Financial Services Guide
1 February 2024
Important details
Purpose of the Financial Service Guide
The purpose of this Financial Services Guide (‘FSG’) is to provide you with details of the financial services provided by Lincoln Indicators Pty Ltd ABN 23 006 715 573 (‘Lincoln Indicators’), as the Corporate Authorised Representative (CAR 001 240 936) of Lincoln Financial Group Pty Ltd ABN 70 609 751 966 (AFSL 483167) (‘Lincoln Financial’) or its directors/employees and to provide relevant information to help you decide whether to use the financial services offered and arranged by us.
The FSG provides details about the following:
- What financial services do we offer
- How are we remunerated
- Our internal and external dispute resolution process
Lincoln Indicators and Lincoln Financial have authorised the content and distribution of this FSG. You can contact us by email at enquiries@lincolnindicators.com.au, phone at 1300 676 333 or in writing to Lincoln Indicators, Level 2, 379 Collins Street, Melbourne VIC 3000.
Unless specified otherwise, a reference to ‘we’, ‘our’ or ‘us’ in this FSG is a reference to Lincoln Indicators or, in the case of financial services provided by Lincoln Indicator’s employees or directors, Lincoln Financial.
Neither Lincoln Incidators nor Lincoln Financial is responsible for services provided to you by any other third party, including other financial service providers (e.g. financial advisers). It would be best if you referred to the FSG of the other financial services provider for further information about the services they offer.
About Lincoln Indicators
Lincoln Indicators was founded in 1991, after six years of testing and development, in 1997, Stock Doctor was launched and has since grown to become one of Australia’s premier do-it-yourself (‘DIY’) share market investment platforms. Utilising unique, proprietary algorithms and exclusive quantitative data-driven research methodology, Stock Doctor, gives much-needed support and guidance to DIY and self-managed superannuation fund investors to confidently invest in financially healthy, high-quality companies and identify those at risk of potential corporate failure.
Building on Lincoln Indicators’ mission to ‘empower global share market investors to invest successfully with confidence, control and peace of mind’, in 2003, Lincoln Indicators launched Lincoln Managed Funds. This suite of Australian and US investment funds caters for time-poor investors who trust the Lincoln Indicators quantitative methodology but prefer to leave the management of their portfolios to the experienced Lincoln Indicators team.
Lincoln Indicators is the investment manager of the Lincoln Australian Growth Fund, Lincoln Australian Income Fund and Lincoln U.S. Growth Funds (the ‘Funds’) and provides general advice regarding these Funds. The Funds are managed investment schemes offered by Equity Trustees Limited (the ‘Responsible Entity’).
What financial services do we offer?
Lincoln Indicators is authorised under Lincoln Financials AFSL to provide general financial product advice to retail and wholesale clients for the following financial products:
- deposit and payment products;
- debentures, stocks or bonds issued or proposed to be issued by a government;
- interests in managed investment schemes (including Investor-Directed Portfolio Services);
- retirement savings accounts;
- securities (such as shares); and
- superannuation.
Stock Doctor is not in itself a ‘financial product’ as defined under the relevant law, but it may provide financial services in the form of general financial product advice regarding securities.
Lincoln indicators are also authorised under Lincoln Financials AFSL to deal in a financial product to retail and wholesale clients by applying for, acquiring, varying or disposing of a financial product on behalf of another person, in respect of the following financial products:
- interests in managed investment schemes (including Investor-Directed Portfolio Services);
- securities (such as shares); and
- superannuation.
What is general financial product advice?
Lincoln Indicators directors or employees may be authorised to provide general financial product advice. General financial product advice is not personal advice and is prepared without considering your personal objectives, financial situation or needs. Therefore, you should consider its appropriateness, in light of your objectives, financial situation and needs, before acting on it. Before acting on any advice, you should consider the appropriateness of the advice, and we recommend you obtain financial, legal and taxation advice before making a decision. If our advice relates to acquiring or possibly acquiring a particular financial product, you should obtain a copy of and consider the Product Disclosure Statement.
