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The impact of agency costs on the investment performance of Australian pension funds

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  • COLEMAN, ANTHONY D. F.
  • ESHO, NEIL
  • WONG, MICHELLE

Abstract

This paper evaluates the overall investment performance of Australian pension funds by examining the determinants of risk-adjusted performance, and the relationship between risk, returns, and expenses. Using quarterly return data for 225 pension funds comprising 68% of total prudentially regulated pension fund assets, we find significant differences exist across fund types. On both a net return and risk-adjusted performance basis, not-for-profit funds significantly outperformed for-profit funds over the seven years to June 2002. We suggest that the performance difference is consistent with the hypothesis that agency costs in for-profit funds (due to non-representative trustee board structures and potential board member conflicts of interest) are greater than agency costs in not-for-profit funds (with representative trustee boards).

Suggested Citation

  • Coleman, Anthony D. F. & Esho, Neil & Wong, Michelle, 2006. "The impact of agency costs on the investment performance of Australian pension funds," Journal of Pension Economics and Finance, Cambridge University Press, vol. 5(3), pages 299-324, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:cup:jpenef:v:5:y:2006:i:03:p:299-324_00
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Sy, Wilson, 2010. "Cost, performance and portfolio composition of small pension funds in Australia," Journal of Pension Economics and Finance, Cambridge University Press, vol. 9(3), pages 345-368, July.
    2. Wilson Sy, 2009. "Towards a national default option for low‐cost superannuation," Accounting Research Journal, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 22(1), pages 46-67, July.
    3. Saleh F.A. Khatib & Dewi Fariha Abdullah & Ali Shariff Kabara & Saddam A. Hazaea & Tamil Selvi Rajoo, 2020. "Does Debts have any Impact on Governance Bundle and Agency Costs? Over-Governance Hypothesis," Technium Social Sciences Journal, Technium Science, vol. 9(1), pages 384-396, July.
    4. Adam Butt & M. Scott Donald & F. Douglas Foster & Susan Thorp & Geoffrey J. Warren & Tom Smith, 2017. "Design of MySuper default funds: influences and outcomes," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 57(1), pages 47-85, March.
    5. Geoffrey Kingston & Susan Thorp, 2019. "Superannuation in Australia: A Survey of the Literature," The Economic Record, The Economic Society of Australia, vol. 95(308), pages 141-160, March.
    6. Jeremy Burke & Angela A. Hung & Jack Clift & Steven Garber & Joanne K. Yoong, 2015. "Impacts of Conflicts of Interest in the Financial Services Industry," Working Papers WR-1076, RAND Corporation.
    7. Andrew Ainsworth & Shumi Akhtar & Adam Corbett & Adrian Lee & Terry Walter, 2024. "Superannuation fees, asset allocation and fund performance," Australian Journal of Management, Australian School of Business, vol. 49(3), pages 340-365, August.
    8. Isabel Abinzano & Luis Muga & Rafael Santamaria, 2016. "The Role of Investor Type in the Fee Structures of Pension Plans," Journal of Financial Services Research, Springer;Western Finance Association, vol. 50(3), pages 387-417, December.
    9. Monica GS Tan & Marie-Anne Cam, 2015. "Does governance structure influence pension fund fees and costs? An examination of Australian not-for-profit superannuation funds," Australian Journal of Management, Australian School of Business, vol. 40(1), pages 114-134, February.
    10. Karen Benson & Marion Hutchinson & Ashwin Sriram, 2011. "Governance in the Australian Superannuation Industry," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 99(2), pages 183-200, March.

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