Yield to maturity

What is yield to maturity and why is it useful?

Yield to Maturity (YTM) calculates the annualised return you would get on a bond if you held it until its redemption date.  It’s a handy way to compare different bonds, as it lets you see which bond might give the highest return over time, taking into account all aspects of the bond, like its price, maturity date, and face value.

You might buy the bond at a price that’s different from its face value. When the price is less than its face value, the bond is trading at a “discount”. When it’s more than its face value, it’s trading at a “premium”.

If you’re buying a bond with a maturity less than or more than a year, remember that YTM is an annualised figure. So, for example, if you have a 28-day UK Treasury Bill, you will get the annualised YTM, but only for the 28 day period between when you buy it and it matures.

More terms

Quick ratio

Learn what quick ratio stands for in financial terms and how to calculate it.
Read more

Dirty price

The total price payable on the purchase of a gilt. It’s calculated as the clean price plus accrued interest.
Read more

Gilt

What is a gilt?
Read more

Know Your Customer (KYC)

A legal requirement for financial firms to understand exactly who their customers are. Used to prevent money laundering and terrorist financing.
Read more

Venture Capital Trust (VCT)

A listed company run by a fund manager, investing mainly in private companies.e.
Read more

DMO

The United Kingdom Debt Management Office. It’s an executive agency responsible for managing the government’s debt and cash needs, primarily through issuing gilts and Treasury bills.
Read more

Oligopoly

A situation in which a market or industry is controlled by a small group of companies.
Read more

Fundamentals

The data or information that is likely to impact a company's stock price.
Read more

Key Information Document (KID)

A document issued by an investment fund to help investors determine if it's the right fund for them.
Read more

You’re just minutes away from commission-free investing

When you invest, your capital is at risk