Fisher Funds KiwiSaver Scheme Review
Updated 16 January 2020
Summary of Fisher Funds KiwiSaver
- Fisher Funds offers nine funds, presenting investors with a spectrum of risk, from cash-investing funds to aggressive growth options. In general, the higher the risk, the higher the expected return, and the higher the management fees.
- Management fees are higher than other, more traditional, KiwiSaver schemes because Fisher Funds has to pay costs of actively managing a fund. These include brokerage when trading shares, fees of any underlying hedge fund managers and the costs of the analysts and fund managers that work for Fisher Funds.
- Fisher Funds also offers a "GlidePath" aged-based platform, whereby you invest in a set portion into one, two or three funds based on your age bracket (0-39, 40-49 etc). This is designed to grow your investment aggressively while you are young, and protect your money with more conservative assets like term deposits as you get older.
- The scheme publishes fantastically clear fund updates every three months, all of which show exactly where each fund invests at a granular level (a specific share, hedge fund or cash investment), building confidence with investors.
- There are two types of fees; $2.37 or $3.00 per month is charged for being a member of the Fisher Funds KiwiSaver scheme, and once you start contributing to your fund, fees are on the higher-end (0.66% to 1.29%, depending on the fund).
- Switching between any Fisher Funds KiwiSaver fund is free. There are no joining fees or exit fees if you take your money to another fund.
Pros & Cons
PROS
CONS
PROS
- A number of funds that offer a sliding scale of risk and return, clearly defined in investor statements.
- A trusted KiwiSaver provider which has won multiple awards within the industry
- Investors get an actively managed fund, aimed at beating market returns year after year
- An age-based investing platform, which moves a higher proportion of an investor's money into conservative funds as they get older, allowing a 'set and forget' investment strategy to maximise returns while protecting wealth.
CONS
- Higher-than-standard management fees - this is due to the costs associated with running an actively managed funds, specifically the overhead of employing a New Zealand-based fund management team.
- Underlying Managers Performance Fees - the Growth Fund imposes a performance fee, which is explained in detail in the fund's outline below. The performance fee is capped at 2% of your total fund's value, although an annual return of greater than 18% would be needed to reach that level.
Read this First: Fees, Performance and Understanding What's Best For Your Situation
A lot of media attention focuses on KiwiSaver fees, but this is only one thing to consider when picking the most suitable provider and fund for your retirement needs. Fisher Funds would likely argue fees should be far less of a consideration and instead point to the past returns (although this is no indication of future performance) and the value for money the fees offer given the services of leading international investment managers.
We believe that being comfortable with what you're investing in is the most important aspect of saving for your retirement, not the fee you'll pay. For example, if you are not willing to risk your money in the sharemarket, it wouldn't be in your interests to invest in a growth fund.
Our Review
In this guide, we outline what the Fisher Funds KiwiSaver scheme is, what funds they offer to KiwiSaver members and how they're different to other funds, as well as looking at alternatives and the level of fees involved.
Please note: MoneyHub is not a Financial Adviser, and this guide has been published to explain the investment fundamentals and outline the pros and cons of Fisher Funds as a KiwiSaver investment option.
This Guide covers:
A lot of media attention focuses on KiwiSaver fees, but this is only one thing to consider when picking the most suitable provider and fund for your retirement needs. Fisher Funds would likely argue fees should be far less of a consideration and instead point to the past returns (although this is no indication of future performance) and the value for money the fees offer given the services of leading international investment managers.
We believe that being comfortable with what you're investing in is the most important aspect of saving for your retirement, not the fee you'll pay. For example, if you are not willing to risk your money in the sharemarket, it wouldn't be in your interests to invest in a growth fund.
Our Review
In this guide, we outline what the Fisher Funds KiwiSaver scheme is, what funds they offer to KiwiSaver members and how they're different to other funds, as well as looking at alternatives and the level of fees involved.
Please note: MoneyHub is not a Financial Adviser, and this guide has been published to explain the investment fundamentals and outline the pros and cons of Fisher Funds as a KiwiSaver investment option.
This Guide covers:
THE SPECS of Fisher Funds KiwiSaver - fees, returns and where your money is invested
- Fisher Funds Management Limited, a fund manager, is the manager of the three Fisher Funds KiwiSaver funds.
- Up-to-date fund performance data is available every three months for each fund on the Fisher Funds website.
- Fisher Funds operates two KiwiSaver schemes; the 'Fisher Funds KiwiSaver Scheme' (3 funds) and 'Fisher Funds TWO KiwiSaver Scheme' (6 funds). The latter is comprised of funds that were originally run by Tower Investments before Fisher Funds purchased the assets in 2013.
