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

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A statement that summarises firm's expenses, costs, and revenues incurred during a time period. AKA income statement.
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Forward pricing

Mutual funds are traded on a forward pricing basis, meaning the price you see will be different to the price you may trade at.
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Net asset value

Mutual funds and investment trusts are priced on their net asset value (NAV).
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Over-The-Counter (OTC)

A security that is sold outside of an exchange.
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Gross Margin

The difference between a company's revenue and the cost to produce its goods/services, divided by revenue.
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Compound interest

Understand what compound interest means and how it's calculated
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OEIC

Unique to the UK, these funds pool together money to invest from multiple investors.
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Diversification

An investment strategy in which money is put into a variety assets.
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Yield

Income from an investment as a percentage of its current price.
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