Realized yield

Realized yield

The holding-period return actually generated from an investment in a bond.

Realized Yield

The return on a bond during the time one holds the bond, usually expressed in annualized terms. The realized yield is calculated by taking the income and other gains on the bond and dividing by the historical cost. It is a useful way to compare the expected return to the actual return, though with bonds there is rarely a difference unless the bond defaults.