What if you'd held FTXL?
A $1,000 investment in First Trust Nasdaq Semiconductor ETF (FTXL) at the month-end close of 2016-09 would be worth $11,812 at the close of 2026-08 — +1081.2% total return, dividends reinvested. The same $1,000 in the S&P 500 would be worth $3,555.
Your scenario
Result
If you'd bought $1,000 at the start of each year
Value of $1,000 invested on January 1 of each year, held to 2026-08, dividends included.
Every year, $1,000 from 2016
| Year | Value of $1,000 | Year return |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | $1,000 | — |
| 2017 | $1,322 | +32.2% |
| 2018 | $1,130 | -14.5% |
| 2019 | $1,829 | +61.8% |
| 2020 | $2,672 | +46.1% |
| 2021 | $3,635 | +36.0% |
| 2022 | $2,403 | -33.9% |
| 2023 | $3,711 | +54.4% |
| 2024 | $3,992 | +7.6% |
| 2025 | $5,946 | +48.9% |
| 2026 | $10,407 | +75.0% |
Best and worst month-end to buy
The best single month-end close to have bought FTXL was 2016-10 ($18.91): $1,000 then is $11,987 today. The worst was 2026-06 ($285): $1,000 then is $795.
FAQ
What would $1,000 in FTXL be worth today?
A $1,000 investment in First Trust Nasdaq Semiconductor ETF (FTXL) at the start of 2016 would be worth about $11,812 today, a total return of +1081.2%. Dividends are reinvested in these figures.
What were the best and worst years for FTXL?
First Trust Nasdaq Semiconductor ETF (FTXL)'s strongest calendar year since 2016 was 2026, a +75.0% return — $1,000 held through that year became about $1,750 by year-end. Its weakest year was 2022, at -33.9%.
Does the calculator include dividends and splits?
Yes where available. Prices are adjusted for both stock splits and reinvested dividends (total return), the same measure brokerages use.
How much would $100 per month in FTXL have grown?
Investing $100 at the end of every month since 2016-09 would have grown to about $59,225 on $12,000 invested.
Did FTXL beat the S&P 500?
Over the same period, $1,000 in the S&P 500 index would be worth $3,555. FTXL beat the S&P 500 by +232.3% in total return.
Is this investment advice?
No. Wall Street Regrets is an entertainment and education tool. Every number is a historical calculation, not a prediction, and past performance never guarantees future results.
Methodology
First Trust Nasdaq Semiconductor ETF (FTXL) historical total-return data from 2016-09 to 2026-08, reduced to month-end closes for the tables above.
Returns use adjusted close prices from Yahoo Finance historical data — adjusted for stock splits and reinvested dividends — the same convention used by major brokerages. A "year" scenario invests $1,000 at the prior December's month-end close and values it at the latest available month-end close. Non-USD amounts are converted at historical month-end exchange rates (Yahoo Finance): to USD on the buy date and back to your currency at the latest rate, so the return reflects the currency move as well as the asset.
Month-end resolution means intra-month extremes are not captured in tables; the calculator uses exact trading-day closes where daily data is available. Figures ignore taxes, fees, and the currency effects of non-USD listings. History is not a forecast. Wall Street Regrets is entertainment, not investment advice.
What if you'd held…
Data: adjusted close prices via Yahoo Finance. As of 2026-08. Not financial advice.