Content navigation
Overview
The Martin Currie Australia Ethical Income strategy seeks to provide a growing income stream by investing in a diversified benchmark-unaware portfolio of high-quality, income-paying securities while accommodating for client-driven ethical values.
Our income approach is premised on the philosophy that high-quality companies that have solid earnings can sustain dividends, match rises in the cost of living and are likely to be less volatile than the wider equity market. These are key attributes of what we like to call a ‘sufficient income for life’. Our approach also aims to extract the full benefit of franking credits and maximise after tax income for 0% tax payers.
Our focus on a ‘sufficient income for life’ has resulted in an Australian equity portfolio that looks very differently to both traditional equities and other income-focused approaches.
ESG research based on MCA’s proprietary assessment of a company’s governance management and sustainability, is integrated deeply into Martin Currie Australia’s multi-lensed research process,. We incorporate negative ethical values and further ESG exclusions based on client-specific requirements. through our experience, we have found that the inclusion of a client's own ethical values has been complementary to our focus on high-quality companies, and thus has not compromised the objective of aiming to provide a high stable and growing income stream.
We have over 10 years of experience in managing income strategies through very varied market cycles, including the COVID-19 impacted 2020, and we believe this shows that our unique methodologies can provide investors with a portfolio with the attributes of ‘sufficient income for life’.
We believe that there are few peer strategies available in the market that address both income and client values in the way that the Martin Currie Australia Ethical Income strategy can.
Key Information
To provide an after-tax yield above the S&P/ASX 200 Index yield and to provide income stream growth above inflation
Portfolio characteristics | Australia Ethical Income |
---|---|
Objective | Income |
Asset Class | Equities |
Style | Income/Quality |
Investable Universe | Australian listed securities |
Benchmark | Benchmark unaware |
Market capitalisation | All cap |
Country limit | N/A |
Sector limit | Absolute 25% |
Security limit | Absolute 6% |
Number of stocks | Typically 40 |
Portfolio turnover | Typically 25% p.a. |
Forecast tracking error | We do not target tracking error but total risk outcome is typically 90% of the market. |
Inception | 8 December 2015 |
-
"Investors don’t want to have to choose between their values and income – and we believe they shouldn’t have to."
Why Invest in Australia Ethical Income
Not all equities are created equal for income
We have put both the ‘sufficient income for life’ needs and ethical values of clients at the heart of the product design for the Martin Currie Australia Ethical Income strategy
Focus on a growing income stream
Our benchmark unaware portfolio construction helps to avoids income shocks, hedge against rising inflation, and improve capital growth without the use of costly derivatives
More appropriate risk profile for income investors
Maximising income and reducing the concentration in Australian equities is much more important than benchmark relative alpha and tracking-error risk measures
Investment Strategy
The strategy aims to deliver a growing income stream through:
- No binary choice between client values and returns – Unique investment process that reflects client ethical values without compromising income objective of providing a ‘sufficient income for life’
- Income-focused return profile – Favouring high quality, highly franked dividend payers to reduce income shocks and grow income
- Benchmark unaware portfolio construction – Low security and sector concentrations to provide income diversification so no single stock dominates
- Fundamental active ownership - Purposeful engagement with companies and client advocacy through proxy voting
- Experienced stock pickers with long term track record - Deep industry experience generating ‘active insights’
Read more about how the Martin Currie Australia Ethical Income strategy seeks to provide a ‘sufficient income for life’, without making investors choose between their values and income in the Strategy Guide.

Investment Strategy
The strategy aims to deliver a growing income stream through:
- No binary choice between client values and returns – Unique investment process that reflects client ethical values without compromising income objective of providing a ‘sufficient income for life’
- Income-focused return profile – Favouring high quality, highly franked dividend payers to reduce income shocks and grow income
- Benchmark unaware portfolio construction – Low security and sector concentrations to provide income diversification so no single stock dominates
- Fundamental active ownership - Purposeful engagement with companies and client advocacy through proxy voting
- Experienced stock pickers with long term track record - Deep industry experience generating ‘active insights’


Reece Birtles
- Job title
- Chief Investment Officer, Australia
- Experience
- 31 years

Will Baylis
- Job title
- Portfolio Manager
- Experience
- 38 years
OUR CAPABILITIES
Available Funds
We offer access to the strategy via segregated accounts and separately managed accounts.
Through our parent company, Franklin Templeton, investors are offered access to the below fund.

