Convertible & Income Select Closed-End and ETF Portfolio, Series 15

To meet long-term investment objectives, many investors seek both current income and capital appreciation, but do not want to sacrifice one for the other. Investing in convertible securities may offer investors an option to pursue both objectives. The Convertible & Income Select Closed-End and ETF Portfolio is a unit investment trust which invests in both closed-end funds and exchange-traded funds (ETFs) which invest primarily in convertible securities.

What Are Convertible Securities

Convertible securities are an investment solution for investors seeking income and risk-managed capital appreciation potential. A convertible security is a debt instrument issued by corporations, yet has an embedded conversion option that generally enables the security to be exchanged or converted into a predetermined number of shares of common stock.

Convertible securities are considered hybrid securities because they combine the investment attributes of bonds and common stocks. They offer upside potential through participation in equity returns, while providing a degree of downside protection through their bond-like attributes. Historically, these securities have delivered similar returns to equities, while generally maintaining lower volatility and lower downside capture.

Due to the hybrid nature of convertible securities, they tend to be less sensitive to interest rate changes than bonds of comparable quality and maturity, and less sensitive to stock market changes than common stocks. Convertible securities typically have income or dividend yields that are higher than the dividend yield on an issuer’s common stock, but lower than the yields on an issuer’s non-convertible debt or preferred stocks.

Portfolio Objectives

This unit investment trust seeks current monthly income and capital appreciation; however, there is no assurance the objectives will be met.

You should consider the portfolio's investment objective, risks, and charges and expenses carefully before investing. Contact your financial advisor or call First Trust Portfolios, L.P. 1.800.621.1675 to request a prospectus, which contains this and other information about the portfolio. Read it carefully before you invest.

Risk Considerations
An investment in this unmanaged unit investment trust should be made with an understanding of the risks involved with owning closed-end funds and exchange-traded funds that invest in convertible securities.

Closed-end funds and ETFs are subject to various risks, including management’s ability to meet the fund’s investment objective, and to manage the fund’s portfolio when the underlying securities are redeemed or sold, during periods of market turmoil and as investors’ perceptions regarding ETFs, closed-end funds or their underlying investments change. Unlike open-end funds, which trade at prices based on a current determination of the fund’s net asset value, ETFs and closed-end funds frequently trade at a discount from their net asset value in the secondary market. Certain of the funds employ the use of leverage which increases the volatility of such funds.

Common stocks are subject to certain risks, such as an economic recession and the possible deterioration of either the financial condition of the issuers of the equity securities or the general condition of the stock market.

Convertible securities are bonds, preferred stocks and other securities that pay a fixed rate of interest (or dividends) and will repay principal at a fixed date in the future. However, these securities may be converted into a specific number of common stocks at a specified time. As such, an investment in convertible securities entails some of the risks associated with both common stocks and bonds.

Investing in high-yield securities should be viewed as speculative and you should review your ability to assume the risks associated with investments which utilize such securities. High-yield securities are subject to numerous risks, including higher interest rates, economic recession, deterioration of the junk bond market, possible downgrades and defaults of interest and/or principal. High-yield security prices tend to fluctuate more than higher rated securities and are affected by short-term credit developments to a greater degree.

Investment grade securities are subject to numerous risks including higher interest rates, economic recession, deterioration of the investment grade security market or investors’ perception thereof, possible downgrades and defaults of interest and/or principal.

Options are subject to various risks including that their value may be adversely affected if the market for the option becomes less liquid or smaller. In addition, options will be affected by changes in the value and dividend rates of the stock subject to the option, an increase in interest rates, a change in the actual and perceived volatility of the stock market and the common stock and the remaining time to expiration.

As the use of Internet technology has become more prevalent in the course of business, the trust has become more susceptible to potential operational risks through breaches in cybersecurity.

Ongoing armed conflicts between Russia and Ukraine in Europe and among Israel, Hamas and other militant groups in the Middle East, have caused and could continue to cause significant market disruptions and volatility within the markets in Russia, Europe, the Middle East and the United States. The hostilities and sanctions resulting from those hostilities could have a significant impact on certain investments as well as performance.

The ongoing effects of the COVID-19 global pandemic, or the potential impacts of any future public health crisis, may cause significant volatility and uncertainty in global financial markets. While vaccines have been developed, there is no guarantee that vaccines will be effective against future variants of the disease.

It is important to note that an investment can be made in the underlying funds directly rather than through the trust. These direct investments can be made without paying the trust’s sales charge, operating expenses and organizational costs.

The value of the securities held by the trust may be subject to steep declines or increased volatility due to changes in performance or perception of the issuers.

This UIT is a buy and hold strategy and investors should consider their ability to hold the trust until maturity. There may be tax consequences unless units are purchased in an IRA or other qualified plan.

For a discussion of additional risks of investing in the trust see the “Risk Factors” section of the prospectus.