Fund-vs-fund · International FI
Evidential Sustainable Global Bond Fund vs Simplicity Hedged Global Bond Fund
Both are International FI 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 cost: the Simplicity Hedged Global Bond Fund charges an annual fund fee of 0.15%, while the Evidential Sustainable Global Bond Fund charges 0.32% — more than twice as much. Over a long holding period, this gap compounds meaningfully in either direction depending on net returns, making it a central consideration for investors comparing the two.
Both funds sit in the International Fixed Income category and share an identical risk indicator of 4 on the standard 1–7 scale. Neither fund discloses a five-year return figure in this snapshot, so historical performance comparisons are not available here. Fund size differs noticeably: Simplicity's fund holds approximately NZD 964 million in assets versus Evidential's NZD 600 million, though size alone does not determine quality or liquidity outcomes.
The portfolio construction reflects meaningfully different issuer philosophies. Simplicity's top disclosed holdings are concentrated in US Treasury bonds, consistent with a sovereign-focused, passively hedged approach. Evidential's top holdings span Canadian provincial governments, UK gilts, and European quasi-sovereign issuers, with a sustainability overlay indicated in the fund name. Evidential also carries a slightly higher growth asset allocation (0.13% versus 0.07%), though both figures are negligible for funds of this type.
Neither fund discloses a five-year return in the current quarterly fund update snapshot, so return-based comparison is not possible at this time.
Verify all figures against each fund's current Product Disclosure Statement and latest Quarterly Fund Update on FMA Disclose before relying on this summary for any investment decision.
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
- Simplicity Hedged Global Bond Fund charges 0.17% lower in annual fund charges (0.15% vs 0.32%).
- Both are New Zealand PIE funds — investor tax is capped at the Prescribed Investor Rate (PIR), maximum 28%.
- Evidential Sustainable Global Bond Fund applies responsible-investment / ESG screening. The other fund does not.
Where each fund sits in its cohort
Percentile rank vs all 31 international fi funds we've matched on Sorted Smart Investor. Mechanical only — no opinion, no forward-looking view.
Annual fund charge
Lower is better
Evidential
0.32%
Lowest 19% of cohort
Simplicity
0.15%
Lowest 2% of cohort
5-year return p.a.
Past performance — not a predictor
Evidential
—
—
Simplicity
—
—
Fund size
Larger = more stable, lower close-risk
Evidential
NZ$600m
Largest 8% in cohort
Simplicity
NZ$964m
Largest 5% in cohort
| Metric | Evidential | Simplicity | Lower / higher is |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual fund charge | 0.32% | 0.15% | Lower is better |
| Risk indicator (1–7) | 4 | 4 | Higher = more volatility |
| 5-year return p.a. | — | — | Higher is better (past not future) |
| Fund size | NZ$600m | NZ$964m | Larger = more stable, lower close-risk |
| Growth / income split | 0% / 100% | 0% / 100% | More growth = higher long-run return + volatility |
| NZ tax structure | PIE (PIR-capped) | PIE (PIR-capped) | PIE = simpler. FIF = annual return. |
| Currency hedging | — | Hedged to NZD | 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
Evidential
Evidential Sustainable Global Bond Fund
The Fund provides investors with exposure to a diversified portfolio of intermediate term global fixed interest and money market securities whilst taking into account certain environmental and social considerations. The Fund aims to hedge all foreign currency exposure to the New Zealand dollar.Full Evidential Evidential Sustainable Global Bond Fund profile →
Simplicity
Simplicity Hedged Global Bond Fund
The Hedged Global Bond Fund invests in government bonds and other highly rated liquid bonds., designed to generate a return similar to the performance of the Bloomberg MSCI Global Aggregate Sustainability Select SRI Float Adjusted Index (hedged into New Zealand dollars) and to be the hedged global bond component of a diversified investment portfolio.Full Simplicity Simplicity Hedged Global Bond Fund profile →
Common questions
What's the difference between the Evidential Sustainable Global Bond Fund and the Simplicity Hedged Global Bond Fund?
Which fund has lower fees, Evidential Sustainable Global Bond Fund or Simplicity Hedged Global Bond 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?
