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Different Types of Returns in Mutual Funds

A mutual fund is a financial vehicle where a pool of money is collected from investors to invest in bonds, money market instruments, stocks, and other assets. Depending on the investment objectives and type of returns and securities, a mutual fund can belong to several categories.
Keep reading this article to learn more about mutual fund returns and their types and benefits.
Quick Summary
Tips
- Absolute return is the actual gain/loss on your investment over a period, regardless of duration. For example, ₹1.5 lakh growing to ₹2.5 lakh equates to a 66.7% absolute return.
- Annualized return is the yearly compounded rate over a holding period, useful for comparing investments across durations.
- CAGR shows the annualized growth rate from start to end value, ideal for comparing investments over different timeframes.
- Trailing returns reflect past performance over fixed periods ending on a specific date (e.g., past 1, 3, or 5 year returns), offering a snapshot of recent trends.
- Use CAGR or annualized return for long-term comparisons, trailing or point-to-point returns for recent performance, and rolling returns to assess consistency over time.
Table of Contents
What are Mutual Fund Returns?
Types of Mutual Fund Returns in India
1. Absolute Returns
Absolute Returns refer to the amount by which a mutual fund scheme has increased or decreased in a certain period. Absolute returns can be positive or negative.Let us take the example of Mr Ravi, who invested ₹ 1.5 lakhs in a mutual fund scheme. The present value of the invested amount is ₹ 2.5 lakhs. You can calculate the absolute return for Mr Ravi using the following formula:
2. Annualised Returns
Annualised Returns refer to the amount by which the invested money has grown per annum
One can calculate this type of mutual fund return using the following formula:
Annualised Return = ((1+ Absolute Return) ^ (365/ number of years)) – 1
3. Compound Annual Growth Rate
Compound Annual Growth Rate, abbreviated as CAGR, is the rate of return by which the investment should grow from the initial investment value to its maturity value.
CAGR is computable using the following formula:
Compound Annual Growth Rate = ((Final Value/ Initial Value) ^ (1/ number of years)) – 1
Let us understand this with the help of an example.
Mr Ram invested ₹10,000 in a mutual fund scheme, and the final value is ₹14,000 over 2 years.
4. Trailing Returns
Trailing returns are the type of mutual fund returns that show the performance of a mutual fund over a specific period.
Individuals can calculate trailing returns using this formula:
Trailing Returns = (Current Net Asset Value / Net Asset Value at the beginning of the trailing period) ^ (1/ Trailing Period) – 1
Understanding these return types is key to making smarter investment decisions. If you're planning to invest in SIPs, then try our SIP return calculator to estimate how your monthly contributions could grow over time instantly.
Benefits of Each Type of Return in Mutual Funds
The table below shows the key benefits of different mutual fund returns in India.
An investor needs to know his/her investment objective and individual goal before investing money in any mutual fund. Knowledge about the expected returns helps investors get an idea about the scheme's performance over certain time periods.
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Explore the Article Related to Mutual Fund Returns
FAQs about Types of Mutual Fund Returns
When are absolute returns calculated?
When are annualised returns useful?
What are the types of returns in mutual funds?
The following are the types of returns in mutual funds:
- Absolute Returns
- Annualised Returns
- Trailing Returns
- Compounded Annual Growth Rate
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