Difference Between Sharpe Ratio vs Treynor Ratio in Mutual Funds

What is the Sharpe Ratio in Mutual Funds?

What is the Treynor Ratio in Mutual Funds?

Key Differences Between Sharpe Ratio and Treynor Ratio

Although both metrics are used to measure the risk and return of an investment, understanding their differences is necessary. The table below elaborates the key differences between them:

Parameter Sharpe Ratio Treynor Ratio
Volatility Focus Considers total risk, including systematic and unsystematic components, measured by standard deviation. Focuses only on downside risk, tied to market fluctuations and captured through beta.
Application Suitable for comparing investments of varying types, including individual assets and entire portfolios. Best for evaluating diversified portfolios that have minimised unsystematic risk.
Risk Type Includes all sources of risk, providing a holistic view of investment performance. It considers only market risk, assuming non-systematic risks are diversified away.
Use Case It helps investors assess how efficiently an investment balances risk and reward. Highlights how well a portfolio's market exposure is managed to generate returns.
Key Assumption Assumes that returns follow a normal distribution, which may not align with all market conditions. Assumes portfolios are diversified, eliminating the impact of unsystematic risks.
Calculation Basis It uses standard deviation to capture volatility and risk levels. It relies on beta to gauge a portfolio's sensitivity to market movements.
Interpretation A higher ratio indicates better risk-adjusted returns, considering all risk factors. A higher ratio suggests efficient market risk-adjusted performance.
Suitability It is useful for investments where total risk needs to be evaluated, including mutual funds and individual stocks. Ideal for portfolios focused on market trends and systematic risk exposure.
What does it measure? The Sharpe ratio measures the risk-adjusted return of an investment. The Treynor ratio measures how well an investment compensates for the risk it takes.

Limitations of Sharpe Ratio and Treynor Ratio

Knowing about the drawbacks of the Sharpe and Treynor ratios is essential before making the choice. The table below talks about the disadvantages of both ratios:

Limitations Sharpe Ratio Treynor Ratio
Impact of Outliers Highly susceptible to extreme values in returns that can skew the ratio and conclusions. It is not too sensitive to outliers but may misconstrue risk if beta is not a good indicator.
Portfolio Context Assumes that all risks are relevant but inappropriate for well-diversified portfolios. It is not helpful for portfolios whose unsystematic risks dominate or are not as diversified.
Short-term analysis It is inappropriate for short-term investment because of its focus on long-term risk and return relationships. May miss the subtleties of short-term market movements and changes in beta.
Risk-Free Rate Dependence Highly sensitive to the choice of the risk-free rate, which can differ for geography and time. It has a similar dependence on the risk-free rate but can emphasise market correlations a bit too much.
Interpretation Complexity Interpreting becomes senseless in unstable markets with unpredictable patterns. It simplifies risk assessment, but other aspects of risk are neglected, resulting in an incomplete view.

Sharpe Ratio vs Treynor Ratio - Which One You Can Use?

The Sharpe Ratio and the Treynor Ratio are both popular metrics used for evaluation. It helps analyse the risk-adjusted performance of an investment portfolio. While they both help investors assess returns, they measure risk differently.

1. Risk Measurement

The risk management aspect is essential for the two. The Sharpe ratio measures systematic and unsystematic risks, while the Treynor ratio focuses only on market risk.

2. Risk Tolerance

Investors with broad risk tolerance and who evaluate total risk efficiency should use the Sharpe ratio since it considers all aspects of risk. This implies that the risk tolerance for the Sharpe ratio is relatively high.

3. Investment Strategy

Investors utilising strategies based on market risk exposure would benefit from the information offered by the Treynor ratio. It provides systematic risk-adjusted returns.

FAQs about Sharpe Ratio vs Treynor Ratio

What are the differences between the Sharpe and Treynor ratios when dealing with unsystematic risk?

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The Sharpe ratio treats total risk since the standard deviation includes it. However, the Treynor ratio accounts for only systematic risk by focusing on beta.

What would be the conditions whereby the Sharpe ratio gives poorer results than the Treynor ratio?

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The Sharpe ratio may capture that added volatility if the portfolio has high unsystematic risk. Thus, it may overestimate an investment's risk.

