DURATION

• How to use DURATION formula?
• Examples of using DURATION formula
• DURATION formula not working?
• Similar formulas to DURATION

Usage

Use the DURATION formula with the syntax shown below, it has 5 required parameters and 1 optional parameter:

=DURATION(settlement, maturity, rate, yield, frequency, [day_count_convention]) .

1. settlement (required):
   The settlement date of the security, represented as a date or a reference to a cell containing a date.
2. maturity (required):
   The maturity date of the security, represented as a date or a reference to a cell containing a date.
3. rate (required):
   The annual coupon rate of the security as a percentage, represented as a decimal or a reference to a cell containing a decimal.
4. yield (required):
   The annual yield of the security as a percentage, represented as a decimal or a reference to a cell containing a decimal.
5. frequency (required):
   The number of coupon payments per year, represented as a number or a reference to a cell containing a number.
6. day_count_convention (optional):
   Optional. The day count convention to use when calculating the time between settlement and maturity. If omitted, the function uses the actual number of days between the two dates.

Examples

Calculating bond duration

Investors can use the DURATION function to calculate the Macauley duration of a bond, which can help them to assess the sensitivity of the bond's price to changes in interest rates.

Comparing bond investments

By comparing the Macauley durations of different bonds, investors can assess which bonds are more sensitive to changes in interest rates and make more informed investment decisions.

Assessing interest rate risk

Investors can use the Macauley duration of a bond to assess the risk of changes in interest rates affecting their investment returns, and to adjust their portfolios accordingly.

Common Mistakes

Incorrect date format

One common mistake when using the DURATION function is entering the settlement and maturity dates in the wrong format. Make sure the dates are entered as valid dates in a recognized format.

Missing arguments

Another common mistake is leaving out required arguments or entering them in the wrong order. Double-check that all required arguments are included and that they are in the correct order.

Related Formulas

The following functions are similar to DURATION or are often used with it in a formula:

• PRICE

  The PRICE function calculates the price per $100 face value of a security that pays periodic interest. It is commonly used to determine the current value of a bond. The function takes the settlement date, maturity date, annual coupon rate, yield, redemption value, and frequency of coupon payments as input. It returns the price of the security, which is the sum of the present value of the coupon payments and the present value of the redemption value.

• YIELD

  The YIELD function calculates the yield of a security that pays periodic interest. The yield is the annualized percentage rate returned on the bond, assuming the bond is held until maturity. This function is commonly used in finance and investment analysis.

• COUPNUM

  The COUPNUM formula calculates the number of coupons payable between the settlement date and maturity date of a security. This formula is commonly used in financial analysis to determine the amount of interest income earned on a bond or other fixed income security.

• COUPDAYBS

  The COUPDAYBS function calculates the number of days from the beginning of the coupon period to the settlement date for a security that pays periodic interest. It is commonly used in financial calculations to determine the accrued interest between the last coupon payment and the settlement date.

Learn More

You can learn more about the DURATION Google Sheets function on Google Support.