Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs) - The Definitive Guide

We explain everything you need to know about ETFs, including what to look for, how to choose one and where to buy them

Updated 30 December 2020

Summary: ETFs are becoming a popular investment choice for many New Zealanders, with the NZX's Smartshares a long-established provider. ETFs offer the same benefits as index funds whereby you can invest in a diverse range of companies, industries and regions, all with the convenience of one security. In a nutshell, ETFs offer a low-fee, no-hassle way to invest money all packaged together as something you can buy and sell on the sharemarket. ETFs are, in most cases, a long-term investment. 

ETFs are easy to buy and the choices significant, our guide outlines their pros, cons, how (and where) to buy them and must-know tips for investing. We cover:

• Pros and cons of an ETF
• Getting started and investing in ETFs
• Popular and Proven ETFs
• Other important facts and considerations to be aware of

Know this first: Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs) explained

1. When an investor buys an ETF, they get a diverse selection of many shares in one bundle. This avoids the need to purchase the shares individually. The ETF directly invests into companies that fall within its investment criteria.
2. As an example, the Smartshares S&P/NZX 50 ETF invests in New Zealand companies listed on the S&P/NZX 50 Index, which are New Zealand's largest fifty companies by market capitalisation. This includes companies such as Fisher & Paykel Healthcare and Spark.
3. ETF investments are (usually) ‘passive’. This means there isn’t a fund manager actively buying and selling shares trying to pick winners, so the costs are much lower. Each ETF follows its investing policy and buys into companies that meet the pre-established criteria.
4. You can invest in almost anything with ETFs - Would you like to invest in american companies, New Zealand market leaders, global energy companies or dividend-producing blue chip companies? There are ETFs for all of those, and a lot more.
5. Many ETFs follow sharemarket indexes, with NZX50, ASX200 and S&P500-focused ETFs listed on the NZX. It is also a widely accepted fact that, in the long-term, no actively-managed fund or individual share portfolio can outperform an index fund.
6. Long-term is popular - if you’re a long-term investor, i.e. looking to build up savings over five, ten or even twenty years, ETFs can deliver strong returns.

Disclaimer: Our top ETFs list, published below, is journalistic in nature and only highlights low-fee options. It does not endorse the ETFs, nor does it constitute financial advice. ETFs are largely growth-focused, investing in New Zealand and/or overseas. The ETFs listed are regarded as long-term investments that carry a varying degree of risk.

​Looking for other ways to invest? Check out our guide to index funds

Pros and Cons of ETFs

Advantages of investing in ETFs:

1. Unlike individual shares, ETFs remove the need to research individual companies: Each ETF index buys and sells shares that fit within the ETF's investing strategy (which is never deviated from).
2. Research backs up ETFs: It's well-accepted that investors are, in most instances, better off buying into a market-tracking ETF than individual shares, given that markets out-perform the vast majority of individual shares in the long run. 
3. The fees are low: ETFs charge as little as 0.03% p.a. in management fees (the US-listed VOO Vanguard S&P 500 ETF being one example).
4. ETFs offer diversity: There are hundreds of ETFs covering New Zealand and global markets and specific sectors.

Downsides of investing in ETFs:

1. No downside protection: When a particular market index sinks, the ETF tracking that index will also sink in value. An ETF, by nature, rides the ups and downs with a focus on long-term returns.
2. No control over holdings: An ETF invests by following a strategy and is unemotional in its decisions,  it doesn't respond to market insights. In short, there is no way to influence what shares you're invested in as an ETF must follow its mandate. 
3. Limited exposure to different investing strategies: Many ETFs follow an index, so if a new company lists on the sharemarket, it's unlikely any ETF will include it until it falls within the investment strategy. For example, when a2 Milk listed on the NZX, it was around 33 cents, but it only joined the NZX50 when it s value reached about 65 cents.  However, if you invested in an ETF following the NZX 10, the ETF wouldn't invest into a2 Milk until the share price was around $5. For this reason, there's a lot of upside that is missed out on. 
4. Losses can be extended: Suppose a company is performing poorly. In that case, the ETF will continue to hold the shares for that company until they no longer meet the requirements of the ETF's investing strategy - for example when the market capitalisation becomes too small. This means losses can be incurred while other investors sell off their poor-performing investments.
5. You may have to pay brokerage fees to buy and sell ETFs - unless you use an online broker/dealer like Interactive Brokers or Stake, or a fee-free platform like InvestNow, there are brokerage fees every time you buy and sell ETFs. 
6. You'll have to wait for a buyer to cash in - unlike index funds, you can't redeem your investment for cash. Instead, it must be sold the sharemarket, and there needs to be a buyer for you to sell. Also, you don't know what the price will be on the day you sell, and if there's a lack of interest in the ETF (or it's not widely traded), you may have to accept a lower price. Our index funds vs ETFs guide has more details.
7. NZ ETFs aren't tax-efficient - Right now, the IRD classifies Smartshares's ETFs as a listed PIE. This means each distribution (i.e. dividend) received by the ETF is automatically taxed at 28% – the highest PIR rate. If you're on a lower PIR, you'll pay too much tax which can only be refunded back the following May via a tax return. Until this happens, the tax sits as cash and can't be distributed or re-invested meaning there is potentially less capital growth per this guide. This issue does not apply to foreign ETFs. 

