VC & PE Glossary
What Is Residual Value?
Updated
Definition
Residual value is the estimated worth of an asset at the end of a lease, loan, or fund life — what remains after depreciation or after other cash flows are paid. In fund reporting, it often refers to remaining unrealized portfolio value.
Useful for: Founders, Investors
Residual value is the estimated remaining economic value of an asset or portfolio after a defined period — end of lease term, project life, or fund vintage — when earlier cash flows or depreciation are accounted for.
How it works
In equipment finance, lessors model residual to set payments — if a truck is worth 40% after five years, that salvage value reduces monthly lease cost. In venture fund accounting, residual value sometimes describes unrealized holdings: NAV minus distributions, i.e., what is still marked on the books pending exit. /glossary/realized-value plus residual NAV composes total value; TVPI combines both relative to paid-in capital.
Marks on residual holdings move with rounds, comparables, and GP judgment — unlike realized proceeds.
Why it matters
- Founders: Lease residual guarantees can create surprise balloon payments if asset values fall.
- Investors: LPs discount stale residual marks in aging funds; DPI proof reduces reliance on residual NAV.
- Project sponsors: Overstated residual makes projects look bankable until sale reality bites.
Common mistake
Treating fund residual NAV as cash LPs can count on tomorrow. Until realization, residual value is estimate-heavy and can markdown sharply.
Related ideas
/glossary/realized-value, /glossary/paper-gain, NAV, TVPI, and salvage value.
Related terms
- Paper Gain — A paper gain is an unrealized increase in the value of an investment on paper—marked up in a portfolio or cap table but not yet converted to cash through a sale, IPO, or secondary.
- Realized Value — Realized value is cash or stock actually returned to investors from an investment — after a sale, distribution, or secondary — as opposed to unrealized marks on still-private holdings. Fund performance metrics like DPI depend on realized value.
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Common questions
Short answers for founders, LPs, and operators