Congratulations to all the winners and nominees for this year’s Fund Manager of the Year Awards. For Lonsec and Money Management, these awards are a celebration of the very best of the funds management industry and we will recognise the very best innovations and products and services that improve the investment outcomes of Australians.

As research partner for the awards, we applied the same rigorous approach we take to researching and rating funds to evaluating the nominees and choosing winners in each of the 18 group award categories. It has been an honour to partner with Money Management for these awards and congratulations again to Franklin Templeton for being named Fund Manager of the Year.

Australian Property Securities Fund of the Year 

The nominees for the Australian Property Securities Fund of the Year highlight the variety in the sector by showcasing both A-REIT and ‘real asset’ mandates and differing investment styles. Nominated funds have all been well-rated by Lonsec over an extended period and have been able to deliver consistent risk-adjusted performance over the medium-term.  The nominees are:

  • Cromwell Phoenix Property Securities Fund
  • Martin Currie Real Income Fund – Class A
  • SGH Property Income Fund

Global Property Securities Fund of the Year

The nominees for the Global Property Securities Fund of the Year represent both Australian and off-shore investment firms. These funds, which have been well rated by Lonsec, have navigated a turbulent period for REIT markets well, allowing them to deliver a consistent level of risk-adjusted performance over the medium-term.

  • Ironbark Global Property Securities Fund
  • Quay Global Real Estate Fund – Unhedged
  • UBS CBRE Global Property Securities Fund

Infrastructure Fund of the Year

The nominees for the Infrastructure Fund of the Year are representative of the dynamism in the listed infrastructure space, both by investment style but also the underlying investment structures. The funds have all been well rated by Lonsec over time, with the managers delivering to investors the listed infrastructure premia during a volatile period in markets and meeting their investment objectives.

  • ClearBridge RARE Infrastructure Value Fund — Unhedged
  • CFS FC Global Infrastructure Securities Fund
  • Lazard Global Listed Infrastructure Fund

Unlisted Real Estate Fund of the Year

The nominees for the Unlisted Real Estate Fund of the Year are part of Lonsec’s universe of direct property funds that provide investors with access to a range of commercial and social property sectors. All nominated managers have built strong property capabilities and have demonstrated a commitment to sound capital management over time.

  • Australian Unity Healthcare Property Trust – Wholesale Units
  • Centuria Diversified Property Fund
  • Charter Hall Direct Industrial Fund No.4

Australian Large Cap Equity Fund of the Year

The nominees for the Australian Large Cap Equity Fund of the Year recognise those funds that have been well-rated by Lonsec over an extended period, and those managers that have been able to deliver consistent risk-adjusted performance in line with performance objectives over the medium-term.

  • Allan Gray Australia Equity Fund
  • Dimensional Australian Value Trust
  • DNR Capital Australian Equities High Conviction Portfolio
  • Lazard Select Australian Equity Fund (W Class)
  • Quest Australian Equities Concentrated Portfolio SMA

Australian Small Cap Equity Fund of the Year

The nominees for the Australian Small Cap Equity Fund of the Year recognise those funds that have successfully delivered on investment objectives, demonstrated superior stock selection and have been well-rated by Lonsec over an extended period.

  • First Sentier Wholesale Australian Small Companies Fund
  • OC Dynamic Equity Fund
  • Spheria Australian Smaller Companies Fund

Global Equity Fund of the Year

The nominees for Global Equity Fund of the Year have demonstrated ability to consistently meet their investment objectives, have a track record in applying their investment research and portfolio construction processes, as well as being rated ‘Recommended’ or higher by Lonsec.

  • Arrowstreet Global Equity Fund
  • Barrow Hanley Global Share Fund
  • Lazard Global Equity Franchise Fund
  • PM Capital Global Companies Fund
  • Realindex Global Share Value – Class A

Global Emerging Market Equity Fund of the Year

The nominees for Global Emerging Market Equity Fund of the Year have been sourced from Lonsec’s universe of Global Emerging Markets sector, including funds within the Regional Asia and India sub-sector. The award recognises funds that have been highly rated by Lonsec over the past three years, demonstrated asset allocation and security selection skills, and consistently delivered on its investment objectives.

