Stock fact sheet · data as of
First Trust Active Factor Emerging Markets ETF (AFEM): fair value, margin of safety and Wheel Score
Financial Services · Asset Management · United States · Speculative / Distressed
Is AFEM undervalued?
At 94.75 (close of 16 Oct 2026), AFEM trades 159% over the GLS average fair value of 36.65, with 0 of 1 models above the price. The stock earns none of the Wheel Score's Value points at this price. That is a statement about price against trailing fundamentals, not about the company's prospects - the Wall Street View and the Growth tab on the Quote page carry the forward numbers.
The average is built from just 1 models (DDM) - the rest returned nothing because an input they need (dividends, free cash flow, book value) is zero or negative - so treat it with more caution than usual.
The nightly engine files AFEM under Speculative / Distressed - negative earnings or a Piotroski score of 3 or less - which caps its Wheel Score at 45 and keeps it out of the Sunday Scan.
Nine valuation models for AFEM
Each model turns the latest filed numbers into a value per share; the GLS fair value is the simple average of the ones that produce a positive number. The last two rows are shown for reference and never enter the average. The Quote page lets you switch any model off and add your own margin of safety.
| Model | Value | vs price | What it measures |
|---|---|---|---|
| DCF | - | - | Present value of the projected free cash flows, discounted at the cost of capital; no value tonight |
| Graham Number | - | - | The most a defensive investor pays for the earnings and book value per share; no value tonight |
| Graham Growth | - | - | Graham's growth formula: EPS × (8.5 + 2 × growth), adjusted for bond yields; no value tonight |
| Lynch | - | - | EPS × the earnings growth rate (PEG of 1), growth capped at 25%; no value tonight |
| GLS Growth | - | - | EPS compounded ten years at the blended growth rate, discounted back at 15% a year; no value tonight |
| 10 Cap | - | - | Owner's earnings (operating cash flow less maintenance capex) capitalised at 10%; no value tonight |
| Payback Time | - | - | Eight years of compounded free cash flow: the price at which the business pays for itself; no value tonight |
| DDM | 36.65 | -61% | Dividend discount model: next year's dividend ÷ (10% − 3% growth); needs a dividend |
| EPV | - | - | Earnings power value: current EPS capitalised at 9% with no growth; no value tonight |
| Zombie (liquidation) | -2.50 | -103% | Current assets less all liabilities, per share: the balance-sheet floor. Not in the average |
| Wall St target | 0.0000 | -100% | Analysts' average 12-month price target. Not in the average |
Quality and financial health
First Trust Active Factor Emerging Markets ETF scores only 1 of 9 on the Piotroski F-score, which fails the Sunday Scan's "6 or more" rule. A reading this low means several of the basic tests - positive earnings, positive operating cash flow, falling debt, no new share issuance - are not met. A GLS Moat score of 0.8/10 is a weak reading: the ten-year history the score grades (revenue, EPS, book value, margins, cash flow, share count, ROIC) has not been steady, so the Moat part of the Wheel Score contributes little.
Returns on capital are high - ROIC 105.5%, ROE 29.2%, ROA -452.9% - with debt at -0.72 times equity and negative free cash flow.
The dividend yield is 2.63% at a payout ratio of 0%; for a wheel trader holding assigned shares the dividend adds to the covered-call premium, and the ex-dividend date is worth knowing before a call is sold.
Institutional ownership scores 5/10, insider activity 5/10 and Congressional trading 5/10 on the GLS smart-money scales.
| Piotroski F-score | 1 / 9 | ROIC | 105.5% |
|---|---|---|---|
| GLS Moat | 0.8 / 10 | ROE | 29.2% |
| Debt / equity | -0.72 | ROA | -452.9% |
| Free-cash-flow yield | -238.0% | Payout ratio | 0% |
| Institutions | 5 / 10 | Insiders · Congress | 5 · 5 / 10 |
Wheel Score 9: No options
No options are listed on First Trust Active Factor Emerging Markets ETF in our nightly snapshot. The Wheel Score is therefore capped at 39 (it reads 9) and the stock is left out of every options screen; the fair value and health figures above are still useful for a plain stock position.
Volume runs at 3k shares a day on a market cap of $81M, with a beta of 0.73 - a low beta, so day-to-day moves are smaller than the market's; the Stability part of the Wheel Score gives that 6 of 20.
| Part | Points | From | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Value | 0 / 25 | -159% margin of safety | |
| Health | 2 / 20 | Piotroski 1/9 | |
| Moat | 1 / 15 | moat 0.8/10 | |
| Premium | 0 / 20 | no option data | |
| Stability | 6 / 20 | 3k shares/day, $81M cap, beta 0.73 |
The Wheel Score ranks ~7,400 US stocks for selling cash-secured puts and covered calls; it is updated nightly and is not a recommendation. The walkthrough lesson shows how the score fits into a trade, start to finish.
Upcoming events
No upcoming earnings date is recorded for AFEM in the nightly calendar.
Earnings, dividend, IPO, split and economic calendars for the whole market, filterable to your watchlists.
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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| AFJAX Virtus NFJ International Value Fund | 27.58 | 73.99 | +63% | 39No options | $84M |
| WMKMX WesMark West Virginia Municipal Bond Fund | 9.28 | 5.01 | -85% | 22No options | $84M |
| MGLD The Marygold Companies, Inc. | 1.98 | - | - | 30No options | $85M |
| PFXNZ PhenixFIN Corporation 5.25% Notes due 2028 | 24.05 | 351.84 | +93% | 39No options | $85M |
| RMI RiverNorth Opportunistic Municipal Income Fund, Inc. | 13.42 | 29.73 | +55% | 39No options | $86M |
| PFX PhenixFIN Corporation | 44.59 | 376.42 | +88% | 39No options | $86M |
| SAX Saratoga Investment Corp. 8 % Notes 2026-31.08.31 | 25.37 | 47.82 | +47% | 31No options | $86M |
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Start free See the Sunday ScanQuestions about AFEM
Is AFEM undervalued right now?
No: at 94.75 the stock trades 159% above the GLS average fair value of 36.65 (data as of 16 Oct 2026), well beyond what trailing earnings, cash flow and book value support.
What is the Wheel Score of AFEM and what does it mean?
AFEM has no listed options in our nightly snapshot, so it cannot be wheeled; its Wheel Score is capped at 39 and shown as "No options".
What is the GLS fair value for AFEM?
36.65 per share as of 16 Oct 2026 - the simple average of the 1 valuation models (out of nine: DCF, Graham Number, Graham Growth, Lynch, GLS Growth, 10 Cap, Payback Time, DDM and EPV) that produced a positive value. The models run every night on the latest filings; the Quote page lets you switch any of them off and add a margin of safety of your own.
When does First Trust Active Factor Emerging Markets ETF report earnings next?
No upcoming earnings date is recorded for AFEM in our calendar as of 16 Oct 2026; the Calendars page is refreshed every morning.
Does AFEM have listed options, and how liquid are they?
No. The nightly options snapshot found no listed contracts on AFEM, so the wheel strategy cannot be run on it and the Wheel Score is capped at 39.