Returns

Yield on Cost

The annual dividend income of an investment divided by its original purchase price.

Formula

Yield on Cost = Current Annual Cash Dividend / Original Cost Basis

Yield on Cost (YOC) highlights the power of dividend growth over long horizons. If you purchase a stock for $100 and it pays a $3 dividend, your yield is 3%. If, ten years later, the company has grown and now pays a $10 dividend, your *Yield on Cost* is 10%, even if the current market price implies a lower trailing yield.

For long-term dividend growth investors, YOC serves as an emotional anchor demonstrating how powerful compounding cash-flow operations can become.

On StressTest.pro, the Income Simulation tool models how your yield on cost scales over a decade assuming natural historical dividend hikes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Yield on Cost a useful metric for decision-making today?

No. Yield on cost is purely a backward-looking emotional metric. You should always make current buy/sell decisions based on the current market value and opportunity cost, not the original price you paid.

See Yield on Cost in Action

Run a real backtest on any stock or ETF to see Yield on Cost computed live from 10 years of data.

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Disclaimer

The information provided by StressTest.pro is for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. Investment involves risk, including possible loss of principal. Past performance is not indicative of future results. Calculations are based on historical data and statistical approximations.