What documents may we provide you?
Product Disclosure Statement (‘PDS’), Reference Guide (‘RG’) and other Offer Documents
Before you can invest in one of our financial products, you will receive a PDS containing general information about the products to help you make an informed decision about the particular product, including:
- The terms and conditions for the product;
- Any significant risks associated with holding the product;
- Information about the costs of the product; and
- Details of fees and charges the product provider receives for issuing the product.
For more information or to obtain a copy of the PDS for any of our financial products, please get in touch with us or visit our Managed Fund page at www.lincolnindicators.com.au/our-managed-funds/
How are third parties and Lincoln Indicators remunerated?
Any factual information or general financial product advice we provide on financial products, as authorised under our AFSL, is free of charge.
Stock Doctor Private Membership
If you choose to purchase a Stock Doctor membership, you will be charged on a subscription basis, with the option to pay monthly, annually or for multi-year discounts; you can pay two, three or five years upfront or longer on an agreement. The membership allows you to access Stock Doctor. As a Stock Doctor member, you cannot provide reports or information to third parties.
Lincoln may also vary its pricing from time to time concerning special offers. All member offers (including trial memberships) are subject to acceptance of the Stock Doctor’s terms and conditions. All prices are in Australian dollars and include GST.
There is a ’30-day money-back guarantee’ on your initial purchase of Stock Doctor, which means that within the first 30 days of your purchase date (excluding the 30-day trial membership), you may cancel your membership at any time with a full refund. The ’30-day money-back guarantee’ does not apply to renewal memberships.
At the end of a membership or renewal term, pricing may be adjusted in line with the Consumer Price Index (CPI) or the case of enhancements to Stock Doctor by an amount considered by Lincoln Indicators to be reasonable. Additionally, Lincoln Indicators, in rare cases, may decrease or increase the membership fees prospectively if it deems necessary or if the Stock Doctor offer changes dramatically.
Please refer to Table 1 and Table 2 for purchase and renewal costs. Should you decide to cancel your membership at any time, refunds may be payable at a percentage of the original (or renewal) membership fee paid, as shown in Table 3. Refunds are not payable in the case of 1-year memberships.
Stock Doctor Corporate Memberships
If you want to use Stock Doctor for commercial use, for example, as Financial Advisor or Accountant to provide General or Financial Product Advice to retail or wholesale clients regarding securities and investments, you will need to become a Corporate Member. For more information and pricing regarding our Corporate Memberships, you can contact us by email at enquiries@lincolnindicators.com.au or by phone at 1300 676 333.
Multi-year memberships are not available for Corporate Members. No cancellations or refunds are available for Corporate Memberships.
Lincoln Managed Funds
If you invest in one of the provided Lincoln Managed Funds (‘the Funds’), we will receive remuneration concerning your investment, usually based on the dollar amount you invested in the product or service (e.g. Management fees). These fees and costs applicable to the product and service we offer are set out in the relevant PDS or offer document for the product or service. A percentage of the management fees is also payable to the Responsible Entity of the Funds. See more details on the Responsible Manager below and in the PDS.
Equity Trustees Limited ABN 46 004 031 298 AFSL 240975, a subsidiary of EQT Holdings Limited ABN 22 607 797 615, a public company listed on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX: EQT), is the Fund’s responsible entity and issuer of the Product Disclosure Statements. Equity Trustees’ responsibilities and obligations as the Fund’s responsible entity are governed by the Fund’s constitution (‘Constitution’), the Corporations Act and general trust law. Equity Trustees has appointed Lincoln Indicators Pty Ltd as the investment manager of the Fund.
Equity Trustees has appointed a custodian to hold the assets of the Fund. The custodian has no supervisory role concerning the operation of the Fund and is not responsible for protecting your interests.
Payments to IDPS Operators
Subject to the law, annual payments may be made to some Investor-Directed Portfolio Service (‘IDPS’) Operators because they offer the Fund on their investment menus. Product access is paid by the Investment Manager out of its investment management fee and is not an additional cost to the investor.
