Stock Market Help
Here is a list of common financial terms. Click on the letter that corresponds with the first letter of the financial term to get the definition.
Year Issued
The year a particular bond series was issued.
Year to Date (YTD)
Total return for a partial year. See Total Return.
Year-End Values
The market value of an account at any given year end. Used to quickly gauge year-to-year changes.
Yellow Sheets
A daily listing of bonds, prices, and market makers for corporate bonds not listed on major exchanges.
Yield
For a stock, the current yield is the annual dividend divided by the current price per share. For a mutual fund, the 4 qtr yield is the total dividends paid during the last four quarters divided by the NAV at the end of the last quarter. For a bond, the annual interest payment divided by [quantity x current price divided by 100]. For a CD, the annual interest payment divided by the face amount of the CD is the yield. It is a measure in percentage terms of how much income you can derive from the security. Of great importance to fixed income investors and of minimal importance to growth investors.
Yield Spread
Difference in yield between various bonds of equivalent time to maturity. Since time to maturity is the same, the major distinguishing variable is quality. For example, a 5-year U.S. Treasury note will have a lower current yield than a comparable 5-year corporate bond. Also called quality spread.
Yield to Call
Yield on a bond which will be called by the issuer at the first call date. Important for corporate bonds.
Yield to Maturity
Takes into account the annual dividend, current price, redemption price, and time remaining to maturity. In effect, it is the annual total return for a bond.