Fund-vs-fund · Australasian Equities
Octagon New Zealand Equities Fund vs QuayStreet NZ Equity 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 their actual portfolio composition despite sharing the same Australasian Equities category label. The Octagon New Zealand Equities Fund concentrates entirely in New Zealand-listed companies, with Fisher & Paykel Healthcare (13.9%), Auckland International Airport (7.92%), and Infratil (6.95%) as its largest positions. The QuayStreet NZ Equity Fund, despite its name, holds predominantly Australian securities in its top five — BHP Billiton (11.21%), Commonwealth Bank of Australia (8.65%), Westpac (6.81%), ANZ Group (5.79%), and Macquarie Group (4.56%) — suggesting meaningful trans-Tasman exposure that investors focusing on pure New Zealand equity should scrutinise carefully against the full portfolio disclosure.
On fees, QuayStreet charges 1.27% annually versus Octagon's 1.17%, a 10-basis-point difference on comparable fund sizes of approximately NZD $155 million and NZD $161 million respectively. Both carry a risk indicator of 5 out of 7 and report identical growth asset allocations of 98.31%. The five-year return figures diverge significantly: QuayStreet discloses 7.14% per annum versus Octagon's 1.76%, though return differences over any single period reflect market conditions, portfolio construction, and timing rather than a straightforward quality judgment. Neither fund is identified as a KiwiSaver scheme account in this data snapshot.
Always verify current fees, holdings, and return figures against each fund's 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
- Octagon New Zealand Equities Fund charges 0.10% lower in annual fund charges (1.17% vs 1.27%).
- 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 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
Octagon
1.17%
Upper half of cohort
QuayStreet
1.27%
Highest 15% of cohort
5-year return p.a.
Past performance — not a predictor
Octagon
1.25%
Lower half over 5 years
QuayStreet
7.14%
Top 21% over 5 years
Fund size
Larger = more stable, lower close-risk
Octagon
NZ$161m
Largest 25% in cohort
QuayStreet
NZ$155m
Upper half by size
| Metric | Octagon | QuayStreet | Lower / higher is |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual fund charge | 1.17% | 1.27% | Lower is better |
| Risk indicator (1–7) | 4 | 5 | Higher = more volatility |
| 5-year return p.a. | 1.25% | 7.14% | Higher is better (past not future) |
| Fund size | NZ$161m | NZ$155m | 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 | No | 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
Octagon
Octagon New Zealand Equities Fund
The New Zealand Equities Fund invests mostly in New Zealand shares, and can invest in Australian listed shares, where the company has meaningful operations in New Zealand. It aims to achieve long-term returns (before fees, taxes and other expenses) greater than the S&P/NZX50 Gross with Imputation Index.Full Octagon Octagon New Zealand Equities Fund profile →
QuayStreet
QuayStreet NZ Equity Fund
The QuayStreet Australian Equity Fund invests predominantly in companies that are in the ASX 200 Index. The investment objective is to provide a level of return above the fund’s benchmark over the long term.Full QuayStreet QuayStreet NZ Equity Fund profile →
Common questions
What's the difference between the Octagon New Zealand Equities Fund and the QuayStreet NZ Equity Fund?
Which fund has lower fees, Octagon New Zealand Equities Fund or QuayStreet NZ Equity Fund?
How do the 5-year returns compare?
Are both funds PIE-taxed in NZ?
Where can I read the official documents for these funds?