Can the Sharpe and Treynor ratios provide conflicting opinions on the same portfolio?

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Yes, a portfolio can have a high Sharpe ratio and a lower Treynor ratio. The Sharpe ratio accounts for systematic and unsystematic risks, while the Treynor ratio only considers market risk.

How do Sharpe and Treynor ratios perform when evaluating portfolios with non-normal return distributions?

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Both of these ratios assume a normal distribution of returns. If the returns are skewed, the ratios might not be accurate and are subject to misinterpretation.

What does using standard deviation instead of beta mean in Sharpe and Treynor ratios?

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The standard deviation measures total volatility, considering the general and specific risks. Beta measures portfolio sensitivity solely based on systematic risk.

How does the Sharpe and Treynor ratio explain leverage in a portfolio?

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Leverage increases the volatility and beta of a portfolio. The Sharpe ratio would decline because of the higher standard deviation. However, the Treynor ratio would not change if the return increase is proportionate to the increase in beta.

How do the Sharpe ratios and Treynor ratios influence portfolio management strategies?

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The Sharpe ratio would minimise managers' total volatility, which includes unsystematic risk. The Treynor ratio encourages strategies that optimise return relative to the market risk. It might be indifferent to unsystematic factors.

How would Sharpe and Treynor ratios interact with derivatives or alternative investment portfolios?

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Derivatives would alter a portfolio's risk profile and, by extension, the standard deviation and beta. The Sharpe ratio could capture additional total risk, while the Treynor ratio measures the change in exposure to market risk.

How do the Sharpe and Treynor ratios deal with currency risk in the international portfolio?

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A higher standard deviation would mean the Sharpe Ratio will pick this up. At the same time, the Treynor ratio will not be as long as the currency does not heavily influence beta compared to the market for that portfolio.

Do Sharpe and Treynor ratios have a practical use for the portfolio's illiquid or infrequently priced assets?

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Yes, the illiquidity of assets can cause stale pricing, which may underestimate volatility. This leads to inflated Sharpe or Treynor ratios and misrepresents the actual performance.

How might the Sharpe and Treynor ratios' assessments change during market turmoil or financial crises?

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These relationships are typically stronger during crisis periods, increasing systematic risk. The Treynor ratio will be lower with increasing beta. Even the Sharpe ratio is likely lower if total volatility rises, thus resulting in greater risk.

How do Sharpe and Treynor ratios help to compare active vs passive fund management performance?

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Actively managed funds aim to outperform the market, potentially exhibiting higher volatility. The Sharpe ratio assesses their performance considering total risk.

Meanwhile, the Treynor ratio evaluates returns relative to market risk.

What is a good Sharpe ratio?

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A good Sharpe ratio usually exceeds 1, indicating favourable risk-adjusted returns. A ratio above 2 is considered very good, and above 3 is considered excellent.

How to calculate the Treynor ratio?

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The Treynor ratio is calculated by dividing a portfolio's excess return by its beta. The formula for the Treynor ratio is:

Treynor Ratio = (Rp - Rf) ÷ βp

How to calculate the Sharpe ratio?

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The Sharpe ratio is calculated by dividing the portfolio's excess return by its standard deviation. The Formula for the Sharpe ratio is:

Sharpe Ratio= (R(p)-R(f))/SD

What do the Sharpe ratio and the Treynor ratio measure?

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The Sharpe ratio measures risk-adjusted returns considering total risk, while the Treynor ratio measures only market risk.

Disclaimer

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  • This is an informative article provided on 'as is' basis for awareness purpose only and not intended as a professional advice. The content of the article is derived from various open sources across the Internet. Digit Life Insurance is not promoting or recommending any aspect in the article or its correctness. Please verify the information and your requirement before taking any decisions.
  • All the figures reflected in the article are for illustrative purposes. The premium for Coverage that one buys depends on various factors including customer requirements, eligibility, age, demography, insurance provider, product, coverage amount, term and other factors
  • Tax Benefits, if applicable depend on the Tax Regime opted by the individual and the applicable tax provision. Please consult your Tax consultant before making any decision.

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