  • Fidelity Asia Fund
  • FSSA Asian Growth Fund
  • Lazard Emerging Markets Equity Fund

Multi-Asset Fund of the Year

The nominees for the Multi-Asset Fund of the year recognise those products that have been well rated by Lonsec over an extended period of time, and those Managers that have been able to consistently apply their investment process, meet investment objectives through the cycle, and demonstrate portfolio management skill in asset allocation and security selection

  • Australian Retirement Trust – Super Savings – Growth
  • BlackRock Tactical Growth Fund – Class D
  • CareSuper – Sustainable Balanced
  • ipac Income Generator (Class K)
  • Perpetual Balanced Growth Fund

Passive – Equity Fund of the Year

The Passive Equity Fund of Year award recognises an equity based strategy that has demonstrated a strong track record of success with respect to its underlying index, a superior liquidity profile plus costs that are at least in-line with peers.

  • Betashares Australia 200 ETF
  • iShares Core S&P/ASX 200 ETF
  • SPDR S&P World ex Australia Carbon Control Fund
  • VanEck Australian Equal Weight ETF
  • Vanguard US Total Market Shares Index ETF

Passive – Other Asset Class Fund of the Year

The Passive Other-Asset class Fund of Year award considers all the passive fixed income, commodities, or alternative strategies within the Lonsec universe. It recognises the Fund with a strong track record of success with respect to its underlying index, a superior liquidity profile plus costs that are at least in-line with peers.

  • Betashares Australian Bank Senior Floating Rate Bond ETF
  • Global X Physical Gold ETF
  • iShares Core Composite Bond ETF
  • iShares Global Bond Index Fund
  • VanEck Australian Floating Rate ETF

Australian Fixed Income

The nominees for the Australian fixed income category are well rated by Lonsec over an extended period of time. The award recognises managers who have the ability to deliver consistent returns while providing downside protection during challenging markets which are a testament to their robust research and risk management processes, skills and expertise.

  • Janus Henderson Australian Fixed Interest Fund
  • Macquarie Australian Fixed Interest Fund
  • Pendal Sustainable Australian Fixed Interest Fund
  • Perpetual Active Fixed Interest Fund (Class A Units)
  • Western Asset Australian Bond Fund – Class A
  • Yarra Enhanced Income Fund

Global Fixed Income of the Year

As with the previous Australian Fixed Income award, the nominees for the Global fixed income category are well-rated by Lonsec over an extended period of time. The award recognises managers who have the ability to deliver consistent returns while providing downside protection during challenging markets which is a testament to their robust research and risk management processes, skills, and expertise.

  • Bentham Global Income Fund
  • Brandywine Global Opportunistic Fixed Income Fund – Class A
  • Perpetual Dynamic Fixed Income Fund
  • PIMCO Income Fund – Wholesale Class
  • T. Rowe Price Dynamic Global Bond Fund – I Class

Alternatives Fund of the Year

The nominees for the Alternatives fund of the year recognise those products that have demonstrated a track record of success, offer several competitive advantages against their closest peers and have been rated highly by Lonsec for at least three review cycles. Further, over the long term, each of these Funds has met or exceeded their respective investment objectives, achieved favourable absolute returns in a risk-adjusted manner while providing diversification to investors’ broader portfolios

  • Australian Retirement Trust – Super Savings – Diversified Alternatives
  • CC Sage Capital Absolute Return Fund
  • Hamilton Lane Global Private Assets Fund (AUD)

Responsible Investment Fund of the Year

The nominees for the Responsible Investment Fund of the year recognise those products that have demonstrated a clear integration of ESG into their investment process and deliver a portfolio with a high alignment with the Sustainable Development Goals as well as having at least a recommended rating from Lonsec.