Martin Currie Ethical Values With Income Fund
Contact Us
Please visit our contact page or speak to a member of our sales team, to discuss the most appropriate investment to meet your requirements and for more information on our investment capabilities.
Ross Kent
Investment Client Portfolio Manager
T: +61 (0)3 9017 8629
M: +61 (0)455 253 384
E: rkent@martincurrie.com.au
Felicity Walsh
Managing Director, Australia and New Zealand
M: +61 (0) 429 209 566
E: Felicity.Walsh@franklintempleton.com
Contact Us
Please visit our contact page or speak to a member of our sales team, to discuss the most appropriate investment to meet your requirements and for more information on our investment capabilities.
Ross Kent
Investment Client Portfolio Manager
T: +61 (0)3 9017 8629
M: +61 (0)455 253 384
E: rkent@martincurrie.com.au
Felicity Walsh
Managing Director, Australia and New Zealand
M: +61 (0) 429 209 566
E: Felicity.Walsh@franklintempleton.com
Contact Us
Please visit our contact page or speak to a member of our sales team, to discuss the most appropriate investment to meet your requirements and for more information on our investment capabilities.
Mel Bucher
Head of Global Distribution
T: +44 (0) 131 479 4748
M: +44 (0) 758 414 7720
E: mbucher@martincurrie.com
Danni Yang, CFA®
Investment Client Portfolio Manger, Global Long-Term Unconstrained
M: +44 (0) 7826548065
E: dyang@martincurrie.com
Contact Us
Please visit our contact page or speak to a member of our sales team, to discuss the most appropriate investment to meet your requirements and for more information on our investment capabilities.
Mel Bucher
Head of Global Distribution
T: +44 (0) 131 479 4748
M: +44 (0) 758 414 7720
E: mbucher@martincurrie.com
Contact Us
Please visit our contact page or speak to a member of our sales team, to discuss the most appropriate investment to meet your requirements and for more information on our investment capabilities.
Mel Bucher
Head of Global Distribution
T: +44 (0) 131 479 4748
M: +44 (0) 758 414 7720
E: mbucher@martincurrie.com
Mark Elliott
Head of UK Business Development
M: +44 (0) 207 0738 569
E: melliott@martincurrie.com
Tim Baker, CFA®
Associate Client Portfolio Manager
M: +44 (0) 7795238754
E: tbaker@martincurrie.com
Contact Us
Please visit our contact page or speak to a member of our sales team, to discuss the most appropriate investment to meet your requirements and for more information on our investment capabilities.
Mark Cho, CFA®
Head of Americas Distribution
Intermediary Sales/Wealth Management
T: +1 212 632 3292
E: mcho@martincurrie.com
Breanna Ellsworth, CFA®
Client Portfolio Manager, Distribution - US
T: +1 212 632 3293
E: bellsworth@martincurrie.com
Drew Comatos
Client Portfolio Manager, North America
Intermediary Sales/Wealth Management
T: +1 203 703 6472
E: dcomatos@martincurrie.com
Related Insights
-
Martin Currie Australia strengthens team
Martin Currie Australia has bolstered its distribution team with the appointment of a new Client Portfolio Manager.
- Date published
- 29 Nov 2022
- Tag
- Cross-Strategy Australia
-
Martin Currie wins ‘Lonsec Sustainable Fund of the Year Award’
Leading investment research house Lonsec has named the Martin Currie Ethical Income Fund as the 2022 Sustainable Fund of the Year
- Date published
- 8 Nov 2022
- Tag
- Cross-Strategy Australia
-
Martin Currie crowned Australia’s Best Specialist ESG Fund for 2022
Martin Currie Australia is proud to be announced winner of Australia’s “Best Specialist ESG Fund” at the Hedge Funds Rock + Australian Alternative Investment Awards for the Sustainable Equity Fund distributed through Franklin Templeton Australia.
- Date published
- 5 Oct 2022
- Tag
- Cross-Strategy Australia
Important information
This information is issued and approved by Martin Currie Investment Management Limited (‘MCIM’), authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. It does not constitute investment advice. Market and currency movements may cause the capital value of shares, and the income from them, to fall as well as rise and you may get back less than you invested.
The information contained in this document has been compiled with considerable care to ensure its accuracy. However, no representation or warranty, express or implied, is made to its accuracy or completeness. Martin Currie has procured any research or analysis contained in this document for its own use. It is provided to you only incidentally and any opinions expressed are subject to change without notice.
The document does not form the basis of, nor should it be relied upon in connection with, any subsequent contract or agreement. It does not constitute, and may not be used for the purpose of, an offer or invitation to subscribe for or otherwise acquire shares in any of the products mentioned.
Past performance is not a guide to future returns.
The distribution of specific products is restricted in certain jurisdictions, investors should be aware of these restrictions before requesting further specific information.
The views expressed are opinions of the portfolio managers as of the date of this document and are subject to change based on market and other conditions and may differ from other portfolio managers or of the firm as a whole. These opinions are not intended to be a forecast of future events, research, a guarantee of future results or investment advice.
The analysis of Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) factors forms an important part of the investment process and helps inform investment decisions. The strategy/ies do not necessarily target particular sustainability outcomes.
Risk warnings – Investors should also be aware of the following risk factors which may be applicable to the strategy shown in this document.
- Investing in foreign markets introduces a risk where adverse movements in currency exchange rates could result in a decrease in the value of your investment.
- This strategy may hold a limited number of investments. If one of these investments falls in value this can have a greater impact on the strategy’s value than if it held a larger number of investments.
- Smaller companies may be riskier and their shares may be less liquid than larger companies, meaning that their share price may be more volatile.
- Income strategy charges are deducted from capital. Because of this, the level of income may be higher but the growth potential of the capital value of the investment may be reduced.