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Holding Period Return (HPR) ⏳

When you buy a share or a bond and hold it for a few months or years, you want to know exactly how much you earned in total. The Holding Period Return (HPR) is the simplest and most common way to calculate this total percentage gain or loss.


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Capital Gain
Price Growth
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Income
Cash Flow
Holding Time
Total Period
Note

HPR does not take into account the annual rate. It only tells you the total return for the entire duration you held the asset, whether that was 10 days or 10 years.


2. Formula for HPR

The formula for Holding Period Return is:

HPR = [(Ending Price - Starting Price) + Income] / Starting Price * 100

Where:

  • Ending Price (P1): The market value at the end of the period.
  • Starting Price (P0): The initial cost of the investment.
  • Income (D): Cash received (Dividends, Interest, etc.).

3. Numerical Problems on HPR

Let's look at how to apply this formula in real-world scenarios.

Stock HPR Calculation

Starting Price (P0):₹450
Ending Price (P1):₹520
Dividend (D):₹15
Formula: [(P1 - P0) + D] / P0 * 100
Result: 18.89%

The investor gained ₹70 in price and ₹15 in dividends on an initial investment of ₹450.


Bond HPR Calculation

Purchase Price (P0):₹1,000
Market Price (P1):₹960
Interest Income (D):₹80
Formula: [(960 - 1000) + 80] / 1000 * 100
Result: 4.00%

Even though the price dropped by ₹40, the ₹80 interest income ensured a positive total return.


Comparison of Return Components

ComponentNatureImpact on HPR
Capital AppreciationPrice change (P1 - P0)Can be positive (Gain) or negative (Loss).
Current IncomeCash inflow (Dividends/Interest)Always positive or zero; adds to the return.

Summary

  • HPR measures the total return for the entire duration of an investment.
  • It combines price changes and income received.
  • The formula is (Ending - Starting + Income) / Starting.
  • HPR is independent of the time length (it can be for any period).

Quiz Time! 🎯

Test Your Knowledge

Question 1 of 4

1. Which of the following is NOT included in HPR calculation?

Starting Price
Dividends received
Taxes paid on profit
Ending Price