- Fisher Funds invests KiwiSaver money in two asset classes:
- Income assets — refers to lower risk investments such as cash and fixed interest securities
- Growth assets — refers to higher risk investments such as Australasian and International equities (shares) and property.
- Each of the nine funds has a unique risk factor (1 = lowest, 7 = highest) and an annual management fee, as well as distinct investment profiles.
Fisher Funds KiwiSaver Scheme
Conservative Fund, Balanced Strategy Fund and Growth Fund
1: Conservative Fund
This fund invests 78% of its money into income assets (term deposits and fixed interest), and 22% in growth assets (equities and listed property).
Investment Composition targets
Income Assets
We say: Fisher Funds' conservative fund sees active investment managers chasing the highest interest rates offered by banks and company bonds while ensuring what they invest in has suitable credit ratings. The Conservative fund invests primarily in New Zealand assets; the top three recent holdings included a cash deposit with the ANZ Bank (5%) and two different bonds with the New Zealand Government (5%).
The annual management fee of 0.99% is higher than most conservative funds operated by other KiwiSaver schemes, but Fisher Funds' active management structure incurs higher costs which need to be passed on to investors.
This fund invests 78% of its money into income assets (term deposits and fixed interest), and 22% in growth assets (equities and listed property).
- Average annual return (after fees, pre-tax) since fund launch (2009): ~5.00%
- Annual management fee: 0.99%
- Risk factor: 3
- Expected annual return:
- Suggested minimum investment period: 2 years
Investment Composition targets
Income Assets
- Cash and cash equivalents: 23%
- New Zealand fixed interest: 22%
- International fixed interest: 33%
- Australasian equities: 6%
- International equities: 9%
- Listed property: 3.5%
- Unlisted property: 3.5%
We say: Fisher Funds' conservative fund sees active investment managers chasing the highest interest rates offered by banks and company bonds while ensuring what they invest in has suitable credit ratings. The Conservative fund invests primarily in New Zealand assets; the top three recent holdings included a cash deposit with the ANZ Bank (5%) and two different bonds with the New Zealand Government (5%).
The annual management fee of 0.99% is higher than most conservative funds operated by other KiwiSaver schemes, but Fisher Funds' active management structure incurs higher costs which need to be passed on to investors.
2: Growth Fund
This fund invests 80% of its money into growth assets (equities and listed property), keeping 20% in income assets such as fixed-term deposits.
Investment Composition targets
Income Assets
Performance Fee Explanation
We say: The Growth Fund is designed to maximise returns by beating the markets it investments in. The 80% target allocation of growth assets means the investment managers pick shares they foresee as increasing in value - the most recent fund report included holdings in Fisher & Paykel Healthcare Corporation Limited (2%) and a2 Milk Company Ltd. (2%).
Fisher Funds' managers actively buy and sell investments in an effort to outperform global markets. The scheme does not provide any detail about whether individual overseas equities are held, or if the fund invests in overseas funds managed by overseas institutions.
This fund invests 80% of its money into growth assets (equities and listed property), keeping 20% in income assets such as fixed-term deposits.
- Average annual return (after fees, pre-tax) since fund launch (2007): ~7.50%*
- Annual management fee: 1.11%
- Performance fee range: 0% - 2.00%
- Risk factor: 4
- Expected annual return:
- Suggested minimum investment period: 6 years
Investment Composition targets
Income Assets
- Cash and cash equivalents: 5%
- New Zealand fixed interest: 6%
- International fixed interest: 9%
- Australasian equities: 29%
- International equities: 42%
- Listed property: 4.5%
- Unlisted property: 4.5%
Performance Fee Explanation
- The Growth Fund has a performance-fee, set at '10% of any return that is in excess of the Official Cash Rate (OCR) plus 5% per annum, divided by the Growth Fund’s average net asset value during the period 1 July to 30 June'.
- This performance fee is capped at 2% of the Growth Fund’s average net asset value per year.
- If that wasn't clear, don't worry. In plain English, it means if the Growth fund makes a return above 6.75% per year (the 5% hurdle + 1.75% which is the current OCR), Fisher Funds will take 10% of the return as a performance fee.
- As an example, if your $10,000 KiwiSaver fund performed well and increased $1,000 in one year (excluding any of your contributions), this is a 10% return. Fisher Funds would then take 3.25% of this increase (calculated based on the 10% return less 6.75%, being the threshold of the performance fee) or $33.25, as a performance fee.
- This performance fee is in addition to the management fee of 1.11% ($111 on a $10,000 fund) and the $36 membership fee. The total fees charged would be then $180.25 ($33.25 +$111.00 + $36) or 1.80%.
