How do client cash inflows and outflows affect the calculation of holding-period returns using the time-weighted rate of return method?

When calculating holding-period returns using the time-weighted rate of return method, less frequent cash flows directly impact the number of sub-periods. The time-weighted rate of return isolates the investment manager's performance from the effects of cash flows, and it does this by breaking the investment period into sub-periods based on the timing of cash flows.

If cash flows occur less frequently, there will be fewer distinct sub-periods created within the overall time frame. For example, if an investor has a single cash flow at the beginning and another at the end, that creates just one sub-period. Conversely, if there are multiple cash flows, each one will delineate a new sub-period, resulting in more frequent cash flows leading to more sub-periods. Therefore, when cash flows are less frequent, there are indeed fewer sub-periods, which simplifies the calculation of the time-weighted rate of return.

Thus, the concept that less frequent cash flows result in fewer sub-periods is a fundamental aspect of how performance measurement is structured in this methodology.