Net Asset Value (NAV) (2024)

  • Real Estate

Step-by-Step Guide to Understanding the Net Asset Value (NAV)

Last Updated February 20, 2024

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What is Net Asset Value?

Net Asset Value (NAV) estimates the market value of an investment fund, namely mutual funds, and is equal to the total value of assets held minus the total liabilities.

Net Asset Value (NAV) (1)

Table of Contents

  • How to Calculate Net Asset Value (NAV)
  • Net Asset Value Formula
  • Mutual Fund Net Asset Value Calculation Example
  • NAV Per Unit vs. Market Price: ETFs Example
  • Net Asset Value (NAV) in REIT Valuation

How to Calculate Net Asset Value (NAV)

The net asset value (NAV) commonly appears in the context of mutual funds, as the metric serves as the basis for setting the mutual fund share price.

NAV on a per-unit basis represents the price at which units (i.e. ownership shares) in the mutual fund can be purchased or redeemed, which is typically done at the end of each trading day.

A mutual fund’s NAV is a function of the market value of all securities held in its portfolio.

  • Portfolio Value Increases ➝ NAV Increases
  • Portfolio Value Decreases ➝ NAV Declines

However, just as in the case of valuing individual public equities, the past performance of a mutual fund is not reflective of future performance.

Fund investors must ask, “Will the mutual fund’s strategy continue to perform well into the future?”

In addition, the mutual fund’s objective, risk/return profile, and time horizon must align with the criteria of the investor, rather than solely evaluating funds based on their NAV.

Net Asset Value Formula

The NAV of a mutual fund is calculated by subtracting the total liabilities from its total assets.

Net Asset Value (NAV) = Fund AssetsFund Liabilities

Since NAV is typically expressed on a unit price basis, i.e. per share, NAV must be divided by the total number of units outstanding.

Net Asset Value (NAV) Per Unit = (Fund Assets Fund Liabilities) ÷ Number of Units Outstanding

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Mutual Fund Net Asset Value Calculation Example

For example, if a mutual fund’s total holdings are valued at $100 million with liabilities of $20 million, the fund’s NAV is equal to $80 million.

  • Net Asset Value (NAV) = $100m – $20m = $80m

Now that we’ve subtracted what the fund owes (liabilities) from the value of what the fund owns (assets), the next step is to divide by the total number of units outstanding.

If we assume the mutual fund has 2 million units outstanding, the NAV per share comes out to $40.00.

  • NAV Per Share = $80 million ÷ 2 million

NAV Per Unit vs. Market Price: ETFs Example

Oftentimes, there is a disconnect between the net asset value (NAV) and market price.

For example, the NAV of an exchange-traded fund (ETF) is based on its underlying securities, whereas the ETF market price is based on supply/demand in the market.

Net Asset Value (NAV) in REIT Valuation

So far, we’ve discussed net asset value (NAV) in the context of mutual funds, but another use-case of NAV is in real-estate investing – e.g. real estate investment trusts (REITs).

Here, NAV is equal to the fair market value (FMV) of real estate assets minus any outstanding debt, fixed costs, and capital expenditures (Capex).

  1. Value Net Operating Income (NOI) Generating Assets in Real Estate Portfolio
  2. Value Side-Income Streams – e.g. Ancillary Income, Management Fees, Joint Venture (JV) Income
  3. Reduce NAV by Required Costs (e.g. Overhead) and Future Expected Capital Expenditures (Capex)
  4. Add “Non-Operating” REIT Assets – e.g. Cash, Construction-in-Progress
  5. Subtract Outstanding Debt Obligation and Non-Equity Claims

After the final step, the end result is the NAV-derived equity value, which can be divided by shares outstanding to compare to its market share price.

The book values of U.S. REITs are not marked up to their fair market value (FMV) – but the NAV model adjusts the balance sheet of a REIT to reflect the FMV of assets with capitalization rate (“cap rate”) assumptions.

Thus, the net asset value (NAV) is the preferred valuation approach in real estate transactions.