Getting started and investing in ETFs

Buying an ETF is, for most people, a lot easier than picking individual shares. Yet it can be hard to know where to start. We believe it's a three-step process, which we outline in detail:

1. Decide where you want your investments based. In New Zealand, Smartshares are the most common option, with 35 to choose from. They are all denominated (i.e. traded and held) in New Zealand Dollars. However, platforms such as Hatch, Sharesies and Stake offer access to US-based ETFs, but the investment will be held in US Dollars. Interactive Brokers offers US-based ETFs and many other ETFs listed on 30+ global exchanges, including the UK, Germany, Canada, Australia, Japan, Hong Kong and Singapore. All investments are held in their functional currency.
2. Pick an ETF that you want to invest in. ETFs available track well-known indexes like the NZX 50, ASX 200, S&P 500 or specific industries (with property, emerging markets and industrials being popular examples).
3. Understand the exchange risk if you invest outside of New Zealand. The NZD moves daily against other currencies, which will affect the value of your investment. For example, if the NZD becomes stronger against the USD, your USD ETF investment will become less valuable in NZD.

Know This: Smartshares, which offer exposure in many countries and industries, can be a popular introduction to ETF investing given all investments are in NZD. Investing platform InvestNow lets anyone buy and sell Smartshares without any brokerage fees. 

​Step 1. Decide where to buy

When you’re choosing where to buy an ETF, there are a few things to consider:

1. ETF selection: Do you plan to invest in one index, country, geographic region (i.e. Asia and Europe), company size (i.e. small-cap or multi-national), sector (industrials or ethical etc) or strategy (growth vs income/dividend-producing etc)?
2. Platforms: There are a lot of choices; Smartshares benefits from being NZD-based with 35 different ETFs to select from, as well as free buying and selling using InvestNow. If you're looking for US-based ETFs, and there are hundreds available; Interactive Brokers, Hatch, Sharesies and Stake offer access. If you prefer ETFs beyond the USA and New Zealand, Interactive Brokers offers hundreds of options.
3. Access and management: Do you want to have access to research information to help you decide which ETF is right for you? What platform you select depends on how involved you want to be as an investor, and how much research you want to do. Stake and Interactive Brokers both have in-depth charting and research tools.
4. Fees: ETFs have two fees  the expense ratio (which are the expenses incurred by the ETF to run its day-to-day operations) and the brokerage (i.e. trading) fees when you buy and sell ETF holdings. The expense ratio can range from a super-low 0.03% p.a. to 1% p.a. Brokerage fees are charged by the broker or platform you use to buy and sell the ETFs. This will be a percentage of your trade value, but platforms like Stake and InvestNow don't charge brokerage fees.
5. Foreign Exchange: If you invest in ETFs outside of Smartshares, you'll need to exchange New Zealand Dollars into a foreign currency, which will be USD if its Stake or Hatch. The fees for doing this differ (1.0% for Stake, 0.50% for Hatch, and if you're investing in ETFs using Sharesies, the currency fee is 0.40%) - our Hatch vs Stake guide has more details. Interactive Brokers charges 0.020% for transferring NZD into any currency and is the cheapest for this. Unlike Sharesies, Hatch or Stake, Interactive Brokers requires a lot more work and regulation when it comes to signing up.
6. Fees: ETFs have two fees:
   

• Expense ratio-  these are expenses incurred by the ETF to run its day-to-day operations. They can range from a super-low 0.03% p.a. to 1% p.a. 
  
