Portfolio Turnover

Portfolio Turnover

A measurement of how frequently assets within a fund are bought and sold by the managers. It is calculated by taking either the total amount of new securities purchased or the amount of securities sold - whichever is less - over a particular period, divided by the total net asset value (NAV) of the fund. The measurement is usually reported for a 12-month time period.

Notes:

The portfolio turnover measurement should be considered by an investor before deciding to purchase a given mutual fund or similar financial instrument. After all, a firm with a high turnover rate will incur more transaction costs than a fund with a lower rate. Unless the superior asset selection renders benefits that offset the added transaction costs they cause, a more passive fund may likely generate higher returns.

See also: Active Management, Mutual Fund, Net Asset Value - NAV, Net Asset Value Per Share - NAVPS, Passive Management, Rebalancing