I track my percentage return from dividends as a percentage. Stock prices changes and so, the percentage changes. I track the earnings percentage in two columns; one for my purchase price and one for the rate at the current day's price. Weirdly, I view my dividend annual interest rate differently, depending on whether the stock price is up or down. For example, I bought CVX at $136 last June when the rate was 5%. At today's price ($176.90), the rate is 3.87%. I still "think" that my "original" money is earning 5%. On the other hand, I bought RA at $21.18, now at $13.02 but I "think" that my earnings rate is 6.69%, even though someone buying today would be earning 10.88% per year. My original RA investment, much of it lost, is earning at the lower rate. Should I be thinking of things differently? It doesn't seem to make much sense to use both the "my cost" rate and the "current price rate, depending on whether I "won" or "lost" on the original purchase price.