FGB First Trust Specialty Finance and Financial Opportunities Fund

First Trust Specialty Finance and Financial Opportunities Fund (the "Fund") (NYSE: FGB) has declared the Fund's regularly scheduled quarterly distribution of $0.175 per share. The distribution will be payable on May 31, 2018, to shareholders of record as of May 23, 2018. The ex-dividend date is expected to be May 22, 2018. The quarterly distribution information for the Fund appears below.

First Trust Specialty Finance and Financial Opportunities Fund (FGB):

Distribution per share:       $0.175 Distribution Rate based on the May 9, 2018 NAV of $6.05: 11.57% Distribution Rate based on the May 9, 2018 closing market price of $6.09: 11.49%

A portion of the distribution may be treated as paid from sources other than net investment income, including short-term capital gain, long-term capital gain and return of capital. The final determination of the source and tax status of all distributions paid in 2018 will be made after the end of 2018 and will be provided on Form 1099-DIV.

The Fund is a non-diversified, closed-end management investment company that seeks to provide a high level of current income. As a secondary objective, the Fund seeks to provide attractive total return. The Fund pursues these investment objectives by investing at least 80% of its managed assets in a portfolio of securities of specialty finance and other financial companies that the Fund's investment sub-advisor believes offer attractive opportunities for income and capital appreciation.

First Trust Advisors L.P. ("FTA"), a federally registered investment advisor, 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 is the investment advisor to exchange-traded funds, closed-end funds, mutual funds, separate managed accounts and provides supervisory services to FTP sponsored unit investment trusts. FTA's assets under management were approximately $122 billion as of April 30, 2018. This includes the supervisory services FTA provides to FTP sponsored unit investment trusts, which are unmanaged. FTP is a sponsor of unit investment trusts and distributor of mutual fund shares and exchange-traded fund creation units. FTA is based in Wheaton, Illinois.

Confluence Investment Management LLC ("Confluence"), an SEC registered investment advisor, serves as the Fund's investment sub-advisor. The investment professionals at Confluence have over 350 years of combined financial market experience. Confluence provides portfolio management and advisory services to both institutional and individual clients. As of March 31, 2018, Confluence managed or supervised $8.2 billion in assets.

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.

Principal Risk Factors: The Fund invests in business development companies ("BDCs") which may be subject to a high degree of risks, including management's ability to meet the BDC's investment objective, and to manage the BDC's portfolio when the underlying securities are redeemed or sold, during periods of market turmoil and as investors' perceptions regarding a BDC or its underlying investments change.

Investing in real estate investment trusts ("REITs") involves certain unique risks in addition to investing in the real estate industry in general. REITs are subject to interest rate risk and the risk of default by lessees or borrowers.

The Fund may invest in a variety of other mortgage-related securities. Rising interest rates tend to extend the duration of mortgage-related securities, making them more sensitive to changes in interest rates, and may reduce the market value of the securities. In addition, mortgage-related securities are subject to the risk that borrowers may pay off their mortgages sooner than expected, particularly when interest rates decline. This can reduce the Fund's returns. The Fund's investments in other asset-backed securities are subject to risks similar to those associated with mortgage-backed securities, as well as additional risks associated with the nature of the assets and the servicing of those assets.

Because the Fund is concentrated in the financials sector, it will be more susceptible to adverse economic or regulatory occurrences affecting this sector, such as changes in interest rates, availability and cost of capital funds, and competition.

Use of leverage can result in additional risk and cost, and can magnify the effect of any losses.

The risks of investing in the Fund are spelled out in the prospectus, shareholder report and other regulatory filings.

The information presented is not intended to constitute an investment recommendation for, or advice to, any specific person. By providing this information, First Trust is not undertaking to give advice in any fiduciary capacity within the meaning of ERISA and the Internal Revenue Code. First Trust has no knowledge of and has not been provided any information regarding any investor. Financial advisors must determine whether particular investments are appropriate for their clients. First Trust believes the financial advisor is a fiduciary, is capable of evaluating investment risks independently and is responsible for exercising independent judgment with respect to its retirement plan clients.

The Fund’s daily closing New York Stock Exchange price and net asset value per share as well as other information can be found at www.ftportfolios.com or by calling 1-800-988-5891.

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First Trust Specialty Finance and Financial Opportunities FundPress InquiriesJane Doyle, 630-765-8775orAnalyst InquiriesJeff Margolin, 630-915-6784orBroker InquiriesJeff Margolin, 630-915-6784