Stock Return Calculator
Stock Return Calculator
Introduction
The Stock Return Calculator calculates your total return from a stock investment, factoring in the purchase price, selling price, any dividends received, and the number of shares held. It gives a more complete return picture than just looking at price appreciation alone.
How to Use
Enter the following details:
- Purchase Price per Share: The price you paid per share when buying.
- Selling Price per Share: The price you sold (or the current price) per share.
- Dividends Received (Optional): Total dividend income received per share or in total, if any.
- Number of Shares (Optional): The number of shares held, used to calculate total rupee/dollar gain in addition to percentage return.
Click "Calculate Return" to see your total return percentage and, if you entered the number of shares, your total profit or loss amount.
Formula/Methodology
Total Return (%) = [(Selling Price − Purchase Price + Dividends) ÷ Purchase Price] × 100
If Number of Shares is entered: Total Profit/Loss = (Selling Price − Purchase Price + Dividends) × Number of Shares
Worked Example
For a stock bought at ₹500 per share, sold at ₹575 per share, with ₹15 per share received in dividends, holding 100 shares:
Total Return = [(575 − 500 + 15) ÷ 500] × 100 = (90 ÷ 500) × 100 = 18%
Total Profit = (575 − 500 + 15) × 100 shares = 90 × 100 = ₹9,000
Practical Uses
This calculator is useful for:
Retail investors in Indian stock markets (NSE/BSE) evaluating the total return on a holding, including dividend income alongside price appreciation.
Comparing the total return of dividend-paying stocks versus growth stocks that pay no dividends but may see higher price appreciation.
Reviewing individual stock performance as part of annual portfolio review before filing capital gains under India's tax rules for equity investments.
Quickly checking whether a stock met your target return before deciding to hold or sell further.
FAQ
Q1: Should I include dividends in my return calculation?
Yes, including dividends gives a more accurate "total return" figure, since price appreciation alone doesn't capture the full benefit of holding a dividend-paying stock.
Q2: Does this calculator account for brokerage or transaction fees?
No, it calculates return based only on purchase price, selling price, and dividends; brokerage charges, STT (Securities Transaction Tax), and other transaction costs should be factored in separately for a precise net return.
Q3: Does this show annualized return if I held the stock for several years?
No, this calculator shows total return over the entire holding period, not an annualized figure; for a time-adjusted annual return, you can use the ROI Calculator with Date Range on this site instead.