  • Ausbil Active Sustainable Equity Fund
  • Australian Ethical Emerging Companies Fund (Wholesale)
  • Candriam Sustainable Global Equity Fund
  • Impax Sustainable Leaders Fund

Innovation Award of the Year

The Innovation Award recognises a manager that has brought a differentiated product to the Australian market.  Differentiation can take the form of fee leadership, product structural evolution or additive capabilites to standard asset class products.

  • Betashares Capital
  • Generation Life
  • L1 Capital

Emerging Manager of the Year

The nominees for Emerging Manager of the Year have been selected by Lonsec’s team of Sector Managers. To be eligible for this award, nominees must have a track record of five years or less within the Australian intermediated market, and have at least one product that Lonsec has assigned a ‘Recommended’ or higher rating.

  • Aikya Investment Management
  • Fortlake Asset Management
  • Pzena Investment Management
  • Ruffer LLP
  • Skerryvore Asset Management

Fund Manager of the Year

To be eligible for the Fund Manager of the Year Award, Managers must have demonstrated a sound investment culture and good governance over an investment cycle and across a number of asset classes.

  • BlackRock Investment Management (Australia)
  • Franklin Templeton Australia
  • Lazard Asset Management
  • Macquarie Asset Management
  • VanEck

Disclaimer: Lonsec Research Pty Ltd (ABN 11 151 658 561 AFSL 421445) (Lonsec) are acting as a research partner for the Fund Manager of the Year Awards (Awards) issued by Momentum Media Group Pty Ltd on 22 June 2023 The Awards are determined using Lonsec proprietary methodologies, are solely statements of opinion, subjective in nature and must not be used as the sole basis for investment decisions. The Awards do not represent recommendations to purchase, hold or sell any products or make any other investment decisions. Investors must seek independent financial advice before making any investment decision and must consider the appropriateness of the information, having regard to their objectives, financial situation, and needs. Past performance is not an indication of future performance. Awards are current for 12 months from the date awarded and are subject to change at any time. Lonsec does not represent these Awards to be guarantees nor should they be viewed as an assessment of a fund or the funds’ underlying securities’ creditworthiness. Lonsec receives a fee from the financial product issuer(s) for researching the financial product(s), using objective criteria. Lonsec rating(s) outcome is not linked to the fee or the Award. Lonsec and its associates do not receive any other compensation or material benefits from product issuers or third parties in connection with the Award. Lonsec makes no representation, warranty or undertaking in relation to the accuracy or completeness of the Awards. Lonsec assumes no obligation to update the Awards after publication. The Award is for the exclusive use of the client for whom it is presented and should not be used or relied upon by any other person unless with express permission from Lonsec. Except for any liability which cannot be excluded, Lonsec, its directors, officers, employees and agents disclaim all liability for any error or inaccuracy in, misstatement or omission from, this document and any Award or any loss or damage suffered by the reader or any other person as a consequence of relying upon it. ©Lonsec 2023. All rights reserved.

Equity markets ended the financial year on a negative note in June, with the S&P/ASX 200 falling around 9% to finish the quarter down 12%. This drove the ASX 200 index as a whole down 6.5% for FY22. Global equities also fell significantly over the quarter, but Australian investors received some protection on unhedged investments from a 6 cent (8%) depreciation in the Australian Dollar. Rising inflation and subsequent rising interest rates were the main factors causing these negative returns.

Dan Moradi, Portfolio Manager for Listed Products, explains in detail what caused these negative returns and provides an update on the portfolios’ latest performance, positioning and outlook.


