First Trust Long/Short Equity ETF
FTLS
231 hedge funds and large institutions have $1.61B invested in First Trust Long/Short Equity ETF in 2025 Q3 according to their latest regulatory filings, with 22 funds opening new positions, 104 increasing their positions, 88 reducing their positions, and 21 closing their positions.
18% more repeat investments, than reductions
Existing positions increased: 104 | Existing positions reduced: 88
5% more first-time investments, than exits
New positions opened: 22 | Existing positions closed: 21
1% less funds holding
Funds holding: 233 → 231 (-2)
2% less capital invested
Capital invested by funds: $1.65B → $1.61B (-$40.6M)
1.99% less ownership
Funds ownership: 81.97% → 79.98% (-2%)
8% less funds holding in top 10
Funds holding in top 10: 12 → 11 (-1)
Top Buyers
| Rank | Fund | Capital Flow |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
MFG
Merit Financial Group
Alpharetta,
Georgia
|
+$4.3M |
| 2 |
KWA
Kingswood Wealth Advisors
San Diego,
California
|
+$3.05M |
| 3 |
SF
Summit Financial
Parsippany,
New Jersey
|
+$2.36M |
| 4 |
MA
Mutual Advisors
Omaha,
Nebraska
|
+$2.33M |
| 5 |
Citadel Advisors
Miami,
Florida
|
+$2.12M |
Top Sellers
| Rank | Fund | Capital Flow |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Morgan Stanley
New York
|
-$65M |
| 2 |
Ameriprise
Minneapolis,
Minnesota
|
-$9.48M |
| 3 |
Comerica Bank
Dallas,
Texas
|
-$8.96M |
| 4 |
LPL Financial
San Diego,
California
|
-$7.79M |
| 5 |
Raymond James Financial
St Petersburg,
Florida
|
-$7.77M |
FTLS Hedge Fund Activity: Q3 2025 in Review
231 of the 7,619 institutional investors tracked by Wall St. Rank reported a position in First Trust Long/Short Equity ETF (FTLS) for Q3 2025, worth a combined $1.61B — down 2.5% from $1.65B a quarter earlier.
Buyers outnumbered sellers: 22 funds opened new FTLS positions and 21 closed out — a net gain of 1 holder — while 104 added to existing stakes and 88 trimmed.
The largest buyer was Merit Financial Group, adding an estimated $4.3M. The largest seller was Morgan Stanley, cutting an estimated $65M.
- 231 institutional investors held First Trust Long/Short Equity ETF (FTLS) as of Q3 2025, down from 233 in Q2 2025.
- Funds reported $1.61B of First Trust Long/Short Equity ETF stock for Q3 2025, down 2.5% quarter-over-quarter.
- 22 funds opened new First Trust Long/Short Equity ETF positions in Q3 2025 and 21 closed out, a net change of +1 holder.
- The largest First Trust Long/Short Equity ETF buyer in Q3 2025 was Merit Financial Group, an estimated $4.3M added.
- The largest First Trust Long/Short Equity ETF seller in Q3 2025 was Morgan Stanley, an estimated $65M sold.
Based on aggregated 13F filings for Q3 2025.