Register For Our Mailing List

Register to receive our free weekly newsletter including editorials.

Home / 582

The quiet asset class delivering structural growth

Megatrends, super cycles, AI, technological disruption. They’re some of the buzz words continuing to drive more investors into the most crowded parts of global equity markets.

Attempting to be on the right side of structural growth is not misguided. But the loudest, most crowded, and generally most expensive parts of equity markets have not always been the right place for the capital growth and capital preservation needs of long-term investors.

Now for some good news. In today’s market there is a somewhat underappreciated asset class that provides tangible exposure to the real structural growth themes that are unfolding globally. It also happens to offer very attractive valuations in the current market.

GLI: The enabler

The Global Listed Infrastructure (GLI) market is a liquid US$3 trillion hunting ground for investors, predominately in developed markets. GLI companies are underpinned by real assets delivering hard cashflows. Assets like railroads, toll roads, airports and shipping ports, mobile network towers and fibre, along with energy utility assets.

When you think about some of the biggest structural growth drivers in markets and economies today – digitization, decarbonization, and mobility – it’s infrastructure that underpins them.

Take energy utilities for example. While some might label these ‘old world’ investments, right now, they are very much underpinning ‘new world’ technologies.

The NYSE-listed Dominion Energy is a great example. The company, a holding in the Resolution Capital Global Listed Infrastructure Fund, is a regulated electric utility and the sole distributor of energy in the US state of Virginia. This utility (like many of its peers) is on the frontline of digitisation and the growth of artificial intelligence. 

Digitisation is structural shift that requires unprecedented increases in energy supply. Mostly because datacentres that power AI and machine learning are hungry for electricity.

For Dominion, Virginia is the home of what’s become known as ‘Data Centre Alley’. It has the world’s largest concentration of data centres – more than 300, all with high energy demand. The Alley relies on Dominion’s output.

But while datacentres and their high-flying tech and software customers attract the headlines and big multiples, Dominion Energy is currently trading at just 16.5x next year’s earnings. Those earnings are expected to increase 5-7% p.a. for the next 5 years, and it’s providing a 5% yield.

Not the only source of 'quiet' exposure to structural change

Dominion is just one example of how GLI can provide ‘quiet’ exposure to structural change. Digitisation also benefits communications infrastructure, another large subsector of GLI, and we are finding compelling opportunities in mobile network towers and fibre assets globally.

Beyond digitisation, mobility is another key trend, led by population growth and urbanisation. The likes of Uber and Tesla are some of the big-name stocks that can be linked to structural shifts in mobility. While in Australia, Transurban is another more obvious example. But far less crowded opportunities for exposure can be found in the GLI sector.

The Spanish multi-national infrastructure owner and operator Ferrovial (BME:FER) is a good example.

Among its high-quality global infrastructure portfolio, the company operates the 407 ETR highway in Canada – the world’s first all-electronic open-access toll highway. It provides stronger growth characteristics than both Sydney and Melbourne toll road equivalents, and its tolls aren’t capped, meaning the company can increase tolls above inflation.

Despite this, Ferrovial remains largely underappreciated by the market and offers an attractive multiple relative to the likes of Uber, Tesla, and Transurban.

Structural shifts within the asset class

There are also structural shifts underway within infrastructure investment that we think can provide a big advantage for the listed infrastructure sector.

At a time when government debt is at historical highs and the needs of economies are rapidly shifting, a challenging infrastructure investment gap has emerged. It is estimated this global investment gap could grow to almost $15 trillion over the next decade.

Infrastructure investment has traditionally been the domain of Governments, but private investment is rapidly increasing. The listed market provides the most liquid way to access and finance opportunities. It is an asset class key to filling the infrastructure spending deficit expected over the coming years, and investors are likely to benefit.

Structural growth backed by a compelling track record

While this article has covered some of structural growth drivers that support the case for GLI investment in the coming years, it’s important to note the asset class has a good historical track record of providing attractive investment returns and risk characteristics.

It might surprise some to learn that since 1999, GLI has delivered stronger total returns than global equities. The chart below illustrates this and shows the power of compounded returns.

 

This performance has been driven by more consistent and stronger earnings, which result from the attractive investment characteristics of the underlying GLI assets:

  • Many are monopolistic.
  • They have high barriers to entry.
  • They can maintain inflation-protected pricing power (which means over the long term their cash flows are generally not significantly impacted by the economic cycle).
  • They generally have resilient demand due to their essential and critical roles in economies and communities.

It may be today’s quiet asset class for exposure to structural growth, but it has also been the great quiet achiever over recent decades within investment portfolios.

