Earnings yield is earnings per share from the previous four quarters divided by the share price. It is the reciprocal of the P/E ratio. The earnings yield is quoted as a percentage, which illustrates the percentage of each dollar invested that was earned by the company during the past twelve months.
The earnings yield can be used to compare the earnings of a stock, sector or the whole market against bond yields. Generally, the earnings yields of equities are higher than the yield of risk-free treasury bonds. Financial theorists argue that this difference exists because stock earnings are riskier than bond coupon payments.
If a company has an earnings yield of 64%, investors are purchasing $0.64 of earnings per dollar invested. Learn More