The information in this video is prepared by Lonsec Investment Solutions Pty Ltd ABN 95 608 837 583 (LIS, we, us, our), a Corporate Authorised Representative (CAR) No. 1236821 of Lonsec Research Pty Ltd ABN 11 151 658 561, AFSL No. 421445 (Lonsec Research). Any express or implied rating or advice presented in this video is limited to general advice and based solely on consideration of the investment merits of the financial product(s) alone, without taking into account the investment objectives, financial situation and particular needs (“financial circumstances”) of any particular person. Before making an investment decision you must consider your financial circumstances or seek personal financial advice on its appropriateness. Read the Product Disclosure Statement for each financial product before making any decision about whether to acquire a financial product.

Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance. No representation, warranty or undertaking is given or made in relation to the accuracy or completeness of the information presented in this video, which is drawn from information not verified by LIS. This video may also contain third party material that is subject to copyright. To the extent that copyright subsists in a third party it remains with the original owner and permission may be required to reuse the material.

The information contained in this video is current as at the date of publication. Financial conclusions, ratings and advice are reasonably held at the time of publication but subject to change without notice. LIS assumes no obligation to update this document following publication. This video is not intended for use by a retail client or a member of the public and should not be used or relied upon by any other person. This video is not to be distributed without the consent of LIS. Except for any liability which cannot be excluded, LIS and Lonsec Research, their directors, officers, employees and agents disclaim all liability for any error or inaccuracy in, misstatement or omission from, this video or any loss or damage suffered by the reader or any other person as a consequence of relying upon it. Copyright © 2022 Lonsec Investment Solutions Pty Ltd.

You may not reproduce, transmit, disseminate, sell or publish this video without our written consent.

With central bankers around the world committing to keep interest rates low for many years to come, this creates an issue for retirees looking for income. Traditional defensive assets such as cash and fixed income which typically form a large percentage of retiree portfolios are producing levels of income significantly below historical averages.

In Australia, the RBA is keeping the 3-year yield for government bonds at 0.25%, in what is known as yield curve control. Interest rates have been suppressed for the last decade, however what is unique about the current economic climate, is that with inflation yet to emerge and central bankers focused on generating growth and employment, their signalling to the market has moved further out. Lower for much longer!

 

SuperRatings Executive Director Kirby Rappell shares the latest performance results for superannuation funds and the future outlook for the industry.

Members should be prepared for more ups and downs. However, a patient approach has paid off for members over the long term with the median balanced style fund returning 7.0% per annum since the introduction of superannuation in 1992.

 

 

 


Any advice that SuperRatings provides is of a general nature and does not take into account an individual’s financial situation, objectives or needs. Because the information that SuperRatings receives about superannuation and pension financial products is from a number of sources, it is not guaranteed to be completely accurate. Because of this, individuals should, before acting on the information, consider its appropriateness having regard to their own financial objectives, situation and needs and if appropriate, obtain personal financial advice on the matter from a financial adviser. Before making a decision regarding any financial product, individuals should obtain and consider a copy of the relevant Product Disclosure Statement from the financial product issue.

Although the secrets of a long life remain a mystery, there are now over 300,000 centenarians across the globe and the numbers are rising. Most of us will not survive to 100 no matter how many green vegetables we eat, but there is no doubt life expectancy is increasing. In Japan, 2.5 times more adult than baby diapers are sold. Australian life expectancy from birth is among the highest in the world with the average man living to 80.7 and 84.9 for a woman. It assumes no improvement in healthcare which can increase life expectancy further.

As it continues to grapple with the challenges facing retirees, the Australian retirement industry in some ways resembles a research institution―continually coming up with ideas for solutions to those challenges, testing them, then implementing them and reviewing the results.

For those involved in such an enterprise, it’s always interesting to see how well (or badly) those solutions work in practice, and the extent to which they’ve validated their research hypotheses.

At AllianceBernstein, we’ve been running the numbers on an investment strategy we launched five years ago, primarily for investors saving for retirement.

The strategy was developed in collaboration with a major Australian superannuation fund which had asked us to look for ways to “smooth the ride” for its members―that is, to help them earn meaningful investment returns while reducing the downside risk in their portfolios.

