compound annual growth rate

What is Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR)?

Understand how CAGR simplifies investment growth calculations for better planning.

Written by : Knowledge Centre Team

2025-09-03

2889 Views

8 minutes read

The Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) is an excellent tool for assessing how well your investments have performed over time or compared to a benchmark. It is among the most precise methods for calculating investment returns with potential value fluctuations. Through this blog, let us help you understand  what CAGR is and how it works.

Key Takeaways

  • CAGR helps you measure how much your investments grow annually, assuming profits are reinvested.

  • It gives a smoothed-out growth rate, avoiding yearly market volatility in calculations.

  • The CAGR formula requires just three inputs: beginning value, ending value, and a number of years.

  • Online CAGR calculators make investment analysis quick, easy, and accurate.

  • CAGR works best when used alongside other metrics for well-rounded financial decisions.

What is the Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR)?

When an investment is made, it grows over time. lits Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) represents the Rate of Return (RoR) actually needed to increase the investment from the beginning to the end. It is assumed that the profits are reinvested after each period of the investment's lifespan.

In simpler terms, CAGR is the mathematical calculation used to produce an even rate of return. It provides the annual compound yield of an investment, showing investors what their money will be worth after the investment term.

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How Does CAGR Work?

The Compound Annual Growth Rate is indicative rather than an actual return rate. Essentially, it's a figure expressing how quickly an investment would have increased if it had increased annually at the same pace and the earnings were reinvested each year.

This kind of performance is unlikely to occur in reality. In contrast to other approaches, the CAGR can be used to smooth returns to make them easier to understand. For example, Gopal invests ₹1,00,000, and after 3 years, the principal amount grows to ₹1,33,100.

The CAGR will give an idea of what the fixed annual growth rate would be if the money grew steadily every year to reach that amount. In this case, it will be 10%.

What are the Uses of CAGR

The Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) has several applications, such as:

  • Performance Evaluation: Investors can assess the past performance of their investments using CAGR. They can assess their investment strategies efficacy and pinpoint improvement areas by comparing their investments' CAGR to industry standards or benchmark indexes.
  • Performance Comparison: CAGR offers a standard measurement for comparing the results of various investments over a specific time period. It enables investors to compare investments equitably by considering the average yearly growth rate instead of absolute figures.
  • Long-term Planning: Projecting an investment's possible growth over time, CAGR aids long-term investment planning. Based on the anticipated average annual growth rate, it enables investors to forecast the future value of their investments and make well-informed decisions.
  • Risk Assessment: CAGR is a helpful tool for determining how risky an investment is. Risk-averse investors may find an investment appealing if its CAGR is continuously upbeat over an extended period of time, since this suggests a steadier and consistent growth pattern.

What is CAGR Calculator?

The CAGR calculator is a financial tool for calculating the financial ratio of CAGR. When you feed the required variables listed in the CAGR calculator online, it instantly calculates the of an investment.

Anyone wishing to compute any asset or investment product's CAGR can use an online CAGR calculator. Since no fees are associated with using this calculator, you can use it as often as you need.

Even a physical Excel financial calculator can be used to calculate CAGR. Nevertheless, you must be aware of which formula to use. It can be quite time-consuming and laborious to compute the CAGR separately for each investment, Moreover, it requires an expert understanding of financial ratio analysis and investments.

How to Use CAGR Calculator?

As previously mentioned, the CAGR calculator can determine the Compound Annual Growth Rate of the investment option for which you may compute the financials in a matter of seconds. 

You will need to enter a few variables, like: 

  • The initial investment you made.

  • The total amount invested currently.

  • How long did you stay invested?

  • If it's an ongoing investment, then how many years have passed since the initial investment?

After feeding these data, the calculator will yield the investment's Compound Annual Growth Rate. The formula below serves as the foundation for this calculator. As you can see, there are variables you may adjust, including the investment's initial and ending amounts and duration.

How to Calculate CAGR?

The formula for calculating compound annual growth rate is:

CAGR=(( EV/BV ) 1/n −1)×100

where,

EV = Ending value

BV = Beginning value

N = Number of years

To calculate the CAGR of an investment:

  • Divide the investment's worth after the time by the investment's value at the start of the period.
  • Increase the outcome by one divided by the total number of years.
  • Take one out of the subsequent outcome.

  • To turn the response into a percentage, multiply it by 100.

Why is the Compound Annual Growth Rate Calculator Essential?

A CAGR calculator is a successful modern-day tool that empowers investors to make informed decisions. The following are a few ways in which the calculator has proven its worth:

  • Investment analysis relies heavily on the capitalisation rate as a critical financial statistic. Even though the assets have varied qualities and different investment tenures, it still helps investors learn how various assets and investment options perform. The Average Return on Investment (AVER) provided by CAGR explains this. This facilitates comparing multiple investments and assets.

  • Making informed financial decisions is made simple when you use the CAGR calculator to determine the CAGR of multiple investments, such as this one. In addition to assisting with appropriate asset allocation and portfolio diversification, CAGR also evaluates the return of the overall investment portfolio; thus, it can be a good assessment of your portfolio.

  • Nevertheless, there may be a complete difference between the CAGR and the actual profits produced over the course of a year. Since markets are erratic, CAGR does not account for that difference. Although it provides an average yearly return, it does not imply that your investment has generated the same amount each year. Furthermore, taxes and dividends are not considered when calculating CAGR.; Tthus, you must examine these variables independently when comparing the CAGR of various investment options.

Wrapping Up

CAGR is a valuable formula for estimating an investment's growth rate. It can be used to assess previous performance or project future investment returns. But keep in mind that CAGR is a good fit for one-time investments. So, if you are evaluating investment options, business growth, or any other asset growth. You can use this CAGR calculator online to save time and effort and get accurate results quickly. All things considered, the CAGR calculator is a helpful tool for investment analysis.

Disclaimer - This article is issued in the general public interest and meant for general information purposes only. The views expressed in this blog are solely those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Canara HSBC Life Insurance Company Limited or any affiliated entity. We make no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, about the completeness, accuracy, reliability, suitability, or availability with respect to the blog or the information, products, services, or related graphics contained in the blog for any purpose. Any reliance you place on such information is therefore strictly at your own risk. You should consult with a qualified professional regarding your specific circumstances before taking any action based on the content provided herein.

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