Fund-vs-fund · Diversified
Booster Wealth Balanced Fund vs Foundation Series High Growth Fund
Both are Diversified 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 their growth asset allocation. The Foundation Series High Growth Fund holds 98.31% in growth assets against a risk indicator of 5 (out of 7), while the Booster Wealth Balanced Fund holds 53.2% in growth assets with a risk indicator of 4 — a markedly more conservative split that sits closer to a traditional balanced mandate, despite both funds sitting under the Diversified category label.
Fee structure also differs substantially. Foundation Series charges an annual fund charge of 0.37%, compared with Booster's 0.83% — a gap of 46 basis points that compounds over time regardless of return outcomes. Neither fund discloses a five-year return figure in the snapshot used here, so no long-term performance comparison is currently possible.
Portfolio construction reflects each fund's philosophy clearly. Foundation Series concentrates almost entirely across three index-tracking or ESG-screened vehicles — Vanguard ESG US Stock ETF (47.53%), Harbour Sustainable NZ Shares Fund (27.79%), and Vanguard ESG INTL Stock ETF (23.55%) — indicating a passive, fund-of-funds approach with an explicit ESG screen. Booster holds a broader mix of direct equities, fixed income, and cash, with Fisher & Paykel Healthcare, NVIDIA, Apple, and NZ government stock all appearing individually in the top holdings. Fund sizes are comparable: Booster at approximately NZD 11.6 million, Foundation Series at approximately NZD 10.0 million.
Investors should verify all figures against each fund's current product disclosure statement and latest quarterly fund update on FMA Disclose before relying on any of this information.
Cached comparison generated 2026-05-21 from each fund's latest FMA Disclose QFU. Regenerated when the underlying facts change.
What's different at a glance
- Foundation Series High Growth Fund charges 0.46% lower in annual fund charges (0.37% vs 0.83%).
- Both are New Zealand PIE funds — investor tax is capped at the Prescribed Investor Rate (PIR), maximum 28%.
Where each fund sits in its cohort
Percentile rank vs all 67 diversified funds we've matched on Sorted Smart Investor. Mechanical only — no opinion, no forward-looking view.
Annual fund charge
Lower is better
Booster
0.83%
Lower half of cohort
Foundation Series
0.37%
Lowest 16% of cohort
5-year return p.a.
Past performance — not a predictor
Booster
—
—
Foundation Series
—
—
Fund size
Larger = more stable, lower close-risk
Booster
NZ$12m
Smallest 22% in cohort
Foundation Series
NZ$10m
Smallest 19% in cohort
| Metric | Booster | Foundation Series | Lower / higher is |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual fund charge | 0.83% | 0.37% | Lower is better |
| Risk indicator (1–7) | 4 | 5 | Higher = more volatility |
| 5-year return p.a. | — | — | Higher is better (past not future) |
| Fund size | NZ$12m | NZ$10m | Larger = more stable, lower close-risk |
| Growth / income split | 53% / 47% | 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 | No | No | Specific exclusions live in each fund's SIPO. |
| Available via | Direct | InvestNow | 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.
Matching holdings
1
of each fund's top 10
Booster weight in shared
4.0%
of Booster Wealth Balanced Fund top 10 is shared
Foundation Series weight in shared
2.6%
of Foundation Series High Growth Fund top 10 is shared
| Holding | Booster | Foundation Series |
|---|---|---|
| NC NZ Cash (BNZ Bank Trust Account) NZ | 3.96% | 2.65% |
"Min weight" = the smaller of the two weights — a conservative read of how much exposure you'd have to that position if you held both funds.
What each fund says it does
Booster
Booster Wealth Balanced Fund
The Wealth Balanced Fund is suited to investors who seek a medium level of returns on average over medium term periods (five years plus), allowing for shorter-term ups and downs, whilst excluding investments which do not satisfy certain responsible investment criteria. We aim to achieve this by investing in a mix of income and growth assets, and the application of our Approach to Responsible Investing policy.Full Booster Booster Wealth Balanced Fund profile →
Foundation Series
Foundation Series High Growth Fund
Aims for high long-run returns by investing in a diversified portfolio of predominantly growth assets but with a small amount of income asset exposure. The Fund incorporates certain responsible investment considerations and is exposed to investment strategies that seek to limit exposure to companies involved in specific business practices.Full Foundation Series Foundation Series High Growth Fund profile →
Documents
Crawled directly from each manager's website. How we record provenance →
Booster
Common questions
What's the difference between the Booster Wealth Balanced Fund and the Foundation Series High Growth Fund?
Which fund has lower fees, Booster Wealth Balanced Fund or Foundation Series High Growth Fund?
Are both funds PIE-taxed in NZ?
Where can I read the official documents for these funds?
