Is A200 a good ETF?
A200 is the BetaShares Australia 200 ETF from BetaShares. It tracks the Solactive Australia 200 Index. We classify it under AU, Large-Cap, and Market-Cap. With about $10.52 billion in assets it is a large, highly liquid fund. Listed on the ASX since 2018-05-07 (over 8 years ago).
On a total-return basis, A200 has delivered 8.13% a year over 5 years (ranked 79th of 188 ETFs we track), 10.52% a year over 3 years (ranked 110th of 226 ETFs we track), and 6.29% a year over 1 year (ranked 166th of 308 ETFs we track).
The management fee of 0.04% is very low — typical of low-cost index funds. That's cheaper than the typical 0.32% for similar ETFs. If cost is your priority, MQAE (0.03%) cover similar ground for less. It pays a moderate 3.24% yield.
Over the past 5 years its volatility has been moderate (annualised standard deviation around 12.37%), meaning the kind of swings you'd expect from a diversified equity fund. Its 5-year Sharpe ratio of 0.44 is weak — that's the return it has earned per unit of risk taken (higher is better).
Portfolio turnover is very low at about 5% a year — the portfolio barely changes from year to year, much like a classic buy-and-hold index fund. Very little of its return is lost to trading or to capital gains being realised early, making it highly tax-efficient.
Strengths
- Low-cost: a 0.04% management fee keeps more of the return in your pocket.
Things to watch
- Cheaper alternatives exist: MQAE.
- Weak risk-adjusted returns (5-year Sharpe ratio 0.44).
Good to know
- Distributions are 78% franked, a tax bonus for Australian residents.
- Australian focus means franked dividends and no currency risk, but heavy concentration in banks and miners.
What A200's categories mean for you
How each category this ETF belongs to tends to behave across market cycles.
Australian shares. Home-market familiarity, fully franked dividends and no currency risk for local investors — but very concentrated in banks and miners, which dominate the index.
- Market regime
- Sensitive to commodity prices, Chinese demand and domestic interest rates. Generous income, but narrow sector diversification.
- In a portfolio
- A natural core for Australian investors thanks to franking, but should be paired with global exposure so you aren't over-reliant on a handful of banks and resource giants.
The biggest, most established companies. More stable earnings, lower volatility and often steadier dividends than the broad market.
- Market regime
- Holds up comparatively well in downturns and uncertain markets; tends to lag small-caps and growth during the most aggressive bull runs.
- In a portfolio
- A dependable core building block suited to long-term holding.
Holdings are weighted by company size, so the largest companies carry the most weight. These funds are cheap, tax-efficient and self-rebalancing.
- Market regime
- Works in almost any regime as a low-maintenance core. The trade-off is concentration — you automatically own more of whatever has already become expensive at the top of a bull market.
- In a portfolio
- The classic buy-and-hold core of most portfolios. Well suited to long-term, hands-off investing.
General information only, generated from the fund's published data — not personal financial advice. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future returns. Consider your own circumstances or seek licensed advice before investing.