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The Global Insight

What is the net asset value of a mutual fund?

Author

Christopher Ramos

Updated on February 06, 2026

Net asset value (NAV) represents a fund’s per share market value. NAV is calculated by dividing the total value of all the cash and securities in a fund’s portfolio, minus any liabilities, by the number of outstanding shares. The NAV calculation is important because it tells us how much one share of the fund is worth.

How do you calculate net asset value?

To get the total net assets of a fund, subtract any liabilities from the current value of the mutual fund’s assets and then divide the figure by the total number of units outstanding. The resulting figure is the NAV of the mutual fund. The NAV of a mutual fund is always calculated at the end of the market day.

How do you calculate net asset value per share?

The basic calculation of net assets per share is: net assets (total assets on the balance sheet less total liabilities) divided by the number of equity shares in issue. An increase in net assets per share by means of a share buyback, for example, may lead to an increase in the market value of a company’s shares.

What is included in net asset value?

“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.

Is a high net asset value good?

So, a higher NAV simply means that the scheme’s investments have fared really well. Or the scheme has been around for a long period. The NAV only impact the number of units you may get. You will receive fewer units if you select a scheme with high NAV but the value of your investment will remain same.

Is net asset value same as book value?

Book value per common share, also known as book value per equity of share or BVPS, is used to evaluate the stock price of an individual company, whereas net asset value, or NAV, is used as a measure for evaluating all of the equity holdings in a mutual fund or exchange traded fund (ETF).

Can I buy mutual fund today and sell tomorrow?

The shares of mutual funds are very liquid, easily traded, and can be bought or sold on any day the market is open. An order will be executed at the next available net asset value (NAV), which is determined after the market close each trading day.

How is net asset value of a mutual fund calculated?

Asset value per share is the total value of an investment or business divided by its number of shares outstanding. Net Asset Value is a mutual fund’s assets less its liabilities, divided by the number of shares outstanding, and is used as a standard price measure.

What does net asset value per share tell you?

What Does NAVPS Tell You? The net asset value per share (NAVPS) is often used in relation to open-end or mutual funds since shares of such funds registered with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) are redeemed at their net asset value.

When does net asset value go up or down?

When the value of the securities in the fund goes up, the net asset value goes up. Conversely, when the value of the securities in the fund goes down, the NAV goes down: If the value of securities in fund increases, then the NAV of the fund increases.

How is the net asset value of a closed end fund determined?

The net asset value is the value of the fund’s total assets at market close minus the fund’s liabilities divided by the total number of shares outstanding. Closed-end funds and ETFs trade on exchanges with transactions occurring at a market value. The market value is an arbitrary price that is determined by market participants.