First Trust Institutional Preferred Securities & Income ETF (FPEI) belongs to the Preferred Stock/Convertible Bonds category. Below you'll find alternative ETFs from the same category, ranked by key criteria, plus funds that investors commonly compare with FPEI. Use the tables to find lower-cost options, better risk-adjusted returns, or a closer substitute for your current allocation.
Cheapest Alternatives to FPEI
FPEI charges 0.85% annually. There are 25 ETFs in the Preferred Stock/Convertible Bonds category with lower expense ratios, going as low as 0.20%.
| Symbol | Name | Expense Ratio | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| iShares Convertible Bond ETF | 0.20% | 7.46B | Jun 2015 | FPEI vs ICVT | |
| Global X U.S. Preferred ETF | 0.23% | 2.17B | Sep 2017 | FPEI vs PFFD | |
| Global X Variable Rate Preferred ETF | 0.25% | 305.93M | Jun 2020 | FPEI vs PFFV | |
| Eaton Vance Preferred Securities and Income ETF | 0.39% | 35.16M | Mar 2026 | FPEI vs EVPF | |
| SPDR Bloomberg Barclays Convertible Securities ETF | 0.40% | 6.40B | Apr 2009 | FPEI vs CWB |
Best Risk-Adjusted Alternatives to FPEI
FPEI has a PortfoliosLab risk / return rank of 69. There are 5 ETFs in the Preferred Stock/Convertible Bonds category with higher risk-adjusted ranks, going as high as 84.
| Symbol | Name | Risk / Return Rank | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| iShares Convertible Bond ETF | 84 | 7.46B | Jun 2015 | FPEI vs ICVT | |
| First Trust SSI Strategic Convertible Securities E... | 84 | 122.72M | Nov 2015 | FPEI vs FCVT | |
| SPDR Bloomberg Barclays Convertible Securities ETF | 80 | 6.40B | Apr 2009 | FPEI vs CWB | |
| Nuveen Preferred And Income ETF | 74 | 169.20M | Mar 2024 | FPEI vs NPFI | |
| Cohen & Steers Preferred and Income Opportunities ... | 70 | 65.77M | Feb 2025 | FPEI vs CSPF |
Top Performing FPEI Alternatives (YTD)
FPEI is at 1.95% YTD. There are 11 ETFs in the Preferred Stock/Convertible Bonds category with higher YTD returns, going as high as 24.74%.
| Symbol | Name | YTD Return | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| First Trust SSI Strategic Convertible Securities E... | 24.74% | 122.72M | Nov 2015 | FPEI vs FCVT | |
| iShares Convertible Bond ETF | 24.42% | 7.46B | Jun 2015 | FPEI vs ICVT | |
| SPDR Bloomberg Barclays Convertible Securities ETF | 22.11% | 6.40B | Apr 2009 | FPEI vs CWB | |
| VanEck Vectors Preferred Securities ex Financials ... | 5.24% | 2.50B | Jul 2012 | FPEI vs PFXF | |
| Global X SuperIncome Preferred ETF | 4.37% | 143.01M | Jul 2012 | FPEI vs SPFF |
Lowest Volatility Alternatives to FPEI
FPEI has 3.73% 1-year volatility. There are 10 ETFs in the Preferred Stock/Convertible Bonds category with lower 1-year volatility, going as low as 2.90%.
| Symbol | Name | Volatility 1Y | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Invesco Variable Rate Preferred ETF | 2.90% | 2.97B | May 2014 | FPEI vs VRP | |
| Nuveen Preferred And Income ETF | 2.95% | 169.20M | Mar 2024 | FPEI vs NPFI | |
| Fidelity Preferred Securities & Income ETF | 2.98% | 83.02M | Jun 2021 | FPEI vs FPFD | |
| Cohen & Steers Short Duration Preferred and Income... | 3.08% | 17.00M | Dec 2025 | FPEI vs CSSD | |
| Principal Spectrum Preferred Secs Active ETF | 3.11% | 1.70B | Jul 2017 | FPEI vs PREF |
Lowest Drawdown Alternatives to FPEI
FPEI has a 1-year max drawdown of -3.63%. There are 11 ETFs in the Preferred Stock/Convertible Bonds category with shallower 1-year drawdowns, going as shallow as -2.11%.
| Symbol | Name | Max Drawdown 1Y | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Square RCIM Tax-Advantaged Preferred and Inc... | -2.11% | 74.29M | Dec 2024 | FPEI vs QTPI | |
| AAM Low Duration Preferred and Income Securities E... | -2.23% | 487.73M | Nov 2019 | FPEI vs PFLD | |
| Fidelity Preferred Securities & Income ETF | -2.75% | 83.02M | Jun 2021 | FPEI vs FPFD | |
| Principal Spectrum Preferred Secs Active ETF | -2.88% | 1.70B | Jul 2017 | FPEI vs PREF | |
| Invesco Variable Rate Preferred ETF | -2.89% | 2.97B | May 2014 | FPEI vs VRP |
Other ETFs from First Trust
The 10 most viewed First Trust ETFs shown here include CIBR, GRID, NFTY and span 13 categories. AUM among these funds goes as high as $14B.
Often Compared With FPEI
Investors most often compare FPEI with FPE, PFFA, PGF. These 20 comparison targets span 10 categories, based on PortfoliosLab usage data.
Compare FPEI with Any Fund or Stock
Compare FPEI with any ETF, mutual fund, or stock using PortfoliosLab's comparison tool.
Pair FPEI with funds that move differently
First Trust Institutional Preferred Securities & Income ETF alternatives help with substitution. Diversifiers are the next step when you want funds with lower historical correlation to FPEI.
Explore FPEI Diversifiers