Colonial First State named among Australia’s top-performing super funds in FY26 by Chant West and SuperRatings

20 July 2026

Colonial First State (CFS) is pleased to announce that it has again been independently recognised among the top-performing superannuation funds in the country, after delivering strong results for members in FY26. 

New analysis from research house SuperRatings shows that the CFS FirstChoice Employer (MySuper Lifestage 1980-84) option ranked first and the Essential Super (MySuper Lifestage 1980-84) option ranked second in the top 10 MySuper lifecycle options over the 12 months to 30 June 2026, with both options delivering a 13.6% return.¹

In addition, CFS FirstChoice Growth returned 11.5% over the 12 months to 30 June 2026, beating Chant West’s median growth fund return of 9.5% to be named among the top three highest-performing growth funds by the research house.²

FY26 was also the fourth year running that CFS delivered double-digit returns for MySuper balanced and growth fund members.³

Kelly Power, Colonial First State Superannuation CEO, said: "We have delivered double-digit returns for four years in a row. This independent recognition is a testament to our continued commitment to delivering strong results for our members."

"Returns like these can make a meaningful difference to members' retirement savings and the financial confidence they have in retirement, and we are incredibly pleased to deliver these results for them," she said.

“These results reflect our investment team's dedication to delivering for our members in a year that was marked by uncertainty and volatility," she added.

Jonathan Armitage, Colonial First State Chief Investment Officer, said: “We are focused on building resilient portfolios and delivering strong returns for our members. In FY26, global equities, emerging markets and strategic exposure to the technology sector drove our results, together with diversified asset allocation to help guard against risk and volatility.”

"In particular, we were an early mover on emerging markets, having recognised the compelling valuations and strong potential for outperformance."

As the financial year ahead looks set to be marked by geo-political instability, Mr Armitage said the focus will remain on delivering both strong performance and managing risks on the global stage. 

“Our team is prepared to navigate changing and uncertain conditions for our members for the next 12 months and beyond, as a number of geopolitical and economic risks continue to shape global investment markets," said Mr Armitage. 

"Volatility and uncertainty are inevitable, and against this backdrop, our focus remains on delivering strong long-term returns and protecting our members’ retirement savings through a disciplined and diversified investment approach.”