Expense Ratio

What does it Mean? A measure of what it costs an investment company to operate a mutual fund. An expense ratio is determined through an annual calculation, where a fund's operating expenses are divided by the average dollar value of its assets under management. Operating expenses are taken out of a fund's assets and lower the return to a fund's investors.

Also known as "management expense ratio" (MER).
Investopedia Says... Depending on the type of fund, operating expenses vary widely. The largest component of operating expenses is the fee paid to a fund's investment manager/advisor. Other costs include recordkeeping, custodial services, taxes, legal expenses, and accounting and auditing fees. Some funds have a marketing cost referred to as a 12b-1 fee, which would also be included in operating expenses. A fund's trading activity, the buying and selling of portfolio securities, is not included in the calculation of the expense ratio. 

Costs associated with mutual funds but not included in operating expenses are loads and redemption fees, which, if they apply, are paid directly by fund investors.

Terms Related Links

12B-1 Fees
Acquired Fund Fees And Expenses - AFFE
After Reimbursement Expense Ratio
Before Reimbursement Expense Ratio
Contingent Deferred Sales Charge - CDSC
Foregone Earnings
Operating Expense
Service Shares
Total Expense Ratio - TER
Turnover Ratio

Terms Related Links
Stop Paying High Mutual Fund Fees - Discover how investment strategies and expense ratios impact your mutual fund's returns.

Special Feature: Mutual Funds - Mutual funds are an inexpensive and easy way to benefit from diversification and professional management. See our mutual fund feature for everything you need to know.

Special Feature: Exchange-Traded Funds - Learn how ETFs allow you to enjoy the diversification benefits of a mutual fund with the flexibility of a stock.

Mutual Fund Basics Tutorial - Learn about the basics - and the pitfalls - of investing in mutual funds.

Digging Deeper: The Mutual Fund Prospectus - The legal jargon of this document can be daunting. Find out how to get to the important stuff.

Don't Judge An Index Fund By Its Cover - These funds don't all match index returns. Find out how to avoid costly surprises.

Mutual Funds: The Costs - Protect yourself from sub-par performance by identifying unnecessary fees and charges.

Will A New Fund Manager Cost You? - Learn how a change in leadership could mean more taxes for you.

Active Vs. Passive Investing In ETFs - You can use these securities for more than just indexing. Explore the spectrum of possible strategies here.

Coattail Investor - Explore what stocks the world's top mutual funds and portfolio managers hold!





add investopedia foot
www.investopedia.com