Colonial First State Adviser Hub

FirstChoice’s new client onboarding experience saves you up to 80% admin time*. Speak to one of our BDMs today to see how you can unleash your business potential with FirstChoice. https://lnkd.in/gkuNANtg *Source: CFS. Reducing FirstChoice account set up time by up to 80% is an estimate based on setting up two FirstChoice Wholesale Personal Super and a joint FirstChoice Wholesale Investment account for a family client. This is general information and does not take into account anyone’s objectives, financial situation, needs or circumstances. Before considering this product, you should read the PDS and TMD found at cfs.com.au.

High-growth lifecycle funds were among the top performers for super savers in the past year, with the best of the lot – one of CFS’s lifecycle strategies – coming in 6% higher than the default option at AustralianSuper https://lnkd.in/gutDPDch

CFS takes 1st and 2nd place in the top performing MySuper Lifecycle options for FY24. New analysis from superannuation research house SuperRatings reveals that the Essential Super growth option (MySuper Lifestage 1975-79) was the best performing MySuper Lifecycle option in FY24, delivering a 14.4% return. This was followed by another CFS fund, the FirstChoice Employer Super growth option (MySuper Lifestage 1975-79), achieving second place in the same category with a 14.3% return. We were also recognised for strong performance in SuperRatings’ analysis of the top fifty Balanced options for FY24, with the CFS Enhanced Index Balanced Fund achieving third place with an 11.4% return. “CFS is gaining significant momentum as a leading superannuation provider, achieving double-digit returns for MySuper members for two years in a row,” said Kelly Power, CEO of Superannuation. “Strong performance is what our members want to see, and we are proud to be in a position where we can continue delivering exceptional investment performance for them,” Ms Power said.

Over 80% of our 190 investment options are rated 'Recommended or higher' by major research houses*. Speak to one of our BDMs today to unleash your business potential https://lnkd.in/gkuNANtg *Source: Research ratings by Lonsec, Morningstar and Zenith as at January 2024. Bronze, Silver and Gold Morningstar ratings are equivalent to 'Recommended or higher'. Past performance is no indication of future performance. This is general information and does not take into account anyone’s objectives, financial situation, needs or circumstances. Before considering this product, you should read the PDS and TMD found at cfs.com.au.

What was the surprise driver behind strong Australian investment performance? Jonathan Armitage, Chief Investment Officer, and Al Clark, Head of Investments, share their insights on this development, in addition to extraordinary numbers from global sectors and companies, including some less well-known names.   https://lnkd.in/gtByy3DW #CFSMarketInsights #Economy

A second year of strong returns saw CFS outpace industry and retail super providers despite ongoing volatility over the financial year. It’s a testament to the CFS Investment team and the disciplined, diversified approach they take to managing unpredictable market conditions. Headline results for the year ending 30 June 2024 include: ✅ 14.3% Growth - Lifestage 1975-79 (FirstChoice Employer Super) ✅ 12.1% Balanced - Lifestage 1965-69 (FirstChoice Employer Super) ✅ 12.2% CFS Enhanced Index Growth (FirstChoice Wholesale Personal Super)* ✅ 11.2% CFS Enhanced Index Balanced (FirstChoice Wholesale Personal Super)* “The strength of global share markets has been the core driver of investment returns over the last 12 months. Any options that invested in the global share market have performed relatively well over the past year,” our Chief Investment Officer Jonathan Armitage said. “CFS is also in the unique position of holding no legacy unlisted assets. In an environment of higher interest rates, this has allowed us to deliver another year of solid returns for members.” Read more on what contributed to the positive result and where to from here https://lnkd.in/gnMwaCRz

Access 50 Specialist Portfolios with FirstChoice managed accounts, still at no additional cost. We’ve added top investment consultants and researchers including Lonsec, Morningstar and Zenith. Speak to one of our BDMs today to see how you can unleash your business potential with FirstChoice https://lnkd.in/gkuNANtg

This week CFS joined the growing list of asset owners posting strong investment performance figures for the 2024 financial year, announcing returns of 12.1 per cent and 14.3 per cent for its FirstChoice Employer Super balanced fund and FirstChoice Employer Super growth fund, respectively. “Our job is to generate good returns for our members, [and] we’ve got to do that in a robust investment risk framework,” CIO Jonathan Armitage tells Investment Magazine. “Have we changed our risk profile in our investment portfolios? A very clear answer to that is no.” “We’re moving into a period where the risk control that sits behind our portfolio construction remains as important as ever, [as does] understanding risk in its various different forms. And it’s also about having some imagination about the way that risk can manifest itself.” Armitage says that in the past 12 months or so, the $116 billion CFS has built an internal risk management system that is “giving us some great granularity about what we do” and which allows it to run scenario testing and stress-test its portfolios. “And that’s not just for some of the things that we’ve seen in the past, whether or not it’s things like the global financial crisis, the tech challenges in the early 2000s; but stress-testing for a dramatic change in bond rates, stress-testing for a dramatic change in interest rates,” Armitage says. https://lnkd.in/gsctaiK8

"These are among the highest returns for super members you’re going to see for this financial year.” CFS continues its upward trajectory with a second consecutive year of impressive double-digit returns for members invested in a range of balanced and growth super options - that’s anything but average financial year 2023-24 results. For members this means double-digit returns for those invested in our balanced and growth options.    For members of FirstChoice Employer Super, annual results included:  ✅ 14.3% Growth - Lifestage 1975-79  ✅ 12.1% Balanced - Lifestage 1965-69 While FirstChoice Wholesale Personal Super members, according to preliminary data for the 12 months to 30 June 2024, benefited from results of:  ✅ 12.2% CFS Enhanced Index Growth   ✅ 11.2% CFS Enhanced Index Balanced    Hear from Jonathan Armitage, Chief Investment Officer, about our investment performance.    [Past performance is no indication of future performance. *Returns are based on preliminary data for the 12 months to 30 June 2024. For more details on the Financial Year 23/24 Performance results, visit cfs.com.au   This post is provided by Avanteos Investments Limited ABN 20 096 259 979, AFSL 245531. This post may include general advice but does not consider your individual objectives, financial situation, needs or tax circumstances. You should consider if it’s appropriate for you and read the PDS and TMD at cfs.com.au before deciding to join or stay.]

Colonial First State has benefited from strong exposure to US tech stocks, reporting a 12.1 per cent return for its employer super balanced fund and a 14.3 per cent return for its growth fund in the financial year ended June 30. The strong investment returns – which outstrip those of industry fund giant AustralianSuper, which reported 8.46 per cent for its balanced option and 10.2 percent for its high growth option – will strengthen claims that the group’s fortunes are turning around. “We are showing some good investment returns, but we are doing it in a very cost-effective way,” CFS chief investment officer Jonathan Armitage said. “The business is showing very strong momentum with investment performance, low fees, and we are starting to see some good flows into the business across the board.” Mr Armitage said CFS’s strong investment performance over the 12 months to June 30 had largely been driven by strong returns in global and domestic equities. “The strength of global share markets has really been the core driver of investment returns over the last 12 months,” he said. He said CFS was also in the relatively unique position of holding no legacy unlisted assets. “In an environment of higher interest rates, this has allowed us to deliver another year of solid returns for members,” he said. CFS has $150bn in funds under management and more than 900,000 members. https://lnkd.in/gCNPjHp6