- Fisher Funds confirms in its Product Disclosure Statement that the highest performance fee paid by the Growth Fund was 1.41% in the year to 30 June 2018. The corresponding performance of the Growth Fund in that 12 month period was 19.97%. We calculate that at the current OCR rate (1.75%), the Growth Fund would need to exceed an 18% p.a. return to reach the 2% cap. In any such case, the performance fee would be $200 on a $10,000 investment, with a $1,800 return.
We say: The Growth Fund is designed to maximise returns by beating the markets it investments in. The 80% target allocation of growth assets means the investment managers pick shares they foresee as increasing in value - the most recent fund report included holdings in Fisher & Paykel Healthcare Corporation Limited (2%) and a2 Milk Company Ltd. (2%).
Fisher Funds' managers actively buy and sell investments in an effort to outperform global markets. The scheme does not provide any detail about whether individual overseas equities are held, or if the fund invests in overseas funds managed by overseas institutions.
3: Balanced Strategy Fund (45% Conservative Fund, 55% Growth Fund)
This fund invests 46% of its money into income assets (term deposits and fixed interest), and 54% in growth assets (equities and listed property).
Investment Composition targets
Income Assets
Performance Fee Explanation: Please see the Growth Fund section above.
We say: The Balance Strategy Fund is simply comprised of 45% of the Conservative Fund (above) and 55% of the Growth Fund (below), and invests in income and growth assets at near-equal rates. The fund's performance will be defined solely on how its 'parent' funds do - a downturn in world markets will affect the value of the Growth Fund far more than the Balanced Strategy Fund given there is only 55% exposure to the parent fund.
This fund invests 46% of its money into income assets (term deposits and fixed interest), and 54% in growth assets (equities and listed property).
- Average annual return (after fees, pre-tax) since fund launch (2009): ~8.00%
- Annual management fee: 1.06%
- Performance fee range: 0% - 1.10%
- Risk factor: 3
- Expected annual return:
- Suggested minimum investment period: 4 years
Investment Composition targets
Income Assets
- Cash and cash equivalents: 13%
- New Zealand fixed interest: 13%
- International fixed interest: 20%
- Australasian equities: 19%
- International equities: 27%
- Listed property: 4%
- Unlisted property: 4%
Performance Fee Explanation: Please see the Growth Fund section above.
We say: The Balance Strategy Fund is simply comprised of 45% of the Conservative Fund (above) and 55% of the Growth Fund (below), and invests in income and growth assets at near-equal rates. The fund's performance will be defined solely on how its 'parent' funds do - a downturn in world markets will affect the value of the Growth Fund far more than the Balanced Strategy Fund given there is only 55% exposure to the parent fund.
Fisher Funds' Age Step Fund Option - GlidePath
Fisher Funds operates the 'GlidePath platform, which allows your KiwiSaver fund to invest in a portion of each fund based on your age. The rationale behind the platform is simple - Fisher Funds wants to grow your savings with higher return/higher risk investments when you're younger and have more years to contribute and ride the markets. By the time you reach 60, more of your savings are invested in safer investments (like fixed-term deposits) which have a lower chance of decreasing in value before you reach retirement age.
The GlidePath service automatically invests your savings in one or a mix of both funds according to your age; investors can opt-in and opt-out of GlidePath at any time. Below is an example of how your savings would be invested at a range of ages if you take up GlidePath.
GlidePath - Investor Age, Fund Composition and Fees
The GlidePath service automatically invests your savings in one or a mix of both funds according to your age; investors can opt-in and opt-out of GlidePath at any time. Below is an example of how your savings would be invested at a range of ages if you take up GlidePath.
GlidePath - Investor Age, Fund Composition and Fees
Age |
Conservative Fund |
Growth Fund |
Risk (1 to 7) |
Estimated Annual Fee |
0-49 |
0% |
100% |
4 |
1.11% |
50-59 |
14% |
86% |
4 |
1.10% |
60-74 |
57% |
43% |
3 |
1.04% |
75-85 |
91% |
9% |
3 |
1.00% |
86+ |
100% |
2 |
0.99% |
Fisher Funds TWO KiwiSaver Scheme
(Seven Funds previously operated by Tower Investments)
1: Preservation Fund
This fund invests 100% of its money in New Zealand cash and New Zealand short-term fixed interest assets, aiming to provide a return better than the 90-day bank bill rate.
Investment Composition targets
Income Assets
We say: Fisher Funds' Preservation fund is the most conservative of all the nine Fisher Funds offered both schemes. The fund's major objective is to protect savings by investing only in low-risk assets. The fund recently reported that its top five investments were a Rabobank term investment (5%), Fonterra bond (4%), Westpac bank deposit (4%), Auckland Airport bond (4%) and International Finance bonds(4%). The 0.66% fee is on the higher side for a fund that only invests in fixed interest assets.
