WorksheetFunction.Duration Method

Reference

Definition

Namespace:: Microsoft.Office.Interop.Excel

Assembly:: Microsoft.Office.Interop.Excel.dll

Important

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Returns the Macauley duration for an assumed par value of $100. Duration is defined as the weighted average of the present value of the cash flows and is used as a measure of a bond price's response to changes in yield.

public double Duration (object Arg1, object Arg2, object Arg3, object Arg4, object Arg5, object Arg6);

Public Function Duration (Arg1 As Object, Arg2 As Object, Arg3 As Object, Arg4 As Object, Arg5 As Object, Optional Arg6 As Object) As Double

Parameters

Arg1: Object

Settlement - the security's settlement date. The security settlement date is the date after the issue date when the security is traded to the buyer.

Arg2: Object

Maturity - the security's maturity date. The maturity date is the date when the security expires.

Arg3: Object

Coupon - the security's annual coupon rate.

Arg4: Object

Yld - the security's annual yield.

Arg5: Object

Frequency - the number of coupon payments per year. For annual payments, frequency = 1; for semiannual, frequency = 2; for quarterly, frequency = 4.

Arg6: Object

Basis - the type of day count basis to use.

Returns

Double

Remarks

Important: Dates should be entered by using the DATE function, or as results of other formulas or functions. For example, use DATE(2008,5,23) for the 23rd day of May, 2008. Problems can occur if dates are entered as text.

0 or omitted	US (NASD) 30/360
1	Actual/actual
2	Actual/360
3	Actual/365
4	European 30/360

Microsoft Excel stores dates as sequential serial numbers so they can be used in calculations. By default, January 1, 1900 is serial number 1, and January 1, 2008 is serial number 39448 because it is 39,448 days after January 1, 1900. Microsoft Excel for the Macintosh uses a different date system as its default.

The settlement date is the date a buyer purchases a coupon, such as a bond. The maturity date is the date when a coupon expires. For example, suppose a 30-year bond is issued on January 1, 2008, and is purchased by a buyer six months later. The issue date would be January 1, 2008, the settlement date would be July 1, 2008, and the maturity date would be January 1, 2038, which is 30 years after the January 1, 2008, issue date.

Settlement, maturity, frequency, and basis are truncated to integers.

If settlement or maturity is not a valid date, Duration returns the #VALUE! error value.

If coupon < 0 or if yld < 0, Duration returns the #NUM! error value.

If frequency is any number other than 1, 2, or 4, Duration returns the #NUM! error value.

If basis < 0 or if basis > 4, Duration returns the #NUM! error value.

If settlement ≥ maturity, Duration returns the #NUM! error value.

Applies to