Is a discount to NAV good?

Asked by: Kevin Harber Jr.  |  Last update: September 30, 2025
Score: 4.6/5 (37 votes)

If investment trust shares are trading at a discount to NAV it can give the impression that the shares are cheap because the fund isn't worth investing in. Although this isn't always the case, boards don't want investors to be put off by a discount that is too wide.

Is a higher or lower NAV better?

A higher NAV isn't inherently better. It reflects the fund's asset value, not its potential returns.

What is a good price to NAV ratio?

If you can buy a share at a big discount to its book value (a price to NAV a lot less than 1) then it might be possible to make money from it when business conditions improve. History tells us that this can be a very profitable investment strategy.

What does 5% discount to the NAV mean?

A discount to net asset value (NAV) occurs when the market price of shares of a closed-end fund is lower than the fund's net asset value per share. The NAV is calculated by dividing the total value of all the securities in the portfolio, minus any liabilities, by the number of the fund's shares outstanding.

Why do ETFs trade at a discount to NAV?

An ETF may not match its NAV for many reasons. One common reason US-listed ETFs investing in international stocks may trade at premiums or discounts is time zone differences.

ETF at Premium or Discount?

32 related questions found

Is discount to NAV good or bad?

If investment trust shares are trading at a discount to NAV it can give the impression that the shares are cheap because the fund isn't worth investing in. Although this isn't always the case, boards don't want investors to be put off by a discount that is too wide.

How to know if an ETF is overvalued?

To determine if an ETF is overvalued, an investor can analyze the historical trend of the ETF's price and volume. If the price has risen rapidly in a short period and the volume is decreasing, it could indicate that the ETF is overvalued.

What are the risks of a CEF?

CEFs frequently trade at a discount to NAV and there is no assurance a CEF will appreciate to its NAV. Interest rate Risk – Income received from a CEF may fluctuate significantly based on changes in interest rates. As interest rates rise, bond prices usually fall, and vice versa.

What does NAV tell you?

NAV stands for net asset value. In finance, it is used to evaluate the value of a firm or an investment fund by subtracting its liabilities from assets.

What does 5% discount mean?

A 5 percent discount means that the price of an item is reduced by 5 percent of its original price. This is a common way to indicate a reduction in price, often used in sales and promotions.

What is a good NAV value?

What is a good NAV for a mutual fund? There's no single "good" NAV for a mutual fund. A high NAV simply reflects the total value of the fund's assets per unit. Focus on the fund's performance history, expense ratio, and alignment with your goals.

Do REITs trade at a discount to NAV?

Throughout much of the 1990s, REITs traded at significant premiums to net asset or liquidation (NAV), but since the latter part of 1998 they have generally traded at discounts to NAV.

What is the premium discount on an ETF?

Since market prices are ruled by supply and demand, an ETF's market price can diverge from its NAV. If there's heavy demand from buyers, the price of an ETF can increase above its NAV (a premium). Conversely, if there's heavy sell-side pressure, the price can dip below the NAV (a discount).

What does a low NAV mean?

As a result, the NAV of a fund is determined after market hours as a rule. A higher NAV indicates a profit, whereas a lower NAV indicates a loss for the fund on that given day.

When should NAV be used?

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Is NAV the same as price?

An ETF's Net asset value (NAV) represents the value of the securities it holds (including cash), less its liabilities, divided by the number of shares outstanding. ETFs trade at market price, which is the price of the last reported trade on the fund's primary exchange.

Is it good if NAV is high?

A high NAV usually indicates that the fund has performed well in the past. However, past performance does not guarantee future returns. A fund with a lower NAV might just be newer or have experienced market volatility, but that doesn't necessarily make it a better buy.

How to calculate discount to NAV?

How is Premium/Discount to NAV Calculated? The calculation involves comparing the ETF's market price per share to its NAV per share, and then expressing the difference as a percentage of NAV.

Is NAV a good indicator?

NAV is an indicator of a fund's value at a given time, offering a benchmark for measuring the fund's current worth. However, it does not reflect the future performance. An investor must understand that NAV fluctuates daily based on the fund's underlying assets and market conditions.

Why do CEF trade at a discount?

Most commonly, the reason a CEF trades at any given discount or premium is related to the fund's distribution rate, regardless of the source of the distribution. (Some fund families seemingly abuse the knowledge that this occurs to justify—in their minds, not ours—the use of destructive return of capital.)

Why not buy closed-end funds?

Investing in closed-end funds involves risk; principal loss is possible. There is no guarantee a fund's investment objective will be achieved. Closed-end fund shares may frequently trade at a discount or premium to their net asset value (NAV).

Which is better CEF or ETF?

Fees — Closed-end funds typically have higher expenses and management fees than exchange-traded funds. In contrast, exchange-traded funds have a lower expense ratio than CEFs since they do not charge management fees. Transparency — CEFs are typically less transparent than ETFs.

How do you know if an ETF is doing well?

The two ways to see how closely an ETF matches the index performance are 'tracking error' and 'tracking difference'. Tracking difference addresses how closely the ETF tracks the index returns, while tracking error reflects how consistent over time the tracking quality is.

How can you tell if a stock is undervalued?

Price-to-book ratio (P/B)

To calculate it, divide the market price per share by the book value per share. A stock could be undervalued if the P/B ratio is lower than 1.

Is qqq overvalued?

The QQQ ETF offers investors big rewards during bull markets, with the potential for long-term growth, ready liquidity, and low fees. QQQ usually declines more in bear markets, has high sector risk, often appears overvalued, and holds no small-cap stocks.