This fund invests 100% of its money in New Zealand cash and New Zealand short-term fixed interest assets, aiming to provide a return better than the 90-day bank bill rate.
- Average annual return (after fees, pre-tax) since fund launch (2007): ~%
- Annual management fee: 0.66%
- Risk factor: 1
- Expected annual return:
- Suggested minimum investment period: none
Investment Composition targets
Income Assets
- Cash and cash equivalents: 50%
- New Zealand fixed interest: 50%
We say: Fisher Funds' Preservation fund is the most conservative of all the nine Fisher Funds offered both schemes. The fund's major objective is to protect savings by investing only in low-risk assets. The fund recently reported that its top five investments were a Rabobank term investment (5%), Fonterra bond (4%), Westpac bank deposit (4%), Auckland Airport bond (4%) and International Finance bonds(4%). The 0.66% fee is on the higher side for a fund that only invests in fixed interest assets.
2: Cash Enhanced Fund (Default fund)
This fund invests 79% of its money into income assets (term deposits and fixed interest), and 21% in growth assets (equities and listed property).
Investment Composition targets
Income Assets
We say: Fisher Funds' Cash Enhanced fund operates exactly as its name suggests - 79% of the assets are allocated to fixed interest such as New Zealand government debt, term deposits with banks and on-call accounts. The remainder, 21%, is invested into shares and property - this 'enhances' the fund beyond a basic cash fund. The fund would suit anyone close to the retirement age who wants to lock-in their KiwiSaver balance in a relatively risk-free investment.
This fund invests 79% of its money into income assets (term deposits and fixed interest), and 21% in growth assets (equities and listed property).
- Average annual return (after fees, pre-tax) since fund launch (2007): ~%
- Annual management fee: 0.56%
- Risk factor: 2
- Expected annual return:
- Suggested minimum investment period: 2 years
Investment Composition targets
Income Assets
- Cash and cash equivalents: 31%
- New Zealand fixed interest: 19%
- International fixed interest: 29%
- Australasian equities: 6%
- International equities: 8%
- Unlisted property: 7%
We say: Fisher Funds' Cash Enhanced fund operates exactly as its name suggests - 79% of the assets are allocated to fixed interest such as New Zealand government debt, term deposits with banks and on-call accounts. The remainder, 21%, is invested into shares and property - this 'enhances' the fund beyond a basic cash fund. The fund would suit anyone close to the retirement age who wants to lock-in their KiwiSaver balance in a relatively risk-free investment.
3: Conservative Fund
This fund invests
Investment Composition targets
Income Assets
We say: Fisher Funds' conservative fund sees active investment managers chasing the highest interest rates offered by banks and company bonds while ensuring what they invest in has suitable credit ratings. The Conservative fund invests primarily in New Zealand assets; the top three recent holdings included a cash deposit with the ANZ Bank (5%) and two different bonds with the New Zealand Government (5%).
The annual management fee of 0.99% is higher than most conservative funds operated by other KiwiSaver schemes, but Fisher Funds' active management structure incurs higher costs which need to be passed on to investors.
This fund invests
- Average annual return (after fees, pre-tax) since fund launch (2007): ~%
- Annual management fee: 0.98%
- Risk factor: 2
- Expected annual return:
- Suggested minimum investment period: 2 years
Investment Composition targets
Income Assets
- Cash and cash equivalents: 23%
- New Zealand fixed interest: 22%
- International fixed interest: 33%
- Australasian equities: 8%
- International equities: 12%
- Unlisted property: 10%
We say: Fisher Funds' conservative fund sees active investment managers chasing the highest interest rates offered by banks and company bonds while ensuring what they invest in has suitable credit ratings. The Conservative fund invests primarily in New Zealand assets; the top three recent holdings included a cash deposit with the ANZ Bank (5%) and two different bonds with the New Zealand Government (5%).
The annual management fee of 0.99% is higher than most conservative funds operated by other KiwiSaver schemes, but Fisher Funds' active management structure incurs higher costs which need to be passed on to investors.
4: Balanced Fund
This fund invests 43% of its money into income assets (term deposits and fixed interest), and 57% in growth assets (equities and listed property).
Investment Composition targets
Income Assets
We say: Fisher Funds' balanced fund is designed to favour growth assets such as shares and private property investments over fixed-income assets. With a 57:43 split favouring growth assets, there is a focus on international shares which are most likely picked by overseas fund managers. Recent top 5 holdings included an ANZ current account (10%), shopping malls in Tauranga (3%) and Christchurch (1%), an Auckland commercial property in the viaduct (1%) and New Zealand government bonds (1%).
