The Risk-adjusted Performance of KiwiSaver Funds

Date
2016
Authors
Xiong, Xueshan
Supervisor
Gilbert, Aaron
Item type
Dissertation
Degree name
Master of Business
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Auckland University of Technology
Abstract

The New Zealand government introduced a national superannuation scheme named KiwiSaver to its citizens on 1 July 2007. However, until now, KiwiSaver funds’ performance is still an under-researched topic. This study investigates the risk-adjusted performance of KiwiSaver growth and balance funds, where 3 models (Capital Asset Pricing Model, Fama and French 3-factor model, and Carhart 4-factor model) are applied to the KiwiSaver growth funds and 1 model (Balance fund 4-factor model) is applied to the KiwiSaver balance funds. I observe significant evidence of outperformance for some KiwiSaver growth funds and balance funds. Further, most growth funds are relatively more exposed to large companies and growth stocks. However, once I control for the momentum strategy much of the outperformance disappears, suggesting a lot of fund managers are employing a momentum strategy. I also observe 2 superior KiwiSaver funds based on its outperformance with all methods, and they are Aon KiwiSaver Milford and Milford Active Growth KiwiSaver fund.

Description
Keywords
KiwiSaver , Mutual Funds , Performance Measurement , Risk-adjusted Performance
Source
DOI
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