In this article, we’ll try to explain why the iShares Core S&P/ASX 200 ETF (ASX: IOZ) and SPDR S&P/ASX 200 ETF (ASX: STW) are two ASX ETFs worth taking a look at in FY21.
Some things you should know about the IOZ ETF
The iShares IOZ ETF provides exposure to the largest 200 Australian shares, based on market capitalisation. This is a low-cost way to access top Australian companies through a single fund.
According to our most recent data, the IOZ ETF had $2042.28 million of money invested. With IOZ’s total funds under management (FUM) figure over $100 million, the ETF meets our team’s minimum investment criteria for FUM levels. As a general rule, our team draws the line at $100 million for ETFs in the Australian shares sector because we believe that, relative to smaller ETFs, achieving this amount of FUM lowers the chance that the ETF issuer will close the ETF.
Fees to consider
According to our numbers, the annual management fee on the IOZ ETF is 0.09%. The issuer, iShares, collects this fee automatically.
Meaning, if you invested $2,000 in the IOZ ETF for a full year you could expect to pay management fees of around $1.80. This fee is different from the fee you pay to your brokerage provider (e.g. CommSec, NabTrade, SelfWealth, etc.), which is the fee to buy or sell the ETF. In addition to a management fee charged by the issuer, be mindful to check the ‘spread‘ for the ETF.
A fee comparison
Fees aren’t the only key consideration for ETF investors, but it’s an easy thing to do. To understand if the ETF you’re looking at is too costly, compare it with other ETFs from the same sector, and against the industry average. For example, the average management fee (MER) across all of the ETFs covered by the Best ETFs Australia team was 0.51%, which is $10.20 per $2,000 invested. Keep in mind that small changes in the fees paid can make a big difference after 10 or 20 years. You should read the IOZ Product Disclosure Statement (PDS), available on the ETF issuer’s website, because it will detail the fees, tax implications and the latest information.
Like the look of the IOZ ETF? Grab our ETF free investment report.
The STW ETF – a quick look for savvy investors
The SPDR STW ETF is Australia’s first ETF and has been operating for over 15 years. STW provides exposure to the largest 200 Australian shares, based on market capitalisation. This is a low-cost way to access top Australian companies through a single fund.
With our numbers for July 2020, STW’s FUM stood at $3614.72 million. Since the STW’s FUM is over $100 million, our investing team would say the ETF has met our minimum criteria for the total amount invested, otherwise known as FUM. A very sustainable ETF in the Index sector should be able to scale well and become profitable for the ETF issuer.
Are the fees for the STW ETF bad?
SPDR, the ETF issuer, charges a yearly management fee of 0.13% for the STW ETF. Meaning, if you invested $2,000 for a full 12-month period you could expect to pay a base management fee of around $2.60.
The management fee is above the average for all ETFs on our list of ASX ETFs, but keep in mind the ETF may be able to justify the higher price tag with superior performance over time.
The SPDR STW ETF might be one idea for the watchlist but before you go any further, click here to get our full ETF review – it’s free.
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