Co-efficient of Variation Meaning and How to Use It

What Is the Co-efficient of Variation (CV)?

The co-efficient of variation (CV) is a statistical measure of the dispersion of information problems in a knowledge assortment around the suggest. The co-efficient of variation represents the ratio of the standard deviation to the suggest, and it is a useful statistic for comparing the extent of variation from one data assortment to some other, even though the process are vastly different from one some other.

Key Takeaways

  • The co-efficient of variation (CV) is a statistical measure of the relative dispersion of information problems in a knowledge assortment around the suggest.
  • It represents the ratio of the standard deviation to the suggest.
  • The CV is useful for comparing the extent of variation from one data assortment to some other, even though the process are vastly different from one some other.
  • In finance, the co-efficient of variation we could in buyers to unravel how so much volatility, or risk, is believed in comparison to the amount of return expected from investments.
  • The lower the ratio of the standard deviation to suggest return, the easier risk-return tradeoff.

Working out the Co-efficient of Variation (CV)

The co-efficient of variation shows the extent of variability of information in a trend with regards to the suggest of the population.

In finance, the co-efficient of variation we could in buyers to unravel how so much volatility, or risk, is believed in comparison to the amount of return expected from investments. Ideally, if the co-efficient of variation device should result in a lower ratio of the standard deviation to suggest return, then the easier the risk-return tradeoff.

They’re most steadily used to analyze dispersion around the suggest, alternatively quartile, quintile, or decile CVs can be utilized to seize variation around the median or 10th percentile, for instance.

The co-efficient of variation device or calculation can be used to unravel the deviation between the ancient suggest value and the existing value potency of a stock, commodity, or bond, relative to other property.

Co-efficient of Variation (CV) Approach

Below is the device for calculate the co-efficient of variation:


CV = σ μ where: σ = usual deviation μ = suggest

get started{aligned} &text{CV} = frac { sigma }{ mu } &textbf{where:} &sigma = text{usual deviation} &mu = text{suggest} end{aligned} CV=μσwhere:σ=usual deviationμ=suggest

To calculate the CV for a trend, the device is:


C V = s / x 100

CV = s/x * 100 CV=s/x100
where:
s
= trend
= suggest for the population

Multiplying the co-efficient by the use of 100 is an no longer necessary step to get a proportion relatively than a decimal.

Co-efficient of Variation (CV) in Excel

The co-efficient of variation device can be performed in Excel by the use of first using the standard deviation function for a knowledge set. Next, calculate the suggest by the use of using the Excel function provided. For the reason that co-efficient of variation is the standard deviation divided by the use of the suggest, divide the cell containing the standard deviation by the use of the cell containing the suggest.

Coefficient Of Variation (CV)

Co-efficient of Variation (CV) vs. Usual Deviation

The standard deviation is a statistic that measures the dispersion of a knowledge set relative to its suggest. It is used to unravel the spread of values in a single data set relatively than to compare different units.

After we want to read about two or additional data devices, the co-efficient of variation is used. The CV is the ratio of the standard deviation to the suggest. And because it’s unbiased of the unit all over which the size was taken, it can be used to compare data devices with different units or extensively different manner.

In brief, the standard deviation measures how some distance the typical value lies from the suggest, whilst the co-efficient of variation measures the ratio of the standard deviation to the suggest.

Advantages and Disadvantages of the Co-efficient of Variation (CV)

Advantages

The co-efficient of variation can be useful when comparing data devices with different units or extensively different manner.

That includes when the chance/reward ratio is used to make a choice investments. For instance, an investor who is risk-averse would possibly want to consider property with a historically low degree of volatility relative to the return, with regards to the full market or its business. Conversely, risk-seeking buyers would possibly look to invest in property with a historically most sensible degree of volatility.

Disadvantages

When the suggest value is on the subject of 0, the CV becomes very subtle to small changes throughout the suggest. The use of the example above, a notable flaw can also be if the anticipated return throughout the denominator is hostile or 0. In this case, the co-efficient of variation could be misleading.

If the anticipated return throughout the denominator of the co-efficient of variation device is hostile or 0, then the outcome could be misleading.

How Can the Co-efficient of Variation Be Used?

The co-efficient of variation is used in many various fields, at the side of chemistry, engineering, physics, economics, and neuroscience.

As a substitute of helping when using the chance/reward ratio to make a choice investments, it is used by economists to measure monetary inequality. Out of doors of finance, it is in most cases carried out to audit the precision of a chosen process and arrive at a in point of fact best balance.

Example of Co-efficient of Variation (CV) for Deciding on Investments

For instance, consider a risk-averse investor who must invest in an exchange-traded fund (ETF), which is a basket of securities that tracks a large market index. The investor selects the SPDR S&P 500 ETF, the Invesco QQQ ETF, and the iShares Russell 2000 ETF. Then, they analyze the ETFs’ returns and volatility all over the ultimate 15 years and assumes that the ETFs can have identical returns to their long-term averages.

For illustrative purposes, the following 15-year ancient information is used for the investor’s resolution:

  • If the SPDR S&P 500 ETF has an average annual return of 5.47% and a typical deviation of 14.68%, the SPDR S&P 500 ETF’s co-efficient of variation is 2.68.
  • If the Invesco QQQ ETF has an average annual return of 6.88% and a typical deviation of 21.31%, the QQQ’s co-efficient of variation is 3.10.
  • If the iShares Russell 2000 ETF has an average annual return of 7.16% and a typical deviation of 19.46%, the IWM’s co-efficient of variation is 2.72.

In keeping with the approximate figures, the investor might invest in each the SPDR S&P 500 ETF or the iShares Russell 2000 ETF, given that risk/reward ratios are more or less the an identical and indicate a better risk-return tradeoff than the Invesco QQQ ETF.

What does the co-efficient of variation tell us?

The co-efficient of variation (CV) indicates the scale of a typical deviation with regards to its suggest. The higher the co-efficient of variation, the simpler the dispersion degree around the suggest.

What is regarded as a superb co-efficient of variation?

That is determined by what you’re looking at and comparing. No set value can be thought to be universally “good.” Then again, most often speaking, it is steadily the case {{that a}} lower co-efficient of variation is additional attention-grabbing, as that would possibly counsel a lower spread of information values relative to the suggest.

How do I calculate the co-efficient of variation?

To calculate the co-efficient of variation, first to search out the suggest, then the sum of squares, and then resolve the standard deviation. With that information at hand, it is possible to calculate the co-efficient of variation by the use of dividing the standard deviation by the use of the suggest.

The Bottom Line

The co-efficient of variation is a simple way to read about the extent of variation from one data assortment to some other. It can be carried out to as regards to the remaining, at the side of the process of opting for suitable investments.

Maximum steadily speaking, a most sensible CV means that the gang is additional variable, whilst a low value would counsel the opposite.

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