Industry super funds are reinvesting about 80 per cent of property revenue back into the asset class, according to chief executive of ISPT Super Property Daryl Browning.
The cohort of industry funds that comprised the property fund was insulating against hiccups from the major asset classes and projecting continued high performance from property, Browning said.
"That's the outlook - the earnings from property will be sustained going forward, I think at a time when other areas of the economy are under pressure," he said.
Although industry funds had started bringing investment expertise in-house, Browning said only four of ISPT's approximate 30 funds had property specialists.
He said it made sense to increase capabilities for large holdings such as equities while continuing to outsource smaller asset allocations like property.
Industry funds were more interested in direct property than AREITs, he said, due to volatility. Funds were more focused on liquidity after the global financial crisis, according to Browning.
"Property largely works as a consequence of what the biggest asset classes do, and tends to be a bit of a shock absorber. You'll find they have a mix in their unlisted to things that can absorb that sort of shock and then try and retain ownership of their core property holdings," he said.
AustralianSuper has reported a 9.52 per cent return for its Balanced super option for the 2024–25 financial year, as markets delivered another year of strong performance despite the complex investing environment.
The profit-to-member super fund’s MySuper default option has returned 9.85 per cent for the financial year 2024–25.
Colonial First State (CFS) has announced solid double-digit returns for its MySuper balanced and growth equivalent funds during the financial year.
The super fund’s Future Saver High Growth option delivered an 11.9 per cent return for the financial year 2024–25, on the back of a diversified portfolio and actively managed investment strategy.