How do I interpret a XIRR result?

Asked by: Claude Walsh  |  Last update: August 4, 2026
Score: 4.5/5 (59 votes)

XIRR (Extended Internal Rate of Return) represents the annualized, compound interest rate of an investment with irregular cash flows, expressed as a percentage. A positive XIRR indicates profit, a negative one indicates loss, and higher percentages signify better performance, allowing for accurate comparison with annual returns like fixed deposits.

What does 20% XIRR mean?

What does 20% XIRR mean? A 20% XIRR indicates that the investment has yielded an average annual return of 20%, taking into account the timing and size of each cash flow. This means that over the investment period, the investment has grown at an annualised rate of 20%.

What is a good XIRR rate?

XIRR of 70% is exceptional on paper, but whether it's ``good enough'' depends on context, sustainability, risk, and goals. Evaluate using the points below. Compound annualized return across irregular cash flows of your portfolio equals ~70% per year over the measured period.

Is 15 percent XIRR good?

A good XIRR in mutual funds depends on your goals and investment type. For equity mutual funds, an XIRR above 12–15% over the long term is considered good. Importantly, the XIRR in SIP should exceed the inflation rate to grow real wealth. Always compare it with benchmark returns and your risk tolerance..

Which is more important, XIRR or absolute return?

Absolute Return provides a quick view of profit or loss, ideal for short-term, single investments. XIRR, on the other hand, gives a more accurate and time-adjusted picture of long-term investments with varied cash flows. Together, they help investors assess performance from both a simple and time-sensitive perspective.

Calculate IRR in Excel (Formula, Examples) | IRR Calculation in Excel

45 related questions found

How much XIRR to double money in 3 years?

How much XIRR to double in 3 years? To double your investment in 3 years, you need an approximate XIRR of 24% per annum as per the Rule of 72. 72 divided by the number of years (72/3 = 24).

Why is XIRR returning 0%?

The problem? Excel's built-in XIRR function expects the first value in its range to be negative. So, if the first cell (or the first several cells) are zero, XIRR will always return 0.00%, even if cash flows materialize later.

How accurate is XIRR?

XIRR is considered a more precise and accurate measure of returns on investment, which are irregular compared to other financial metrics like CAGR and SAR. XIRR considers the dates on which transactions and cash flows occurred, making it a more accurate measure of an investment's annual performance.

Is XIRR more accurate than IRR?

IRR doesn't take into account when the actual cash flow takes place, so it rolls them up into annual periods. By contrast, the XIRR formula considers the dates when the cash flow actually happens. Because of this, XIRR is a more accurate way to evaluate an investment.

How to read XIRR?

Mathematically, XIRR is that single rate of return, which when applied to every installment (and redemptions if any) would give the current value of the total investment. XIRR is your personal rate of return. It is your actual return on investments.

Is XIRR 12% good?

Generally, an XIRR of 12% is considered good for equity mutual funds, while in the case of debt funds, it is 7.5%. Is XIRR better than CAGR? It depends on the investment type for which you are calculating the return.

What is the $27.39 rule?

The "27.39 rule" (often rounded to $27.40) is a simple financial strategy to save $10,000 in one year by consistently setting aside $27.40 every single day, making it an achievable micro-saving habit to build wealth or an emergency fund. It turns the daunting goal of saving $10,000 into a manageable daily action, emphasizing consistency over large lump sums.

What is Warren Buffett's $10000 investment strategy?

If Warren Buffett had $10,000 today, he'd focus on finding overlooked, high-quality small companies (small-caps) at attractive prices, buying them as businesses, not just stock tickers, and letting compound interest work over a long period by starting early and reinvesting dividends, much like he did in his early days, emphasizing fundamental value over market hype. 

What does 30% XIRR mean?

The meaning of XIRR in mutual fund investments refers to the 'Extended Internal Rate of Return,' - a financial metric that calculates the annualised return on investments involving multiple cash flows occurring at irregular intervals.

What is a good XIRR return?

For example, if inflation is at 2%, an XIRR of 7-9% might be considered satisfactory for a moderate-risk equity fund. However, expectations can vary based on the type of fund. A conservative debt fund might target an XIRR of 5-6%, while an aggressive small-cap fund could aim for 12-15%.

Can XIRR go negative?

The return value of the XIRR functionality can be positive or negative. In the case of an investment, a negative result indicates that the investment is a loss. The amount of gain or loss can be calculated simply by making a sum aggregation over the payments field.

Why might an investor use XIRR instead of IRR?

When to choose IRR or XIRR. Use IRR for projects or investments with regular cash flows, such as annual business payments. Use XIRR for investments with differing dates or timing, such as SIPs, real estate, or staggered transactions. If timing is uncertain, XIRR may provide a more realistic picture of performance.

How to calculate XIRR manually?

How to Calculate XIRR Manually?

  1. Step 1: Prepare Cash Flows and Dates. List all cash flows and their corresponding dates in two columns. ...
  2. Step 2: Initial Guess. Start with an initial guess for the rate of return (commonly 10%)
  3. Step 3: Calculate NPV.

Is negative XIRR bad?

What does a negative XIRR indicate? A negative XIRR means the investment has experienced a loss, meaning the current value is lower than the total amount invested. This could be due to market fluctuations or poor investment performance.