Private Equity Return Calculator
PE net returns.
Calculate private equity net IRR and net MOIC after management fees and carried interest are deducted from your gross fund returns.
What this tool does
Net private equity returns strip management fees and carried interest from the gross multiple. Given your initial investment, the gross exit multiple (MOIC), hold period, annual management fee percentage, and carry percentage, this calculator computes your net MOIC and the implied IRR. The result shows what you actually receive after all fee deductions. Management fees and carry percentage are the primary drivers of the difference between gross and net returns. This is useful for comparing fund performance statements or modelling how different fee structures affect your take-home proceeds. The calculation assumes fees are calculated on committed capital and carried interest applies only to profits above the initial investment. Results are for educational illustration and don't account for distributions during the hold period, tax treatment, or fund-specific terms.
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Formula Used
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Disclaimer
Results are estimates for educational purposes only. They do not constitute financial advice. Consult a qualified professional before making financial decisions.
Private equity (PE) returns calculator factors in the notorious 2-and-20 fee structure: 2% annual management fee + 20% carry on profits. 1M invested at 2.5x exit multiple over 5 years = 2.5M gross. After 10% management fees and 16% carry: net 1.94x = 14% net IRR. Headline gross IRR often misleads.
Example: 100k LP investment in PE fund. Fund returns 2.5x gross MOIC over 5 years. Gross profit 150k. Management fees: 100k × 2% × 5 years = 10k. Profit after fees: 140k. Carry: 140k × 20% = 28k. Net profit: 112k. Net MOIC: 2.12x. Net IRR: 16.2% (vs gross IRR 20%). Fees consume ~25% of returns.
PE returns reality: median net IRR ~10-12% (not 20%+ marketing claims). Top quartile funds: 15-20%+ net IRR. Bottom half: 5-10% net IRR (often worse than public markets after fees). Concentration matters - good funds beat indices, mediocre funds underperform massively. Access: typically 1-10M minimum, accredited only, 10+ year lockups, J-curve (negative early years), IRR can be misleading vs MOIC. Use both metrics for proper evaluation.
Quick example
With initial investment of 100,000 and gross exit multiple of 2.5 (plus hold period of 5 years and annual management fee of 2%), the result is 16.22%. Change any figure and watch the output shift — it's often more useful to see the pattern than to memorise the formula.
Which inputs matter most
You enter Initial Investment, Gross Exit Multiple (MOIC), Hold Period (years), Annual Management Fee %, and Carry %. Not every input has equal weight. Adjusting one input at a time toward extreme values shows which ones move the result most.
What's happening under the hood
Gross profit minus management fees minus carry on net profit. Net IRR from net MOIC. The formula is listed in full below. If the number looks off, you can retrace the calculation by hand — that's the point of showing the working.
Why investors run this
Most people's intuition for compounding is wrong — not because the math is hard, but because linear thinking doesn't account for curves. Running numbers through a calculator like this one is the cheapest way to recalibrate that intuition before making an irreversible decision about contribution rate, asset mix, or retirement age.
What this doesn't capture
Steady-rate math ignores real-world volatility. Actual returns are lumpy; sequence-of-returns risk matters most in drawdown; fees and taxes drag on compound growth; and behaviour changes in drawdowns can reduce outcomes below the projection. The number represents one scenario rather than a forecast.
££100,000 at 2.5x over 5y after 2% mgmt + 20% carry = 16.22%.
Inputs
This example uses typical values for illustration. Adjust the inputs above to match a specific situation and see how the result changes.
Sources & Methodology
Methodology
The calculator computes net internal rate of return (IRR) using the net Money Multiple on Invested Capital (MOIC). It first calculates gross profit by subtracting the initial investment from the exit value derived from the gross exit multiple. Management fees are then deducted annually from the investment amount over the hold period. Carry is applied to the remaining net profit after fee deduction. The resulting net MOIC is converted to an annualized IRR using the formula (Net MOIC)^(1/n) − 1, where n equals the hold period in years. The model assumes a constant management fee rate applied each year, that all fees and carry are paid from investment proceeds, and that cash flows occur only at entry and exit. It does not account for interim distributions, partial exits, reinvestment of returns, or the impact of actual payment timing within the hold period.
References
Frequently Asked Questions
Realistic PE returns?
PE vs public markets?
MOIC vs IRR?
Access for individuals?
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