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3 top picks to celebrate International Women’s Day

Ahead of International Women's Day we showcase three funds with Morningstar Analyst Ratings that are among our top picks.

Mentioned: Activex Ardea Real Outcome Bond ETF (XARO), UBS Australian Small Companies Fund (11595)


Investment management isn't exactly saturated with women. In fact, the proportion of female fund managers remains around 12%.

So, with the arrival of International Women’s Day we thought we would celebrate by showcasing three funds with Morningstar Analyst Ratings that are among our top picks.

The common thread? Powerful women are key decision-makers for these investment strategies.

Katie Hudson manages UBS Australian Small Companies, Elizabeth Kumaru runs the private corporate assets division at Australian Retirement Trust, and Laura Ryan is the head of research at Ardea Investment Management.

Let's take a closer look.

UBS Australian Small Companies Fund


Gold-rated UBS Australian Small Companies employs a fundamentally bottom-up-based approach to Australian small-cap investing.

Stock-picking is a crucial element, which is highly dependent on Hudson's investment decisions and ability to leverage the research team's insights.

Hudson has more than 25 years' experience in investment markets and is focused on the small- and mid-cap universe. This focus has translated into an enviable track record over time.

For investors looking for exposure to Australian small companies, we think this strategy is worthy of attention.

Australian Retirement Trust


Bronze-rated Australian Retirement Trust is the product of the Sunsuper and QSuper merger, and it now manages over $200 billion in retirement savings for more than 2 million members, making it one of the largest superannuation funds in Australia.

ART offers a number of options for members, and Morningstar assesses its diversified, multisector strategies. These options should be the beneficiaries of a structural bias to private assets.

Kumaru is responsible for managing the strategy and the implementation of the private equity, private credit and alternative strategy asset classes.

For investors looking for a diversified superannuation offering, ART is a top pick for us.

Ardea Real Outcome


Bronze-rated Ardea Real Outcome aims to deliver investors a stable return in excess of inflation over the medium term.

It primarily invests in fixed-income markets, including high-quality government and semigovernment bonds and related derivatives. The portfolio generally contains 300-400 modestly sized individual positions.

Ryan is head of research, and her team is responsible for developing value-added trade recommendations to drive portfolio performance and improve client outcomes.

The strategy has delivered on its return and risk objectives since inception, and with a competitive fee, Morningstar believes it has the right attributes to be an effective diversifier in investor portfolios.

Panel session with all three women


Hudson, Kumaru, and Ryan joined us for a panel session at Morningstar on 7 March 2023 to celebrate International Women's Day, where they shared what inspired them to become investment managers and provided personal investment insights to help navigate investment markets.



© 2023 Morningstar, Inc. All rights reserved. Neither Morningstar, its affiliates, nor the content providers guarantee the data or content contained herein to be accurate, complete or timely nor will they have any liability for its use or distribution. This report has been prepared for clients of Morningstar Australasia Pty Ltd (ABN: 95 090 665 544, AFSL: 240892) and/or New Zealand wholesale clients of Morningstar Research Ltd, subsidiaries of Morningstar, Inc. Any general advice has been provided without reference to your financial objectives, situation or needs. For more information refer to our Financial Services Guide at www.morningstar.com.au/s/fsg.pdf. You should consider the advice in light of these matters and if applicable, the relevant Product Disclosure Statement before making any decision to invest. Our publications, ratings and products should be viewed as an additional investment resource, not as your sole source of information. Morningstar’s full research reports are the source of any Morningstar Ratings and are available from Morningstar or your adviser. Past performance does not necessarily indicate a financial product’s future performance. To obtain advice tailored to your situation, contact a financial adviser. Some material is copyright and published under licence from ASX Operations Pty Ltd ACN 004 523 782.

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