UNDERSTAND THE RESULT
The calculation, explained clearly
A change in share price is not the same as an investor’s net profit. Purchase cost, sale proceeds, transaction fees and dividends all affect the outcome. This calculator combines those items for a single long position in one currency and reports net profit or loss, return on the invested cost and the share price needed to break even.
It can be used for a completed trade or for an unrealized scenario by entering the current price as the sell price. The output is arithmetic, not a judgement about whether a security is attractive, risky or suitable. It does not fetch a market quote, predict a price or account for an individual tax position.
When this calculator helps
- Check whether a price gain still produces a profit after transaction fees.
- Include cash dividends when comparing money invested with money received.
- Find the price per share required to recover the purchase cost and the entered sale fee.
How to use it
- Enter the number of shares and purchase price per share from the position or scenario.
- Enter the current or sale price, total dividends and the total buy and sell fees.
- Review net profit, ROI and break-even price, then compare the inputs with broker records before using the result.
Method and interpretation
Total cost equals shares multiplied by the buy price plus the buy fee. Net proceeds equal shares multiplied by the sell price, plus total dividends, minus the sell fee. Net profit is net proceeds minus total cost. A negative value is displayed as a loss rather than being converted to a positive number.
ROI divides net profit by total cost and expresses the result as a percentage. The break-even price solves for the per-share sale price that makes net proceeds equal total cost after the entered dividends and sale fee. It cannot represent tax-specific break-even rules.
The visual compares total cost with net proceeds and places buy, sell and break-even prices on the same scale. All displayed values come from the same decimal calculation used by the result card.
Assumptions and limits
- The position is a positive long holding; short sales and option contracts are outside the model.
- All prices, fees and dividends use the selected display currency and no foreign exchange conversion occurs.
- Dividends are entered as a total cash amount, not per share, and withholding taxes are excluded.
- Market data, capital-gains tax, lot selection, reinvestment and annualized return are not calculated.
Frequently asked questions
How do fees and dividends affect the result?
The buy fee increases total cost, the sell fee reduces proceeds and total cash dividends increase proceeds. Enter each as the total amount for the whole position rather than a per-share amount.
How is the break-even share price calculated?
The calculator finds the sale price at which share proceeds plus dividends, after the sell fee, equal the original share cost and buy fee. A larger dividend can lower the modeled break-even price.
What does ROI measure?
ROI is net profit divided by total purchase cost, including the buy fee. It is not annualized and does not adjust for inflation, tax or the time that the position was held.
Are taxes and currency changes included?
No. This page assumes every amount uses one currency and excludes tax. If the share is priced in a different currency from your home money, use the foreign stock return calculator and separately review applicable tax rules.
Can I use fractional shares or short positions?
Positive fractional shares are accepted. Zero and negative share counts are rejected, so short positions are not modeled. Options, leverage, margin interest and multiple purchase lots require a different calculation.