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Stock Return Calculator

Calculate the total return, percentage gain/loss, and annualized return (CAGR) for any stock investment. Enter your buy price, sell price, number of shares, dividends received, and brokerage fees to get the true net return after all costs. Includes break-even price calculation. All calculations run locally in your browser. No signup required.

Stock Return Calculator

Enter your buy price, sell price, number of shares, and dividends received to calculate total return, percentage gain/loss, and annualized return. Supports brokerage fees and holding period for CAGR calculation. All calculations run locally in your browser.

Shares bought and sold

Price paid per share

Price received per share

All dividends during holding

Commission on purchase

Commission on sale

Optional — for annualized return

Enter the holding period in years (e.g. 2.5 for 2 years 6 months) to calculate the annualized return (CAGR). Leave blank to calculate total return only.

Formulas Used:
  • Total Return = (Sell × Shares − Sell Fees + Dividends) − (Buy × Shares + Buy Fees)
  • Return % = Total Return ÷ Total Invested × 100
  • Annualized Return = (1 + Return%)^(1/Years) − 1
  • Break-Even Price = (Total Invested − Dividends + Sell Fees) ÷ Shares

Why Use Our Stock Return Calculator?

Complete Return Calculation with Fees & Dividends

Calculate total return including capital gain, dividends received, and brokerage fees on both buy and sell sides. The stock return calculator gives you the true net return after all costs.

Annualized Return (CAGR) Calculation

Enter the holding period in years to calculate the annualized return (CAGR). Compare investments held for different durations on an equal footing — the most useful metric for evaluating stock performance.

Secure Stock Return Calculator Online

All calculations run locally in your browser. Your buy price, sell price, and financial details are never sent to any server — complete privacy when you calculate stock returns online.

100% Free — No Signup Required

Completely free with no account, no premium tier, and no usage limits. Calculate stock returns for any investment as many times as you need.

Common Use Cases for Stock Return Calculator

Evaluating Individual Stock Performance

Calculate the exact return on any stock position — including dividends and brokerage fees — to evaluate whether the investment met your expectations and benchmark it against the market.

Comparing Multiple Stock Investments

Use the stock return calculator to compare returns across different stocks held for different periods. The annualized return (CAGR) puts all investments on an equal footing regardless of holding period.

Tax Planning — Capital Gains

Calculate the exact capital gain or loss on a stock sale for tax reporting purposes. The stock return calculator separates capital gain from dividend income, which are often taxed differently.

Portfolio Performance Review

Review the performance of each position in your portfolio at year-end or before rebalancing. Identify your best and worst performers by total return and annualized return.

Break-Even Analysis

The stock return calculator shows the break-even sell price — the minimum price at which you need to sell to cover your total cost including brokerage fees and offset by dividends received.

Investment Education & Learning

Students and new investors use the stock return calculator to understand how total return, annualized return, and dividend yield are calculated — building financial literacy through hands-on calculation.

Understanding Stock Return Calculations

What is a Stock Return Calculator?

A stock return calculator computes the total return on a stock investment, including capital gain (or loss) from price appreciation and income from dividends received. It accounts for brokerage fees on both the buy and sell sides to give you the true net return. Our stock return calculator also computes the annualized return (CAGR) when you provide the holding period — the most useful metric for comparing investments held for different durations. All calculations run locally in your browser with complete privacy.

How Our Stock Return Calculator Works

  1. 1. Enter Your Trade Details: Input the number of shares, buy price per share, and sell price per share. Optionally enter total dividends received during the holding period and brokerage fees on both the buy and sell sides.
  2. 2. Enter Holding Period (Optional): Enter the holding period in years (e.g. 2.5 for 2 years 6 months) to calculate the annualized return (CAGR). Leave blank to calculate total return and percentage gain/loss only.
  3. 3. Review Your Returns: The stock return calculator shows total return, capital gain/loss, annualized return, break-even price, and a detailed breakdown of invested amount, proceeds, dividends, and fees. All calculations run locally in your browser.

Stock Return Calculation Formulas

  • Total Return: Total Return = (Sell Price × Shares − Sell Fees + Dividends) − (Buy Price × Shares + Buy Fees). This is the net profit or loss after all costs and income.
  • Return Percentage: Return % = (Total Return ÷ Total Invested) × 100, where Total Invested = Buy Price × Shares + Buy Fees. This is the absolute percentage gain or loss on your investment.
  • Annualized Return (CAGR): Annualized Return = (1 + Return%)^(1/Years) − 1. This converts the total return into an equivalent annual rate, allowing fair comparison between investments held for different periods.
  • Break-Even Sell Price: Break-Even Price = (Total Invested − Dividends + Sell Fees) ÷ Shares. This is the minimum sell price at which you recover your total cost after accounting for dividends received and sell-side fees.

Frequently Asked Questions About Stock Return Calculator

What is a stock return calculator?

A stock return calculator computes the total return on a stock investment, including capital gain from price appreciation and income from dividends. It accounts for brokerage fees to give you the true net return. Our calculator also computes the annualized return (CAGR) when you provide the holding period.

What is the difference between total return and annualized return?

Total return is the absolute gain or loss over the entire holding period as a percentage of the amount invested. Annualized return (CAGR) converts this into an equivalent annual rate. For example, a 50% total return over 3 years equals a 14.47% annualized return — not 16.67% (50÷3), because compounding is accounted for.

How do dividends affect stock return?

Dividends are income received during the holding period and are added to the capital gain to compute total return. Including dividends gives a more accurate picture of investment performance — many high-dividend stocks show modest price appreciation but strong total returns when dividends are included.

Why should I include brokerage fees in the calculation?

Brokerage fees reduce your actual return. A stock that appears to have a 10% gain may only deliver 8–9% after fees. Including fees in the stock return calculator gives you the true net return and the accurate break-even sell price.

What is the break-even sell price?

The break-even sell price is the minimum price at which you need to sell to recover your total cost — including buy price, buy fees, and sell fees — after offsetting any dividends received. Selling above the break-even price results in a profit; selling below results in a loss.

How do I enter the holding period for fractional years?

Enter the holding period as a decimal. For example, 1 year 6 months = 1.5, 2 years 3 months = 2.25, 6 months = 0.5. The stock return calculator uses this to compute the annualized return (CAGR) using the formula: (1 + Total Return%)^(1/Years) − 1.

Is my financial data safe when using this calculator?

Absolutely. All stock return calculations run entirely in your browser. Your buy price, sell price, and financial details are never sent to any server — your data stays completely private on your device.

Is this stock return calculator completely free to use?

Yes. The stock return calculator is 100% free with no signup required, no premium tier, and no usage limits. Calculate stock returns for any investment as many times as you need, directly in your browser.