The annual management fee of 1.01% is higher than most balanced funds operated by other KiwiSaver schemes, but Fisher Funds' active management structure incurs higher costs which need to be passed on to investors.
This fund invests 43% of its money into income assets (term deposits and fixed interest), and 57% in growth assets (equities and listed property).
- Average annual return (after fees, pre-tax) since fund launch (2009): ~.00%
- Annual management fee: 1.01%
- Risk factor: 3
- Expected annual return:
- Suggested minimum investment period: 4 years
Investment Composition targets
Income Assets
- Cash and cash equivalents: 17%
- New Zealand fixed interest: 10%
- International fixed interest: 16%
- Australasian equities: 19%
- International equities: 28%
- Unlisted property: 10%
We say: Fisher Funds' balanced fund is designed to favour growth assets such as shares and private property investments over fixed-income assets. With a 57:43 split favouring growth assets, there is a focus on international shares which are most likely picked by overseas fund managers. Recent top 5 holdings included an ANZ current account (10%), shopping malls in Tauranga (3%) and Christchurch (1%), an Auckland commercial property in the viaduct (1%) and New Zealand government bonds (1%).
The annual management fee of 1.01% is higher than most balanced funds operated by other KiwiSaver schemes, but Fisher Funds' active management structure incurs higher costs which need to be passed on to investors.
5: Growth Fund
This fund invests 25% of its money into income assets (term deposits and fixed interest), and 75% in growth assets (equities and unlisted property).
Investment Composition targets
Income Assets
We say: Fisher Funds' Growth fund is the second most aggressive offering, targeting high-performing local and overseas equity opportunities. The Growth fund invests primarily in New Zealand assets; the top five recent holdings included a cash deposit with the ANZ Bank (10%), a private purchase of shares in Tauranga's Bayfair shopping mall (2%), Fisher & Paykel Healthcare shares (2%), A2 Milk shares (2%) and Mainfreight shares (1%). The fund's active investment managers look for growth opportunities globally, although the ten most valuable investments in 2018 were all New Zealand businesses.
This fund invests 25% of its money into income assets (term deposits and fixed interest), and 75% in growth assets (equities and unlisted property).
- Average annual return (after fees, pre-tax) since fund launch (2007): ~0.00%
- Annual management fee: %
- Risk factor: 4
- Expected annual return:
- Suggested minimum investment period: 5 years
Investment Composition targets
Income Assets
- Cash and cash equivalents: 10%
- New Zealand fixed interest: 6%
- International fixed interest: 9%
- Australasian equities: 27%
- International equities: 40%
- Unlisted property: 8%
We say: Fisher Funds' Growth fund is the second most aggressive offering, targeting high-performing local and overseas equity opportunities. The Growth fund invests primarily in New Zealand assets; the top five recent holdings included a cash deposit with the ANZ Bank (10%), a private purchase of shares in Tauranga's Bayfair shopping mall (2%), Fisher & Paykel Healthcare shares (2%), A2 Milk shares (2%) and Mainfreight shares (1%). The fund's active investment managers look for growth opportunities globally, although the ten most valuable investments in 2018 were all New Zealand businesses.
6: Equity Fund
This fund invests 78% of its money into income assets (term deposits and fixed interest), and 22% in growth assets (equities and listed property).
Investment Composition targets
Growth Assets
We say: Fisher Funds' equity fund is the most aggressive in the scheme with a focus given to the larger companies listed on the New Zealand Stock Exchange. In the most recent report, the fund had holdings in familiar names such as Fisher & Paykel Healthcare, A2 Milk, Mainfreight, Freightways, Fletcher Building Limited, Ryman Healthcare and Auckland Airport. The fund also had a cash deposit with the ANZ Bank (13%).
The annual management fee of 1.29% is higher than the other funds, primarily due to the costs incurred by buying and selling equities as well as Fisher Funds' active management structure incurring higher costs which need to be passed on to investors.
This fund invests 78% of its money into income assets (term deposits and fixed interest), and 22% in growth assets (equities and listed property).
- Average annual return (after fees, pre-tax) since fund launch (2007): ~%
- Annual management fee: 1.29%
- Risk factor: 4
- Expected annual return:
- Suggested minimum investment period: 5 years
Investment Composition targets
Growth Assets
- Australasian equities: 40%
- International equities: 60%
We say: Fisher Funds' equity fund is the most aggressive in the scheme with a focus given to the larger companies listed on the New Zealand Stock Exchange. In the most recent report, the fund had holdings in familiar names such as Fisher & Paykel Healthcare, A2 Milk, Mainfreight, Freightways, Fletcher Building Limited, Ryman Healthcare and Auckland Airport. The fund also had a cash deposit with the ANZ Bank (13%).
