Assets under management

Table of Contents

Assets under management
What is AUM?
Understanding AUM
Calculating AUM
AUM payment and fees
Examples of AUM
Frequently Asked Questions

Assets under management

When investing in a mutual fund, you must first comprehend a few ideas to make an informed choice. AUM, or assets under management, is one of them. AUM is a critical metric to consider when assessing a mutual fund. AUM is simply one factor considered when assessing a business or investment. It is frequently taken into account together with managerial experience and performance. But higher investment inflows and AUM comparisons are usually seen by investors as indicators of quality and management prowess.

What is AUM?

AUM in its simplest form, refers to the entire market value of assets held by a financial institution or investment adviser, whether from a single customer or a number of them. AUM comprises funds that a manager has to use in making new investments and the returns a mutual fund has earned.

AUM measures both the size and performance of a mutual fund. A rising AUM might be a sign of improved fund performance, the entrance of new investors with more money to invest, or both. A declining AUM indicates the opposite: subpar performance or a big redemption that may or may not be related to the fund’s performance.

Understanding AUM

AUM is one indicator that investors look at when assessing a portfolio manager. A higher AUM might be a sign of a manager who has shown their ability, among other factors, including experience, management performance, disciplinary history, and services supplied. Financial organisations use the value of AUM to gauge market trends by comparing them to those of their rivals as well as to their own past performance.

The AUM helps investors to analyse a fund’s performance and assess its growth potential. It also affects an investment manager’s fee structure, as fees are usually charged as a percentage of AUM.

Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) registration is required for investment advisers with more than US$25 million in AUM under their management. Less experienced advisors are permitted to register with the state securities administration.

Calculating AUM

Calculating AUM is a crucial task for investment managers. To calculate AUM, the investment manager needs to add the market value of all the assets in the fund.

A fund’s managed assets have variable values at all times. It varies based on how many investors contribute capital and the fund’s profits. The market value of investments that perform poorly, fund layoffs, and a decline in investor flows are all factors that affect AUM. AUM may include money held by investment business executives or restricted to all investor cash invested in the firm’s products.

Accurate calculation of AUM is necessary for reporting to regulatory authorities and providing transparency to investors about the portfolio’s size and composition.

AUM payment and fees

For funds and investment businesses to register with the SEC, they must meet certain AUM standards. To maintain the fairness and orderliness of the financial markets, the SEC is in charge of regulating them. Depending on several variables, including the firm’s size and location, the SEC registration threshold might range from US$25 million to US$110 million in AUM.

AUM could also have a significant role in determining how much to charge. Many investment products have pre-set percentage-of-assets-under-management management fees. Additionally, a lot of personal money managers and financial advisers bill their customers as a percentage of the overall assets they handle. This ratio often declines as AUM rises, allowing these financial experts to draw high-net-worth investors.

Examples of AUM

Let’s use the scenario of a mutual fund with a large cash position and a diverse portfolio of equities and bonds. Assume the mutual fund’s portfolio comprises US$2 billion in cash, US$1 billion in equities, US$2.5 billion in government bonds, and US$1.5 billion in corporate bonds.

The assets under management for the fund will be US47 billion in total.

Investors frequently consider a fund’s AUM since it measures the fund’s size when assessing it. Investment items with high AUMs often have high market trading volumes, which makes them more liquid and enables investors to acquire and sell the fund easily.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the role of an AMC?

AMCs, asset management companies, invest in securities using the pooled assets of investors per the declared investment goals. AMCs assist investors in managing their funds and investing them in assets and securities, keeping a diverse portfolio on their customers’ behalf. The money managers correctly do the tasks, including market analysis, asset fund allocation, portfolio development, and performance evaluation.

What is AUM in a mutual fund?

The AUM of a mutual fund is closely correlated with changes in the stock market since changes in the price of stocks or other securities affect the value of the securities that the fund is holding in its portfolio. When it involves the effectiveness and size of a particular fund, AUM is a critical metric.

How to increase mutual fund AUM?

One of the key strategies to increase mutual fund AUM is to focus on customer education and awareness. This involves creating marketing campaigns and materials that educate potential investors about the benefits of investing in mutual funds and how they can help them achieve their financial goals. Additionally, mutual fund companies can offer special promotions or discounts to incentivise investors to invest in their funds.

What is the difference between AUA and AUM?

Assets under administration, or AUA, vary from AUM because the service provider has no control over choices about asset distribution. Fund accounting, trade reporting, tax reporting, and custody are all services that asset administration companies provide.

What is the difference between AUM and NAV?

The entire value of a fund’s assets minus all of its obligations is known as NAV, or net asset value, and is frequently displayed on a per-share basis. The NAV reveals the price at which fund shares can be purchased and sold. The value of the assets handled by a person or business, as opposed to a fund, is referred to as AUM. Unlike NAV, which is reported per share, AUM refers to the entire value of managed assets.