First Trust Bloomberg R&D Leaders ETF (RND) Performance
RND total return
Distributions reinvested · as of Oct 23, 2026- YTD
- +7.3% since Dec 31, 2025
- 1 year
- +8.5% total return
- Since first price
- +64.6% since 2024
RND trailing returns vs SPY, QQQ, AGG
| Period | RND total return | Price only | S&P 500 (SPY) | Nasdaq-100 (QQQ) | U.S. bonds (AGG) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 month | −2.6% | −2.6% | −1.0% | −5.0% | +0.9% |
| 3 months | +5.6% | +5.6% | +3.2% | +1.9% | −0.4% |
| 6 months | +6.9% | +6.9% | +7.8% | +8.4% | −1.5% |
| YTD | +7.3% | +7.3% | +12.3% | +15.1% | −1.0% |
| 1 year | +8.5% | +8.5% | +14.4% | +15.9% | −1.1% |
| Since inceptionMay 2, 2024 | +64.6% | +64.5% | — | — | — |
Total return from adjusted closes (distributions reinvested, before tax). Periods of 3 years or more are also shown annualized. Price only excludes distributions.
Growth of $10,000: RND vs SPY
From May 2, 2024: RND grew to $16,461, SPY to $15,492.
Year-end values with distributions reinvested, no taxes or trading costs. Start: first common trading day of both funds.
RND returns by calendar year
1 of 1 full years positive. Best 2025 (+22.4%), worst 2025 (+22.4%). 2026 is year to date.
RND annual returns table
| Year | RND | Largest drop | SPY | QQQ | AGG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026YTD | +7.3% | −14.5% | +12.3% | +15.1% | −1.0% |
| 2025 | +22.4% | −23.5% | +17.7% | +20.8% | +7.2% |
Largest drop = deepest fall from a high within that calendar year.
Calendar-year return vs largest drop within the year
Most years include a sizable fall at some point even when the year ends higher.
RND largest drawdowns
Now 4.9% below the high| Peak | Decline | Bottom | Recovered | Fall | Underwater |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 23, 2025 | −23.5% | Apr 8, 2025 | Jun 25, 2025 | 2 months | 5 months |
| Oct 29, 2025 | −15.6% | Mar 30, 2026 | May 6, 2026 | 5 months | 6 months |
| Jul 10, 2024 | −14.0% | Aug 5, 2024 | Oct 14, 2024 | 26 days | 3 months |
Declines from a closing high (distributions reinvested) of 10% or more. Underwater = time from the peak until the old high was regained.
RND risk statistics
| Statistic | Since 2024 |
|---|---|
| Annualized return | +22.3% |
| Volatility (annualized) | 15.8% |
| Sharpe ratio | 1.10 |
| Sortino ratio | 2.09 |
| Best month | +12.3% |
| Worst month | −8.3% |
| Best 12 months | +34.2% |
| Worst 12 months | +13.2% |
| Positive months | 61% |
| Beta vs S&P 500 | — |
| Correlation with S&P 500 | — |
From monthly total returns. Sharpe and Sortino use 1–3 month T-bills (BIL) as the risk-free rate, so they need history from 2007 on.
RND rolling returns
| Holding period | Periods | Worst | Median | Best | Positive |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1-year | 18 | +5.3% | +20.9% | +34.2% | 100% |
Every holding period starting at a month-end since 2024. Returns for 3 years and longer are annualized.
RND performance overview
First Trust Bloomberg R&D Leaders ETF (RND) returned +8.5% over the past year, with distributions reinvested. Since its first recorded price on May 2, 2024 it has returned +64.6%. Over the same year S&P 500 (SPY) returned +14.4%.
The deepest decline was −23.5%, from Jan 23, 2025 to Apr 8, 2025, and it took 3 months to get back to the old high. Volatility has been 15.8% a year.
Related: RND chart, RND holdings, RND valuation. See the RND overview for the latest quote and fund facts.
RND performance FAQ
What is the RND return over the past year?
RND returned +8.5% over the 12 months to October 23, 2026, including reinvested distributions. On price alone it rose 8.5%.
How much would $10,000 invested in RND be worth?
$10,000 invested in RND at its first recorded close on May 2, 2024 would be worth about $16,461 on October 23, 2026 with distributions reinvested.
What is the biggest drawdown of RND?
The largest peak-to-trough decline was −23.5% between January 23, 2025 and April 8, 2025. It recovered to the old high on June 25, 2025, 3 months after the bottom.
How volatile is RND?
Over the past history RND had an annualized volatility of 15.8% and a Sharpe ratio of 1.10 (excess return over 1–3 month T-bills per unit of risk).