 

Jan de Vos is a Portfolio Manager at Resolution Capital, an affiliate manager of Pinnacle Investment Management. Pinnacle is a sponsor of Firstlinks. Resolution provides exposure to GLI through the Resolution Capital Global Listed Infrastructure Fund.

This article is for general information purposes only and does not consider any person’s objectives, financial situation or needs, and because of that, reliance should not be placed on this information as the basis for making an investment, financial or other decision.

For more articles and papers from Pinnacle Investment Management and affiliate managers, click here.

 

RELATED ARTICLES

US trip reveals inflection point for $6 billion global industry

Doubts over the Eraring Power Station closure

The global energy crunch is creating new megatrends

banner

Most viewed in recent weeks

16 ASX stocks to buy and hold forever, updated

This time last year, I highlighted 16 ASX stocks that investors could own indefinitely. One year on, I look at whether there should be any changes to the list of stocks as well as which companies are worth buying now. 

UniSuper’s boss flags a potential correction ahead

The CIO of Australia’s fourth largest super fund by assets, John Pearce, suggests the odds favour a flat year for markets, with the possibility of a correction of 10% or more. However, he’ll use any dip as a buying opportunity.

2025-26 super thresholds – key changes and implications

The ABS recently released figures which are used to determine key superannuation rates and thresholds that will apply from 1 July 2025. This outlines the rates and thresholds that are changing and those that aren’t.  

Is Gen X ready for retirement?

With the arrival of the new year, the first members of ‘Generation X’ turned 60, marking the start of the MTV generation’s collective journey towards retirement. Are Gen Xers and our retirement system ready for the transition?

Why the $5.4 trillion wealth transfer is a generational tragedy

The intergenerational wealth transfer, largely driven by a housing boom, exacerbates economic inequality, stifles productivity, and impedes social mobility. Solutions lie in addressing the housing problem, not taxing wealth.

What Warren Buffett isn’t saying speaks volumes

Warren Buffett's annual shareholder letter has been fixture for avid investors for decades. In his latest letter, Buffett is reticent on many key topics, but his actions rather than words are sending clear signals to investors.

Latest Updates

Investing

Designing a life, with money to spare

Are you living your life by default or by design? It strikes me that many people are doing the former and living according to others’ expectations of them, leading to poor choices including with their finances.

Investment strategies

A closer look at defensive assets for turbulent times

After the recent market slump, it's a good time to brush up on the defensive asset classes – what they are, why hold them, and how they can both deliver on your goals and increase the reliability of your desired outcomes.

Financial planning

Are lifetime income streams the answer or just the easy way out?

Lately, there's been a push by Government for lifetime income streams as a solution to retirement income challenges. We run the numbers on these products to see whether they deliver on what they promise.

Shares

Is it time to buy the Big Four banks?

The stellar run of the major ASX banks last year left many investors scratching their heads. After a recent share price pullback, has value emerged in these banks, or is it best to steer clear of them?

Investment strategies

The useful role that subordinated debt can play in your portfolio

If you’re struggling to replace the hybrid exposure in your portfolio, you’re not alone. Subordinated debt is an option, and here is a guide on what it is and how it can fit into your investment mix.

Shares

Europe is back and small caps there offer significant opportunities

Trump’s moves on tariffs, defence, and Ukraine, have awoken European Governments after a decade of lethargy. European small cap manager, Alantra Asset Management, says it could herald a new era for the continent.

Shares

Lessons from the rise and fall of founder-led companies

Founder-led companies often attract investors due to leaders' personal stakes and long-term vision. But founder presence alone does not guarantee success, and the challenge is to identify which ones will succeed in the long term.

Sponsors

Alliances

© 2025 Morningstar, Inc. All rights reserved.

Disclaimer
The data, research and opinions provided here are for information purposes; are not an offer to buy or sell a security; and are not warranted to be correct, complete or accurate. Morningstar, its affiliates, and third-party content providers are not responsible for any investment decisions, damages or losses resulting from, or related to, the data and analyses or their use. To the extent any content is general advice, it has been prepared for clients of Morningstar Australasia Pty Ltd (ABN: 95 090 665 544, AFSL: 240892), without reference to your financial objectives, situation or needs. For more information refer to our Financial Services Guide. You should consider the advice in light of these matters and if applicable, the relevant Product Disclosure Statement before making any decision to invest. Past performance does not necessarily indicate a financial product’s future performance. To obtain advice tailored to your situation, contact a professional financial adviser. Articles are current as at date of publication.
This website contains information and opinions provided by third parties. Inclusion of this information does not necessarily represent Morningstar’s positions, strategies or opinions and should not be considered an endorsement by Morningstar.