What is the Calmar Ratio?
Sharpe and Sortino measure risk as volatility. Calmar measures it differently - as the single worst peak-to-trough loss the fund actually experienced. It answers “how much did I earn, per unit of the deepest hole I’d have had to sit through?”
Calmar = CAGR / |Max Drawdown|
Higher is better - more return earned per unit of worst-case loss.
Real comparison across 6 funds
CHART
3Y Calmar Ratio - 6 real funds
Same 3-year window used for CAGR and max drawdown.
Funds compared: Canara Robeco Flexi Cap Fund - Direct Plan - Growth · Canara Robeco Large and Mid Cap Fund - Direct Plan - Growth · Bandhan Large Cap Fund - Direct Plan - Growth · Franklin India Small Cap Fund - Direct - Growth · Franklin India Large Cap Fund - Direct - Growth · Canara Robeco Infrastructure Fund - Direct Plan - Growth
WHAT THIS MEANS FOR YOU Calmar penalizes a single bad drawdown much more heavily than Sharpe does - two funds with similar Sharpe Ratios can have very different Calmar Ratios if one of them had one sharp, deep fall. Useful for investors who care specifically about “how bad could the worst stretch actually feel,” not just average volatility.
METHODOLOGY Computed over a trailing 3-year window, using the same max-drawdown figure (true peak-to-trough, not just the lowest NAV point in the window) shown on each fund’s own page. See methodology. Not investment advice.