Stock Return Calculator: Formula and Examples
Calculate a stock position’s profit and total return including dividends and transaction fees.
How the calculation works
Purchase cost includes the share purchase price and purchase fees. Cash dividends are added once and are not reinvested. No taxes or annualization are included.
Stock Return formula
Return = (sale proceeds + dividends − selling fees − purchase cost) ÷ purchase cost × 100.
Worked example
Buying 100 shares at $100 and selling at $120, with $2 dividends per share and $5 fees on each trade, produces $2,190 profit.
Inputs, assumptions, and interpretation
Amounts and rates apply only to the defined scenario. For projections, returns remain constant and timing follows the selected input. Taxes, market variability, and unentered costs are excluded.
Displayed values are rounded, while calculations use unrounded numbers. The charts show modeled values rather than historical performance. For background, see Investor.gov introduction to investment returns.
Frequently asked questions
Does this result predict future returns?
No. The calculation summarizes the values entered. An illustrative chart or a historical return is not a forecast.
Why might an actual statement differ?
Actual payment dates, compounding conventions, changing returns, fees, tax treatment, and account rules can differ from a simplified projection.
How should I interpret a negative result?
A negative return indicates that ending proceeds or value were below the investment cost under the entered scenario.