Information Ratio Calculator
Measure active return per unit of tracking error against a benchmark.
Last Updated: May 2026
Risk Return
Inputs
Information Ratio
0.5
Active Return
3.00%
Tracking Error
6.00%
Benchmark Return
9.00%
Calculation Details
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Portfolio return | 12.00% |
| Benchmark return | 9.00% |
Investment Planning Notice
Results support education and scenario analysis. They do not provide personalized investment, tax, accounting, or legal advice.
Professional Review Status
This YMYL page has internal methodology review, but no external credentialed professional review is recorded yet.
- Reliance status
- Credentialed finance review required before advice-like claims
- Required credentials
- CFP professional, CFA charterholder, CPA, licensed financial professional
- Review scope
- assumptions, amortization logic, risk language, offer-comparison language, affordability guidance, and disclosure placement
Current reviewer: Laxman Kumawat, Internal finance formula and engineering methodology reviewer (Electrical and power-system related certifications).
This page provides educational estimates, not individualized financial advice, lending advice, investment advice, or a product recommendation.
Finance credentialed review: professional reliance limit
This page provides educational estimates, not individualized financial advice, lending advice, investment advice, or a product recommendation. Results should be treated as a preliminary estimate, not a filing instruction, diagnosis, product recommendation, eligibility decision, or compliance sign-off. Required professional review: CFP professional, CFA charterholder, CPA, licensed financial professional. Source expectation: Review should cite official lender, regulator, tax, or standards-body sources when the calculator depends on external rules.
Checked by Laxman Kumawat
Information Ratio Calculator is checked for formula labels, source links, and result limits.
Laxman Kumawat, Finance & Engineering Calculator Owner. Updated May 2026. Scope: financial calculators.
Finance credentialed review: Named internal reviewer: Laxman Kumawat, Finance & Engineering Calculator Owner. External credentialed professional review is still required before this page is treated as professional advice.
Internal finance formula and engineering methodology reviewer. Review scope: calculator formulas, input labels, rate assumptions, scenario workflows, and user-facing limitations.
Credentials on file: Electrical and power-system related certifications.
Relevant review context: Professional background across engineering, sustainability, and energy-efficiency work; CalculatorWallah finance and engineering calculator owner.
Required professional credentials: CFP professional, CFA charterholder, CPA, licensed financial professional. Scope: assumptions, amortization logic, risk language, offer-comparison language, affordability guidance, and disclosure placement.
This page provides educational estimates, not individualized financial advice, lending advice, investment advice, or a product recommendation.
How to Use the Information Ratio Calculator
Step 1: Set Portfolio return
Start with portfolio return such as 12% so the information ratio calculation has the correct base.
Step 2: Complete the scenario inputs
Add benchmark return, and tracking error using the same period and quote convention as your source data.
Step 3: Review Information ratio
Read the information ratio result first, then check the supporting values to confirm the formula used the expected inputs.
Step 4: Compare against a benchmark
Compare the result with a benchmark portfolio, peer manager, risk-free rate, or the same strategy over another period.
How This Information Ratio Calculator Works
Information Ratio Calculator applies (Portfolio return - Benchmark return) / Tracking error to the values entered in the form. Percentage inputs are converted to decimals during calculation, while currency, count, and list inputs keep their displayed units.
Risk metrics require consistent return periods and matching risk measures. Annual returns should be paired with annual volatility or tracking error. The result should be read with the example inputs and formula reference below so the metric is tied to the exact scenario being modeled.
