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L.4 · BEGINNER · 2 MIN

NAV, Premiums, and Discounts

NAV (Net Asset Value) is the true value of an ETF's underlying holdings per share. The market price can differ from NAV, creating premiums or discounts.

Quiz · 5 questions ↓
§ 01
ScenarioPrice vs NAVCommon In
PremiumPrice > NAV (you pay more than holdings are worth)Popular ETFs during market euphoria
At NAVPrice = NAV (fair value)Most liquid ETFs most of the time
DiscountPrice < NAV (you pay less than holdings are worth)Bond ETFs during market stress
§ 02

For liquid US equity ETFs, the gap is usually under 0.1% thanks to Authorized Participants who arbitrage away differences. Bond and international ETFs can have larger gaps.

§ 03
Check an ETF's current price versus its NAV. The premium/discount tells you if you are getting a fair deal.
§ 04

Never buy an ETF trading at a significant premium to NAV. You are paying more than the underlying stocks are worth. Wait for the gap to close.

§ 05
An ETF trades at $101 but its NAV (calculated from underlying holdings) is $100. A 1% premium. What's going on and what does it mean?
Five questions · AI feedback

Sit with the ideas.

An ETF has a NAV of $100 but trades at $98. What is this called?

Why:
See it on a real ticker →