Alpha

    Jensen's Alpha

    Risk & Portfolio

    Excess return of an investment relative to its expected return based on risk (beta). Measures manager skill.

    Formula

    Alpha = Actual Return - [Rf + β × (Market Return - Rf)]

    Why it matters

    Positive alpha indicates outperformance vs benchmark. Consistent alpha is rare and valuable. Most active funds fail to generate alpha after fees.

    Indian example

    Related terms