Our Take on frankly Strong 75 Responsible
75% stocks with a 20% bond cushion and full ESG screening. The balanced choice.
Frankly Strong 75 Responsible ranks #9 among 82 3a investment funds in Switzerland. It hits the middle ground between growth and caution: enough equity for meaningful returns, enough bonds to soften downturns, and active ESG management to align with your values. With CHF 497 million in assets, plenty of Swiss investors agree this balance works.
Are the Fees Competitive?
You pay 0.44% total (0.00% TER plus 0.44% flat fee). For an actively managed ESG fund with a 75/20 stock-bond split, that's excellent. Most comparable funds from traditional banks charge 0.90-1.30%. Over 25 years of max contributions, the fee difference alone could mean CHF 15,000-20,000 more at retirement.
The three-year return of +35.09% and five-year return of +42.91% are solid for a balanced fund. You're not chasing the highest returns, but you're not leaving money on the table either.
What Actually Stands Out
The swing pricing mechanism protects you when large investors move money in or out. Without it, their transaction costs get shared across all holders. With it, the moving party bears their own costs. During volatile periods, this can save existing investors 0.1-0.3% annually.
The ESG screening by Swisscanto applies both exclusion criteria (no controversial weapons, no thermal coal) and positive selection (companies with strong sustainability ratings). It's not just a marketing label. The 20% bond allocation also includes sustainability-screened fixed income.
What Most Reviews Miss
The index version (frankly Strong 75 Index) returned +37.29% over three years compared to this fund's +35.09%. That's a 2.2-percentage-point gap favoring passive. Active ESG management sounds appealing, but it's consistently underperforming the simpler index approach in frankly's own product lineup.
Also, "75% stocks" doesn't tell the whole story. The remaining 20% bonds and 5% other assets introduce their own risks, including interest rate sensitivity. When rates rose sharply in 2022, both the equity and bond portions of balanced funds dropped simultaneously. Diversification didn't fully protect investors.
The Bottom Line
A strong choice for investors who want growth, ESG alignment, and some downside protection in one package. The fees are fair, the fund size is reassuring, and the track record is solid. Use our Pillar 3a calculator to see how this allocation projects over your specific timeline.
Verdict: Ideal for ESG-conscious investors with 10-15 years to retirement who want balanced growth without extreme volatility.
Pros
- Low total costs (0.46% p.a.)
- Strong 5-year performance (+42.9%)
- No custody fee
- Swing pricing protection
Cons
- High flat fee (0.44%)
- Active management = higher fees
Product Details
At a Glance
- 75% stocks allocation
- TER: 0.02%
- Swing pricing protection
- Actively managed
- No custody fee
Fund Details & Allocation
Fund Details & Allocation
Asset Allocation
Stocks
75%
Bonds
20%
Real Estate
5%
Investment Strategy
Actively-managed fund
Fund Size
CHF 497M
Depositary Bank
Zürcher Kantonalbank (ZKB)
Swing Pricing
Yes
Fees & Costs
Fees & Costs
Synthetic TER
0.02%
Flat Fee
0.44%
Custody Fee
Free
Performance Over Time
Historical performance of this investment fund. Past performance is not indicative of future results.
1 Year
+5.8%
3 Years
+35.1%
5 Years
+42.9%
Retirement Projection
Based on max. contribution of CHF 7'258/year, age 30 to 65 (35 years), starting from CHF 0.
Compare to Similar Products
Frequently Asked Questions
- Did Responsible outperform Index over 5 years?
- Yes, slightly. The Responsible version posted +42.91% versus +41.45% for the Index sibling over five years. Past performance is not a forward indicator, but with the same 0.44% flat fee, the active ESG variant didn't cost performance in this period.
- Why is the synthetic TER only 0.02% on an actively-managed fund?
- It's actively managed at the strategy level, but holdings include passive index components that pull the synthetic TER down to 0.02%. Combined with the 0.44% flat platform fee, all-in ongoing cost is about 0.46%, which is competitive with pure passive products.
- How does the 1-year performance gap of +5.82% vs Index +8.15% read?
- Over the most recent year, the Index variant of Strong 75 returned +8.15% versus +5.82% here. ESG screens can lead the active variant to underweight certain sectors that rallied. Performance gaps in single years are normal; the five-year reading remains slightly favourable for Responsible.
How We Rated This Product
frankly Strong 75 Responsible was evaluated as a product using our weighted scoring system.
Ratings are updated monthly based on the latest available data. All products are evaluated using the same methodology.
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Open the frankly Strong 75 Responsible today and start enjoying its benefits.