Stock Calculator

Cost basis is the total amount you paid for an investment, including the purchase price and any commissions or fees. It is used to calculate capital gains or losses for tax purposes.

Yes, in most countries. In the US, short-term capital gains (held less than 1 year) are taxed as ordinary income. Long-term gains (held over 1 year) receive preferential tax rates of 0%, 15%, or 20% depending on income.

The S&P 500 averages about 10% annually. Returns above this benchmark are considered good. However, higher returns often come with higher risk. Evaluate returns relative to the risk taken.

This calculator measures price return only. For total return, add all dividends received to your current value before calculating. Total return is a more accurate measure of investment performance.

Use the Stock Average Calculator to find your average cost per share across multiple purchases. This gives a weighted average cost basis for the entire position.

Commissions reduce your effective return. On small positions, commissions can significantly impact performance. For example, $10 commission on a $100 trade is a 10% cost, but on a $10,000 trade it is only 0.1%.

Unrealized gains are paper profits on positions you still hold. Realized gains occur when you sell. Only realized gains are taxable. This calculator shows unrealized gains/losses unless you have actually sold.

After a stock split, your number of shares increases and the price per share decreases proportionally. Your total value remains the same. Adjust your buy price and share count accordingly.

A stop-loss is an automatic sell order triggered when a stock drops to a specified price, limiting your potential loss. While not part of this calculation, stop-losses are an important risk management tool.