New announcement. Learn more

Blog Articles

GabrielleDowns SyndromeAnalysisStock intersectionsHealthFitnessEducation seminarEvsTeslaTaylor swiftPharmaHealth careExerciseNvidiaMillieAIRPAAgingJewelleryScam investmentInvestment fraudInvestment fraudsScamsCyclonesFloodingInsurance premiumsInvestment managerArtesianOrgans on a chipManaging household moneyCouplesTravel insuranceTravel cardTravelPlastic WasteStewartCollaborative engagementBest Ethical Financial AdviserAwardHuman skinCrash test dummyAkzo NobelBieresdorfUnileverThe 3 R'sAnimal crueltyAnimal testingSyndicated propertyWholesale investorBreast cancer, mammogramGender diversityDiversity40:40 vision30% clubFemale leadersOutlookIndicatorsRecessionFossil FuelsWomenChildrenCyberVisaMagellanDEIDiversity, equality and inclusionGHG emissionsNet ZeroNorway Oil FundEngagementActive EngagementWealth protectionPasswordsBank of mum and dadBank loansBull marketReparationsVolunteeringB-corpGarden festivalCompensationClimate changeBuilding portfolioPortfolioBusiness as a force for goodB corpFinologyNanukPlasticPackagingEsg investingFear of missing outConfirmation biasBehavioural financeRetirement villageEsg ratingsSustainableWalking the talkProxy votingVotingAwardsBear marketEthical preferencesIndependent informationGreenwashingNastiesGMODonationsMindful MoneyRIAAWarEthicsAuctionImpact InvestingCyber securitySustainable InvestingResponsible InvestingMarketTimingCoronavirusCovidAiaCignaEthical investingEsgEnvironmentActivePassiveEPAProperty Relationship ActTax returnWearable DeviceArtificial IntelligenceUnderwritingDNA TestingGenetic TestDe Minimis ExemptionFair Dividend TaxForeign Investment FundTax ratesKiwiSaver feesChinaBrightline TestEQCAdvice FeesInvestment feesJunk InsuranceWarrantiesConsumer Guarantees ActRetirement IncomeNew Zealand SuperannuationBridgesFitness CoachingWellnessSally MellorInvestment PropertyTenantLandlordRental PropertyCar RentalCar InsuranceRelationship BreakupProvisional TaxBeanyAccountingTrust DeedBeneficiaryTrust ActTrustSkin cancerProstate cancerMelanomaLung cancerCervical cancerCancer mythsFirst home buyerOpinionFactsSwindlerScamTreasuryVolatilityDollar cost averagingFamily trustsResearchMilfordInvestor confidenceFMAInvestment assumptionsTerm depositsKiwisaver monitoringKiwisaver comparisonStress freeHolidaySecurityBanksTax refundRiskReturnInvestingGreedFinance companiesContents insuranceOwing moneyCredit cardCredit cardsPropertyExpertsBubblesBorrowingLendingFloatFixMortgageLoansInterest ratesFinanceBrokingLegislationForeign superWordingOmbudsmanHouseCoverContentsBalanced fundSchooling costsEducationCredit ratingsTradingSecondary marketTerminologyFixed interest investmentFixed InterestLegalGuarantorUk pensionPension transferSpendingChristmasConsumer behaviourUK Pension TransfersQROPsInvesmtentWays to dieInsurance claimsWinz#residential care#assetsTrustsResidential care subsidy#residentialcaresubsidy#gifting#familytrustsSavingsLottery#bonusbondsSpecific injuryCase stuffyTrust expensesEstate planningAsset protection#trust#family Trust#incomeprotectioninsurance#incomeAdriennes storyQuizLife expectancyLVR ratioHouse depositBorrowing to buy a house#firsthomebuyerKiwisaver returns#kiwisaver feesReitrement savingsFirst home buyersUncategorized#financialplanningPersonal financesFinancial management#personalfinances#mortgages#finances#fidelity#kiwisaverperformance#redundancy insurance#incomeinsuranceRetirement ageJohn KeyFirst home buyer withdrawalKiwisaver rulesFirst home buyer grantUnclaimed moneyMoney refundsPortability superBringing home KiwiSaver#australia KiwiSaver#liability#insurance claim. Insurance claim#income insurance protectionFirst home grantDumb ways to dieUnder 18 years oldTax creditTrans-tasmanPortabilityAustraliaAsteronRisk profilesMoving funds#changing kiwisaver managersInvestment returnsTibTerminal illness benefit#claim#sil#kiwisaver analysis#shares#mighty river power#electricity#partners lifeTrusteeSafety of KiwiSaverFunBeerCredit ratingBad debtTax rebateInvestment advice#retirement planningLapseExpensesFighting fundEmergency cashRipping off elderlyFinancial planingPass backUnit pricingGareth morgan#Medical Assurance Society#MAS#investment analysis#travel insurance#insurance claimFinancial planningBudgettingReporting#insurance commissionInsurance commissions#commissions#career in insuranceSouthern crossClaimingInsurance excessesRussiaJohn clarkeHumourGfcCyprusHome insuranceEarthquakesCrisisStand down periodPolicy wordingChurningContributions holidayTaxesPayrollEmployer contributionsEsctEmployee contributionContribution holidaySil kiwisaver. westpacKwiisaverBitAsset allocationAsbAnzAwarenessReturnsPerformanceProstate canerWillsRelationship PropertyPlanningLegal AgreementsLawyersDivorcePremiumsTowerFund ManagersFisherKiwibankDefault schemesBnzAMPPetsPet insuranceMoney managementBudgetsHouse insuranceFire and general insuranceAccChilds trauma insuranceChilds traumaProtectionFund managerClaim trauma insuranceTotal and Permanent Disablement InsuranceOnePath LifeClaimsSmokingSmokers ratesInsurance researchInsurance analysisImageFree quotesSavingMoneyInfographicInflationVideoTpd insuranceTPDSovereignDisabilityCase StudyAxaHeart attackLoveIncome protectionCancer insuranceBreast cancerTerranovaMinimum wageEmployer contributionTraumaIncome protection insuranceCancerSortedRisk profileRetirementOnepathInvestmentsWestpacBTWho can joinRetirement savingsFuneral plannerFuneralDyingDeathTrauma insuranceLife InsuranceInsurance News & ViewsInsuranceIncome insuranceHealth insuranceDisability insuranceUS citizenRetiring to live in new zealandInvestmentFATCAReturning to new zealandRetiring in new zealandMember tax creditKickstartTransitional residentTaxationRetiring to new zealandNew migratnFifFdrDe minimisSuperannuationRetiringNZ superannuationNew zealandEligibility for NZ SuperMorningstarInvestment ReturnInvestment performanceFund sizeFeesTaxPIRPIEMoney News & ViewsIrdMinimum contributionKiwiSaver News & ViewsKiwiSaverContributions1 April 2013
TAGS