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Net Asset Value (NAV) (2024)

FAQs

Net Asset Value (NAV)? ›

"Net asset value," or "NAV," of an investment company is the company's total assets minus its total liabilities. For example, if an investment company has securities and other assets worth $100 million and has liabilities of $10 million, the investment company's NAV will be $90 million.

What is NAV and formula? ›

NAV=(Assets – Liabilities) / Total Shares

Net Asset Value is calculated as Net Asset of the Scheme / Outstanding Units. In this case, the net asset of the schemes may be estimated as the market value of the investments, receivables, other accrued income, and other assets.

Is higher NAV better or lower? ›

The notion that a Mutual Fund's performance is inversely related to its NAV is a misconception. NAV is simply the per unit value of the fund and it does not reflect its quality or potential. For example, a fund with an NAV of Rs 22 is not necessarily superior or inferior to one with an NAV of Rs 85.

What is a good NAV for a mutual fund? ›

What is Considered as a Good NAV? There is no specific value that can be considered as a good Net Asset Value for mutual funds, as it depends on various factors such as the investment objective, fund category, and investment strategy.

What is the NAV Net Asset Value of an ETF? ›

The NAV is determined by adding up the combined value of all the ETF's individual holdings plus its cash and is usually expressed on a per-share basis. The price of an ETF share generally stays very close to NAV but if the share price is below the NAV, then the ETF is said to be trading at a discount.

What is NAV in layman's terms? ›

The performance of a particular scheme of a Mutual Fund is denoted by Net Asset Value (NAV). In simple words, NAV is the market value of the securities held by the scheme. Mutual Funds invest the money collected from investors in securities markets.

How do I calculate NAV in Excel? ›

NAV = (Total Assets - Total Liabilities) / Total number of outstanding shares

Does NAV matter while investing? ›

Key takeaways for investors

Understand the role of NAV: NAV represents the worth of a fund's unit at any given time but does not predict any future performance. You can use the NAV to compare similar fund options within a specific category but a high or low NAV won't matter to your Mutual Fund investments.

What is the difference between NAV and fund value? ›

By dividing the total value of a fund by the number of outstanding units, you are left with the price per unit—the form of measurement in which NAV is usually quoted. As such, the price of a mutual fund is updated around the same time as the NAVPS.

What is NAV and why is it important? ›

NAV full form is Net Asset Value. It is a fundamental metric used to assess the value of a mutual fund. It represents the per-unit value of the fund's assets after deducting any liabilities. Essentially, NAV indicates the price at which investors buy or redeem mutual fund units.

Is NAV the same as net assets? ›

Net Asset Value is the net value of an investment fund's assets less its liabilities, divided by the number of shares outstanding. NAV is commonly used as a per-share value calculated for a mutual fund or ETF.

How do you understand NAV? ›

"Net asset value," or "NAV," of an investment company is the company's total assets minus its total liabilities. For example, if an investment company has securities and other assets worth $100 million and has liabilities of $10 million, the investment company's NAV will be $90 million.

What is a good net asset value per share? ›

What is a good net asset value per share? Generally, a good NAV per share is relatively high concerning the company's share price. This indicates that the company's assets are valuable, and the market undervalues its shares. This can be a good opportunity for investors to buy shares in the company at a discount.

What is the formula for NAV of a property? ›

Net asset value (NAV) in private real estate investing is the total value of an asset, minus any outstanding debt and the cost of any other fixed or planned capital expenses. It's critical for real estate investors to understand this metric because asset prices drive current and future investor returns.

What does NAV mean? ›

WHAT IS NAV? NAV stands for Net Asset Value. The performance of a mutual fund scheme is denoted by its NAV per unit. NAV per unit is the market value of securities of a scheme divided by the total number of units of the scheme on a given date.

What is the formula for NAV in real estate? ›

Here, NAV is equal to the fair market value (FMV) of real estate assets minus any outstanding debt, fixed costs, and capital expenditures (Capex).

What is NAV calculator? ›

Net Asset Value (NAV) is the dollar value of a single mutual fund share, based on the value of the underlying assets of the fund minus its liabilities, divided by the number of shares outstanding. It is calculated at the end of each business day.

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