Archive · 6 Sep 2026
Why a ₹10 Mutual Fund NAV Can Mislead Investors
NAV is the value of one mutual fund unit.
It is calculated from what the fund owns, minus what it owes.
A fund with a ₹10 NAV is not automatically cheaper than one with a ₹500 NAV.
If two funds own the same investments, they can earn the same returns even with different NAVs.
You may receive more units in the fund with the lower NAV, but your total investment can still grow by the same amount.
New funds often begin with a ₹10 NAV during their NFO period.
This low starting price can make the fund seem attractive to new investors.
Instead of focusing only on NAV, investors should study the fund’s investments, risks, costs and past consistency.
A mutual fund’s NAV represents the value of one unit after accounting for assets, liabilities and outstanding units.
A low NAV does not mean a fund is cheaper or more likely to deliver higher returns.
Two funds with identical portfolios can have NAVs of ₹10 and ₹500 yet produce the same investment value growth.
A ₹10 NFO price may create the misleading impression that a new fund has more room to grow.
Investors should assess strategy, portfolio, risk, costs, performance consistency and the fund manager’s track record.
- Who
- Mutual fund investors, asset management companies and fund managers.
- What
- The article explains why a mutual fund’s NAV should not be used alone to judge whether the fund is cheap or likely to perform well.
- When
- During the initial subscription period of a New Fund Offer, or when investors are selecting mutual fund schemes.
- Where
- In the mutual fund market.
- Why
- Because a low NAV can create the mistaken impression that a fund has greater growth potential.
- NAV meaning
- The value of one mutual fund unit.
- NAV calculation
- The market value of investments and other assets, minus liabilities and provisions, divided by total units outstanding.
- Example investment
- A ₹5,000 investment buys 500 units at a ₹10 NAV or 10 units at a ₹500 NAV.
- Illustrated return
- If identical underlying portfolios rise by 10%, both ₹5,000 investments become ₹5,500.
- NFO
- New Fund Offer refers to the initial subscription period when an asset management company launches a mutual fund scheme.
- Selection factors
- Investors should consider strategy, portfolio, risk, costs, performance consistency and fund manager track record.