• Brokerage (i.e. trading) fees - incurred in when you buy and sell ETF holdings. Brokerage fees are charged by the broker or platform you use to buy and sell the ETFs. This will be a percentage of your trade value, but platforms like Stake and InvestNow don't charge brokerage fees.

​Step 2. Pick an ETF to invest in

MoneyHub does not offer or publish financial advice, so the best approach would be for you to do your own research as to what ETF is most appropriate for your needs. Things to consider include:

1. Location: Do you have a preference for what country you invest in? There are plenty of New Zealand ETFs that follow the top 10, 50 or more companies. If you want to invest in the USA, Smartshares offers this too, while keeping everything in NZD.
2. Business sector or industry: The choice is endless, with ETFs that invest in technology, bonds, cash, emerging markets, property and many more. Before investing, consider whether the ETF is based on a widely followed index and/or it tracks popular underlying assets. If it does, it is likely that ETF offers better investment prospects than an ETF that has an obscure geographic focus and/or a niche investing strategy.
3. Performance: How has the ETF performed in the last 1, 3 and 5 year period? Are the foundations strong, and what does the market think about the ETF you're interested in? For non-New Zealand ETFs, ETF.com and the EFT Database are both useful resources to learn about ETF investing; ETF.com is our suggested starting point.
4. Level of Assets: To get economies of scale and ensure liquidity, an ETF should have a level of assets above NZ$15m. This means there's enough investor interest in the ETF to let you sell without having to wait a long time for a buyer.
5. Trading Activity: Before investing, make sure the ETF is frequently traded. This isn't so much of an issue with Smartshares or popular US-based ETFs, but others are less liquid. This is important because the more an ETF is traded, the closer the bid-ask spread which means you'll likely get the best price when you buy and sell.

Step 3: Understand the exchange risk if you invest outside of New Zealand

If you invest in US-listed ETFs, the exchange rate will influence the true value of your investment. This is best explained with an example:

• You invest NZ$1,000 into a S&P500 ETF - the NZD/USD exchange rate is 0.63, meaning your NZD translates to US$630.
• After six months, your US$630 S&P ETF has increased 10% in value to US$703. You decide to sell, and want to convert the money back to NZD. 
• At the time you do this, the NZD/USD exchange rate is 0.68. This means your US$703 investment is worth NZ$1,033 (US$703/0.68).
• This means your profit is only NZ$33 because the NZD has risen close to 10% against the USD at the same time the ETF increased. 
• However, it must be noted that had the NZD become weaker against the USD if in the previous example, your NZD gains would compound. For example, had the NZD/USD rate dropped to 0.58, the US$703 ETF investment would now be worth NZ$1,212. This represents around a 20% gain despite the ETF's market price increasing only by 10%. 

Our view: Currency movements can significantly influence the value of any foreign holding. If you're unprepared to take this additional risk, some Smartshares ETFs are hedged and protect you against such movements. 

Popular ETFs with a proven track record as of December 2020

Please note, this list is journalistic in nature and highlights some well-regarded ETFs only - it does not endorse the providers, nor does it constitute financial advice. The ETFs below are listed under the investment platforms you can use to invest and are published as examples only.

Our selection of ETFs are largely growth-focused investing in New Zealand and/or overseas. All the ETFs listed below are seen as long-term investments that carry a varying degree of risk. 

Popular ETF options include:

Platform: Hatch, Sharesies, Stake and Interactive Brokers (US ETFs)

ETF: SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY)

• ​Summary: The S&P 500 ETF offers the easiest and cheapest way to invest in the U.S. share market. It includes companies such as Apple, banks like JPMorgan and health care companies like Johnson & Johnson. The ETF has over US$350 billion invested, and was established in 1993 so has around 30 years of performance data.
• Further information in holdings: ​State Street's summary
• Learn more and see recent returns: Price History and Chart

ETF: Vanguard Value ETF (VTV)

• ​Summary: This Vanguard ETF focuses on companies with strong credit ratings, a long-term history of customer relationships and lots of assets to back up the operations. For this reason, technology companies are less than 10% of the portfolio. Companies include Bank of America Corp, UnitedHealth Group (a health insurer) and Walmart.
• Further information in holdings: Vanguard's summary
• Learn more and see recent returns: Price History and Chart​

