Determining the anticipated profitability of an investment collection involves a weighted average calculation. This calculation considers the potential returns of each individual asset within the collection, weighted by its proportion of the total investment. For instance, if a portfolio consists of 60% stocks with an anticipated return of 10% and 40% bonds with an anticipated return of 3%, the overall expected return is computed as (0.60 0.10) + (0.40 0.03) = 0.072 or 7.2%.
Estimating prospective portfolio gains provides a crucial benchmark for assessing investment suitability. It enables investors to compare different investment strategies, evaluate risk-adjusted performance, and align investment decisions with long-term financial goals. Historically, this estimation has been a cornerstone of portfolio construction, dating back to early modern portfolio theory, providing a quantitative framework for investment decision-making and risk management.