Mastering CAGR and Holding Yield: Step-by-Step Excel Guide with RATE and XIRR Functions

 

Understanding CAGR and Holding Yield in Finance

Introduction

The Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) and Holding Period Yield (HPY) are crucial metrics used to evaluate investment performance. This blog explores their importance using a practical example of an investment in a fund, examining both the CAGR and HPY to highlight their differences and significance in financial analysis.

Investment Example

An investment of $117,976 was made on October 18, 2016, and grew to $276,318.30 by February 21, 2025. The reinvestment of unit distributions is already included in the final value.

Step-by-Step Calculations Using Excel Functions

1. Calculate the Holding Period in Days

• Start Date: October 18, 2016
• End Date: February 21, 2025
• Excel Formula: =DATEDIF("2016-10-18", "2025-02-21", "D")
• Total Days: 3,047 days

2. Calculate the Holding Period Yield (HPY) The formula is: =((FV - PV) / PV) * 100

• Final Value (FV): $276,318.30
• Initial Investment (PV): $117,976
• Excel Formula: =((276318.30 - 117976) / 117976) * 100
• Result: 134.19%

3. Calculate the Number of Years (n) Convert the holding period in days into years:

• Excel Formula: =3047 / 365
• Result: 8.34 years

4. Calculate the Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) Using the RATE function in Excel:

• Syntax: =RATE(n, 0, -PV, FV)
• Formula: =RATE(8.34, 0, -117976, 276318.30)
• Result: 10.25%
• Note: The RATE function assumes a year consists of exactly 365 days.

5. Calculate CAGR Using the XIRR Function

• Create a table with dates and cash flows:
  • Row 1: 2016-10-18, -117976 (initial investment, negative because it's an outflow)
  • Row 2: 2025-02-21, 276318.30 (final value, positive because it's an inflow)
• Excel Formula: =XIRR(B2:B3, A2:A3)
• Result: 10.73%
• Explanation: The XIRR function considers the actual number of days in each year (365 or 366 for leap years), providing a slightly higher return than the RATE function.

Comparison: CAGR vs. Holding Period Yield

• CAGR (10.25% using RATE, 10.73% using XIRR) represents the annualized rate of return, smoothing out fluctuations and providing a clear picture of consistent growth.
• HPY (134.19%) reflects the total percentage increase over the entire holding period.

The difference between the RATE and XIRR results is due to the treatment of calendar days. RATE uses a simplified 365-day year, while XIRR accounts for leap years, making it more accurate for long-term investments.

Importance of CAGR in Finance

CAGR simplifies the comparison of investment performance over different periods. Key applications include:

• Evaluating Investment Performance: Provides a clear view of growth trends.
• Comparing Different Investments: Standardizes returns for fair comparisons.
• Forecasting Future Returns: Helps estimate potential future growth.

In conclusion, both CAGR and HPY are essential for assessing investment performance. However, CAGR's annualized perspective makes it particularly valuable for long-term financial planning and comparative analysis, and using Excel functions like RATE and XIRR ensures accurate and efficient calculations.