CAGR Calculator

Project your investment growth, align expectations with stakeholders, and set goals around financial planning and strategic growth with this CAGR (Compound Annual Growth Rate) calculator.

Track Your CAGR on Autopilot

Use our Looker Studio and Google Sheets dashboard templates, sync your finance data to automate your CAGR tracking—for free.
Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) Calculator
CAGR
10.00%
Total Growth
61.05%
Your Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) is 10.00%. This represents the average annual growth rate of your investment over the specified time period.

What is the CAGR

CAGR stands for Compound Annual Growth Rate. It measures the mean annual growth rate of an investment over a specified time period longer than one year. Unlike a simple average, CAGR accounts for the compounding effect, providing a more accurate reflection of growth over time.

  • Definition: CAGR is the rate at which an investment grows annually, assuming profits are reinvested at the end of each period.
  • Interpretations: It is used to compare the growth rates of different investments or to assess the performance of a single investment over time.
  • Benefits:
    • Provides a smoothed annual growth rate, eliminating the effects of volatility.
    • Helps in setting realistic financial goals and evaluating investment strategies.
  • Metric Type: CAGR is an effectiveness metric, as it measures growth rate compared to an objective over time.

How to calculate and analyze the CAGR?

Calculating and Analyzing CAGR

The Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) is a revenue metric that measures the mean annual growth rate of an investment over a specified time period longer than one year. It is calculated using the formula:

CAGR = (Ending Value / Beginning Value) ^ (1 / Number of Years) - 1

Metrics Composing CAGR

  • Beginning Value: The initial value of the investment or metric being analyzed. This is the starting point for growth measurement.
  • Ending Value: The final value after the growth period. It reflects the outcome of the growth process.
  • Number of Years: The total time period over which the growth is measured. It influences the annualized growth rate.

These components directly influence the CAGR by determining the scale and duration of growth. A higher ending value or a longer time period can significantly impact the CAGR.

Type of Metric

CAGR is a revenue metric, focusing on growth over time. It differs from:

  • Funnel Metrics: Such as visibility, engagement, and conversion rates, which track user interactions and conversion efficiency.
  • Cost Metrics: Like cost per lead, which measure spending efficiency.
  • Efficiency Metrics: Such as ROAS (Return on Ad Spend), which evaluate the effectiveness of spending.

Analyzing CAGR

Businesses analyze CAGR to understand growth trends and compare performance across different periods or segments. For example, a company might analyze the CAGR of its product sales over five years to assess market expansion. Data for calculating CAGR can be found in financial statements, sales reports, or investment records.

To gain deeper insights, segment the data by:

  • Time: Compare different periods to identify trends.
  • Campaign: Evaluate the impact of marketing efforts.
  • Audience: Understand growth among different customer segments.
  • Objective: Align growth with business goals.
  • Creative: Assess the effectiveness of different marketing materials.
  • Channel: Determine which distribution channels drive growth.
  • Product: Analyze growth across various product lines.

By segmenting data, businesses can identify specific areas of strength or weakness, enabling targeted strategies for improvement.

What would be considered a 'good' CAGR?

What is a 'Good' CAGR?

  • Context Matters: A 'good' CAGR is relative to your business model, market conditions, and industry standards. It's more about improvement over time than hitting a specific number.
  • Industry Benchmarks:
    • Technology: 15-25% is often considered strong.
    • Consumer Goods: 5-10% is typical.
    • Healthcare: 10-15% is common.
  • Self-Comparison: Compare your CAGR against your past performance to gauge improvement.
  • Revenue Correlation: Ensure CAGR aligns with actual revenue growth; if not, reassess its relevance to your business goals.
  • Strategic Alignment: Align CAGR with your strategic objectives, considering factors like market demand and commercial intent.

How to optimize your CAGR?

Optimizing CAGR

  • Increase Revenue: Focus on boosting sales through new product launches, expanding into new markets, or enhancing marketing strategies.
  • Cost Management: Reduce operational costs by streamlining processes, negotiating better supplier contracts, or adopting cost-effective technologies.
  • Reinvest Profits: Allocate profits back into the business to fuel growth, such as investing in R&D or expanding production capacity.
  • Extend Time Horizon: Consider longer investment periods to allow for compounding effects to take place.
  • Monitor Performance: Regularly review financial metrics and adjust strategies to ensure alignment with growth objectives.
  • Leverage Technology: Use data analytics to identify growth opportunities and optimize decision-making processes.