,607,434	234,880,882
Cost of shares redeemed	(114,077,874)	(129,802,313)
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from shareholder transactions	84,529,560	105,078,569
Total increase (decrease) in net assets	70,372,590	55,494,131
NET ASSETS:
Beginning of period	338,954,974	283,460,843
End of period	$ 409,327,564	$ 338,954,974
CHANGES IN SHARES OUTSTANDING:
Shares outstanding, beginning of period	6,900,002	5,000,002
Shares sold	4,250,000	4,450,000
Shares redeemed	(2,450,000)	(2,550,000)
Shares outstanding, end of period	8,700,002	6,900,002

*	See Portfolio of Investments for state and territory 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 Statement of Assets and Liabilities.