Stock profit calculator
The gap between your buy and sell price is only the start: commissions, tax and the time your money was tied up all change what a share trade really earned. Enter shares, buy and sell prices, commissions, tax rate and holding period, and the calculator shows profit before and after tax, your return and the yearly equivalent. A table further down gives the result at other sale prices, together with your break-even price.
How the sale money splits up
The proceeds of the sale divided into your original money, fees, tax and the profit you keep.
Profit at other selling prices
Same shares, costs and tax rate at prices above and below yours. Losses are shown before any tax offset.
| Sale price | Change | Profit before tax | After tax | Return |
|---|
How the profit is calculated
Commissions are added to the purchase cost and taken off the sale proceeds. Tax applies to gains only; losses are shown before tax relief, because that depends on your other gains.
Total cost
The price of the shares plus the buying commission.
cost = shares × buy price + buy commission
Net proceeds
What the sale raised, less the selling commission.
proceeds = shares × sell price − sell commission
Profit and tax
Tax is charged only when there is a gain.
after tax = (proceeds − cost) × (1 − tax)
Return
After-tax profit as a share of the money put in, then scaled to a year.
annualised = (1 + return)365 ÷ days − 1
Break-even price
The selling price that covers the cost and both commissions.
break-even = (cost + sell commission) ÷ shares
Stock profit FAQ
How is the profit on a stock calculated?
Take what you received when you sold, after the selling commission, and subtract what you paid including the buying commission. 100 shares bought at $40 with a $5 commission cost $4,005; sold at $48 with another $5 they bring $4,795, a $790 profit before tax.
What does break-even price mean?
The selling price where you neither gain nor lose after commissions: total cost plus the selling commission, divided by the number of shares. With a commission-free broker it is simply what you paid per share.
How are stock gains taxed?
In many countries, shares held only briefly are taxed like ordinary income, while shares held longer, often over a year in the US, get a lower rate. Losses can usually be set against gains. Enter the rate that applies to you; this is not tax advice.
What does annualised return show?
It turns any return into a yearly rate so trades of different lengths can be compared. A 10 percent gain in three months is about 46 percent annualised, while 10 percent over three years is roughly 3 percent a year.
Should dividends be included?
Yes, if you received any while you owned the shares, because they are part of the return. Our dividend adjusted return calculator splits the return into price and dividends, with and without reinvestment.
Can I use it for a short sale?
It is built for buying first and selling later. On a short, profit is the sale price minus the buyback price, less commissions and any borrowing costs.