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Yield on Cost Calculator
Current yield tells you what new money would earn. Yield on cost tells you what your money, invested at your price, actually earns now and in the future.
| Year | Dividend / share | Annual income | Yield on cost |
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Yield on cost FAQ
What is yield on cost?
Yield on cost (YOC) is your current annual dividend income divided by what you originally paid for the position, not its current market value. It measures what your own money earns today after years of dividend growth.
Why is yield on cost useful?
It shows the reward for holding dividend growers. A stock bought at a 3% yield that has doubled its payout gives you a 6% yield on cost: your original dollars now earn twice what new dollars would.
What is the difference between yield and yield on cost?
Current yield uses today's price and answers "what would new money earn?". Yield on cost uses your purchase price and answers "what is my money earning?". Both are valid; they answer different questions.
Can yield on cost be misleading?
It can flatter a position: a high YOC does not mean the stock is still the best use of that capital today. Compare against what the same dollars could earn elsewhere at current yields.