Reducing downside risk is, of course, important for investors who are in retirement or approaching it: the less their portfolios lose, the more money they have left over to deal with future market drawdowns, and the risk that they might live longer than expected.

There are several aspects to the strategy but, at its heart, is a portfolio of low-volatility stocks and a focus on aiming to limit downside risk to 50% of what the market experiences, while seeking to capture 80% of the upside when the market recovers.

Our research indicated that this might be achievable by combining careful stock selection (about which more later) with the so-called low-volatility paradox (the well-attested fact that a portfolio of low-volatility stocks can outperform the market over time on a risk-adjusted basis).

It’s been an eventful five years with several market ups and downs and our research hypothesis has been well tested. What have we learned?

SMOOTHER, BUT STILL THE OCCASIONAL BUMP

Pleasingly, the strategy has performed well, outperforming the market over the period (Display) and providing investors with a smoother ride, particularly when the market fell.

Downside Protection Generated Outperformance

April 1, 2014 to March 31, 2019

Source: S&P Dow Jones and AB; see Performance Disclosure.

As of March 31, 2019

Past performance does not guarantee future results.

Based on a representative Managed Volatility Equities account vs. S&P/ASX 300 Franking Credit Adjusted Daily Total Return (Tax-Exempt)

The returns presented above are gross of fees. The results do not reflect the deduction of investment-management fees or Fund costs. Performance figures include the value of any franking (or imputation) credits received. Numbers may not sum due to rounding. Periods of more than one year are annualised.

*For determining months when index is up or down, performance of S&P/ASX 300 (i.e., excluding franking credits) is used.

In fact, the strategy’s buffer on the downside contributed most to outperformance: the portfolio’s mean monthly return was 1.4% higher than the index when the market dipped and 0.3% lower when the market rose.

It’s interesting to note, too, that the strategy exceeded our aims in terms of upside/downside performance, with the portfolio suffering only 47% of the downside when the market fell (compared to our 50% target) and capturing 90% of the upside (our target was 80%).

There is a compounding effect at work here: limited downside means that the portfolio has less ground to make up when the market recovers, and this can contribute to outperformance over time.

It turns out, however, that even a strategy carefully designed to withstand volatility can experience the occasional bump, as happened when banks and mining companies performed very strongly after Donald Trump was elected US President in November 2016.

Bank and mining stocks tend to be volatile and, because they don’t figure highly in our low-volatility strategy, they were underweighted by our portfolio at the time. Financials and materials, of course, are the Australian share market’s biggest sectors. As they drove the market up, our portfolio lagged.

But the effect was short-lived and had relatively little impact on overall performance, appearing to validate one part of our hypothesis, that a low-volatility portfolio can outperform over time. What about the other part, regarding stock selection and portfolio management?

THE BIGGEST LESSON OF ALL

This consisted of five basic principles:

  • choose low-volatility stocks where the underlying businesses are high quality, with good cash flows and strong balance sheets, and the shares are reasonably valued
  • use fundamental research to avoid ‘volatility traps’, or the risk that idiosyncratic factors―such as a takeover bid―can make a normally stable stock suddenly volatile
  • ignore market benchmarks when constructing the portfolio: this makes it easier to focus on low-volatility stocks, and to avoid the volatility inherent in Australian equity indices
  • invest up to 20% of the portfolio in global stocks as a way of reducing risk, and making up for the necessity of limiting the portfolio’s access to the Australian market
  • manage macroeconomic risk―such as the potential impact on the portfolio of Brexit or the US-China trade wars―thoughtfully, so that the removal of one risk doesn’t inadvertently create exposure to another

Applying these principles consistently contributed positively to performance over the period.

Perhaps the biggest lesson we learned, however, is that it’s possible to deliver investors above-market returns with below-market volatility.

We’re happy to share that knowledge, and the benefits it delivers, with our colleagues in the industry who are seeking to create a better retirement future for Australians.

