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Fund-vs-fund · Australasian Equities

Harbour NZ Index Shares FundvsHarbour Sustainable NZ Shares 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.

How much do these two overlap?

They hold 45 of the same securities. If you held both, roughly 89.4% of your money would be in the same companies — so the diversification you get from holding the pair is smaller than holding two funds suggests.

89.4%
Shared holdingHarbour NZHarbour SustainableMin weight
Infratil5.51%6.21%5.51%
a2 Milk5.19%5.91%5.19%
Meridian Energy5.15%6.01%5.15%
Contact Energy5.14%6.09%5.14%
Ebos5.07%5.21%5.07%
Mercury NZ4.99%5.69%4.99%
Fisher & Paykel Healthcare4.98%5.81%4.98%
Mainfreight4.86%5.22%4.86%
Auckland International Airport4.83%5.57%4.83%
Chorus4.68%4.71%4.68%

Min weight is the smaller of the two weightings — if you hold both funds, that is the floor of your exposure to that position. Direct holdings only: anything either fund holds through an underlying fund or ETF is not counted, so the real overlap can only be higher. From each fund's FMA Disclose full portfolio filing.

Where you can buy these

Platform availability confirmed within the last 180 days. This is a statement of availability, not a recommendation — ManagedFundsNZ is not a Financial Advice Provider. Check the current PDS before investing.

Harbour NZ Index Shares Fund

Harbour Sustainable NZ Shares Fund

Why these two differ

The most material structural difference between these two Harbour funds is their investment methodology: the Harbour NZ Index Shares Fund tracks a market index passively, while the Harbour Sustainable NZ Shares Fund applies a sustainability screen that filters holdings on environmental, social, and governance criteria before portfolio construction. This distinction drives most of the other differences observable in the data.

Both funds sit in the Australasian Equities category, carry a risk indicator of 5 out of 7, and allocate 98.31% to growth assets, reflecting near-identical risk architecture. The index fund charges 0.21% per annum; the sustainable fund charges 0.27% — a six-basis-point gap that, on a meaningful balance, compounds over time. The index fund is the larger vehicle at approximately NZD 679.5 million, against the sustainable fund's approximately NZD 380.2 million. The sustainable fund's five-year return is disclosed at 0.15% per annum versus 0.12% for the index fund, though a difference of this magnitude over the measurement period may not be statistically meaningful and past performance is not a reliable indicator of future returns.

Top holdings overlap significantly — Infratil, Contact Energy, Meridian Energy, and A2 Milk appear in both — but the sustainable fund excludes certain names (notably EBOS Group from its top five) and carries higher individual stock weights, reflecting its more concentrated, screened universe. Fisher & Paykel Healthcare appears in the sustainable fund's top five but not the index fund's.

Both funds share the same PDS. Always verify current fees, holdings, and return figures against each fund's latest Quarterly Fund Update on FMA Disclose before relying on any of this information.

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

  • Harbour NZ Index Shares Fund charges 0.06% lower in annual fund charges (0.21% vs 0.27%).
  • Both are New Zealand PIE funds — investor tax is capped at the Prescribed Investor Rate (PIR), maximum 28%.
  • Harbour Sustainable NZ Shares Fund applies responsible-investment / ESG screening. The other fund does not.

Where each fund sits in its cohort

Percentile rank vs all 57 australasian equities funds we've matched on Sorted Smart Investor. Mechanical only — no opinion, no forward-looking view.

Annual fund charge

Lower is better

Harbour

0.21%

Lowest 4% of cohort

Harbour

0.27%

Lowest 15% of cohort

5-year return p.a.

Past performance — not a predictor

Harbour

0.12%

Bottom 7% over 5 years

Harbour

0.15%

Bottom 10% over 5 years

Fund size

Larger = more stable, lower close-risk

Harbour

NZ$679m

Largest 4% in cohort

Harbour

NZ$380m

Largest 8% in cohort

MetricHarbourHarbourLower / higher is
Annual fund charge0.21%0.27%Lower is better
Risk indicator (1–7)55Higher = more volatility
5-year return p.a.0.12%0.15%Higher is better
(past not future)
Fund sizeNZ$679mNZ$380mLarger = more stable, lower close-risk
Growth / income split98% / 2%98% / 2%More growth = higher long-run return + volatility
NZ tax structurePIE (PIR-capped)PIE (PIR-capped)PIE = simpler. FIF = annual return.
Currency hedging——Hedged smooths NZD/foreign FX moves at a small cost.
Responsible investment screeningNoYesSpecific exclusions live in each fund's SIPO.
Available viaDirectDirectPlatforms accepting retail subscriptions.

What each fund says it does

Harbour

Harbour NZ Index Shares Fund

The Harbour NZ Index Shares Fund is a passive Fund managed against companies in the S&P/ NZX 50 Portfolio Index.
Full Harbour Harbour NZ Index Shares Fund profile →

Harbour

Harbour Sustainable NZ Shares Fund

This Fund is designed to track the S&P/NZX 50 Portfolio Index, with exclusions to companies including but not limited to, large carbon emitters, gambling, firearms, and companies with human and animal rights violations. For full details of the exclusions for this Fund please see the Environmental, Social and Governance Policy (ESG Policy) on our website at Responsible Investing - Harbour Asset Management. There are positive and negative tilts applied to the remaining companies based on Harbour's proprietary Corporate Behaviour Score.
Full Harbour Harbour Sustainable NZ Shares Fund profile →

Documents

Crawled directly from each manager's website. How we record provenance →

Common questions

What's the difference between the Harbour NZ Index Shares Fund and the Harbour Sustainable NZ Shares Fund?
Both are australasian equities funds available to NZ retail investors. Harbour NZ Index Shares Fund charges 0.06% lower in annual fund charges (0.21% vs 0.27%).
Which fund has lower fees, Harbour NZ Index Shares Fund or Harbour Sustainable NZ Shares Fund?
Harbour NZ Index Shares Fund has the lower annual fund charge (0.21% p.a. vs 0.27% p.a.). Source: each fund's most recent Quarterly Fund Update on the FMA Disclose register.
How do the 5-year returns compare?
Harbour NZ Index Shares Fund's 5-year return p.a. is 0.12% and Harbour Sustainable NZ Shares Fund's is 0.15% (after fees, before tax). Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future returns.
Are both funds PIE-taxed in NZ?
Yes. Both are NZ Portfolio Investment Entities (PIEs). Investor tax on the fund's income is capped at the Prescribed Investor Rate (PIR), maximum 28%.
Does either fund apply responsible-investment screening?
Yes — Harbour Sustainable NZ Shares Fund applies responsible-investment / ESG screening. Harbour NZ Index Shares Fund does not. Specific exclusions and engagement policies are documented in each fund's Statement of Investment Policy and Objectives (SIPO).
Where can I read the official documents for these funds?
Both funds publish their Product Disclosure Statement (PDS), Statement of Investment Policy (SIPO) and Quarterly Fund Update (QFU) on the FMA Disclose register at disclose-register.companiesoffice.govt.nz. Always read the current PDS before investing.
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Important: This comparison is general information only — not personalised financial advice. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future returns. The right fund for you depends on your personal circumstances. Read each fund's Product Disclosure Statement and consider speaking to a licensed financial adviser.