Understanding how much a bond truly earns over its lifetime is a fundamental part of fixed-income investing. The YIELD  function in Excel...

In finance, Net Present Value (NPV) helps determine the value of an investment by discounting future cash flows to their present value. However, standard NPV functions like NPV assume equally spaced cash flows, which isn't always realistic. Enter Excel’s XNPV function—designed to calculate the present value of cash flows that happen at irregular intervals, using actual calendar dates.

U.S. Treasury Bills (T-bills) are among the safest and most liquid short-term investments. Since they’re sold at a discount and mature at face value, investors don’t receive interest payments—they profit from the difference between the purchase price and redemption value. To understand the return on investment, Excel provides the TBILLYIELD function, which helps calculate the annualized yield of a T-bill based on its price.

In fixed-income investing, Treasury bills (T-bills) are one of the most common short-term government securities. They are zero-coupon instruments, sold at a discount and redeemed at face value. While the discount rate is traditionally used to quote yields on T-bills, it's not directly comparable to bond-equivalent yields used for other instruments. That's where Excel's TBILLEQ function becomes essential.

In the world of fixed-income investing, discount instruments like Treasury bills and commercial paper are sold below face value and mature at full par. To calculate the maturity amount for such investments, Excel offers the RECEIVED function—a simple yet powerful tool for financial professionals, investors, and analysts. This article explains how to use the RECEIVED function, where it applies, and how it supports financial modeling for short-term investments.

In traditional bond structures, interest is paid periodically (e.g., semiannually). However, some bonds—such as short-term notes, certificates of deposit, or zero-coupon instruments with accrued interest—pay interest only at maturity. Excel’s PRICEMAT function is designed specifically to calculate the price per $100 face value of such instruments. This article walks through the PRICEMAT function, detailing its structure, use cases, and financial modeling insights.

In fixed-income analysis, not all securities pay periodic interest. Instruments like Treasury bills, commercial paper, and zero-coupon bonds are issued at a discount and redeemed at full face value. To determine their price based on a given discount rate, Excel provides the PRICEDISC function. This article explores the PRICEDISC function from a professional finance perspective, including its purpose, structure, usage examples, and best practices.

In financial analysis, especially when dealing with fixed-income securities, accurately calculating the price of a bond is essential. Excel’s PRICE function is a built-in tool designed for this purpose—it computes the price per $100 face value of a bond, given expected yield, maturity, and coupon rate. This article provides a detailed overview of t

Excel uses various symbolic operators to perform calculations, define references, combine values, and control logic. Understanding these symbols is essential for writing effective formulas and debugging spreadsheet issues.

The INDEX function is one of Excel’s most powerful and versatile tools, especially when working with structured data. Whether you're just starting or looking to level up your spreadsheet game, mastering INDEX can significantly improve your data analysis skills.

The IFERROR function is a built-in Excel tool designed to catch errors in formulas and replace them with a custom result — often a blank cell, a message, or a calculated alternative. It helps you control what your audience sees, maintaining a clean presentation even when underlying formulas produce errors.