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Stock Calculator: Calculate Share Profit or Loss
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Stock Calculator: Calculate Profit or Loss
Calculate your profit or loss from a stock purchase, plus your return on investment.
Many, or all, of the products featured on this page are from our advertising partners who compensate us when you take certain actions on our website or click to take an action on their website. However, this does not influence our evaluations. Our opinions are our own. Here is a list of our partners and here's how we make money.
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Arielle O’Shea leads the investing and taxes team at NerdWallet. She has covered personal finance and investing for nearly 20 years, and was a senior writer and spokesperson at NerdWallet before becoming an editor. Previously, she was a researcher and reporter for leading personal finance journalist and author Jean Chatzky, a role that included developing financial education programs, interviewing subject matter experts and helping to produce television and radio segments. Arielle has appeared on the "Today" show, NBC News and ABC's "World News Tonight," and has been quoted in national publications including The New York Times, MarketWatch and Bloomberg News. She is based in Charlottesville, Virginia. Published in Head of Content, Investing & Taxes + more + more
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Sabrina Parys is an editor and content strategist on the taxes and investing team at NerdWallet, where she manages and writes content on personal income taxes. Her previous experience includes five years as a copy editor and associate editor in academic and educational publishing. She is based in Brooklyn, New York. Published in Editor & Content Strategist + more + moreNext steps
Next stepsLearn about how to buy and sell stocks.
Learn about Learn about how to buy and sell stocks .View the best-performing stocks right now.
View View the best-performing stocks right now .Check out our picks for the best brokers for stock trading.
Check out our picks Check out our picks Check out our picks for the best brokers for stock trading .How this calculator works
How this calculator worksInput a few key factors about your stock purchase to calculate your profit or loss, as well as your overall return.
Input a few key factors about your stock purchase to calculate your profit or loss, as well as your overall return.Number of shares: Individual stocks are purchased by the share. This field requires the number of shares you purchased.
Number of shares: Number of shares: Individual stocks are purchased by the share. This field requires the number of shares you purchased.Purchase price per share: The share price you paid. For example, if you purchased a stock for $5 a share and you bought 10 shares, you would enter $5 here, not $50.
Purchase price per share: Purchase price per share: The share price you paid. For example, if you purchased a stock for $5 a share and you bought 10 shares, you would enter $5 here, not $50.Sell price per share: How much you sold the stock for, or how much you hope to sell the stock for if you're projecting a return on shares you still own. Again, this is per share: If you plan to sell those 10 shares for $10, enter $10 here, not $100.
Sell price per share: Sell price per share: How much you sold the stock for, or how much you hope to sell the stock for if you're projecting a return on shares you still own. Again, this is per share: If you plan to sell those 10 shares for $10, enter $10 here, not $100.Commission to buy and sell: Most online brokers no longer charge a stock-trading commission. However, if yours did, enter the amount you paid on the purchase and the amount you paid to sell (or an estimate).
Commission to buy and sell: Commission to buy and sell: Most online brokers no longer charge a stock-trading commission. However, if yours did, enter the amount you paid on the purchase and the amount you paid to sell (or an estimate).» Looking to cut costs? View the best brokers for free trading.
» Looking to cut costs? » Looking to cut costs? View the best brokers for free trading .Once you've provided the above information, the calculator will display the following:
Once you've provided the above information, the calculator will display the following:Your total cost of purchase.
Your total cost of purchase.The amount you will receive on the sale.
The amount you will receive on the sale.The profit or loss.
The profit or loss.Your return on investment.
Your return on investment.What isn't included in this calculation?
What isn't included in this calculation?This is a simple stock calculator used to estimate how much you might profit or lose from a stock sale. If you want to get more detailed, you might also want to consider these factors that can affect your investment return.
This is a simple stock calculator used to estimate how much you might profit or lose from a stock sale. If you want to get more detailed, you might also want to consider these factors that can affect your investment return.Capital gains taxes
Capital gains taxesWhen you sell a stock or other investment for a profit, it is called a capital gain. (When you sell for a loss, it's a capital loss.) Capital gains are taxed at either short-term rates or long-term rates. To qualify for long-term rates, which are lower, you must hold the stock for more than a year before selling. If you sell within a year, it's considered a short-term capital gain, and you'll be taxed according to your ordinary income tax rate. (If you sell for a loss, you may be able to use that to offset your ordinary income.)
When you sell a stock or other investment for a profit, it is called a capital gain. (When you sell for a loss, it's a capital loss.) Capital gains are taxed at either short-term rates or long-term rates. To qualify for long-term rates, which are lower, you must hold the stock for more than a year before selling. If you sell within a year, it's considered a short-term capital gain, and you'll be taxed according to your ordinary income tax rate . (If you sell for a loss, you may be able to use that to offset your ordinary income.)» Try our capital gains calculator
» » Try our capital gains calculatorDividends
DividendsSome stocks pay dividends, which are regular distributions of the company's profits to shareholders. If you're invested in dividend stocks, use our dividend calculator instead to get a more accurate result.
Some stocks pay dividends, which are regular distributions of the company's profits to shareholders. If you're invested in dividend stocks, use our dividend calculator instead to get a more accurate result.» View our list of high-dividend stocks
» » View our list of high-dividend stocksInflation
InflationInflation is a measure of the average change in prices for goods and services over time. What does that have to do with your stock purchase? Because inflation erodes your purchasing power over time, a dollar in 1980 bought more than a dollar will buy in 2025. Because of that, inflation is often factored into investment and stock returns, especially if you're projecting a return and plan on holding the stock for a long time. For example, if inflation is 2% a year, your return is essentially reduced by 2% because the purchasing power of that money goes down by that amount every year.
Inflation is a measure of the average change in prices for goods and services over time. What does that have to do with your stock purchase? Because inflation erodes your purchasing power over time, a dollar in 1980 bought more than a dollar will buy in 2025. Because of that, inflation is often factored into investment and stock returns, especially if you're projecting a return and plan on holding the stock for a long time. For example, if inflation is 2% a year, your return is essentially reduced by 2% because the purchasing power of that money goes down by that amount every year.Charles Schwab
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