Fund-vs-fund · Australasian Equities
BetaShares Australian Sustainability Leaders Fund vs Devon Dividend Yield Fund
Both are Australasian Equities funds available to NZ retail investors. Numbers below are sourced from the FMA Disclose register via Sorted Smart Investor and reflect the latest published quarterly fund updates.
Why these two differ
The most material structural difference between these two funds is fee level combined with risk profile. Devon Dividend Yield Fund charges an annual fund charge of 1.39%, more than double the BetaShares Australian Sustainability Leaders Fund's 0.67%. At the same time, the BetaShares fund carries a higher risk indicator of 5 compared to Devon's 4, meaning investors face a wider expected range of returns in exchange for that lower fee. Both funds allocate 98.31% to growth assets, so the divergence in risk indicator likely reflects differences in portfolio concentration, volatility history, or benchmark construction rather than defensive positioning.
On returns, Devon discloses a five-year annualised return of 5.45%. BetaShares does not report a five-year figure in this snapshot, most likely because the fund lacks sufficient track record; investors cannot make a like-for-like historical return comparison on that basis. Fund size is comparable — Devon at approximately NZD 16.4 million and BetaShares at approximately NZD 14.9 million — placing both in the smaller end of the retail managed fund market.
Portfolio character differs meaningfully. Devon's top holdings skew toward income-oriented NZ-listed names such as Genesis Energy, Kiwi Property Group, and Turners Automotive, consistent with its dividend-yield mandate. BetaShares holds Australian large-caps screened for sustainability criteria, with Woolworths Group, Telstra, and Brambles leading the portfolio, reflecting an ESG-filtered index approach.
Always verify these figures against the current Product Disclosure Statement and latest Quarterly Fund Update for each fund on FMA Disclose before relying on them for any investment decision.
Comparison generated 2026-07-05 from each fund's FMA Disclose QFU facts as at that date. If the underlying facts change, this narrative is withheld until it is regenerated — the tables on this page always reflect the current data.
What's different at a glance
- BetaShares Australian Sustainability Leaders Fund charges 0.72% lower in annual fund charges (0.67% vs 1.39%).
- Both are New Zealand PIE funds — investor tax is capped at the Prescribed Investor Rate (PIR), maximum 28%.
- BetaShares Australian Sustainability Leaders Fund applies responsible-investment / ESG screening. The other fund does not.
Where each fund sits in its cohort
Percentile rank vs all 58 australasian equities funds we've matched on Sorted Smart Investor. Mechanical only — no opinion, no forward-looking view.
Annual fund charge
Lower is better
BetaShares
0.67%
Lower half of cohort
Devon
1.39%
Highest 8% of cohort
5-year return p.a.
Past performance — not a predictor
BetaShares
—
—
Devon
5.45%
Upper half over 5 years
Fund size
Larger = more stable, lower close-risk
BetaShares
NZ$15m
Smallest 16% in cohort
Devon
NZ$16m
Smallest 18% in cohort
| Metric | BetaShares | Devon | Lower / higher is |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual fund charge | 0.67% | 1.39% | Lower is better |
| Risk indicator (1–7) | 5 | 4 | Higher = more volatility |
| 5-year return p.a. | — | 5.45% | Higher is better (past not future) |
| Fund size | NZ$15m | NZ$16m | Larger = more stable, lower close-risk |
| Growth / income split | 98% / 2% | 98% / 2% | More growth = higher long-run return + volatility |
| NZ tax structure | PIE (PIR-capped) | PIE (PIR-capped) | PIE = simpler. FIF = annual return. |
| Currency hedging | — | — | Hedged smooths NZD/foreign FX moves at a small cost. |
| Responsible investment screening | Yes | No | Specific exclusions live in each fund's SIPO. |
| Available via | Direct | Direct | Platforms accepting retail subscriptions. |
Portfolio overlap
How many top-10 positions both funds hold, and at what weight. Computed from each fund's most recently disclosed top-10 holdings — exact-name matched (Microsoft Corp. = Microsoft Corporation), with a Cash / Cash & Equivalents collapse rule.
What each fund says it does
BetaShares
BetaShares Australian Sustainability Leaders Fund
The fund aims to provide an investment return that tracks the performance of the Nasdaq Future Australian Sustainability Leaders Index, before taking into account fees and expenses.Full BetaShares BetaShares Australian Sustainability Leaders Fund profile →
Devon
Devon Dividend Yield Fund
The Fund invests in a select portfolio of New Zealand and Australian listed equity securities chosen for their attractive dividend yields, with some growth prospects to maintain the dividend yield and capital value in real terms.Full Devon Devon Dividend Yield Fund profile →
Documents
Crawled directly from each manager's website. How we record provenance →
Common questions
What's the difference between the BetaShares Australian Sustainability Leaders Fund and the Devon Dividend Yield Fund?
Which fund has lower fees, BetaShares Australian Sustainability Leaders Fund or Devon Dividend Yield Fund?
Are both funds PIE-taxed in NZ?
Does either fund apply responsible-investment screening?
Where can I read the official documents for these funds?
