How to use the calculator
- Start typing a ticker or company name and pick the stock or ETF.
- Choose the from and to months. The end month defaults to the latest close.
- Optionally enter an amount to see the results in money as well as percentages.
Total return vs price return
A stock rewards you in two ways: the share price changes, and the company may pay dividends. Most price charts show only the first. The total return assumes every dividend was used to buy more shares on its ex-dividend date, which is how funds and indexes report performance.
price return = end price / start price − 1
total return = end total-return index / start total-return index − 1
dividend return = total return − price return
annual rate = (1 + return)^(1 / years) − 1All prices are adjusted for stock splits, so a split doesn’t distort the result. The start is the closing price on the last trading day of the “from” month; the end is the close on the last trading day of the “to” month, or the latest close for the current month.
Why dividends matter
For a stock yielding 3%, reinvested dividends add roughly 3 percentage points a year, and the gap compounds. Over 20 years, a stock whose price grew 5% a year returned about 165% on price alone, but around 380% with a 3% yield reinvested. For high-dividend stocks and many value funds, dividends are a large share of the total return; for growth stocks that pay little or nothing, the two figures are almost the same.
Reading the table of yearly returns
- Each row is a calendar year. The first and last years are partial when the period starts or ends mid-year (marked with a star).
- The dividends column is the difference between total and price return for that year, roughly the dividend yield.
- Big swings from year to year are normal for single stocks; compare with an index ETF such as SPY over the same years.
To see what a specific amount would be worth today, or to compare with the S&P 500 directly, use the what if I had invested calculator.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between total return and price return?
Price return counts only the change in the share price. Total return also counts dividends, assuming each one was reinvested in more shares. For dividend-paying stocks, total return is higher.
How do I calculate a stock's return with dividends?
Divide the total-return value at the end by the value at the start and subtract 1. The calculator does this from the stock's split-adjusted prices with every dividend reinvested on its ex-dividend date.
Are stock splits taken into account?
Yes. All prices are adjusted for splits, so a 2-for-1 split does not show up as a 50% fall.
What is the annualized return?
The steady yearly rate that gives the same result over the period: (1 + total return)^(1 / years) − 1. It makes periods of different lengths comparable.
Which dates are used?
The closing price on the last trading day of the start month and of the end month, or the latest close if the end month is the current month.
Why can the dividend part be negative for a year?
It shouldn't be by much: small differences come from rounding and from dividends whose ex-date falls near a month end. For non-dividend stocks it is zero.
Can I put this calculator on my website?
Yes. It is free for any site. Use the embed code generator at the bottom of this page, copy the code and paste it into your page. Please keep the credit line with the two links under the calculator.
Related calculators
- What If I Had Invested CalculatorWhat an investment in any US stock or ETF in any past month would be worth today, vs the S&P 500.
- Real Return Calculator (Inflation-Adjusted)The return of any US stock or ETF after inflation between two months, in total and per year.
- Investment Return Calculator (CAGR & IRR)Your annual return from start and end values, or from dated deposits and withdrawals (XIRR).
- Dividend & DRIP CalculatorFuture dividend income, yield on cost and how much reinvesting dividends adds.
See all free investing calculators, or add live stock quotes to your site with the free stock widgets.
Add this calculator to your website
The calculator is free to embed on any website, personal or commercial, and works on WordPress, Blogger, Wix, Squarespace, Webflow, Ghost and plain HTML. Choose the options, copy the code and paste it into your page.
Preview: this is how the calculator and the credit line will look on your page
Free for personal and commercial websites. Please keep the “by Quotelinks” credit line under the calculator visible and unchanged, and don’t modify the calculator or present it as your own. The <script> line is optional: it sizes the frame to fit the calculator; if your platform removes scripts, the calculator still works at the fixed height. Past returns don’t predict future returns. Results are for illustration only, not financial advice.