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Balanced

Offers a diversified portfolio with around 70% growth assets.

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Summary

10-yr returns as 30 September 2024

8.31% p.a.

Returns over the last 10 years1

5+ years

Suggested timeframe

0.66% p.a.

Fees 2 + admin fees and costs

Who it suits

Suitable if you're an investor who:

  • wants a diversified portfolio with around 70% growth assets
  • wants to grow your super over the long term
  • is prepared to accept that the option can have negative returns over the shorter term
  • is prepared to accept high levels of volatility in returns from year to year.

Risk3

 
  • Very low
  • Low
  • Low to medium
  • Medium
  • Medium to high
  • High
  • Very high

Expected number of years of negative annual returns in any 20 years: 4 to less than 6. The risk is based on the standard risk measure (SRM).

Investment objective3

Accumulation and TTR Income accounts: CPI + 3.5% p.a.
Retirement Income accounts: CPI + 4.0% p.a.

Option size

Super assets: $16.9 billion
Pension assets: $4.6 billion

Balanced performance

As at 30 September 20241


Our Balanced option for Accumulation accounts produced an after fees and superannuation tax return of 3.6% for the September quarter and 13.5% over the year to September 2024. The 10-year return of 8.3% p.a. remains above the option’s return objective of CPI+3.5% p.a.

Global share markets in aggregate produced positive returns over the September quarter and very strong returns over the year to September 2024. After disappointing returns in recent years, both Australian and global bonds delivered solid returns over the quarter and the year to September.

ART’s unlisted assets portfolios underperformed public markets over the September quarter and the year to September. However, superior asset selection is likely to have seen ART’s private assets portfolios outperform those of other funds.

In the SuperRatings survey for September 2024, the performance of the Balanced option was ahead of the median fund over 1, 3, 5, 7, and 10 years to the end of September 2024.

Accumulation accounts Retirement Income accounts4
10 years (p.a.) 8.31% 9.14%
7 years (p.a.) 8.18% 9.00%
5 years (p.a.) 7.61% 8.37%
3 years (p.a.) 6.60% 7.35%
1 year 13.49% 15.12%
3 months 3.60% 4.01%

Past performance isn't a reliable indicator of future performance. Returns shown are after investment fees and costs, transaction costs and investment taxes (where relevant) but before all other fees and costs.

Returns shown here for our Accumulation account are also the returns that apply for Transition to Retirement Income accounts. Tax generally doesn't apply to investment earnings in Retirement Income accounts.

Balanced asset allocation


 

Strategic asset allocation5
Australian shares
25.75%
International shares
26.5%
Unlisted assets and alternatives
29.5%
Fixed income
16.25%
Cash
2.0%
Total 100%

Learn more about what we invest in

Outlook and strategy

As at 30 September 2024


We don't design portfolios based on short-term economic, market or geopolitical forecasts. However, our investment team and external investment managers do seek to capitalise on opportunities that inevitably emerge during times of heightened market volatility.

We continue to hold a substantial allocation to the key unlisted asset classes – real estate, infrastructure, private equity, and private debt. As a large superannuation fund, we have well-diversified portfolios of these assets that we expect will deliver strong, long-term returns, while reducing our members’ exposures to share market volatility.

At the end of September 2024, the Dynamic Asset Allocation (DAA) strategy favoured shares over bonds. Within DAA’s shares allocation, Japanese, UK, and European shares were favoured over shares in the US and Australia. In fixed income, we remain overweight in Australia and the UK, and underweight in US, European, and Japanese bonds.

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  1. Past performance isn't a reliable indicator of future performance. Returns shown are after investment fees and costs, transaction costs and investment taxes (where relevant) but before all other fees and costs. Returns shown in the Summary table above are for Accumulation accounts. To show the performance of the Accumulation and Retirement Income accounts, we’ve used Sunsuper for life Balanced option returns up to 28 February 2022, then Super Savings Balanced option returns after that date.
  2. Fees refers to investment fees and costs and transaction costs.
  3. When reading the objectives and/or risks please also read the information in the PDS that applies to you.
  4. Tax generally doesn't apply to investment earnings in Retirement Income accounts.
  5. From 1 July 2024. For more information on these asset classes, strategic asset allocations, and allowable ranges, read the PDS that applies to you.