August marked the first birthday of the Milford KiwiSaver Aggressive Fund. We are pleased to report that the Fund has had a very good first year, with a 1-year return to 31 August after fees and tax of 17.01%. While past performance is no guarantee of future returns, this is a very promising start.

This places the Fund as the top performer of our KiwiSaver funds for the year and at number two in the Morningstar Aggressive Fund peer group of 11 similar funds. We are very pleased to have achieved such results for our members in the Fund, who have supported it in its first year, with $164m now invested.

When asked to describe the Fund’s first year, Stephen Johnston, Portfolio Manager said, “It has been a roller coaster year and there has been no shortage of volatility in financial markets. However, I am pleased the companies in the Aggressive Fund have weathered the storm well and generated a very pleasing result for our members. This is just the beginning of our journey”.

For many, KiwiSaver is a long-term investment, aimed at growing your nest egg to help create the retirement lifestyle you dream of whilst working. The Milford KiwiSaver Aggressive Fund could be a suitable option for investors with a longer investment time horizon (at least 15 years) and higher tolerance for risk and short term volatility as it is designed to maximise growth and the opportunity for strong returns over the long term. The Fund invests primarily in global shares with a moderate allocation to Australasian shares and a small allocation to cash.

In the last 12 months the Fund has benefited from investing in companies which have performed well through the COVID-19 pandemic such as;

  • Apple and Microsoft who have seen demand for their products soar as companies and their employees adapt to ‘working from home’;
  • Visa, Mastercard and Amazon who have been beneficiaries of the boom in online shopping around the world; and
  • US healthcare company Thermo Fisher Scientific, whose technology is used in COVID-19 testing.

Of course, it is important that you select the KiwiSaver fund or mix of funds that best suits your goals and appetite for risk. Our KiwiSaver Plan offers a range of funds from low to medium to high risk to meet the needs of all investors. If you are not sure which fund is best suited to you then take our Risk Questionnaire ­here.

For more information about the Milford KiwiSaver Aggressive Fund check it out here, or talk to one of the team on 0800 662 345 or [email protected]