What is Total Expense Ratio? All you need to know

Expense ratio is a key metric for mutual fund investors to understand and evaluate when making investment decisions. It represents the annual fees charged by a mutual fund to manage and operate the fund. These fees are deducted from the fund's assets before calculating the Net Asset Value (NAV). The NAV you see is already adjusted for expenses daily, so by the time you redeem, the cost has already been accounted for.

The expense ratio is expressed as a percentage of the fund's total assets. For example, if a fund has an expense ratio of 1.5%, it means that for every ₹100 invested, ₹1.50 is charged annually to cover the fund's expenses. The higher the expense ratio, the more it eats into the fund's returns.

Expense Ratio Formula

Check out the expense ratio formula below:

Expense Ratio = (Total Annual Expenses) / (Net Assets)

1. Total Annual Expenses: This is like the cost of running a business. It includes things like salaries of the people who manage the fund, office costs like rent, utilities, and technology, legal and accounting fees, etc.
2. Net Assets: This is the total value of all the investments the fund has made. It’s the total market value of all the investments the fund holds, minus any liabilities, not just cash.

If a mutual fund has total annual expenses of ₹1 crore and net assets of ₹100 crore, its expense ratio would be:

Expense Ratio = (1 crore) / (100 crore) = 0.01 = 1%

Components of the Expense Ratio

The expense ratio of a mutual fund is made up of several components. Here's a breakdown:

Management Fees: This is the fee paid to the fund manager and investment team for researching, selecting, and managing the fund’s portfolio. It’s the largest portion in most cases.

Administrative Expenses: These are the day-to-day costs of running the fund, such as accounting, legal, audit, compliance, and record-keeping functions.

Marketing and Distribution Costs: These fees are paid to brokers, financial advisors, and distributors who sell the fund to investors. They apply mostly to regular plans, not direct plans.

Operating and Custodial Expenses: These include costs like custodian fees (for holding securities), transfer agent fees (for handling transactions), and expenses related to sending account statements and updates to investors.

In direct plans, marketing and distribution costs are excluded, which is why their expense ratios are typically lower than those of regular plans.

Factors Affecting Expense Ratios

Several factors can influence a mutual fund's expense ratio:

1. Fund type: Actively managed funds tend to have higher expense ratios than passively managed index funds, as active funds require more research and trading.
2. Fund size: Larger funds can benefit from economies of scale and often have lower expense ratios compared to smaller funds.
3. Asset class: Funds investing in certain asset classes, such as international or small-cap stocks, may have higher expense ratios due to increased research and trading costs.
4. Investor class: Direct plans, which are sold directly by the fund house without any intermediaries, typically have lower expense ratios compared to regular plans.

Impact of Expense Ratio on Returns

The expense ratio has a direct impact on a fund's returns. The lower the expense ratio, the higher the net returns to investors. This is because the expense ratio is deducted from the fund's gross returns before calculating the NAV.

Let's say two funds, A and B, both generate a 12% return before expenses. Fund A has an expense ratio of 2%, while Fund B has an expense ratio of 1%. The net returns to investors would be:

• Fund A: 12% - 2% = 10%
• Fund B: 12% - 1% = 11%

Over time, the difference in returns can compound significantly. For example, if you invest ₹1 lakh in each fund for 10 years, assuming a constant 12% gross return, the difference in net returns would be:

• Fund A (2% expense ratio): ₹2.68 lakhs
• Fund B (1% expense ratio): ₹2.94 lakhs

The ₹26,000 difference highlights the importance of considering expense ratios when selecting mutual funds.

Expense Ratio Limits in India

The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has set limits on the maximum expense ratios that mutual funds can charge. These limits vary based on the fund's assets under management (AUM) and category. The current limits are as follows:

In addition, mutual funds can charge an additional 30 basis points (0.30%) if new inflows from retail investors in B30 (beyond top 30) cities are at least 30% of gross new inflows in the scheme or 15% of the scheme's average AUM, whichever is higher.

Comparison of Expense Ratios

When comparing expense ratios, it's important to consider the following:

1. Fund category: Compare funds within the same category, as expense ratios can vary significantly across different types of funds.
2. Direct vs regular plans: Direct plans typically have lower expense ratios than regular plans, as they don't involve intermediaries.
3. Peer group average: Compare a fund's expense ratio to the average of its peers to gauge if it's higher or lower than the norm.
4. Performance: While expense ratio is important, it shouldn't be the sole factor in selecting a fund. Also consider the fund's performance, risk profile, and alignment with your investment objectives.

Conclusion

Expense ratio is a crucial factor to consider when investing in mutual funds. A lower expense ratio means more of your money stays invested and compounds over time. However, it's not the only factor to consider when selecting a fund. Evaluate the fund's performance, risk profile, and alignment with your investment goals before making a decision.