ETF: Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF (SCHD)

• ​Summary: This ETF, as the name suggests, invests in dividend-producing companies - i.e. businesses that make profits and pay them back to the shareholders. Companies it invests in include Coca Cola, Texas Instruments, United Parcel Service (UPS) and 3M. The focus is also on growth as well, so investors anticipate seeing the ETF report capital gains and dividend income.
• Further information in holdings: Charles Schwab's summary
• Learn more and see recent returns: Price History and Chart​

Next Steps

• Want to learn more, sign up or invest directly? Hatch, Sharesies, Stake and Interactive Brokers all offer US-based ETFs
• Alternative platforms: ASB Securities and Direct Broking

Platform: InvestNow, Sharesies and Smartshares (NZ ETFs)

Know this first:

1. All NZ-listed ETFs are managed by Smartshares, an NZX company.
2. Smartshares offers a number of ETFs focused overseas but denominated in NZD. 
3. Investors wanting to invest in US or global ETFs will find alternatives with platforms such as Hatch, Sharesies, Stake and Interactive Brokers. In some cases, the annual fees charged by Smartshares for the same underlying ETF can be 10 times higher.
4. Some Smartshare ETFs are hedged, while others are not. By investing in overseas-focused ETFs outside Smartshares, the performance will be affected by the value of the New Zealand Dollar. 

ETF: S&P/NZX 50 ETF (NZG)

• ​Summary: This ETF invests in New Zealand's 50 largest companies listed on the NZX. These include the likes of Fisher & Paykel Healthcare, Contact Energy, Mainfreight and Spark. The S&P/NZX 50 ETF is one of New Zealand's newest ETFs and the weighting of each company in the index is based on its market capitalisation.
• Further information in holdings: Smartshares' summary 
• Learn more and see recent returns: Price History and Chart​

ETF: US 500 ETF (USF)

• ​Summary: This ETF, as the name suggests, invests in the top 500 US-listed companies. The ETF invests into the Vanguard S&P 500 ETF, which includes companies such as Apple, Microsoft, Amazon.com, Alphabet, Facebook and Berkshire Hathaway, among others. It is one of the most actively traded and held Smartshares. 
• Fees differential: It's worth noting that the annual fee that Smartshares charges for this ETF is 0.34%, whereas Vanguard charges 0.03% p.a. This means that Smartshares' fees are 10 times that of what investors who buy directly using a US-share platform such as Hatch, Sharesies, Stake and Interactive Brokers pay for the same ETF.
• Further information in holdings: Smartshares' summary
• Learn more and see recent returns: Price History and Chart​

ETF: NZ TOP 10 ETF (TNZ)​

• ​Summary: This ETF invests in the ten largest New Zealand companies by market capitalisation (excluding products issued by non-New Zealand issuers, such as Australian banks etc). Holdings include Fisher & Paykel Healthcare, a2 Milk, Auckland Airport and Spark, among others.
• Further information in holdings: Smartshares' summary
• Learn more and see recent returns: Price History and Chart​

Next Steps

• Want to learn more, sign up or invest directly? Sharesies, Smartshares and InvestNow offer NZ-based ETFs
• Alternative platforms: ASB Securities and Direct Broking

ETFs - Must-Know Facts Before Investing

ETFs are becoming an increasingly popular investment option for New Zealanders due to their low-cost, diversity and long-term returns. Investing in an ETF is also a lot easier (and less risky) than choosing a number of different shares. To make sure you invest in an appropriate ETF, we suggest making a few additional considerations:

1. Is the ETF performing? Before investing, make sure you understand how the ETF is performing. If it has dropped, has it done that consistently against its benchmark? Given the range of ETFs on offer, you might end up investing in an ETF you don't fully understand. A popular approach is to choose an ETF that follows a major index such as the NZX50 or S&P500.
2. Are you new to investing? If so, don't rush. This guide explains the basics to let you navigate and advance towards your financial goals.
3. Are ETFs one part of your investing strategy? Our ETFs vs Shares and ETFs vs Index Funds guides help explain what options might be available to you.
4. Financial Advisers don’t often recommend ETFs, although there are exceptions. Read more about Financial Advisers here.

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• Index Funds vs ETFs
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• InvestNow Review

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• ​How to Invest in Shares​
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