First Trust Announces Adjournment of Special Shareholder Meeting for First Trust Active Global Quality Income ETF
First Trust Advisors L.P. (“FTA”) announced today that the special shareholder meeting for First Trust Active Global
Press Release Disclaimer: This is a press release distributed through the XPR Media network. It has not been independently verified by our newsroom.

![]()
First Trust Advisors L.P. (“FTA”) announced today that the special shareholder meeting for First Trust Active Global Quality Income ETF (the “Fund”), a series of First Trust Exchange-Traded Fund VIII (the “Trust”), has been adjourned in order to permit additional solicitation of shareholders. The special shareholder meeting for the Fund will reconvene on Monday, September 21, 2026 at 11:30 a.m. Central time at the offices of FTA at 120 East Liberty Drive, Suite 400 in Wheaton, Illinois.
The special shareholder meeting of the Fund was called to ask shareholders to vote 1) to approve a new investment sub-advisory agreement with Janus Henderson Investors US LLC (“Janus Henderson Investors”) for the Fund (the “New Sub-Advisory Agreement”), and 2) to approve a “manager of managers” structure for the Fund (the “Manager of Managers Structure”). In general terms, if implemented, the Manager of Managers Structure would permit the Trust and FTA, subject to approval by the Board of Trustees of the Trust, to enter into and materially amend investment sub-advisory agreements for the Fund without obtaining shareholder approval. There can be no assurance that the necessary percentage of shareholders will vote to approve either proposal.
Janus Henderson Investors currently serves as the Fund’s investment sub-advisor. Janus Henderson Group Ltd. (“Janus Henderson Group”) is the parent company of Janus Henderson Investors. On December 21, 2025, Janus Henderson Group, Jupiter Company Limited, a company incorporated in Jersey (“Jupiter”), and Jupiter Merger Sub Limited, a company incorporated in Jersey and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Jupiter (“Merger Sub”), entered into an Agreement and Plan of Merger pursuant to which, in accordance with the Companies (Jersey) Law 1991 (as amended from time to time), Jupiter agreed to acquire Janus Henderson Group by Merger Sub merging with and into Janus Henderson Group, with Janus Henderson Group continuing as the surviving corporation and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Jupiter (the “Transaction”). Jupiter, formed for the purpose of completing the Transaction, is owned by, among others, funds affiliated with Trian Fund Management, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership (“Trian”), and funds affiliated with General Catalyst Group Management, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company. The Transaction closed on June 30, 2026 (the “Closing”), and Janus Henderson Group is currently a wholly-owned subsidiary of Jupiter. Janus Henderson Investors remains an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of Janus Henderson Group.
The Closing of the Transaction resulted in a change of control of Janus Henderson Investors and, consequently, an “assignment” (as defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”)) of the Fund’s then-effective investment sub-advisory agreement with Janus Henderson Investors, which caused such agreement to automatically terminate. Currently, Janus Henderson Investors provides investment sub-advisory services to the Fund on an interim basis as permitted under the 1940 Act. However, for Janus Henderson Investors to continue to serve as the Fund’s investment sub-advisor beyond the interim period (which is required to end by November 27, 2026), shareholders of the Fund have been asked to consider and vote on the proposal to approve the New Sub-Advisory Agreement.
As the investment sub-advisor to the Fund, Janus Henderson Investors is responsible for the selection and ongoing monitoring of the securities in the Fund’s investment portfolio. As of June 30, 2026, Janus Henderson Group had approximately $500 billion in assets under management.
FTA is a federally registered investment advisor and serves as the Fund’s investment advisor. FTA and its affiliate, First Trust Portfolios L.P. (“FTP”), a FINRA registered broker-dealer, are privately-held companies that provide a variety of investment services. FTA has collective assets under management or supervision of approximately $368 billion as of July 31, 2026 through unit investment trusts, exchange-traded funds, closed-end funds, mutual funds and separately managed accounts. FTA is the supervisor of the First Trust unit investment trusts, while FTP is the sponsor. FTP is also a distributor of mutual fund shares and exchange-traded fund creation units. FTA and FTP are based in Wheaton, Illinois.
The information presented is not intended to constitute an investment recommendation for, or advice to, any specific person. By providing this information, FTA is not undertaking to give advice in any fiduciary capacity within the meaning of ERISA, the Internal Revenue Code or any other regulatory framework. Financial professionals are responsible for evaluating investment risks independently and for exercising independent judgment in determining whether investments are appropriate for their clients.
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 Janus Henderson Investors 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,” “would,” “will” 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 Fund 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 FTA and/or Janus Henderson Investors and their respective representatives only as of the date hereof. No obligation will be undertaken to publicly revise or update these forward-looking statements to reflect events and circumstances that arise after the date hereof.
The Fund’s daily closing price and net asset value per share as well as other information can be found at www.ftportfolios.com.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260909852186/en/
Media gallery


