About the Stock Return Calculator
This stock return calculator shows exactly how much you made or lost on a stock position. Enter the number of shares, your buy price, the current or sale price, the dividends received per share and any trading fees, and it returns your total dollar return, the percentage return on your cost basis, and the annualized return for the time you held the shares.
It is useful for reviewing a closed trade, checking an open position against a target, or comparing a holding with an index fund. Total return matters because dividends can make up a large share of what long-term shareholders earn — a stock that went nowhere on price may still have paid you well.
Commissions are added to your cost basis and deducted from sale proceeds, matching how brokers report realized gains. The annualized figure is a compound annual growth rate, which lets you compare holdings kept for different lengths of time. Taxes are not included; use the capital gains tax calculator for that step.
With the default inputs, the total return is $2,550.00. Change any value above to recalculate instantly.
How to use the stock return calculator
- 1Enter how many shares you bought and the price you paid per share.
- 2Enter the price you sold at, or today’s price for an open position.
- 3Add the total dividends you received per share during the holding period.
- 4Include any buy and sell commissions your broker charged.
- 5Enter how long you held the shares to see the annualized return.
Formula and method
Your cost basis is what you paid for the shares plus the buy commission. The capital gain is the market value of the shares minus the sell commission minus that cost basis, and dividends received per share are added on top to give the total return. Dividing the total return by the cost basis gives the percentage return for the whole holding period.
The annualized return converts that total into a compound yearly rate: (1 + total return)^(1 ÷ years) − 1. This is the figure to compare against an index or a savings rate. Dividends are treated as cash received, not reinvested; reinvesting them would raise the total return slightly in a rising market.
- Shares
- Number of shares held
- Buy / Sell
- Price per share at purchase and at sale (or today)
- Dividends
- Total dividends received per share
- years
- Holding period in years
Worked examples
100 shares from $50 to $72 with dividends
Buying 100 shares at $50 costs $5,000. At $72 they are worth $7,200, a $2,200 price gain, and $3.50 of dividends per share adds $350, for a total return of $2,550 or 51%. Held for three years, that is 1.51^(1/3) − 1 ≈ 14.73% a year.
A losing position with fees
The cost basis is 200 × $30 + $10 = $6,010, and selling at $25 nets $5,000 − $10 = $4,990 — a $1,020 capital loss. Dividends of $160 soften that to an $860 total loss, or −14.31%, which is about −7.43% a year over two years.
Quick 50% gain in six months
Fifty shares bought for $6,000 and sold for $9,000 return $3,000, or 50%. Annualized over half a year the figure is 1.5² − 1 = 125%, which shows how annualizing short holdings magnifies the result.
Frequently asked questions
How do I calculate the return on a stock?+
Subtract what you paid (including commissions) from what the shares are worth or sold for, add any dividends received, and divide by what you paid. For example, $5,000 invested that becomes $7,200 plus $350 of dividends is a $2,550 gain, or 51%.
Should dividends be included in stock returns?+
Yes. Total return includes both price change and dividends, and it is the standard way fund and index performance is reported. Leaving dividends out understates how well income-paying stocks have done, sometimes by a wide margin over long periods.
What is annualized return?+
Annualized return is the constant yearly rate that would turn your starting value into your ending value over the holding period, also called CAGR. It lets you compare a 51% gain over three years with a 30% gain over two years on equal terms.
Are commissions part of the cost basis?+
In the US, purchase commissions are added to your cost basis and sale commissions reduce the amount realized, which is how brokers report gains on Form 1099-B. Many brokers now charge no commission on stock trades, in which case enter zero.
Does this calculator include taxes?+
No. It shows pre-tax returns. Short-term and long-term capital gains and qualified dividends are taxed differently, so use a capital gains tax calculator to estimate what you keep after tax.
Results are estimates for educational purposes and are not financial advice. Rates, fees and terms vary — confirm with your lender or a licensed advisor before making decisions.