Calculating a Mutual Fund’s Net Asset Value
If you invest in a mutual fund, you will receive periodic statements summarizing the activity in your account. The statement will show funds that were added to your investment balance, funds that were withdrawn, and any earnings that have accrued. One term on the statement that is critical to understanding the investment’s performance is the net asset value (NAV). The net asset value is the total value of the mutual fund’s stocks, bonds, cash, and other assets minus any liabilities such as accrued fees, divided by the number of shares outstanding. An example will make this clear. Suppose that a mutual fund has the following assets and liabilities:
|
Stock (at current market value) |
$20,000,000 |
|
Bonds (at current market value) |
$10,000,000 |
|
Cash |
$ 500,000 |
|
Total value of assets |
$30,500,000 |
|
Liabilities |
– $ 300,000 |
|
Net worth |
$30,200,000 |
The net asset value is computed by dividing the net worth by the number of shares outstanding. If 10 million shares are outstanding, the net asset value is $3.02 ($30,200,000/10,000,000 = $3.02). The net asset value rises and falls as the value of the underlying assets changes. For example, suppose that the value of the stock portfolio held by the mutual fund rises by 10% and the value of the bond portfolio falls by 2% over the course of a year. If the cash and liabilities are unchanged, the new net asset value will be
|
Stock (at current market value) |
$22,000,000 |
|
Bonds (at current market value) |
$9,800,000 |
|
Cash |
$ 500,000 |
|
Total value of assets |
$32,300,000 |
|
Liabilities |
– $ 300,000 |
|
Net worth |
$32,000,000 |
NAV = $32,000,000/10,000,000 = $3.20
The yield on your investment in the mutual fund is then
Yield = $3.20 $3.02/$3.02 = $0.18/$3.02 =5.96%
When you buy and sell shares in the mutual fund, you do so at the current NAV.