Control Flow - The Java Programming Language - page 366

10.9. return
A return statement terminates execution of a method and returns to the
invoker. If the method returns no value, a simple return statement will
do:
return;
If the method has a return type, the return must include an expression of
a type that could be assigned to the return type. For example, if a meth-
od returns double , a return could have an expression that was a double ,
float , or integer:
protected double nonNegative(double val) {
if (val < 0)
return 0; // an int constant
else
return val; // a double
}
A return can also be used to exit a constructor. Since constructors do not
specify a return type, return is used without a value. Constructors are
invoked as part of the new process that, in the end, returns a reference
to a new object, but each constructor plays only a part of that role; no
constructor "returns" the final reference.