Rates and Returns

Quantitative Methods

Learning Module 3: Rates of Return


Holding Period Return

\[ R = \frac{(P_1 - P_0) + I_1}{P_0} \tag{1} \]

Where:

  • \(R\): holding period return
  • \(P_1\): price at end of period \((t=1)\)
  • \(P_0\): price at beginning of period \((t=0)\)
  • \(I_1\): income received at end of period
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## Holding Period Return

$$
R = \frac{(P_1 - P_0) + I_1}{P_0} \tag{1}
$$

Where:

* $R$: holding period return
* $P_1$: price at end of period $(t=1)$
* $P_0$: price at beginning of period $(t=0)$
* $I_1$: income received at end of period

Arithmetic Mean Return

\[ \bar{R}_i = \frac{R_{i1} + R_{i2} + \cdots + R_{i,T-1} + R_{iT}}{T} = \frac{1}{T} \sum_{t=1}^{T} R_{it} \tag{2} \]

Where:

  • \(\bar{R}_i\): arithmetic mean return for asset \(i\)
  • \(R_{it}\): return in period \(t\) for asset \(i\)
  • \(T\): total number of periods
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## Arithmetic Mean Return

$$
\bar{R}_i = \frac{R_{i1} + R_{i2} + \cdots + R_{i,T-1} + R_{iT}}{T}
= \frac{1}{T} \sum_{t=1}^{T} R_{it} \tag{2}
$$

Where:

* $\bar{R}_i$: arithmetic mean return for asset $i$
* $R_{it}$: return in period $t$ for asset $i$
* $T$: total number of periods

Geometric Mean Return

\[ \bar{R}_{Gi} = \sqrt[T]{(1 + R_{i1}) \times (1 + R_{i2}) \times \cdots \times (1 + R_{i,T-1}) \times (1 + R_{iT})} - 1 \tag{3} \]

\[ \bar{R}_{Gi} = \sqrt[T]{\prod_{t=1}^{T} (1 + R_{t})} - 1 \]

Where:

  • \(\bar{R}_{Gi}\): geometric mean return for asset \(i\)
  • \(R_{it}\): return in period \(t\) for asset \(i\)
  • \(T\): total number of periods
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## Geometric Mean Return

$$
\bar{R}_{Gi}
= \sqrt[T]{(1 + R_{i1}) \times (1 + R_{i2}) \times \cdots \times (1 + R_{i,T-1}) \times (1 + R_{iT})} - 1
\tag{3}
$$


$$
\bar{R}_{Gi} = \sqrt[T]{\prod_{t=1}^{T} (1 + R_{t})} - 1
$$

Where:

* $\bar{R}_{Gi}$: geometric mean return for asset $i$
* $R_{it}$: return in period $t$ for asset $i$
* $T$: total number of periods

Harmonic Mean

\[ \bar{X}_H = \frac{n}{\sum_{i=1}^{n} (1/X_i)} \tag{4} \]

Where:

  • \(\bar{X}_H\): harmonic mean
  • \(X_i\): observation \(i\) (must be positive)
  • \(n\): number of observations
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## Harmonic Mean

$$
\bar{X}_H = \frac{n}{\sum_{i=1}^{n} (1/X_i)} \tag{4}
$$

Where:

* $\bar{X}_H$: harmonic mean
* $X_i$: observation $i$ (must be positive)
* $n$: number of observations

Money-Weighted Return (Internal Rate of Return)

\[ \sum_{t=0}^{T} \frac{CF_t}{(1 + \text{IRR})^t} = 0 \tag{5} \]

Where:

  • \(\text{IRR}\): internal rate of return (money-weighted return)
  • \(CF_t\): cash flow at time \(t\)
  • \(T\): number of periods
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## Money-Weighted Return (Internal Rate of Return)

$$
\sum_{t=0}^{T} \frac{CF_t}{(1 + \text{IRR})^t} = 0 \tag{5}
$$

Where:

* $\text{IRR}$: internal rate of return (money-weighted return)
* $CF_t$: cash flow at time $t$
* $T$: number of periods

Time-Weighted Return

\[ R_{TW} = \left[(1 + R_1) \times (1 + R_2) \times \cdots \times (1 + R_N)\right]^{1/N} - 1 \tag{6} \]

Where:

  • \(R_{TW}\): annualized time-weighted return
  • \(R_i\): time-weighted return for year \(i\)
  • \(N\): number of years
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## Time-Weighted Return

$$
R_{TW} = \left[(1 + R_1) \times (1 + R_2) \times \cdots \times (1 + R_N)\right]^{1/N} - 1 \tag{6}
$$

Where:

* $R_{TW}$: annualized time-weighted return
* $R_i$: time-weighted return for year $i$
* $N$: number of years

Present Value with Non-Annual Compounding

\[ PV = FV_N \left(1 + \frac{R_s}{m}\right)^{-mN} \tag{7} \]

Where:

  • \(PV\): present value
  • \(FV_N\): future value at time \(N\)
  • \(R_s\): quoted annual interest rate
  • \(m\): number of compounding periods per year
  • \(N\): number of years
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## Present Value with Non-Annual Compounding

$$
PV = FV_N \left(1 + \frac{R_s}{m}\right)^{-mN} \tag{7}
$$

Where:

* $PV$: present value
* $FV_N$: future value at time $N$
* $R_s$: quoted annual interest rate
* $m$: number of compounding periods per year
* $N$: number of years

Annualized Return from Period Return

\[ R_{annual} = (1 + R_{period})^{c} - 1 \tag{8} \]

Where:

  • \(R_{annual}\): annualized return
  • \(R_{period}\): return for the period
  • \(c\): number of periods in a year
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## Annualized Return from Period Return

$$
R_{annual} = (1 + R_{period})^{c} - 1 \tag{8}
$$

Where:

