Is HVST a good ETF?
HVST is the BetaShares Australian Dividend Harvester Active ETF from BetaShares. We classify it under AU, Dividend, and Active. With about $285 million in assets it is a solidly established fund.
On a total-return basis, HVST has delivered 2.95% a year over 10 years (ranked 86th of 108 ETFs we track), 5.46% a year over 5 years (ranked 115th of 188 ETFs we track), 8.2% a year over 3 years (ranked 143rd of 226 ETFs we track), and 1.88% a year over 1 year (ranked 216th of 308 ETFs we track). It has trailed most comparable ETFs over the periods we measure, so look closely at whether its strategy fits what you're after.
The management fee of 0.72% is high, which is common for active, geared or thematic strategies and only worth paying if the approach justifies it. For comparison, similar ETFs average around 0.49%. If cost is your priority, SYI (0.2%), IHD (0.22%), and VHY (0.25%) cover similar ground for less. It pays a high 5.61% yield — generous income, but check it isn't a sign of a narrow or higher-risk portfolio. Bear in mind distributions are taxed each year at your marginal rate, so a high yield is less tax-efficient for higher earners and during the accumulation phase, though 55% franking softens the blow for Australian residents.
Over the past 10 years its volatility has been moderate (annualised standard deviation around 10.41%), meaning the kind of swings you'd expect from a diversified equity fund. Its 10-year Sharpe ratio of 0.12 is weak — that's the return it has earned per unit of risk taken (higher is better).
Portfolio turnover is very high at about 80% a year — the fund effectively rebuilds its portfolio each year, which realises capital gains aggressively and can create a meaningful tax drag, especially for higher earners holding it outside super.
Strengths
- High 5.61% income yield — good for investors who want regular cash flow.
Things to watch
- Has lagged most peers over 10 years (86th of 108).
- A 0.72% management fee is high and compounds against you over time.
- Pricier than similar ETFs, which average around 0.49%.
- Cheaper alternatives exist: SYI, IHD, and VHY.
- That income is taxed yearly at your marginal rate, so it's less efficient for higher earners.
- Weak risk-adjusted returns (10-year Sharpe ratio 0.12).
- High portfolio turnover (80% a year) means frequent trading that realises capital gains, adding tax drag — less efficient than a low-turnover index fund.
Good to know
- Distributions are 55% franked, a tax bonus for Australian residents.
- Australian focus means franked dividends and no currency risk, but heavy concentration in banks and miners.
What HVST'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.
Targets higher-yielding, cash-generative companies. Popular with retirees and income investors, and in Australia often comes with valuable franking credits.
- Market regime
- Tilts toward 'value' sectors such as banks, resources and utilities. Can lag in growth-led bull markets and concentrate risk, but tends to be more defensive when markets fall.
- In a portfolio
- Good for investors who want income now. Note the higher distributions are taxable each year, which is less efficient for those in higher brackets and in the accumulation phase.
Actively managed: a portfolio manager hand-picks holdings trying to beat the index, rather than simply tracking it. You pay more in fees for the chance of outperformance.
- Market regime
- Can add value in volatile, falling or inefficient markets where stock-picking and downside protection matter. In long, broad bull markets most active funds struggle to keep up with the cheap index after fees.
- In a portfolio
- Only worth holding if you have genuine conviction in the strategy — decades of evidence show the majority of active funds underperform their benchmark over 10+ years once fees are counted.
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.