PICKUP

A gain made by selling one bond and buying another. When market interest rates change, bond yields change. If the new interest rates are higher than the old rates, investors can achieve a better yield, or pickup, by selling their old bonds and buying new ones that have the same level of risk. However, if interest rates are steady, or declining, the only way to achieve a pickup is to buy existing, higher interest-rate bonds at a premium or to buy higher-risk bonds that carry a higher yield. Thus, a pickup strategy may entail cost or risk.