return on investment<\/a> (ROI) as this metric adjusts for compounding effects over time.<\/p>\nFor example, consider two investments with the following annual returns over 3 years:<\/p>\n
<\/span><\/p>\n
\n\n\nYear<\/b><\/td>\n | Investment 1<\/b><\/td>\n | Investment 2<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n1<\/strong><\/td>\n 10%<\/span><\/td>\n | 40%<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n2<\/strong><\/td>\n -20%<\/span><\/td>\n | -20%<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n3<\/strong><\/td>\n 20%<\/span><\/td>\n | 10%<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n <\/div><\/span><\/p>\nInvestment 1<\/strong> has an average return of 3.33%<\/strong> derived from (10% + -20% + 20%) \/ 3<\/p>\nInvestment 2<\/strong> has an average return of 10% <\/strong>derived from (40% + -20% + 10%) \/ 3<\/p>\nHowever, the CAGR figures are:<\/p>\n Investment 1 CAGR:<\/strong> 1.83%<\/p>\nInvestment 2 CAGR:<\/strong> 7.20%<\/p>\nThe CAGR shows the impact of compounding and reflects a more accurate annual growth rate in both investments.<\/p>\n Limitations of the CAGR<\/span><\/h2>\nWhile useful, it does have some limitations that analysts must consider:<\/p>\n \n- Smooth Volatility<\/strong>: It may mask investment risk if high volatility exists during the measurement period.<\/li>\n
- Assumes Reinvestment<\/strong>: CAGR calculations assume that profits are reinvested each period, which may not be true in reality.<\/li>\n
- Varies with Timeframes<\/strong>: Its figures can differ significantly depending on the start and end dates used.<\/li>\n
- Ignores External Changes<\/strong>: It only considers growth and does not reflect external contributions or withdrawals.<\/li>\n
- Not Forward Looking<\/strong>: Historical CAGR is not a guarantee of similar future growth rates.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Real-World Applications of the CAGR<\/span><\/h2>\nThe compound annual growth rate has several common business and investing applications, including the five mentioned below:<\/p>\n 1. Business Growth Measurement<\/strong><\/p>\nCAGR is useful for evaluating past growth performance. Companies can compare historical revenue or profit CAGR to industry averages or growth goals. Changes in CAGR over time can indicate improving or worsening trends.<\/p>\n 2. Projection of Future Values<\/strong><\/p>\nThe historical CAGR of metrics like profits or market size can serve as assumptions to forecast future values. CAGR provides an expected growth rate that can be used to project results.<\/p>\n 3. Investment Analysis<\/strong><\/p>\nFor investors, CAGR reveals a “smoothed” annual return rate on assets like stocks, bonds, or portfolio investments. It measures performance by adjusting for compound growth over time.<\/p>\n 4. Benchmarking Investment Options<\/strong><\/p>\nAn investor can compare CAGR figures across multiple investments to gauge historical returns. Higher CAGRs indicate better compound growth performance across different investments.<\/p>\n 5. Evaluating Fund Managers<\/strong><\/p>\nCAGR provides a simple metric to evaluate investment fund managers. Comparing a manager’s CAGR to pre-selected benchmarks reveals if they have historically beaten or underperformed these returns.<\/p>\n Best Practices to Consider When Using CAGR<\/span><\/h2>\nTo effectively apply CAGR:<\/p>\n \n- Use consistent time frames when comparing CAGRs for multiple investments or businesses.<\/li>\n
- Confirm that its figures align with intuition. Significant deviations could indicate unrealistic assumptions.<\/li>\n
- Reference CAGR trends over sequential time frames rather than a single snapshot figure.<\/li>\n
- Consider both CAGR and the standard deviation of returns for insights into growth and volatility.<\/li>\n
- Avoid placing excessive weight on historical CAGR when projecting future values or performance.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
The Bottom Line<\/span><\/h2>\nCAGR measures annualized growth over a multi-year horizon, adjusting for compounding. It offers a straightforward way to evaluate growth, smooth volatility, project future values based on historical trends, and compare performance across investments or financial metrics.<\/p>\n While the CAGR calculation relies on various assumptions, it remains a widely used indicator of growth. Applying CAGR appropriately provides useful insights into both historical growth and potential future trajectory.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" What is the Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR)? The Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) is a measurement used to assess the annualized growth rate of an investment or metric over a specified period longer than one year. It represents the steady pace of growth that would produce the same cumulative result if compounding occurred annually. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":286654,"featured_media":122329,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"footnotes":""},"definitioncat":[2686],"class_list":["post-122204","definition","type-definition","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","definitioncat-economics"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n What is the CAGR? Compound Annual Growth Rate Explained<\/title>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\n\n\n\t\n | | | | | | |