How Plato is redefining the hunt for yield

Published by Livewire Markets on 10 June 2026

Ask Australian investors what they’re looking for when it comes to income investments and the answers are remarkably consistent: a premium over term deposits, usually in the 5% to 9% range, with payments delivered monthly. Historically, the undisputed ‘top of the pops’ for sourcing this cash has been local ASX shares, celebrated for their generous payout policies and franking credits.

Dr Don Hamson, Founder of Plato Investment Management, has built a $25 billion funds management business primarily by feeding this hunger for ASX dividends. Yet, despite Plato’s domestic pedigree, Hamson is entirely clear-eyed about the structural shortcomings of the Australian market.

Over the past decade, Plato has diversified into global equities, a segment that now represents roughly $7 billion of the firm’s assets under management. The rationale for looking beyond our borders is simple, and according to Hamson, investors need look no further than Commonwealth Bank (ASX:CBA).

“CBA is trading on a cash yield of 3%,” Hamson notes. “Sure, it’s franked, so that puts it a squidge over 4%, but it’s actually not that attractive.”

Compounding the problem is severe concentration risk. CBA and BHP each comprise approximately 10% of the domestic index. Worse still, Australia’s top seven dividend payers account for a staggering ~50% of all income paid out to investors.

“That’s pretty damn concentrated,” says Hamson.

To solve this, Plato recently launched the Plato Global Shares Income Fund – Active ETF (ASX: PGI2), providing ASX-listed access to its 10-year-old unlisted global income strategy. Debunking the myth that global equities are solely for growth, the strategy has delivered approximately 6% per annum of after-fee income distributed to investors monthly, along with a total return of 10% per annum.

Read the full article here.