Question

A stock had returns of 15.51 percent, 22.47 percent, −8.68 percent, and 9.43 percent over four of the past five years. The arithmetic average return over the five years was 12.71 percent. What was the stock return for the missing year?

Answer 1

Answer:

24.82%

Explanation:

Arithmetic average = sum of observations / number of observations

Let x = the stock return for year 5

12.71 % = (15.51% + 22.47%  −8.68% + 9.43 + x) /5

Multiply both sides by 5

63.55% =  (5.51% + 22.47%  −8.68% + 9.43 + x)

63.55% = 38.73% + x

x =  63.55% - 38.73% = 24.82%