Profit/Loss Calculator
Calculate the realized profit or loss on a closed stock trade, after fees.
How the Profit/Loss Calculator Works
This calculator determines the realized dollar profit or loss and percentage return on a completed stock trade, accounting for the number of shares, entry and exit price, and any trading fees.
Formula
Profit/Loss = (Shares × Sell Price) − (Shares × Buy Price) − Fees- Shares — number of shares bought and sold
- Buy Price — price paid per share
- Sell Price — price received per share
- Fees — total commissions or trading fees for the round trip
The calculator computes cost basis (shares × buy price) and proceeds (shares × sell price) separately, subtracts fees, and expresses the result both as a dollar figure and as a percentage of the original cost basis — so a $500 gain on a $1,000 trade and a $500 gain on a $50,000 trade are shown with very different percentage returns.
Fees reduce both the dollar profit and the percentage return. On smaller trades or high-fee brokers, fees can meaningfully erode returns even on a winning trade.
Worked Example: 100 shares, bought at $50, sold at $62, $15 in fees
- Cost basis = 100 × $50 = $5,000
- Proceeds = 100 × $62 = $6,200
- Profit = $6,200 − $5,000 − $15 = $1,185
- Percent return = $1,185 / $5,000 × 100
Realized profit: $1,185 (23.7% return on cost basis).
Frequently Asked Questions
Does this account for taxes?
No — this shows the pre-tax realized profit or loss on the trade itself. Actual after-tax proceeds depend on your holding period (short-term vs. long-term capital gains) and personal tax situation.
Why does percentage return matter more than the dollar amount alone?
Percentage return lets you compare the efficiency of trades of different sizes on equal footing — a $1,185 profit is a very different result on a $5,000 trade than it would be on a $50,000 trade.