The views expressed herein do not constitute research, investment advice or trade recommendations and do not necessarily represent the views of all AB portfolio-management teams and are subject to revision over time.

INFORMATION ABOUT THE AB MANAGED VOLATILITY EQUITIES FUND AllianceBernstein Investment Management Australia Limited (ABN 58 007 212 606, AFSL 230 683) (“ABIMAL”) is the responsible entity of the AllianceBernstein Managed Volatility Equities Fund (ARSN 099 739 447) (“Fund” or “AB Managed Volatility Equities Fund”) and is the issuer of units in the Fund. AllianceBernstein Australia Limited (“ABAL”) ABN 53 095 022 718, AFSL 230 698 is the investment manager of the Fund. ABAL in turn has delegated a portion of the investment manager function to AllianceBernstein L.P.(“AB”). The Fund’s Product Disclosure Statement (“PDS”) is available at the following link https://web.alliancebernstein.com/funds/au/equity/managed-volatility-equities.htm

or by contacting the client services team at AllianceBernstein Australia Limited at (02) 9255 1299.

Neither this document nor the information contained in it are intended to take the place of professional advice. Please note that past performance is not indicative of future performance and projections, although based on current information, may not be realised. Information, forecasts and opinions can change without notice and neither ABIMAL or ABAL guarantees the accuracy of the information at any particular time. Although care has been exercised in compiling the information contained in this report, neither ABIMAL or ABAL warrants that this document is free from errors, inaccuracies or omissions.

This document is released by AllianceBernstein Australia Limited ABN 53 095 022 718, AFSL 230 698.

DISCLAIMER

This document is provided solely for informational purposes and is not an offer to buy or sell securities. The information, forecasts and opinions set out in this document have not been prepared for any recipient’s specific investment objectives, financial situation or particular needs. Neither this document nor the information contained in it are intended to take the place of professional advice. You should not take action on specific issues based on the information contained in the attached without first obtaining professional advice. The views expressed herein do not constitute research, investment advice or trade recommendations and do not necessarily represent the views of all AB portfolio-management teams. Current analysis does not guarantee future results.

INFORMATION ABOUT ALLIANCEBERNSTEIN

AllianceBernstein (AB) is a leading global investment management and research firm. We bring together a wide range of insights, expertise and innovations to advance the interests of our institutional investors, individuals and private clients in major world markets. AB offers a comprehensive range of research, portfolio management, wealth management and client-service offices around the world, reflecting our global capabilities and the needs of our clients. As at March 31, 2019, our firm managed US$555 billion in assets, including US$257 billion on behalf of institutions. These include pension plans, superannuation schemes, charities, insurance companies, central banks, and governments in more than 45 countries. This document is released by AllianceBernstein Australia Limited (“ABAL”) ABN 53 095 022 718, AFSL 230 698. AllianceBernstein Australia Limited (ABAL) is a wholly owned subsidiary of the AllianceBernstein, L.P. Group (AB).

To access the insights, please click here.

An in-depth analysis of the new social security means test assessment of lifetime income streams and the significant opportunities it presents for retirement income advice.

To access the insights, please click here.

Imagine a baby is born in Europe at the very moment you finish this article. That child can expect to live for two minutes longer than one born as you finish this sentence. Increasing lifespans threaten to topple the current pensions model. But, then again, maybe it’s time for a change.

To access the insights, please click here.

 

What are the real underlying structural forces bewildering the RBA? Is cash the king once again? Find out more about these and other interesting topics in Pendal’s latest review of fixed interest markets.

To access the insights, please click here.

 

 

Important information: Any express or implied rating or advice is limited to general advice, it doesn’t consider any personal needs, goals or objectives.  Before making any decision about financial products, consider whether it is personally appropriate for you in light of your personal circumstances. Obtain and consider the Product Disclosure Statement for each financial product and seek professional personal advice before making any decisions regarding a financial product.