Is WCMQ a good ETF?
WCMQ is the WCM Quality Global Growth Fund - Active ETF. It tracks the MSCI All Country World ex Australia Index. We classify it under Intl, Growth, Quality, and Active. Listed on the ASX since 2020-10-07 (almost 6 years ago).
The management fee of 1.35% 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 0.55%. If cost is your priority, QLTY (0.35%), QUAL (0.4%), and HYGG (0.7%) cover similar ground for less.
Portfolio turnover is modest at about 20% a year — it reshuffles a meaningful but still limited part of the portfolio annually, which keeps the tax and trading drag manageable.
Things to watch
- A 1.35% management fee is high and compounds against you over time.
- Pricier than similar ETFs, which average around 0.55%.
- Cheaper alternatives exist: QLTY, QUAL, and HYGG.
What WCMQ'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.
Companies expected to grow earnings quickly, which typically reinvest profits rather than pay dividends. Low yield, higher volatility, valuation-driven.
- Market regime
- Shines when interest rates are low or falling and risk appetite is high. Hit hardest when rates rise, because more of their value sits in distant future earnings.
- In a portfolio
- Long-horizon growth engine for investors who can stomach deeper drawdowns and little income along the way.
Companies with strong balance sheets, stable earnings and high return on equity. A defensive-leaning factor that tends to compound steadily.
- Market regime
- Holds up comparatively well in downturns and uncertain markets; can lag during sharp 'junk rallies' off market bottoms when the riskiest stocks surge.
- In a portfolio
- A reliable long-term core or tilt for investors who prize resilience and steady compounding.
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.