EachCalculatorStock Calculator
Calculate your average cost basis across multiple stock purchases, or your profit and return on a completed buy-and-sell trade.
Mode
Average Cost
$110.00
Total Shares
20
Total cost: $2,200.00
How It Works
Average cost basis
When you buy shares of the same stock at different prices over time, your average cost is the total amount spent divided by the total number of shares owned.
Profit and loss
Profit = (sell price × shares − selling fees) − (buy price × shares + buying fees). Return % expresses that profit as a percentage of your total cost.
Example
Buying 10 shares at $100 and selling them at $120, with $5 in fees on each side, nets a $190 profit — about an 18.9% return on the $1,005 total cost.
Common Mistakes
- Forgetting to include brokerage fees or commissions on both the buy and sell side, which can meaningfully change your real return.
- Confusing average cost basis (used for tracking your true break-even price) with your most recent purchase price.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Why does average cost basis matter?
- It tells you the true price you need the stock to reach just to break even across all your purchases — useful for deciding whether to buy more, hold, or sell.
- Does this account for taxes on capital gains?
- No — this calculates pre-tax profit and return only. Actual capital gains tax depends on your holding period and tax bracket.