The Small Cap Industrial ETF That Has Crushed the S&P 500 by 145 Points

"AIRR concentrates specifically on small- and mid-cap U.S. companies that build, move, and maintain physical infrastructure - contractors, electrical services firms, regional freight carriers, and specialty manufacturers that benefit most when domestic industrial activity accelerates."

"AIRR is a thematic, sector-concentrated growth vehicle - not an income tool. With a dividend yield of just 0.17%, income is irrelevant here. The fund targets investors who want exposure to the reshoring and domestic infrastructure buildout narrative, capturing companies that directly benefit from increased U.S. capital spending on physical assets."

"Over five years, the fund has returned +221.7% - dwarfing both the Russell 2000 and the S&P 500. That gap reflects the concentrated reshoring bet paying off as domestic industrial activity structurally accelerated, rewarding investors who held through the cycle."

First Trust RBA American Industrial Renaissance ETF (AIRR) targets small- and mid-cap U.S. companies in infrastructure, construction, and industrial sectors rather than large-cap conglomerates. The fund holds 50 positions with 91.5% in industrials and 8.4% in regional financials, including electrical contractors, infrastructure builders, and specialty freight carriers. With a 0.17% dividend yield, AIRR functions as a growth vehicle, not an income tool. Over five years, the fund returned 221.7%, significantly outperforming the Russell 2000 and S&P 500. This outperformance reflects the structural acceleration of domestic industrial activity and the reshoring trend. Year-to-date 2026, AIRR gained 24% while broader markets remained flat, supported by U.S. manufacturing value added reaching 3.2% quarterly growth in Q3 2025.

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