Mercer Super default option achieves 12.3% - 12.6% return1
MELBOURNE, 8 July 2025 – Mercer Super has today announced that Mercer SmartPath, its default investment option, has returned between 12.3% and 12.6%1 for the 2024/25 financial year across age-based cohorts for members aged between 18 and 52. Mercer Super is a part of Mercer, a business of Marsh McLennan (NYSE: MMC) and a global leader in helping clients realise their investment objectives, shape the future of work and enhance health and retirement outcomes for their people.
Over the long-term (10-year), returns for default members aged between 18 and 52 were between 7.8% p.a. and 8.1% p.a.2 Mid-term returns (5-year) for default members aged between 18 and 52 were between 9.7% p.a. and 10.3% p.a2.
Mercer Super’s Chief Investment Officer Graeme Miller said the results demonstrate consistent growth in members’ retirement wealth and showcase the resilience of well-diversified investment portfolios.
“Despite geopolitical headwinds driving market volatility, we delivered a solid outcome for the financial year. This should give members confidence as we manage the challenges to come,” Mr Miller said.
“In response to the evolving economic outlook, we moderately reduced our exposure to equities to manage short-term fluctuations. We remained confident in our long-term strategy, drawn from our global research capabilities, and did not make any changes to our strategic allocations. As we look ahead and with a view of super as a long-term investment, we’ll continue to focus on having well-diversified investment portfolios that are prudently managed across many different countries, industries and investment types to support portfolio resilience in an uncertain economic environment,” he said.
Mercer SmartPath is a lifecycle default product, which gradually reduces risk exposure as members age past 52 years. This seeks to shield superannuation savings from market volatility for those with a shorter-term outlook to retirement.
Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance The value of an investment in Mercer Super may rise and fall from time to time. The investment performance, earnings or return of capital invested are not guaranteed.
1. Based on the one-year return to 30 June 2025. Returns will vary across age-based cohorts for members aged 18-52 due to the timing of cash flows and tax positions per cohort. Past performance should not be relied upon as an indicator of future performance.
2. As at 30 June 2025. Returns are annualised, and will vary across age-based cohorts for members aged 18-52 due to different investment strategies, timing of cash flows and tax positions per cohort. Past performance should not be relied upon as an indicator of future performance. Among age-based cohorts for members aged 18-52, Mercer SmartPath - Born 2004-2008 has not yet reached 10 years since inception and does not have 10 years of performance history.
Issued by Mercer Superannuation (Australia) Limited (MSAL) ABN 79 004 717 533, Australian Financial Services Licence #235906, the trustee of the Mercer Super Trust ABN 19 905 422 981 (‘Mercer Super’).
Any advice provided is of a general nature and does not take into account your objectives, financial situation or needs. Before acting on any advice we recommend you obtain your own financial advice and consider the Product Disclosure Statement and Financial Services Guide available at mercersuper.com.au. The product’s Target Market Determination setting out the class of people for whom the product may be suitable can be found at mercersuper.com.au/tmd.
Ratings are likely to change and are only one factor to be taken into account when deciding to invest in a product.
The trustee has appointed Mercer Investments (Australia) Limited (MIAL) ABN 66 008 612 397 AFSL #244385 as an implemented consultant to provide investment strategy advice, portfolio management and implementation services including investment manager selection and monitoring. MIAL is also the responsible entity of a number of investment funds (the Mercer Funds). Mercer Super Trust invests in the Mercer Funds. Neither MSAL or MIAL or any of the underlying fund investment managers guarantee the investment performance, earnings or return of capital invested in any of the Mercer Super Trust investment options.
Mercer Financial Advisers are authorised representatives of Mercer Financial Advice (Australia) Pty Ltd (MFAAPL) ABN 76 153 168 293, Australian Financial Services Licence #411766. The trustee has appointed MFAAPL to provide financial advice services for members of the Mercer Super Trust.
‘MERCER’ and ‘Mercer SmartPath®’ are Australian registered trademarks of Mercer (Australia) Pty Ltd ABN 32 005 315 917. ©2025 Mercer. All rights reserved.