grossly incorrect yields

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Posted by Brian Duncombe on December 28, 2006 at 07:46:30:

I am getting grossly incorrect yields displayed on graphs for investments. I have looked at several posted messages describing similar problems where you say you will/have fixed them. I am still experiencing this kind of problem.

For instance:
BDX Beckton-Dickinson
price 01/01/2003 is 31.54
price 12/27/2006 is 70.63
3 year yield shows -1.75
gph yield shows -1.16

GLW Corning
price 01/01/2003 is 3.75
price 12/27/2006 is 19.01
3 year yield shows -59.70
gph yield shows -59.70

MRK Merck
price 01/01/2003 is 58.25
price 12/27/2006 is 43.37
3 year yield is -9.65 (maybe correct)
gph yield is 4197.78

In order to get the yields for longer periods than I have owned the stock, I enter a buy of 1 share on 1/1/2003. I know that if I change the number of shares in this transaction, the yields look somewhat better but still questionable.

As an old programmer, it looks to me like you don't handle floating point calculations carefully but that is just a guess.

If I delete the "fake" buy on 01/01/2003 then the yields look much better. Unfortunately, I am now suspicious of your numbers which I would like to rely on for buy decisions.

If there is another way to get yields based simply on closing prices, I would certainly use it.

Replies:

• Re: grossly incorrect yields Mark 14:17:11 12/28/06 (2)
  • Re: grossly incorrect yields Brian Duncombe 08:00:00 12/29/06 (0)
  • Re: grossly incorrect yields Brian Duncombe 07:54:17 12/29/06 (0)