Lincoln Indicators Directors, Employees and other representatives
Lincoln Indicators’ directors and employees may be remunerated by salary and other employee benefits. may be eligible for a discretionary bonus (in addition to their salary). Bonuses will depend on several factors, including:
- Company performance;
- Adherence to compliance procedures;
- Employment length; and
- Team performance.
For more information on how Lincoln Indicator’s directors, employees or entities are remunerated, don’t hesitate to contact us within a reasonable time after receiving this document and before any financial services are provided to you.
Remuneration that may be received from third-parties
Lincoln Indicators is a party to a commission-sharing agreement with Macquarie Securities (Australia) Limited (‘Macquarie’). Macquarie provides a brokerage rebate for the sales and purchases of securities services for the Funds. Under this agreement, Lincoln is entitled to allocate rebated brokerage towards the payment of direct managed fund expenses related to research and trading. This agreement provides a direct benefit to unit holders of these Funds. Lincoln Indicators may use the services of other broking firms but does not have a commission-sharing agreement with them. Of note, Lincoln Indicators is a party to a commission-sharing arrangement that is not subject to an agreement, with Bell Direct. The Bell Direct service is provided by Third Party Platform Pty Limited trading as “Bell Direct” (ABN 74 121 227 905) and Australian Financial Services licensee (AFSL 314341) a Participant of the ASX Limited Group and a Trading Participant of Cboe Australia. Bell Direct provides Lincoln Indicators a brokerage rebate for Bell Direct’s client trades of Stock Doctor securities.
What third-party arrangements could influence our advice?
Lincoln Indicators may, from time to time, pay third parties for referring clients. This payment could be made up of one or more of the following:
- Single one-off payment or benefit for the referral; or
- Percentage of the total amount for a Stock Doctor Membership initially purchased as a result of the referral.
Stock Doctor Referral Program
Current Stock Doctor members who refer a client who subsequently purchases a one, two, three, or five-year Stock Doctor membership may be eligible to receive $200 off their renewal membership. It is subject to the referred client passing the 30-day money-back guarantee period. There is no limit to the number of clients you refer to Stock Doctor in any period, and the $200 off is the same no matter the membership period obtained by the client you referred.
Refer to the Stock Doctor Terms & Conditions for the referral program qualification requirements and further information, including the commercial referral program.
Disclosure of Interest in ASX-listed Companies
Where Lincoln Indicators or Lincoln Financial, its directors, employees or associates hold an interest in a particular company listed on the ASX, this will be noted in Stock Doctor and our written reports, as appropriate.
How to make a complaint?
Firstly we encourage you to contact your direct relationship manager at Lincoln Indicators as soon as possible with any feedback or concerns via email or request to speak with them by calling 1300 676 333. Many concerns are due to miscommunication or a misunderstanding and can easily be rectified with a quick conversation. However, if you remain dissatisfied with the matter raised or would like to lodge an official complaint with us, please follow the steps below:
Contact Lincoln’s Membership Services Team either:
enquiries@lincolnindicators.com.au
- Telephone
1300 676 333
Monday to Friday, 9 am – 5:30 pm (AEST)
- In writing to
Complaints Manager, Lincoln Indicators Pty Ltd, Level 2, 379 Collins Street, Melbourne VIC 3000.
We will first acknowledge your complaint within one business day of receipt or as soon as practicable and endeavour to resolve your complaint within five business days of receiving it.
If we cannot resolve your complaint within five business days, we will provide an official written communication within 30 days of receiving the complaint.
If you are not satisfied with the outcome of the complaint by Lincoln Indicators, you have the right to take your complaint to the Australian Financial Complaints Authority (‘AFCA’). The contact details for AFCA are as follows:
- Website
www.afca.org.au
info@afca.org.au
- Telephone
1800 931 678 (free call)
(03) 9613 6399 (Fax)
- In writing to
Australian Financial Complaints Authority GPO Box 3, Melbourne, Victoria, 3001
Time limits may apply to complaints to AFCA. You may wish to consult the AFCA website or contact AFCA directly to find out if there is a time limit on lodging a complaint with AFCA.
