The difference between the Holding period return and Annualized return is ... Holding period return is how long one holds a investment and Annualized return is how much one has made in a year. Holding period return is how much one has made over the time one held the investment and Annualized return is how much one has made in per year. Holding period return is how long does one has to hold to get a return and Annualized return is how long does it take to get the original money back. Holding period return is how much one has made so far on an investment and Annualized return is how many years does it take to get a similar return