Shares
Description
If you have shares in a business you are a part owner. You can do this by buying company shares that are ‘listed’ on the stock exchange. They are usually in large multi-million dollar companies.
How it makes a return
When businesses make profits these profits are shared with investors through the payment of dividends.
When the companies grow, your stake in them becomes more valuable and the shares increase in value.
What affects the investment value?
The way a business is run, whether it makes the most of its market opportunities and the overall economy all affect how a business grows and makes profits.
Risk and return characteristics
Risk/Return level = High
A well run business, in an expanding market and strong economy can grow in value and profits, particularly in the long run. However, businesses can experience difficulties, markets can change and economies can slow. Therefore, investing in equities can be more risky than investing in some other asset classes.
Top 10 Australian Share Holdings
All Cbus investment choice options, with the exception of the Cash Savings option, invest in Australian shares. The table below lists the top ten companies we invest in:
| Rank | Cbus Top Ten Australian Share Holdings as at 31 March, 2012 | % of Cbus Australian Shares |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | BHP Billiton Limited (BHP) | 7.6 |
| 2 | Commonwealth Bank of Australia | 5.9 |
| 3 | Australia and New Zealand Banking Group (ANZ) | 5.0 |
| 4 | Westpac Banking Corporation | 4.9 |
| 5 | National Australia Bank (NAB) | 4.1 |
| 6 | Telstra Corporation Ltd | 3.7 |
| 7 | Rio Tinto Ltd | 2.8 |
| 8 | Wesfarmers Limited | 2.2 |
| 9 | Woolworths Limited | 2.0 |
| 10 | Woodside Petroleum Limited | 1.9 |
Top 10 International Share Holdings
All Cbus investment choice options, with the exception of the Cash Savings and Capital Guaranteed options, invest in International shares. The table below lists the top ten companies we invest in:
| Rank | Cbus Top Ten International Share Holdings as at 31 March 2012 | % of Cbus International Shares |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Apple Inc | 1.3 |
| 2 | Samsung Electronics | 1.1 |
| 3 | Google Inc | 1.0 |
| 4 | Cisco Systems Inc | 0.9 |
| 5 | Amazon Dotcom Inc | 0.8 |
| 6 | Baidu Inc | 0.7 |
| 7 | Microsoft Corporation | 0.7 |
| 8 | Nestle SA | 0.6 |
| 9 | Tencent Holdings Ltd | 0.6 |
| 10 | Exxon Mobil Corporation | 0.6 |
