jaaropjaarwaarde

Jaaropjaarwaarde is a term in Dutch statistics and finance for the value that expresses how a variable has changed compared with the previous year. It is most commonly presented as a year-on-year percentage change (growth or decline), but can also be shown as the simple difference between two consecutive yearly values.

Calculation typically uses the formula: [(Value in year t − Value in year t−1) / Value in year t−1] × 100%, yielding a percent change. In some contexts, especially for quick reporting, the difference in absolute terms (Value in year t − Value in year t−1) may be used instead of a percentage. The concept applies to any annual metric, such as revenue, inflation, GDP, employment, population, or energy consumption.

Applications of jaaropjaarwaarde include monitoring long-term trends, benchmarking performance across periods, and indexing figures for wages, pensions, or social benefits where year-to-year changes are relevant. It helps analysts and decision-makers assess whether a variable is accelerating or decelerating in growth, while controlling for the base level of the previous year.

Limitations should be considered: year-on-year figures can be affected by base effects, data revisions, changes in measurement methods, or seasonal patterns in certain series. YoY figures are most informative when used alongside other indicators, such as quarter-on-quarter changes, longer-term trend analyses, or underlying structural factors.

See also: year-over-year (YoY), growth rate, index, inflation rate.