The annual management fee of 1.29% is higher than the other funds, primarily due to the costs incurred by buying and selling equities as well as Fisher Funds' active management structure incurring higher costs which need to be passed on to investors.
Age |
Fund Investment Mix |
Risk (1 to 7) |
Estimated Annual Fee |
0-39 |
Value |
||
40-54 |
|||
55-64 |
|||
65-74 |
|||
75- |
Fisher Funds KiwiSaver - WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
What Others Are Saying - Fisher Funds KiwiSaver in the Media
"The active KiwiSaver schemes like Summer, Milford, Fisher Funds, Booster and Generate charge relatively high fees, and aim to earn them by using fund manager skill to beat the market. Their fund managers research companies, and markets, and try to earn high returns by picking winners, and avoiding losers".
- Rob Stock, Stuff.co.nz, April 2018
"The best of the conservative funds was the Aon KiwiSaver scheme's conservative fund, followed by SuperLife KiwiSaver scheme's conservative fund, followed by the Fisher Funds Two KiwiSaver's conservative fund" with both schemes, Fisher Funds TWO and Fisher Funds KiwiSaver, being rated 'Platinum' and 'Gold' respectively in a 2017 survey by SuperRatings, an Australian research firm.
- KiwiSaver's biggest money earners, Tamsyn Parker, NZ Herald, November 2017
"FundSource Awards' Fund Manager of the Year 2016, Fisher Funds, was lauded for the client-centric approach and were named as a finalist across four award categories".
- Top fund managers recognised, NZ Herald, October 2016
"Fisher Funds, the largest New Zealand-owned and -operated KiwiSaver provider, has been named Consumer NZ’s 2016 People’s Choice award winner for KiwiSaver. Fisher Funds achieved an overall satisfaction rating of 67 percent compared with the industry average of 48 percent. It also scored above average for keeping customers updated about their investments, returns on investments and fees and charges".
- Fisher Funds wins People’s Choice, Consumer, June 2016
"The active KiwiSaver schemes like Summer, Milford, Fisher Funds, Booster and Generate charge relatively high fees, and aim to earn them by using fund manager skill to beat the market. Their fund managers research companies, and markets, and try to earn high returns by picking winners, and avoiding losers".
- Rob Stock, Stuff.co.nz, April 2018
"The best of the conservative funds was the Aon KiwiSaver scheme's conservative fund, followed by SuperLife KiwiSaver scheme's conservative fund, followed by the Fisher Funds Two KiwiSaver's conservative fund" with both schemes, Fisher Funds TWO and Fisher Funds KiwiSaver, being rated 'Platinum' and 'Gold' respectively in a 2017 survey by SuperRatings, an Australian research firm.
- KiwiSaver's biggest money earners, Tamsyn Parker, NZ Herald, November 2017
"FundSource Awards' Fund Manager of the Year 2016, Fisher Funds, was lauded for the client-centric approach and were named as a finalist across four award categories".
- Top fund managers recognised, NZ Herald, October 2016
"Fisher Funds, the largest New Zealand-owned and -operated KiwiSaver provider, has been named Consumer NZ’s 2016 People’s Choice award winner for KiwiSaver. Fisher Funds achieved an overall satisfaction rating of 67 percent compared with the industry average of 48 percent. It also scored above average for keeping customers updated about their investments, returns on investments and fees and charges".
- Fisher Funds wins People’s Choice, Consumer, June 2016
Who is Fisher Funds KiwiSaver Suited To?
Fisher Funds continues to perform solidly year on year, although since the 2008 global financial crisis the NZX and most international markets have only gone up. By offering nine investment options and its age-based GlidePath options, Fisher Funds cements itself as a KiwiSaver option for those looking for a safe investment, higher-growth investments and an actively aggressive growth option. Fisher Funds' managers have a track record of delivering returns that have previously outperformed markets, ultimately returning significant value to investors.
Standout Features:
Be aware:
Standout Features:
- A diverse range of funds - nine in total - and the age-based option, there is lots of choice but deciding which fund is for you could lead to decision paralysis.
- Fisher Funds has been around since the birth of KiwiSaver and has a solid reputation among investors, growing to the fifth largest KiwiSaver provider in terms of funds under management by 2017.
- In a sample of five Growth funds (see table below) managed by Fisher Funds, Generate, ANZ, SuperLife and Simplicity, Fisher Funds returned the second highest pre-tax growth (after Generate) in the year to 30 June 2018.
- The GlidePath age-based investment option, which assigns money into more conservative (i.e. less risky) holdings as the investor heads towards retirement age, is offered at no additional fee. Such options provide an excellent way to protect KiwiSaver balances while letting investors 'set and forget' their nest egg saving.
- It's free to change funds; the monthly membership fee means you can move between funds as often as you like.
