2nd May 2017

Innovative NZ-owned online direct-to-consumer funds platform, InvestNow, has signed on another high-profile local manager, bringing further diversity to its rapidly-expanding product range.

Under the just-inked agreement, InvestNow clients will be able to access a suite of five Fisher Funds products, covering a number of different asset classes and risk levels.

Anthony Edmonds, InvestNow founder, said Fisher Funds – launched almost 20 years ago by iconic NZ investment manager, Carmel Fisher – was excited about the potential of using technology to connect with a new segment of the investor market.

“Over the last couple of decades Fisher has built up one of the great NZ investment brands with a loyal client base,” Edmonds said. “InvestNow provides the perfect home for Fisher to offer its expertise to the growing number of New Zealanders who prefer to deal direct with fund managers online.”

Fisher, which manages about $7 billion on behalf of NZ investors, has listed its flagship Growth and Income funds among the five offerings on InvestNow with clients able to invest with as little as $250.

Clients pay only the particular product ‘sticker price’ – many of which are set at close to wholesale rates – when investing in funds on InvestNow where, uniquely, no administration or other hidden fees apply.

As well as Fisher, InvestNow has an impressive roster of local and global funds management firms available across the spectrum of asset classes and investment styles with products on offer from:

  • AMP Capital;
  • Harbour Asset Management;
  • Hunter Funds;
  • Mint Asset Management;
  • Russell Investments; and,
  • Vanguard.

Furthermore, Edmonds a list of other fund managers are being made available on InvestNow including local boutique firms Devon Funds Management and Salt Funds Management as well as the NZ division of global funds powerhouse Nikko Asset Management.

“We’re also including the Australasian index funds offered by the NZX-owned Smartshares business,” he said. “For investors who prefer passive investment styles this will create a great opportunity to build a diversified portfolio given we already have immensely popular Vanguard global equities funds on InvestNow.”

InvestNow offers the cheapest NZ retail access point to the Vanguard global shares fund with annual fees as low as 0.20 per cent.

But while index investment options are proving as popular in NZ as in the rest of the world, Edmonds said InvestNow was committed to offering funds across the passive-active spectrum including specialist, boutique, multi-manager and responsible investment strategies.

“Many passive supporters appear to ignore the favourable tailwind that New Zealand’s tax rules provide for active managers like Fisher Funds,” he said. “With InvestNow we want to highlight the validity of both strategies, and then empower investors to choose which funds they want.”

Edmonds said the platform would add more funds as per client demand with strong support now brewing to include more socially responsible investment options.

To help clients navigate the fund selection process, InvestNow recently embedded the Sorted ‘Investor Calculator’ on its website. The Sorted tool helps clients determine their risk tolerance, which they can then use to select appropriate fund types. Sorted is operated by the NZ government agency, the Commission for Financial Capability.

InvestNow launched in January 2017 with a mandate to provide retail investors with an efficient, hassle-free way to buy managed funds online.