Is PGA1 a good ETF?
PGA1 is the Plato Global Alpha Fund Complex ETF. It tracks the MSCI World ex Australia Index. We classify it under Intl and Active. With about $1.64 billion in assets it is a large, highly liquid fund. Listed on the ASX since 2023-03-01 (over 3 years ago).
On a total-return basis, PGA1 has delivered 19.01% a year over 1 year (ranked 53rd of 308 ETFs we track). Its strongest showing is over 1 year, where it sits in the top 17% of all ETFs we track.
The management fee of 0.85% 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 0.57%. If cost is your priority, BGBL (0.08%), VGS (0.18%), and AVNG (0.3%) cover similar ground for less. It pays a low 0% yield, so most of its return must come from capital growth.
Portfolio turnover is very high at about 100% 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
- Top-17% returns over 1 year (53rd of 308 ETFs we track).
Things to watch
- A 0.85% management fee is high and compounds against you over time.
- Pricier than similar ETFs, which average around 0.57%.
- Cheaper alternatives exist: BGBL, VGS, and AVNG.
- High portfolio turnover (100% a year) means frequent trading that realises capital gains, adding tax drag — less efficient than a low-turnover index fund.
Good to know
- Low 0% yield — this is a growth-oriented fund, not an income play.
What PGA1's categories mean for you
How each category this ETF belongs to tends to behave across market cycles.
Global and international shares from outside Australia — broadening you into thousands of companies and the sectors (tech, healthcare) the local market lacks.
- Market regime
- Essential diversification away from the bank-and-resources-heavy ASX. Unhedged versions carry currency risk; hedged versions remove it at a small cost.
- In a portfolio
- A core holding for almost every long-term Australian portfolio.
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.