Be aware:
- The more aggressive funds and are not suitable for short-term investments.
- Fees are slightly higher than standard bank and index-following KiwiSaver schemes - this is due to the costs associated with an actively managed fund, such as the cost of brokerage when an investment manager buys and sells investments.
- As with any investment, markets go up and down. The Dotcom bubble in the early 2000s sank global sharemarkets, as did the 2008 Global Financial Crisis. Carmel Fisher, the provider's founder, stated in an interview in 2013 that with the global financial crisis, "people who had invested with the (funds) in late 2007 saw a third of their (investment) wiped out in six months".
- While many global sharemarkets are now at record highs, this is no guarantee of future earnings.
The Bottom Line
- Fisher Funds offers an excellent range of funds, in transparent in its strategy and shies away from investing in exotic asset classes. It is firm in its responsible investing policy, meaning your money will not buy shares in anything that creates negative social or environmental effects.
- The fees are higher than bank KiwiSaver schemes, and once you are in the growth-orientated funds, you're likely to be in it for the long-term.
- Depending on your KiwiSaver balance, other funds on other platforms can have cheaper management fees, but few will be investing in hedge funds. We have presented a comparison in the table below.
- For example, the fee difference between the Simplicity Growth Fund (0.31%) and Fisher Funds Growth Fund (1.11%) for a $40,000 balance is $320 a year, or ~$8,000 over 25 years. In saying this, these two funds incomparable given Simplicity uses index fund investing, and Fisher Funds is actively managed. In any case, it is essential to shop around and compare fund objectives as well as fund fees if you're serious about having the biggest KiwiSaver nest-egg possible.
- As an illustrative point, we have presented the annual performance of five growth funds below, as well as a table of their annual fees.
- Fisher Funds does not charge any joining fees or exit fees, and you can transfer between funds for free as many times as you want.
- In terms of risk, each fund has a risk number (1 = lowest, 7 = highest), and in the case of Fisher Funds, the funds have been assessed between 1 to 4.
Fund Fee Comparison: How the Fisher Funds Growth Fund compares alongside other
KiwiSaver Growth Funds
(KiwiSaver balances between $5,000 and $500,000)
KiwiSaver Growth Funds
(KiwiSaver balances between $5,000 and $500,000)
Balance |
Fisher Funds Growth Fund (1.11%) |
Simplicity Growth Fund (0.31%) |
SuperLife80 Growth Fund (0.60%) |
ANZ Growth Fund (1.10%) |
Generate Growth Fund (1.57%) |
$5,000 |
$92 |
$46 |
$60 |
$79 |
$115 |
$15,000 |
$203 |
$77 |
$120 |
$189 |
$272 |
$40,000 |
$480 |
$154 |
$270 |
$464 |
$664 |
$100,000 |
$1,146 |
$340 |
$630 |
$1,124 |
$1,606 |
$500,000 |
$5,586 |
$1,580 |
$3,030 |
$5,524 |
$7,886 |
Fisher Funds Growth Fund Annual Fee: 1.11% of total investment plus a $36 membership fee
Simplicity Growth Fund Annual Fee: 0.31% of total investment plus a $30 membership fee
SuperLife Superlife80 (Growth Fund equivalent) Annual Fee: 0.60% of total investment plus a $30 membership fee
ANZ Growth Fund Annual Fee: 1.10% of total investment plus a $24 membership fee
Generate Growth Fund Annual Fee: 1.57% of total investment plus a $36 membership fee
Simplicity Growth Fund Annual Fee: 0.31% of total investment plus a $30 membership fee
SuperLife Superlife80 (Growth Fund equivalent) Annual Fee: 0.60% of total investment plus a $30 membership fee
ANZ Growth Fund Annual Fee: 1.10% of total investment plus a $24 membership fee
Generate Growth Fund Annual Fee: 1.57% of total investment plus a $36 membership fee
Growth Funds - Annual Performance (before tax) to 30 June 2018
KiwiSaver Provider |
Annual return (after deductions for charges but before tax) to 30 June 2018 |
Generate |
15.21% per fund update |
Fisher Funds |
13.57% per fund update |
Simplicity |
11.63% per fund update |
ANZ |
11.52% per fund update |
SuperLife (SuperLife80 Fund) |
7.22% per fund update |
8 things to know about the Fisher Funds KiwiSaver scheme
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Fisher Funds is a default KiwiSaver providerThe Financial Markets Authority has appointed Fisher Funds TWO as a default provider, so if you find yourself enrolled with Fisher Funds and don't know why, this is the reason. The schemes default fund, the Cash Enhanced Fund, has an annual fee of 0.56% and is typically suited to cautious investors and/or those nearing the retirement age. You can switch to another fund, or to a new provider altogether free of charge.
