First Trust Advisors Announces Proposed Change of Control of Investment Sub-Advisor and Investment Sub-Sub-Advisors to First Trust Heitman Global Prime Real Estate ETF

First Trust Advisors L.P. (“FTA”) announced today that OMAM (HFL) Inc., a Delaware corporation, will be redeeming its membership interests in Heitman LLC, the parent company of the investment sub-advisor and investment sub-sub-advisors to First Trust Heitman Global Prime Real Estate ETF (NYSE Arca: PRME) (the “Fund”), a series of First Trust Exchange-Traded Fund IV (the “Trust”) pursuant to a Redemption Agreement (the “Transaction”). The Transaction is expected to close no later than January 31, 2018. The Transaction may be deemed to be an “assignment” (as defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended) of the investment sub-advisory agreement among the Trust, FTA and Heitman Real Estate Securities LLC (“HRES”), the investment sub-sub-advisory agreement among the Trust, FTA, HRES, and Heitman International Real Estate Securities HK Limited (“Heitman HK”), and the investment sub-sub-advisory agreement among the Trust, FTA, HRES and Heitman International Real Estate Securities GmbH (“Heitman GmbH”) (collectively, the Sub-Advisory Agreements”), which would result in the automatic termination of the Sub-Advisory Agreements. The Board of Trustees of the Trust recently approved an interim investment sub-advisory agreement and interim investment sub-sub-advisory agreements (collectively, the “Interim Agreements”), which will be entered into effective upon the closing of the Transaction and will continue in effect for a maximum period of 150 days. Furthermore, the Board of Trustees approved a new investment sub-advisory agreement and new investment sub-sub-advisory agreements (collectively, the “New Agreements”) that will be submitted to shareholders of the Fund for approval and would take effect upon such shareholder approval. The New Agreements will be substantially similar to the Fund’s current Sub-Advisory Agreements. The Transaction is not expected to impact the day-to-day operations of the Fund, and the portfolio managers of the Fund will remain the same. A special shareholder meeting of the Fund to vote on a proposal to approve the New Agreements is expected to be held in the first half of 2018. There can be no assurance that the shareholders of the Fund will vote to approve the New Agreements.

FTA has served as the Fund’s investment advisor since the Fund’s inception. FTA along with its affiliate, First Trust Portfolios L.P., are privately-held companies which provide a variety of investment services, including asset management and financial advisory services, with collective assets under management or supervision of approximately $117 billion as of November 30, 2017 through unit investment trusts, exchange-traded funds, closed-end funds, mutual funds and separate managed accounts.

HRES, the Fund’s investment sub-advisor, is responsible for the selection and ongoing monitoring of the securities in the Fund’s investment portfolio and for overseeing Heitman HK and Heitman GmbH in the investment of the Fund’s assets. HRES, located at 191 N. Wacker Drive, 25th Floor, Chicago, Illinois 60606, is a leading global real estate investment management firm with total assets under management of approximately U.S. $4.6 billion as of November 30, 2017.

Heitman HK selects and monitors real estate securities located in the Asia-Pacific region for the Fund’s investment portfolio. Heitman HK is a registered investment advisor with the SEC. Heitman HK is located at 15F LHT Tower, 31 Queens Road, Central, Hong Kong, with total assets under management of approximately U.S. $1.0 billion as of November 30, 2017.

Heitman GmbH provides recommendations regarding the selection and ongoing monitoring of real estate securities located in Europe for the Fund’s investment portfolio. Heitman GmbH is a registered investment advisor with the SEC. Heitman GmbH is located at Maximilianstrasse 35A, Munich, Germany 80539, with total assets under management of approximately U.S. $712 million as of November 30, 2017.

This press release contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Forward-looking statements include statements regarding the goals, beliefs, plans or current expectations of FTA and/or HRES and their respective representatives, taking into account the information currently available to them. Forward-looking statements include all statements that do not relate solely to current or historical fact. For example, forward-looking statements include the use of words such as “anticipate,” “estimate,” “intend,” “expect,” “believe,” “plan,” “may,” “should,” “will,” “would” or other words that convey uncertainty of future events or outcomes. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Funds to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. When evaluating the information included in this press release, you are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which reflect the judgment of the FTA and HRES and their respective representatives only as of the date hereof. We undertake no obligation to publicly revise or update these forward-looking statements to reflect events and circumstances that arise after the date hereof.

Principal Risk Factors: Investment in the Fund involves investment and market risk; management risk; sub-advisor risk; Asia investment risk; authorized participant concentration risk; concentration risk; currency risk; cyber security risk; depositary receipts risk; emerging markets risk; equity securities risk; Europe investment risk; fluctuation of net asset value risk; interest rate risk; market maker risk; non-diversification risk; non-U.S. securities risk; real estate investment risk; REIT investment risk; small fund risk; smaller companies risk and trading issues risk. The risks of investing in the Fund are described in further detail in the Fund’s prospectus, shareholder report and other regulatory filings. Past performance is no assurance of future results. Investment return and market value of an investment in the Fund will fluctuate. Shares, when sold, may be worth more or less than their original cost.

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