Register For Our Mailing List

Register to receive our free weekly newsletter including editorials.

Home / 322

Five reasons SMSFs are making asset allocation changes

The diversification challenges facing Australia’s 600,000 SMSFs are well documented. Whichever data source you prefer, the vast majority of SMSFs are heavily overweight cash and Australian listed securities, and underweight fixed income and international equities.

To what extent does this reflect rational investor behaviour? Recent data from the nabtrade SMSF investor base suggests that while this allocation may have been well informed and intentional, it is starting to change.

The merit of a different asset allocation

Asset allocation is not a perfect science, and the argument for greater allocations to bonds and international shares is often made most vocally by those who happen to manage products and assets in those classes. That doesn’t mean the argument is without merit. For some years, it was also believed that the average asset allocation of SMSFs was leading to significant underperformance relative to institutional super funds, notably in the post GFC era.

Interestingly, 10-year data to 2016 suggests otherwise. SMSFs appear to have delivered returns of approximately 5.7% pa, while APRA funds delivered 5.3%. SMSF performance is estimated by the ATO, while APRA fund performance is reported by APRA. As the data sets are different and the formulae are also different (eg the ATO includes contributions tax and insurance premiums as expenses, while APRA does not), there is sufficient evidence to assume that SMSFs have at least not underperformed their professionally-managed peers after costs.

Minor variations in performance can deliver material benefits to the member when compounded over many years, making asset allocation important. To this end, the historical asset allocation of the average SMSF could be considered rational.

Recently, however, some data sources suggest that SMSF trustees are choosing to increase their allocations to previously-unloved asset classes. It is difficult to identify shifts in asset allocation from the most comprehensive data source available, the ATO’s SMSF Statistical Report, as it is based on the fund returns submitted at the end of each tax year. Once collated and published, this data can be two to three years old.

Funds flow data is much more up-to-date

Funds flows, however, are far more contemporary. nabtrade data suggest that while SMSF trustees are still holding sizable cash balances and actively trading their preferred Australian equities, they are also choosing to deploy capital to diversify their portfolios into those sectors where they have traditionally been underweight. Generally, they are doing this using product structures that allow easy and cost-effective access to these assets, most notably Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs) or Exchange Traded products (ETPs) and to a lesser extent, the ASX’s mFund service.

For example, the top five ETFs on nabtrade in the week ending 23 August 2019 were:

  • BetaShares Active Australian Hybrids Fund (Managed Fund)
  • BetaShares Australian Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF
  • BetaShares Australian Equities Strong Bear Hedge Fund
  • VanEck Vectors Australian Corporate Bond Plus ETF
  • Vanguard Australian Government Bond Index ETF

To put this in context, ETFs and ETPs comprised more than 10% of nabtrade trading volumes, so while investors were seeking to benefit from volatile conditions on the local market (largely due to volatile conditions on international markets), they were also seeking to avoid market volatility through listed credit products. nabtrade investors typically show a strong contrarian bent and buy their favoured stocks on weakness during periods of volatility; SMSFs are even more likely to exhibit this behaviour.

In the same week, investors bought the following mFund products:

  • 4D Global Infrastructure Fund
  • Legg Mason Western Asset Australian Bond Fund
  • Platinum Global Fund
  • Plato Australian Shares Income Fund - A Class
  • Hyperion Global Growth Companies (Class B Units)
  • Invesco Wholesale Senior Secured Income Fund
  • Walter Scott Global Equity Fund – Unhedged
  • Fidelity China Fund
  • Antipodes Global Fund (Class P)
  • Aberdeen Standard Diversified Fixed Income Fund

The majority of these flows have gone to international equities products, in addition to fixed income and infrastructure. While ETF and ETP flows are significantly greater than those to mFunds, SMSFs are the most significant buyers and holders of mFund products.

LIC challenges

While investors continue to hold them, Listed Investment Companies (LICs) are struggling, including substantial discounts between net tangible assets (NTA) and the security price for most managers. LICs are also dominated by products that invest in Australian equities, with fewer international and fixed income products than are available via the ETF and mFund markets. There is not the diversity now desired by SMSFs among LICs as offered by ETFs.

Many SMSF trustees explicitly believe that they are capable of managing their own Australian equity portfolios, and are only willing to pay for portfolio management (passive or active), in asset classes that are more difficult to access or where investors are less confident in their asset selection abilities. The market capitalisation of ETFs exceeded that of LICs for the first time last year, and flows indicate the divergence between the two product structures is likely to increase rather than narrow.

Five reasons for changing allocations

It can take some time for flows to influence the percentage asset allocation of the overall SMSF sector, given the nearly $700 billion invested. However, as SMSF trustees are increasingly comfortable with assets beyond cash and shares, possible reasons for this realignment are:

  1. A shift away from cash as declining interest rates force investors to look for yield elsewhere.
  2. An understanding of the benefits of diversification in reducing overall portfolio volatility.
  3. Concerns about future returns from equities as market volatility increases and indicators of future economic performance deteriorate.
  4. Greater availability of low cost and easily accessible products in other asset classes make them more attractive.
  5. Product information and market insights are now far more widely available to the retail investor, helping inform portfolio decisions.