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No matter what your employer's default KiwiSaver provider or fund is, you are entitled to select any Fisher Funds KiwiSaver fundYour employer may offer another default KiwiSaver provider, but any KiwiSaver member has the right to pick any one of the 20+ providers and the fund they want. If you feel a Fisher Funds KiwiSaver fund is right for you, then you can either join (if you're new to KiwiSaver) or switch your existing fund to Fisher Funds.
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There is no minimum investment, and it's easy to take contribution holidaysAs a Fisher Funds KiwiSaver member, you'll pay a $3.00 monthly membership fee. If you are a Fisher Funds KiwiSaver TWO member, you'll pay a $28.44 monthly membership fee. This membership fee gives you the freedom to invest as you like. And if you want to contribute to your fund at a level above your fixed salary contribution, you can do this by contacting the client services team.
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Dividends your fund receives are reinvested, meaning more cash is invested on your behalfEight out of nine Fisher Funds KiwiSaver funds invest in shares, and many will pay dividends. These cash payments represent the profits from companies returning it to the shareholders, i.e. you. When a company declares a dividend, your fund will receive money and it is re-invested into more shares, growing the value of your fund. Despite being a cash payment, and as is the case with ALL KiwiSaver funds, there is no option to take this money as cash until you turn 65.
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Fisher Funds believes in 'responsible investing'Fisher Funds has a 'responsible investing' policy is clear and fully applied to all investments. Fisher Funds looks at the goods and services the companies produce and make sure they don't cause widespread harm. They also look at the conduct of the company; environmental, social and governance factors are equally important. Fisher Funds is clear in that it won't invest in tobacco, weapons manufacturers who cause indiscriminate harm (such as nuclear), and coal producers (given their effect on the environment).
The purpose of such a policy is to be accountable to investors and make them comfortable with where their money ends up. |
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​Signing up to Fisher Funds KiwiSaver isn't Complicated, but you’ll need to decide what fund to invest in firstSigning up to the Fisher Funds KiwiSaver scheme is fast and easy, but before you go ahead, you’ll need to decide your fund first unless you want to park your money in its default fund. Helpfully, the names of their two funds - Conservative and Growth are free of buzzwords or spin, with the Balanced Strategy fund being a blend of the two funds. The TWO scheme has a further six funds to pick from.
Generally, if you're looking for a safe investment with the lowest risk of seeing your original investment fall, a conservative fund could be a suitable option. If you're looking for a higher return and are prepared to have your money in higher risk investments which could fall in value, a growth fund operates in this manner. If you're not sure of what to invest in and want to have a range of options to pick from, look at Sorted's FundFinder tool which includes the Fisher Funds KiwiSaver funds. |
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Fisher Funds is a large, award-winning and widely popular KiwiSaver schemeWhile banks dominate 80% of the KiwiSaver market, Fisher Funds was reported to have over 270,000 clients and $7 billion under management in 2017, making it New Zealand's fifth largest KiwiSaver provider, and 5th largest fund manager overall.
Since launching two KiwiSaver funds in 2007, and another in 2019, Fisher Funds has won multiple awards within the funds management industry, appeared in countless media publications, perhaps only rivalled by Simplicity when it comes to being a voice on KiwiSaver. Because of the large public profile Fisher Funds has created, investor performance is critical to its long-term success. |
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All but one of the funds invest in New Zealand sharesEvery fund (except the Preservation Fund) has a target to invest in 'Australasian equities', and recent fund updates highlighted that many of the top ten assets held by a number of funds were listed New Zealand companies. Investments included Auckland Airport, A2 Milk and Infratil.
Fisher Funds actively manages its investments, and does not need to invest according to its targeted portfolio ratios (i.e. cash 10%, Australasian equities 45%, 45% international equities etc) if it sees specific opportunities. For example, if global sharemarkets are dropping significantly, the fund managers can equity investments and put the money into cash accounts with a bank, rather than re-invest it in the sharemarket. In essence, the allocation targets are not fixed and even if a fund states its Australasian equities allocation target is 40%, it can still invest anywhere from 0% to 100% - the investment manager has ultimate control. |
Our Conclusion​
- Fisher Funds KiwiSaver offers a range of funds giving investors exposure to a variety of underlying investments, with a focus on the New Zealand sharemarket.
- The higher the weighting of growth assets vs income assets increases, the higher annual management fee. This is expected to be offset by the long-term performance of the fund.
- Operating since 2007, Fisher Funds is the fifth largest KiwiSaver provider and undeniably one of the most respected in the public domain.
Do you have experience with the Fisher Funds KiwiSaver scheme that you would like to share with our readers? Email our research team who would be delighted to hear from you.