Is 2021 going to be the year to invest in ASX ETFs like the SPDR S&P/ASX 200 ESG Fund (ASX: E200) and Betashares Australian Dividend Harvester Fund (Managed Fund) ETF (ASX: HVST)?
How an Aussie (or Kiwi!) investor can use the E200 ETF
The SPDR ASX 200 ESG ETF provides investors with exposure to the largest 200 Australian/ASX-listed companies while also being tilted towards companies which exhibit strong Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) characteristics — and E200 excludes companies in tobacoo and controversial weapons and those which earn more than 5% of their revenue from thermal coal.
According to our most recent data, the E200 ETF had $19.17 million of money invested. Given its funds under management (also known as FUM or ‘market cap’) is less than $100 million, you should consider if this ETF is still too small and if it is sustainable for the ETF issuer. At Best ETFs we say an ETF with more than $100 million invested is typically more sustainable than one with less than $100 million (at least). However, there are exceptions to this general rule, especially if the ETF issuer/provider is reputable and committed to growing the ETF’s FUM through effective marketing strategies and distribution to financial advisers.
Fees to consider
According to our numbers, the annual management fee on the E200 ETF is 0.13%. The issuer, SPDR, collects this fee automatically.
Meaning, if you invested $2,000 in the E200 ETF for a full year you could expect to pay management fees of around $2.60. This fee is different from the fee you pay to your brokerage provider (e.g. CommSec, NabTrade, SelfWealth, etc.), which is the fee to buy or sell the ETF. In addition to a management fee charged by the issuer, be mindful to check the ‘spread‘ for the ETF.
A fee comparison
Fees aren’t the only key consideration for ETF investors, but it’s an easy thing to do. To understand if the ETF you’re looking at is too costly, compare it with other ETFs from the same sector, and against the industry average. For example, the average management fee (MER) across all of the ETFs covered by the Best ETFs Australia team was 0.5%, which is $10.00 per $2,000 invested. Keep in mind that small changes in the fees paid can make a big difference after 10 or 20 years. You should read the E200 Product Disclosure Statement (PDS), available on the ETF issuer’s website, because it will detail the fees, tax implications and the latest information.
You can get a copy of our free investment review when click here to see the E200 ETF report.
Key facts about the HVST ETF
With the goal of providing a franked income stream of at least 1.5x the yield of the broad Australian sharemarket on an annual basis, BetaShares HVST ETF aims to pay income to investors monthly. Please note that HVST does not aim to track an index.
With our numbers for December 2020, HVST’s FUM stood at $132.57 million. Since the HVST’s FUM is over $100 million, our investing team would say the ETF has met our minimum criteria for the total amount invested, otherwise known as FUM. A very sustainable ETF in the Yield/income sector should be able to scale well and become profitable for the ETF issuer.
Are the fees for the HVST ETF bad?
Betashares, the ETF issuer, charges a yearly management fee of 0.90% for the HVST ETF. Meaning, if you invested $2,000 for a full 12-month period you could expect to pay a base management fee of around $18.00.
The management fee is above the average for all ETFs on our list of ASX ETFs, but keep in mind the ETF may be able to justify the higher price tag with superior performance over time.
Get the full HVST review available on our website by clicking this link to access our report.
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