WHEATON, Ill.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

First Trust New Opportunities MLP & Energy Fund (the "Fund") (FPL) has declared the Fund’s regularly scheduled monthly common share distribution in the amount of $0.1017 per share payable on May 15, 2015, to shareholders of record as of May 5, 2015. The ex-dividend date is expected to be May 1, 2015. The monthly distribution information for the Fund appears below.

It is anticipated that, due to the tax treatment of cash distributions made by master limited partnerships (“MLPs”) in which the Fund invests, a portion of the distributions the Fund makes to Common Shareholders may consist of a tax-deferred return of capital. The final determination of the source and tax status of all 2015 distributions will be made after the end of 2015.

The Fund is a non-diversified, closed-end management investment company that seeks a high level of total return with an emphasis on current distributions paid to common shareholders. The Fund will seek to provide its common shareholders with a vehicle to invest in a portfolio of cash-generating securities, with a focus on investing in publicly traded MLPs and MLP-related entities in the energy sector and energy utilities industries that are weighted towards non-cyclical, fee-for-service revenues. Under normal market conditions, the Fund will invest at least 85% of its Managed Assets in equity and debt securities of MLPs, MLP-related entities and other energy sector and energy utilities companies that the Fund’s Sub-Advisor believes offer opportunities for growth and income.

First Trust Advisors L.P., the Fund’s investment advisor, 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 $114 billion as of March 31, 2015, through unit investment trusts, exchange-traded funds, closed-end funds, mutual funds and separate managed accounts.

Energy Income Partners, LLC (“EIP”) serves as the Fund’s investment sub-advisor and provides advisory services to a number of investment companies and partnerships for the purpose of investing in MLPs and other energy infrastructure securities. EIP is one of the early investment advisors specializing in this area. As of March 31, 2015, EIP managed or supervised approximately $5.9 billion in client 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: Investment in this Fund involves no operating history risk, investment and market risk, market discount from net asset value risk, management risk and reliance on key personnel, potential conflicts of interest risk, MLP risks, investment concentration risk, industry specific risk, energy utilities companies risk, cash flow risk, MLP and deferred tax risk, tax law change risk, non-U.S. securities risk, delay in investing the proceeds risk, equity securities risk, risks associated with an investment in initial public offerings, Canadian income equities risk, debt securities risk, below investment grade securities risk, leverage risk, covered call options risk, interest rate swaps risk, competition risk, restricted securities risk, liquidity risk, valuation risk, interest rate risk, recent market and economic developments risk, non-diversification risk, anti-takeover provisions risk, inflation risk and secondary market for the fund’s common shares. The risks of investing in the Fund are spelled out in the shareholder reports and other regulatory filings.

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.