Dart Throwing Monkeys - can they do better than active investment managers?

Dart Throwing Monkeys - can they do better than active investment managers?

In December 2019, Kiwi Wealth released a research report analyzing the actual returns of tracking ‘passive’ investment funds, versus random ‘dart throwing monkeys’ versus ‘active’ investment management.

The research confirmed what we have known all along, which is why our preferred investment strategy is to select active investment managers, who make actual decisions on what stocks to include in your portfolio’s.

Bernard Hickey wrote an excellent article on Newsroom, putting the research into context, which you can find by clicking here. https://www.newsroom.co.nz/2019/12/03/929072/why-dart-throwing-monkeys-can-be-dangerous-and-dirty#

Highlights of the research report and Bernard’s article include (with Moneyworks added commentary):

‘Knowledge’

“Everyone apparently ‘knows’ that monkeys or ‘robots’ tracking indices do better than human fund managers. The trouble is they’re wrong about the monkeys being the same as index trackers, and they’re wrong about passive funds always doing better than active funds.”

As a result of this ‘knowledge’ many investors have turned to index tracking or passive investments, and focussed on the fees of investments, rather than the after fees returns and the ability of human brains to add value by selecting investments.

Truly Active funds outperform. 

The fund managers are looking at factors including

How liquid is the investment?

What is happening inside the company? 

Is it managed and governed well? 

Is it getting a good return on equity?

Are its earnings growing?

How is it impacted by the macro environment?

Active Share or Index Hugging

‘Active’ managers who just ‘benchmark or index hug’ (a large number of the managers), will definitely prove that dart throwing monkeys or passive funds will perform better.  This is because they aren’t making those active decisions and they are charging investors high fees for the privilege of investing actively.  (Moneyworks actively researches whether our fund managers are benchmark or index hugging, using a measurement called ‘active share’).

Ethical investing

For our many clients who are concerned about where their funds are invested – to make sure that they are invested ethically, with consideration given to Environmental, Social and Governance aspects, active investment management, where we engage continually with your fund managers is the only way to monitor their ethical investments.  With a passive/tracker fund, you get what is in the index.  For example, in the Vanguard Australian Shares Fund (which we have recently added to our portfolios for lack of an additional good quality active alternative), there are large holdings in BHP and CSL, which are categorised as fossil fuel investments.

To see how difficult it is to get ethical investing exposure – read this article which shows that Simplicity (despite their claims to being ‘ethical’ investors), admit that it is too hard for them to monitor and there are unethical investments in their portfolios.



 

This product has been added to your cart

CHECKOUT