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investment update - April 2025

Balance

In an uncertain investment climate, our ready-made Super returns over 12 months continue to perform. We also highlight an investment opportunity that supports our vision of Super with impactTM.

 

investment excellence with impact


HESTA’s Super and Income Stream ready-made options have performed well over the 12 months to 31 March 2025. And importantly, all ready-made options have achieved returns above their long-term 10-year objectives to 31 March 20251 (except Indexed Balanced Growth which only commenced on 1 October 2020).

For Super and Transition to Retirement (TTR) members, our Balanced Growth option returned 5.54% over the 12 months to 31 March 20251.

For Income Stream members, our Balanced Growth option returned 6.16% over the 12 months to 31 March 2025, and our Conservative option returned 4.93% over the same period1.


Super and Transition to Retirement (TTR)


The Balanced Growth option for accumulation and TTR returns to 31 March 2025

Graph of the Balanced Growth option showing a 1 year return of 11.12% and a 10 year return of 7.80%

 

You can view all our returns on our Super performance page.

 

1 Investments may go up or down. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance. Returns are net of investment fees and costs, transaction costs and taxes.


Retirement Income Stream


Retirement Income Stream Balanced Growth option returns to 31 March 2025

A graph showing the Retirement Income Stream Balanced Growth option's 1-year return of 12.75% and 10-year return of 8.36%

 

Retirement Income Stream Conservative option returns to 31 March 2025

A graph showing the Retirement Income Stream Conservative option 1 year return of 7.09% and a 10-year return of 5.77%

 

You can view all our returns on our Income Stream performance page.


Balanced Growth is the default option for HESTA Super, while a blend of Balanced Growth and Conservative is the default strategy for the HESTA Income Stream.

1 Investments may go up or down. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance. Returns are net of investment fees and costs, transaction costs and taxes. 

 

 


market volatility update 

HESTA Chief Investment Officer Sonya Sawtell-Rickson discusses recent market volatility.

 

 

 


market news


Here are 5 notable market movements for the quarter to 31 March:
 

  1. In February, the RBA delivered a long-anticipated 0.25% rate cut to 4.1%.

  2. After a strong start in January, uncertainty in the political agenda in the US weighed on most markets. The S&P/ASX300 rose through mid-February but ended March down -3.9% for the quarter.

  3. Mixed messages from the Trump administration and mixed economic data contributed to the swings in US listed markets. All US stock indices closed the quarter lower: S&P500 by -4.9%, Dow by -1.5%, and the Nasdaq by -10.9%.

  4. The Australian dollar (AUD) rose and fell, ending March slightly higher at 0.628 to the US dollar.

  5. Risk appetite waned, helping defensive assets like US Treasuries post a strong quarter.

 

We appreciate markets remain volatile resulting from US tariff policy announcements in April. We continue to monitor conditions, and encourage you to review what market volatility means for your super.

 

super with impact™


We’re thrilled to share a new investment opportunity that is helping us to deliver on our vision for Super with impactTM2.


Investing in the Limestone Coast’s (South Australia) renewables capability

HESTA, through the Intera renewable energy investment platform and our investment manager Palisade, invested in the Limestone Coast North Battery Energy Storage System, taking over from Pacific Green Technologies.

The Limestone Coast North project is a battery power storage development located at Limestone Coast, approximately 370km south-east of Adelaide, and 16km north of Mount Gambier in South Australia. The project should commence commercial operations in 2027 and already has some output purchasing agreed.

Scott Poulter, Pacific Green Technologies’ CEO, commented: “We are delighted to have entered this agreement with Palisade, one of Australia’s leading infrastructure fund managers. Limestone Coast North is critical to South Australia’s Electricity network and is the first of Pacific Green’s 10 GWh Australian pipelines.”

Debby Blakey, CEO of HESTA, stated: “HESTA, through the Intera platform, is pleased to invest in this opportunity as we see battery storage as an important part of Australia’s energy transition. The investment aligns with our ongoing focus to deliver sustainable, long-term returns for our members.”

 

 

1 Investments may go up or down. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance.

2 For more information on Super with impactTM, see www.hesta.com.au/impact.

 

 

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Investing with impact

We use our expertise and influence to deliver strong long-term returns while accelerating our contribution to a more sustainable world.