The Australian Securities and Investments Commission (‘ASIC’) also has an Info line number 1300 300 630, which you may use to make a complaint and obtain information about your rights.
For more information about our complaints process, please refer to our Public Complaints Policy.
Privacy policy
We are committed to preserving and respecting your privacy and complying with the Privacy Act 1988. For full details about our privacy practices and your rights, see the Lincoln Group’s Privacy policy and collection notice at www.lincolnindicators.com.au/legal/privacy-policy/.
Opt-out
From time to time, we may use your information to contact you (including via telephone, where we have your valid consent, either expressed or implied) to promote, market and provide you with information about our products and services (marketing practices). These marketing practices and your consent shall remain in effect in accordance with the relevant law unless and until you notify us that you do not want to receive marketing communications from us.
Professional Indemnity insurance
Lincoln Indicators retains Professional Indemnity (‘PI’) insurance to cover the activities performed as a representative of Lincoln Financial Groups AFSL. The PI insurance cover is maintained in accordance with the law, subject to its terms and conditions. It provides indemnity up to the sum insured for the activities of Lincoln Indicators and Lincoln Financial Group representatives, satisfying the compensation arrangements requirements under the Corporations Act and Regulations 2001.
Financial Hardship
If you are currently in financial hardship, please contact the Lincoln Indicators team for assistance if you cannot pay your Stock Doctor membership. We can discuss the options available. In addition, Lincoln Indicators may ask you to provide further information when asking for assistance due to financial hardship.
Experiencing financial stress can impact your mental health. If you are concerned about your mental well-being, help is available. Contact Beyond Blue on 1300 22 46 36 (24 hours a day). Or use Beyond Blue’s web chat (3 pm to 12 am).
Stock Doctor Memberships Pricing
All figures quoted in this FSG are as at 1 February 2024 (GST inclusive except for membership commission which is GST exclusive).
Table 1 – Stock Doctor Private Memberships
Membership type | RRP | Multi-year discount | Early renewal payment discount(b) | Total discount possible | Discounted price(d) |
Stock Doctor | New Members | ||||
1 year(a) | $1,945 | N/A | N/A | 0% | $1,945 |
2 years(c) | $3,790 | 10% | N/A | 10% | $3,411 |
3 years(c) | $5,635 | 15% | N/A | 15% | $4,789 |
5 years(c) | $9,325 | 30% | N/A | 30% | $6,527 |
Stock Doctor | Existing Members | ||||
1 year(a) | $1,845 | N/A | 5% | 5% | $1,752 |
2 years(c) | $3,690 | 10% | 0% | 10% | $3,321 |
3 years(c) | $5,535 | 15% | 0% | 15% | $4,704 |
5 years(c) | $9,225 | 30% | 0% | 30% | $6,457 |
(a) One-year instalment option is available upon request. Refer to Table 2 for details.
(b) Existing private stock doctor subscribers only.
(c) Instalments are not available with these renewal options.
(d) Excludes instalment payment plans where applicable.
Table 2 – Direct Debit 1-year
New Members – Direct debit | Monthly sum | Total |
Monthly (12 instalments) | $170 | $2,040 |
Existing Members – Direct debit | Monthly sum | Total |
Monthly (12 instalments) | $162 | $1,944 |
Note: Instalment options are not available on multi-year subscriptions or multi-year renewal subscriptions
Table 3 – Cancellation (Stock Doctor Private Membership)
Should you decide to cancel your Stock Doctor membership at any time during the term of your membership (other than a one-year membership or 30-day trial), refunds may be payable at a percentage of the membership fee paid as follows:
Membership Fees Paid (Months) | |||||
Membership Type | 0-12 months | 13-24 months | 25-36 months | 37-48 months | After 49 months |
1 year | No refund | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
2 years | 40% | No refund | N/A | N/A | N/A |
3 years | 60% | 25% | No refund | N/A | N/A |
5 years | 75% | 50% | 25% | 5% | No refund |