Previously SMSF trustees would generally have needed to access these assets via actively managed funds on a platform charging an asset-based administration fee of up to 0.75%, often via a financial planner. Now, they can access them via the ASX at a relatively low cost. Ultimately, the big shifts in asset allocation and their benefits remain to be seen over the long term.

 

Gemma Dale is Director of SMSF and Investor Behaviour at nabtrade, a sponsor of Firstlinks. This material has been prepared as general information only, without reference to your objectives, financial situation or needs. For more nabtrade insights or to open an account, visit the website. You can also access Gemma’s weekly Your Wealth podcast on nabtrade, or via Apple podcasts, Spotify or Podbean.

For more articles and papers from nabtrade, please click here.

 

RELATED ARTICLES

The best income-generating assets for your portfolio

My SMSF in 2022: the good, the bad and the lucky

Worried about low rates, SMSFs drop banks and diversify

banner

Most viewed in recent weeks

Raising the GST to 15%

Treasurer Jim Chalmers aims to tackle tax reform but faces challenges. Previous reviews struggled due to political sensitivities, highlighting the need for comprehensive and politically feasible change.

7 examples of how the new super tax will be calculated

You've no doubt heard about Division 296. These case studies show what people at various levels above the $3 million threshold might need to pay the ATO, with examples ranging from under $500 to more than $35,000.

The revolt against Baby Boomer wealth

The $3m super tax could be put down to the Government needing money and the wealthy being easy targets. It’s deeper than that though and this looks at the factors behind the policy and why more taxes on the wealthy are coming.

Are franking credits hurting Australia’s economy?

Business investment and per capita GDP have languished over the past decade and the Labor Government is conducting inquiries to find out why. Franking credits should be part of the debate about our stalling economy.

Here's what should replace the $3 million super tax

With Div. 296 looming, is there a smarter way to tax superannuation? This proposes a fairer, income-linked alternative that respects compounding, ensures predictability, and avoids taxing unrealised capital gains. 

The rubbery numbers behind super tax concessions

In selling the super tax, Labor has repeated Treasury claims of there being $50 billion in super tax concessions annually, mostly flowing to high-income earners. This figure is vastly overstated.

Latest Updates

Investment strategies

Trump's US dollar assault is fuelling CBA's rise

Australian-based investors have been perplexed by the steep rise in CBA's share price But it's becoming clear that US funds are buying into our largest bank as a hedge against potential QE and further falls in the US dollar.

Investment strategies

With markets near record highs, here's what you should do with your portfolio

Markets have weathered geopolitical turmoil, hitting near record highs. Investors face tough decisions on valuations, asset concentration, and strategic portfolio rebalancing for risk control and future returns.

Property

Soaring house prices may be locking people into marriages

Soaring house prices are deepening Australia's cost of living crisis - and possibly distorting marriage decisions. New research links unexpected price changes to whether couples separate or silently struggle together.

Investment strategies

Google is facing 'the innovator's dilemma'

Artificial intelligence is forcing Google to rethink search - and its future. As usage shifts and rivals close in, will it adapt in time, or become a cautionary tale of disrupted disruptors?

Investment strategies

Study supports what many suspected about passive investing

The surge in passive investing doesn’t just mirror the market—it shapes it, often amplifying the rise of the largest firms and creating new risks and opportunities. For investors, understanding these effects is essential.

Property

Should we dump stamp duties for land taxes?

Economists have long flagged the idea of swapping property taxes for land taxes for fairness and equity reasons. This looks at why what seems fairer may not deliver the outcomes that we expect.

Investing

Being human means being a bad investor

Many of the behaviours that have made humans such a successful species also make it difficult for us to be good, long-term investors. The key to better decision making is to understand what makes us human and adapt.

Sponsors

Alliances

© 2025 Morningstar, Inc. All rights reserved.

Disclaimer
The data, research and opinions provided here are for information purposes; are not an offer to buy or sell a security; and are not warranted to be correct, complete or accurate. Morningstar, its affiliates, and third-party content providers are not responsible for any investment decisions, damages or losses resulting from, or related to, the data and analyses or their use. To the extent any content is general advice, it has been prepared for clients of Morningstar Australasia Pty Ltd (ABN: 95 090 665 544, AFSL: 240892), without reference to your financial objectives, situation or needs. For more information refer to our Financial Services Guide. You should consider the advice in light of these matters and if applicable, the relevant Product Disclosure Statement before making any decision to invest. Past performance does not necessarily indicate a financial product’s future performance. To obtain advice tailored to your situation, contact a professional financial adviser. Articles are current as at date of publication.
This website contains information and opinions provided by third parties. Inclusion of this information does not necessarily represent Morningstar’s positions, strategies or opinions and should not be considered an endorsement by Morningstar.