What You Need to Know
Worked Example Setup
The default setup follows the page scenario: Measure active return per unit of tracking error against a benchmark. Start with these values to check the formula, then replace each input with your own source data.
| Input | Example value | How to treat it |
|---|---|---|
| Portfolio return | 12% | Use the portfolio return from the same scenario as the other inputs. |
| Benchmark return | 9% | Use the benchmark return from the same scenario as the other inputs. |
| Tracking error | 6% | Use the tracking error from the same scenario as the other inputs. |
Formula Reference
| Metric | Formula | Use |
|---|---|---|
| Information ratio | (Portfolio return - Benchmark return) / Tracking error | Active return efficiency |
Formula Terms Explained
The formula is only useful when each term comes from the same scenario. The table below maps the fields in the calculator to the values used in the worked example.
| Formula term | Example value | How the calculator uses it |
|---|---|---|
| Portfolio return | 12% | Converted from a percentage to a decimal before the formula is applied. |
| Benchmark return | 9% | Converted from a percentage to a decimal before the formula is applied. |
| Tracking error | 6% | Converted from a percentage to a decimal before the formula is applied. |
Worked Example Walkthrough
| Step | Example detail |
|---|---|
| 1. Start with the example inputs | Portfolio return: 12%; Benchmark return: 9%; Tracking error: 6% |
| 2. Normalize the inputs | Portfolio return 12%; Benchmark return 9%; Tracking error 6% are treated as percentages and converted to decimals. |
| 3. Preserve list order | No ordered cash-flow or value list is needed for this formula. |
| 4. Apply the formula | Information ratio = (Portfolio return - Benchmark return) / Tracking error |
| 5. Interpret the output | Read the information ratio result with the supporting rows from the calculator widget before comparing it with a benchmark. |
When to Use Information Ratio Calculator
| Use case | How it helps |
|---|---|
| Portfolio review | Check whether return compensated for the risk taken. |
| Manager comparison | Compare active return, beta exposure, or downside risk across strategies. |
| Loss planning | Estimate drawdown or value-at-risk context before sizing a position. |
Interpreting Information ratio
The output evaluates return after adjusting for volatility, downside risk, benchmark behavior, beta, or potential loss.
A better risk-adjusted result means the return was more efficient for the type of risk measured, not that the strategy is risk-free.
Compare the result with a benchmark portfolio, peer manager, risk-free rate, or the same strategy over another period. Risk ratios can be distorted by short histories, stale prices, non-normal returns, or one unusually strong period.
Common Mistakes
| Mistake | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Mixed time bases | Monthly volatility and annual return must be converted before comparison. |
| Overreading one ratio | Sharpe, Sortino, Treynor, and information ratio measure different risks. |
| Ignoring tail behavior | Normal approximations can understate rare losses. |
Before You Use the Result
| Review point | What to confirm |
|---|---|
| Same-period inputs | Information ratio is easier to trust when every input uses the same time period, currency, and quote convention. |
| Benchmark selected | Compare the result with a benchmark portfolio, peer manager, risk-free rate, or the same strategy over another period. |
| Risk and cost review | Check taxes, fees, liquidity, downside risk, and data quality before treating the output as an investment decision. |
| Known limitation | Risk ratios can be distorted by short histories, stale prices, non-normal returns, or one unusually strong period. |
Keep the research moving with Sharpe Ratio Calculator, Sortino Ratio Calculator, Treynor Ratio Calculator, and Value at Risk Calculator (VaR).
Frequently Asked Questions
Related Calculators
Sharpe Ratio Calculator
Calculate Sharpe ratio from portfolio return, risk-free rate, and volatility.
Use Sharpe Ratio CalculatorSortino Ratio Calculator
Calculate Sortino ratio from portfolio return, target return, and downside deviation.
Use Sortino Ratio CalculatorTreynor Ratio Calculator
Calculate Treynor ratio from portfolio return, risk-free rate, and beta.
Use Treynor Ratio CalculatorValue at Risk Calculator (VaR)
Estimate parametric value at risk from portfolio value, volatility, confidence level, and horizon.
Use Value at Risk Calculator (VaR)Related Guides
Sources & References
- 1.SEC Investor.gov - Financial Calculators(Accessed May 2026)
- 2.Corporate Finance Institute - Investment and Finance Formulas(Accessed May 2026)
- 3.CFA Institute - Investment Foundations(Accessed May 2026)