Simplicity Balanced Fund

At 0.24 percent, this fund charges among the lowest total fees in New Zealand KiwiSaver, and with $813 million under management, it runs at a scale few balanced funds can match.

The allocation splits 59 percent into growth assets and 41 percent into income, with international shares taking the largest single slice at 42 percent. That puts NVIDIA, Apple and Microsoft near the top of the holdings list, alongside Fisher & Paykel Healthcare and Auckland Airport from the local market. The fund also holds a 5 percent stake in Simplicity Living, an unlisted residential property vehicle, and keeps close to 14 percent in cash. New Zealand and international bonds together account for 27 percent. The structure tilts global, with local shares making up just 11 percent of the portfolio.

Over three years, the fund placed 7th in its category with an annualised return of 12.5 percent. The one-year figure sits at 9.8 percent, ranking 17th, while the five-year return of 5.8 percent places it 11th. The performance reflects a moderate-risk balanced fund built around broad market exposure and a low-cost operating model.

General information only, not financial advice. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future results.