* $R_{annual}$: annualized return
* $R_{period}$: return for the period
* $c$: number of periods in a year

Converting Returns to Weekly

\[ R_{weekly} = (1 + R_{daily})^{5} - 1; \quad R_{weekly} = (1 + R_{annual})^{1/52} - 1 \tag{9} \]

Where:

  • \(R_{weekly}\): weekly return
  • \(R_{daily}\): daily return
  • \(R_{annual}\): annual return
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## Converting Returns to Weekly

$$
R_{weekly} = (1 + R_{daily})^{5} - 1; \quad
R_{weekly} = (1 + R_{annual})^{1/52} - 1 \tag{9}
$$

Where:

* $R_{weekly}$: weekly return
* $R_{daily}$: daily return
* $R_{annual}$: annual return

Continuously Compounded Return (associated with a holding period)

\[ r_{t,t+1} = \ln(P_{t+1}/P_t) = \ln(1 + R_{t,t+1}) \tag{10} \]

Where:

  • here we are using \(r\) to refer specifically to continuously compounded returns
  • \(r_{t,t+1}\): continuously compounded return from \(t\) to \(t+1\)
  • \(P_{t+1}\): price at time \(t+1\)
  • \(P_t\): price at time \(t\)
  • \(R_{t,t+1}\):
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## Continuously Compounded Return (associated with a holding period)

$$
r_{t,t+1} = \ln(P_{t+1}/P_t) = \ln(1 + R_{t,t+1}) \tag{10}
$$


Where:

* here we are using $r$ to refer specifically to continuously compounded returns
* $r_{t,t+1}$: continuously compounded return from $t$ to $t+1$
* $P_{t+1}$: price at time $t+1$
* $P_t$: price at time $t$
* $R_{t,t+1}$:

Continuously Compounded Return (Multi-Period)

\[ r_{0,T} = \ln(P_T/P_0) \tag{11} \]

Where:

  • \(r_{0,T}\): continuously compounded return from time \(0\) to \(T\)
  • \(P_T\): price at time \(T\)
  • \(P_0\): price at time \(0\)
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## Continuously Compounded Return (Multi-Period)

$$
r_{0,T} = \ln(P_T/P_0) \tag{11}
$$

Where:

* $r_{0,T}$: continuously compounded return from time $0$ to $T$
* $P_T$: price at time $T$
* $P_0$: price at time $0$

Price Relatives Product

\[ P_T/P_0 = (P_T/P_{T-1})(P_{T-1}/P_{T-2}) \ldots (P_1/P_0) \tag{12} \]

Where:

  • \(P_T/P_0\): product of price relatives
  • \(P_T\): price at time \(T\)
  • \(P_0\): price at time \(0\)
  • \(P_t\): price at time \(t\)
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## Price Relatives Product

$$
P_T/P_0 = (P_T/P_{T-1})(P_{T-1}/P_{T-2}) \ldots (P_1/P_0) \tag{12}
$$


Where:

* $P_T/P_0$: product of price relatives
* $P_T$: price at time $T$
* $P_0$: price at time $0$
* $P_t$: price at time $t$

Sum of Continuously Compounded Returns

\[ r_{0,T} = r_{T-1,T} + r_{T-2,T-1} + \ldots + r_{0,1} \tag{13} \]

Where:

  • \(r_{0,T}\): continuously compounded return from time \(0\) to \(T\)
  • \(r_{T,T+1}\):
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## Sum of Continuously Compounded Returns

$$
r_{0,T} = r_{T-1,T} + r_{T-2,T-1} + \ldots + r_{0,1} \tag{13}
$$


Where:

* $r_{0,T}$: continuously compounded return from time $0$ to $T$
* $r_{T,T+1}$: 

Real Return

\[ (1 + \text{real return}) = (1 + \text{real risk-free rate})(1 + \text{risk premium}) \tag{14} \]

Where:

  • \(1 + \text{real return}\): the real risk-free return and the risk premium combined
  • \(\text{real risk-free rate}\):
  • \(\text{risk premium}\):
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## Real Return

$$
(1 + \text{real return}) = (1 + \text{real risk-free rate})(1 + \text{risk premium}) \tag{14}
$$

Where:

* $1 + \text{real return}$: the real risk-free return and the risk premium combined
* $\text{real risk-free rate}$: 
* $\text{risk premium}$: 

Leveraged Return

\[ R_L = \frac{\text{Portfolio return}}{\text{Portfolio equity}} = \frac{[R_p \times (V_E + V_B) - (V_B \times r_D)]}{V_E} = R_p + \frac{V_B}{V_E}(R_p - r_D) \tag{15} \]

\[ R_L = R_p + \frac{V_B}{V_E}(R_p - r_D) \]

Where:

  • \(R_L\): leveraged portfolio return
  • \(R_p\): total investment return on leveraged portfolio
  • \(V_B\): debt or borrowed funds
  • \(V_E\): equity of the portfolio
  • \(r_D\): borrowing cost on debt
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## Leveraged Return

$$
R_L
= \frac{\text{Portfolio return}}{\text{Portfolio equity}}
= \frac{[R_p \times (V_E + V_B) - (V_B \times r_D)]}{V_E}
= R_p + \frac{V_B}{V_E}(R_p - r_D)
\tag{15}
$$

$$
R_L = R_p + \frac{V_B}{V_E}(R_p - r_D)
$$

Where:

* $R_L$: leveraged portfolio return
* $R_p$: total investment return on leveraged portfolio
* $V_B$: debt or borrowed funds
* $V_E$: equity of the portfolio
* $r_D$: borrowing cost on debt

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