How is total return on a stock calculated?

Total return is your gain divided by the total invested. The calculator takes your current or sale value minus everything you put in (initial plus additional investments), then divides by the total invested and expresses it as a percentage.

What is annualized return and why does it matter?

Annualized return is the steady yearly rate that would produce your overall gain over the holding period. It lets you compare investments held for different lengths of time fairly — a 50% gain over 2 years is very different from 50% over 10.

Are dividends included in the return?

Yes. Enter dividends received and the calculator adds them to your price gain to show total return including income, which is a more complete picture than price appreciation alone.

How does my return compare to the S&P 500?

The tool benchmarks your annualized return against the S&P 500's long-run average of about 10.5% per year and shows whether you beat or trailed the index, plus a Rule of 72 estimate of how fast your money doubles.

Stock Return Calculator — Historical Investment Performance

Calculate your investment return and compare to market benchmarks

Quick Answer

The S&P 500 has returned an average of 10.5% annually since 1957 including dividends. $10,000 invested in the S&P 500 in 1990 would be worth approximately $210,000 today. Individual stock returns vary widely. Past performance does not guarantee future results.

A stock return calculator shows the growth of an investment over time based on historical or projected returns. It accounts for compound growth where returns generate their own returns. This calculator shows total return, annualized return and final portfolio value for any starting amount and time period.