Fund-vs-fund · International Equities
Russell Investments Global Shares Fund vs Smart Global ESG ETF
Both are International 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 how they access global equities. The Russell Investments Global Shares Fund builds its portfolio through direct holdings in individual stocks and futures contracts — notably a 15.81% position in S&P 500 E-mini futures alongside individual names such as Microsoft, TSMC, Alphabet, and NVIDIA — giving it active or multi-manager exposure with visible security-level construction. The Smart Global ESG ETF, by contrast, holds 99.92% of its portfolio in a single underlying instrument, the iShares Core MSCI World ex Australia ESG ETF, making it a fund-of-one-ETF structure with ESG screens applied at the index level. Investors in the Smart fund are therefore exposed to whatever the iShares ETF holds, with limited visibility at the underlying security level from the QFU alone.
Fee and risk profiles diverge meaningfully. Russell charges 0.93% in annual fund charges versus Smartshares at 0.54% — a 39-basis-point gap on comparable NZD fund sizes of roughly $362 million and $322 million respectively. Despite the lower fee, the Smart Global ESG ETF carries a higher FMA risk indicator of 5, compared to Russell's 4 of 7. Both funds report identical growth asset allocations of 98.31%. Over the five years disclosed, the Smart fund returned 15.37% per annum against Russell's 13.76%, though past returns do not predict future performance and the periods may not align exactly.
Verify all figures against each fund's current PDS 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
- Smart Global ESG ETF charges 0.39% lower in annual fund charges (0.54% vs 0.93%).
- Both are New Zealand PIE funds — investor tax is capped at the Prescribed Investor Rate (PIR), maximum 28%.
- Smart Global ESG ETF applies responsible-investment / ESG screening. The other fund does not.
Where each fund sits in its cohort
Percentile rank vs all 81 international equities funds we've matched on Sorted Smart Investor. Mechanical only — no opinion, no forward-looking view.
Annual fund charge
Lower is better
Russell Investments
0.93%
Upper half of cohort
Smartshares
0.54%
Lower half of cohort
5-year return p.a.
Past performance — not a predictor
Russell Investments
11.07%
Top 22% over 5 years
Smartshares
12.12%
Top 17% over 5 years
Fund size
Larger = more stable, lower close-risk
Russell Investments
NZ$351m
Largest 20% in cohort
Smartshares
NZ$314m
Largest 21% in cohort
| Metric | Russell Investments | Smartshares | Lower / higher is |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual fund charge | 0.93% | 0.54% | Lower is better |
| Risk indicator (1–7) | 4 | 5 | Higher = more volatility |
| 5-year return p.a. | 11.07% | 12.12% | Higher is better (past not future) |
| Fund size | NZ$351m | NZ$314m | 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 | Yes | 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.
Matching holdings
1
of each fund's top 10
Russell Investments weight in shared
2.1%
of Russell Investments Global Shares Fund top 10 is shared
Smartshares weight in shared
0.6%
of Smart Global ESG ETF top 10 is shared
| Holding | Russell Investments | Smartshares |
|---|---|---|
| $ Cash at Bank (BNZ) NZ | 2.12% | 0.62% |
"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
Russell Investments
Russell Investments Global Shares Fund
The underlying investment exposure is predominantly to a broad range of international shares listed on stock exchanges in developed markets and emerging international markets. The Fund employs certain investment exclusions, please refer to the SIPO for further details. Derivatives may be used to obtain or reduce exposure to securities and markets, to implement investment strategies and to manage risk.Full Russell Investments Russell Investments Global Shares Fund profile →
Smartshares
Smart Global ESG ETF
The Smart Global ESG ETF is designed to track the return (before tax, fees and other expenses) of the MSCI World Ex Australia Custom ESG Leaders Net Total Return Index. The Index is comprised of global companies screened for exposure to controversial weapons, civilian firearms, tobacco, thermal coal and oil sands. The Index excludes companies that fail to comply with the United Nations Global Compact Principles. For more information, please refer to the Smart Responsible Investment Policy.Full Smartshares Smart Global ESG ETF profile →
Common questions
What's the difference between the Russell Investments Global Shares Fund and the Smart Global ESG ETF?
Which fund has lower fees, Russell Investments Global Shares Fund or Smart Global ESG ETF?
How do the 5-year returns compare?
Are both funds PIE-taxed in NZ?
Does either fund apply responsible-investment screening?
Where can I read the official documents for these funds?
